Where to Eat in October: Shore Leave, Black Lamb, The Wig Shop, and More

Central Square’s new favorite destination for fluffy, canotto-style pizza has graciously extended its service to lunch. While you’re welcome to order up a full margherita pie, the afternoon hours provide the chance to order pan pizza by the slice (think pork sausage with peppers and onions or potato with taleggio and arugula pesto). Meanwhile, sandwiches include a meatball sub with garlic butter or the house Italian with cured meats aplenty, provolone, Fresno chile aioli, and iceberg lettuce.

OG Downtown cocktail bar JM Curley has taken over the wig shop next door, keeping its street-facing window display intact but turning the space itself into a glamorous cocktail lounge with a retro-inspired menu and decadent takes on classic canapes. Sink into one of the plush booths, and you may find yourself sipping on a dirty martini with olive oil-washed vodka, or a Miami Nice made with coconut-washed overproof rum, strawberry-infused Aperol, charred pineapple, and dry vermouth. Just make sure to help yourself to tobiko-topped lobster pancakes or pork belly tacos in between.

 Call 617-338-6333 for reservations.

For most of the year, Shore Leave is a rum-soaked tropical getaway. But for the month of October only, the underground bar will turn into a rum-soaked tropical nightmare that goes by the name of Scare Leave. You read that right: Shore Leave is going all-in on the Halloween theme, festooning its space with spooky decorations — and more importantly, a new menu of ghoulish cocktails. These include the Carrietta, made with berry-infused Tequila and served in a blood bag, plus shareable mai tais in trick-or-treat pails.

Say au revoir to Michael Serpa’s Grand Tour and hello to Little Whale Oyster Bar, the New England-style seafood spot that’s replaced his Newbury Street French bistro. Little Whale is playing all the hits, including fried Ipswich clams, Maine lobster rolls (cold with mayo or warm with butter), and beer-battered fish sandwiches with shaved cabbage slaw. However, it’s not all by-the-books New England: diners can also plump for Greek branzino with pickled onions and cauliflower puree, or lobster spaghetti accompanied by toasted garlic breadcrumbs and shaved Parmesan cheese. 

Call 857-277-0800 or email info@serpahospitality.com for reservations.

The fried chicken void left by the closure of Highland Fried in September 2021 has been filled by Inman Square newcomer Hot Chix. The former pop-up, now serving as a walk-up sandwich counter in its first permanent space, is serving its reputation-making Nashville hot fried chicken sandwich in addition to seared fish or fried shrimp sandwiches and a hot tenders plate with sliced white bread and fries.

Walk-ins only.

It’s hard to believe, but Bardo’s Pizza — Castle Island’s in-house provider of South Shore-style bar pizza — just marked its first year in business. And they’re celebrating the only way they know how: by introducing a new menu stocked with pies like the Biggie Shrimps (garlicky shrimp, arugula, and basil aioli) or Cluckin’ Hot (hot sauce, chicken cutlets, provolone) and sandwiches including a lobster roll with basil aioli or the Fenway-inspired Tailgate Sausage with sweet sausage, peppers, onions, and mustard.

Nightshade Noodle Bar has updated its seven- to 14-course tasting menus for the fall, and they’re a doozy. To wit, the French-Vietnamese gem may now serve you bone marrow banh mi with a green chile citrus butter, cherry caramel claypot foie gras with grilled coconut sticky rice, and fried soft-shell crab with crispy egg noodles.

Autumn has also brought change to Black Lamb’s neo-bistro offerings, manifesting in the form of a flat iron steak with sweet potatoes, carrots, and harissa, as well as piri piri chicken with walnuts and mint. The drink menu, meanwhile, remains four seasons-appropriate, as its rightfully lauded dirty martini has been joined by a Fifty-Fifty martini made with equal parts navy strength gin and dry vermouth accented by salt, lemon twist, and olive.

Pop-up sandwich sensation Shirley has set down roots in Davis Square, creating a permanent space to partake in marinated red pepper sesame tomato sandwiches or black bean cheese tortas with pickled Fresno chile peppers, havarti, and cheddar. Not that everything comes between two slices of bread — diners might also come away with baked goods like a chocolate chunk brioche scone or locally made ginger beer.

Walk-ins only.

Myers + Chang just celebrated its 15th anniversary, making now as good a time as ever to make a Resy for the pan-Asian South End diner. What will await you? Some of the same beloved dishes that have made its reputation over the last decade-and-a-half, like Mama Chang’s pork and chive dumplings or wild boar dan dan noodles, as well as new additions like lemon chicken bao and crunchy whole prawns with Vietnamese salsa verde.