There's no better feeling than falling in love. That happened to me today, and the lucky recipient…read morewas The Bittersweet Shoppe on Newbury Street. I hadn't been back home to Boston since before COVID, and there's something special about rediscovering your hometown while finding a place that instantly feels like it's always belonged in your life. I met owner Tracy, who opened the shop after I'd moved away. She told me how the business evolved through the post-pandemic years until becoming what it is today. She absolutely nailed it. The Bittersweet Shoppe feels like an extension of Tracy herself: warm, welcoming, and full of personality. The café has an almost Harry Potter charm of coziness, complete with what I dubbed the "first date corner," a tucked-away little seating area behind the dessert counter that practically begs for two people to fall in love over dessert and coffee. The menu is something I'd expect to find at a princess/unicorn party, complete with sandwiches, cakes, cookies, pastries, fried dough, specialty drinks...there's so much to choose from that if I came back every day to try something different, I'll still be here through next February. My sister ordered the iced coconut coffee. I went with a peanut butter-drizzled iced coffee that was so sinfully good I may have to stop by confession this weekend. The indoor seating is every bit as charming as the outdoor patio, making it one of those rare places where you genuinely want to linger instead of rushing off to your next stop. I had to fly back to Los Angeles today, but I'll be back home soon. And when I do, I already know where my first date will be.

What a charming place! Ambiance was cute, cozy, and clean…read more The feta and spinach breakfast item was stellar: fresh, flavorful, and baked to the right level of crispiness. Service was friendly and helpful. Would definitely come back!!

I had the Best Start of my Birthday here. The Staff went over and beyond for me to have a great…read moreexperience. S/o to the whole staff plus the two servers in the front & management. S/o to the lady that paid for my meal also!! Food was a 10/10 I will be back! Ambiance is was outstanding .

For nearly $55 for two people I expected better than bad service, pitiful portion sizes, no drinks…read moreand no sides. I am disappointed, from the very start to the end my experience was quite bad. The kitchen did not allow a bread substitution for the sandwich we ordered, they did not do waffles at this location either, and when we got our food the portion sizes were very small. The salmon was very overpriced for how much they offered; $27 for a piece of salmon only a few inches across was insulting, but apparently that is just how it is served there (picture below, you can see the pieces of broccoli are almost as big as the fish!) The other dish we got was the chicken sandwich, which is cut into two halves. The first half was normal but there was basically no chicken on the second half of the sandwich, it was essentially all bread. We brought it up to a manager and they got us a new piece of chicken, which fit entirely alongside the old piece of chicken on the bun because it was so small. On top of that we had to wait around nearly half an hour after finishing and had to flag down a waiter to get our check and go. The service overall was very slow. I will never come back to this restaurant.

Still amazing breakfasts! Loved my custom, beet celery, carrot juice…read more What I love about this place and it still chilled and people are friendly and they do an amazing job. I can't complain. Food is fabulous. Love that it hasn't changed over the years.

After all my visits to Boston, I finally made it to Trident Booksellers & Café. Since the…read moremonsoon-like rains of the previous day ended, this was a perfect sunny day to take a short walk to Newbury Street. The ordering and payment all go through the Toast app, accessible with the menu included on the QR codes on each numbered table. EASY! And DELICIOUS. I had the chicken salad wrap, and my son enjoyed the tuna melt. After this great lunch, we ambled through the well-stocked bookstore, admiring the variety of choices. What a find!

Love Love Love this…read moreplace!! Have been here a bunch and every meal is fantastic, such a nice date night kind of vibe and the staff are always so friendly

I wish I took more photos but wow the food was amazing!!!…read more The drinks were top tier, and well crafted. We started with a dozen oysters for an appetizer. The whole menu is tapas style so definitely order a couple and try it all. We got the fried chicken thighs, the steak frites, and the AMAZING honey biscuits. Honestly I wish we tried more so we will definitely be back. It was kind of loud, and not shocking for Boston, but kind of tight. The only thing I have to say is that the bartender wasn't that attentive.

Caffe Bene's caramel latte was my favorite coffee drink in undergrad, and I have yet to find…read moreanything that beats it where I live now. So the last two summers when I've spent two weeks in Cambridge for my master's degree program, it's well worth the 40 minute public transportation journey to spend a few hours of the afternoon here. It's hard to describe what's so special about my favorite caramel latte - it's more so that it doesn't have any bad qualities. It's strong, but it's not "too" anything - too milky, too bitter, too sweet, too cocoay. It also makes me feel good. I don't even consider myself a coffee snob (though I do think I'm attuning more to the variety of qualities in recent years); I'll drink and enjoy most caffeinated beverages. This one is just really good. I stayed to read for a while since it's such a nice space, and tried a matcha latte which similarly wasn't "too" anything. These drinks are both 10/10 - maybe not universally, like I'm not saying they're objectively the best coffee and matcha ever, they're just balanced so perfectly for my tastes. The lids on the hot drinks with a convenient little mouth tube also made me realize that we've been settling for imperfect drink lid mouth holes our entire lives. Anyway it's really lovely here!

Caffe Bene is a Korean cafe chain that has found its niche in Boston as one of the better late…read morenight options in a city that does not offer many after dark. The location near Northeastern and Symphony Hall gives it a built in audience of students and concertgoers, and the spacious hardwood interior handles both crowds comfortably without ever feeling chaotic despite the energy that tends to fill it on a busy evening. The drinks are the main reason to come, and the specialty lattes are where the menu shines. We tried the strawberry latte and the misutgaru latte, both of which lean closer to dessert drinks than traditional coffee preparations, thick and satisfying in a way that works well for a late night treat. The bingsu is the food item worth ordering, and the green tea and red bean versions are both well executed in a way that the rest of the food side does not always match. The macarons are a solid accompaniment, crispy on the outside with a lightly gooey center that lands where it should. Service is friendly and efficient, handling the steady flow of customers without delays even when the cafe is full. The space remains comfortable throughout, with plenty of seating and a relaxed energy that makes it easy to settle in for an extended visit. Beyond the drinks and bingsu, the food menu is uneven, and some of the pastries feel more convenient than considered. Sticking to the specialty lattes and the bingsu is the smarter approach. For a late night cafe stop in Boston that reliably delivers on atmosphere and a few standout items, Caffe Bene fills a gap that few other spots in the city address.

Saltie Girl was hands down my favorite meal in all of Boston during our weekend trip. the pricing…read moreis very reasonable and options for oysters are plenty. lobster roll was around $45, so pretty average for other places we went to but wow the portion was so big and the lobster was delicious. the star of the show was the clam chowder! that was the BEST clam chowder I've had in my life. I still think about it and wish I could ship it hahaha. service was also stellar. the fish and chips was just a tad undercooked (not their fault, it was a huge piece of fish!) and our waitress was so accommodating to replace the whole plate quickly and apologize for the inconvenience. she also gave us some great recommendations for local bars to check out after our meal. every time I'm back in Boston I'm definitely coming back to Saltie Girl!

Unfortunately, this was a disappointing experience. I made a reservation 30 days in advance to…read morecelebrate my engagement with my mother-in-law, so I was expecting a more memorable evening. Instead, we were seated in the bar area, which had a loud, club-like atmosphere and didn't feel like the right setting for a special occasion. The service also fell short. It was quite slow, a few of our items were forgotten, and our second glass of wine was served warm. The food itself was good, but considering the price point, I think there are plenty of other restaurants that offer equally good--or better--food with more attentive service and a more upscale dining experience. Overall, it just didn't feel worth the cost, especially for a celebration.

Rule #1: Never say no to bread. This time, I didn't even get the chance - it just showed up. As it…read moreshould. Started with the charcuterie board, and that first combo of cheese + jam + warm bread - one of those ratatouille moments. Simple, but exactly right. Then the salad - a little sweetness from the pecans, and somehow going back and forth between that and the charcuterie felt like the right strategy. Service was super solid and attentive without hovering, always around when you needed something. Ordered a Kronenbourg 1664 mid-meal - crisp, slightly sweet, easy to keep sipping. Then the seared salmon came out, topped with shrimp. More seafood with my seafood? Absolutely. Left completely full, finishing off the extra jam as a low-effort dessert. Could've ordered something sweet, but sometimes it's better to switch locations and convince yourself you're being active on the way to the next spot. indoor = warm and cozy outside = sun and dogs

Finally went here for brunch/lunch after walking past it all the time since they opened!…read more Really cute place, feels warm and cozy especially on a sunny but cold windy spring day! Very charming interior with the plants and comfy seating along the wall and the lighting. They are walk in only and do not take reservations so be prepared for a wait. We got there around 1pm on Sunday afternoon and it was full - they said it would be a 1 hour wait. So we put our name down and were just waiting for another friend and standing in the tiny vestibule- and then surprisingly after about 10 minutes were told that 4 spots cleared at the bar!! I ordered the Mamas breakfast- scrambled eggs, toast, no bacon, salad. The eggs were soft and rich cooked in butter no doubt. I asked for jam for my toast and it was a fresh chunky strawberry jam - went great with the buttered toast. Hubs and a friend both got the smoked salmon - seemed a bit light - so I shared my eggs with hubs. Other friend got the eggs Benedict which looked amazing and he really enjoyed it too. They also ordered mimosas - how that comes is they serve a bottle of the alcohol (if you order a bottle that is) and a carafe of the orange juice. Hubs ordered a Ferrero Rocher-tini- which is listed under the Grown Up Coffee section in the drinks menu - it was very decadent! We had a nice leisurely brunch and pretty much closed the place down as they close at 3pm. Got some pics of the place empty too! Service was friendly. Overall a great experience- will be back for another meal for sure!

I love this place and the Back Bay location is special. The atmosphere is old school diner meets…read morevibrant colorful food haven. The staff at every location are friendly (shocking...I know) but these Back Bay servers don't mess around. They get you in fed and out all without ever feeling rushed. Definitely recommend the NH egg scramble - so good, but you really can't go wrong on the menu.

We wanted breakfast and were looking for a place with some healthy options. The Friendly Toast was…read morea short walk from the Back Bay train station and a popular place even though we walked past other breakfast places closer to the station and it was 10 am on a weekday. The service was helpful and friendly. The dining room is eclectic and colorful. I ordered and Lox and Loaded. It was two bagel halves. One topped with cream cheese, lox and pickled onions and the other topped with smashed avocado, roasted tomatoes, cucumber and a fried egg. The dish was served with a small salad dressed with a vinaigrette. We thought the price was really reasonable given the quality of the food. We'd recommend The Friendly Toast to anyone.