The Bottle

The Bottle, a 44-foot-tall milk bottle with IT'S HOOD'S scripted across it in large red letters, is pretty hard to miss. Maybe that's why it's been serving take-away fare since 1934, though certainly the food today is more exotic. Salads include crabmeat-seafood ($4.95), taco ($4.25), and oriental chicken ($5.25), and come in either a pita pouch or a plastic container. If you're especially hungry, the Mediterranean plate -- falafel, feta, fresh veggies, hummus, tabouli, tahini, Greek olives and spinach pie ($5.25) -- will leave you full. A variety of special items, such as pad Thai with shrimp ($4.95), or tortellini Provençal ($4.95) are offered daily. Other hot dishes include calzones ($4.95 with salad), quiche ($5.25 with salad), and kielbasa ($2). Fat-free frozen yogurt comes in three sizes ($1.50, $2, $2.50), and is especially good over the fresh fruit salad ($4.25). Be sure to try the cookies ($1 each) -- especially the white-chocolate ginger. Find a bench on the wharf and dig in.

The Bottle, located at 312 Congress Street, in front of the Children's Museum, is open Monday through Friday from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m.

-- Judith Forman