Tag: la voile

Thanksgiving 2013 Dining Out in Boston
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.

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.
November 5, 2013
It’s Boston Pops Season, Where to Dine and Park!
Boston Pops concerts are scheduled at Symphony Hall between May 8 – June 15, 2013. Readers and friends who have tickets for the Pops always ask us, "Where can we dine around Symphony Hall?" And, once the conversation is open, it's followed by, "Where can we park?"

Please add your favorite spots for dining and parking around this area in the comments below. And, if you try one of our suggestions, let us know how it worked for you.

Here's our primer for a great visit to the BSO or Boston Pops at Symphony Hall.

We say, make dining and parking a joint decision. Our first suggestion is always to leave the car at home or at a park & ride and take the MBTA to the concert.

But, if you must have a car at hand, the Prudential Center is our favorite parking place to recommend in the city. It has its own exit off the Mass Pike. It's connected to mass transit, has taxis available at the doors, and there's a great choice of dining options within the complex. And, best of all, Google estimates that Symphony Hall is a 6-minute walk down Huntington Avenue. (map )

Prudential Options

If a splurge is on the menu, L'Espalier is the star of the show and has valet service. If a mini-splurge is more in line with your budget, reserve a seat in their Salon for a glass of wine and a bite before the concert, or dessert and a cheese course afterward. The restaurant is accessible from inside the Prudential Center via the Mandarin Hotel.

Woody's Grill & Tap

It's a six minute walk from Symphony to 58 Hemenway Street and Woody's Grill & Tap. It had been years since we'd been there but we wandered in recently with our friends Liz & Mick and enjoyed an excellent meal. The pizzas were as great as always but excellent appetizers and salads shined and will have us coming back often. Try the grilled asparagus!

Newbury Street

Park at the Pru and dine on Newbury Street. After dinner you can even walk to Symphony by reentering the Prudential Center and making part of your walk to the concert through their climate controlled corridors.

Since we walk all over the city, we would consider a few of the restaurants on Newbury close to symphony. La Voile is a great choice for French Bistro food.

And, we love to stop into Tapeo for a few tapas at the bar or a table full of choices to share with a group of friends.

Another Great Choice is Brasserie JO

We also recommend that concert goers consider a Boston gem that's often overlooked – Brasserie JO at The Colonnade Hotel. This place always comes through with French flair, great service, and a good meal. It's also a short walk on that same map, because it's across from the Prudential Center.

We love their bar to have a glass of wine and a light meal. And, after the concert, this is a wonderful place for a memorable dessert. They have a way with chocolate sauce!

Ethnic Options for less formal dining

If you want an ethnic meal or a quick bite before the show, we have a few favorites to recommend.
- Moby Dick – our friend Francine Crawford pointed us to this little gem. It's one of her favorite pre-concert spots.
- Pho Basil on Massachusetts Avenue does Thai and Vietnamese food and pleases us with both cuisines. Here's a post on some of the dishes we really enjoy at Pho Basil.
- Lucy Ethiopian Cafe is across the street from Symphony and is fun and delicious. But, give this choice a bit more time. The pace of this cafe's warm hospitality and made-to-order food is a bit slower than many places. They also have wonderful coffee and a selection of desserts for after the show.
- India Samraat on Massachusetts Avenue between Commonwealth and Marlborough is a bit further away but still within walking distance, especially if you park near Newbury Street. This is a restaurant we enjoy sharing with friends. (UPDATE: Sadly, India Samraat closed this year)
- Chili Duck, right across Boylston from the Pru, is a hidden gem and another great spot if you're meeting the gang.
Other resources and opinions

"Where to dine for Symphony?" is a question routinely asked of the crew over on Chowhound's Boston board. Here are a couple of recent conversations with some options that we haven't tried yet.
Update 06.01.13: More locals chime in on favorite places over on Trip Advisor

Here are maps to help you find more options:

Other parking around Symphony Hall

Other restaurants around Symphony Hall

If this type of information is helpful to you, consider saying thank you by starting your next Amazon shopping trip from here. They have the things you want including Boston Pops music and a full line of MP3 Downloads.

Details:
Symphony Hall
301 Massachusetts Avenue, Boston, MA 02115-4557 (map)
(617) 266-2378

www.bso.org‎

Writers: Penny & Ed Cherubino
Photo: Courtesy of the Boston Pops (Photo Credit: Stu Rosner)
May 11, 2013
It’s Boston Pops Season, Where to Dine and Park!
Boston Pops concerts are scheduled at Symphony Hall between May 8 – June 15, 2013. Readers and friends who have tickets for the Pops always ask us, "Where can we dine around Symphony Hall?" And, once the conversation is open, it's followed by, "Where can we park?"

Please add your favorite spots for dining and parking around this area in the comments below. And, if you try one of our suggestions, let us know how it worked for you.

Here's our primer for a great visit to the BSO or Boston Pops at Symphony Hall.

We say, make dining and parking a joint decision. Our first suggestion is always to leave the car at home or at a park & ride and take the MBTA to the concert.

But, if you must have a car at hand, the Prudential Center is our favorite parking place to recommend in the city. It has its own exit off the Mass Pike. It's connected to mass transit, has taxis available at the doors, and there's a great choice of dining options within the complex. And, best of all, Google estimates that Symphony Hall is a 6-minute walk down Huntington Avenue. (map )

Prudential Options

If a splurge is on the menu, L'Espalier is the star of the show and has valet service. If a mini-splurge is more in line with your budget, reserve a seat in their Salon for a glass of wine and a bite before the concert, or dessert and a cheese course afterward. The restaurant is accessible from inside the Prudential Center via the Mandarin Hotel.

Woody's Grill & Tap

It's a six minute walk from Symphony to 58 Hemenway Street and Woody's Grill & Tap. It had been years since we'd been there but we wandered in recently with our friends Liz & Mick and enjoyed an excellent meal. The pizzas were as great as always but excellent appetizers and salads shined and will have us coming back often. Try the grilled asparagus!

Newbury Street

Park at the Pru and dine on Newbury Street. After dinner you can even walk to Symphony by reentering the Prudential Center and making part of your walk to the concert through their climate controlled corridors.

Since we walk all over the city, we would consider a few of the restaurants on Newbury close to symphony. La Voile is a great choice for French Bistro food.

And, we love to stop into Tapeo for a few tapas at the bar or a table full of choices to share with a group of friends.

Another Great Choice is Brasserie JO

We also recommend that concert goers consider a Boston gem that's often overlooked – Brasserie JO at The Colonnade Hotel. This place always comes through with French flair, great service, and a good meal. It's also a short walk on that same map, because it's across from the Prudential Center.

We love their bar to have a glass of wine and a light meal. And, after the concert, this is a wonderful place for a memorable dessert. They have a way with chocolate sauce!

Ethnic Options for less formal dining

If you want an ethnic meal or a quick bite before the show, we have a few favorites to recommend.
- Moby Dick – our friend Francine Crawford pointed us to this little gem. It's one of her favorite pre-concert spots.
- Pho Basil on Massachusetts Avenue does Thai and Vietnamese food and pleases us with both cuisines. Here's a post on some of the dishes we really enjoy at Pho Basil.
- Lucy Ethiopian Cafe is across the street from Symphony and is fun and delicious. But, give this choice a bit more time. The pace of this cafe's warm hospitality and made-to-order food is a bit slower than many places. They also have wonderful coffee and a selection of desserts for after the show.
- India Samraat on Massachusetts Avenue between Commonwealth and Marlborough is a bit further away but still within walking distance, especially if you park near Newbury Street. This is a restaurant we enjoy sharing with friends. (UPDATE: Sadly, India Samraat closed this year)
- Chili Duck, right across Boylston from the Pru, is a hidden gem and another great spot if you're meeting the gang.
Other resources and opinions

"Where to dine for Symphony?" is a question routinely asked of the crew over on Chowhound's Boston board. Here are a couple of recent conversations with some options that we haven't tried yet.
Update 06.01.13: More locals chime in on favorite places over on Trip Advisor

Here are maps to help you find more options:

Other parking around Symphony Hall

Other restaurants around Symphony Hall

If this type of information is helpful to you, consider saying thank you by starting your next Amazon shopping trip from here. They have the things you want including Boston Pops music and a full line of MP3 Downloads.

Details:
Symphony Hall
301 Massachusetts Avenue, Boston, MA 02115-4557 (map)
(617) 266-2378

www.bso.org‎

Writers: Penny & Ed Cherubino
Photo: Courtesy of the Boston Pops (Photo Credit: Stu Rosner)
May 11, 2013
It’s Boston Pops Season, Where to Dine and Park!
Boston Pops concerts are scheduled at Symphony Hall between May 8 – June 15, 2013. Readers and friends who have tickets for the Pops always ask us, "Where can we dine around Symphony Hall?" And, once the conversation is open, it's followed by, "Where can we park?"

Please add your favorite spots for dining and parking around this area in the comments below. And, if you try one of our suggestions, let us know how it worked for you.

Here's our primer for a great visit to the BSO or Boston Pops at Symphony Hall.

We say, make dining and parking a joint decision. Our first suggestion is always to leave the car at home or at a park & ride and take the MBTA to the concert.

But, if you must have a car at hand, the Prudential Center is our favorite parking place to recommend in the city. It has its own exit off the Mass Pike. It's connected to mass transit, has taxis available at the doors, and there's a great choice of dining options within the complex. And, best of all, Google estimates that Symphony Hall is a 6-minute walk down Huntington Avenue. (map )

Prudential Options

If a splurge is on the menu, L'Espalier is the star of the show and has valet service. If a mini-splurge is more in line with your budget, reserve a seat in their Salon for a glass of wine and a bite before the concert, or dessert and a cheese course afterward. The restaurant is accessible from inside the Prudential Center via the Mandarin Hotel.

Woody's Grill & Tap

It's a six minute walk from Symphony to 58 Hemenway Street and Woody's Grill & Tap. It had been years since we'd been there but we wandered in recently with our friends Liz & Mick and enjoyed an excellent meal. The pizzas were as great as always but excellent appetizers and salads shined and will have us coming back often. Try the grilled asparagus!

Newbury Street

Park at the Pru and dine on Newbury Street. After dinner you can even walk to Symphony by reentering the Prudential Center and making part of your walk to the concert through their climate controlled corridors.

Since we walk all over the city, we would consider a few of the restaurants on Newbury close to symphony. La Voile is a great choice for French Bistro food.

And, we love to stop into Tapeo for a few tapas at the bar or a table full of choices to share with a group of friends.

Another Great Choice is Brasserie JO

We also recommend that concert goers consider a Boston gem that's often overlooked – Brasserie JO at The Colonnade Hotel. This place always comes through with French flair, great service, and a good meal. It's also a short walk on that same map, because it's across from the Prudential Center.

We love their bar to have a glass of wine and a light meal. And, after the concert, this is a wonderful place for a memorable dessert. They have a way with chocolate sauce!

Ethnic Options for less formal dining

If you want an ethnic meal or a quick bite before the show, we have a few favorites to recommend.
- Moby Dick – our friend Francine Crawford pointed us to this little gem. It's one of her favorite pre-concert spots.
- Pho Basil on Massachusetts Avenue does Thai and Vietnamese food and pleases us with both cuisines. Here's a post on some of the dishes we really enjoy at Pho Basil.
- Lucy Ethiopian Cafe is across the street from Symphony and is fun and delicious. But, give this choice a bit more time. The pace of this cafe's warm hospitality and made-to-order food is a bit slower than many places. They also have wonderful coffee and a selection of desserts for after the show.
- India Samraat on Massachusetts Avenue between Commonwealth and Marlborough is a bit further away but still within walking distance, especially if you park near Newbury Street. This is a restaurant we enjoy sharing with friends. (UPDATE: Sadly, India Samraat closed this year)
- Chili Duck, right across Boylston from the Pru, is a hidden gem and another great spot if you're meeting the gang.
Other resources and opinions

"Where to dine for Symphony?" is a question routinely asked of the crew over on Chowhound's Boston board. Here are a couple of recent conversations with some options that we haven't tried yet.
Update 06.01.13: More locals chime in on favorite places over on Trip Advisor

Here are maps to help you find more options:

Other parking around Symphony Hall

Other restaurants around Symphony Hall

If this type of information is helpful to you, consider saying thank you by starting your next Amazon shopping trip from here. They have the things you want including Boston Pops music and a full line of MP3 Downloads.

Details:
Symphony Hall
301 Massachusetts Avenue, Boston, MA 02115-4557 (map)
(617) 266-2378

www.bso.org‎

Writers: Penny & Ed Cherubino
Photo: Courtesy of the Boston Pops (Photo Credit: Stu Rosner)
May 11, 2013
Thanksgiving 2012 Dining Out in Boston
Time's running out to make Thanksgiving dinner reservations, especially if you want to enjoy your holiday meal in one of the area's great restaurants.

NOTE: This is an outdated post: Here is the 2015 Thanksgiving Dining resource page.

This year, we're cooking and dining at home. But, our choice on past holidays has beenSel de la Terre on Boylston Street. Click here for our report on one of those meals. They do have a new chef but the standards set seem to be the same and we've enjoyed every meal there since the change.

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.

What Boston Area Restaurants Are Open on Thanksgiving?

Hotel restaurants are normally open on all holidays. In Boston, this includes 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 Season's Boston
Brasserie JO at the Colonnade Hotel
Meritage at the Boston Harbor Hotel

Our top recommendation for a lower cost option with good food would be Petit Robert in Boston.

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.

Here are links to some 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.

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.

Bostonchefs.com has some information on its members' offerings. For example, here are a few offerings we'd consider if we were looking for a great menu.
- Harvest in Cambridge's Harvard Square.
- Pigalle on Charles Street South near the Theatre District.
- Top of the Hub at the Prudential Center in the Back Bay comes with a view!
- Upstairs on the Square in Cambridge
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.

Related articles

Edible Boston Fall 2012 Issue Around Town Now!

Got any overdue BPL books? Wait until next month to return them

Acceptable to call Boston Beantown
October 30, 2012
Thanksgiving 2012 Dining Out in Boston
Time's running out to make Thanksgiving dinner reservations, especially if you want to enjoy your holiday meal in one of the area's great restaurants.

NOTE: This is an outdated post: Here is the 2015 Thanksgiving Dining resource page.

This year, we're cooking and dining at home. But, our choice on past holidays has beenSel de la Terre on Boylston Street. Click here for our report on one of those meals. They do have a new chef but the standards set seem to be the same and we've enjoyed every meal there since the change.

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.

What Boston Area Restaurants Are Open on Thanksgiving?

Hotel restaurants are normally open on all holidays. In Boston, this includes 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 Season's Boston
Brasserie JO at the Colonnade Hotel
Meritage at the Boston Harbor Hotel

Our top recommendation for a lower cost option with good food would be Petit Robert in Boston.

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.

Here are links to some 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.

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.

Bostonchefs.com has some information on its members' offerings. For example, here are a few offerings we'd consider if we were looking for a great menu.
- Harvest in Cambridge's Harvard Square.
- Pigalle on Charles Street South near the Theatre District.
- Top of the Hub at the Prudential Center in the Back Bay comes with a view!
- Upstairs on the Square in Cambridge
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.

Related articles

Edible Boston Fall 2012 Issue Around Town Now!

Got any overdue BPL books? Wait until next month to return them

Acceptable to call Boston Beantown
October 30, 2012
Thanksgiving 2012 Dining Out in Boston
Time's running out to make Thanksgiving dinner reservations, especially if you want to enjoy your holiday meal in one of the area's great restaurants.

NOTE: This is an outdated post: Here is the 2015 Thanksgiving Dining resource page.

This year, we're cooking and dining at home. But, our choice on past holidays has beenSel de la Terre on Boylston Street. Click here for our report on one of those meals. They do have a new chef but the standards set seem to be the same and we've enjoyed every meal there since the change.

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.

What Boston Area Restaurants Are Open on Thanksgiving?

Hotel restaurants are normally open on all holidays. In Boston, this includes 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 Season's Boston
Brasserie JO at the Colonnade Hotel
Meritage at the Boston Harbor Hotel

Our top recommendation for a lower cost option with good food would be Petit Robert in Boston.

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.

Here are links to some 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.

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.

Bostonchefs.com has some information on its members' offerings. For example, here are a few offerings we'd consider if we were looking for a great menu.
- Harvest in Cambridge's Harvard Square.
- Pigalle on Charles Street South near the Theatre District.
- Top of the Hub at the Prudential Center in the Back Bay comes with a view!
- Upstairs on the Square in Cambridge
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.

Related articles

Edible Boston Fall 2012 Issue Around Town Now!

Got any overdue BPL books? Wait until next month to return them

Acceptable to call Boston Beantown
October 30, 2012
Wasn’t it a Great Weekend?
We saw:
- Newbury Street filled with shoppers on Sunday.
- Happy diners eating outside at La Voile and at Tasty Burger. (Warning: There's music on La Voile's site.)
- Students studying on the Commonwealth Avenue Mall.
- Lots of spring plants sprouting in Back Bay gardens. The snowdrops have been up for weeks and some crocuses, pansies, and heather are already in bloom.
- (Click a thumbnail to choose an image in any order you like. You'll stay right here on this page.)
Sometimes the freelance life lets you stretch your long weekend by an extra day or, at least, fit in more fun around your work hours. It was that kind of weekend for us.

We began with a trip to Central Square, Cambridge for lunch on Thursday. The afternoon began at Mary Chung Restaurant for a bit of Szechuan heat. (Stay tuned! Details on that will pop up tomorrow.)

We strolled home with stops at Central Bottle to stock up on cheese, bread, beer, and wine for the weekend and Flour Bakery for two pieces of their fabulous Boston Cream Pie cake to honor a friend's birthday. (And, to tease him with another reason to miss Boston from his new home in San Francisco!)

Friday afternoon found us at Coppa enjoying a few of our favorites– including this Italian Grinder.

Saturday, we shared a tray at Sweet Cheeks Q and added a new favorite side dish that will also be featured here in the days ahead.

We ran into lots of friends in lots of places and had some down time at home with a bit of great wine and home cooking. It was a good weekend to spend in town enjoying some of the great things Boston has to offer.

Related Posts:

Sweet Cheeks Q- Great Northern Brisket

Sweet Cheeks Q: A First Look

Friday Lunch at Coppa, an Italian Seduction

Bourbon Beer? at Sweet Cheeks

Celebrating the Start of Summer at La Voile

How to Extend >>> Your Birthday!

And The Winner is….

What a Weekend!

What's on your weekend get-away shopping list? Remember to click over to Amazon from here to support this site!

Details:
Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
Photography: © 2012 Penny & 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 a great insights for our readers. As long as it doesn’t become a pure ad, we’d love to hear from you.
February 21, 2012
Holiday Pops 2011– Where to Dine and Park!
Readers and friends who have tickets for one of the Boston Pops Holiday Concerts are already asking, "Where can we dine around Symphony Hall?" And, once the conversation is open, it's followed by, "Where can we park?"

Please add your favorite spots for dining and parking around this area in the comments below. And, if you try one of our suggestions, let us know how it worked for you.

Here's our primer for a great visit to the BSO or Boston Pops at Symphony Hall.

We say, make dining and parking a joint decision. Our first suggestion is always to leave the car at home or at a park & ride and take the MBTA to the concert.

But, if you must have a car at hand, the Prudential Center is our favorite parking place to recommend in the city. It has its own exit off the Mass Pike. It's connected to mass transit, has taxis available at the doors, and there's a great choice of dining options within the complex. And, best of all, Google estimates that Symphony Hall is a 6-minute walk down Huntington Avenue. (map )

Prudential Options

For wonderful food and great service at a reasonable price, we send friends to Sel de la Terre on Boylston Street for pre-concert dining. If you're driving, simply enter any Prudential parking area or use the restaurant's valet parking service.

You could even return for dessert and post-concert conversation and then have the valet bring the car around. Please, call the restaurant to confirm the details, especially if you're reading this months from now.

If a splurge is on the menu, L'Espalier is right next door and shares that valet service. If a mini-splurge is more in line with your budget, reserve a seat in their Salon for a glass of wine and a bite before the concert, or dessert and a cheese course after. Both restaurants are accessible from inside the Prudential Center via the Mandarin Hotel.

Newbury Street

Park at the Pru and dine on Newbury Street. After dinner you can even walk to Symphony by reentering the Prudential Center and making part of your walk to the concert through their climate controlled corridors.

Since we walk all over the city, we would consider a few of the restaurants on Newbury close to symphony. La Voile is a great choice for French Bistro food.

And, we love to stop into Tapeo for a few tapas at the bar or a table full of choices to share with a group of friends.

Another Great Choice is Brasserie JO

We also recommend that concert goers consider a Boston gem that's often overlooked– Brasserie JO at The Colonnade Hotel. This place always comes through with French flair, great service, and a good meal. It's also a short walk on that same map, because it's across from the Prudential Center.

Ethnic Options for less formal dining.

If you want an ethnic meal or a quick bite before the show, we have a few favorites to recommend.
- Moby Dick – our friend Francine Crawford pointed us to this little gem. It's one of her favorite pre-concert spots.
- Pho Basil on Massachusetts Avenue does Thai and Vietnamese food and pleases us with both cuisines. Here's a post on some of the dishes we really enjoy at Pho Basil.
- Lucy Ethiopian Cafe is across the street from Symphony and is fun and delicious. But, give this choice a bit more time. The pace of this cafe's warm hospitality and made-to-order food is a bit slower than many places. They also have wonderful coffee and a selection of desserts for after the show.
- India Samraat on Massachusetts Avenue between Commonwealth and Marlborough is a bit further away but still within walking distance, especially if you park near Newbury Street. This is a restaurant we enjoy sharing with friends.
- Chili Duck, right across Boylston from the Pru, is a hidden gem and another great spot if you're meeting the gang.
Other resources and opinions:

"Where to dine for Symphony?" is a question routinely asked of the crew over on Chowhound's Boston board. Here are a couple of recent conversations with some options that we haven't tried yet.
- Quick bite near Symphony Hall
- Craft cocktails near Symphony Hall?
Here are maps to help you find more options.

Other parking around Symphony Hall

Other restaurants around Symphony Hall

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Details:
Symphony Hall
301 Massachusetts Avenue, Boston, MA 02115-4557 (map)
(617) 266-2378

www.bso.org‎

Writers: Penny & Ed Cherubino
Photo: Courtesy of the Boston Pops (Photo Credit: Stu Rosner)
December 5, 2011