Bon Appetit Boston!
Boston with its dazzling city parks and expansive open spaces will win your heart in almost every way. It’s a beautiful travel destination and a perfect reason to catch an affordable flight with PLAY.
But what is it precisely that makes Boston such a worthwhile destination? Is it worth your next holiday ticket?
First, no other American city boasts as much interesting American history as Boston. That makes Boston a pilgrimage for all Americans and others who fancy a glimpse of colonial-era history. You will, of course, find exciting places to explore and probably wonder at the ‘Athens of America’ and its philosophical attitude. Beacon Hill is a great place to start the adventure if antiquity is your thing. It’s a hilltop area dating back to the 18th and 19th centuries with a distinct ancient feel. From the lantern-lit cobblestoned streets to the Victorian houses, it feels like a movie set and leaves visitors with a picturesque experience.
But it’s close to mandatory to have a taste of Boston’s cuisine and the city’s rich food culture. You will be offered everything from Boston’s stereotypical love for the clam chowder and lobster to Michelin-starred restaurants and street food delicacies.
Boston’s Best Dishes
Boston’s opulent colonial history comes with massive international culinary influences, and the city arguably has a big seat at the international dining table. Even post-colonialization, the city has been morphing its cuisine and now presents universally recognized classic dishes.
Clam Chowder
Call it chowdah if you wish, but the New England clam chowder is one of the modern-day classic dishes in Boston. Admittedly, it’s an ancient soup, but calling it traditional might conceal its true richness to a Boston visitor. Clam chowder is a concoction of onion, potatoes, dairy, salt pork, shellfish, and cream in its current form. It’s kept simple and rich, but the chefs may occasionally add flavors.
Boston Cream Pie
The Boston cream pie originates from the Omni Parker House. It looks more like a cake than a cream pie, with sweet custard sandwiched between a butter cake and a chocolate glazing. Nevertheless, it’s a great local desert for Boston tourists and enough to keep you going for a few hours.
Lobster Mac ‘N Cheese
Of course, most visitors want some seafood on their checklist, which is no surprise. Often served off an iron skillet, lobster mac n cheese is a fantastic meal. It’s not a Boston original, but the deliciously cooked lobster and bread crumbs with a thick cheese sauce make you want to stick around for some more.
Baked Beans
Boston baked beans are a must for any visitor. This is after all “Beantown” city. Baked beans are one of the city’s most popular street dishes and include typical, slow-baked beans in molasses.
Yankee Pot Roast
The Yankee pot roast is an everyday menu item in Boston, with roots from English kitchens. It’s served as small cuts of beef, roasted long enough to make them tender, then served with potatoes. The delicacy can also be served with other root veggies like turnips or carrots.
Cannoli
Cannoli is a favorite dessert grab for many Bostonians. It’s on the menu with the likes of Boston baked beans and Boston cream pie. The Italian Cannoli consists of fried pastry dough filled with a sweet cream of ricotta.
Which restaurants should I check out in Boston?
Boston provides more cuisine options than any tourist can exhaust in a single visit. The dishes are just the tip of the iceberg. You can have plenty more lobsters, wild spot prawns, pies of ice cream, and pot-baked beans. You can find them in most restaurants around, but if you don’t want to move around the entire city looking for a great eatery, here’s our essential guide.
O Ya
O Ya is one of the Michelin-starred restaurants in Boston that provide multi-cultural dishes in a simple Japanese theme. The eatery first opened in 2007, is owned by a chef named Tim Cushman, and is a lauded restaurant with a delicious menu. It’s a relatively small restaurant but offers elegant dishes worth your attention. Some of the notable bites on the menu include caviar, wild prawns, gold leaf, and sesame chicken skin. O Ya will provide you with a wondrous experience if you love the Japanese style of cooking.
Ostra
Ostra is a French seafood restaurant, where you can marvel at the style and design once you’ve been seated. It features high ceilings, saddle leather seats, a marble bar, and monochrome ocean-themed photography. It’s not an ordinary seafood eatery. The restaurant opened in 2014 and specializes in fresh, natural seafood. It’s typically straight from the boat to the kitchen. Visitors in Boston can check out this restaurant for fresh lobsters, yellowfin tuna, caviar, salmon, and sea bream.
Mistral
This is French-Mediterranean cuisine and deserves an honorable mention. This luxurious eatery is on the expensive side but it’s well worth it to enjoy the likes of French Dover sole, tuna tare, and duck with cherries. The menu gets tweaked seasonally, but you will rarely miss these three on the list. The restaurant has stood the test of time while maintaining its high-end status, opening its doors in 1997. The interior depicts class with an arched floor, high ceilings, and immaculate white linens. Dining here is an experience that will keep lingering long after you return from your trip.
Bottom line
While most restaurants here offer cross-cultural dishes, Boston is home to all kinds of eateries and dishes. Our mentions are far from comprehensive and ascertain what a worthwhile destination Boston is for a holiday. It has so much to offer tourists and will provide new and different adventures, even for frequent visitors.
