Alden & Harlow

For much-loved and -lauded chef Michael Scelfo, Alden & Harlow, is an incredibly personal endeavor. The subterranean restaurant, his first solo venture, opened in early 2014 in the Brattle Street spot that housed Casablanca for fifty years. Designed to recreate the vibe in Scelfo’s home kitchen, the dining room features vintage pieces, used and worn cookbooks, kids' artwork and maple butcher-block tabletops that all come together to create a warm and cozy dining experience.

The menu at Alden & Harlow also takes inspiration from the humble, unpretentious food that Scelfo prepares for friends and family when he’s cooking at home. While there are larger format plates available, the offerings mostly defy categorization as appetizer or entrée. The seasonal small plates are perfectly shareable and trying a few different menu items is encouraged.

The bar program at Alden & Harlow reflects the restaurant’s overall philosophy with market-driven drinks and house-made infusions and syrups. The team has culled a small but impactful list of whiskeys, as well as a small but highly curated beer list. And the wine list has plenty of crowd-pleasing favorites and harder-to-find gems.