With MIT as its heart, Cambridge is known as a center of science and technology. From Apple to Zappo’s, pretty much every major tech company has a stake on the neighborhood.

But where do they all go to get a steak in the neighborhood? Creative types have been flocking to Art Bar Restaurant and patio (http://artbarcambridge.com).

Based in the other tower of the Royal Sonesta Hotel, across the courtyard from the ever-popular Dante and past the Motif Lobby Bar, ArtBar offers equally fresh and flavorful food from a different region. As diners approach, they are treated to visual treats that lend the space its name. Once seated, the breathtaking views of Boston rival anything at any of the city’s many art museums (or the Museum of science, which is just around the corner). However, it is Chef Brian Dandro’s curated menu and beautifully-presented food that truly demonstrates the art of this bar and restaurant.

With its brushed metal tables and orange seats, the outdoor patio is bright even on overcast days. A roofed wood and granite bar with flatscreens, tall communal tables and a set of couches by the pool offer many options for group meetings or meeting individuals. No matter where you sit, your senses are in for a treat, especially when the food comes!

From littleneck clam chowder and a veggie burrata with heirloom tomatoes to a baby kale salad with raspberries and Mocando almonds and an artisan cheese plate, the starters are sure to get your mouth humming, and many – like the lamb meatballs, pineapple hoisin wings with cashews (and hand wipes) and seafood tower – are enough for a meal in themselves. Entrees such as the Bay of Fundy salmon, Bell & Evans chicken with bacon baked beans and Niman Ranch sirloin w/ roasted Yukon Gold potatoes are worth saving room for, however, as are sides such as housemade BBQ chips and the famed sweet potato tots.

In addition to the regular menu, ArtBar also offers near nightly specials, including Monday’s Monte Cristo, Tuesday’s baby back ribs, 1/2 –priced burgers and an impressive array of burger specials on Wednesdays, fried clam Thursdays, and lobster fest Fridays. In addition to the food, there are also other offerings each night, including music from the days when music was music on Rat Pack Mondays (hosted by Kiss 108’s Rich DiMare and featuring a rotation of special guests), Trivia by the River Thursdays, and a weekend’s worth of drink specials that includes red, or white Sangria (the latter made with pear cognac) on Saturday and Chef’s “secret” recipe ArtBar Bloody Marys for Sunday Brunch.

Speaking of drinks, the ArtBar also offers an artful assembly of wines from CA and beyond by the glass or bottle, as well as a solid mix of local and imported beers, ciders, and even ginger beer. Among their signature cocktails are the Morning After (with brandy, grapefruit juice, champagne and grenadine) and the revolutionary Boston Tea Party (a tea-infused combination of Stoli with St Germain and lemonade).

When it is all over but the partying (which can last long into the night, especially if your home is just upstairs), a candied bacon fudge brownie can be a great night cap, as can the baked peaches or espresso panna cotta, especially when accompanied by PJ’s Coffee. And though the entire menu is dependent on what is fresh (both in terms of locally-sourced and new and inventive), there is always something yummy and fun to try at ArtBar. It is truly is a hotel restaurant worth checking out, even if you are not checking in.

ArtBar Restaurant and Patio

40 Edwin H Land Boulevard, Cambridge

http.artbarcambridge.com