Boston’s Neighborhood Restaurants Beat the Recession

A certain breed of Boston restaurants - small, mid-priced spots focusing on attracting a neighborhood clientele with simple, local food - has been able to not only survive but thrive during the recession, argues Alexandra Hall in a lengthy piece for the Globe. Though restaurants like L’Espalier and Radius remain the standard-bearers of Boston fine dining, Hall posits that the future belongs to homey, European-esque spots like Ten Tables and Hungry Mother. While the food at these restaurants is certainly good enough to be destination-worthy, they’re unquestionably neighborhood restaurants, which begs the question: why are so many of them in Cambridge? Sure, there are a few in JP and the South End and Dorchester has a nice scene these days, but the majority of the restaurants Hall mentions (as well as a few she doesn’t, like Tupelo) are in the ‘Bridge. We’ve been saying for years that Fenway and West Roxbury are both ripe for a restaurant resurgence. Come on, Boston restaurateurs: spread the wealth.

A Taste of Things to Come [Globe]

Boston’s Neighborhood Restaurants Beat the Recession