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Some of Boston's hidden gems
By adamg on Tue, 11/18/2014 - 10:00pm
Students in Dan Kennedy's digital-journalism class at Northeastern have been roaming the city looking for some cool places to "eat, drink and make merry" that you might not otherwise know about.
Neighborhoods:
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Comments
Mel's
Although I've never actually been in Mel's Diner, I used to go by it on the bus when I worked in South Boston and I always liked the "Googie" style boomerang sign. There's not much of that type of signage or architecture around anymore.
Perhaps You Meant Muls?
Why we all appreciate late 1970's single camera comedies based in Phoenix, the place at the corner of A and West Broadway is not Mel's.
Settle down
Why* not while * can't we a lll get along?
Typos happen
Muls. Best Breakfast in Southie.
I used to eat there every Sunday. Moved out years ago but still visit the place when I can.
Galley Diner
blows Mul's out of the water....
Mul's
Not Mel's
Santarpio's Pizza?!! - It's Such An Awful Tourist Trap!
Wrong. Try it again,
First time I went there, I was like "So what was with all the fuss about this place anyway?". I just ordered a pepperoni pizza and thought it was nothing special.
Second time I was dragged there after arriving back in Logan hungry and too late to get something elsewhere.
I ordered another pepperoni pizza and a couple of friends ordered the garlic pizza. When the food arrived, I decided to give the garlic a try. And then it happened.
I am not kidding when I say the clouds parted and angels descended, singing beautifully. That Garlic Pizza is the best damn pizza I have ever had. Period!
I became a believer on the spot.
Its the only thing I order when I go there.
Give it a second try.
Try the lamb, son.
Try the lamb, son.
Been there lately?
My last pizza there, in the summer, was so awful that it became my Last Pizza. It was tasteless and the crust was particularly bad. The previously-adored sausage was nothing to get excited about, either. Somebody, please, tell me it was a fluke. On a Saturday night.
I wouldn't say a single one of these places was "hidden" unless you've lived here less than a couple of years. As far as "hidden," there was Bricco's bakery, off Hanover, but that's got more signage now.
They come to East Boston
And Santarpios is the best "hidden" gem they can come up with?
You missed Roy's, Dough, KO, and Royal Roast Beef. Could also take a trip up 1A to Frank's Suffolk Diner-though it's technically Revere.
If you're going to go to Eastie..
Cancun, Cactus Grill, and Oliveiras .. not to mentioned Tu Metapan and Rincon Limeno ...
I wouldn't call those "hidden" gems either
Even though they're "all the way" out here, they're still pretty prominent in the area. I left out Rino's for the same reason.
Eastie...
Betty Ann donuts!
D'Amelio's, Rincon Limeno,
D'Amelio's, Rincon Limeno, Taqueria Jalisco, Cafe Gigu, etc.
And you have to laugh at Santarpio's being called a "tourist trap". Sure, you get a handful of people en route to/from the airport, but Chelsea Street isn't exactly tourist central. Not hidden, either, but that's besides the point.
To those saying it's overrated, sure, my first time there I thought the same thing. It was an off day, and it's been great nearly every other time I've been. Hell, I've had burned pizza and a waitress missing half our order at Regina (maybe it was completely burned and there was no trace of it left to be placed on our table). If you want consistency, go to a chain.
Santarpio's
Been there twice, never saw any sign of it being inuindated by "tourists".
Island Creek?
I really enjoy ICOB but it's as far from a hidden gem as you can get.
Harvey's on Washington street
Harvey's on Washington street at Mass ave still there ?
It's kind of a sad list
Nothing of note in Roxbury (technically Haley House but I'm sure South End'ers will claim it), Dorchester, Roslindale, West Roxbury or Mattapan? How much investigating did the class really do then?
My thoughts exactly
A few got further away from campus than a casual walk, but man, most of them <shakes head>. Boston is so very much more than the area around Back Bay, and filled with so many different neighborhoods. A missed opportunity.
But it's hard to get the current crop of collegians to push outside their zone of comfort. There's a lot that I admire about the millenials, but as a group they are definitely not what I would call adventurous. I'm a alum of an independent MIT living group located in the Back Bay and I am amazed at how much effort it takes to get the current crop of undergrads to poke around the city even a few blocks outside the corridor between the house and campus.
Haley House
This location is Roxbury by any definition, historical or modern. Discover Roxbury often holds or promotes events there.
Thmor Da- Cambodian in Revere
Thmor Da- Cambodian in Revere
Pleasant Cafe - Pizza in Roslindale
Dosa and Curry - South Indian in Union Sq Somerville
Alex's Chimis - Dominican Rotisserie Chicken in JP
Istanbul'lu - Turkish in Teele Sq Somerville
The Only One - Dorchester
The Only One - Dorchester
Brother's - Mattapan
Izzy's - Cambridge
Dimitrio's - Cambridge
Coast Cafe - Cambridge
Explanation
Greetings from a member of this class. And no, not a millennial. In fact, pretty far from the case. But that matters not.
Our assignment was simply to find a place we could write about, get some basic facts, take some photos, speak with someone where we went, and then in class we mapped it.
In fact, the purpose of this assignment was not to do any "investigating" or even unearth places others wouldn't find.
The title of "Hidden Gems" is unfortunate, because I agree, they're not hidden. But rather, Dan was teaching about mapping and how it can be used to help tell a story.
Now, go back to bashing what we did as a class.