Everyone knows Allston for its modest, student-friendly restaurants, but grown-ups seeking fine food and good service in a genteel setting get short shrift. This sedate hideaway on a little-travelled residential street is the corrective, looking like an upscale British gastropub and serving an eclectic menu of European and American small plates and simple, well-crafted entrees. Its best surprise is a thoughtful, gently priced wine program, though beer lovers are also well-served. Thank goodness for Google Maps.
The Glenville Stops
87 Glenville Ave., Boston • (617) 903-3638
glenvillestops.com