NORTH END
Open just under a month, the North End's new Vito's Tavern is doing great business. Offering up a different experience in an otherwise Italian-American cuisine dominated area, Vito's is attracting locals and tourists alike seeking something a bit more daring than Eggplant Parmesan and Minestrone. The atmosphere is sleek and the eclectic menu is an international smorgasbord of bar food with something for everyone, from guacomole to Nicoise.
Somewhat of an accident, a tavern it almost wasn't. Owner Damien DiPaola (also of Ristorante Damiano) had originally planned on opening a burrito shop, cutely named, Vito's Burritos, when he couldn't find a space small enough, he opted for a more sports lounge-esque restaurant with an expansive menu. In an attempt to break away from all the pizza and pasta in the area, he decided to create a menu boasting homemade, multi-ethnic, comfort food. Think Korean pork tacos, kimchi quesadillas, gorgonzola hot wings, burgers, burritos, and macaroni and cheese with a buttered Ritz cracker topping. And that's just a glimpse into the countless options.
Ensconced between pastry shops, cafès and cobblestone streets rests the North Street Grille, the morning destination for ravenous crowds craving a taste of blissful brunch. With a line as long as a shoelace meandering the block in the early and mid-hours of the weekend, the Grille is a brunch landmark in the Italian district of Boston.
Between 8am and 3pm on Saturdays and Sundays, the Grille offers diners what can only be sufficiently described as "The Brunch Bible:" a three-page menu, laden with seven kinds of french toast ("Chocolate Fantasy," "Honey Crunch, "Stuffed Banana" to name a few) and "Make-your-own-omelettes," with a choice of 14 ingredients. For deal-seekers with an insatiable appetite, a seven-tiered prix fixe menu is provided that includes eggs, home fries, toast, one slice of french toast, fruit, unlimited coffee and orange juice; all for $16!
1. Charles River Esplanade
Ask any Bostonian where the most beautiful spot in the city lies and for most, it will be a no-brainer. The Esplanade is their oasis. Join the city goers as they flock down to the water to breathe in fresh gusts off the Charles and enjoy a surplus of striking views.
2. Rose Kennedy Greenway
Built in 2008, this hunk of green stretches for close to a mile through the center of downtown, so there’s plenty of room to sprawl out and gaze at the buildings towering above. And with easy access to some of Boston's best bites, it couldn't be more perfect. Make sure to treat yourself to Mike’s Pastry, Pizzeria Regina or Clover Food Truck while you're in their hood.
Neptune Oyster
63 Salem Street
Boston, MA 02113-2273
(617) 742-3474
www.neptuneoyster.com
Walking through the door of
Neptune Oyster is a noticeable and welcome departure from its
marinara-laden neighborhood. The space is sleek and small with only 18
bar seats, and a banquette of tables which seat a total of 26. Sitting
at the bar, you are faced with an almost library-like display of wines,
and overhead is a large mirror boasting the daily raw bar offerings. A
small blackboard advertises the daily special, and on the day I
happened to be there, an expertly drawn fish courtesy of owner Jeff
Nace's daughter. Pearly white tiles cover the walls, and above the
banquette tables hang three more mirrors displaying the daily
selections of wines, bellini, and crudo.
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