Post Punk Kitchen Forum

Hey guys! I'm going to be in Boston this Saturday with three other people and am looking for things to do that are inexpensive/free (inside activities are a bonus).

Do you have any recommendations? Also, are there any restaurants that will accommodate all of us - two omni's, and two veg*ns?

Thanks!

Get drunk and ride up and down the Red Line! Switch to the Green Line if the Red isn't exciting enough.

Do you mean you want to go to a place that isn't veg*n, but has good options? Like, your omni friends won't go somewhere without meat? In that case, I'd say hit Chinatown! I've had great meals at a bunch of places there.

For activities: boston.com's "things to do" section could help you pick what kind of stuff you're into.

Outside stuff includes walking the freedom trail (free), and ice skating at the Frog Pond on Boston Common (cheap). Also walking around Beacon Hill, the North End, or Newbury St, which are all quaint (very "Bostony") and cool areas. We also have some super cool cemeteries around here.

Indoor stuff... We have some great museums! Most of them are pricy, but the USS Constitution museum and ship are free, though they ask for a donation. (There's also a detailed tour of the ship that charges a fee, but you can go without the guided tour.) If you or your friends drink, the Sam Adams brewery tour is free. The Boston Public Library is awesome inside, and there are lots of galleries on Newbury St with really cool art.

The Other Side cafe is always a hit with my omni, veggie, and vegan friends. Is it bad that I'm not sure if they serve meat... I think they do? The fact that I have the vegan options memorized and that the list isn't crazy long makes me think there must be meat on the menu.

Chinatown is also good! Veggie Galaxy is great and my omni parents liked it... it's all vegetarian and vegan, def no meat there.

The USS Constitution is fantastic! Highly recommended.

I'm pretty sure the otherside closed december 23, I was there the week before and that's what the sign on the door said. It's a bummer, because that place was pretty decent.

They were going to close, but not anymore!

They did close for a few days or something randomly, I think. BUT.... I've been there 4 times since x-mas and they are definitely open! Plus $5 beers through 1/28 (I think 1/28).

This is such great news! I'd assumed they were closed, too! (After all their "we will be closing" signs.)

Here's an article about The Otherside Cafe: http://www.boston.com/yourtown/news/bac ... g_put.html

Well shut my mouth! Awesome!

yeah I heard they were staying open. I'm not a huge fan, but it's a decent option if you're in the area.

I ate at the Lower Depths in Fenway last night and there were a lot of vegan options- I had the vegan burger and tots. It was ok, but pretty expensive. Next time I think I'd try a hotdog as that seemed like a good deal, though I need to confirm that they're vegan, it says on the menu that they come in a buttered roll though I'm sure you can just ask them to hold the butter. Other than that, I noticed they had a hummus/falafel salad type thing that could be veganized and a few other options. It would be a good place to eat with omnis.

Lower Depths is my favorite black bean burger ever. Plus, tots!! I haven't checked on the hotdog. They are cash only which is annoying, but there are a lot of ATMs in the area. Quality beer, but yeah, more expensive.

Spikes has great vegan hot dogs and curly fries! Plus a variety of non-vegan options for omnis. They are on Mass Ave near the Hynes stop or there is one in Davis Square. Plus, they are cheaper if that is the way you want to go.

Oh yeah, I love Spike's, I eat there all the time when out drinking. I usually kill two dogs with sauerkraut and onions plus an order of curly fries.

It really depends where in Boston you'll be, and if you'll be driving or taking the T, but since I don't know, I'll just rattle off my thoughts!

Activities
I always tell visitors that walking around Boston Common, the Public Garden, Newbury St, Beacon Hill, etc is a nice way to see Boston, but I think it's going to get fairly cold this weekend. Also enjoyable to walk around Harvard Square.

The Science Museum is a bit expensive, but can be a lot fun. Same goes for the MFA and the Isabelle Stuart Gardner Museum - lovely, but certainly not cheap.

Restaurants for vegs & omnis
Chinatown: My Thai Vegan is all vegan, but I've brought a lot of omni friends (and my boyfriend's family) there, and they all loved it.
Jamaica Plain: Fiores Bakery has vegan sandwiches and regular sandwiches, plus is a bakery!
Brookline: Dorado Taco is a cute taco joint, with AWESOME veg tacos. Or Genki Ya has lots of veggie sushi options.
Watertown: Red Lentil is a vegetarian restaurant, but one of my favorites in the Boston area.
Allston: Deep Ellum is a very cool restaurant/bar, with a couple yummy vegan options, plus lots of omni choices.

Have a good time!

I'm late to the party... but... the MIT Museum is pretty rockin' and inexpensive (they give you a discount if you show them a student ID or a CharlieCard, I think I usually pay between $3-$5 when I go there?) There are also some great galleries in the South End, on Harrison Ave, I think? I could be wrong on the street name; I just get dragged out there pretty regularly when my professors have shows...

For other free things, the Arboretum is lovely. Even this time of year. Granted, I appreciate how trees look without their leaves... so...


And, future reference for pleasing vegans and omnis; I second a lot of the options that have been mentioned already, but would like to add a few:

Allston: Spike's, ShabuZen, and the cafeteria at the Super 88. The Super 88 cafeteria isn't really anything super-spectacular, but it has a pretty good variety of food if you need to please a lot of people (they have Indian, Thai, Chinese, Korean, and probably other cuisines as well...) There are also Grasshopper and Peace O' Pie. I've taken omnis to both in the past, and they've appreciated the food. Even my SAD-eating boyfriend likes Peace O' Pie.
Central Square: Veggie Galaxy is amazing, but if you can't sway your omni friends, The Middle East has pretty good food.
Mission Hill: Wok and Talk is pretty decent. Just don't go there too late at night, unless you want to be surrounded by super-drunk college kids.

Then again, I'm not that difficult to please. As long as I'm not damned to a salad or an overpriced boca burger, I'm fine...