South End ...suggestions for someone who wants to slowly check out South End
I hate admit that I've lived in the Boston area for about 25 years (grew up in Concord) and really don't know the South End that well. I remember the South End when it was sketchy; I do realize it is very hip and trendy.
My exposure to the South End has been slow. I've been to Aquitaine and Hamersley's.
What recommendations would you suggest for a newbie to try without getting overwhelmed. I can't say I know the South End really well but I know it enough. I read so many tempting places and want to try them all!
Thanks friends!
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Well, MC hit all the highlights.... what kind of experience are you looking for? In the fun-but-not-overwhelming department, you could start on a weeknight with the Gallows, on Washington Street - a nice vibe, not too expensive, pretty straightforward upscale-pub-fresh kind of menu. It's fairly new, so you're visiting a place where the bloom is still on the rose. If what you want is a pure, intense dose of South End happening-ness, plus great food, I'd vote for Coppa - there is usually a wait, sometimes quite long, but you can cross the street for a drink at the Franklin Cafe while you wait, which kills two birds with one stone. And then, Myers & Chang just has a lot of fun buzz about it - mirrors and designy-kitsch decor and a big, inexpensive, creative Asian menu. As MC says, you can make reservations there, so the crowd thing isn't as big a deal.
For a modern, are-we-really-in-Boston aesthetic experience, the bar at Rocca is a pretty great space (the upstairs dining room is more generic), and Ginger Park is totally unique: the decor is rippling layers of birch plywood, like being inside a whale skeleton. There's really nothing else like it in the city. The food is pretty good Asian fusion, or at least it was good the last time I went. For a little circuit, you could have a drink at Ginger Park, and then walk along that stretch of Washington Street to see how it feels now - it's a little row of restaurants, Union Park, Bombay Club, and Gallows - before turning up to Shawmut to have dinner at the Franklin or Coppa.
Two very interesting cuisines, both in reasonably upscale, neighborhoody spaces, are Orinico for Venezuelan, and Teranga for Senegalese food.
The places I've mentioned are all on Harrison, Washington, and Shawmut. The section of Tremont around Aquitaine and Hamersley's, where you've been before, is kind of inspiring in its liveliness at night, but to my mind, the food overall there is a little less exciting and the crowd feels a little more out-of-town to me. I still think Metropolis does a great job for the price, the Butcher Shop surprised me on the upside last time I went (though glad I wasn't paying!) and for a slightly grittier city vibe (which I mean in the best possible way), the Delux is still a lot of fun. Finally, if you're in the South End in the morning, or at lunchtime, I love the bakery Flour: just everything they do is delicious. Same owner/chef as Myers & Chang, although you wouldn't guess from the menu.
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Myers + Chang
1145 Washington St, Boston, MA 02118Bombay Club
57 JFK Street, Cambridge, MA 02138Bombay Club
145 Dean St, Providence, RI 02903Bombay Club
1 Faneuil Hall Market Pl, Boston, MA 02109Tremont Cafe
418 Tremont St, Boston, MA 02116Coppa
253 Shawmut Ave, Boston, MA 02118 -
MC Slim JB
Oct 18, 2010 08:05 PM
Some of my favorites aren't always easy to randomly explore, thanks to a combination of popularity and a no-reservations policy: Coppa and Toro are obvious examples, but it's true to some extent for places like the Franklin Cafe, The Gallows, Teranga, Picco, Orinoco, Anchovies, and (though I'm not a great fan of it), The Butcher Shop. If you go at popular times, you're in for a wait, sometimes a long one.
Not a huge deal if you live nearby, but it can be a pain if you're trying to plan an evening and have to drive or take public transportation into the neighborhood. I tend to stick to the places that take reservations when I have a narrow dining window, and hit the others at off-peak times.
Short list of places I like lately that take reservations: Hamersley's, Aquitaine, Estragon, Myers + Chang, South End Buttery, Union, Stella, Pops, Stephi's on Tremont, Metropolis, Rocca (much improved under new chef, though service issues remain), Petit Robert, B&G Oysters, Coda, Darryl's, Ginger Park, Addis Red Sea.
Places I'm not so fond of: The Beehive, Joe V's, Sibling Rivalry, Red Fez, Noche (though the bartending has gotten much better of late), Giacomo's, Jae's, Equator, Upper Crust, Gaslight.
Cheaper and worthwhile: Don Ricardo's, J.J. Foley's, Delux, Columbus Cafe, House of Siam x2, Mike's City Diner, Morse Fish, Las Ventas (take-out sandwiches), Blunch.
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Delux Cafe
100 Chandler St, Boston, MA 02116Toro
1704 Washington St, Boston, MA 02118Red Fez
49 Peck St, Providence, RI 02903Blunch
59 E Springfield St, Boston, MA 02118South End Buttery
314 Shawmut Avenue, Boston, MA 02118House of Siam
542 Columbus Ave, Boston, MA 02118Sibling Rivalry
525 Tremont St., Boston, MA 02116J.J. Foley's
117 E Berkeley St, Boston, MA 02118Don Ricardo's Restaurant
57 W Dedham St, Boston, MA 02118Teranga
1746 Washington Street, Boston, MAMike's City Diner
1714 Washington St, Boston, MA 02118Joe V's
315 Shawmut Ave, Boston, MA 02118Red Sea Cafe
1127 Harrison Ave, Roxbury, MA 02119Tremont Cafe
418 Tremont St, Boston, MA 02116Coppa
253 Shawmut Ave, Boston, MA 02118 -
franklin cafe is solid. well-executed cocktails, food is consistently great. dark lighting though and kinda smallish, so go when you're looking for something cozy and intimate, say on a dark chilly night. but yeah, i've only had positive experiences there. plenty of other spots in SE, but i'll leave that up to others.
