Miami Restaurant bills itself as the King of the Cubano Sandwich. The Spanish-speaking staff serves up traditional cuban fare at an exceptional value. In the morning, you can wake yourself up with a super strong Cuban coffee and then return for lunch and try that Cuban sandwich. Hyde Square's first Latino immigrants where Cubans who fled Castro's takeover half a century ago, but if you ask the regulars they'll be happy to talk about Cuba with you - like it was yesterday.

The Alchemist Lounge is a perfect allegory for the recent transformation of Jamaica Plain. It's in the former location of Triple D's. While you can still get a beer and food here, at the Alchemist it's going to be a Bass (or a microbrew) and calamari or a flatbread pizza (while at Triple D's it would have been Bud and pre-constituted chicken wings). Alchemist is a friendly neighborhood place and it's just slightly upscale but in a way that ensures you are getting great tasting food and drinks without all the pretension of someplace downtown. The Triple D's guys still come in to hang out (there's the proof!) And this is JP, so you will see a huge diversity of folks enjoying the bar or noshing at one of the tables in the restaurant. The cocktail menu features really excellent creations, which change seasonally. Food includes flatbreads (pizzas), salads, entrees (sirloin, spaghetti bolognese, stuffed peppers), sandwiches and desserts. There's a late night menu too. There's also live music Thur-Sun and Monday Night movies. The Alchemist Lounge is a great way to experience what is so fantastic about Jamaica Plain in its 21st century guise. Hours: Lunch 11:30-5:00 Daily, Dinner Su-Wed 5-10, Th-Sat5-10:30, Late Night menu 10:30-12, Lounge 5pm-1am

Sorella's has been serving Jamaica Plain for over 20 years. It's the quintessential New England place - breakfast and lunch only. But it's also very JP in its offerings - tofu and other meat alternatives are available. Amazing combinations in the muffins, pancakes,french toast and waffles -- try the ginger, blueberry, hazlenut. YUM! Where else can you get pumkin pancakes with cream cheese and strawberry's? Or how about pancakes with raisins, peaches, walnuts, strawberries, cinnamon and whipped cream? The ingredients are so fresh! The omelettes are out of this world, too. The walls are filled with their original omelette creations, often named after employees. Fresh mozzarella, arugula, basil. If you go any weekday for breakfast you will see the local regulars. On the weekends be prepared to stand in line (outside, there's no room inside). It's fun and funky greasy spoon. There are 2 seating areas - "outsiders" should know to go into the street level door and announce your intentions. You'll be given clearance by the staff if you need to go up the stairs outside into the secondary seating level. Tip: this place is seriously packed with a line down the block on the weekends. Arrive before 9am to guarantee a good seat. It's very tiny and will be very tough for those who require strollers or disability access, so keep that in mind before you go.

You know it's authentic when you get to watch a telenovela as you eat your dinner. There's sometimes a mariachi band too.

A popular JP restaurant specializing in New American cuisine. They offer high-end comfort food like a truly gourmet mac and cheese and fabulous burgers abound alongside salads and creative desserts. Zon's has a definite JP vibe, so the clientele is diverse. Zon's has a cozy bar that has a good wine menu to boot.

Local pizza and sub shop, nothing fancy here. A few booths and a counter.

This is a small pizza joint. Overrun by students from the Curley middle school once they get let out in mid-afternoons. They offer delivery 7 days a week to JP ($7 minimum on delivery orders). Offerings include: pizza, calzones, salads, hot and cold subs, wraps, pasta and dinner specials (fish and chips, grilled chicken, gyro) that come with garlic bread, a salad and your choice of fries, rice or coleslaw. Hours: Mon-Thur 11am-10pm, Fri-Sat 11am-11pm, Sun 12pm-10pm

This is the local pizza joint, open from 9am-12am daily.

Judging by the beautiful wedding cake in the window, Quisqueya does some ornate work on pastries. But you can stop in for just a cookie too.

Yummy, pupusas. What are they you ask? A Salvadoran (or Central American technically) taste treat. It's a thick corn tortilla stuffed with any number of things. You can have pork, beans, chicken or cheese (or a combo) and they also serve empanadas and burritos. It's a little local place, so don't expect instantaneous service or anything. This is food crafted with love. But it is always cheap and delicious. There are a few seats (10 or so) but it's mostly take out.
One recommendation is to get a few pupusas and head into the Behan of an evening. Joy comes to Hyde Square.