It’s too hot to cook. It’s too hot to do much of anything, really, but we have to eat. Here are eight tasty new places to do so with your whole family, featuring menus with grown-up appeal and kid-approved offerings, too.
Bartaco Fenway
The perfect pre- or post-game pit stop, if you aren’t in the mood for hot dogs. Instead, find a vast array of tacos geared to palates of all ages, from roasted duck and warm buttered lobster to a kids’ menu with chicken or steak tacos or quesadillas, mild guacamole, fruit skewers — and a sweet, refreshing limeade that puts lemonade to shame. Service is fast, and you can order ahead. 100 Van Ness St., Boston, www.bartaco.com
BE Pasta Bar
Why make mac and cheese from a box at home when someone else could make it for you? At the new BE Pasta Bar in Brookline, choose your noodle, sauce, and favorite protein — sausage, bacon, chicken cutlets, and more — and then top with your cheese of choice. They also have sandwiches, garlic bread, and slices of chocolate cake. Portions are large. 1026 Commonwealth Ave., Brookline, www.bepastabar.com
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ButterBird
Jason Santos (Buttermilk & Bourbon, Citrus & Salt) operates this new monument to kid-friendly foods at Arsenal Yards in Watertown. At breakfast, there are tater tot bowls and French toast sticks; at lunch, munch fried chicken sandwiches accompanied by chicken-feet gummies. For dessert? Apple pie, chocolate chip cookies, and brownies. The atmosphere is friendly, fast, and casual. Stop in after a movie at the Majestic or before making an Old Navy run. Got an aspiring chef? Santos and team accept sandwich recipe submissions; they taste-test and award winners a place on the menu each month. 112 Bond Square, Watertown, www.butterbirdboston.com
Dockside Beer Garden
The ideal space to unwind overlooking Boston Harbor after an Aquarium visit: There’s beer from Cisco, Harpoon, and Sam Adams for adults, and plenty of reliable dishes for younger visitors: hot dogs, sausages, pretzels, and more, paired (usually) with a breeze. 1 Central Wharf, Boston, www.neaq.org
El Tacuba
Newish from the team behind the Tenoch mini-chain of torta shops, this Medford Center Mexican restaurant strikes the right family-friendly balance between nice-night-out and speedy-affordable-tasty. There’s a vast tequila bar, smooth margaritas, and luscious curiosities like salted cod in an olive sauce and adobo octopus — but, also, well-executed standbys like steak tacos and mini chicken enchiladas. Service is incredibly cheerful, too. 35 Salem St., Medford, www.eltacuba.com
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Few and Far
This mellow new neighborhood bistro from the friendly folks behind Forage in Cambridge serves hyperlocal pastas, veggies, and homemade seasonal ice cream: Kids get house-made mac and cheese made with Boston’s Seven Hills pasta, burgers, or strawberry shortcake; adults can opt for beef tartare with nettle aioli and scallop crudo in rhubarb juice. They launch a family-friendly weekend brunch starting on Sunday, July 28. 566 High St., Dedham, www.fewandfardedham.com
The Half Cookie
This new shop at The Street Chestnut Hill from mom-of-two Danielle Velez specializes in unusual cookie flavors: Reese’s stuffed, salted Twix, strawberry shortcake. They’re big, fat, and delicious — and many are gluten-free. 3A Boylston St., Chestnut Hill, www.thehalfcookie.com
Pagu Pizza Pop-Up
Central Square’s Pagu opens their (dog friendly!) patio for a pizza party every Thursday evening through the summer, with next-level pizzas for grown-ups — koji pineapple, fried calamari, carrot-sauce-and-caramelized-onion — plus eats for kids, like a purple pizza made with ube (purple yam), classic plain pies by request, and virgin pina coladas. Owner Tracy Chang says that kids as young as 12 have been known to show up solo for a slice. 310 Massachusetts Ave., Cambridge, www.gopagu.com
Kara Baskin can be reached at [email protected]. Follow her @kcbaskin.