Boston Recommendations?

[RachelV]

I will be taking a relatively short trip to Boston in mid-July to visit a friend who's spending the summer there. It's been approximately one million years since I've been to Boston, and I never really spent enough time there to be familiar with it. Keeping in mind that we're talking about July and strolling around outside might be gross for this heat & humidity-hating person, what would you recommend we not miss?

I'd love a recommendation for a nice dinner place for one night. Let's say - moderately fancy, happy to eat basically anything I can't get in Boulder (so -- no farm-to-table Americana type food ).

A game at Fenway is already on the agenda, which I am very excited about! I was quite the Red Sox fan back in high school / college (grew up in CT) and I've never been.

 

[elemmac]

I'd love a recommendation for a nice dinner place for one night. Let's say - moderately fancy, happy to eat basically anything I can't get in Boulder (so -- no farm-to-table Americana type food ).

My husband just had a work meeting in Boston and came back raving about Prezza in the North End.

His grandmother is from Sicily and was a phenomenal cook (her eggplant parm is one for the record books!). So when he raves about Italian food (which doesn’t happen often)…it’s got some backing to it.

 

[Megdenn]

I’d second a restaurant in the North End! I’m briefly visiting Boston this summer and I use eater.com to find great food when traveling.

 

[MissySki]

A silly fun thing that I enjoyed way more than I thought in Boston was a duck boat tour. We did it during a work event a few years ago and it was so much fun, plus you get some history thrown in and hopefully a comedic driver running it all.

 

[diymom]

Swan boats! (After reading Make Way for Ducklings.). Followed by people watching and a sticky bun from Tatte.

 

[marzNC]

If a short drive to the west of I-95 is an option and there is interest in local history, the Concord Museum in Concord has more than you might expect in a small 2-story building. Note there is an admission fee. A few good local eateries in the center of town or by the train station.

If you catch a cool day, it's a short walk from a parking lot to the North Bridge, which is considered the place the American Revolution started. That's in the Minute Man National Historic Park.

 

[Christy]

I love the food at Saltie Girl. It's got the New England seafood that I can't get here and they do it so well. Love, love the crispy Ipswich clams and the lobster roll with beurre blanc, though I don't see this on the menu right now, which is alarming. Maybe they'll make it off menu? Somehow I've ended up in Boston for a night or two the past 4 years in a row and I can't pass up the chance to eat here, even though the vibe (thumpy music, a mostly younger crowd) isn't my thing. The patio and the downstairs bar can be good options for seating.

That's great you are getting to Fenway!

 

[NewEnglandSkier]

Another vote for a North End visit--either for dining or a pastry shop crawl! I try to visit different North End restaurants and last year I tried Limoncello (North St off the main drag) and really loved everything I had there--plus they have a quiet back patio. There is always the great debate Mike's vs Modern Pastry---everyone has their favorite. I always suggest people try both and form their own opinion! Mike's has cannoli in every flavor imaginable but Modern fills them to order but with more traditional flavor options. There is also Bova's Bakery but they don't get the press that the others do. Or hit up Caffe Vittoria for good tiramisu and cappucino. Or get one of their pistachio martinis--they have a scoop of pistachio gelato in them
A lunch place that I love that is a small local chain owned by a chef is Flour Bakery. They have great baked goods and some interesting sandwiches. I am more into the traditional ones like the chicken parm and the BLT (which is excellent if you like BLTs).
Sorry, no seafood suggestions from me, as I don't eat it so can't comment on it!
A duck boat tour is always fun as mentioned above.
If it's not too hot, you can do a walk along the harbor or a walk through the Public Garden is always nice (which would tie into the swan boat idea already suggested by diymom).

 

[DebbieSue]

Duck Boat Tour - locals love it, tourists love it. Great way to see the city. Hilarious driver/guides.
Swan Boat Ride - yes, read Make Way for Ducklings first.
Water Taxi to Pier 6 restaurant,Charlestown Navy Yard - glorious on a nice day. https://www.pier6boston.com/
Ferry to Georges Island, if you are history buffs and want a little get out of the city feeling. https://www.bostonharborislands.org/georges-island/

(detect a boat theme here?)

Other seafood recommendations besides Pier 6 above:
Eventide, hip place, great fresh local seafood, good beer - in Fenway!! Go before /after ball game.
Legal Seafood Boston Harborside - This location in particular, in the Seaport. Yeah it's a chain, but started in Boston (Cambridge to be exact) and this is striking location with some unique to location menu items

Other food recs:
Flour Bakery - many locations, woman owned, great coffee too.
Scampo - Italian/seafood/wine. Celebrity woman chef. Fun vibe. Every meal I have ever had there has been great in every way. Central and interesting location in old Charles Street Jail, now Liberty hotel. https://www.scampoboston.com/ If you are really missing Lark, they have Yappier Hour in a courtyard Weds evenings for dogs and their people. (not a dog owner, but my hospital is next door, so I see the goings on).
Modern Pastry in the North End - love, love, love their Sfogliatella

Can you tell I love my city!!!! Welcome.

 

[marzNC]

Water Taxi

Water Taxi to or from Logan airport can be worth considering.

 

[Ginny]

I will be taking a relatively short trip to Boston in mid-July to visit a friend who's spending the summer there. It's been approximately one million years since I've been to Boston, and I never really spent enough time there to be familiar with it. Keeping in mind that we're talking about July and strolling around outside might be gross for this heat & humidity-hating person, what would you recommend we not miss?

I'd love a recommendation for a nice dinner place for one night. Let's say - moderately fancy, happy to eat basically anything I can't get in Boulder (so -- no farm-to-table Americana type food ).

A game at Fenway is already on the agenda, which I am very excited about! I was quite the Red Sox fan back in high school / college (grew up in CT) and I've never been.

Dinner/Italian in the North End. Try Tresca on Hanover St. owned by Ray Bourque/Hockey HOF and Chef Rich Ansara. My favorite restaurant in North End as it is not cramped and great food.

 

[santacruz skier]

Water Taxi to or from Logan airport can be worth considering.

Wow that sounds cool....

 

[marzNC]

Wow that sounds cool....

It was by far the best way to get to Logan from Quincy after I stayed with @diymom for Snowbound Expo last fall. I'd taken the Water Taxi once when I was doing trips to Boston for work back in the 1990s.

 

[ilovepugs]

I have a route I really like wandering through Boston on because you can see a lot of architecture and good sights. It goes North End -> Government Center -> Boston Common -> Back Bay -> Christian Science Center

Definitely don’t miss Boston City Hall Plaza, home of the infamous cop slide and US’s most infamous example of brutalist architecture. I have a particular love of that building since my mom worked in it for 30 years.

 

[ilovepugs]

I might be the only person I know from Boston who recommends City Hall….

 

[diymom]

Christian Science Center

For the Mapparium?

 

[ilovepugs]

For the Mapparium?

No the building itself and everything around it is quite the sight!