Annapurna Restaurant, Cambridge

At the base of Annapurna Mountain, in a small district in Nepal, 10-year-old Brihaspati Lama began cooking native dishes for the various adventurers before they set out for its peak. Though simply intended to nourish the trekkers, the food seemed to unite them over a mutual love of a hot, home-cooked meal—almost matching their shared passion for dry, nylon pants. Years later, Lama, drawing from that rich boyhood experience, set up his own base camp in Cambridge with Annapurna Restaurant, where he crafts a unique blend of spices and flavors culled from the cuisines of northern India, Kathmandu, and Kabul. Pairing wholesome veggies and halal meats with light, fresh sauces, Lama and his chefs whip up everything from tandoori kebabs and goat curries to vegetarian masalas, dals, and stews infused with tomatoes, pumpkin, and paneer.