If you’re looking for live music after hours, chances are you’ll head to Central Square. Lore-filled sweatbox clubs like the Middle East and T.T. the Bear’s abound, bringing with them the requisite grungy pizza joints and drunken street scenes. But this newly pricey area also hosts young do-gooders packed into group houses and apartment buildings, and wealthier folks in multicolored Victorians.

A few years ago, worthwhile restaurants started popping up, geared toward those who could afford their doubling rents. But more casual favorites remain. The list of notable local establishments includes the upscale bistro Central Kitchen, a branch of the informal 1369 Coffeehouse, jazz nightspot the Good Life, and bars such as People’s Republic, the Field, Green Street, and the Plough & Stars.

Starbucks and the Gap elbowed into this ’hood a few years back and now add an element of upwardly mobile, sanitized incongruity to the place. But look past the sparkling signs and take comfort in one thing that will never change: the disgruntled crew waiting for an elusive bus on Mass Ave across from the liquor store.

Though it’s lost a bit of its charm as certain ubiquitous chain stores have supplanted some of its fabled independent businesses, Hahvahd Squayah remains the buzzing nexus of the People’s Republic of Cambridge. From the stately campus of the university itself to the ragtag group of punks and malcontents constantly occupying the " Pit " outside the Red Line station to its variety of street performers, this area is an exciting — if pricey — place to call home. And, for all its Starbucks and Abercrombie & Fitch–type venues, it still offers a wealth of quintessentially Cantabrigian diversions. For a large selection of periodicals, try Out of Town News. Music lovers are spoiled for choice between Newbury Comics, Other Music, and Planet Records — each a stone’s throw from the others. Movie buffs will love the ornate interior of first-run Harvard Square Theater and the excellent classic, foreign, and art-house fare shown at the Brattle and Harvard Film Archive. Lovers of vice will find the fine microbrews produced by John Harvard’s Brew House, the British-pub ambience of Shay’s, and the wide variety of tobaccos and smoking paraphernalia at the historic Leavitt & Peirce much to their liking.

Within walking distance of both Harvard and Davis Squares, Porter Square is a great place to live. Striking a balance between commercial sprawl and pleasant, tree-lined sidewalks shadowed by well-kept residences, Porter and its environs offer the amenities of city life without the aesthetic blight — and it’s got that weird, tall red windmill-type sculpture outside the T station. Throw in fun places like Toad, the teeny-tiny bar with music every night, and the Porterhouse Café, with its cheap beer and fried pickles, and the appeal only increases. Anna’s Taqueria serves up the biggest and best burritos around. And sure, it ain’t sexy, but the Porter Square Shopping Center — with stores that include Tags Hardware, Star Market, Blockbuster, and Liquor World — caters to all your mundane shopping needs.

Inman Square is Cambridge’s own little Allston — a bustling but friendly neighborhood populated by students, older long-time residents who have lived in their houses for decades, young (and still relatively poor) professionals, and Portuguese and Brazilian working-class families. The hub of Inman Square is the 1369 Coffeehouse; even those who don’t patronize the café usually wait for public transit at the bus stop outside.

Food is the name of the game in Inman Square, and it all starts at the East Coast Grill, a restaurant credited with launching the now-ubiquitous trend of high-end food served in a casual party atmosphere. Other restaurants of note include Jae’s (sushi and pan-Asian), Akbar (Indian), Magnolias (American Southern), the S&S Restaurant & Deli, and a variety of Portuguese restaurants. The Back Alley Theatre comedy club, Christina’s Ice Cream, and the Druid Irish pub also add their defining touches.

Populated by mammoth new-media companies, MIT graduate students, and long-time ethnic residents, the Kendall Square triangle hosts an admittedly odd mix.

Because the area is a new-media hub, it shutters for the night around 6 p.m.; in most areas, you can literally crawl across the street without being disturbed. Still, Kendall is one of the few places in Cambridge where there’s still affordable rent, so it’s fast turning into a spot.

Businesses are popping up to serve the dot-com, dot-net, and dot-edu crews. One of the best bars in town, the B-Side Lounge, is a boisterous, classy gem. Newly reopened Emma’s Pizza serves up steaming slices of not-to-be-missed thin-crust pies. The area also boasts one of the city’s better movie theaters, the Kendall Square Cinema. And Flat Top Johnny’s still reigns as one of the best places to rack up a table of balls and get down to real business.

East Arlington is a quietly funky ’hood that intriguingly blends the best of the old and new Arlingtons — and the continued presence of the former is, ironically, one of the charms that draw the latter. The result is a mix of blue-collar families, yuppies, artists, seniors, and hipster twenty- and thirtysomethings.

Arlington has always been more working-class than outsiders tend to think, and so it is fitting that the gritty Capitol Theatre serves as East Arlington’s most representative landmark: the Cap, operated in conjunction with the Somerville Theatre, specializes in second-run films at bargain rates. Locals swear by the old-school, three-meals-a-day Arlington Diner, but foodies may gravitate toward two beautiful restaurants that would fit in on the streets of the South End or Beacon Hill: the Portuguese/Italian Gala Ristorante, and the used-to-be-a-bank Flora. The Mass Ave eatery line-up also includes a Chinese take-out joint, great Thai food, and the atmospheric, Middle Eastern Café Barada.

More residential and unassuming than neighboring Davis Square, Teele Square is something of a hidden treasure in Somerville. Though probably not considered as " hip " as Davis, Teele is nothing to sneeze at — it’s within walking distance of Tufts University, it has affordable rents and safe, pleasant residential streets, and the cluster of restaurants and bars within its confines offer a veritable ’round-the-world trip. Try this exhausting jaunt: scarf down some Himalayan cuisine at the House of Tibet; drop by Borgo Sushi and Thai Food for Asian food of a different sort; head south of the border at Rudy’s Café; and, finally, stop by PJ Ryan’s for a taste of auld Dublin and a frothy pint of Guinness. Or, if you’re not the traveling type, try Theo’s Pizzeria. In addition to serving up a fine slice, the spot inspired the TV sit-com Two Guys, a Girl, and a Pizza Place.

In 1985, the Davis Square T stop opened and a minor revolution began. Since then, gallons of ink have been spilled describing Davis’s transformation from blue-collar enclave to one of the area’s trendiest hot spots. Long gone are the days when the Sligo — a poky neighborhood dive — represented the pinnacle of neighborhood nightlife. The Sligo is still there (thank God), though today it’s a mere credit card’s throw from the swank bistro Gargoyles. And this is part of Davis’s charm: in the face of relentless gentrification, it has maintained its blue-collar feel. Along with glitzy gift shops, there are unruly junk shops. You’ll find grungy coffee houses like the Someday Café and the Diesel Café, but also a Starbucks; there’s the music club Johnny D’s and the faddish bar the Joshua Tree; and there’s the organic-food store Celia’s and the low-key diner Mike’s. There’s Redbones barbecue, the Rosebud Diner, the Indian restaurant Diva, the Picante Mexican Grill, and the Burren, one of the more popular Irish bars in town. Despite its ever-rising rents, Davis today is riddled with artists, musicians, and sundry bohemians (it hosts the annual ArtBeat festival). It’s also home to the Somerville Theatre, which features second-run movies and local and national musical acts. And, if you don’t want to take the T, the Minuteman Bike Trail cuts right through Davis’s center. To think they used to call it Slummerville.

When the upscale French-Cambodian eatery the Elephant Walk opened a decade ago, it seemed as though Union Square was set to become one of those " discovered " neighborhoods. Even when the Elephant Walk moved a few years back, it was replaced with Rauxa, an equally tony restaurant specializing in Catalan cuisine. Today, however, it appears that Union Square has been misplaced again — at least by those people willing to shell out 30 bucks for an entrée. Though still buzzing with life (and thick with traffic), the neighborhood has to a large extent reverted to its blue-collar beginnings. Where Rauxa once stood, there is a nondescript insurance office. Korean, Vietnamese, and Brazilian markets abound. The streetscape is dominated by a check-cashing place called the Check Cashing Place. Other than the seedy Mid-Nite Convenience store, nightlife here is not what you’d call hopping — though there are still a couple of Irish bars: Tir Na Nog, a wonderful little hole-in-the-wall, and the recently opened Independent, which, with its low-lit charm and reasonable wine list, may just augur the next wave of well-heeled pilgrims.

Winter Hill, best known for its gangster posse of yesteryear, has gone upscale. It’s not quite urban chic — and its inconvenient location will probably keep it that way, with the Red Line a good 25-minute walk away, and Sullivan Square not much closer. But with rents slightly more reasonable than elsewhere in Somerville, the tight-knit neighborhood has become home to a growing number of young professionals, as well as a sizeable gay and lesbian population. Broadway, Winter Hill’s main thoroughfare, is hectic and noisy. But within walking distance is everything you could possibly need, from the late-night Bickford’s restaurant to Star Market and a collection of banks. The area has also retained its mom-and-pop character, with home-style places selling fresh fish (Broadway Fish Market and Butcher Shop) and gorgeous veggies (Gino’s Italian Deli and Fresh Produce). And don’t forget to try the Portuguese corn bread at the Winter Hill Bakery. Of course, the best part of Winter Hill is that it’s within walking distance of Sound Bites, the heavenly breakfast joint. It’s technically in Ball Square, but with Somerville’s cornucopia of tiny neighborhoods, it’ll take a while to get them straight. In the meantime, enjoy.

It wasn’t too long ago that the only people who lived in East Somerville were people who grew up in East Somerville. But the real-estate boom of the past five years has brought an influx of outsiders to the streets of lower Broadway — and it’s all for the better. You can still find rental bargains here: expect a two-bedroom apartment to go for at least $100 less per month than in Davis or Union Squares. And your rent money buys you a tight-knit neighborhood. There are friendly corner bars — try Casey’s for a beer and grilled pizza, a cheeseburger, or steak tips for lunch. Patsy’s Pastry Shop should satisfy the most demanding sweet tooth. Mudflat Pottery Studio injects some hipster energy into the predominantly blue-collar area. (Ceramics classes are open to the public, and the next open-studio and clay sale will be held November 30 through December 9.)

Furthermore, it’s hard to find a community event quite like the Thursday-night fun run from Khoury’s State Spa, sponsored by the Somerville Road Runners. The 4.13-mile race attracts everyone from serious runners to out-of-shape lugs who do it for the pizza-and-beer party after the race. It’s held every week at 7:15 p.m. sharp, regardless of the weather. Show up even if you don’t run. You might meet a neighbor.