Boston's South End is the hipster, foodie part of town, a high-end residential area where the city’s architects, lawyers, artists, bankers, and designers mingle to eat, drink and be merry. It is the epicenter of Boston's thriving gay community and more recently, home to urban young professionals and married couples pushing baby buggies. The South End is filled with trendy shops, bars and galleries. Parking is almost non-existent, but many places offer valet parking. Better to take a cab or walk from the Back Bay train station. The South End is Boston’s answer to SoHo or The Village. It’s cool, hip and somewhat exclusive. Prices are on the higher side, and reservations are most definitely required. Be sure to check out The Beehive, Gaslight, Union, Stella and many more, including my personal favorites, reviewed here.
B&G Oyster – South End, Boston. If you are an oyster freak, like I am, then B&G is the place for you. My boyfriend Andrew and I always sit at the bar, which resembles a Scandinavian sauna with wooden floor and tiled walls, and watch the chefs in action. More of a date place due to it’s small size, B&G is our favorite spot to sit down and devour a gigantic tray of oysters from around the US and Canada, and sip a few glasses of Prosecco. I love the sweet and plump East Coast Wellfleet’s and Duxbury’s while my boyfriend prefers the slim and briny Pacific Coast bivalves. The zesty vinaigrette is a great alternative to the ubiquitous cocktail sauce. (I always hope to find a pearl, but no such luck.) You have to try the house favorite Maine lobster roll and for dessert, yes, fried oysters on a bed of sea salt…I just can’t get enough, they melt in your mouth.
Masa – South End, Boston. Beautiful, rustic d?cor in this Latin bar and eatery. The “especiale de la casa” is the Banderita, a trio of shots which involves taking fresh lemon juice in your mouth first, then adding the tequila, swallowing, then doing a sangrita chaser (tomato juice). Down the hatch - uno, dos, tres! Any of the house margaritas are great, including the Masarita (with apple), Mangorita and Watermelon Margarita and can be made for the table. My girlfriends and I popped into Masa for drinks on a Saturday night to toast my friend’s birthday, and it was jam packed in the small but cozy bar area. As we were waiting for a table in the bar area, we didn’t realize we were inadvertently crowding the owner and his guests. We were really friendly with them, and as he left he said, next time he saw us he owed us drinks for being so patient, yet persistent. (Let’s hope he comes through on the promise!) They have a huge tapas menu…so sky’s the limit. Taquitos, calamari, chorizo, plantains…and for dinner are upscale Mexican entrees of lamb, steak, fish, chicken and more. Thursday nights are Salsa Night from 9pm – 1am, with lessons, drinks and dancing all night. Cha Cha Cha!
Rocca – South End, Boston. A nouveau Italian hot spot - divine in design, drinks and food. Described as a “kitchen & bar,” Rocca is much, much more. A hipster restaurant with multiple floors, outside seating and a popular lounge. Stop first in the bar for one of Rocca’s signature drinks with authentic Italian flair. I recommend the Ligurian Lemonade (lemon vodka, Campari, home made Limoncello, honey & fresh lemon juice) or the White and Stormy (white rum, Cointreau, lime & ginger beer). The menu is set up so that you can get a lot of little plates to share. We enjoyed the Meatball Slider, Rigatoni Baked in a Pot (with veal, tomatoes and Parmigiano), Hand-rolled Trofie (pasta) with pesto, the Braised Lamb Shank, and Roasted Whole Fish. They are on-trend with the “late night menu” until 1am consisting of many of their most popular items. There are monthly house music dance parties which bring out all the Euro boys & girls to sashay their night away. Rocca is a happening spot…get it while it’s hot.
The Liberty Hotel is Boston’s newest luxury boutique hotel which opened its doors in the fall of 2007. The space occupies what was once the historic Charles Street Jail, built in 1851, and is a prime example of “Boston Granite Style” of architecture. I'm an events planner for a large Boston financial services company, and am in the midst of planning our annual two-day team conference at The Liberty Hotel, so I’m pleased to be able to share my review. Interestingly, my paternal grandfather worked as a deputy sheriff at the jail and my dad remembers going to visit his father at work as a young boy and being jokingly locked in a cell as a reminder to behave…or else!
As Boston has grown in popularity as a destination for some of Hollywood’s most popular films, The Liberty Hotel has become the hotel of choice for many of Hollywood’s A-list celebrities. Recent guests have included Meg Ryan and her daughter who stayed here during the filming of “The Women” and Morgan Freeman, who ate quietly each night in CLINK while in town filming “The Lonely Maiden”. The lobby is truly grand, formerly the "The Yard" where inmates worked out or socialized. As soon you ride up the escalator, you gaze up to see a gigantic cathedral ceiling with a multi-leveled catwalk and hanging wrought iron chandeliers. The walls are partially covered in rich floral wallpaper while the rest of the lobby is exposed brick. The guest rooms are decorated with subtle shades of tan and gray, the bathrooms are very Zen and luxurious. Every room is outfitted with cutting edge technology from ordering room service to web access, and is considered to be the most technologically advanced hotel in Boston. Overnight rates can run upwards of $475-675 night, so be sure to bring your platinum card (or a wealthy relative!)
CLINK is the hotel's restaurant located in the main lobby with tables nestled between original jail cells. Menu items include a fresh selection of artisanal cheeses and charcuterie, a nod to Buzzy’s famous roast beef sandwich, warm lobster roll, grilled chicken salad, pan seared sea scallops, and short ribs.
In spring '08, celebrity chef Lydia Shire opened the modern Italian concept, Scampo. The decor is handsome and cool, with exposed brick, a great rectangular bar covered in copper and a huge outdoor patio. Her modern Italian fare is delicious, inventive, rustic food. My favorites include mozzarella with peach & pistachio pesto, beef carpaccio, spaghetti bolognese, white clam and bacon pizza fired in a brick oven, fried calamari, tagliata of prime sirloin, and a ricotta-parsley tortellaci (tortellini). The bartenders and waitstaff are professional, friendly and attentive. The wine and cocktail selection is great...be sure to order a robust Italian red wine or the house Bellini with peach nectar. Scampo is also a great place for a private party or corporate event...the service and food are top notch, and you will feel like a celebrity yourself! Scampo is a great spot for a lunch meeting, dinner with friends, or an after work cocktail. Buon appetito!
The Liberty is the happening place to be any night of the week, but especially Thursday through Saturday nights, with lines wrapping around the building to get into hotspot Alibi or the lobby bar. Guests vie for a chance to get past the velvet ropes and into the much-hyped lobby bar scene, complete with the Veuve Clicquot “La Grande Dame Bar.” Alibi is the cavernous bar located in the former “drunk tank” of the jail, appropriately decorated with infamous mug shots of Mick Jagger, Hugh Grant, Frank Sinatra, and Paris Hilton, to name a few. Light bar fare is served, and the drink list is unusual and pricey. Furthering the "Hollywood Hipster” vibe, Paris herself stayed here in February '08 after receiving her award from the Harvard Lampoon. So, if feel like getting “locked up” (without the criminal record) and are looking for an “escape,” The Liberty Hotel is the place for you.
Boston's South End is the hipster, foodie part of town, a high-end residential area where the city’s architects, lawyers, artists, bankers, and designers mingle to eat, drink and be merry. It is the epicenter of Boston's thriving gay community and more recently, home to urban young professionals and married couples pushing baby buggies. The South End is filled with trendy shops, bars and galleries. Parking is almost non-existent, but many places offer valet parking. Better to take a cab or walk from the Back Bay train station. The South End is Boston’s answer to SoHo or The Village. It’s cool, hip and somewhat exclusive. Prices are on the higher side, and reservations are most definitely required. Be sure to check out The Beehive, Gaslight, Union, Stella and many more, including my personal favorites, reviewed here.
