Beacon Light Tavern

In Boston, a sunny day is not complete without a delicious meal or cocktail on the patio. Of course, man’s best friend loves the warm weather as well, but not every place allows pooches to hang out with the patrons. Here are three spots that have their welcome mats and doggie treats ready to go. The Terrace at Tamo Bistro & Bar | 1 Seaport Ln. All summer long, the Seaport Hotel’s Tamo Terrace welcomes furry friends for Cocktails and Canines, held on Wednesdays through August from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. They roll out the red carpet with plenty of fresh and organic dog treats, plus a delightful selection of human-only cocktails. The Yard at the Liberty Hotel | 215 Charles St. The Yard at the Liberty Hotel hosts Yappier Hour every Wednesday night from April through October. From 5:30 p.m. to 8 p.m., enjoy a cocktail from the full bar while your dog sips a pup-tini. A snack menu from Clink seals the deal, though the comfy couches certainly don’t hurt. Flour Bakery + Cafe | 1595 Washington St. Of course, it’s easy enough to create your own puppy picnic by taking advantage of the patio spaces all around Boston. Start the day off right with a latte and a sticky bun at the South End location of Flour, where dogs can sun out on the patio. Still hungry? Check out Groupon’s latest deals on restaurants in Boston.

Trade, a restaurant from Chef Jody Adams of Rialto fame, is my one of my favorite restaurants in Boston, and a place I find myself again and again. Living in the Leather District, it is also luckily (and dangerously!) close to home, and when we get home to find the fridge bare we often take the short walk to Congress Street. Because we have tried the menu so many times, I’d like to share some of what I’ve found to be the best dishes on the menu. The space, by Fort Point Channel at the intersection of Congress Street and Atlantic Avenue, is airy and industrial, with lots of warm wood and exposed brick. The long bar area is a favorite of the after-work crowd, and is often filled with people from downtown looking for a drink before heading home. And with good reason: the drinks are delicious, especially their gingery cockney mule. As great as the bar scene is, it is so worthwhile to stay for dinner. The menu is served in the bar area as well as a more formal seating area at the front of the restaurant. While there are larger entrees on the menu (between $22 and $28), sharing the small plates ($7 to $15 each) is a delicious way to try several dishes. In line with the aim of using fresh local ingredients, the menu shifts with the seasons to feature the best produce available. There is always a crudo, and it has been delicious every time I have tried it. One memorable version featured fluke in a delicate coconut broth. The current menu includes a tuna crudo with wasabi, radish, chilli, and yuzu – yum! A perennial favorite of mine and a constant on the menu is the black bean enchilada with Taza mole, cabbage, and avocado. It is cooked in a small cast iron skillet in the huge pizza oven, which also crisps up several varieties of flatbreads. Another favorite is the crispy potatoes with paprika and cumin, simple but oh-so satisfying. Vegetables really shine, including avocado served with an addictive green mango-tamarind-peanut chutney, Brussels sprouts with harissa and dukkah, and gingered beets in a grainy mustard vinagrette. The menu often features burrata, a fresh cheese made from mozzarella and cream. A version we tried recently paired a zingy quince jam and toasted nuts with the rich cheese, for a perfect decadent forkful. While there are several interesting deserts on the menu, we always come back to the baked Alaska. The flavor of ice cream or sorbet changes with the seasons, but the meringue shell is always crisped beautifully in the hot pizza oven. It has consistently been a perfect ending to some of my favorite meals in Boston. If you try Trade, I hope you enjoy it as much as I do.  

Chinatown can be a bit intimidating.  The myriad of streets over lapping each other in a haphazard fashion, all lined with bustling restaurants adorned with colorful awnings decorated with their names, menus in the windows listing their fare in both English as well as Chinese, or Cantonese. But how do you tell which is good and which is better passed by?  Even more so, once you’re seated, how do you know what to order? Some spots make it easy on their clientele.  Gourmet Dumpling House is widely regarded as one of the best places in Chinatown, and here I let the name guide me when ordering - their dumplings are out of this world.  They specialize in a variety of types of dumplings, steamed to pan fried, with vegetarian fillings to meat fillings, however, I have to guide you to the Juicy Dumplings.  Often called Soup Dumplings, these little steamed pockets of perfection contain either crab meat and pork or just pork with a healthy addition of broth.  One does need to take some care when eating these treasures, as the broth can make for a messier experience, but the combination of the dumpling with the filling and the soup makes a perfect bite every time. Perhaps you’re more of a Steamed Pork Bun fan?  A sandwich of sorts with a “bun” so pillowy soft that it feels like a cloud encompassing artfully seasoned pork, sometimes accomplanied by veggies or a spicy mayo, and sometimes served clean, as is.  Mei Sum is the go to spot for these, with very honorable mentions at Chau Chow City and China Pearl. Looking for a good first date spot?  Head to The Q Restaurant for their Mongolian Hot Pot.  Hot Pot allows diners to choose their broths, their vegetables, their meats and create their own unique dinners right at their own table.   Differing a bit from the standard fare, Hot Pot is incredibly interactive, fun for a group or to help smooth out any awkward corners in the dating world. Chinatown is a large section in the city and is comprised of much more than just the restaurants listed here.  It’s streets contain many markets, pharmacies and the like all stocked with imported goods from China, each with their own unique feel.  If you are interested in learning more, there are phenomenal tours offered through Boston Food Tours that will guide you through the neighborhood and offer answers to all those questions you have. No matter what you’re looking for, I urge you to get out and explore the great Chinatown, treasures are sure to be found. Hungry for more? Explore all of our Boston restaurant deals.