bostonzest

Tag: open table

  • Thanksgiving 2013 Dining Out in Boston

    6a00e54fc42bb88834010535e29c53970b-800wi

    It's time to make Thanksgiving dinner reservations, especially if you want to enjoy your holiday meal at one of the Boston area's great restaurants.

    UPDATE: Thanksgiving 2015 Dining Out in Boston

     Most places have special menus and sometimes set seatings for major holidays. Many will require a deposit or credit card number to place a reservation. 

    We publish these holiday reservation reminders early so that our readers can get a head start and grab a reservation at a worthy spot. We'll keep adding updates as more places announce their intention to open and menus.

    What Boston Area Restaurants Are Open on Thanksgiving?

    Hotel restaurants are normally open on all holidays. In Boston, this means some excellent choices including:

    Asana at the Mandarin Hotel
    L'Espalier at the Mandarin Hotel
    Rialto at the Charles Hotel in Cambridge
    Bristol Lounge at the Four Seasons Boston 
    Brasserie JO at the Colonnade Hotel
    Meritage at the Boston Harbor Hotel

    More recommendations after this word on supporting BostonZest when you shop at Amazon. Here's a link to some of the best deals they have today. Once this link takes you to Amazon, we'll be credited for any shopping you do during this session.

    6a00e54fc42bb888340154364893ad970c-800wi

    Master Lists of Boston Restaurants Open for Thanksgiving.

    The reservation site Open Table is maintaining a list of restaurants with Thanksgiving menus. Listings include a price and information on offerings beyond traditional holiday fare. Remember, there are many more restaurants open that day. Put a time and number of guests into the system to see exactly what is available.

    Here are a few that we can recommend from the long Open Table list.

    • La Voile on Newbury Street always plans a special meal for the neighbors who love this small French charmer.
    • If you have been a fan of Upstairs on the Square, this will be their last Thanksgiving because they are closing. It might be a fun choice for a final fling.
    • Bistro du Midi always serves a wonderful meal and if you want lighter fare their Café will be open at 11 AM.

    Open Table even includes some places outside the city if you are meeting up with family and friends who live in the suburbs. And, they can help you find a place to enjoy the holiday meal if you'll be away for the long weekend.

    • Sel de la Terre has always had a wonderful holiday menu and the Natick location would be good for meeting people from that part of the area. We certainly miss their Boston locations.

    Bostonchefs.com has some information on its members' offerings. For example, here are a few options we'd consider if we were looking for a great menu.

    • Eastern Standard in Kenmore Square will be open all day starting with breakfast and will serve Thanksgiving dinner from 1-8 PM
    • L'Espalier in the Back Bay will showcase the harvest from Chef McClelland's Apple Street Farm and will offer a three course prix fixe menu or for a special holiday treat a degustation menu.
    • Harvest in Cambridge's Harvard Square.
    • Top of the Hub at the Prudential Center in the Back Bay comes with a view!
    • One recommendation for a lower cost option with good food would be Petit Robert in Boston.

    Update: 11/20/13

    Boston Magazine has published their list of dining options

    They'll Be Open! 26 Boston-Area Restaurants Serving Thanksgiving Dinner

    Over on the Boston Chowhound Board the hounds came up with Durgin Park as the perfect solution for a group of trainees who found themselves in Boston over the holiday.  (Bad Website warning: the Durgin Park site has cheesy music and you have to click events to get to the holiday offering.)

    Do you have an Amazon Gift Certificate to use? Remember to click over to Amazon from here to support this site!

     Details:

    Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
    Photography:  istockphoto.com

    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.

  • Thanksgiving 2013 Dining Out in Boston

    6a00e54fc42bb88834010535e29c53970b-800wi

    It's time to make Thanksgiving dinner reservations, especially if you want to enjoy your holiday meal at one of the Boston area's great restaurants.

    UPDATE: Thanksgiving 2015 Dining Out in Boston

     Most places have special menus and sometimes set seatings for major holidays. Many will require a deposit or credit card number to place a reservation. 

    We publish these holiday reservation reminders early so that our readers can get a head start and grab a reservation at a worthy spot. We'll keep adding updates as more places announce their intention to open and menus.

    What Boston Area Restaurants Are Open on Thanksgiving?

    Hotel restaurants are normally open on all holidays. In Boston, this means some excellent choices including:

    Asana at the Mandarin Hotel
    L'Espalier at the Mandarin Hotel
    Rialto at the Charles Hotel in Cambridge
    Bristol Lounge at the Four Seasons Boston 
    Brasserie JO at the Colonnade Hotel
    Meritage at the Boston Harbor Hotel

    More recommendations after this word on supporting BostonZest when you shop at Amazon. Here's a link to some of the best deals they have today. Once this link takes you to Amazon, we'll be credited for any shopping you do during this session.

    6a00e54fc42bb888340154364893ad970c-800wi

    Master Lists of Boston Restaurants Open for Thanksgiving.

    The reservation site Open Table is maintaining a list of restaurants with Thanksgiving menus. Listings include a price and information on offerings beyond traditional holiday fare. Remember, there are many more restaurants open that day. Put a time and number of guests into the system to see exactly what is available.

    Here are a few that we can recommend from the long Open Table list.

    • La Voile on Newbury Street always plans a special meal for the neighbors who love this small French charmer.
    • If you have been a fan of Upstairs on the Square, this will be their last Thanksgiving because they are closing. It might be a fun choice for a final fling.
    • Bistro du Midi always serves a wonderful meal and if you want lighter fare their Café will be open at 11 AM.

    Open Table even includes some places outside the city if you are meeting up with family and friends who live in the suburbs. And, they can help you find a place to enjoy the holiday meal if you'll be away for the long weekend.

    • Sel de la Terre has always had a wonderful holiday menu and the Natick location would be good for meeting people from that part of the area. We certainly miss their Boston locations.

    Bostonchefs.com has some information on its members' offerings. For example, here are a few options we'd consider if we were looking for a great menu.

    • Eastern Standard in Kenmore Square will be open all day starting with breakfast and will serve Thanksgiving dinner from 1-8 PM
    • L'Espalier in the Back Bay will showcase the harvest from Chef McClelland's Apple Street Farm and will offer a three course prix fixe menu or for a special holiday treat a degustation menu.
    • Harvest in Cambridge's Harvard Square.
    • Top of the Hub at the Prudential Center in the Back Bay comes with a view!
    • One recommendation for a lower cost option with good food would be Petit Robert in Boston.

    Update: 11/20/13

    Boston Magazine has published their list of dining options

    They'll Be Open! 26 Boston-Area Restaurants Serving Thanksgiving Dinner

    Over on the Boston Chowhound Board the hounds came up with Durgin Park as the perfect solution for a group of trainees who found themselves in Boston over the holiday.  (Bad Website warning: the Durgin Park site has cheesy music and you have to click events to get to the holiday offering.)

    Do you have an Amazon Gift Certificate to use? Remember to click over to Amazon from here to support this site!

     Details:

    Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
    Photography:  istockphoto.com

    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.

  • Thanksgiving 2013 Dining Out in Boston

    6a00e54fc42bb88834010535e29c53970b-800wi

    It's time to make Thanksgiving dinner reservations, especially if you want to enjoy your holiday meal at one of the Boston area's great restaurants.

    UPDATE: Thanksgiving 2015 Dining Out in Boston

     Most places have special menus and sometimes set seatings for major holidays. Many will require a deposit or credit card number to place a reservation. 

    We publish these holiday reservation reminders early so that our readers can get a head start and grab a reservation at a worthy spot. We'll keep adding updates as more places announce their intention to open and menus.

    What Boston Area Restaurants Are Open on Thanksgiving?

    Hotel restaurants are normally open on all holidays. In Boston, this means some excellent choices including:

    Asana at the Mandarin Hotel
    L'Espalier at the Mandarin Hotel
    Rialto at the Charles Hotel in Cambridge
    Bristol Lounge at the Four Seasons Boston 
    Brasserie JO at the Colonnade Hotel
    Meritage at the Boston Harbor Hotel

    More recommendations after this word on supporting BostonZest when you shop at Amazon. Here's a link to some of the best deals they have today. Once this link takes you to Amazon, we'll be credited for any shopping you do during this session.

    6a00e54fc42bb888340154364893ad970c-800wi

    Master Lists of Boston Restaurants Open for Thanksgiving.

    The reservation site Open Table is maintaining a list of restaurants with Thanksgiving menus. Listings include a price and information on offerings beyond traditional holiday fare. Remember, there are many more restaurants open that day. Put a time and number of guests into the system to see exactly what is available.

    Here are a few that we can recommend from the long Open Table list.

    • La Voile on Newbury Street always plans a special meal for the neighbors who love this small French charmer.
    • If you have been a fan of Upstairs on the Square, this will be their last Thanksgiving because they are closing. It might be a fun choice for a final fling.
    • Bistro du Midi always serves a wonderful meal and if you want lighter fare their Café will be open at 11 AM.

    Open Table even includes some places outside the city if you are meeting up with family and friends who live in the suburbs. And, they can help you find a place to enjoy the holiday meal if you'll be away for the long weekend.

    • Sel de la Terre has always had a wonderful holiday menu and the Natick location would be good for meeting people from that part of the area. We certainly miss their Boston locations.

    Bostonchefs.com has some information on its members' offerings. For example, here are a few options we'd consider if we were looking for a great menu.

    • Eastern Standard in Kenmore Square will be open all day starting with breakfast and will serve Thanksgiving dinner from 1-8 PM
    • L'Espalier in the Back Bay will showcase the harvest from Chef McClelland's Apple Street Farm and will offer a three course prix fixe menu or for a special holiday treat a degustation menu.
    • Harvest in Cambridge's Harvard Square.
    • Top of the Hub at the Prudential Center in the Back Bay comes with a view!
    • One recommendation for a lower cost option with good food would be Petit Robert in Boston.

    Update: 11/20/13

    Boston Magazine has published their list of dining options

    They'll Be Open! 26 Boston-Area Restaurants Serving Thanksgiving Dinner

    Over on the Boston Chowhound Board the hounds came up with Durgin Park as the perfect solution for a group of trainees who found themselves in Boston over the holiday.  (Bad Website warning: the Durgin Park site has cheesy music and you have to click events to get to the holiday offering.)

    Do you have an Amazon Gift Certificate to use? Remember to click over to Amazon from here to support this site!

     Details:

    Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
    Photography:  istockphoto.com

    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.

  • Father’s Day Dining 2013 In & Around Boston

    Time to make reservations, if you plan to treat Dad to a meal out on Father’s Day, Sunday, June 16, 2013. Unlike many special occasion days, more restaurants are featuring their regular menus for Dad with a few specials added in some places.

    Here’s a link to our ” Dining around Boston on Father’s Day, June 15, 2014 post.

    6a00e54fc42bb8883401675e9aa7fc970b-800wi

    Would your Dad love to get his hands into some great BBQ at Sweet Cheeks Q?

    For Father’s Day dining ideas, here are two excellent lists of restaurant suggestions.

    Open Table always does a great job guiding you to the right reservation. What’s more, you can just click through and reserve from this list. 

    Boston Chef’s  has a special list from their members. (They will keep adding information to this list as the day draws near.)

    Watch this space for updates with links as other reliable sources post their Father’s Day choices. Follow us on Twitter for update alerts.

    Updates:

    06.05.13 Just had word from Upstairs on the Square in Cambridge that they will host a Father’s Day Barbecue in their outdoor grill garden. 

    Our picks: We looked at our selections from last year and think they all still stand. 

    On chowhound, one contributor said that, “Island Creek is the one to beat these days…” We agree. In our opinion, Island Creek Oyster Bar sets the standard for relaxed, comfortable dining with outstanding food and great cocktail and wine programs. We haven’t given them nearly as much coverage as we should, considering how much we like the place. Here’s a post from their early days, and they continue to set the bar high. So, if you want a table there, call right now.

    Sweet Cheeks Q in the Fenway may seem to be just for the meat lovers in the clan, but they put out some great veggies and a tray of hot and cold scoops (as they call them) with a remarkable farm salad that will put a smile on any one with a preference for vegetarian fare. And, remember to order the crazy-good biscuits. (You may want to treat Dad to a doggie bag of them for the rest of the week!)

    And, if you’re going to Dad’s house, consider ordering take out from Sweet Cheeks. We had our first take out from there recently and were very pleased. Ask Dad to turn on his oven for a quick reheat the right way and arrive with great food in hand. 

    Check out our Sweet Cheeks posts:

    Sweet Cheeks BBQ: A First Look

    Sweet Cheeks Q- Great Northern Brisket

    Salt & Pepper Potatoes at Sweet Cheeks Q

    Bourbon Beer? at Sweet Cheeks

    How about simple Italian-American food in a very comfortable setting? We suggest Artu in the North End or on Charles Street in Beacon Hill.  Here’s one of our favorite menu items.

    If you’d like to treat Dad to something really special, consider the ultimate hamburger at the Bristol Lounge at the Four Seasons Hotel. Lunch there for just the two of you, some quiet afternoon, could be a great IOU if you can’t be together on the 16th. Here’s what we wrote about that burger.

    Another great spot to share a meal, any day of the week, is Coppa in the South End. You can even top off your meal with a quick shopping trip to South End Formaggio across the street. We always do! And, that will let you create a super take-home gift that Dad can help select. Need more convincing? Take a look at:

    Patio Season Launched At Coppa

    Friday Lunch at Coppa, an Italian Seduction

    Coppa Italian Grinder: A Best Bite

    Coppa- A First Look

    And, if you’re thinking of adventure and the South End, how about a guided tour of the food trucks gathered at the SOWA Open Market each Sunday. No resevations needed! Check out:

    SOWA Market: Where to Find Food Trucks!

    And, for the best gift, let Dad choose something from his Wish List. Get an Amazon Gift Card! You can send it by email or print it out to tuck into a greeting card. And, if he doesn’t shop online, offer to sit with your Dad and take him on an Amazon Shopping Trip.

    Details:
    Writers: Penny & Ed Cherubino
    Photography: © 2012 Penny 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.

    Related articles
    Patio Season Launched At Coppa
    It’s Boston Pops Season, Where to Dine and Park!
    Father’s Day Appetizers

  • Father’s Day Dining 2013 In & Around Boston

    Time to make reservations, if you plan to treat Dad to a meal out on Father’s Day, Sunday, June 16, 2013. Unlike many special occasion days, more restaurants are featuring their regular menus for Dad with a few specials added in some places.

    Here’s a link to our ” Dining around Boston on Father’s Day, June 15, 2014 post.

    6a00e54fc42bb8883401675e9aa7fc970b-800wi

    Would your Dad love to get his hands into some great BBQ at Sweet Cheeks Q?

    For Father’s Day dining ideas, here are two excellent lists of restaurant suggestions.

    Open Table always does a great job guiding you to the right reservation. What’s more, you can just click through and reserve from this list. 

    Boston Chef’s  has a special list from their members. (They will keep adding information to this list as the day draws near.)

    Watch this space for updates with links as other reliable sources post their Father’s Day choices. Follow us on Twitter for update alerts.

    Updates:

    06.05.13 Just had word from Upstairs on the Square in Cambridge that they will host a Father’s Day Barbecue in their outdoor grill garden. 

    Our picks: We looked at our selections from last year and think they all still stand. 

    On chowhound, one contributor said that, “Island Creek is the one to beat these days…” We agree. In our opinion, Island Creek Oyster Bar sets the standard for relaxed, comfortable dining with outstanding food and great cocktail and wine programs. We haven’t given them nearly as much coverage as we should, considering how much we like the place. Here’s a post from their early days, and they continue to set the bar high. So, if you want a table there, call right now.

    Sweet Cheeks Q in the Fenway may seem to be just for the meat lovers in the clan, but they put out some great veggies and a tray of hot and cold scoops (as they call them) with a remarkable farm salad that will put a smile on any one with a preference for vegetarian fare. And, remember to order the crazy-good biscuits. (You may want to treat Dad to a doggie bag of them for the rest of the week!)

    And, if you’re going to Dad’s house, consider ordering take out from Sweet Cheeks. We had our first take out from there recently and were very pleased. Ask Dad to turn on his oven for a quick reheat the right way and arrive with great food in hand. 

    Check out our Sweet Cheeks posts:

    Sweet Cheeks BBQ: A First Look

    Sweet Cheeks Q- Great Northern Brisket

    Salt & Pepper Potatoes at Sweet Cheeks Q

    Bourbon Beer? at Sweet Cheeks

    How about simple Italian-American food in a very comfortable setting? We suggest Artu in the North End or on Charles Street in Beacon Hill.  Here’s one of our favorite menu items.

    If you’d like to treat Dad to something really special, consider the ultimate hamburger at the Bristol Lounge at the Four Seasons Hotel. Lunch there for just the two of you, some quiet afternoon, could be a great IOU if you can’t be together on the 16th. Here’s what we wrote about that burger.

    Another great spot to share a meal, any day of the week, is Coppa in the South End. You can even top off your meal with a quick shopping trip to South End Formaggio across the street. We always do! And, that will let you create a super take-home gift that Dad can help select. Need more convincing? Take a look at:

    Patio Season Launched At Coppa

    Friday Lunch at Coppa, an Italian Seduction

    Coppa Italian Grinder: A Best Bite

    Coppa- A First Look

    And, if you’re thinking of adventure and the South End, how about a guided tour of the food trucks gathered at the SOWA Open Market each Sunday. No resevations needed! Check out:

    SOWA Market: Where to Find Food Trucks!

    And, for the best gift, let Dad choose something from his Wish List. Get an Amazon Gift Card! You can send it by email or print it out to tuck into a greeting card. And, if he doesn’t shop online, offer to sit with your Dad and take him on an Amazon Shopping Trip.

    Details:
    Writers: Penny & Ed Cherubino
    Photography: © 2012 Penny 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.

    Related articles
    Patio Season Launched At Coppa
    It’s Boston Pops Season, Where to Dine and Park!
    Father’s Day Appetizers

  • Father’s Day Dining 2013 In & Around Boston

    Time to make reservations, if you plan to treat Dad to a meal out on Father’s Day, Sunday, June 16, 2013. Unlike many special occasion days, more restaurants are featuring their regular menus for Dad with a few specials added in some places.

    Here’s a link to our ” Dining around Boston on Father’s Day, June 15, 2014 post.

    6a00e54fc42bb8883401675e9aa7fc970b-800wi

    Would your Dad love to get his hands into some great BBQ at Sweet Cheeks Q?

    For Father’s Day dining ideas, here are two excellent lists of restaurant suggestions.

    Open Table always does a great job guiding you to the right reservation. What’s more, you can just click through and reserve from this list. 

    Boston Chef’s  has a special list from their members. (They will keep adding information to this list as the day draws near.)

    Watch this space for updates with links as other reliable sources post their Father’s Day choices. Follow us on Twitter for update alerts.

    Updates:

    06.05.13 Just had word from Upstairs on the Square in Cambridge that they will host a Father’s Day Barbecue in their outdoor grill garden. 

    Our picks: We looked at our selections from last year and think they all still stand. 

    On chowhound, one contributor said that, “Island Creek is the one to beat these days…” We agree. In our opinion, Island Creek Oyster Bar sets the standard for relaxed, comfortable dining with outstanding food and great cocktail and wine programs. We haven’t given them nearly as much coverage as we should, considering how much we like the place. Here’s a post from their early days, and they continue to set the bar high. So, if you want a table there, call right now.

    Sweet Cheeks Q in the Fenway may seem to be just for the meat lovers in the clan, but they put out some great veggies and a tray of hot and cold scoops (as they call them) with a remarkable farm salad that will put a smile on any one with a preference for vegetarian fare. And, remember to order the crazy-good biscuits. (You may want to treat Dad to a doggie bag of them for the rest of the week!)

    And, if you’re going to Dad’s house, consider ordering take out from Sweet Cheeks. We had our first take out from there recently and were very pleased. Ask Dad to turn on his oven for a quick reheat the right way and arrive with great food in hand. 

    Check out our Sweet Cheeks posts:

    Sweet Cheeks BBQ: A First Look

    Sweet Cheeks Q- Great Northern Brisket

    Salt & Pepper Potatoes at Sweet Cheeks Q

    Bourbon Beer? at Sweet Cheeks

    How about simple Italian-American food in a very comfortable setting? We suggest Artu in the North End or on Charles Street in Beacon Hill.  Here’s one of our favorite menu items.

    If you’d like to treat Dad to something really special, consider the ultimate hamburger at the Bristol Lounge at the Four Seasons Hotel. Lunch there for just the two of you, some quiet afternoon, could be a great IOU if you can’t be together on the 16th. Here’s what we wrote about that burger.

    Another great spot to share a meal, any day of the week, is Coppa in the South End. You can even top off your meal with a quick shopping trip to South End Formaggio across the street. We always do! And, that will let you create a super take-home gift that Dad can help select. Need more convincing? Take a look at:

    Patio Season Launched At Coppa

    Friday Lunch at Coppa, an Italian Seduction

    Coppa Italian Grinder: A Best Bite

    Coppa- A First Look

    And, if you’re thinking of adventure and the South End, how about a guided tour of the food trucks gathered at the SOWA Open Market each Sunday. No resevations needed! Check out:

    SOWA Market: Where to Find Food Trucks!

    And, for the best gift, let Dad choose something from his Wish List. Get an Amazon Gift Card! You can send it by email or print it out to tuck into a greeting card. And, if he doesn’t shop online, offer to sit with your Dad and take him on an Amazon Shopping Trip.

    Details:
    Writers: Penny & Ed Cherubino
    Photography: © 2012 Penny 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.

    Related articles
    Patio Season Launched At Coppa
    It’s Boston Pops Season, Where to Dine and Park!
    Father’s Day Appetizers

  • Mother’s Day Dining 2013, Reserve Now for May 12th!

    UPDATE: Mother's Day Dining 2014, Reserve Now for May 11th!

    Time to make reservations, if you plan to treat Mom to a meal out on Mother's Day, May 12, 2013.

    Keep in mind that this "treat Mom to a great meal day" falls at the beginning of graduation season in Boston with Simmons College, Emmanuel College, Fisher College, Emerson College, Massachusetts College of Pharmacy, and Berklee College of Music holding commencements that weekend. (Here's the full list of Spring 2013 Commencement Dates for planning purposes.)

    6a00e54fc42bb888340133ecf14453970b-800wi

    If your budget is tight, take Mom out for breakfast or treat her to breakfast in bed!

    For Mother's Day dining ideas, here are two excellent lists of restaurants with special menus and hours for May 12, 2013.

    Don't be surprised if some places require a credit card to secure the reservation. This is the type of holiday when people may book multiple restaurants and decide where to go at the last moment. That can make the restaurant turn away other potential customers, so a guarantee may be needed to reserve.

    OpenTable always does a great job of guiding you to the right reservation. What's more, you can just click through and reserve from this list. 

    Boston Chefs has a list of specials for the day from their members. 

    As more great Boston Food sites publish their recommendations, we'll post updates here! Follow us on Twitter ( @BostonZest ) for notice of those additions!

    Update 05.07.13: from the North Shore Dish Team here are places to take Mom North of Boston.

    Update 05.10.13: From Grub Street Boston: Grub Guide: Where to Hang Out With Mom If You're Not Into Brunch Buffets

    Update 05.10.13: From Lisa DeCanio : Treat Mom to One of These 12 Mother's Day Brunches

    Our picks

    For a gathering of family members with different food preferences, it's great to know about a place like Eastern Standard where they can please the cocktail lover, the meat-and-taters brother, and the family epicure.

    Sometimes, family meals can use a bit of entertainment mixed in. The Top of the Hub is perfect for this. They'll have prix fixe, 4-course brunch and dinner menus on Mother's Day with live jazz in the lounge for both meals. You'll also receive complementary passes to the Skywalk Observatory above the restaurant on the 50th floor. That will give part of your day a 360 degree view of Boston and the surrounding area. 

    If Mom is a seafood lover, call now to secure a table at Island Creek Oyster Bar. This Kenmore Square restaurant has established itself as the best fine dining seafood restaurant in Boston. Your family will enjoy the best in seafood in a big, comfortable room with reservations and service that will make Mom feel spoiled. 

    And, for the best gift, let her choose something from her wish list. Get an Amazon gift card! You can send it by email or print it out to tuck into a greeting card.

    Details:
    Writers: Penny & Ed Cherubino
    Photo: istockphoto.com

    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.

    Related articles
    No Fooling! A New Boston Food Truck Schedule, April 1st
    Things to Eat during LinkLove Boston 2012
    Zagat Releases "America's Most Iconic Restaurants" – Find Your City!
    Boston's next dining hot spot: The Financial District (really, here's why)

  • Mother’s Day Dining 2013, Reserve Now for May 12th!

    UPDATE: Mother's Day Dining 2014, Reserve Now for May 11th!

    Time to make reservations, if you plan to treat Mom to a meal out on Mother's Day, May 12, 2013.

    Keep in mind that this "treat Mom to a great meal day" falls at the beginning of graduation season in Boston with Simmons College, Emmanuel College, Fisher College, Emerson College, Massachusetts College of Pharmacy, and Berklee College of Music holding commencements that weekend. (Here's the full list of Spring 2013 Commencement Dates for planning purposes.)

    6a00e54fc42bb888340133ecf14453970b-800wi

    If your budget is tight, take Mom out for breakfast or treat her to breakfast in bed!

    For Mother's Day dining ideas, here are two excellent lists of restaurants with special menus and hours for May 12, 2013.

    Don't be surprised if some places require a credit card to secure the reservation. This is the type of holiday when people may book multiple restaurants and decide where to go at the last moment. That can make the restaurant turn away other potential customers, so a guarantee may be needed to reserve.

    OpenTable always does a great job of guiding you to the right reservation. What's more, you can just click through and reserve from this list. 

    Boston Chefs has a list of specials for the day from their members. 

    As more great Boston Food sites publish their recommendations, we'll post updates here! Follow us on Twitter ( @BostonZest ) for notice of those additions!

    Update 05.07.13: from the North Shore Dish Team here are places to take Mom North of Boston.

    Update 05.10.13: From Grub Street Boston: Grub Guide: Where to Hang Out With Mom If You're Not Into Brunch Buffets

    Update 05.10.13: From Lisa DeCanio : Treat Mom to One of These 12 Mother's Day Brunches

    Our picks

    For a gathering of family members with different food preferences, it's great to know about a place like Eastern Standard where they can please the cocktail lover, the meat-and-taters brother, and the family epicure.

    Sometimes, family meals can use a bit of entertainment mixed in. The Top of the Hub is perfect for this. They'll have prix fixe, 4-course brunch and dinner menus on Mother's Day with live jazz in the lounge for both meals. You'll also receive complementary passes to the Skywalk Observatory above the restaurant on the 50th floor. That will give part of your day a 360 degree view of Boston and the surrounding area. 

    If Mom is a seafood lover, call now to secure a table at Island Creek Oyster Bar. This Kenmore Square restaurant has established itself as the best fine dining seafood restaurant in Boston. Your family will enjoy the best in seafood in a big, comfortable room with reservations and service that will make Mom feel spoiled. 

    And, for the best gift, let her choose something from her wish list. Get an Amazon gift card! You can send it by email or print it out to tuck into a greeting card.

    Details:
    Writers: Penny & Ed Cherubino
    Photo: istockphoto.com

    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.

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  • Mother’s Day Dining 2013, Reserve Now for May 12th!

    UPDATE: Mother's Day Dining 2014, Reserve Now for May 11th!

    Time to make reservations, if you plan to treat Mom to a meal out on Mother's Day, May 12, 2013.

    Keep in mind that this "treat Mom to a great meal day" falls at the beginning of graduation season in Boston with Simmons College, Emmanuel College, Fisher College, Emerson College, Massachusetts College of Pharmacy, and Berklee College of Music holding commencements that weekend. (Here's the full list of Spring 2013 Commencement Dates for planning purposes.)

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    If your budget is tight, take Mom out for breakfast or treat her to breakfast in bed!

    For Mother's Day dining ideas, here are two excellent lists of restaurants with special menus and hours for May 12, 2013.

    Don't be surprised if some places require a credit card to secure the reservation. This is the type of holiday when people may book multiple restaurants and decide where to go at the last moment. That can make the restaurant turn away other potential customers, so a guarantee may be needed to reserve.

    OpenTable always does a great job of guiding you to the right reservation. What's more, you can just click through and reserve from this list. 

    Boston Chefs has a list of specials for the day from their members. 

    As more great Boston Food sites publish their recommendations, we'll post updates here! Follow us on Twitter ( @BostonZest ) for notice of those additions!

    Update 05.07.13: from the North Shore Dish Team here are places to take Mom North of Boston.

    Update 05.10.13: From Grub Street Boston: Grub Guide: Where to Hang Out With Mom If You're Not Into Brunch Buffets

    Update 05.10.13: From Lisa DeCanio : Treat Mom to One of These 12 Mother's Day Brunches

    Our picks

    For a gathering of family members with different food preferences, it's great to know about a place like Eastern Standard where they can please the cocktail lover, the meat-and-taters brother, and the family epicure.

    Sometimes, family meals can use a bit of entertainment mixed in. The Top of the Hub is perfect for this. They'll have prix fixe, 4-course brunch and dinner menus on Mother's Day with live jazz in the lounge for both meals. You'll also receive complementary passes to the Skywalk Observatory above the restaurant on the 50th floor. That will give part of your day a 360 degree view of Boston and the surrounding area. 

    If Mom is a seafood lover, call now to secure a table at Island Creek Oyster Bar. This Kenmore Square restaurant has established itself as the best fine dining seafood restaurant in Boston. Your family will enjoy the best in seafood in a big, comfortable room with reservations and service that will make Mom feel spoiled. 

    And, for the best gift, let her choose something from her wish list. Get an Amazon gift card! You can send it by email or print it out to tuck into a greeting card.

    Details:
    Writers: Penny & Ed Cherubino
    Photo: istockphoto.com

    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.

    Related articles
    No Fooling! A New Boston Food Truck Schedule, April 1st
    Things to Eat during LinkLove Boston 2012
    Zagat Releases "America's Most Iconic Restaurants" – Find Your City!
    Boston's next dining hot spot: The Financial District (really, here's why)

  • Easter Dining in Boston 2013 (and this year Easter is March 31st)

    Those in the know already have reservations for Easter brunch and dinner. This is one of the big days for dining out, and popular restaurants will fill their tables for Sunday, March 31, 2013 quickly.

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    First up, the list of places that organize information about Easter reservations and special offerings. 

    Open Table seems to have the most complete information, and you can click right through to make reservations. They also give you some idea of prices and special menus. And, you'll find a few places that are offering their regular menus as well. 

    Boston Chefs has a list of offerings from their member chefs and restaurants.  (update 3/4/13)

    Gayot lists favorite Easter brunches at places like Henrietta's Table in Cambridge. 

    Next, a few places we picked from these lists

    The Bristol Lounge at the Four Seasons Hotel is always a treat. For Easter, they're offering their regular Sunday Brunch in the Lounge with some special Easter additions to the menu. And, as an alternative, you can reserve a place at their special Gourmet Easter Brunch in the Ballroom.

    Upstairs on the Square always pays attention to holidays and as they say, "Guests compare our dining rooms to stepping into a Faberge egg. Come see what they mean for a festive Easter brunch, or an elegant Easter Sunday dinner in the Soirée Room."

    To meet up with family who don't want to come into the city, consider AKA Bistro in Lincoln. We're happy to see that they're offering their regular brunch menu in addition to some Easter specials. The nearby deCordova Sculpture Park and Museum is the perfect place to walk off your brunch and take Easter photos. 

    Don't be surprised if some places require a credit card to secure the reservation. This is the type of holiday when some people would try to book multiple restaurants and decide where to go at the last moment. That can cause the restaurant to turn away other potential customers and makes the venues require a deposit to hold a place. 

    One thing we would look for, if we were dining out on a holiday, is a place that is offering its regular menu for the day. That's always a plus for us. We're not fans of special menus.

    If you know of places where the regular menu will be served, let us know. If it's a place we can recommend, we'll add it to our list. And, we'll add updates and links to this post as we find them. Check back here or follow us on Twitter to learn about updates!

    Update 03/29/13- Here's a list of great lamb dishes for Easter from Eater.

    From BostInno's Lisa De Canio: Dyed Eggs & Ham: 9 Go-To Easter Brunches in Boston

     

    Opting Out of Easter

    If this holiday stuff is really not part of your life, this is a great day to go ethnic. Chinatown will be wide open and filled with great menu options. Your neighborhood Indian, Korean, Chinese, or Persian restaurant will be happy to feed you. And, most BBQ and Pizza places do not have Easter menus.

    Sign-up for the comment feed or follow us on Twitter for a notice, if we add updates to this page.

    Don't miss an Easter photo opportunity. This Canon PowerShot G15 camera
    will give you what you need to take stills and video of your Easter celebration. Canon's G series is our all-time favorite for everyday cameras. We own the G10 and G11. They're a little bigger than the compacts most people use, but let you shoot with automatic settings or easy-to-use manual controls that please the many pros who use them as second cameras. And, if you are ready to turn pro, follow our lead. Ed Shoots with the Nikon D7000 Digital SLR too, and we just added a Nikon D600
    to our camera fleet and are extremely happy with the performance it has delivered.

     

     

    Details:

    Writers: Penny & Ed Cherubino

    Photos: from iStockphoto.com

    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 comments 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 out of comments.

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