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East 2016 - Restaurant/Food Thread
imnotalawyer
Registered User regular
Registered User regular
Hey folks!
Food is one of my favorite parts of traveling - so I am understandably excited to get into Boston next week. I did not see a topic for everyone's favorite places to eat so I thought I would make a new one in case something new opened up.
Links to previous years' threads...
PAX East 2015 Restaurant Thread
PAX East 2014 Restaurant Thread
As for my recommendations...
Al's Cafe (website)
This is an authentic deli. They offer enormous subs (I think 14") for under $10. They stack these things too. In the past I have always found that these easily stretch into two meals, which is great if you're trying to have some sort of budget. A mile away from BCEC.
Boloco (website)
This is Boston's take on Chipotle, only better... and with less pestilence... they offer some really creative burritos. It is cheap and only 3/4 a mile away from BCEC.
Bon Me (website)
I love vietnamese food, and these guys kill it! Even better, they are only a half a mile away from BCEC.
Food is one of my favorite parts of traveling - so I am understandably excited to get into Boston next week. I did not see a topic for everyone's favorite places to eat so I thought I would make a new one in case something new opened up.
Links to previous years' threads...
PAX East 2015 Restaurant Thread
PAX East 2014 Restaurant Thread
As for my recommendations...
Al's Cafe (website)
This is an authentic deli. They offer enormous subs (I think 14") for under $10. They stack these things too. In the past I have always found that these easily stretch into two meals, which is great if you're trying to have some sort of budget. A mile away from BCEC.
Boloco (website)
This is Boston's take on Chipotle, only better... and with less pestilence... they offer some really creative burritos. It is cheap and only 3/4 a mile away from BCEC.
Bon Me (website)
I love vietnamese food, and these guys kill it! Even better, they are only a half a mile away from BCEC.
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Also, Salvatore's is right down the street and they have really great pizza by the slice for take out. I believe they have a restaurant/bar attached but I've never dined in. Pizza is great though!
Other local standouts include:
No Name Restaurant - A little hole-in-the-wall seafood place on the wharf. The food is excellent and cheap for generally humongous portions. Go for a beer and the fish and chips, not the ambiance or service.
Sushi-Teq - A very trendy, intimate sushi/tequila bar inside the Intercontinental Hotel about a mile from the BCEC. Some of the best sushi I've had in Boston, but you'll need a reservation because there's not a lot of space.
Whiskey Priest - An Irish pub not far from the BCEC. Good food, good beer and whiskey selection, local music on the weekends. Will get busy, but probably not quite as much so as the places in the immediate vicinity of the BCEC.
Great food and a PAX friendly atmosphere. They even had a "Welcome PAX Attendees" message on their age last year. It's a bit pricey, but the food and service are top notch. This was the food highlight of our trip. They have a limited menu focusing on unique and well composed dishes ranging from seafood, to steak, to vegetarian dishes. They can take reservations online and I was recommended to make them as it may get busy during the weekend.
I would also highly recommend Lulus or Friendlytoast if you have a car and the time for amazing breakfast.
The Daily Catch is a local place down by the courthouse in Seaport (probably like 8-10 minutes from pax walking). They specialize in Sicilian style seafood, and their squid-ink pasta is to die for. I will gladly quibble with other locals as to whether or not this is the best seafood in Seaport. Spacious and takes reservations, but far enough from PAX that you can almost certainly just walk in. I pretty much go here with my friends for pre-PAX dinner every year.
Yankee Lobster Company is also about a 10 minute walk from PAX. It's a little hole in the wall sort of place with killer lobster rolls, fried seafood, and chowder/bisque. It's reasonably priced, and definitely more of a lunch-y sort of place than a dinner sort of place. Only real downside is seating is seriously limited.
It comes up a lot but Legal Test Kitchen is worth noting. Basically Legal Seafood's weird cousin. A fun and kind of eclectic mix of seafood dishes and a fun mixed drink menu. Right by the Hotels so it catches a lot of the PAX crowd.
If you feel like heading into the city then there are honestly more options than I can care to list, but I feel like I must mention that China Town is only about 20ish minutes away walking, and is full of places that are both very delicious and very affordable. I can and will eat xiaolongbao until I feel physically ill.
It lists cuisine, address, price, distance to BCEC and more. AMAZING!
You can access it here: PAX EAST FOOD/DINING
All the reviews say good things but I'm scared of Neptune's no reservation policy so i went with Row 34. Anyone ever eaten there? I'm hoping for good oysters and a lobster roll.
BONUS
Some of the very best restaurants in Massachusetts are a 20 minute walk down Beacon Street (5 minute T ride) in Washington Square. I highly recommend Barcelona or Fairsted Kitchen.
I actually used to live over there. Barcelona and Fairstead are both amazing restaurants, but as a heads up, especially for Barcelona Wine Bar on a weekend, unless outdoor seating is available, there is a very low chance of getting in without a reservation.
If the weather is nice walk over to James Hook and Co. Its a bit of a hike but its the best damn lobster sandwich you can get. Yes its expensive but honestly you're going to be paying that much for some shredded puree lobster garbage anywhere else. At least this thing has chunks of lobster tail in it.
Windsor Cafe - dimsum - Chinatown
Its a small joint but has pretty good and authentic dimsum
Menton - french
Do you have more money than god? Have a company credit card burning a hole in your wallet. Then make a reservation here and burn 3 hours on dinner :pop:
Tavern Road - American
Assuming you are not Donald Trumps illegitimate grand child, go across the street to Tavern Road instead.
Yeah, Tavern Road is supposed to be really good. I checked with them to see if they were having any specials during PAX, there are none yet specifically planned for that weekend but they do offer weeknights between 5:00 and 7:00 a OPP (oysters, pigs and ponies) promotion: $1 oyster, $2 pony beers and $3 charcuterie.
Not just pizza/subs, but others as well.
I haven't been to Row 34, but they're owned by the same people who own Island Creek Oyster Bar in Kenmore, which is excellent and I've been to many times. Given the good reviews/things I've heard about it, and that their parentage that knows how to run a high-quality seafood restaurant, I would be pretty confident in it being great.
Personally, I consider the best (cold) lobster roll to be at Belle Isle Seafood on the Winthrop/East Boston border. They used to be in a literal falling apart shack, they're now in an industrial looking steel building. Picnic tables for seats. It's not a fancy place, but it is excellent food. Not easy to get to without a car though, it's a lengthy walk from the Orient Heights Blue Line stop.
Grubhub and Foodler are your friend in Boston, lots of restaurants will deliver through them.
I'll also give a recommendation to Trident Booksellers & Cafe if you decide to go out to Back Bay - It's about half cafe, half bookstore. Hipstery/indie without being annoying. Great breakfast/lunch food, open till midnight. Very busy at weekend brunch hours. Great place to find something interesting to read, it's a well-curated selection, often at a good price by any standard. Not a place to go find some specific book unless it's extremely common.
its a small place and it can get crowded during lunch, so don't plan on eating there. Luckily its only a couple blocks from the greenway if you like to eat on grass or benches.
Genuine, family made mexican food with daily drink/treat specials. The chorizo quesadilla is a favorite of mine. And ABSOLUTELY try the salsa.