Seafood treats in October
The Legal Sea Foods in Cambridge’s Kendall Square and Somerville’s Assembly Square have monthlong oyster specials (oy, it’s “Oyster Fest”) with oyster scampi, oysters Rockefeller, Buffalo oysters, an oyster banh mi and a fried oyster jambalaya, ranging in price from $11 to $28, and has dollar oysters every Tuesday in October. Summer Shack at Alewife in Cambridge has its own October thing going: Diners with birthdays this month can swap cake for a free 1-pound lobster, if they’re dining in and have ID as proof.
J.P. Licks adds fall drinks
J.P. Licks has autumned up its coffees and beverages items: A Panama coffee roast is now available at all locations (ours are in Cambridge’s Harvard Square and Somerville’s Davis and Assembly squares) featuring chocolate and toffee notes with hints of pear and honey. Pumpkin spice is back and available in a pumpkin spice latte, pumpkin spice chai and pumpkin FrōJō – the chain’s blended frozen coffee made with espresso, brown sugar, cinnamon and vanilla ice cream. Frosted pumpkin muffins, pumpkin coffee cake and cheddar chive scones are available at some locations.
Caramels, cocktails, Tuscan
The Cambridge Center for Adult Education’s October schedule includes a Middle Eastern Brunch Fest at 11 a.m. Saturday that combines vegan-friendly samples of Middle Eastern foods such as pita, za’atar and cardamom tea with a lesson on how to make hummus ($105). Several 6 p.m. classes follow, including Crafting Caramels, which teaches the full caramel making process with flavor variations and techniques and has students walk out with wrapped candies on Monday ($95). A Date Night class Wednesday teaches hands-on cocktail-making skills in a class designed for pairs ($170). Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone uses ingredients such as fennel, mint, olives and summer greens Oct. 9 ($115). Under the Tuscan Spoon teaches regional Italian foods such as panzanella (tomato) salad, pici pasta with wild boar ragu and cantucci with vin santo (hard almondy biscuits and sweet dessert wine) on Oct. 10 ($115). Information, registration and more food and wine events for the center at 42 Brattle St., Harvard Square, are online.
Anna’s chimichurri steak taco
Anna’s Taqueria celebrates National Taco Day on Tuesday with chimichurri steak tacos at all locations (ours are in Cambridge’s Porter Square and Somerville’s Davis Square). It has grilled steak, queso fresco, cilantro and diced red onion finished with chimichurri, a tangy sauce of cilantro, basil, garlic and jalapeño. This is one day only, though popularity might convince the chain to make it a permanent menu item. The sauce is available also as a free topper to a bowl, burrito or quesadilla. Anna’s is taking suggestions for what to offer on next year’s National Taco Day starting Tuesday; the winner gets free tacos for a year.
Harvest Halloween dinner
Harvest offers no details for its Halloween dinner served at 6:30 p.m. Oct. 31 except that it’ll be five courses of surprises from executive chef Nicholas Deutmeyer and executive pastry chef Tab Volpe “taking inspiration from the eerie world of ‘The Twilight Zone,’ where nothing is quite as it seems.” (Does this mean five courses of “Is It Cake?”) It’s $125, with an additional wine or mocktail pairing for $55. No spoilers, but some dishes are available on the tasting menu the week leading to halloween.
Friendly Toast special menu
The Friendly Toast partners with singer-songwriter Noah Kahan for a fall specials menu across its 14 locations in New England, including in Harvard Square. The four main dishes, two sides and a cocktail flight are inspired by Kahan’s songs and lyrics, including the “Stick Season”ed Stack (pumpkin batter pancakes with a cinnamon swirl, maple cinnamon butter and powdered sugar served with Vermont maple syrup), “Northern Attitude” Breakfast (the stack, pumpkin spice bacon, root vegetable hash and an egg choice) and Don’t “Dial Drunk” flight with a mimosa, sangria, Pumpkin Pie Martini and Chai Hot Toddy. The menu is available until Nov. 30 with proceeds benefiting Kahan’s initiative for mental health awareness, The Busyhead Project.
This post was updated Sept. 15, 2025, to note that here are still seats available at Urban Hearth’s Wild Mushroom Dinner seatings.
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