Street Heat & Pond Cool in Jamaica Plain
Afternoon
The orange line “T” will deliver you to the Latin end of Jamaica Plain’s Centre Street
at Jackson Square, where life is more Santo Domingo than downtown
Boston. Head west from the station and get in the rhythm by perusing
more than 10,000 titles of Caribbean and Latin music at Franklin CD ( 314 Centre St ).
Dominican-born owner Franklin Cabral, himself a musician, is pictured
on the walls with many of Boston’s Latin American Red Sox players. A
promenade along Centre Street is a lesson in Latin fashion and food.
Pass
El Miami
and other Cubano sandwich joints, before the street doglegs left. Next stop: Rhythm & Muse (470 Centre St )
for a brush with Jamaica Plain’s hippest muses. Look over the racks for
local writers, ranging from the Nobel prize winners to the
self-publishing poets. At J P Licks (659 Centre St ), order a cone of super-premium ice cream and head up Burroughs Street to
Jamaica Pond
. Take a stroll, rest in the shade of a big maple tree, or rent a rowboat.
Evening
Having worked up a hunger, return to Centre Street for a dinner of enchiladas in spicy molé sauce at Tacos el Charro. Afterwards, walk farther down Centre Street to Milky Way Lounge & Lanes and join the cool cats for a bottle of chilled beer, live music, and a game of bowling.
Bars & Clubs
Doyle’s Café The
apex of Irish-American political culture, Doyle’s has been serving beer
since 1882, and corned beef and cabbage on Thursdays for as long as
anyone can remember. Busy nightly.
Doyle’s Café
Milky Way Lounge & Lanes Latinos
and Jamaica Plain hipsters rub shoulders at the Milky Way for the
dancing, the latest local live bands, the cosmopolitans, and bowling
under the dim blue Christmas lights. Playwright Bar A spiffy Dublin-style pub with good food, excellent pints, and large windows that let in the sunlight and the breeze. Alchemist Restaurant & Lounge Part of the hip Jamaica Plain scene, Alchemist tapped the neighboring Samuel Adams Brewery for an exclusive beer. The bartenders, rumor has it, can work miracles. Boston Beer Garden On
weekends this watering hole is packed both inside and outside in the
garden – it’s a typical beer-drinking, South Boston singles scene.
Modern pub food hits a fairly high mark. Amrhein’s The
vintage bar at Amrhein’s – a South Boston fixture since 1890 – is
reason enough to visit the ‘hood. Locals debate the issue of the day
over a drink or two.
Amrhein’s
Lucky’s Lounge A
Fort Point Channel underground bar that swaggers with rat pack retro
ambience, right down to the lounge acts and the Frank Sinatra tribute
nights. Brendan Behan Pub This
classic “new” Irish pub, frequented by cheerful neighborhood types with
vaguely poetic pretensions, is properly outfitted with Guinness and
Murphy’s on tap and live music most nights. Slades Bar & Grill Generous
drinks, good jazz, and sometimes even free eats ensure Slades hops on
the weekends. Don’t let the seedy exterior put you off – this is one of
Roxbury’s liveliest social scenes. 958 Tremont St, Roxbury Closed Mon
Jeannie Johnston This
entertainment venue has plenty to offer, with an open mike on
Thursdays, live local bands on Fridays, and karaoke on Saturdays, as
well as a snug spot to sit with one of its 27 draught or bottled beers.
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On the Sunday after Labor Day, ethnic music and food rule the Jamaica Plain World Fair (btw. Hyde and Jackson squares)
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Restaurants & Eateries
Centre Street Café This popular local café packs the customers in for weekend brunches and dinners with a variety of ethnic touches. Bella Luna Upstairs from the Milky Way Lounge & Lanes,
Bella Luna shoots the moon with bright salads, rib-sticking Italian
fare such as chicken marsala, and their signature gourmet pizzas. 224 Boston Street This
chef-driven northern Italian trattoria is the longest lasting and most
successful restaurant in the ‘hood. Feast on grilled Tuscan meats and
pasta dishes at half the price of North End’s restaurants. Persephone Take a break from the fashionable boutiques and enjoy inventive Mediterranean cuisine served on plates small to extra-large. 283 Summer St 617 695 2257 Closed lunch
El Miami Restaurant The
self-proclaimed “King of the Cuban sandwiches.” Check out the photos of
the Latino pro baseball players who often eat here when in town. J. P. Seafood Café Loyal customers come from afar for this restaurant’s Korean and Japanese specialties. Ten Tables This small venue really has just ten tables with an equally compact but rewarding menu, such as scallops on minted pea tendrils. Tacos el Charro This
is the best place in town for real northern Mexican food, plus it has
the most complete line of Mexican beers in town. The owner plays in a mariachi band at weekends. Bukhara Indian Bistro Northern Indian dishes predominate at Bukhara. There is a particularly wide selection of lamb dishes and rich biryanis, and Tandoor-roasted meats are a specialty. Gets extremely busy at lunch time.
Bukhara Indian Bistro
St Alphonzo’s Kitchen Enjoy
back-to-basics home cooking at this popular place, including American
standards such as chili con carne, pan-fried steak, and spaghetti and
meatballs. 87 A St, South Boston 617 269 2233 Closed Sat lunch, Sun
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