Cross Roads

MySecretBoston's guide to Kenmore Square

Photo: Susan Ogan

f there’s a beating heart of Boston, Kenmore Square is in the running for it. The completely dysfunctional layout of the roads, for one thing, makes it a perfect symbol of the city. So does the association with Fenway Park and Lansdowne Street, and the constant flow of students. And while Kenmore has become gentrified, with national and regional chain restaurants and fast-food joints replacing onetime institutions such as the Ratskellar (the beloved, legendary Rat), there are still some secrets worth seeking out here.

A relaxed sports bar for pre-Fenway fun
 

A little-noticed bar with a cocktail pedigree
 

A great deal on food that’s usually pricey
 

An authentic Irish pub—where?
 

A Japanese-style bakery with exotic sweets
 

A home to both a star athlete and a civil rights icon
 

Filling French food you can afford
 

An elegant restaurant with singular cocktails
 

A music store with deals that will sound good to anyone
 

How to (legally) get on the Fenway field—and into the press box and the dugout and …
 

A little piece of baseball scandal right in Kenmore Square
 

This hidden diner takes you back in time.
 

A nut-box pastry that will drive you nutty
 

Where to have some gospel with your brunch
 

The baseball secret in the basement of a local bar