O N T H E F L Y

What’s a good trip without some good food? Probably not a good trip.

But alas, if you’re headed to Boston, no need to worry. I did not have a bad food experience, possibly one mediocre experience, and several that were fantastic.

Without further ado, I give you a few of my unprofessional, homegrown-Italian, semi-picky food recs for your time in the glorious city of Boston.

In no particular order –

Lucia Ristorante

In the heart of the North End on Hanover Street, you’ll find a little slice of Italy in Lucia Ristorante. Now most of the restaurants around here specialize in either pizza or pasta, and generally offer one or the other – Lucia is definitely the place to go if you’re looking for good pasta. It’s a bit pricey if you’re looking for a chill night out, but definitely on the more affordable end in terms of a sit-down restaurant in the area. I came with a party of 7 and we didn’t have one complaint. I even said I could take my Nonna here (as long as she doesn’t see the prices), and she grew up in Italy!

Quattro

Quattro is part of a larger restaurant conglomeration with a bunch of different spots around Boston’s North End – initially, this made me skeptical of the authenticity of the food, but after seeing photos on Yelp we decided to check it out. Good thing we did, because the food was glorious!

My friend Steph and I decided to split the Margherita pizza and a spinach and mozzarella calzone. Both were delicious, and the portions were generous as we couldn’t finish either one (fast forward ~8 hours and we were eating it standing up in the kitchen with a glass of wine).

Faneuil Hall

If you’re looking for some typical Bostonian grub, head to Faneuil Hall. If you’re in a group with a lot of picky eaters, head to Faneuil Hall. There’s something for everyone. If you hate crowds, maybe this isn’t the place for you.

Faneuil Hall is basically a large indoor market with food options lining the halls. Lines can be long, but generally move quickly. If you’re looking for some New England Clam Chowder or a Lobster roll, you have many options, and the chowder was good! There are also options if you’d prefer pizza, a smoothie, coffee, a sandwich, etc.

Seoul

Tired of chowder? Right by Beacon Hill, Seoul offers quality Korean food at an affordable price. Especially for lunch – Steph and I ordered an absurd amount of food, but with the lunch special, spent $11 each, tip included. Need I say more?

Cookie Monstah

This isn’t a restaurant- it’s a food truck. You’ll definitely run into a few during your time in Boston, but the one we went to was in the Boston Commons (and probably is always around). I mean, per the name, this seems like a very Boston treat. But BEWARE, this is not merely an afternoon “snack.” This ice cream is like a meal itself. So unless you’re planning on ice cream for dinner, maybe order the ice cream in a cup instead of the ginormous cookie sandwich. Don’t regret it though, it was great.

Now that I’ve made you sufficiently hungry, go book your flight to Boston (and make your reservations)!