Non-Rant: Choosing A Celebratory Restaurant

Which restaurant should you choose for a celebratory occasion, from a birthday to an anniversary?

The answer isn't always easy, and will depend on many different factors, from price to cuisine. It's a question I've often seen asked on numerous forums, and a question I've been asked by many people. I want to offer ten restaurant suggestions, which will fit a variety of needs, places which I find to be consistently good and definitely worthy of your patronage. These are places I especially love, and which  I've also recommended to many others. 

I also want to note that my list only includes restaurants located outside of Boston. There are plenty of lists of Boston restaurants, but far fewer for those outside of it. In addition, this list is far from comprehensive, but is more just a curated selection of some of my favorites. 

When considering where to celebrate your special occasion, there's a number of questions you should ask yourself, to help narrow down the possibilities. How much do you want to spend? Do you want to splurge, or be more economical in your choice? Will your celebration be for breakfast, lunch or dinner? How many people will be celebrating with you? Is there a specific type of cuisine that you desire? Are you looking for a more intimate venue? Will you be accompanied by children? Does anyone in your group have any dietary restrictions? Do you want an excellent wine list or a large selection of beers on tap? And there's even more questions you can ask as well.

As you consider these questions, and others, here's my top suggestions:

Nick & Andy's (Danvers): Sometimes, you want a breakfast celebration, and my top choice for such would be Nick & Andy's. The food is fresh, delicious and there's plenty of variety. Try their fresh-baked muffins (grilled) or hash browns (those shredded potatoes which are tougher to find locally than home fries). I love their Chicken & Waffles. Prices are reasonable and service is very good. 

Nightshade Noodle Bar (Lynn): For a splurge, Nightshade offers inventive and delicious French/Vietnamese inspired-cuisine, with their own unique spin, in multi-course tasting menus. Its wine and cocktail program is also excellent. It's a more intimate spot and one of my Top Four Favorite restaurants. As it's very popular, try to make reservations as far ahead as possible. However, if you follow them on social media, you will learn when they have last minute available reservations. 

A Tavola (Winchester): For a more intimate spot for dinner, and which serves excellent Italian cuisine, check out A Tavola. Their home-made pasta is superb, and you can also find some intriguing and delicious specials, from chicken fried quail to duck wings. Their Italian cuisine is as good as anything you'll find in the North End and they are also one of my Top Four Favorite restaurants. Their wine list concentrates on Italian wines, and there are many very good choices. And they have regular wine dinners and special events which are well worth attending too.  

Il Ponte (Woburn): Another more intimate spot for dinner, which also serves excellent Italian cuisine, is Il Ponte. Everything is made from scratch, including their home-made pasta and Neapolitan pizzas. Like A Tavola, the Italian cuisine at Il Ponte is as good as anything you'll find in the North End and they are also one of my Top Four Favorite restaurants. Service is excellent and everyone that I recommend dine here has loved it. I'll be celebrating a special occasion here this weekend. 

Tambo 22 (Chelsea): For a splurge, and a more unique cuisine, check out this Peruvian restaurant. It's also a more intimate spot, and should impress your celebrants. The food is delicious, interesting, and hearty. They also have a full drinks program, including numerous Peruvian spirits and a variety of Pisco Sour cocktails. 

The Bancroft (Burlington): Also for a splurge, and for either lunch or dinner, the Bancroft is one of my favorite steakhouses. I've dined there most often for lunch for special occasions, and those lunches have always been excellent. Steak may be their speciality but you'll find plenty of other delicious dishes, from Fried Clams to a Duck Confit Sandwich. 

Pellana Prime Steakhouse (Peabody): Pellana is another classic steakhouse, a place to splurge, with an excellent wine list. Sure, you could easily go to one of the chain steakhouses, but these more independent places will surprise you with their quality. They are also open for lunch. 

Row 34 (Burlington): For both lunch and dinner, this is a great spot for fresh seafood, from oysters to tuna credo, from fried clams to lobster rolls. Their lunch menu even has an excellent Tuna Melt! They also have a very good wine list and creative cocktails. I've celebrated here a number of times, for both lunch and dinner.

Clam Box of Ipswich (Ipswich): For more of a casual seafood spot, I'd opt for the Clam Box, which is my favorite clam shack on the North Shore, providing such delicious, fresh fried seafood. I love their fried clams and their fried scallops are some of the best I've ever tasted, so sweet and tender. Plus, on Fridays, they often have fried lobster tails, such a decadent treat.  

Prince Pizzeria (Saugus): This restaurant has existed on Route 1 for 60 years, and is a place I've been going to since I was a child. It's a large, casual spot for pizza and Italian cuisine, and its tasty pizza is basically its own unique and delicious style. You can easily book a large celebratory party, at a reasonable price. It's a very family friendly spot, and everyone from children to adults love pizza so it's a great choice for all.

What are some of your favorite celebratory restaurants?

Thursday Sips & Nibbles

I'm back again with a new edition of Sips & Nibbles, my regular column where I highlight some interesting, upcoming food and drink events. I hope everyone dines out safely, tips well and are nice to their servers.
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1) Join Row 34 in Burlington for a special culinary experience celebrating the best of New England's local waters. Chef Jeremy Sewall—renowned for his commitment to responsible seafood—has partnered with Michael Xu, founder of Tackle2thePeople, to bring you a thoughtfully curated dinner series featuring a progression of locally caught seafood at its seasonal peak. 

Each evening will highlight a multi-course menu designed by Chef Sewall, showcasing a variety of fresh catches from the region. Michael Xu will be on hand to share the stories behind the seafood—how it was caught, where it came from, and why responsible sourcing matters. It’s a rare chance to enjoy a delicious meal and deepen your appreciation for the ocean's bounty. 

The dinner will be held on two different nights, July 17 and August 7, each night starting at 6pm

Tickets are $150 per person inclusive of food, beverages, taxes, fees, and gratuity. Seats are limited—reserve your spot HERE and experience the taste of summer, straight from the sea.

2) For more seafood fun, check out a special Bluefin Tuna Dinner at Tonno, in Wakefield, on Wednesday, July 23, at 6:30pm. There will be a multi-course dinner featuring fresh, off-the-dock bluefin tuna accompanied by live demonstration by Chef Anthony Caturano butchering a full tuna.

The dinner menu includes:

First Course: Tuna Belly Crudo, fennel, radish, cucumbers, pickled red fresno peppers, chive oil, blood orange vinaigrette
Second Course: Tuna Tartare, chive oil, crostini
Third Course: Lumache Pasta, seared tuna, tomato, black olives, capers
Fourth Course: Grilled Tuna Steak, heirloom tomatoes, fennel puree, chive oil
Dessert: Strawberries, mascarpone whipped cream, balsamic glaze

Cost: $165 per ticket + tax (which includes gratuity). Dinner also includes one reception Spritz, but all other beverages are a la carte. Make your Reservation HERE.  

Rant: Embrace The Wonders Of Sherry

"There are only two kinds of sherry, the good and the better."
--Jerez saying

What is one of the tastiest, most intriguing, and unique wines that you're probably not drinking? It's most likely Sherry, a fascinating fortified wine from a small region of southern Spain.

As a long-term lover and fervent advocate of Sherry, I enjoy taking the opportunity, to spread my passion for this wine, to intrigue others to give it a try. Sherry remains a niche beverage in the U.S., and most of the Sherry imported into the U.S. is sweet. As such, many Americans, including many wine lovers, have not encountered the myriad joys of dry Sherry. It's dry Sherry which is enjoyed the most in Spain, and there must be a very good reason for that fact. 

In less than two weeks, I'll be opening my oldest Sherry, the Bodegas Yuste Conde de Aldama Palo Cortado, which is said to be at least an average age of 130-150 years old. I previously wrote about their Amontillado, referring to it as "perfection in a bottle." You can check out that prior article for a lengthy and interesting history of these ancient Sherries. 

It's extremely difficult to find these Sherries any longer, and I'd buy more myself if I could find them. Fortunately, I still have several in my cellar, so I can enjoy them a few more times. How much do you think you would pay for a wine of that great age? $500? $1000? More? You might be shocked to learn I paid less than $200 a bottle for these Sherries, making them a superb value as well. One of the reasons I paid such a low amount may be due to the relatively low demand for Sherry. 

Sherry sales have been on a decline for years but recent reports indicate it may be making a tentative comeback. In April 2025, a Sherry article in Forbes stated, "Sales of sherry have declined since its heyday. People drink less but are more demanding and ask for higher quality. Premium sherry is increasing its sales; inexpensive sherries and cream sherries (many will remember Bristol Cream) are decreasing." A November 2024 article in Sherry Notes also indicated that sales of sweet Sherries have been continuing to decline, but sales of dry Sherries have been faring better, although mainly Fino and Manzanilla Sherries.

As I've written in my History of Sherry, it's a cyclic wine, which has undergone numerous ups and downs through the years, and has always founds a way back up. So, I can easily understand why Sherry consumption might see another upward swing in the future. More consumers definitely need to explore the diversity and wonders of Sherry. 

Sherry education is essential to the promotion of Sherry consumption, to get more Americans exploring this intriguing fortified wine. Here are some items that hopefully will motivate you to discover more about Sherry.

• The Sherry region has a lengthy, fascinating history, extending back a few thousand years and may even the source of the Atlantis legend. 
• Palomino, the primary grape of Sherry, may have been planted by the ancient Phoenicians. Every sip of Sherry is a taste of history.
• Sherry may have been the first wine brought to the New World.
• The Mayflower, before it sailed to the New World by the Puritans, was used to transport Sherry.
• Aged Sherry is one of the best values in the wine world. You could buy 50 year old Sherry for $50-$100, far cheaper than almost any other aged wine on the market. 
• Francois Chartier, who has written on the science of food and wine pairings, states that Fino Sherry is the "King of Food Pairings."
• A Sherry Bodega is radically different from the average wine cellar, helping to make Sherry possess its distinctive nature.
• Here are 10 Things you should know about Sherry.
• And here are 5 More Things you should know about Sherry.

Locally, Sherry is starting to get a little more visibility, albeit more in the form of Sherry cocktails. I enjoy such cocktails, but I would like to see more people enjoying Sherry on its own too. If you enjoy the flavors of Sherry in cocktails, then why not try the flavors on their own, without other flavors clouding the issue. Try a Fino or Manzanilla, an Amontillado or Oloroso. Or maybe even a Palo Cortado. And then you can move onto some Sherry variations such as En Rama.

Unfortunately, most restaurants rarely list Sherries on their wine lists, and when they do, it's commonly on their Dessert wine list, where they offer sweet versions. Have you ever dined at a restaurant where the sommelier recommended a Sherry with your appetizers or entree? Probably not, unless you have dined at a local Spanish restaurant, and even then, although they might have Sherries on their wine list, they still rarely seem to recommend them to diners. 

Locally, the best place to enjoy Sherry is at Taberna de Haro in Brookline, which may have the largest Sherry list in the region. Some of the other Spanish restaurants in the Boston+ area also have a few Sherries on their wine lists too. Non-Spanish restaurants need to embrace Sherry too, especially considering how well it pairs with a wide variety of foods. The popularity of Sherry would grow if more restaurants and wine stores promoted it. 

Take a chance and buy a dry Sherry, to expand your palate and taste something new. You can thank me later when you find a new favorite. 

Thursday Sips & Nibbles

I'm back again with a new edition of Sips & Nibbles, my regular column where I highlight some interesting, upcoming food and drink events. I hope everyone dines out safely, tips well and are nice to their servers.
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1) Celebrating the best tastes of the season, Coach Grill in Wayland will feature a summertime prix fixe menu from July 1 through August 1. Available nightly, diners will have their choice of a collection of appetizers, mains and desserts over three courses. For starters, there is a watermelon & feta salad with basil and honey-lime vinaigrette in addition to chilled gazpacho with crème fraîche. Entrées include a lobster roll, served hot or cold, on a brioche bun with truffle fries; marinated steak tips with whipped potatoes and green beans; and chicken Milanese topped with an arugula salad and shaved parmesan. For dessert, indulge in a key lime tart with raspberries and vanilla Chantilly cream, or an affogato with espresso and vanilla ice cream.

Cost: Three-course prix fixe: $52 per person

2) It’s the summer of seafood at Abe & Louie’s as they debut a new feature menu to be enjoyed on their scenic floral-lined patio along Boylston Street. Keeping it light and fresh, “Summer Wine & Dine” showcases treasures from the sea with their fine pairings.

From July 1 through August 1, the “Summer Wine & Dine” offerings highlight a collection of seasonal creations designed by executive chef Mark Mariano: chilled sweet corn soup with lump crab, basil oil ($16); baked scallops on the half-shell with plum, tarragon and ‘nduja ($28); burrata and Ossetra caviar with olio verde, chives and house made focaccia ($65); poached halibut with zucchini, squash blossoms and sun gold tomatoes ($52); Maine lobster ravioli with charred corn, pancetta, heirloom cherry tomatoes and arugula pistou; and a buttermilk panna cotta with strawberry, balsamic and basil ($13).

To complement the seafood delights, wine director Benny Appleby has curated a selection of summertime sips available by the glass: a 2023 Vivienne Lewis Wine and Art Collection, Sauvignon Blanc, Prague Spring Festival ($30) and NV Champagne Jeeper Brut Grand Assemblage ($19).

Reservations are recommended by calling (617) 536-6300. The menu is available both indoors and al fresco. 

Rant: Why Can't I Have Breakfast For Dinner?

It's an artificial division, a tyranny of the plate. Many people have been conditioned to follow an unwritten rule about what is proper to eat at different times during the day. The seeds of revolution exist though, and there are rebels who seek to cast down the old rules, and ignore the authorities who try to dictate what we eat. I side with these rebels and firmly believe that the time has come to destroy these barriers.

I, and others, desire to enjoy "breakfast" foods all day long. No longer should we be limited by the time of day to enjoy bacon & eggs, a stack of pancakes, or a savory waffle. Why are such foods primarily relegated to the morning? There's no rational reason why they must be so limited. Let us enjoy them in the morning, afternoon, and evening. Let us enjoy them any time during the day we want. If I want to enjoy pancakes for dinner, I should be able to do so.

As far back as 2014, a survey found that 72% of U.S. adults wished restaurants would offer breakfast items all day. That's a huge percentage, and clear evidence that many, many people object to the artificial division that "breakfast" foods are only supposed to be for the morning. So why aren't more restaurants catering to this desire? 

Of the restaurants which highlight breakfast, many also serve lunch, and commonly offer their breakfast items for lunch as well. That is an excellent start to breaking down those artificial barriers. However, these restaurants also commonly close in the early afternoon and aren't open for dinner. Why not? Why not extend their service to the evening as well, offering breakfast options for the dinner crowd? Ignore the usual dinner items and only serve breakfast foods.

Restaurants could also add breakfast-based dishes to their dinner menus. A creative chef could easily concoct all sorts of compelling dishes using traditional breakfast foods. Let's see a dinner Omelette, a sandwich using Pancakes as the bread, or even a Waffle pizza. Stop thinking breakfast foods have to be served only in the morning. Give the people what they want, explore your culinary creativity, and let's see what new dishes you can concoct.

Do you have any favorite restaurants which serve breakfast items for lunch or dinner?