Boston Restaurant Round-Up | Pizza, Pasta & Burgers!
Let’s be honest. When I started writing this post, I had the idea I could fit all my restaurant reviews in one place. Halfway through writing about Finch, I knew that was impossible. Boston is a foodie’s playground. There are so many different types of cuisine and such a variety in options to choose, it’s impossible not to get around the restaurant scene. I had the opportunity to try seven different places while in Boston and I STILL have a long list to go back for. While I’d love to write more about the general restaurant scene, but let's dive right into the food instead. If this makes you hungry, I’m sorry. I'm writing this while hangry so I might have gotten a little out of control. You might be drooling towards the end.
FINCH | 107 Merrimac Street
Finch is the restaurant located within The Boxer Boston. Traditional American cuisine and an impressive cocktail menu combine for a local hotspot. The restaurant fills with people come happy hour, sipping expertly crafted drinks and eating tasty, irresistible bites like sliders and french fries. Open for breakfast and dinner, Finch is a great spot for classic comfort food. It boasys vintage decor, long communal dining tables and a casual atmosphere. There's no wonder people like to frequent here after work. It’s the ultimate combination of sophisticated cuisine and a laid-back, welcoming atmosphere.
I dined at Finch for breakfast twice and dinner once. The Sunrise Sandwich ($9) features two over medium eggs with melted Vermont cheddar cheese and bacon on a toasted English muffin, served with a side of breakfast potatoes. I’m not a fan of a runny yolk but everything in this sandwich worked. The muffin soaked up all the yolk without getting too mushy and the flavors were on point. That Vermont cheddar was the icing on the cake. I also had the Oatmeal which came with a side of golden raisins and brown sugar. It’s exactly what you’d expect from oatmeal, warm, gooey and tasty. They give you a huge bowl too. If oatmeal doesn’t leave you satisfied, this size of a bowl definitely will.
For dinner, I chose the Crispy BBQ Burger ($14), fresh hand-packed beef burger, BBQ sauce, crispy fried onions, Vermont cheddar cheese and a brioche bun served with French Fries. This was my first Boston indulgence. The burger was thick and juicy - delicious. The crispy fried onions gave the burger texture and flavor and the Vermont cheddar gave it tang and richness. I only eat burgers that are all decked out when I travel and this was a fantastic choice. Finch has a few other burger options but I recommend this one.
LA GALLERIA 33 | 125 Salem Street
I visited La Galleria 33 my first night in Boston. It was a long day and it was cold and rainy. I asked the concierge at the Boxer Boston for directions, took an umbrella and made the 10 minute trek to the heart of the North End for a much needed Italian dinner. I dined a little early so the restaurant wasn’t crowded making for a nice, peaceful night out. The restaurant is a classic little space with only a few tables, dim lighting and traditional Italian dishes that put any calorie counting to shame. If I were a local, this would be a favorite spot of mine.
I started the meal with Pasta Fagioli ($6), fresh torn pasta, cranberry beans, tomato broth and basil. It’s a hearty soup perfect for warming up on a cold night. My server recommended the dish after he found out about my long day of travel. He couldn’t have picked a more perfect starter. I do have to say, this is a hefty bowl of soup. So prepare for a large meal if you’re enjoying this plus a main course. I followed the soup with the Bolognese, which doesn’t look to be on the menu currently. The serving size wasn’t too intimidating which was important after eating a monstrous bowl of soup. The flavors were out of this world. The homemade pasta and rich, meaty sauce brought back childhood memories unlike any other food experience I’ve had before. It was an impeccable meal with top notch service. I might have been a little under-dressed, exhausted and cold but this first meal in Boston solidified my excitement to be in the city and only made me want to explore more.
LOCALE | 352 Hanover Street
I never crave pizza more than when I’m traveling. It’s a weird obsession that I have but almost everywhere I go, I always have pizza at least once. Locale is THE place in Boston to get pizza. They serve up Neapolitan-style pizzas with a variety of options from simple and classic like the Margherita or adventurous like the Brussels Sprouts pizza with Brussels Sprouts, smoked mozzarella, pancetta and pecorino. They’re known in particular for their Cacio e Pepe pizza which takes the fan favorite pasta and turns it into one heck of a pie.
You can, of course, build your own pie but with the options they have, I doubt you’ll need to. I went with the Carmine ($14), homemade tomato sauce, mozzarella, soppressatta, garlic and basil. In case you are in Boston solo and feel shy about eating a pizza by yourself, don’t. I got over that real quick as soon as I took my first bite. While Locale might be best served for groups and parties of 2, it’s also just as cozy and satisfying for travelers, or even locals, flying solo craving a good piece of pizza. The upside, it’s not just one slice, it’s a whole freaking pie to yourself and you can’t beat that.
I have a few more for you but I’ll give your poor growling stomach a minute to recover. If Boston’s food scene isn’t enough to convince you to visit, I don’t know what is. Do you have any favorite restaurants to try when you’re in Boston
