The Merchant•Boston, MA

Contemporary American•$30 and under

The Merchant is a big space that served for more than a century as a leather store. We've brought in high-top tables near the windows ... a 40-foot bar on one side of the room … and more formal dining spots on the opposite side. We have a private dining room in back, and another private dining room downstairs. For our menu, we make almost all of our fare from scratch. Executive chef Ignacio Lopez previously worked at both Beat Hotel in Cambridge and Tuscan Kitchen in Burlington. Chef Lopez cures and smokes all the meat in house. Our burger is top-notch, as are other dishes like house-made Gnochhi, Organic Chicken Milanaise and Steak Frites. The Merchant serves salads, sandwiches ($15-$21), and more for the lunch rush. And for dinner, we are a full-service brasserie (with most entrees ranging from $25-$30). The bar has 30+ rotating beers on tap, many of them locally brewed, plus a full selection of craft cocktails to serve our patrons, including the after-work crowd.