This round-up of good eats in Boston is a tad more casual compared to the first round. From next-level condiments to out-of-this-world donuts, there's a lot to cover. I wish I could send each of you a sample of all the food I’m about to assault you with, especially the donuts. I think I can say that I ate my way through Boston, at least as much as I could in five days. Tell me in the comments below if I missed one of your favorite spots.
Saus 33 | 33 Union Street
Saus is a small eatery in the North End known for Belgian-style fries and a variety of sauces made in-house. It’s most likely a local favorite. I tried going here three times before I was able to grab a seat. Saus serves “made-from-scratch food with a focus on condiments.” Choose from hand-cut fries to poutine. Grab snacks like Mini Chicken n’ Waffles or Crispy Wild Mushrooms. If you're extra hungry, order a sandwich plus dessert. The poutine in every form comes recommended. I opted for The BBQ One, brioche roll with dry rubbed pork belly, scallion slaw and Sweet Bill’s BBW. I also ordered a side of Hand-Cut Fries with the Bacon Parmesan dipping saus. They feature 13 different saus’ to choose from and I wish I had the time to try them all. Their house-made ketchup is also amazing. A little sweeter and definitely more addictive than the traditional bottled variety.
Tatte Bakery & Cafe | 70 Charles Street
Tatte’s has a few locations, one of which is on Charles Street in the Beacon Hill neighborhood. This popular spot serves everything from your average morning coffee to happy hour specials. Open morning, noon and night, there’s something for everyone on their menu. I visited Tatte Bakery my second day in Boston. It was cold and rainy but I couldn’t help myself. I had to walk around and explore the city. One Belgian Hot Chocolate later and a hearty meatball sub, I was warmed up and fueled for a little more exploring.
Grab a coffee and pastry to go, find a table and work for a while or take a window seat and people watch on Charles Street. Tatte’s is a relaxing, welcoming environment that you don’t want to leave. It makes sense friends like to come here for brunch on the weekends.
Thinking Cup | 236 Hanover Street
A not-so-small coffee shop in the North End, The Thinking Cup is a great spot to start your day. Find both hearty and light breakfast options and delicious coffee. The cappuccino is on point. It’s a great place to grab something on-the-go, meet up with friends or sit down and work. There’s plenty of natural lighting towards the front and as you work your way towards the back of the cafe, the lighting dims. If you’re pulling a tourist day, this is a great location to sit down and plan out your agenda. It’s right in the heart of several historical locations along the Freedom Trail which I will talk about very soon.
Union Square Donuts in Boston Public Market | 100 Hanover Street
Down the street from the Boxer Boston, is a market with a variety of vendors. One of them is Union Square Donuts and each day they bring all the flavor to Hanover Street. Union Square Donuts is a small team of donut magicians out of Somerville, MA that make gourmet donuts from scratch daily. The two beauties pictured below are the Maple Bacon donut and a Glazed Pumpkin (seasonal). I wish I took a photo holding these donuts because they are enormous. They’re also dense so if you buy two, make sure you have someone to share with. The flavor, however, is out of this world. If you have a chance to try Union Square Donuts anywhere in Massachusetts, please do. You will not regret it. Vegan? Not a problem. They also have vegan donuts!
Wahlburgers | various locations
Oh, Wahlburgers. As I was standing in the lobby of The Boxer Boston with my luggage, I realized that the one restaurant I had to visit while in this fabulous city somehow escaped my list. A quick Google search and a lot of luck later, I found out there was a location in Boston Logan Airport. Why Wahlburgers, you ask? Burgers and fries don’t seem particularly exciting. I won’t lie, the celebrity status was a huge reason. My family and I are huge Mark and Donnie Wahlberg fans. Having a young mom growing up, I got to experience the end of NKOTB’s initial run of fame. To that point, I was probably one of the only 4 year-olds that knew the words to “Good Vibrations” which, by the way, came out the year I was born (don’t judge).
I had only anticipated visiting Wahlburgers once but after that first time, I knew I had to return on my layover coming home from DC. Between the two visits, I tried the BBQ Bacon Burger (Donnie’s Fave), Thanksgiving Day Sandwich (Mark’s Fave), Sweet Potato Tots and regular Tater Tots. The BBQ Bacon Burger has white cheddar, bacon, fresh jalapenos, house-made BBQ sauce and avocado spread. This classic barbecue burger was indulgence at it’s best. It was finger lickin’ good. I normally don’t go for bacon on burgers because I feel guilty but this was worth it. The Thanksgiving Day Sandwich features a fresh ground turkey burger, stuffing, mayo, house-made orange-cranberry sauce and roasted butternut squash. It doesn’t sound like it would work but it does. There’s sweet, savory and salty all on a bun, possibly one of the most delightful sandwiches I’ve ever had in my life. I wanted to stop in their original location, but my experience in the airport location was amazing. If you can’t get to the original either, they a few Massachusetts locations as well as six other states. Hopefully a Chicago coming soon?? Please?
