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Finally open in the Back Bay and serving up many a crazy dog, with a bevvy of outlandish toppings. Though the do not encourage the consumption of man's best friend, their menu is set up so various combinations of toppings are named after different kinds of dogs, such as the Irish Setter, Bulldog, etc. Sofas, magazines, and a plasma TV are provided for your relaxation while you enjoy their wide variety of hot dogs. Franchise opportunities available.

With the opening of this full-service cafe and ice cream bar near Symphony Hall on Monday, Dec. 15, Boston-area vegans have a reason to rejoice. Owner Wheeler Del Toro, a recovering carnivore, says he'll serve up all-vegetarian sandwiches and salads coupled with alcoholic vegan ice creams and artisanal teas. “I think people hear vegan and they think militants eating twigs and dirt!” I love eating and I’m not going to create anything that doesn’t taste good,” he says in a recent announcement. Offering free Wi-Fi to its customers, this 30-seat establishment will also host a DJ spinning gentle jazz, house and trip-hop.

It exists, I know it's possible but still somehow this seems an oxymoron to most. Yet in a haze of disbelief I implore you to venture here. Like a modern-day Alice in Wonderland. Vegan ice cream can be your white rabbit. The atmosphere, in reality, is less than fairy-tale like. Imagine if your dentist's office and an ice cream parlor had a child. Yes, that is the interior and service factor at Wheeler's. Sterile, bare bones and slightly cold. The goods, however, delivered fairly well and warmly. The dessert is creamy and satisfying. No need for anything more than a small, if you're looking for a quick, refreshing treat. If I am in the 'hood, I would like to sample more of their extensive flavor list...who knew one could conjure up so much creativity sans the usual ingredients. The alcohol-inspired flavors are very very good. Also selling vegan salads and sandwiches.

You wouldn't think the combination of Chinese and Cuban would work - but it really, really does. Betty's menu is a bit daunting for the first-timer (there's a lot of picking from here, here and here to create your dish) but the waitstaff are friendly and helpful. There are also some standard dishes for those who are unispired in the culinary realms. Betty's has a license for beer and wine, but they are very creative with their plum wine and sake cocktails. If the BSO or POPS are playing across the street, steer clear but otherwise, Betty's is great for lunch or dinner.

A Malaysian restaurant offering lunch and dinner. Aside from many students, Tiger Lily's attracts visitors from Boston's Symphony Hall, the New England Conservatory, and Berklee College of Music, and lost tourists. This place does not serve strictly Malaysian cuisine - it also serves a Chinese, Indonesian, and Thai. They also have an interesting bar menu- with many interesting and fruity drinks. If you are going there to drink (as most people do)- they're known for their black scorpion bowl. Try to get a table by the window - there is a great view of the Christian Science Center across the street. Random fact: doorknobs are actually cutlery.

Located near Boston Symphony Orchestraand Northeastern University, this Vietnamese restaurant is a great value, in an easy location, without any fuss. They do delivery, take-out, and have seating both at tables and a small bar. They do get full on Symphony nights, as well as when there's a popular show at the Huntington Theatre, so there may sometimes be a wait, although generally you can snag a table most times of the day. They offer tasty lunch specials for $7 or $8, with meat or tofu, veggies, and rice, and an extra $2 gets you soup, salad, and an appetizer as well. Main dishes include some of the best pad thai around, pho noodle soups, noodle dishes like the spicy drunken noodle, make-your-own fresh rolls, and a variety of meat and seafood plates. For dessert, green tea ice cream, or mangoes and sticky rice, are the best bet. Also try the creamy Thai iced tea, or a glass of wine with dinner. The staff is easy-going, keeps water glasses full, and never rushes customers out of a table, even when they're busy. The Phoenix says... "Curl your hands around a hot bowl of tom yum noodle soup ($7.95). This classic Thai hot-and-sour chili-flaked soup is full of baby mushrooms, fresh green scallions, chunks of chicken, shrimp, and tender tomatoes with a hint of lime juice. Impossible to finish in one sitting? Yes. Impossible to fight the urge to try? You bet."

Au Bon Pain means the place of good bread in French. Au Bon Pain is a stylish bakery café located at America's urban junctions and suburban crossroads.

Once known as Boston Chicken, the name morphed into Boston Market but chicken is still on the menu. Hearty food at low prices. To create ambiance, they have potted silk plants at each table.

Serving their signature toasted subs, this Quizno's branch is strangely connected to the UPS store, but this doesn't diminish the tastiness of their sandwiches. If you've seen one, you've seen them all--the interior is colorful and clean, with several indoor tables for seating. Get salads, sandwiches, flatbreads, chips, a drink--and you're good to go. Eat in or take out, it's the perfect stop for students at NU, [[Berklee School of Music|Berklee], |Berklee], New England Conservatory, and other schools in the area, as well as on your office lunch hour.