This quaint bistro has earned its many Best of Boston awards. Owned by chef Andy Husbands, a former apprentice to famed East Coast Grill maestro Chris Schlesinger, Tremont 647 is serious food. The MoMos ($8) and the lemon butter roasted mussels ($9) are appetizer favorites, and entrees like grilled tuna ($26) and Chilean sea bass ($25) reflect the cosmopolitan flavors the menu has to offer. Don't skip the killer desserts, which rotate at the chef's whim. Valet parking available ($8). Appetizers $10-12, entrees $18-30, desserts $7. This section contains information from Harvard Student Agencies' Unofficial Guide to Life at Harvard. Consider the breakfast pizza. It's topped with eggs, home fries, ham, and bacon. During the dinner hour, Tremont 647 offers fare described as "adventurous American cuisine." Although the brunch is family-friendly, you may find dinner somewhat less so. The restaurant does not offer a children's menu, and the atmosphere is clearly geared toward adult dining. $2 Tacos every Tuesday night!

Another trendy and cutting edge restaurant to add to the hot, hot, hot South End dining scene. Along with sophisticated designer lofts and apartments, Banq is opening in the beautifully renovated Penny Saving Bank. Decor is made up of undulating layers of sand colored wood that flow across the ceiling like a soft wave. The restaurant is like the inside of a prehistoric whales body, as depicted by a minimalist Japanese architect. Very chic, spacious, loud and almost anonymous; it could be a spot in midtown Manhattan. You're likely to spend probably 10 minutes staring around at how interesting the space is. Little plants at the tables are a nice added touch that don't get in the way of your food. Which, by the way, is impressive in an Iron Chef sort of way. If you have friends visiting from NYC or London or Tokyo, bring them to Banq to show them that 'lil ole Boston IS a cutting edge Metropolitan city.

Hidden away on an unassuming street in the South End, this trendy but friendly after-work dinner-and-drinks spot is clearly the place to be for locals in the know. Franklin Cafe only has 9 tables, so be prepared to wait 45min. to 1 hour to be seated—the fully stocked bar is a good distraction, and you can eat there if you're in a hurry. The wait, however, is worth it. Wonderful warm bread with a delicious hummus spread will start you off, best followed by one of their light salads or somewhat larger appetizers ($5-9). Entrees ($14-19) consist of straightforward meats, poultry, and fish, grilled and basted with imaginative sauces; try the steak with chive mashed potatoes and a mountain of fried red onions ($18). Although the menu, which changes seasonally, features only 1 vegetarian entree, the waitstaff will happily make substitutions or alter the daily special. The only drawback is that the kitchen is too small to produce desserts, which, after the great dinner, often leaves you craving something sweet. If you're really in a jam, settle for a sweet martini ($7)—there's a reason a martini glass is on the sign. This section contains information from Harvard Student Agencies' Unofficial Guide to Life at Harvard.

Sibling Rivalry, a restaurant located on Tremont Street in the South End, was started by two brothers. The brothers Kinkead, both chefs at the restaurant, have their own menus-diverse in nature and have to utilize the same ingredients while preparing a variety of dishes. Sibling Rivalry has what is called a "Chef's Bar," where people can sit and watch the kitchen staff in action. The bar and wine list is extremly creative, not to mention fresh. Sample menu items from Chef David's side of the menu include: "Pan Roasted Veal Chop Fontina Cheese Fonduta, Black Truffle Jus and Caramelized Onion and Potato…$38.00," "*Barbequed Lamb Chop Lollipops with Roast Acorn Squash and Creamy Brussels Sprouts and Bacon Gratin...$32.00"--and from Chef Bob's menu: "Boneless Short Ribs of Beef with Roast Beets, Ragout of Salsify, Pearl Onions and Carrots, Mashed Potatoes & Horseradish Cream…$28.00," "*Pancetta Wrapped Monkfish with Celery Three Ways: Braised Celery Hearts, Celeriac Puree and Celery Salad with Truffle Vinaigrette…$26.00." The bar at Sibling Rivalry is also a happening place and serves a variety of inventive cocktails with an extensive wine list.

Metropolis occupies what was once an ice cream parlor; today, there is no better place in Boston to spoon up cinnamon ice cream with chocolate bread pudding and caramel sauce ($8), one of the restaurant's rarefied desserts. While the ice cream here is exquisitely prepared, this trendy bistro focuses on innovative, Italian-influenced cuisine. Dishes such as the roasted duck with sun-dried plum, goat cheese, and smoked bacon tart ($20) exemplify how Metropolis' chef melds diverse and complex flavors with excellent results. The date-worthy atmosphere more than compensates for the lack of elbow room and the inevitable wait (call ahead). Entrees $15-20. This section contains information from Harvard Student Agencies' Unofficial Guide to Life at Harvard. Customers squeeze into the tightly spaced tables and read the paper at the wrap-around bar.

Aquitaine Bar à Vin Bistro has established itself as one of the premier French Bistro in the South End. You'll sigh in culinary ecstasy from your first sip of Perrier to your last crumb of profiterole. Everything—from appetizers to dessert—is absolutely mouth-watering and cooked to perfection. Starters range from gourmet escargot with garlic and parsley butter ($12), mussels ($9), or rabbit and foie gras terrine ($14) to the more traditional endive salad ($9). Equally delicious entrees include everything from salmon, sole, or cod to goat cheese ravioli, or steak frites (entrees $19-30). And if you're feeling ambitious, Aquitaine's extensive wine list offers a host of options for that $200 hangover you've been craving. Saturday Prix Fixe Brunch for $9.95 per person. They also serve a slightly pricier and more elaborate brunch on Sunday. If you are going to visit Aquitaine for dinner, and you want to be really impressed, try the filet au poive w/ congnac cream, grilled scallions and green peppercorns ($29). Aquitaine also has a sister restaurant - Aquitaine Bis - located in Chestnut Hill.

Serving up burgers, salads, chicken sandwiches, fries, and yes- veggies, this is a healthy alternative to fast-food. This young, hip new-aged (did we mention expanding) restaurant chain has the people in mind. Come for the food and stay for the funny advertisments and unique marketing strategies displayed in-house. Always clean, and often with lines, be sure to ask for your burgers well done if you like them like that, they tend to come on the rare side. There are four other locations around Boston.

Sage Restaurant is a cozy and intimate setting in one of Boston's oldest neighborhoods. The restaurant rivals the uptown establishments by delivering American and European style cuisine that is both modern and classic.

By day, most patrons swing by to take home venison sausages and veal cutlets, while nighttime sees well-dressed couples huddling around the butcher's block, waiting for a seat at the diminutive, candlelit bar. Ultra-knowledgeable waiters eagerly discuss the exceptionally adventurous wine list's intricacies.

If you're just looking for a great place to lounge at night, 28 Degrees is a great venue to sit back, drink, eat and relax to the tune of the finest underground sounds and DJs. The basket of french fries is particularly tasty. From 5 to 7 on week days, they serve oysters for $1 a piece.