Boston Restaurant Week 2024

We obviously love dining out but find ourselves going to the same places over and over again. We go to restaurants in Boston occasionally when visiting friends who live there or when we have an event in the city. We find that these nights can cost a small fortune for typically small portions. There are so many restaurants to try in Boston, but we never know where to begin. Depending on traffic, a drive into Boston can be anywhere from 40 minutes to 120 minutes so we want our experience to be memorable when we do go out in the city.

Lucky for us, annually in the Spring, comes Boston Restaurant Week. We love this week because we can try out new places in the city without breaking the bank. The participating restaurants offer a prix fixe menu at an affordable price during this time.

First Experience

We had an event in Boston the other night. A group of friends from high school went to hear another high school friend, Colleen Marshall, perform a concert at the Berklee Performance Center.

Colleen sang some R&B and soul, songs by icons such as Whitney Houston and Barbara Streisand. She artfully sang alone or in duets with people special to her. She was accompanied by a skilled band. I did not know Colleen in high school, but my other friends did. It was so nice to join in their excitement for their talented friend.

Grill 23

What a find!!! Knowing that it was Restaurant Week, we made a dinner reservation before the concert at Grill 23. What an excellent choice we made. None of us had been there before but it was located near the venue and the menu looked great. The prix fixe menu offered various choices of appetizer, entrée and dessert for $55, quite a bargain considering the prices of steaks on the regular menu. The staff was top notch, from the host, Matt, to the maître d, Paul, our waiter, Bill, and all of the others who we came in contact with.

Of the 8 in our party, 7 ordered the steak frites, and 1 ordered the tagliatelle puttanesca as entrees. Each of us thoroughly enjoyed the meals. They even allowed substitution of sides for the friend with a seafood allergy. The salads were delicious, and the seafood chowder was great. Seven of us ordered the chocolate layer cake for dessert and 1 ordered the creamsicle sundae. Much to our delight, we were surprised with 2 plates of warm, gooey chocolate chip cookies with vanilla milk sauce that were sent by the host who was so impressed by their chat with our friend Suzie when she and Anthony first arrived and were waiting for us. This is a typical occurrence when going out with Suzie. She has that bubbly, inviting personality that creates positive connections instantly.

We highly recommend Grill 23 for its quality of food, service and ambience. Outside of Restaurant Week, it is as pricey as any steak house in Boston, so keep that in mind, however, we think it is worth it for a special occasion.

Second Restaurant

We hate to miss a deal, so we planned a second dinner during Restaurant Week at Table. This one was quite a bargain as we have been to this restaurant before and paid full price. Table was listed as a top restaurant in Boston among other awards by publications such as Boston Magazine, Boston Globe, Best of Boston, Eater, and Thrillist. We asked Steve and Debbie to come with us as we knew they would love it, and they did.

Table

Boston’s North End is a favorite for us because there are so many restaurants to choose from for outstanding Italian cuisine and desserts. Table is a unique, reservation only dining experience where you pay a set price, usually between $98-$125 per person for an unrivaled 7-course meal. During Restaurant Week, the cost was $65 per person for 5 courses (including the bread).

The entry way to Table is so inviting with lanterns on the steps, with tasteful window dressings and a large wooden sign that lets you know you have found the right place. Inside, Table’s décor is warm and cozy, making you feel as though you have been transported to an Italian villa for a dinner party. Great music plays overhead as the staff, who obviously love their jobs, greet you and show you to your assigned seat.

On Saturdays and Sundays there are 2 seatings each evening, but only one during the week, Wednesday through Friday. There are only 32 seats in the restaurant that are positioned along 2 banquet style tables. Everybody sits at the same time, eats from the same menu, and is served simultaneously. There is a full beer, wine and cocktail menu as well. Chatting with those seated near you is encouraged. The first time Jim and I visited, we loved it, thinking it would be a great place to go with a couple of friends. Don’t fear, you are served the food to split only with your own party. For example, we got a portion for 4 people served family style, and the group of 3 who were seated next to us were served a portion for 3.

Before I start describing this unbelievable meal, I have to confess that at times we were too eager and dug in before I thought to get a picture. You will see that with some of the pictures.

We started with a basket of delicious focaccia bread served with a whole head of roasted garlic to spread on it. The second course was Formaggio e Melanzana (cheese with eggplant). The picture is after we started eating, but at least you can see how fresh the ingredients were even if you can’t appreciate the presentation. There were roasted tomatoes and fresh mozzarella and stracciatella cheeses (burrata) topped with grilled eggplant slices and garnished with chopped pistachios and micro basil. The flavor combinations were explosive (in a wonderful way) to the palate, so much so, we started to eat it before photographing.

Third course was Risotto al Carciofo (risotto with mascarpone and grana padano cheeses and artichokes) which was the creamiest risotto I have ever tasted with the artichokes and mascarpone dissolved into it. The risotto was topped with delicately fried artichokes and had a hint of lemon. This was done impeccably. Again, the picture was delayed due to our need to dig right in.

The fourth course was absolutely fantastic. The Tortellacci al Formaggio was an incredible open tortellini type pasta stuffed with soft cheese (ricotta maybe?), and topped with panko bread crumbs and finely diced crunchy pancetta crumbles. The pasta was cooked in a brown butter, sage sauce. I make a good brown butter sage sauce, but this was excellent!

The last course exceeded all expectations! Profiteroles stuffed with espresso and vanilla gelato and came with a thick, warm chocolate sauce to pour over them. I have been trying to replicate the chocolate sauce that came with churros in Spain and have yet to find it… until now. I have to figure out a way to make this. I got way too excited as I was pouring the sauce.

The staff were phenomenal. They were friendly and accommodating. They checked back often to ensure that every need was met. When we visited previously, other items on the menu that were equally delicious included grilled octopus, sorbet, Table’s award-winning meatballs and ricotta gnocchi. The menu is posted and accessible when reserving. They are able to accommodate gluten free and vegetarian diets when made aware at the time of reservation. Table has two other store fronts on Hanover St. Table Mercato, next to the restaurant, where you can buy take home versions of some of their favorite dishes as well as purchase Italian grocery items. Table Caffé is on the corner across the street from the Mercato. At the caffé you can get a coffee and fill your sweet tooth with home made gelatos, imported candies and any number of sweet items such as brownies, cannolis and pastries.

We highly recommend Table in the North End. This place has a fantastic atmosphere for that special occasion dining (it feels romantic even though you are at a communal table). Reservations well in advance are suggested and make sure that you understand their cancellation policy prior to reserving. When running a small restaurant such as Table, last minute cancellations can be detrimental to the overall business plan.

I hope after reading this you still have enough time to book a reservation at a participating restaurant prior to March 24th.

Remember to have fun!

Patti and Jim