Alcove

Most of the places surrounding the Garden look like wings of the hockey hall of fame and make you strain your eyes looking for something on the menu that isn’t fried. Luckily, though, Alcove in the renovated warehouse building next to the new Converse headquarters, isn’t just a good relative to the neighborhood, it’s good period. The American menu will look similar to a lot of other new places that share the same industrial chic aesthetic, but everything’s well done and a lot of the dishes have unusual twists, like the avocado that’s charred and topped with aioli, and the rigatoni that somehow works with cranberries and dark chocolate. And with a good cocktail list, a fun, crowded bar, and a patio that overlooks the Zakim and the Charles River locks, it’s a good spot for an early date.