breakfast in financial district

[brlady]

I'm staying at the Langham next month and looking for some good, fairly priced breakfast spots in the area...
My first time in Boston...

[Bob Dobalina]

*delete*

[nsenada]

Sip in P.O. square has very good coffee and pastries. Boston Common coffee is very good as well.

[Bob Dobalina]

Will definitely check out Sip - is that the place actually in the square?

I stopped by a tiny corner coffee shop on the ground floor of 101 Arch St. - the building with Petit Robert Central Bistro - You can get there directly from T (Red Line side) at DTC via escalators into the lobby of the building, and turning left.

Muffins still in the baking pan and still warm for $2.50 - enjoying a fine Morning Glory - there are like 4 or 5 varieties in the pan, which I guess suggests a mix, but this is pretty yummy.

But the really impressive things were the two, large lumps of aluminum in the small convection oven squeezed into the space - she was roasting her own turkey breast for sandwiches - I found this really impressive. Will merit more research...

[nsenada]

I think that's Grass Roots, and their sandwiches are excellent. I really like the pressed chicken salad with avocado.

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Grass Roots Cafe
101 Arch St, Boston, MA 02110

[Bob Dobalina]

You're right - that's the place.

[9lives]

Grass Roots had a much larger store on Devonshire and a small store on Oliver. The Devonshire store got a huge rent increase and moved to let in BWX, I think. BTW, the old Black gent has worked there for quite a while but had developed a great following at other FD delis. Many of us would just follow him around..go wherever he worked. The GR owners cut back on his generosity. I still stop into say hello from time to time.

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Grass Roots Cafe
101 Arch St, Boston, MA 02110

[Bob Dobalina]

What do you mean by his generosity? Is generosity measured in the thickness of the sandwich? I think he is the same guy now at the GR in 101 Arch?

[9lives]

John was 1 of the first to roast his own turkeyor RB in the FD instead of processed meats...and make some really good entrees. He'd pile the sandwiches high He worked at Zito's, Chickies and maybe a few other places that no longer exist. He had a following that went where he did.

He's still with GR. With the "new" smaller space,they're much restricted in the amount they can cook relative to the Devonshire location.

The original GR owners gave him free reign; but the new owners clamped down on him and exercised more portion control. The new owners (Korean, I believe) tried sushi for a while.

I wasn't even aware that they still did the turkey; til this thread. Have to go back. I know they struggled at first in such a small spot..but Devonshire wanted to triple their rent.

[9lives]

Had a pretty fair turkey, stuffing, cranberry gravy on a roll from Grass Roots today. Not bad butPizzeria Rico on Bromfield makes a better and larger version..Thurs only.

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Grass Roots Cafe
101 Arch St, Boston, MA 02110

[Bob Dobalina]

Wanted to revive this thread...is there anything resembling good 'to go' breakfast and/or coffee around Downtown Crossing or Post Office Square? I know about the food truck locations at either end of the area (Gov't Center and Dewey Square, respectively), but otherwise, it's looking like a wasteland, a panhandler gauntlet....at street level, fortress and windowless edifices with the infrequent Dunks or "deli." It's a friggin' travesty made all the worse by the stalled Filene's project. Shameful that this is the area where the big businesses are supposed to be centered and this is the best that the city can do? Ugh!

Someone please tell me that there is a gem of a coffee shop hidden in the canyons with freshly baked blueberry muffins, scones, and an excellent cup of coffee.

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Filenes Cafe
426 Washington St, Boston, MA 02108

Post Office Cafe
11 Main St, East Greenwich, RI 02818

[Gordough]

Have you been to the Thinking Cup on Tremont Street across from the Common? Not the financial district per se but the best thing in the area for sure. I can't vouch for their breakfast wraps/sandwiches as I have not tried them but their pastries/breads are wonderful in addition to their excellent coffee.

[robwat36]

In addition to Thinking Cup, which is awesome, I'd second JoeM's recommendation of Flat Black. I also like the macarons at Bina Alimentari, and the coffee's pretty good.

[Bob Dobalina]

I missed the Flat Black mention - I will check it out, although it's a bit out of the way from the T at Downtown Crossing. Same for Thinking Cup, which I also like, but requires a decent walk in the a.m., which is ok for early mornings but not ideal for typical mornings, if you know what I mean. I suppose in that respect, Chinatown bakeries aren't that far away either.

[robwat36]

Finding the ideal place exactly on the route from your T stop to your office can be a tough proposition. I usually settle for Starbucks in that case.

[ajmcguire]

Couple ideas I would recommend:
1. Thinking Cup (http://thinkingcup.com/), up by the commons, Sumptown coffee and very good egg sandwiches. 5 min walk according to gmaps.

2. Clover Food Lab Truck in Dewey Sqaure (http://www.cloverfoodlab.com/) Line is always long at lunch but it's easier to get served at breakfast.

Also: I second Woodward's breakfast on the high end of the scale.

[Delhiwala]

On a nice day, it is always fun to grab some coffee and food at a nearby Starbucks, and then walk a couple of blocks to the harbor to watch the boats.

[bear]

You're not too far from Boston's North End. Caffe Nuovo on Salem St. serves breakfast seven days a week starting at 7 a.m., I think. Pleasant space and the food is good. You can get standard fare, or something more Italian-American (polenta and eggs, decent carbonara, etc.) The tenderloin and eggs is really good, but you won't be hungry for the rest of the day. It would be a nice walk if the weather is good.

We sometimes get a cannoli from Maria's for dessert.

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Caffe Nuovo
76 Salem St, Boston, MA 02113

[mkfisher]

I'd suggest walking to Flour one morning (when it's nice out). I live right down the street from the Langham, and that's what I did on Sunday for Breakfast. The Harbor Walk is really beautiful behind the Intercontinental/Atlantic Wharf, so you'll get to see a really under appreciated part of the city along the way.

[JoeM]

For nearby coffee, head to Flat Black on the corner of Milk & Broad, about two blocks behind the Langham. They have pretty good pastries too but their coffee is the best in the neighborhood.

Cafe Fleuri, in the Langham, is known as a 'power breakfast' spot. Food isn't bad, especially on an expense account. Another nearby spot for breakfast is the Boston Harbor Hotel; on a nice day you can sit outside and enjoy a very nice view.

Another good-weather brunch option is Joe's American Bar & Grill on the edge of the North End. Food isn't bad and there are a lot of outdoor tables.

Sel de la Terre on Long Wharf does a later brunch (11am) that is pretty good.

Outside of hotel restaurants, your mostly going to be limited to breakfast sandwiches/bagels/dunkin donuts in the Financial District.

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Flat Black Coffee Co
50 Broad St, Boston, MA

[cpingenot]

sel de la terre also has a "boulangerie" counter with pastries, bread, coffee and yogurt to go in the morning.

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sel de la terre
boston, MA, boston, MA

[MariaVII]

I do the same, though I head towards fan pier where there are nice benches and a view of the city and harbor.

[nsenada]

Collaegues of mine raved about the breakfast at Woodward at the Ames Hotel.

[MariaVII]

Weekday or weekend? It makes a big difference.

[brlady]

Both. I'll be there Wed- Sunday. Can be sit down or grab and go.

[MariaVII]

On weekends, not too much is open in the Financial District other than hotels or Panera. It is worth a 15 min walk over to Flour bakery in the Fort Point Channel area. The breakfast sandwich is delicious!

[Beachowolfe]

Grab'n go or sit down?