Dining Guide to Bostonwhere the locals eat Boston’s food scene offers much more than lobster rolls and clam chowder (though they are delicious). We created a comprehensive list of some of the best Boston has to offer, from authentic Italian, to upscale pub fare, to innovative Spanish tapas. Enjoy! Created for the NABE/NCBP/NCBF Annual Meetings August 5-9, 2014 Recommendations from the Boston Bar Association WHERE TO GO From the Back Bay to the North End, Boston’s dining scene has something for everyone. WHAT TO ORDER The Boston Bar Association’s 11,000 members have tried content nearly every dish in this city. WHAT TO DO Bon appetit! Look for suggestions on things to see and do in the different neighborhoods of Boston. Want to go for a run? We’ve got you covered. PAGE 4 Back Bay PAGE 25 Classics PAGE 31 Culture PAGE 8 Beacon Hill PAGE 26 Fresh Air PAGE 32 Live Entertainment PAGE 12 Downtown & Seaport PAGE 27 Sights PAGE 33 History PAGE 16 North End PAGE 28 Shopping PAGE 34 Back Bay Hotspots PAGE 20 South End PAGE 29 Tours PAGE 35 Irish Pubs PAGE 24 Around Town PAGE 30 Breweries 2 welcome Getting Around oston, nicknamed “America’s BWalking City,” is composed of 23 diverse neighborhoods, each with unique characteristics and tradi- tions. To make it easy for our guests, we’ve focused our Dining Guide on five areas: Back Bay, Beacon Hill, Downtown & Seaport, South FROM THE UMBRELLA- End, and North End. We hope SHADED SIDEWALK PATIOS OF you enjoy our suggestions, TRENDY NEWBURY STREET TO THE but keep in mind there ITALIAN-AMERICAN TRATTORIAS OF are many other areas to THE NORTH END TO THE BEER-FUELED explore, so if you are feel- STUDENT HAUNTS OF ALLSTON- ing adventurous, go for it! BRIGHTON AND THE DIM SUM PALACES OF CHINATOWN, BOSTON IS NOW A CITY OF GREAT DINING. --Matt Schaffer, Epicurious 3 Back Bay Accessible by: GREEN LINE are here; the finish line of the Bos- ORANGE LINE ton Marathon is also located here. ith a median age of 32 and ack Bay is named for exactly Wnearly 90% of the popula- Bwhat it was before the 19th cen- tion holding a bachelor’s degree tury “land-making” project: a large or higher, Back Bay is largely young body of water that, when filled with and professional, which somewhat dirt and gravel, added 450 acres explains the success of restau- of land to the city. It’s now trans- rants and retailers along Newbury, formed to an upscale commercial Boylston, and Huntington Streets. district lined bordered by resi- You’re in the neighborhood already, dential streets of classic Victorian so there aren’t many excuses not brownstone houses. The Boston to take a quick stroll down these Public Library, Hatch Shell concert streets and discover some hidden venue, and John Hancock Tower gems. 4 JACK CLYMER, NIXON PEABODY LLP f Continental cuisine with a tilt toward Italian is your goal, SORELLINA is Ithe place. The food is wonderful - imaginative without being undeci- pherable, - the service is impeccable, and the restaurant is simple, elegant and feels private and moderately quiet; an excellent choice for a special evening. 1 Huntington Ave. • Boston, MA 02116 • (617) 412-4600 Cuisine: Italian • Open for: Dinner • Entrees: $15-35 PAUL CUSHING, PARTNERS HEALTHCARE or a warm summer night, TAPEO REstAURANT AND TAPAS BAR on Newbury FStreet is the perfect spot to relax with some Sangria and a wide variety of tapas offerings. It is always a nice crowd and the bustle of Newbury Street makes it a fun, lively place. 266 Newbury St. • Boston, MA 02116 • (617) 267-4799 Cuisine: Tapas • Open for: Dinner • Tapas: $8-12, Shared plates: $30-60 Vegetarian options available RACHNA MATHUR, ERNST & YOUNG LLP Back Bay Back he service at BASHO is wonderful and their specialty sushi rolls and spicy Tedamame are delicious! It’s priced well and they have Paint Nights on Wednesday and are starting Trivia Nights on Sundays. It’s a great place to go casually with friends or with someone special. Next time you’re in Fen- way, you have to try it out! 329 Columbus Ave. • Boston, MA 02116 • (617) 536-2632 Cuisine: Japanese • Open for: Lunch, Dinner • Entrees: $15-25 TONY FROIO, ROBINS, KAPLAN, MILLER, & CIRESI LLP ood, view and service at the TOP OF THE HUB are really terrific and truly Funique. I have never had a bad lunch or dinner there, and any visitor to Boston has to experience the terrific views of Boston, Cambridge and the Charles River. 800 Boylston St. • Boston, MA 02199 • (617) 536-1775 Cuisine: American • Open for: Lunch, Dinner • Entrees: $30-50 HILARY VAUGHT, BOSTON BAR ASSOCIATION A VOILE is a small French brasserie with a good wine list and fresh, deli- Lcious food. 261 Newbury St. • Boston, MA 02116 • (617) 587-4200 Cuisine: French • Open for: Lunch, Dinner • Entrees: $30-60 5 back bay ABE & LOUIE’S 793 Boylston St. “A WIDE VARIETY OF MEALS AND Boston, MA 02116 APPETIZERS, TERRIFIC FOOD (617) 536-6300 AND ATMOSPHERE - AND THE SERVICE IS VERY GOOD AND Cuisine: Continental PROFESSIONAL. GIVES A VERY Open for: Dinner GOOD FEEL OF BOSTON AND ITS Entrees: $25-50 CULTURE. IT IS ALSO A PLACE THAT IS FREQUENTED BY CELEBRITIES.” -TONY A. FROIO; ROBINS, KAPLAN, MILLER & CIRESI L.L.P. FLOUR THIS CAFE BOASTS STICKY BUNS 131 Clarendon St. THAT BEAT IRON CHEF BOBBY Boston, MA 02116 FLAY’S ON IRON CHEF AMERICA. (617) 437-7700 DON’T MISS OUT! Cuisine: American NOTE: GLUTEN FREE & VEGETARIAN Open for: Breakfast, Lunch, OPTIONS AVAILABLE Dinner Entrees: $8-15 DILLON’S RESTAURANT AND BAR 955 Boylston St. DILLON’S IS HOUSED IN AN 1887 Boston, MA 02115 POLICE DEPARTMENT, AND ALSO (617) 421-1818 BOASTS ONE OF THE BEST PATI- OS ON BOYLSTON STREET. GREAT Cuisine: American FOR CASUAL DINNER OR BRUNCH. Open for: Lunch, Dinner, Weekend Brunch Entrees: $10-$15 6 back bay DOUZO 131 Dartmouth St. IF YOU’RE LOOKING TO EAT Boston, MA 02116 SOMEWHERE BOTH BEAUTIFUL (617) 859-8886 AND DELICIOUS, THIS IS IT: THE INTERIOR DESIGN IS MODERN, Cuisine: Japanese SLEEK, AND DRAMATIC, AND Open for: Lunch, Dinner DOUZO’S TANTALIZING MENU Entrees: $15-30 INCLUDES DISHES LIKE MONKFISH PATE AND BLACK COD MISOYAKI. TICO 222 Berkeley St. VIBRANT HOT SPOT WHERE LAT- Boston, MA 02116 IN AMERICAN-INSPIRED SMALL (617) 351-0400 PLATES ARE PREPPED IN AN OPEN KITCHEN. HIGHLIGHTS INCLUDE Cuisine: Latin American THE VARIOUS TACOS, CEVICHE, IN- Open for: Lunch, Dinner, Sun- NOVATIVE COCKTAILS AND FULL day Brunch MENU OF TEQUILAS. Entrees: $15-28 MET BACK BAY 279 Dartmouth St. SNAZZY LOCAL CHAIN OF UP- Boston, MA 02116 SCALE STEAKHOUSES, ALSO (617) 267-0451 KNOWN FOR ITS GOURMET BURG- ERS AND WEEKEND BRUNCH. Cuisine: American Open for: Lunch, Dinner; Weekend Brunch Entrees: $20-40 7 Beacon Hill Accessible by: RED LINE “Boston Brahmins” it has also since GREEN LINE been home to authors Louisa May Alcott, Robert Frost, and Sylvia verything from restaurants to Plath as well as political figures Ted the state government to the E Kennedy, John Kerry, and U.S. Su- Massachusetts General Hospital is preme Court Justice Oliver Wendell barely a hop, skip, and a jump away Holmes Jr. for Beacon Hill’s 10,000 residents. ave for Charles and Cambridge Beacon Hill is officially a historic Streets, Beacon Hill is predomi- district, one-half square mile into S nantly for living and enjoying. which is packed the Massachusetts Head this direction to experience a State House, beautiful residential quaint, charming village steeped in areas, and antique shops. Once historical significance. home to the discreetly upperclass 8 PHOTO BY: DONNA DEBORAH MANUS, NUTTER, MCCLENNEN, & FISH LLP ’d send any visitor from out of town to dine on Charles Street because IBeacon Hill provides a wonderful window into Boston’s rich history. Try HUNGRY I for a quaint French meal. 71 1/2 Charles St. • Boston, MA 02114 • (617) 227-3524 Cuisine: French • Open for: Lunch, Dinner • Entrees: $25-35 GALEN BYRNE, BOSTON BAR ASSOCIATION HE PARAMOUNT is a very popular breakfast and brunch spot that’s known Tfor its banana and caramel French toast. Get there early or you’ll be waiting in line in the sun--the line usually goes out the door, and they don’t take reservations! 44 Charles St. • Boston, MA 02114 • (617) 720-1152 Cuisine: American • Open for: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner • Entrees: $8-25 SONIA SHAH, BOSTON BAR ASSOCIATION Hill Beacon stumbled into ARTU’S for the first time over a decade ago looking for a I good restaurant in the North End and it has been my go-to ever since. Their eggplant parmesan is amazing! 89 Charles St. • Boston, MA 02114 • (617) 227-9023 Cuisine: Italian • Open for: Lunch, Dinner • Entrees: $15-25 JOHNATHAN SCHREIBER, BOSTON BAR ASSOCIATION f you’re in Beacon Hill, celebrity chef Lydia Shire’s SCAMPO, located inside Ithe Liberty Hotel, offers a hip and creative twist on traditional Italian food with hints of middle and far east influences. I recommend tacking on a few extra minutes to your meal to explore the hotel, formerly home to one of the most notorious jails in Boston, which was meticulously restored to maintain many of its original features including jail cells in the base- ment lounge, Clink. Everything I’ve tried at Scampo was impressive, but a meal here without a side order of their Duck Fat Fries would be downright criminal. 215 Charles St. • Boston, MA 02114 • (617) 536-2100 Cuisine: Italian • Open for: Lunch, Dinner • Entrees: $25-45 Note: Gluten-free options KATIE D’ANGELO, BOSTON BAR ASSOCIATION s its name suggests, TIP TAP ROOM is famous for its beer and meat tips.