Casual & Fun Boston Bites
If you’re reading this, congratulations. You’re about to visit one of the coolest, most historic cities in our country.
And if you’re reading this in preparation for a trip around Marathon Monday, then an extra WOO HOO is due.
You have undoubtedly been training for months, if not years, for this one magical day, and I can almost guarantee it will be everything you ever dreamed of, and more.
But with droves of runners and their loved ones flocking to the city at once, it can be hard to know where to go for a bite (that won’t have incredibly long wait times).
So here are a few fun and casual eats we think you’ll enjoy if you want to skip the touristy joints and eat like a local during your time in the town of beans.
That said, we always recommend trying to get a reservation ahead - even when eating off the beaten path.
Passionate about running?
Click through to read stories, musings, and gentle advice on running the mile you’re in from my better half at Running Lightly.
Cicada Coffee Bar
This casual Vietnamese cafe in the heart of Cambridge serves up banh mi, noodle salads, coffee, pastries, and alllll the vibes.
While menu items are subject to change, we were totally obsessed with the complex, fresh and beautiful flavors of the Baked Salmon Black Rice Bowl and Seared Duck Pho Noodle Bowl.
And with a variety of fun and thoughtful indoor AND outdoor seating areas available, you’ll feel like you’re visiting a close friend’s house rather than a restaurant that serves up meals (and moments) you’ll be talking about for years.
Wusong Road
Self-proclaimed the land of rangoons and rum, this might just be THE COOLEST Tiki Bar & Restaurant we’ve ever been to.
Nah, it definitely is.
With something special for everyone, including those of us who long ago ditched the rum (and otherwise).
I highly recommend you order a beverage of some sort, that will surely show up in a fun and flashy glass, making you feel like the cool kid that ordered a Shirley Temple when going out to eat with your parents back in the day.
Then share a small plate, or seven, but whatever you do, make sure to get the Wusong Bao Buns that are lovingly made with a bit of whimsy - though I promise you’ll have a hard time not ordering one of everything on the menu.
Myers + Chang
Myers + Chang holds a special place in our heart from our visit to the Boston Marathon in 2013, so we always knew we’d go back when visiting Boston a decade later.
Serving up Chinese, Tawianese, Korean, and other Asian-inspired flavors in a cool, relaxed environment with an open kitchen (something I always love to see).
We were so obsessed with the Roasted Sweet Potato & Chinese Sausage Fritters that we immediately came home and developed our own recipe for them - not knowing that Myers + Chang has a cookbook available for those of us who want to keep the flavor party rocking after we leave.
Other dishes we loved were the Spicy Green Papaya Salad and the Black Pepper Shanghai Surf + Turf Noodles - though I dream of a day we can sit down with the entire menu.
Beacon Hill Books & Cafe
Even if you don’t duck into the tiny ground floor door to enjoy a treat from their gorgeous Parisian dining room, you still need to make your way to the most beautiful bookstore we’ve ever been to - which says a lot, because if you’ve been here a minute, you know we visit the local bookstores everywhere we go.
With several floors of thoughtful touches and incredible selections, it’ll be difficult to drag yourself out of this wonderful place.
But don’t worry, as Boston’s newest ‘hangout around the corner’ they’ll be there for you to visit again the next day, and the next, aaaand the one after that. Well, except for Mondays - because even the coolest of places need to take a day off, too.
Celeste
Repeatedly named among the best of Boston, this small space in Somerville tickles all the senses with their Peruvian flavors, music and mood.
From ceviches to salads, hearty entrees and potato terrines - I think you’ll struggle to settle on just one dish, which is why we ended up ordering a table full of entrees.
And while I can’t recall exactly what dishes we ordered, I still remember shutting my eyes upon first bite and feeling, well, a little bit of everything.