The Plough and Stars

The Plough and Stars has been serving Cambridge since 1969, and food and live music still share the bill. On Massachusetts Avenue between Central and Harvard squares, the pub serves lunch, dinner and weekend brunch, with patio tables when the weather cooperates. The menu moves from Irish lamb stew and fish and chips to New Orleans gumbo, blackened catfish sandwiches and vegan curried lentils. Brunch includes an Irish breakfast with black and white pudding. Live sets run on weekend afternoons and late on most nights, so check the schedule before choosing when to come. Dinner finishes before the late music starts; eat first if you plan to stay for a band.