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The joy of solitary dining

By adamg on Wed, 02/22/2017 - 10:33am

Candelaria Silva has long enjoyed being able to sit alone at a restaurant, with just her thoughts, her food and, often, a good book:

Two other favorites were in Harvard Square - Hong Kong Restaurant - the Chinese food there was very different from what I’d had in my home town of St. Louis - and Wursthaus, a German restaurant. I can’t remember what I ate there but I remember it was delicious and I was thrilled with the feeling of seclusion I had while there.

Neighborhoods: 
Cambridge
Harvard Square
Topics: 
Dining


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Comments

By capecoddah on Wed, 02/22/2017 - 10:52am.

I always wanted to take a date to Wursthaus just like Mark Ratner in Fast Times. I always seemed to be on a Haagen Daaz budget for nights out in the 80s, though. My fake ID worked well enough at Catch a Rising Star, so I figure I could have amassed a few drunken Wursthaus tales had my financial state been different back in the olden days.

By Saddlebrook7 on Wed, 02/22/2017 - 10:58am.

Perhaps the place improved subsequently, but during the 70's the only good thing about the Worst House was the selection of German and Austrian beers.

By anon on Wed, 02/22/2017 - 11:05am.

Too many people do not recognize the pleasures of solitary dining, and, it goes without saying, most restaurants do not welcome it.

By Cranky on Wed, 02/22/2017 - 1:28pm.

I have to disagree about restaurants not welcoming solo diners. I've been to restaurants at all price points & can't remember ever being made to feel unwelcome. Solo diners usually are in and out faster than 2+ people, so why wouldn't restaurants want them?
Maybe it's just me...

By anon on Wed, 02/22/2017 - 3:33pm.

Staff will generally treat you like royalty if you dine alone around here. They know that you appreciate the attention and WILL reward good service.

By lbb on Wed, 02/22/2017 - 1:37pm.

A lot of restaurants have food service at the bar - it's a good option if you're dining solo.

By anon on Wed, 02/22/2017 - 1:53pm.

Maybe a few have acted weird about it, but that's it. I generally prefer a table over bar seating, though it also depends on the restaurant.

By karenz on Wed, 02/22/2017 - 7:40pm.

I was once dining alone and reading on my iPad using the restaurant's free wifi. It was a family restaurant in Eastie and there were plenty of open tables. The owner came out and literally growled at me for using the wifi, like I was tainting his family restaurant atmosphere with work. I never went back.

By anon on Wed, 02/22/2017 - 12:17pm.

Deli Haus in Kenmore Square!!! Where Mr. Butch would frequent as well!

By Steeve on Wed, 02/22/2017 - 1:16pm.

Scorpion bowls for one!

Always sad when you see someone eating alone, though.

By mg on Wed, 02/22/2017 - 2:43pm.

I discovered this pleasure when I was in college and lived across from a long-gone Indian restaurant on Mass. Ave. I loved bringing a book and enjoying my quiet time.

One thing I appreciated about my ex- was that he, too, enjoyed that experience. We had some lovely dinners sitting there reading until the food came, then being social once our hands were occupied. :)

By lbb on Thu, 02/23/2017 - 9:13am.

I loved bringing a book and enjoying my quiet time.

See, this is how you know you're a grownup with a job and a life and really quite enough people up in your face: your idea of heaven is an hour or two to just sit somewhere with some decent food and some drinks and read a book.

By Irma la Douce on Thu, 02/23/2017 - 4:14pm.

your idea of heaven is an hour or two to just sit somewhere with some decent food and some drinks and read a book.

So, I've been a grownup since the age of 9 ;)

By lbb on Thu, 02/23/2017 - 4:35pm.

So, I've been a grownup since the age of 9 ;)

...are late bloomers ;-)

By MC Slim JB on Wed, 02/22/2017 - 4:24pm.

about why dining at the bar is better than in the dining room: http://mcslimjb.blogspot.com/2010/01/from-archives-five-reasons-to-dine-...

A chunk of it is devoted to the notion that it's more fun to be at the bar when dining solo, though lady friends have since pointed out that mine is a man's point of view. Women dining alone at a bar often attract unwanted attention from dudes who assume they're looking to get picked up.

By Carole on Tue, 02/28/2017 - 9:48am.

I look forward to dining alone every once in awhile, and catching up on my reading, people watching, with minimum interruption...my meal is HOT and delish, not cold and unsatisfying!