To grab the attention of local food critics is a win, but to make two national top 50 lists in the same week is unheard of, until now.
Thanks to recent accreditations in The New York Times and Bon Appétit, Dear Annie is on the radar of foodies everywhere. Still, Cambridge folks may scoff at the news. They’ve been well aware of Dear Annie’s well-executed mix of old and new dishes — always with a quirky twist.
Dear Annie is a local favorite in Porter Square
With the tagline “gather here,” Dear Annie hopes to establish itself as a neighborhood joint for locals. After all, the restaurant is the brainchild of the Cambridge trio, Andrew Brady, Sara Markey, and Lauren Friel.
If these names sound unfamiliar to you, maybe these don’t: Field and Vine and Rebel Rebel. The team behind Dear Annie is no stranger to the hospitality industry, with beloved establishments in Somerville’s Bow Market and Union Square respectively. Sourcing from the momentum of their existing businesses, Dear Annie opened its doors in 2020 as a chef’s counter-style restaurant.
An effervescence carries through the restaurant from the communal seating to the cheeky decor. To keep things interesting, the week at Dear Annie is never boring. In the past, Dear Annie shook things up (literally!) with Monday night disco. Now Dear Annie offers pizza on Monday nights, more in line with everyone’s hibernation tendencies as the weather cools.
Dear Annie prides itself on its perfected pescatarian fare. The menu is ever-changing as a farm-to-table restaurant. “For food try the house-preserved fish, the seafood hot dogs (pictured below), plus the grilled sandwiches and seasonal toasts. You can’t go wrong with any of these dishes, especially when they come with a caviar topper,” writes Bon Appétit.
Cap the night off with a slice of Dear Annie’s rotating homemade pie. Easily, you’ll notice Dear Annie from a mile away strolling down Mass Ave due to its brightly lit eccentric neon signage.
Find Dear Annie in Cambridge at:
1741 Massachusetts Ave., Cambridge
Mon-Sun from 5 p.m. to 12 a.m.
Dear Annie does not accept reservations at this time, so head on in and meet your neighbors!