pavement coffeehouse

 the chia (vegan tofu cream cheese, avocado spread, swiss cheese, sprouts, lettuce, tomato) + multigrain bagel

 the awakening (eggs, caramelized onions, arugula, sun-dried tomato pesto, feta) + rustic bread

harvest root (homemade hummus, feta, beets, carrots, greens) + seven grain bread

vegan raisin scone

cafe view from my window seat

VENUE //   The largest of the Pavement Boston locations, the Fenway location is by far my favorite Pavement location and my favorite coffee spot in Boston.  I would say I come here at least once a weekend for a nice, cold iced latte and some "me" time.  Located right in the heart of Northeastern University on the other side of Mass Ave., Pavement is my little escape from the hustle and bustle of Back Bay.  Unlike the smaller Newbury and Bolyston locations, the Fenway location is spacious, and I have always been able to grab a small table or seat at the window (knock on wood!).  In terms of decor, I would say Pavement looks like your typical neighborhood, hipster coffee shop and even features artwork from local artists!

DRINK //   Not only does Pavement serve a great iced latte (basically the only coffee drink I order), they serve a variety of other homemade specialties in the summer, ranging from vanilla cream cold brew to spicy ginger ale.  I haven't been as adventurous to try all of their new drinks, but am a huge fan of ginger so really like their spicy ginger ale.

FOOD //   The food here is so darn good, that I sometimes just come here for their sandwiches ($6-7).  Pavement is one of the few places in the area to serve healthy, vegan dishes, and one of the only places in Back Bay where I've seen tempeh on the menu.  So far, I've tried the gatherer, the chia, and the harvest root and am a fan of all three.  I would have to say that my favorite sandwich though is the chia -- such a simple, classic dish that is done right.  My favorite item here though is definitely the vegan tofu cream cheese.  My god.  I'm not sure what's in here aside from the tofu and some shredded veggies, but it is fabulous.  

SERVICE //   Don't have too much to say in terms of service given the counter service nature of the business, but will say that the cashiers are always super friendly!

FUN FACT //   Abundance of outlets + wifi (though not sure how much it costs) + great coffee + healthy food makes this place a student's or in my case a yuppie's dream study spot

DINING TIP //   I like the vegan tofu cream cheese here so much that I've actually just purchased some on its own to have at home.  It's around a buck fifty for a small plastic container's worth 

DRINK TIP //   If you're feeling a bit more adventurous, try the new summer menu items to spice up your day!

Pavement Coffeehouse 

44 Gainsborough Street

website

the hawthorne

hers:  off the menu raspberry + gin cocktail

 hers:  off the menu blueberry + ginger + gin cocktail

bar eats:  ricotta dip + veggies + chips

 bar eats:  spinach dip + veggies + chips

VENUE //   Tucked away in the basement of the Hotel Commonwealth without any proper signage, the Hawthorne is a true hidden gem.  Not only are the food and drinks on point, the venue is a definite A+.  Given the location of the Hawthorne, I was expecting a dark and stuffy basement bar, but was completely wrong.  The venue is just big enough so that you're not elbow to elbow with your neighbor and provides a lot of seating (small round tables with plush high armchairs, bar seats) and standing room.  Moreover, the white marble bar, white tiled floors, and white washed walls all contribute to the clean, open atmosphere of this elegant hotel bar.

DRINK //   My boyfriend and I decided to take two seats at the bar and ordered two drinks a piece and a few bar bites.  Although the cocktail menu had a number of great offerings, I didn't see anything that really caught my eye (read: nothing super fruity or sweet).  So I asked the bartender if there was something he could recommend, and he happened to make me two off the menu drinks using fresh fruits he had happened to have on hand.  My first raspberry + gin drink was the perfect balance of sweet + fruity, and my second ginger drink had just the amount of spice I was looking for.  

FOOD //   I always get a bad case of the munchies when I drink, and luckily for me, the Hawthorne offers some great bar bites.  For $4 a piece, you can satisfy your late night bar food craving with some creamy spinach and ricotta dips.  Accompanied by fresh cut veggies (long stemmed assorted carrots, radishes, and cucumbers) and fresh hot tortilla chips, these dips are definitely a great bargain!  Unfortunately, I thought that the ricotta dip was pretty mediocre but devoured the spinach dip which was absolutely divine.

SERVICE //   5 stars for the bartender for recommending two great cocktails.

FUN FACT //   The Hawthorne is sandwiched between two great restaurants, Island Creek Oyster Bar and Eastern Standard (read:  start your night off at the Hawthorne for drinks and grab dinner at either place next door)

DINING TIP //   Bar bites offer the perfect before dinner or after drinks filler.  Also, if the bar offers a small or large portion, shoot for the smaller option -- it is usually not that much smaller and is the better portion size to complement your drinks

DRINK TIP //   If you don't see something on the menu that strikes your fancy, don't hesitate to ask the bartender for something more specific that you are in the mood for.  Sometimes he may suggest something off the menu that incorporates fresh ingredients 

Overall, I would have to say that as of right now, Hawthorne > Clio > Drink > Ostra


The Hawthorne
500 A Commonwealth Avenue
website

asta

beef tartar

oyster soup

mussels + potatoes + squid ink

fiddleheads

fish + charred greens

escargot 

charred greens + tahini dressing

 scallops + miso sesame dollop

venison

sweetbreads + charred romaine 

 asparagus salad

The old adage "never judge a book by its cover" could not ring truer for Asta, a fine dining restaurant nestled between an old run down corner convenient store and vacant Indian restaurant on Mass Ave.  In a prior life, Asta was home to a late night MIT pizza joint that my boyfriend had frequented on many a nights, and he was more than surprised when he walked in to see that his favorite late night spot had been beautifully transformed into what is today Asta.

Unlike some of the stuffier restaurants that dot Back Bay, Asta binds together elements of old school European with a modern flair.  Exposed brick balls, wooden benches and fur seat cushions provide a nice contrast to the crisp, white, modern kitchen that fills out the entire back wall of the restaurant.  The kitchen is definitely the focal point of the restaurant, and everything seems to center around this well-oiled machine that produces some of the best dishes I have yet to try. 

My boyfriend and I started our meal off with complimentary glasses of sparkling wine (definitely a plus in my book) and opted for the 5 and 8 course tasting menus.  Unlike most tasting menu restaurants, Asta gives tables the freedom to mix and match tasting menus (tip: mix and match to up the variety dial).  I wish I had taken a picture of the menu because you can't find one online given that Asta's menu is constantly changing based on what is in season or what is fresh that week! 

I'm not even going to attempt to recall everything we ate that night but will say that all the dishes were incredibly creative and innovative.  Chef Alex Crabb experiments with flavor pairings that I could not even fathom and executes each dish to absolute perfection.  Our favorite dishes from this meal were the oyster soup (second row, third picture), asparagus salad (third row, third picture), and scallop (first row, third picture).  The big surprises of the night for me were the asparagus salad which I didn't think I would enjoy as much and the cereal dessert which is definitely one of a kind.  With an everchanging menu, Asta can become a fan favorite that you can visit over and over again.

FUN FACT //  Asta stands for Alex and Shish Tasting Adventures (the names of the two founding partners)

DINING TIP //  If you can, opt for more than one type of tasting menu so that you and your friend(s) can try different dishes

DRINK TIP //  If the restaurant has an in-house sommelier, don't be shy about asking for recommendations and a tasting

Asta
47 Massachusetts Avenue
website