Downtown Boston
Whenever I go to the Wang, Wilbur, Opera House or any event space downtown, I’m always so stumped as to where to eat and grab a drink before the show. I don’t know why - there are plentyyy of options. But I always struggle to pick a spot. Usually I want it to be a bit nicer than your typical bar or pub, but not so nice that it’s super busy and jam packed. I also want the restaurant/bar to be within walking distance to the event space but near parking for my friends who are driving into the city for the evening. So many factors!
Here are some of the places I’ve been in the last few months before going to see shows at various venues downtown:
Contessa.
This is a great option because it’s located so close to the Public Garden and you can easily walk through it and the Common to whatever theatre or event space is your destination downtown.
Long Bar & Terrace at Raffles Hotel.
This is one of my new favorites. It’s on the rooftop of the Raffles hotel. You’ve probably seen the buzz about it on IG and the experience held up to it, tbh. It was the perfect spot for a glass of wine or two, some bar snacks, and a great meal. It was a 10-15 minute walk from Long Bar to the Royale.
Lolita.
This Mexican spot in Back Bay has been around forever but I tried it for the first time recently and loved it! Spoiler alert: they give you cotton candy with your check! I feel like more people should be talking about that. We had a great meal and easily walked 10-15 minutes to the Boston Opera House.
Democracy Brewing
I’ll be honest I had no idea this brewery existed! And full disclosure, we didn’t eat but the menu looked great and the beer selection definitely was too. The peach cider was yummy. This spot is right on Temple Pl so it couldn’t be closer to literally all of the event venues downtown.
I hope these suggestions help you the next time you go see your favorite artist, comedian, or maybe the Boston ballet (highly recommend, btw). Downtown Boston can be intimidating so hopefully this helps you narrow down your options!
