Hello friends! I feel like I say this every single time I blog, but long time, no blog! However, one of the most frequently asked questions I get on Instagram that isn’t teaching related has to do with the amazing city I live in and I have always wanted to compile my suggestions into one place, so here it goes.
I bring you: The Primary Party Guide to Boston! Well, part one, otherwise we would be here for a loooong time. [For part two: click here] This page of the guide is going to focus on my favorite part of the city: food and drinks! When people ask me what to do in Boston, my natural instinct is to give them places to eat because, honestly, food is my love language. Not just food, but the entire experience of going out to eat. I love it: the atmosphere, the drinks, the conversation, the meal itself. Dining out is one of the best things you can do in a new city, in my opinion. That being said, the places below are some of my favorites to frequent, whether it is on date night, grabbing drinks with friends, or when visitors come to town. I organized them by neighborhood for easiest access and have a few quick notes about each to give you an idea of what they are like! Enjoy!
Harpoon Brewery Spread
South End – our favorite neighborhood!
–Cinquecento: unbelievable Italian (dare I say, better than the North End?!), great patio- think Italy vibes- in the summer
–Coppa Enoteca: cozy (read: small) Italian spot – great bar to sit at for a romantic/date vibe
–Beehive: our go-to when people come to town! Amazing cocktails, live jazz, great food (get the mussels if they are on the menu). Adorable patio in the summer that gives you all the city feels!
–Shore Leave: a new spot in the city – fun, tiki cocktails and atmosphere. Asian fusion cuisine. Don’t be shocked when you feel like you’re walking into an apartment building stairway and have to go down a few flights…it’s in the basement!
–Lion’s Tail: dark, moody vibe but great food and home to my FAVORITE cocktail in all of Boston – the Silk Road Daiquiri!
–Picco: pizza, salad, ice cream. All of the good stuff. Outdoor seating in the summer!
–Myers + Chang: my mouth is watering even writing this. The most amazing Asian food around with modern twists. The sweet and sour brussels sprouts and Mama Chang’s dumplings are my go-to orders!
–Flour Bakery: delish egg sandwich and yummy treats (there are multiple locations around the city!)
–South End Buttery: great brunch spot, also amazing grab and go food on the café side of the restaurant. The Buttery biscuit breakfast sandwich is the GOAT (add bacon AND avocado for a full experience)
–Blackbird Donuts: Un.Real.Donuts. That’s it for me! (there are also locations in Fenway, Allston, and Cambridge)
Brookline- second favorite neighborhood for food!
-Burro Bar: unreal tacos and the best margs around. Enough said.
–Barcelona Wine Bar: to be fair, this isn’t exclusively a Boston restaurant, but it is one of our favorite spots. Tapas, great wine list, perfect summer patio (there is also a South End location!)
–The Abbey: extensive beer list, great food, cozy, local vibe
–Publick House: awesome spot for craft beers, pub food, and make your own Mac and Cheese with allllll of the topping options (drool)
–Livite: healthy spot for smoothies, juices, wraps
–Otto Pizza: mashed potato bacon pizza. That is all I have to report.
Allston/Brighton- our ‘hood!
–Brighton Bodega: trendy spot with great tapas. The menu is constantly changing and offers a variety of options for everyone. Their non-traditional bao buns are to die for!
–Devlin’s: our go-to summer spot. Best patio in Brighton! They have great cocktails and even better nachos. I don’t love eating inside, but if you’re looking for an outdoor spot in the area, this is for you!
–Lulu’s: local place for yummy (and potentially boozy) brunch. They have trendy, fun [Instagram worthy] bites
–Article 24: our trivia Tuesday favorite. They also have great brunch!
–Fin’s Sushi: my favorite sushi around. The Christmas roll is where it’s at. Their chicken fried rice is Kev’s pick. Not my favorite place to eat IN, but great takeout if you’re staying in the area. They also have a few other locations throughout the city!
–Playa Bowls: if you’ve seen my Instagram, you know my love affair with Playa Bowls. That’s all you need to know.
–White Mountain Creamery: if you want to relive my college years (and, who am I kidding, my current years) visit this spot for amazing homemade ice cream! My rec: Cookie Monster or Coffee Oreo in a fresh waffle cone.
–FoMu: non-dairy ice cream owned by one of my former student’s family! There are a few locations around the city
–Flatbread Co. Pizza: a new place in the neighborhood! Pizza, drinks, and candlepin bowling! What more could you ask for?!
**bonus addition: Pino’s pizza for the world’s GREATEST late night pizza
Playa Bowls Nutella Bowl
Back Bay- near Newbury Street/the Prudential Center
–Earl’s Kitchen and Bar: in the Prudential Center, sushi, Asian-fusion food (amazing tuna poke bowl!). Adorable outdoor/roof spot with a monthly rotating $5 cocktail
–Jugos: tiny juice bar in Back Bay Station. Uh-ma-zing juices, smoothies, and bowls! My pit stop before all train travels
–Citrus and Salt: super trendy (read: great photo ops) Mexican cuisine and perfectly named cocktails (example: “I didn’t text you, tequila did”)
–Buttermilk and Bourbon: good cocktails, southern comfort food
–Saltie Girl: Kev will tell you this is one of his favorites in Boston. Seafood, if you’re into it!
–Eataly Boston: again, not exclusive to Boston, but this is a fun dining/shopping experience in the Prudential Center!
–Clery’s: if you’re young and fun and looking for a hot, dark, loud basement to dance in on a Saturday night, this is for you (and no longer for me, sadly! Ha!)
Fenway- let’s talk Fenway. Honestly, because of who I am as a person, most of my recs around this area are for socializing, not for having the world’s most amazing meal. But some of my favorite/most fun spots are in Fenway!
–Cheeky Monkey: a new-ish spot in the city! This bar has ping pong, shuffleboard, darts, etc. Lots of games and lots of fun! You can put your name on the wait list and they will text you when your game is ready, so you aren’t just waiting around! We love!
–Hojoko: one of the most fun spots in the area for drinks! They have amazing cocktails and giant, to-share drinks if you are with friends. Great food too! Asian-fusion
–Landsdowne Pub: definitely a “going out” place, not a dinner spot. There is always live music on weekends…along with a $5 cover and many college students…but this is a bar I refuse to outgrow.
–Loretta’s Last Call: similar to Clery’s in the sense of young and fun, this bar is great if you’re in the mood to party and listen to some live country music
–Game On: honestly, I’m not sure I’ve ever eaten more than French fries here, but it’s a fun sports bar, especially on game day! They have a ping-pong bar in the basement too that is a blast!
–Tiger Mama: Asian-fusion (can you see that I clearly love Asian food?!), great cocktails
–Tasty Burger: this one is a little bit of a joke, but also I’m very serious about a good burger and shake combo
Delish Cocktail from Tiger Mama
Seaport/Fort Point:
–Legal Harborside Roof Deck: one of the best summertime spots in the city – be ready for a line though! But it’s worth it.
–City Tap: awesome patio in the summer with fireplaces and great food/drinks. One of our go-to spots in that area
–Bartaco: like Barcelona, this is another non-exclusive to Boston spots, but they have yummy tacos and margs and a great atmosphere!
–Harpoon Brewery: this is an eat/drink/experience all in one! Do a brewery tour, grab a flight of different samples, and 100% eat a pretzel. A great rainy day spot if you happen to get one of those in the city!
–Trillium Brewery: this is brand new in Fort Point! Head down for some great drinks!
Other Spots:
–Yvonne’s: Financial District – great cocktails and trendy vibe
–Painted Burro: Somerville – sister restaurant of Burro Bar, see above for details
–Nightshift Brewery: Everett – a fun spot to hang out, grab a drink, have some food from a food truck, play some corn hole. They also have pop ups around the city during the summer months- be sure to check for those!
–Little Big Diner: Newton Center – amazing ramen! They don’t do take-out or reservations, though!
–Pier6: Charlestown – perfect summer spot right on the water! Great views of the city skyline!
–Mike’s Pastry: North End – this is a classic Boston touristy thing to do, but their cannoli are delicious!
-There are also a variety of food/drink pop ups seasonally throughout the city! Be on the lookout for those!
Tacos to Share from Bartaco
Well, what do you think? Did you find a place that you plan to check out? If not, well, I don’t know what you’re looking for! Just kidding! But, you can’t go wrong with any of the above spots. And this certainly isn’t an exhaustive list of places we love…just our favs! As always, feel free to reach out and ask about others, send recommendations my way, or just let me know which you visited and loved!
Oh, and if you are looking for things to do, check out Part Two of the Primary Party Guide to Boston!
Happy exploring!
