Channel Cafe, Boston

When walking down the stairs into the Channel Café, guests may not be clear as to whether they are entering an art gallery, restaurant, or a friend's swanky apartment. Paintings, sculptures, pictures of Angela Lansbury, and other perfect works of art fill the spacious dining room as natural light floods in through street-level windows beneath the high ceiling. The basement eatery owned by seasoned chef Tammie Watson and baker Joyce Parlapiano takes a simple, locally sourced approach to cooking while still creating eclectic dishes that fit in alongside artsy neighbors in the Fort Point Channel district. Espresso drinks and loose-leaf teas pair well with house-made granola or egg-and-potato-filled breakfast wraps, and a curated beer and wine selection livens up seasonal salads and burgers topped with a West African barbecue sauce.