Smokeworks

You'll find yourself queueing on Free School Lane more often than you'd like to admit, but that's the price of authenticity in this corner of Cambridge. Smokeworks takes their craft seriously: brisket that's been nursing in the smoker for hours, ribs that fall off the bone without ceremony, and sides that actually taste like something. It's the kind of place where you show up hungry and leave satisfied but slightly regretful you didn't order more. The casual setup means you're eating elbow-to-elbow with students and locals alike, which adds to the appeal. Worth the trip from wherever you are in the city.