Boston City Guide
Walking Boston’s cobblestone-lined streets of historic colonial-era Beacon Hill with its 17th and 18th century Federal rowhouses is an inspiring trip through the history of the American Revolution. Brick buildings, narrow sidewalks, and gas-lit lamps provide a serene backdrop for reminiscing on the intentions of our founding fathers in this time of political duplicity and turmoil.
The city is easy to navigate, with a patchwork of vibrant neighborhoods situated in the main metropolitan area and a robust public transportation system. Here are our tips for things to see and do in Boston.
Bars & Restaurants
La Famiglia Giorgio’s serves up authentic Italian food with a Roman influence in the historic North End neighborhood of Boston. While the dining room creates an atmosphere of fine dining, the menu is standard family fare meant to be shared.
112 Salem Street, Boston, MA | Phone: (617) 367-6711
© La Famiglia Giorgio’s
Top of the Hub restaurant at Prudential Tower has the undisputed best view of downtown Boston “soaring 52 floors above the Back Bay.” Top of the Hub has “Boston’s best skyline views” for a unique dining experience. The view does come with a price tag, though—the main dishes range in price from $24.00 to $46.00 for a filet mignon.
800 Boylston Street, Boston, MA | (617) 536-1775
Brassica serves an array of sandwiches and light Asian-inspired bistro fare during the day, while their dinner menu is a fascinating romp of culinary delight showcasing unique dishes like halibut ceviche with tiger milk, yam, and apple, lamb al pastor, and fried chicken with maple umeboshi and lime.
3710 Washington St. Jamaica Plain, MA | 02130 (617) 477-4519
Lobster rolls are a real thing in Boston—delectable fare of fresh, chunky lobster prepared either hot and buttered or cold with spices and mayonnaise on a bun. Neptune Oyster has (arguably) the best lobster roll in Boston served on toasted brioche. With an assortment of other seafood delights such as various types of fresh oysters, fried clams, clam chowder, and yellowfin crostini.
63 Salem St # 1 Boston, MA | (617) 742-3474
Image © Neptune Oyster
No. 9 Park is another in restauranteur Barbara Lynch’s collection of fine dining establishments including Menton and Sportello. The Beacon Hill restaurant’s menu highlights small, beautifully-plated Italian and French dishes with delightfully balanced and surprising accents. Grilled swordfish is served with porcini mushroom, pickled cherries, and terragon crème, while parsnip ravioli is accompanied by brown butter, easter egg radish, and English peas.
9 Park St Boston, MA | (617) 742-9991
If it’s time for a carbohydrate overload, Bar Mezzana is a wise choice. The South End establishment specializes in coastal Italian food with hand-crafted pastas not often seen on menus in the United States—lumache pasta is paired with mushrooms, brown butter, and bacon, while paccheri tube pasta is filled with lobster, scallions, and tomato. While the restaurant area is a bit stuffy, the bar area features craft cocktails and choice small plates in a relaxed environment.
360 Harrison Ave Boston, MA | (617) 530-1770
Ever heard of a macaronerie? No? Meet new arrival Maca, a macaron bakery that opened in Somerville’s Bow Market in early June. The dessert powerhouse features macarons with Pokemon and Hello Kitty designs in novel flavors such as cake batter and salted caramel. Also of note is Unicorn Poop ice cream, a fruity pebble-infused concoction with crushed macarons and swirling rainbows.
1 Bow Market Way, Somerville, MA
Around Town
Hit the Freedom Trail for a quick and dirty tour of the history of the American Revolution. The two-and-a-half-mile expanse features 16 historic sites, including museums, churches, meeting places, and burial sites. “Led by 18th-century costumed Freedom Trail Players, tours feature tales of high treason, mob agitations, revolutionary actions, and partisan fights of the American Revolution. Discover the rich history of the American Revolution, as it began in Boston, where every step tells a story.” Along the way, see the site of the Boston Massacre, the “home of free speech,” or Faneuil Hall, where the Sons of Liberty proclaimed their dissent against British oppression.
44 School Street, Suite 250 Boston, MA 02108 | (617) 357-8300
A public rooftop garden with resplendent views of Cambridge and Charles River is perched atop the Green Garage at Kendall Center—a great spot to enjoy lunch to go from nearby spots such as Clover or Café Luna.
90 Broadway Cambridge, MA | (617) 491-0709
Newbury Street is eight historic blocks of boutiques, restaurants, and retail shops. The historic area was once submerged: “The street's origins begin under water. Until the mid 1800s, the two-mile long stretch of what is now Newbury Street was part of Boston Harbor. Beginning in 1857, the harbor was slowly filled in to become the Back Bay section of the city. The dirt and fill came from neighboring communities and the crests of Boston's once substantially higher hilltops. Walking west, away from the Common, is a walk forward in time.” You’ll find everything from Adidas to Botega Veneta, Timberland, and Tom Ford, as well as Irish bars.
Check out the lush greenery of Boston Commons from the water of the public lagoon from the Swan Boats.
(617) 522-1966
Hotels
Verb is a boutique, “retro vibe” hotel whose rooms feature turntables and rock music-inspired interiors housed in the midcentury modern Fenway Motor Hotel building. Verb’s aesthetic is reminiscent of hipster hotels such as Ace. Grab free breakfast of cereal, muffins, and oatmeal in the lobby, or head to nearby restaurants such as Tasty Burger, Basho, and Thornton’s Grille. Verb is about ¾ mile from The Hynes Center.
1271 Boylston Street Boston, MA 02215 | (617) 566-4500
Verb Hotel Boston © Bon Appetit
For a no-holds-barred splurge on a place to sleep, Mandarin Oriental is a lushly appointed Back Bay neighborhood hotel with both the AAA Five Diamond and the Forbes Five-Star awards. Extra amenities include marble bathrooms, bamboo flooring, silk-lined walls, and even hotel room fireplaces.
776 Boylston Street | (617) 535-8888
Another version of this city guide was originally written for attendees of the CannaCon conference preceding the CannaCon Boston conference in 2018.
