Raising the Bar: Drinking Splendidly Through Central Square

IN FIVE WORDS: precise, upstanding, experienced, handsome, eye-opening. EXPECT: an unfussily elegant and well-stocked bar with old-school know-how and an approachable professionalism. TRY THIS: the ponderous St. Pierre (a cocktail with housemade rose vermouth and Niesson rum) or a glass of heady, aged Riesling.

IN FIVE WORDS: warm, eager, relaxing, local, comforting. EXPECT: cozy and charming feel in a quintessential Italian-tinged bakery and cafe. TRY THIS: red or white sangria, based on Spanish Rioja and bursting with fruit, which goes well with the nightly live music.

IN FIVE WORDS: chill, Bohemian, trendy, small-capacity, velvety. EXPECT: an intimate, second-story lounge with Oriental rugs, luxuriously low seats for perching and a petite dance floor. TRY THIS: "God in Small Pieces," a spin on a pomegranate margarita, a bottle of Red Stripe or, hell, some single-malt scotch.

IN FIVE WORDS: reliable, welcoming, boisterous, social, encouraging. EXPECT: locals and industry players thronging a wood-heavy bar with many-a-slung cocktails. TRY THIS: the Daisy Black, an homage to proprietor Dylan Black's great-great grandfather (Old Overholt rye, fresh lemon juice, honey syrup), or an ice-cold bottle of Miller High Life.

IN FIVE WORDS: sensual, trendy, minimalist, intimate, hipster. EXPECT: a vibe embodied in come-hither eyes across the bumping dance floor thanks to DJ'd tunes. TRY THIS: the tangy, tequila-based Double 'O' Siete or a bottle of Hitachino Red Rice Ale.

IN FIVE WORDS: farm-fresh, spunky, earnest, straightforward, down-to-earth. EXPECT: an instantly homey spot festooned with herb plants and a cozy bar that befits the diminutive, we're-all-friends-here, market-driven restaurant. TRY THIS: a smooth Sazerac or a bottle of Montepulciano for the table.

IN FIVE WORDS: familiar, quirky, kitschy, Irish-Gothic, effortless. EXPECT: a boisterously surreal, diamond-in-the-rough neighborhood restaurant and bar with DJs. TRY THIS: a smooth Rob Roy, up, or a perfectly poured pint of Guinness.

IN FIVE WORDS: loud, low-frills, sports-friendly, modern, straightforward. EXPECT: austere, chic-geek space with a laboratory-tabled bar, open-grill kitchen and periodic-table chalkboard menu. TRY THIS: a pitcher of Victory HopDevil or two fingers of whiskey to down the killer burgers.

IN FIVE WORDS: elegant, seasonal, neighborhood, rustic, natural. EXPECT: romantic yet casual nook, with a handsome bar playing cult-classic cinema on the TV. TRY THIS: the Boutonniere (apple brandy. French vermouth, St. Germaine elderflower liqueur) or a glass of Muscadet.

IN FIVE WORDS: sensual, tasteful, leisurely, sharp, sophisticated. EXPECT: a dim, casually romantic bistro with refined turns on European comfort food and efficient bar. TRY THIS: a glass of sparkling rose cava or a local beer from Cambridge Brewing Company.