Boston is far from the city that never sleeps. But there are plenty of places you can go for a meal after midnight on the weekend. And it doesn’t have to be a sub shop either. Here’s a sampling of selections throughout the city and surrounding neighborhoods to fit all price ranges, dress codes, tastes and budgets. Let us know your favorite!

Allston/Brighton

Azama (2:00) – Allston – Egyptian fare with raved about Shawarma, Egyptian Fries and Baklawa. Cheap and tasty.

Kelly’s Roast Beef (2:00) – Allston – Warm roast beef sandwiches with your pick of toppings/sauces or fried seafood. Nothing fancy but affordable, friendly and perfect for the munchies when the bar kicks you out.

Roxy’s Gourmet Grilled Cheese Truck (2:00) – Cleveland Circle in Brighton – Parked to serve you fantastical grilled cheese concoctions – such as the Green Muenster – at all hours for takeaway.

Sunset Grill & Tap (1:00) – Allston – Yummy nachos, Mexican, BBQ, Burgers and Peanut Butter sandwiches along with a gazillion different beers to wash it all down.

Boston Back Bay

Back Bay Social Club (1:30) – Tantalizing burgers but also higher end dining options with the price tag. Real food, real late such as pumpkin ravioli appetizers, seafood, steak, decadent chocolate cake.

Boloco Berklee (2:00) – Goloco at Boloco. Creative ingredients that you customize to build your own burrito.

Brasserie Jo (1:30) – Bar menu offers selected French cuisine at petite portions including scallops and glazed pork. There are also fondue options for folks who like to play with their food.

Read More »

Since returning from Europe, I’ve made my way to several old favorite chains and restaurants across the U.S.  Some are as good as I remember.  Others, well, not so much.  And a few?  Ugh.  I have no idea what I saw in them in the first place.

I’ve now been back three months.  It was time to hit Denny’s.

I’m not one of those Denny’s aficionados–you know, the guys who go on and on about the Grand Slam breakfast and how no other restaurant has an egg-based dish that comes close.  But I do remember the dineresque chain fondly from my college days, where I could get a filling meal for less than $8 and then remain in my booth studying for the rest of the day, my Coke glass never going unfilled.

Read More »

I’m probably dating myself here, but the first time I was in London, I considered a visit to Hard Rock Cafe on par with the other tourist attractions like the Changing of the Guard at Buckingham Palace or climbing to the top of St. Paul’s Cathedral.

The story of how two homesick American boys opened a restaurant devoted to the cheeseburgers they craved and wound up with Eric Clapton’s Red Fender Lead II guitar and the international limelight fascinates me as much as the stories of beheadings at The Tower.

Unfortunately, my husband’s business meetings in Basingstoke ran over the night we’d planned dinner at at this American icon in London, so I hung out in Picadilly Circus for hours, torturing myself with thoughts of eating at nearly every restaurant I saw. But the aura of the original Hard Rock was strong enough I hung in there until my other half rolled in on his train and we could fly over to Park Lane on the Tube. The restaurant was nearing closing time, and we had a fabulous burger, fries and chocolate shake in the corner of a nearly deserted dining room, all on the company tab.

Big thumbs up for the experience — and the bear I collected from the gift shop.

Read More »

Say what you will about this place but Curly’s Coffee Shop in North Beach holds a special place in my heart. First of all, I have always loved their classic American breakfasts with a Japanese twist. I used to walk over from Sunday services at Sts. Peter and Paul Church at Washington Square Park, often getting their french toast almost every week.

Secondly, I appreciate any cafe that can stick around this long in San Francisco without going under financially or being closed by the Health Department. And thirdly, I think they also kind of kick *ss for being such a long time North Beach “non-pasta related” merchant in a sea of excellent Italian cafes and restaurants. I mean, I think I have followed them around to at least three different addresses in a two-block radius of Columbus Avenue.

Today was a nice reminder that though I can’t walk here for breakfast anymore, I can still drive over and enjoy classic menu items like the french toast or one of their delicious omelettes!

Read More »