 |
|
| Matching
Hotel Deals |
Sponsored
Links |
|
| Guide To Boston
|
|
Options for dining in Boston are as diverse as the city, and as inviting as it is to explore Boston by foot,Options for dining in Boston are as diverse as the city, and as inviting as it is to explore Boston by foot, you're bound to work up an appetite worthy of the city's culinary landscape. In some cases, you may want to plan ahead, making your reservations well in advance. But for those who like to leave their options open, you're likely to find tantalizing options just around the corner, no matter where you happen to be.
One of greater Boston's most notable eateries is itself a part of the area's history. Located on Gloucester St in Back Bay, L'Es p alier is located in an 1880's townhouse. Surprisingly, this is not the restaurant's original digs, but, with three dining rooms offering their variations on elegance, ambiance, and privacy, it's difficult to imagine a more perfect environment in which to experience their high French cuisine prepared with vegetables, cheeses, and seafood acquired locally. Stay at nearby Club Quarters, Eliot Hotel, or Hilton Back Bay for convenient access to Back Bay and surrounding areas. Or, for a purely Boston experience, book a room at the Copley Square Hotel, which has been operating continuously since 1891, and immerse yourself in the aura of this neighborhood's history.
If you find L'Espalier a little beyond your budget, then perhaps the pairing of Italian tapas-style dishes and carefully selected vintages from the cellar of Piattini Wine Café may be more to your liking. Breaking from the traditional concept of the entrée, these innovative dishes are best sampled and shared. Don't let the name fool you, although this cozy joint describes itself as a café, the décor is stylish and the flair gourmet. Another Back Bay spot for those on a budget is Laurel . Known for their original Italian dishes and eclectic risotto, this bistro has offered bargain prices since they re-opened recently after a six-month remodel. No telling how long it will last, but entrees currently start at around $10, widely regarded as a steal by those who dine there regularly.
Boston's North End has a reputation for quality Italian cuisine. Perhaps one of the best examples of the charm with which this reputation has been earned is Panificio's on Beacon Hill. A tiny little place with loads of charm and romance, you can either choose to dine in on tender pasta and mouth-watering seafood. Or get your food to go and wander down Charles Street, also known as “the most charming street in Boston”, to the Boston Commons or Public Gardens for a little picnic. Lunch and Breakfast are also served at the counter, and a cappuccino sipped slowly from a seat by the front window is highly recommended for people watching and worldly reflection. If you have the foresight to book your room at the Boston Park Plaza Towers, the Omni Parker House, or the Radisson Hotel, then you'll be nearly home by the time you set your foot out the front door. The Nine Zero, Millenium Boston, and the Boston Milner Hotel are also recommended accommodations in the vicinity of the Boston Commons.
If you're staying in Cambridge, you won't want to miss the comfortable gourmet experience of an evening at the Rialto Restaurant . Offering upscale Italian, French, and Spanish provincial food without the stuffiness of a coat and tie, the Rialto is known as a place where the academics of Harvard come to dine. With an excellent wine selection and knowledgeable staff, it is not difficult to have an exceptional experience here.
Though it may come as a surprise, Cambridge does have an adventurous side, and exemplary of this in a culinary sense is the Blu e Room . With a menu that emphasizes the freshest local produce and seafood, seasonal and micro-seasonal ingredients, and the signature flavor of a wood-burning grill, the results are sure to please. Influences from Asia to the Mediterranean grace the menu in surprising ways, and the casual, friendly atmosphere only enhances the experience. Stay in nearby Days Hotel of Boston or Radisson Hotel of Cambridge if you wish to explore Harvard and surrounding areas up close.
After a few days in town, when you've gotten several meals under your belt and understand the scope of Boston's food-scape, it might be time to head to the South End for a late-night bite and a truly remarkable, decidedly Beantown, dining experience at the Franklin Café . This is the spot where local chefs and culinary types gather to eat and hang out after work. The food is excellent and affordable, with the mussels being particularly noteworthy. While the Franklin has a reputation for long waits on the weekend, dinner is served until 1:30am and the social scene, sense of camaraderie and affordability, make this neighborhood haunt the type of place that locals are willing to drive all the way across town for. Arriving early will assure you a shorter wait and a quieter meal. Reservations are not accepted and dessert is not served.
While there are many notable tapas joints in town, one that stands apart from the rest is Dali Restaurant & Tapas Bar in Inman Square. Inspired by the painter, Spanish cuisine, and the dreams of the owners, Dali's serves tapas amid an ambiance that is part performance art, part surrealism, and part invention. Every dish is different and delicious, presented amid décor, effects and music designed to add a theatrical element to the experience. From wine served in goat skin bags to cascading bubbles, the restaurant's mixture of surrealism, elegance and Spanish dining is one of a kind.
Whatever mood, or neighborhood, you're in when the hunger pangs strike you, you're sure to find a great place to satisfy them. Whether it's a posh lunch at Sonsie's or a hearty bowl of soup at the bohemian Other Side Café , you're sure to find just what you're hungry for in Boston. |
|
|
|
© 1999-2008 Hotel Hotline LLC All rights reserved. |
|