Tag: greenway

Where to Pick Up Take-Out for Summer Events Like Shakespeare on the Common

Tonight is opening night for Shakespeare on the Common, so it seems like the perfect day to update great places for take-out food for events or a picnic.

Back Bay

Marlboro Market (map & reviews) has a deli counter where they have some of the best sandwich values in the area. Simple, hearty fare made to your specifications by the friendly crew behind the counter. Bonus – you can fill your cooler with soft drinks, chips, and anything else you need here. They even sell the coolers!

flour bakery + cafe has locations in the Back Bay, South End, Fort Point near the Waterfront and Harbor Walk, and in Central Square Cambridge. While you might be thinking about an all dessert picnic, remember they make great meals as well.

Thinking Cup at 85 Newbury Street is between the Arlington and Dartmouth Street footbridges to the Esplanade and just a couple of blocks from the Public Garden. They offer a great selection of take-out. They also have locations across from the Boston Common at 165 Tremont Street and in the North End at 236 Hanover Street.

Bacco's Wine and Cheese is on St. James right off Arlington making it the perfect place to pick up a meal for either the Esplanade or The Boston Common. Above is their ready-to-go Bento Box. Each day they offer a selection of cheese, bread, meat, and condiments in a box.

Next door at Bacco's Fine Foods, you can find sandwiches, hot meals, and everything you might want for a day outside enjoying the best of a Boston event.

Cambridge Central Square

This is becoming a true food destination and not just for all the great restaurants located there.

central bottle wine + provisions is great for those who'll be coming to the river from the North. They have a great selection of cheese, salumi, and an ever changing daily food selection.

The H-Mart in Central Square has a Food Court making it a prime spot for gathering a great picnic to take to the river.

We highly recommend Panificio's gazpacho.

Beacon Hill

Savenor's Market built its reputation on excellent meat, but they have always offered a fine selection of other food.

Other favorite picnic pick-up locations from Charles Street are: The Paramount and Panificio. And for great, healthy snacks stop at the Fastachi shop at 83 Charles Street.

Boston Common

There is now some good food right on the Common. You'll find trucks stationed by the newly restored Brewer Plaza for long hours each day. There is also The Frog Pond Cafe in-season with some very nice options.

Across from the Common is the Thinking Cup, as we mentioned above. This cafe has built a solid reputation on its outstanding coffee service, but it also has great sandwiches and pastry.

We will make a special trip to the Greenway for the Jamaican Patties from Jamaica Mi Hungry.

Waterfront & North End

Gathering food in the North End is a regular habit of ours. We love Salumeria Italiana and will often pick up a quick meal from their offerings.

We love the recent addition of good Mexican food from Tenoch at 3 Lewis Street in the North End. We found it perfect for a picnic in Christopher Columbus Park.

Along the Greenway, there is an ever-changing collection of food trucks and carts for meals and snacks. They have a schedule posted here. You can consult our food truck tab to learn more about some of the rolling restaurants.

We've given you a start and told you about the places we go and enjoy. Tell us about your favorite places to enjoy an event or a meal and where you love to go to pick up your food.

What's on your Food Lover's shopping list?

Details:

Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
Photography: Stage photo courtesy of Shakespeare on the Common © 2012 Penny & Ed Cherubino

July 20, 2016
Pick a Park and Go Dog Watching! A Sunday Dog Lover Activity
Boston has a wonderful array of parks and a few of them are dog-friendly. These are the places we love to go to sit on a bench or spread out a blanket and spend a bit of time enjoying dog watching, one of our favorite pastimes.

Christopher Columbus Park on the waterfront is a great destination for this game. You'll see dog walkers with packs in tow.

People running with their dogs.

Frisky frolickers like this little bit of a dog who was the fastest pup in the park during our visit. Zoom! Zoom!

Dogs and people who disagree on the direction of their stroll.

Pauses for sniffs while the person on the other end of the leash enjoys the view.

This park gets lots of bonus points from us for:
- Nearby food trucks on the Greenway and take out in the North End
- Free WiFi
- Restrooms just outside the doors to the Marriott hotel
- Great people watching, boat watching, airplane watching
- Shady spots under the arbor
- Walls and steps as extra seating
- Great photo subject like dogs, boats, architecture, and skylines
This is a great activity for hot days when moving around is taxing on everyone. And remember that the trip to a cooler waterfront location can be made on the MBTA with your dog – outside of rush hour.

June is a great time to take a ride with your dog if this will be a new experience. As you can see in the photo above, off-peak hours often find the trains fairly empty.

Our Poppy has all the details about riding the T here:

Dogs on Public Transit, Boston: 101

Get to know all of our Sunday Dogs at Boston Dogs.

Thanks to everyone who Hops over to Amazon from here to do their shopping. We appreciate your support.

Details:

Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
Photos: ©2016 Penny & Ed Cherubino
June 12, 2016
Pick a Park and Go Dog Watching! A Sunday Dog Lover Activity
Boston has a wonderful array of parks and a few of them are dog-friendly. These are the places we love to go to sit on a bench or spread out a blanket and spend a bit of time enjoying dog watching, one of our favorite pastimes.

Christopher Columbus Park on the waterfront is a great destination for this game. You'll see dog walkers with packs in tow.

People running with their dogs.

Frisky frolickers like this little bit of a dog who was the fastest pup in the park during our visit. Zoom! Zoom!

Dogs and people who disagree on the direction of their stroll.

Pauses for sniffs while the person on the other end of the leash enjoys the view.

This park gets lots of bonus points from us for:
- Nearby food trucks on the Greenway and take out in the North End
- Free WiFi
- Restrooms just outside the doors to the Marriott hotel
- Great people watching, boat watching, airplane watching
- Shady spots under the arbor
- Walls and steps as extra seating
- Great photo subject like dogs, boats, architecture, and skylines
This is a great activity for hot days when moving around is taxing on everyone. And remember that the trip to a cooler waterfront location can be made on the MBTA with your dog – outside of rush hour.

June is a great time to take a ride with your dog if this will be a new experience. As you can see in the photo above, off-peak hours often find the trains fairly empty.

Our Poppy has all the details about riding the T here:

Dogs on Public Transit, Boston: 101

Get to know all of our Sunday Dogs at Boston Dogs.

Thanks to everyone who Hops over to Amazon from here to do their shopping. We appreciate your support.

Details:

Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
Photos: ©2016 Penny & Ed Cherubino
June 12, 2016
Where to Pick Up Great Food for Boston Summer 2014 Events

This is going to be a big week for events around Boston with both the July 4th Celebration on the Esplanade and Boston Harborfest. If you want to pick up a picnic to enjoy at a summer event, we have some great links. (A tip to our often confused visitors to Boston on July 4th – the Boston Pops concert and fireworks are on the Charles River NOT on the harbor!)

Along the Charles on July 4th, both sides of the river will be filled with fireworks fans. Here are some of the places where you can pick up a meal near an entrance to the Esplanade or close to Memorial Drive on the Cambridge side. You do need food while you stake out your spot for the big show.

Be sure to check the July 4th official site for the latest security restrictions for the Hatch Shell Oval and island areas before you plan your picnic and figure out how to carry it to the concert and fireworks.

Fireworks Barges on the River

Back Bay

Marlboro Market (map & reviews) has a deli counter where they make some of the best sandwich values in the area. Simple, hearty fare made to your specifications by the friendly crew behind the counter. Bonus – you can fill your cooler with soft drinks, chips, and anything else you need here. They even sell the coolers!

Thinking Cup has a new location at 85 Newbury Street, between the Arlington and Dartmouth Street footbridges to the park, and offers a great selection of take-out. They also have locations across from the Boston Common at 165 Tremont Street and in the North End at 236 Hanover Street.

Bacco's Wine and Cheese is on St. James right off Arlington making it the perfect place to pick up a meal for either the Esplanade or The Boston Common. Above is their ready-to-go Bento Box. Each day, they offer a selection of cheese, bread, meat, and condiments in a box. This one was $7.50 and had two cheeses, salami, bread, fig jam, olives, pickles, and caponata.

Next door at Bacco's Fine Foods you can find sandwiches, hot meals, and everything you might want for a day outside enjoying the best of a Boston event.

Cambridge Central Square

This is becoming a true food destination and not just for all the great restaurants located there.

central bottle wine + provisions will be open on the 4th and is great for those who'll be coming to the river from the North. They have a great selection of cheese, salumi, and an ever changing daily food selection.

The new H-Mart in Central Square said they are open every day of the year including July 4th. This makes the Food Court a prime spot for gathering a great picnic to take to the river.

On days other than this holdiay, you can add a great dessert to your basket from flour bakery + cafe next door. (We called and confirmed that flour is closed on the 4th.)

Beacon Hill

Savenor's Market built its reputation on excellent meat but they have always offered a fine selection of other food. Now, the Cambridge Market has a deli, and they are delivering "Grab & Go" sandwiches to the Charles Street store, so that you can pop in on your way to an event and walk out with everything you want.

Other favorite picnic pick-up locations from Charles Street are: The Paramount, and Panificio. And for great healty snacks stop at the new Fastachi shop at 83 Charles Street.

Boston Common

There is now some good food right on the Common. You'll find a Clover Food Lab truck stationed by the newly restored Brewer Plaza for long hours each day. There is also The Frog Pond Cafe in-season with some very nice options.

Across from the Common is the Thinking Cup, as we mentioned above. This cafe has built a solid reputation on its outstanding coffee service but it also has great sandwiches and pastry.

Keep these in mind when you plan your Shakespeare on the Common evening this year.

Waterfront & North End

Gathering food in the North End is a regular habit of ours. We love Salumeria Italiana and will often pick up a quick meal from their offerings.

If we want prepared foods, we head for J. Pace & Son where they can fill your cooler with sandwiches, salads, calzones, and other Italian favorites. And, they also have shops in the West End and Seaport.

We love the recent addition of good Mexican food from Tenoch at 3 Lewis Street in the North End. We found it perfect for a picnic in Christopher Columbus Park.

Along the Greenway, there is an ever changing collection of food trucks and carts for meals and snacks. They have a schedule posted here. You can consult our food truck tab to learn more about some of the rolling restaurants.

We've given you a start and told you about the places we go and enjoy. Tell us about your favorite places to enjoy an event or a meal, and where you love to go to pick up your food.

What's on your Summer Fun shopping list? Shop Amazon – Get Ready for Summer – Everything You Need and support this site!

Details:

Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
Photography: © 2012 Penny & Ed Cherubino

June 30, 2014
Where to Pick Up Great Food for Boston Summer 2014 Events

This is going to be a big week for events around Boston with both the July 4th Celebration on the Esplanade and Boston Harborfest. If you want to pick up a picnic to enjoy at a summer event, we have some great links. (A tip to our often confused visitors to Boston on July 4th – the Boston Pops concert and fireworks are on the Charles River NOT on the harbor!)

Along the Charles on July 4th, both sides of the river will be filled with fireworks fans. Here are some of the places where you can pick up a meal near an entrance to the Esplanade or close to Memorial Drive on the Cambridge side. You do need food while you stake out your spot for the big show.

Be sure to check the July 4th official site for the latest security restrictions for the Hatch Shell Oval and island areas before you plan your picnic and figure out how to carry it to the concert and fireworks.

Fireworks Barges on the River

Back Bay

Marlboro Market (map & reviews) has a deli counter where they make some of the best sandwich values in the area. Simple, hearty fare made to your specifications by the friendly crew behind the counter. Bonus – you can fill your cooler with soft drinks, chips, and anything else you need here. They even sell the coolers!

Thinking Cup has a new location at 85 Newbury Street, between the Arlington and Dartmouth Street footbridges to the park, and offers a great selection of take-out. They also have locations across from the Boston Common at 165 Tremont Street and in the North End at 236 Hanover Street.

Bacco's Wine and Cheese is on St. James right off Arlington making it the perfect place to pick up a meal for either the Esplanade or The Boston Common. Above is their ready-to-go Bento Box. Each day, they offer a selection of cheese, bread, meat, and condiments in a box. This one was $7.50 and had two cheeses, salami, bread, fig jam, olives, pickles, and caponata.

Next door at Bacco's Fine Foods you can find sandwiches, hot meals, and everything you might want for a day outside enjoying the best of a Boston event.

Cambridge Central Square

This is becoming a true food destination and not just for all the great restaurants located there.

central bottle wine + provisions will be open on the 4th and is great for those who'll be coming to the river from the North. They have a great selection of cheese, salumi, and an ever changing daily food selection.

The new H-Mart in Central Square said they are open every day of the year including July 4th. This makes the Food Court a prime spot for gathering a great picnic to take to the river.

On days other than this holdiay, you can add a great dessert to your basket from flour bakery + cafe next door. (We called and confirmed that flour is closed on the 4th.)

Beacon Hill

Savenor's Market built its reputation on excellent meat but they have always offered a fine selection of other food. Now, the Cambridge Market has a deli, and they are delivering "Grab & Go" sandwiches to the Charles Street store, so that you can pop in on your way to an event and walk out with everything you want.

Other favorite picnic pick-up locations from Charles Street are: The Paramount, and Panificio. And for great healty snacks stop at the new Fastachi shop at 83 Charles Street.

Boston Common

There is now some good food right on the Common. You'll find a Clover Food Lab truck stationed by the newly restored Brewer Plaza for long hours each day. There is also The Frog Pond Cafe in-season with some very nice options.

Across from the Common is the Thinking Cup, as we mentioned above. This cafe has built a solid reputation on its outstanding coffee service but it also has great sandwiches and pastry.

Keep these in mind when you plan your Shakespeare on the Common evening this year.

Waterfront & North End

Gathering food in the North End is a regular habit of ours. We love Salumeria Italiana and will often pick up a quick meal from their offerings.

If we want prepared foods, we head for J. Pace & Son where they can fill your cooler with sandwiches, salads, calzones, and other Italian favorites. And, they also have shops in the West End and Seaport.

We love the recent addition of good Mexican food from Tenoch at 3 Lewis Street in the North End. We found it perfect for a picnic in Christopher Columbus Park.

Along the Greenway, there is an ever changing collection of food trucks and carts for meals and snacks. They have a schedule posted here. You can consult our food truck tab to learn more about some of the rolling restaurants.

We've given you a start and told you about the places we go and enjoy. Tell us about your favorite places to enjoy an event or a meal, and where you love to go to pick up your food.

What's on your Summer Fun shopping list? Shop Amazon – Get Ready for Summer – Everything You Need and support this site!

Details:

Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
Photography: © 2012 Penny & Ed Cherubino

June 30, 2014
At the Market Report: What’s for Sale at Early Spring Farmers’ Markets

Thanks to winter markets, wholesale customers, farm stands, and CSA's, we are seeing more ready to eat produce at early spring farmers' market. Here are some of what we saw at the Copley Farmers' Market during the past two weeks.

Organic asparagus and scallions from Siena Farms.

Rhubarb (above) and potatoes (below) from Foppema's Farm.

And, there were some new vendors this year.

RI Mushroom Company had gorgeous, golden oyster and shiitake mushrooms. (Click on any photo for a larger view.)

River Rock Beef was on hand with their Grass Fed beef cuts. We bought a hanger steak.

And, of course, the specialty food folks were on hand with their wonderful products. From Crystal Brook Farm's goat cheese …

… to Fastachi's selection of artisan roasted nuts and nut products. We're addicted to their roasted almonds.

Here's what we bought on opening day at Copley this year. On Friday, we arrived too late for tomatoes and cucumbers from Atlas Farm. They were sold out before we arrived. With early spring markets, it's good to arrive at opening if you're hoping for scare crops like those.

Starters, Annuals, and Herb Plants, too!

Mint plants from Foppema's.

Many sage varieties from the Herb Lyceum at Gilson's.

Boston Public Market on the Greenway (North End)

We stopped by opening day of the new location for the former City Hall Farmers' Market. It is now called the The Boston Public Market on the Greenway and is located a few steps from the MBTA Haymarket Station in front of the building that will become The Boston Public Market. (Map)

We may have missed out on tomatoes at Friday's Copley Square Market, but Freitas Farm had both medium salad tomatoes and the lovely baskets of cherry tomatoes shown above.

Updates from Other Food Lovers:

Here's a great photo report on the opening of the Union Square Market in Somerville from that great resource Somerville Beat.

Here's a Boston Chowhound Conversation on Late May Farmers' Markets, Farm Stands, and CSAs

Our Related Posts:

Summer Farmers' Markets Opening Dates 2014

Here are more of our Local Food/Farmers' Market posts.

What's on your Food Lover's Shopping List? Shop Amazon for all your kitchen & dining needs and support this site!

Details:

Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
Photos: ©2014 Penny & Ed Cherubino

May 27, 2014
At the Market Report: What’s for Sale at Early Spring Farmers’ Markets

Thanks to winter markets, wholesale customers, farm stands, and CSA's, we are seeing more ready to eat produce at early spring farmers' market. Here are some of what we saw at the Copley Farmers' Market during the past two weeks.

Organic asparagus and scallions from Siena Farms.

Rhubarb (above) and potatoes (below) from Foppema's Farm.

And, there were some new vendors this year.

RI Mushroom Company had gorgeous, golden oyster and shiitake mushrooms. (Click on any photo for a larger view.)

River Rock Beef was on hand with their Grass Fed beef cuts. We bought a hanger steak.

And, of course, the specialty food folks were on hand with their wonderful products. From Crystal Brook Farm's goat cheese …

… to Fastachi's selection of artisan roasted nuts and nut products. We're addicted to their roasted almonds.

Here's what we bought on opening day at Copley this year. On Friday, we arrived too late for tomatoes and cucumbers from Atlas Farm. They were sold out before we arrived. With early spring markets, it's good to arrive at opening if you're hoping for scare crops like those.

Starters, Annuals, and Herb Plants, too!

Mint plants from Foppema's.

Many sage varieties from the Herb Lyceum at Gilson's.

Boston Public Market on the Greenway (North End)

We stopped by opening day of the new location for the former City Hall Farmers' Market. It is now called the The Boston Public Market on the Greenway and is located a few steps from the MBTA Haymarket Station in front of the building that will become The Boston Public Market. (Map)

We may have missed out on tomatoes at Friday's Copley Square Market, but Freitas Farm had both medium salad tomatoes and the lovely baskets of cherry tomatoes shown above.

Updates from Other Food Lovers:

Here's a great photo report on the opening of the Union Square Market in Somerville from that great resource Somerville Beat.

Here's a Boston Chowhound Conversation on Late May Farmers' Markets, Farm Stands, and CSAs

Our Related Posts:

Summer Farmers' Markets Opening Dates 2014

Here are more of our Local Food/Farmers' Market posts.

What's on your Food Lover's Shopping List? Shop Amazon for all your kitchen & dining needs and support this site!

Details:

Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
Photos: ©2014 Penny & Ed Cherubino

May 27, 2014
Boston Local Food Festival Photos From Over the Weekend
Last year we heard great reviews on the Boston Local Food Festival. That put it on our calendar for this past weekend. We made our way to the Greenway, checked in with a few old friends, and got to know some local food folks who were new to us.

Jeff Barry explains Boston Organics to a visitor. We've been a customer of his for years and were able to tell this woman what a great service he operates!

Macaroons from Ula Cafe in Jamaica Plain. We've added the cafe to our must try list.

We've seen Shady Oaks Organics' mushrooms at the Copley Farmers' Market but at the festival we met and interviewed the cultivator, Leif Johnson.
Click on any thumbnail to open that photo in this space.
We'd love to see this great opportunity for local food businesses to show off their wares grow and prosper so we also have a couple of suggestions for the organizers. We would have stayed a lot longer and visited many more vendors but shortened our stay.

The music was disruptive and way, way too loud. We found ourselves skipping all the booths that were near the musicians.

It was too crowded to really see everything. Using the whole Greenway with vendors on one side of the path and seating and eating areas on the other side would have been a great service to both vendors and visitors.

Best wishes for an even more successful festival next year.

What's on your food lover's shopping list? Shop Amazon for all your kitchen & dining needs and support this site!

Details:

Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
Photos: ©2012, Ed Cherubino

Note on Comments: We monitor comments constantly and anything that is pure spam, inappropriate, or nasty is swept away. In addition to readers' comments, we welcome hearing from the people, places, and services we cover. Often, those add great insights for our readers. As long as it doesn’t become a pure ad, we’d love to hear from you. We do reserve the right to edit ads and links out of comments.

Related articles

Acceptable to call Boston Beantown

BostInno's "21 Local Must-Read Food Blogs"

Edible Boston Fall 2012 Issue Around Town Now!
October 9, 2012
Boston Local Food Festival Photos From Over the Weekend
Last year we heard great reviews on the Boston Local Food Festival. That put it on our calendar for this past weekend. We made our way to the Greenway, checked in with a few old friends, and got to know some local food folks who were new to us.

Jeff Barry explains Boston Organics to a visitor. We've been a customer of his for years and were able to tell this woman what a great service he operates!

Macaroons from Ula Cafe in Jamaica Plain. We've added the cafe to our must try list.

We've seen Shady Oaks Organics' mushrooms at the Copley Farmers' Market but at the festival we met and interviewed the cultivator, Leif Johnson.
Click on any thumbnail to open that photo in this space.
We'd love to see this great opportunity for local food businesses to show off their wares grow and prosper so we also have a couple of suggestions for the organizers. We would have stayed a lot longer and visited many more vendors but shortened our stay.

The music was disruptive and way, way too loud. We found ourselves skipping all the booths that were near the musicians.

It was too crowded to really see everything. Using the whole Greenway with vendors on one side of the path and seating and eating areas on the other side would have been a great service to both vendors and visitors.

Best wishes for an even more successful festival next year.

What's on your food lover's shopping list? Shop Amazon for all your kitchen & dining needs and support this site!

Details:

Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
Photos: ©2012, Ed Cherubino

Note on Comments: We monitor comments constantly and anything that is pure spam, inappropriate, or nasty is swept away. In addition to readers' comments, we welcome hearing from the people, places, and services we cover. Often, those add great insights for our readers. As long as it doesn’t become a pure ad, we’d love to hear from you. We do reserve the right to edit ads and links out of comments.

Related articles

Acceptable to call Boston Beantown

BostInno's "21 Local Must-Read Food Blogs"

Edible Boston Fall 2012 Issue Around Town Now!
October 9, 2012
Boston Local Food Festival Photos From Over the Weekend
Last year we heard great reviews on the Boston Local Food Festival. That put it on our calendar for this past weekend. We made our way to the Greenway, checked in with a few old friends, and got to know some local food folks who were new to us.

Jeff Barry explains Boston Organics to a visitor. We've been a customer of his for years and were able to tell this woman what a great service he operates!

Macaroons from Ula Cafe in Jamaica Plain. We've added the cafe to our must try list.

We've seen Shady Oaks Organics' mushrooms at the Copley Farmers' Market but at the festival we met and interviewed the cultivator, Leif Johnson.
Click on any thumbnail to open that photo in this space.
We'd love to see this great opportunity for local food businesses to show off their wares grow and prosper so we also have a couple of suggestions for the organizers. We would have stayed a lot longer and visited many more vendors but shortened our stay.

The music was disruptive and way, way too loud. We found ourselves skipping all the booths that were near the musicians.

It was too crowded to really see everything. Using the whole Greenway with vendors on one side of the path and seating and eating areas on the other side would have been a great service to both vendors and visitors.

Best wishes for an even more successful festival next year.

What's on your food lover's shopping list? Shop Amazon for all your kitchen & dining needs and support this site!

Details:

Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
Photos: ©2012, Ed Cherubino

Note on Comments: We monitor comments constantly and anything that is pure spam, inappropriate, or nasty is swept away. In addition to readers' comments, we welcome hearing from the people, places, and services we cover. Often, those add great insights for our readers. As long as it doesn’t become a pure ad, we’d love to hear from you. We do reserve the right to edit ads and links out of comments.

Related articles

Acceptable to call Boston Beantown

BostInno's "21 Local Must-Read Food Blogs"

Edible Boston Fall 2012 Issue Around Town Now!
October 9, 2012