

Cantabrigians and industry types hoof it to this upstairs bar, behind an unmarked door next to sibling restaurant Central Kitchen. Even as an early-evening quiet yields to a buzzy din, the place keeps a cozy feel. Maybe it’s the warm tones in the brick walls and the copper-topped, horseshoe-shaped bar that feels like a drinking circle. More likely, it’s servers who reward regulars with gestures like Ponies in the Surf, a kitschy horse head-shaped mug that garners guffaws—and goodwill—as it makes the rounds.
Brick & Mortar
567 Massachusetts Ave., Cambridge • (617) 491-5599
https://brickmortarltd.com
Other Winners
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Cozy Bar
2017 Winner: Anchovies
Spiffier South End spots attract see-and-be-seen crowds. But when you want to slip away to a dimly lit den, sidle up to the dark wooden bar at this neighborhood haunt...
- 433 Columbus Ave., Boston
- (617) 266-5088
- anchoviesboston.com