Why should restaurants be of special interest to sociologists? First, sociologists have to eat just like everybody else. Second, restaurants provide the possibility of a social experience where diners interact and enjoy the company of others.
As sociologists, we also gain an overview of the ethnic and socioeconomic circumstances in a community. The viability of the restaurant scene requires expendable income. Clusters of expensive eating establishments indicate prosperity; an Accumulation of fast-food eateries likely reflect a lack of economic resources. Moreover, the existence of a particular cuisine in a community signals the presence of the ethnic group from whom the menu derives.
The Boston Regional Spotlight Committee, along with the assistance of many others, have produced the Restaurant Guide, which will be included in each registrants program materials. We have taken a sampling of those restaurants and other resources to provide you with an online dining guide. The guide is organized by section/neighborhoods of Boston. Use the pricing guide to help you in your selections. Restaurant reservations fill up quickly over weekends, so we recommend you make advance reservations wherever possible. Opentable.com is a reputable source for making dining reservations. Enjoy!
Guide to Pricing per Entrée:
|
| $ |
----- Less than $15 |
| $$ |
----- $15 - $22 |
| $$$ |
----- $22 - $30 |
| $$$$ |
----- $30 and above |
Franklin Café. 267 Shawmut Avenue (350-0010). Small, cozy café with a full bar and a reputation for simple dishes with a twist of brilliance. Ground zero for South End sophisticates. No reservations, so be prepared to wait at peak dining times. $$
Tremont 647. 647 Tremont Street (266-4600). Small, neighborhood bistro. Popular for dinner and Sunday brunch. $$$
Aquitaine. 569 Tremont Street (424-8577). Swank bistro, popular with a savvy, young professional crowd who enjoy being seen. Award winning wine list. Parisian bistro fare. $$$
Geoffreys’s Café and Bar. 576 Tremont Street. (266-1122). An American café with a noisy, lively ambience offering generous dessert portions which compliments its enticing menu. $$ - $$$
Mistral. 223 Columbus Avenue (867-9300). Posh decor and award winning cuisine make this one of Boston’s finest in many critics’ eyes. For some patrons, a place to be seen as much as to dine. Roast loin of venison with pear and acorn squash puree, salmon roasted in rosemary and cider, foie gras, and the like are, what you’ll find on the menu. $$$$
Wally’s Café. 427 Massachusetts Avenue (424-1408). Founded in 1947, a popular local jazz nightclub. This area was once home to many of Boston's famous jazz clubs during the nineteen forties and fifties. Wally's offers live music and an occasional daytime appetizer. $
Jae’s Café and Grill. 520 Columbus Avenue (421-9405). Here you’ll find the most popular dishes from Korea, Japan, China, and Thailand on the same menu. Consistently crowded. Also a location at 212 Stuart Street (451-5237). $$-$$$
The Museum of Fine Arts Restaurant. 465 Huntington Avenue (369 3487). Surprisingly good and diverse menu in a tastefully appointed and very bright room overlooking a pleasant courtyard. Fine place for luncheon or dinner after an hour or two of wandering through one of the nation's great art museums. Lower level café has a more limited menu. Good deserts. $$$
Newbury Street is home to upscale boutiques, spas, art galleries and fine dining. Newbury Street can be found in the Back Bay neighborhood of Boston, located between Boylston Street and Commonwealth Avenue.
La Famiglia Georgio. 250 Newbury Street (247-1569). Intimate family owned restaurant with large portions of good Italian dishes. A Boston favorite. $$
29 Newbury Street. 29 Newbury Street (536-0290). A tastefully appointed dining room featuring an inventive seasonal menu. Seafood dishes, such as prosciutto-wrapped striped bass over green risotto, stand out. A reasonably priced wine list makes ordering a bottle a good option. Outdoor tables. $$$
Thai Basil. 132 Newbury Street, at Dartmouth (424-8424). Good Thai restaurant. Downstairs, so accessibility may be problem. $-$$
Stephanies on Newbury. 190 Newbury Street (236-0999). Such entrees as baked stuffed lobster whiskey and peppered tenderloin salad are specialties. Outdoor tables available weather permitting. $$$
A diverse eclectic neighborhood home to many up and coming Boston chefs. Located near the Public Gardens, the Boston Common, the Theater District and the Waterfront area.
Hampshire House. 84 Beacon Street (227 9600). Attractive restaurant located in one of Boston's hottest tourist attractions Cheers! Call ahead and ask for a table overlooking the Public Gardens. Menu offers a variety of well prepared dishes. $$ $$$
No. 9 Park. 9 Park Street (742-9991). Chef Barbara Lynch’s offers one of the best new restaurants in the country, according to some major food magazine editors. Specializing in cuisine from the region where Italy and France border. Known for her pasta, crispy duck, and lamb. $$$$
57 Restaurant. 200 Stuart Street (423 5700). A popular stop for theater goers both before and after the show. Solid American menu. $$
Maison Robert. 45 School Street (227 3370). Located in the old Boston City Hall, this dressy, elegant spot serves a blend of French California cooking, with the French dominating. Excellent service; fine wine list; jacket required. $$$$
The Union Oyster House. 41 Union Street (227 2250). Reputedly the oldest since 1826 restaurant in the nation; oyster stew and raw bar are good. $$ $$$
Les Zygomates. 129 South Street, near South Station (542 5108). Interesting French bistro with a traditional French menu and mammoth wine list. $$$
Anthony's Pier Four. 140 Northern Avenue (423 6363). Excellent harbor views; offers marinated mushrooms and large popovers before the main course. Almost every celebrity has been here and their photographs on the walls serve as proof. Ample free parking but difficult to reach by mass transit. $$ $$$
Jimmy's Harborside. 242 Northern Avenue (423 1000). Waterfront dining spot with a comprehensive menu and fine bar. Street parking; difficult to reach by mass transit. $$
Well known as Boston’s ‘Little Italy’, this area is a now gentrified Italian ethnic neighborhood.
Caffe Vittoria. 290-296 Hanover Street (227-7606). North End landmark famous for its desserts and cappuccinos. Perfect after dinner spot. Consider popping into Mike’s Pastry next door for some take-away goodies. $-$$
Mamma Maria. 3 North Square (523-0077). Among the top upscale Italian restaurants in Boston (or anywhere, some would argue). Intimate dining in a 19th century row house. $$$
The Daily Catch. 323 Hanover Street (523-8567). Sicilian style seafood served in a tiny room. Chalkboards display the daily offerings, which tend toward shellfish/pasta combinations. Fish, lobster, and other offerings available. $$
Maurizio’s. 364 Hanover Street (367-1123). Minuscule space with a large reputation. Known for combinations of shellfish, garlic, and pasta with a Sardinian influence. $$-$$$
Il Bacio. 226 Hanover Street (742 9200). Serves large pasta entrees and has a full bar. Good views of Hanover Street life outside. $$
Giacomo's. 355 Hanover Street (523 9026). A relatively new restaurant known for its excellent seafood dishes. Known, too, for serving ample portions. No credit cards. $$
Massachusetts Avenue/Fenway Area [+ Details]
This neighborhood is home to Northeastern University, Berklee College of Music, Symphony Hall and Fenway Park
Buteco. 130 Jersey Street (247 9508). A small, unpretentious eatery serving good Brazilian cuisine. Prices are very reasonable. $
Bombay Café. 175 Massachusetts Avenue (247 0555) A good Northern Indian restaurant (try the lunch buffet). $
Woody's Grill and Tap. 58 Hemenway Street (375 9663). Excellent brick oven pizza, large portions, and great selection of beers on tap. $ $$
Betty’s Wok and Noodle. 250 Huntington Avenue (424-1950). Choose a sauce ranging from Chinese to Cuban, a genre (rice, noodles, etc.), veggies, and a meat. A few minutes later a hearty meal awaits you. $$
Tiger Lily. 8 Westland Avenue (267-8881). Malaysian dishes, with offerings from other Asian cuisine as well. Located behind Symphony Hall. $-$$
The Museum of Fine Arts Restaurant. 465 Huntington Avenue (369 3487). Surprisingly good and diverse menu in a tastefully appointed and very bright room overlooking a pleasant courtyard. Fine place for luncheon or dinner after an hour or two of wandering through one of the nation's great art museums. Lower level café has a more limited menu. Good deserts. $$$
