This Bostonist knows that Barbeque can be a touchy subject. People have their favorites for different reasons; from what sides are offered to the spiciness of the sauce, there are so many things a BBQ place can be judged upon. So, this particular Stuff to Eat in the Suburbs, is all about personal preference. We all love Redbones, and Firefly’s in Natick has a lot going for it as well. But, if you happen to be in Waltham and are craving some BBQ, then this Bostonist recommends Bison County BBQ. Located on Moody Street, Bison County has a rustic feel with its dark woods and a very well-stocked bar dominating the entry room. Though the place is often packed, it never feels “elbow room only” overcrowded. The open grill in the main dining room adds to the outdoorsy nature of the restaurant.
Results tagged “stufftoeatinthesuburbs”
Have you ever needed that perfectly in-between place to dine in Watertown? Somewhere nice, but not too expensive. Somewhere you can dress up if you want, but without high fashion expectations. Somewhere tasty, but not overwhelmingly gourmet. If so, we've found that Stellina is a slam-dunk for all of these criteria.
Breads n Bits of Ireland (530 Main Street, Melrose) is the kind of place that can make you an addict if you’re not careful. One day, a few years ago, we were perusing the farmers’ market in Melrose when we literally stumbled into Breads n Bits (of Ireland, don't forget). It’s housed in a completely unremarkable office building where you'd never expect to find a tasty traditional cafe. But once you’ve tried the food here, you won’t be able to get it out of your mind. Breads n Bits serves everything from corned beef sandwiches to a great pot of tea, but the most remarkable thing about this little gem is the scones.
Last Saturday, this Bostonist did the unthinkable—she got up really early. Why on earth would someone do such a thing on a Saturday? The answer is simple—bagels. Rosenfeld Bagels in Newton are some of the best bagels this Bostonist has ever had.
This week, a hurriedly planned family dinner turned out to be a real pleasure. Lumière, located in West Newton, is a small French restaurant that manages to give great service and delicious food better than some downtown restaurants. Given a name like Lumière one would expect a luminous experience with lots of lighting, which in one room is delivered by the unique wall sconces shaped like open booklets containing writing or music. They are as fascinating as they are lovely, so don’t be surprised if someone in your groups spends part of the night trying to read one of the pieces of “paper”. The other room houses intimate booths with a ceiling draped with cloth, allowing light to filter through in a soft, romantic fashion. The best thing about all of this unique lighting is that the restaurant is actually bright enough to read your menu; a rare treat among small French bistros.
Initially excited by the promise of ½ liter pitchers of sangria for 5 dollars and 5 dollar margaritas, we were delighted to find a prix fixe menu that provided a decent showcase of what this fabulous restaurant has to offer.
If you’re not interested in IHOP, it can sometimes be a struggle to find a decent place that serves breakfast on week days. While many restaurants will happily serve you brunch on the weekends, or in some cases just Sunday, it can be difficult to find somewhere to grab breakfast before work or on a random week day. While this Bostonist first visited In A Pickle looking for a new lunch option with a friend from out of town, as soon as we entered we knew that this was a restaurant that specialized in breakfast.
Folks, let’s talk cupcakes. Previously, Stuff to Eat in the Suburbs has sung the praises of the baked goods at Susu in Wellesley. While Susu is still one of our favorite bakeries, this Bostonist has to admit that there is another superb suburb cupcake destination. Bread and Chocolate is located at 108 Madison Avenue in Newtonville right across the street from Taste coffee shop. They are a cute little shop with floor to ceiling windows that let in plenty of light, giving the place a bright and cheery atmosphere. Bread and Chocolate serves sweets galore as well as a range of coffees, regular beverages, pre-packed goodies and a smattering of lunch fare. For example, the pesto chicken salad served on a buttery croissant is a delightfully light sandwich with a perfectly subtle flavor.
While dinner options in Waltham are plentiful, sometimes a quick lunch can be a little harder to find. Though many of the local restaurants serve lunch, it is often a sit down affair, not conducive to the brief amount of time allotted to the typical lunch break. However Domenics Italian Bakery & Deli brings a little bit of the North End into Waltham for those of us seeking a delicious but more accessible lunch.
This Bostonist first discovered Tempo as a place to grab a good, girly after-work drink with some friends. Tired of pounding pints at one of Waltham’s many great pubs, we were hankering for a more cosmopolitan atmosphere where we could lounge in style and have, well, a cosmopolitan. Tempo was an instant hit; its martini and cocktail selection is extensive, and drinks are both sizable and well below Boston prices, not to mention girly enough for the most diehard fuzzy navel fan. The Pink Lemonade martini is huge, and tastes so much like fresh squeezed lemonade that you might forget there’s vodka in there—though not for long. (They used to make a fizzy apple drink that was so popular we had to adapt it for home use.)
Sometimes it can be hard to take a gluten-free friend out to lunch or dinner. Pubs usually deal in foods that are fried with some sort of flour-based batter, any kind of sandwich is automatically off the menu, even salad dressings can sometimes be a dicey prospect and almost all Italian food is right out. Yet this Bostonist recently accompanied her gluten-free friend to a little pizzeria in Cambridge called Stone Hearth Pizza and discovered a new world of deliciousness, with a side of tasty gluten-free fare. Stone Hearth Pizza has locations in Cambridge, Belmont, and Needham; and is dedicated to providing customers with organic and local fare whenever possible. If you download a menu from their website you can see all the local farms they support, even their beers and wines are local.
Ask for a steak recommendation in Boston and people will be climbing over one another to tout the virtues of their favorite steakhouse. From downtown favorites like K.O Prime and Grill 23 to slightly more out of the way options like the Capital Grille in Newton and Natick’s Metro 9 there’s no shortage of great steak options in Boston or the suburbs. Nestled on the ground floor of the Hotel Indigo, located just off I-95 in Newton, BOKX 109 is a fun steak house with a curious name. The first perk of trying this suburban gem is their free valet parking, simply let the nice gentlemen park your car and only worry about the tip. The restaurant is very comfortable, furnished in rich browns and oranges with soft lighting and lots of windows. The kitchen is open with a long, tall chef’s table located right next to it where larger parties can watch all the action. On the other side of the dining area is a small lounge and bar which provides access to the luxurious pool and patio. While BOKX 109 certainly maintains a sophisticated feel, the stuffiness that is often the trademark of a good steakhouse is happily missing. Instead, BOKX 109 offers a fun, chic option for people interested in getting their steak in the suburbs.
Eating sushi in the suburbs can be a harrowing prospect. People tend not to want to try new sushi places because of the potentially disastrous results. For some reason, eating sushi downtown feels safer: perhaps the big awnings and plethora of other restaurants we know and trust makes the risk seem smaller.
If you live in the Waltham area, it’s likely that you have passed Taqueria Mexico a number of times and never really noticed it. Tucked away at the end of Charles Street a block away from where it connects to Moody, Taqueria Mexico is a hidden gem worth finding.
Finding good pizza in Boston can be a complicated business. While some pizzerias focus solely on baking a good pie, others provide more well-rounded fare in the form of tasty sandwiches, paninis and pasta. From greasy to gourmet, you can find almost anything if you know where to look.
For lunch in the suburbs this Bostonist is always in search of one thing: a better sandwich. Forget fruit plates and salads, sandwiches are what lunch is all about. A good sandwich can be special because of so many things: the bread, the meats, the condiments, the cheese. And each sandwich shop is unique in the way they combine these ingredients making it worthwhile to visit as many as possible to find the best sandwich options. This Bostonist has been known to drive as much as half an hour out of the way just to fill a particular sandwich craving and Angelato; a small sandwich shop, Italian deli, and geltaria in Belmont has become one of those detours. The first time we sampled Angelato’s wares was after visiting Silk Road BBQ across the street. We noticed Angelato because we were in the mood for something sweet to finish off our lunch. Angelato is the company owned shop of the Angelato foods the company who makes Firenze frozen desserts which means that they have fresh local made gelato ready for serving in the shop. The hazelnut chocolate gelato alone was well worth the trip out to Belmont. The gelato had a rich dark chocolate flavor without being too bitter or too sweet, and the small pieces of roasted hazelnut were the perfect addition—an occasional textured surprise hidden in the smooth creamy goodness.
Since the Natick Mall turned into the Natick Collection, there have been a lot of changes. The stores are more expensive, there are a whole lot more of them, and the food court has suddenly lost its appeal due to the plethora of new restaurants that have opened up in the mall. New options include P.F. Changs, The Cheesecake Factory, and even Sel De La Terre if you’re feeling fancy. But sometimes, when you’re at the mall or sitting around at home, you just want a good burger. On those days, we recommend the Met Bar and Grill in the Natick Collection.
Last week this Bostonist had the pleasure of attending the grand re-opening for Spiga, a wonderful taste of the North End in Needham. Spiga really touts two separate menus: a lunch menu, filled with delightfully simple paninis and delicious wood-oven grilled pizzas; and a dinner menu featuring more complex fare, like the wonderfully rich spinach and ricotta ravioli in an intense duck ragu. Last week’s grand re-opening festivities featured items from both the lunch and dinner selections.
This Bostonist was first introduced to Tutto Italiano while working across the street in Wellesley several years ago. The big red sign above the door was intriguing and the hype from coworkers even more so. As suckers for a good sandwich, we wandered over one afternoon to give them a try. The atmosphere of this little piece of Italy in America is very casual. Tutto’s wares are displayed simply; letting the quality and variety of products speak for themselves. The focal point of the shop is the enormous meat counter that stretches along one entire wall of the shop. Behind this counter is where the magic really happens.
A night in Framingham and Natick offers a lot of perks: endless shopping opportunities, a multi-screen movie theater… and restaurants galore. However, many of the restaurants are old favorites, with emphasis on old over favorites. Who isn’t a little tired of eating at Chili’s or Legal’s? We are, and so we decided to give a shot to the new chain in town, British Beer Company. Located on Route 9 right in front of Jordan’s Furniture, the Framingham British Beer Company is hard to miss with its bright yellow building and enormous sign. The restaurant boasts ample parking and even free valet, at least on the Saturday night that we visited. Inside, you’re likely to encounter a wait on popular nights. However, BBC does have call-ahead placement that actually works: we called about an hour before arriving and were seated at once.
Word of mouth is what brought this Bostonist to Taste Coffee House, while running errands in Newton. Taste is raved about by foodies and locals alike—and for good reason. Their pastries and breads are all local, hailing from Iggy’s in West Cambridge, and everything else on the menu is made in-house from the finest ingredients. Above all else, Taste is dedicated to brewing delicious coffee, which means that they only brew quality beans from local roasters such as George Howell and Barismo. The owner, twenty-four year old Nikolas Krankl, is also the barista—and a fine one he is too. He recently placed 2nd in the Northeast Regional Barista Competition a fact that is proudly displayed in a bright homemade sign behind the barista station.
Wellesley isn’t exactly what people think of when they are looking for a suburban food destination. The perception is that it’s difficult to get to by car or T, the people tend to be a little on the snobby side, it’s a dry town, and well, everything is really expensive. But this Bostonist has found a few gems that are well worth the trek out to Wellesley, and Susu bakery is one of them. Tucked away in a corner of Wellesley center, Susu is a sophisticated bakery with an elegant flare. Their delightful dining room boasts large tables with big comfortable chairs and booths, perfect for a lunch with the girls or a quiet moment to yourself. Their lunch menu is simple but covers most of the basics with soup, salad, quiche, and sandwiches. Their chicken salad is particularly fine and will have you craving more about a week after your first taste, but come early, as they do run out of it. Despite the delicious lunch fare, the real attraction here is the baked goods.
At the end of Moody Street, on the other side of the bridge from many of the regular Waltham haunts, there is a brick building nestled along the water. This old building used to house a fire station, but now it is home to Biagio, one of Waltham’s best Italian restaurants. Normally, when people talk of Moody Street they sing the virtues of the great Thai food, Pub food and Indian food that can be found there. Italian food is better left for the North End. But if you live in any of Waltham’s neighboring towns or even if you don’t, you owe it to yourself to pay Biagio a visit.