Tourist Advice
I am coming for 3 nights in 2 weeks and I am from L.A. I have never been to Boston, but am hoping for some local flare. Obviously want the chowder...suggestions? Any other local faves I must try? Like I said, I am from L.A. so I get enough of the pretentious chefs with small, bland portions... looking for some local color with great service. Thanks!
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NiKoLe1625
Apr 13, 2007 08:13 AM
I can definitely second many of those North End recommendations. I have had fabulous meals at Antico Forno, Taranta, and Mamma Maria. Also, for a great bakery in the North End go to Modern Pastry. They have quite possibly some of the best biscotti I have had outside of Italy!
I very rarely recommend places on Newbury St. because I think that they are mostly all tourist traps, HOWEVER, if you want a great place for lunch, I would recommend Piattini. It is probably one of the better and more underrated restaurants in the area. They have great paninis and salads.
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I live in the North End, so I'll stick with that neighborhood and let others throw their two cents in.
Neptune Oyster: jewel box of a great oyster bar, that also has Italian influenced entrees (and a really good lobster roll).
Terramia: small, charming, delicious. My favs are the lobster fritters and the open faced giant seafood ravioli.
Mamma Maria: cheesy name, excellent, upscale Italian. The rabbit papardelle is a fav.
Marco: rustic, homestyle-yet-refined, excellent homemade pastas.
Taranta: it sounds odd, but this Italian/Peruvian fusion place is excellent.
Prezza: very good food, nice atmosphere, perhaps the best appetizers in the neighborhood.
Sage: sadly (for me but not you), it's moved to a much larger space in the South End. Chef Succi is wonderful.
Rabia: Italia/Mediteranean in a charming space, very reasonable prices.
Antico Forno: A hound favorite for great oven-cooked pizzas and pastas at great prices.
Eclano: super for Italian grilled meats.
Pizzeria Regina: uh, just do a site search. Excellent pizza. Ask them to cook it well-done, and you'll swoon.
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re: tootie30
Joanie
Apr 12, 2007 12:42 PM
Besides all those great North End recs, you should check out Durgin Park which is definitely touristy but a decent place. Order Indian pudding, something you won't see in LA. And the other thing you can't do there is walk everywhere. So you can easily start in one part of town and end in another. Maybe go to the the North End for coffee and a canoli or sfogliatelle (sp), walk over to Haymarket (on a Sat.) for a slice of pizza, walk over to Union Oyster House (oldest place in the country) for the oysters at the bar, then thru Fanueil Hall for the hell of it and check out Durgin Park for Indian pudding. Walk thru downtown and force down a sandwich from Chacarerro (this might have to be done on a weekday), walk thru Boston Common and check out Charles St. maybe a lamb sandwich at Artu, good croissant at Cafe Vanille (IMO). Up Newbury St. cuz you have to walk there. At some point cut across Boylston St. over to Tremont St. from Berkeley (good coffee at Berkeley Perk, I think that's the name) up to at least W. Newton and end with a real meal at one of many places in the south end (search the board). Or start in the south end at Flour Bakery and go backwards ending with one of the NE dinner suggestions. And that's not even getting you to Kenmore Sq., Allston or Brookline. I love LA but it would bum me out to *have* to drive everywhere.
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re: Joanie
Almost forgot how I used to drive a block - a block! - to Von's to get groceries when I went to school there.
As Joanie said, one of Boston's great charms is that it's a walking city. One example: the North End has over 100 restaurants. And that's in a space that's less than one square mile.
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re: tootie30
Joanie's walking tour is VERY manageable and will expose you to a lot of Boston. I highly recommend you follow her advice. If you walk to the South End via Clarendon St., you'll end up on Tremont street and diagonally to the left, across the street, is B & G Oyster. You specifically mentioned clam chowder. "Old school" clam chowder is very thick w/too much flour, in my opinion. If you can save your chowder urge for B &G and/or Neptune Oyster, you will experience made-to-order, fresh chowder that is worlds apart from what you will get @ the likes of Union Oyster House(sitting in a big vat getting thick). Also, if you go to The Butcher Shop, across the Street from B &G, you'll be looking out on the coolest corner of the South End. It's a fun spot to re-group and plan the next phase of your venture. Enjoy the city.
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