Restaurants in Haverhill

The Columbus Café & Bar's menu brims with regional American comfort cuisine with inflections from all over the world. Patrons at the vibrant neighborhood eatery prep palates with nibbles of deviled eggs possessed with tuna, or mini taquitos packed with duck confit atop asian slaw. Fresh greens may also kick-start meals, such as a warm spinach salad with rich Vermont goat cheese and a balsamic vinaigrette aged and jaded to perfection. Tuscan meatloaf over mashed potatoes and moroccan lamb shank over collard greens provide punches of protein, while mac 'n' cheese cozies up to taste buds with a warm blend of cheese and roasted asparagus. An assortment of desserts rounds out the meal and gives patrons the pleasure of fulfilling Mary Antoinette's misguided advice.

The hot-off-the-press menu features a variety of hot-off-the-stove Italian plates that compel diners to find the nearest floating coin box and cha-ching it dry. A favorite starter offer is the cuneo di lattuga, which is a wedge salad with house-cured pancetta and creamy gorgonzola ($9). A surefire main plate is the homemade "OO" gnocchi in fresh plum tomato sauces baked with Italian cheese ($18). There are a variety of meatier dishes, all cooked and tenderized to perfection. The vitello braciolatini (veal cutlet stuffed with prosciutto, fontina, and sage in a marsala sauce, $21) is well received by past patrons and time-traveling future patrons.

The menu of vegetarian, seafood, and perfectly prepared meaty fare has classic Indian favorites and plates with creative twists. Tandoori chicken dalwala ($14.95), lamb tikka masala ($15.95), beef curry ($12.95), and saag paneer ($13.95) superbly showcase traditional flavors. The Boston Globe recommends the lamb vindaloo ($14.95) for its "edge of vinegar and its bite of chili-laden tomato sauce." Choose from eight specialty tandooris, more than ten vegetarian plates, six biryanis, or Bombay fare such as masala dosa (a crêpe stuffed with potatoes and onions, $11.95). Diva also serves freshly baked Indian breads and desserts.

Ninety-five percent of Urbanspooners like Tupelo, and nearly 200 Yelpers give it four out of five stars:

After sinking into Cafe 47's sleek, squishy, nut-brown banquettes, diners will be privy to a dinner menu of upscale comfort food that opens with sautéed sea scallops wrapped in applewood bacon and cherry tomatoes ($9) before moving on to larger, more-circular fare. Cafe 47's signature pizzas, such as the grilled-chicken pesto pie ($8 for a small), drape themselves in a heavenly raiment of mozzarella, cheddar, parmesan, and fresh tomatoes, while the spicy sausage pizza ($8 for a small) features a stately dance of baked dough, sautéed mushrooms, and caramelized onions. Less geometrically pleasing but equally sumptuous entrees include creamy vegetable risotto ($14), Black Angus cheeseburgers ($9.50), and Atlantic salmon ($16). End your meal like Romeo and Juliet—happily—with a dessert of fried banana cheesecake and peanut butter pie.

In an effort to find a healthy alternative to fast food without sacrificing speediness, the creators of Pita Pit began assembling their signature sandwiches for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and late-night snacks. At each location, thin, Lebanese-style pitas encircle lean, grilled meats and fresh veggies. Sandwich selections span the spectrum from gyro meat and falafel to turkey and prime rib. The staff empowers customers to make healthy choices by displaying nutrition information for each bread, meat, and post-meal toothpick and corralling a selection of healthy sandwiches, which dining companions can wash down with fruit smoothies.