Mastering the art of food is no small feat. When it comes to food, the city of Boston does it right. You can attend the North End for delicious Italian, grab a Fenway Frank downtown, or walk Newbury street to try out different cafes. There is NO wrong answer or location here in Boston, but I am here to help steer you towards some of my personal favorite spots!
As I sit down to write this blog on a cold, snowy morning I can’t help but crave some Pho . There is truly nothing like traditional Vietnamese soup. Here at Le’s in Harvard square, you can get the soup that cures everything. Le’s is a hole in the wall. A very authentic setting hidden in the back of the mall. Do not let the setting fool you, the Pho and the Pad Thai are to die for. Add some basil, lime, and bean sprouts; any cold or hangover will be gone.
Pho at Le’s
Henrietta’s Table
The next hole in the wall restaurant I want to highlight is Henrietta’s’ Table. Henrietta’s is hidden inside the Charles hotel in Cambridge, but has its own outdoor patio and rustic indoor vibe. Besides the vibe, the brunch and supper are two of the best meals I have ever had. It is a small, specific menu. Not a large traditional city menu. The chef really focuses on a few dishes and one of those is a Blue Cheese wrapped Sirloin over Garlic Mashed Potatoes. The steak was perfectly cooked, and the blue cheese was not overpowering. Everything was well balanced and melted in my mouth. The menu also frequently changes but it stays small and particular. If you go here for brunch, make sure to try the Cinnamon Cranberry French Toast too!
Next up – Serafina Back Bay! This Italian cuisine was traditional, elegant, but reasonable. I had the Taglionlini De Portofino. The homemade pasta was out of a gourmet book, perfect to the t, topped with basil pesto, parmigiano reggiano, a touch of cream and pine nuts. It doesn’t get much better than that. Paired with a glass of red wine to compliment the pasta, one could say I was in heaven. The bruschetta was also fresh, with the right texture of country bread as it was grilled. This spot on Newbury Street is the perfect date night location!
Serafina Back Bay
Kupel’s Bagels
Bar Cino
Everyone says Bagels are for New York – but I would argue that Kupel’s Bagels competes. Endless options of bagels and toppings, this bagel shop is ideal for breakfast and lunch. The line goes out the door every single Sunday so if you want to try you have to get there early! If I am getting breakfast, I usually order a Everything Bagel with their Chive Cream Cheese or a basic Bacon, Egg and Cheese on their Egg Bagel.
Have you ever had fried LEMON SLICES?! I am Italian and I have gone to Italy and never once have I been served fried lemon slices. I also have never been so pleasantly surprised with something hitting my tongue. Thank you Bar Cino for this. It was the PERFECT pair with fried calamari. Words cannot express how truly delicious this addition was. The lemon was sliced extremely thin, and fried lightly, leaving you with a subtle fresh lemon flavor but no sourness at all. Fried food needs some acidity for balance, and Bar Cino has mastered the art of fried calamari.
Thank you for reading along, as I put my love for food into words. I hope these 5 restaurant recommendations help your next trip to Boston! Feel free to follow me on Instagram @livingforleftovers if you want more food recommendations in Boston or Cape Cod!
Olivia Shapiro
Hello! My name is Olivia and I am just a twenty-two-year-old gal who LOVES food and LOVES eating out. During this pandemic my love for eating out and trying new restaurants has only heightened as I want to help support all the businesses in Boston. I have lived in MA my entire life, so I have tried A LOT of the food here. I hope to continue educating everyone else on all the cuisine I consume, so follow along on Insta! @Livingforleftovers .