Longtime institutions are closing, but could a new batch be primed to replace them?
FIRST LOOK: HORSE THIEVES TAVERN, DEDHAM
While some places simply say that their takes are inventive or modern and then offer what everyone else is offering, this spot really does have some interesting takes on New England classics.
FIRST LOOK: AVENUE KITCHEN + BAR, SOMERVILLE
Its menu includes mostly new American fare and modern takes on old-fashioned items, including black garlic hummus, maple chili duck wings, roasted beets, beer-steamed mussels, a Cobb salad, burgers, crispy chicken sandwiches, macaroni and cheese, steak frites, and, well, you get the picture.
BLUE HILL METEOROLOGICAL OBSERVATORY: A LANDMARK HIGH ABOVE BOSTON (AND ON THE CITY’S DOORSTEP)
Here you’ll find jaw-dropping views, rugged trails, steep cliffs, bubbling brooks, deep woods, an observation tower with picnic tables at the base, and a weather observatory that’s easily one of the true hidden jewels of the Greater Boston area.
THAI MOON, ARLINGTON
A tiny restaurant with big (and at times extremely spicy) flavors
GTFO: A HIKE THROUGH DORCHESTER, MILTON & MATTAPAN
Now, with several treks along the new part under our belts, it’s time to look at the entire walkway, including this new section, which leads to an area of the city that had traditionally been rarely seen by hikers and walkers.
NOT ALL SHOPPING CENTER RESTAURANTS ARE CREATED EQUAL
This generic retail space just off Route 3 is actually home to a sleek new(ish) restaurant called Precinct 10 that wouldn’t be all that out of place in downtown Boston and is run by a group that also operates a few highly rated dining and drinking spots south of the city.
FAIRMOUNT GRILLE, HYDE PARK
The Fairmount Grille had once been home to a beloved spot called Townsend’s, and while that place was unusual in that it was basically an Irish restaurant with global influences, the Fairmount Grille is probably just a touch more familiar-feeling to most, being a casual upscale bistro of sorts with a mix of classic American, New American, and Mediterranean offerings.
