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Boston Globe
12-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Boston Globe
A mix of opinions from chefs as the Michelin Guide confirms it's coming to Boston
Just who are these inspectors, you ask? And are they Boston locals, intimately familiar with the dining landscape? Advertisement 'We don't share numbers or demographic information about our inspectors to maintain their anonymity and to protect the independence of their process. Nevertheless, they are international, former professionals from the industry, and share not only a deep expertise, but also great curiosity and open-mindedness,' a Michelin spokesperson told the Globe. The restaurant selections will be revealed at an upcoming annual Michelin Guide Northeast Cities Ceremony. Meanwhile, Meet Boston has been focused on elevating Boston's dining visibility for some time. 'As Advertisement As Globe food critic Devra First 'To get Michelin to come to a region, local tourism boards pony up substantial sums. Visit California 'To put the Michelin fee in perspective, this is a city where a liquor license can cost up to $600,000. Paying for Michelin to come check us out is the restaurant world equivalent of SAT prep: Is it gross that the system has evolved to favor students who can afford to take a course that gives them an advantage? Yes. Are you going to shoot your own child in the foot by not enrolling them if you are able?' she asked. A Meet Boston spokesperson declined to comment on the economics of a partnership. Meanwhile, chefs themselves had a medley of opinions. Dave Punch in his Newton restaurant Sycamore. Lane Turner 'You know, I just don't care. That's my most honest opinion,' added Dave Punch, who runs the acclaimed Advertisement Tracy 'The Michelin Guide coming to Boston raises more questions than it answers — for now, I sit somewhere between cautious optimism and contemplative curiosity. There are obvious potential upsides: it could boost tourism, spotlight hardworking restaurants, and serve as a valuable guide for visitors. Boston is rich in diverse culinary talent and deeply rooted immigrant stories— my grandmother included — who've built legacy restaurants and inspired future generations." Tracy Chang at Pagu. JohnTlumacki But there are also concerns, she said. 'In Asia and Europe, I've seen one-star spots in basements and food stalls— accessible and humble. That model hasn't appeared in the US yet. Will Boston's local flavor, from mom-and-pops to Fenway franks, be evaluated with the same cultural nuance? With the Guide's US editions often tied to tourism board funding, we must ask: Will stars and Bib Gourmands be distributed equitably or expected as part of the deal? Boston has few tasting menus compared to other Michelin cities — does that disadvantage us? Advertisement There's also the risk that this could add pressure to an already strained industry. Many chefs in Boston — myself included — have reported double-digit sales declines in early 2025. For independent operators without PR teams, deep pockets, or the 'right' kind of buzz, the Guide might reinforce disparities. And finally, we have to ask: Will recognition reflect Boston's true diversity? Will women, LGBTQ, BIPOC, and immigrant-led restaurants be seen and celebrated?" she asked. 'If Michelin is coming, I hope Boston sets a new standard — one that's inclusive, merit-based, and uniquely our own,' Chang said. Kara Baskin can be reached at
Boston Globe
13-03-2025
- Boston Globe
Eight ways to find good, cheap food wherever you travel
2. Talk to locals Ask the hotel staff where to eat. Then ask them where they actually like to eat, with their friends and family. Repeat with shopkeepers and random strangers on the street. People are often delighted to share their favorites. 3. Eat where the tourists aren't Residential neighborhoods, cultural enclaves, the area you yourself would live in if you lived there ... all are troves of good food at prices that attract locals. Advertisement 4. If there's a line, wait in it TikTok has made this less of a sure thing. Still, if locals are queueing for food, and not making videos of themselves doing so, it's generally a good sign. Get Starting Point A guide through the most important stories of the morning, delivered Monday through Friday. Enter Email Sign Up 5. Always visit markets From Nishiki Market in Kyoto. Alamy Stock 6. Stay somewhere with a kitchen If you like to cook, it can be a real treat to prepare a meal with ingredients from that area's markets. 7. Try something else Some of the best local specialties arrive through immigration and admiration. Eat Indian food in London, or pizza and pastries in Japan. There's variety there, and value, too. 8. Reach out Do you have local connections, however distant? See if they want to get together at their favorite spot. If you get invited to eat at the home of someone you know isn't a creepy ax murderer, say yes. —Devra First Want a Delicious Road Trip? Follow James Beard. Whenever we're traveling, we always check the James Beard Foundation's list of America's Classics along our route. These restaurants — often family‑run, sometimes seasonal — offer local flavor and atmosphere, typically at reasonable prices. These 12 New England spots are on the list. VERMONT The potatoes at (1251 Williston Road, 802-862-9203 ) in South Burlington are fresh and fried to perfection. Would you like a great burger with that? They've got those, too. Advertisement The neon sign is a beacon for fans of Al's French Frys. David Lyon NEW HAMPSHIRE Start the day with pancakes doused in maple syrup at (672 Route 117, 603-823-5575 ) in Sugar Hill. You can chow down on chicken fingers where they were invented in 1974 at the (245 Hooksett Road, 603-669-6890 ) in Manchester. The front of the Puritan, where the Puritan Backroom is located. KIERAN KESNER/NYT MAINE The (284 Turner Center Road, 207-225-3231 ) in Turner features the Varney family's own bread and cheeses as well as the organic farm's beef, pork, and chicken. At (145 Franks Flat Road ) in Penobscot, freshly caught haddock stars in the fried fish sandwiches. The fillets are so big they hang over the edges of the bun. Bagaduce Lunch in Penobscot, Maine. Hilary Nangle CONNECTICUT Frank Pepe pioneered Neapolitan-style pizza in New Haven in 1925. Try the original 'tomato pie' or the famous white clam pizza at the original (157 Wooster Street, 203-865-5762 ) in New Haven. Grill cooks have mastered the magically crispy cheese edges of cheeseburgers at Shady Glen (840 Middle Turnpike East, 860-649-4245) in Manchester. A pizza from Frank Pepe's. CHRISTOPHER CAPOZZIELLO/NYT RHODE ISLAND During warm weather, fish lovers shouldn't miss the gigantic clam fritters and three varieties of clam chowder (milk, plain, or tomato) at (1240 Ocean Road, 401-783-7930 ) in Narragansett. 'Hot wieners' with meat sauce, mustard, onion, and celery salt at (18 Plainfield Street, 401-621-9500 ) in Providence are favorites with night owls. Clam cakes at Aunt Carrie's. Christopher Muther/Globe staff MASSACHUSETTS In Boston, sample the award-winning turkey hash for breakfast or lunch at (429 Columbus Avenue, 617-536-7669 ), a 1927 South End diner. Line up early for crispy-oozy arancini and slabs of Sicilian pizza at Galleria Umberto (289 Hanover Street, 617-227-5709) in the North End. Watch for thieving gulls when you take your hot dogs and fries to a picnic table at (2080 William J. Day Boulevard, 617-268-5685 ) in South Boston. Advertisement —Patricia Harris and David Lyon Devra First can be reached at
Boston Globe
26-02-2025
- Entertainment
- Boston Globe
7 stories you may have missed
TODAY'S STARTING POINT The news can feel unrelenting: chaos in Washington, wars around the world, and a mayor's race in Boston that's heating up. But a deluge of stories about politics probably means you're missing out on others. So I reached out to colleagues around the newsroom and asked them to recommend seven fascinating stories from the Globe that may have passed you by in recent days. If you're looking for a reprieve from weighty affairs of state, I recommend taking a few minutes to dig into their suggestions. And if it's news about politics you want, never fear: You'll find that in the bullets further down. Advertisement 1. Food: 'This story by Alexa Gagosz, who covers the restaurant industry in Rhode Island, is a must read,' says Lylah Alphonse, who edits Globe stories from the state. 'It touches on both food history and Black history, noting that one of the first real restaurants in the Colonies was owned by a former slave.' 2. Sports: 'If the Westminster dog show wasn't on your radar, I don't blame you,' says Katie McInerney, who edits sports stories. 'But that means you didn't get to learn about Typo, Shelby-Cobra, and Amber McCune thanks to Kevin Paul Dupont's story. Come for the cute dog photos, stay for the training tips.' 3. Health: Harvard is building an aquatic lab to study octopuses, squid, cuttlefish, and snails whose venom may one day yield lifesaving drugs, and the Globe's Anna Kuchment spoke to the researcher behind it. Hayley Kaufman, an editor on the express desk, called the headline that accompanied Anna's Q&A the Globe's best headline that day. 4. Books: 'I didn't know who Mel Robbins was until about a month ago,' says Heather Ciras, a deputy managing editor. 'But suddenly Robbins and her latest self-help manual — 'The Let Them Theory,' a guide to accepting others' behavior and focusing on what you can control — were everywhere: my Instagram feed, my friend group chat, and Oprah's podcast. So I did what I usually do when I'm confused about some cultural happening: talk to Globe writer Beth Teitell. Beth not only knew all about Robbins, but had written this story, a glimpse into a subculture searching for coping mechanisms that, when packed into Big Night Live, resembled a Christian revival.' Advertisement 5. Dining: 'You don't have to play or even like pickleball to savor Devra First's dining report on the four new eateries inside Neiman Marcus's old spot at the Natick Mall,' says Veronica Chao, a Living/Arts editor. 'Sound-proof (!) glass separates diners from the 21 pickleball courts that share the Bosse complex.' As Devra puts it, 'The effect is a bit like going to the zoo, only with better refreshments.' 6. Education: 'In recent years, the cost of building new schools in Massachusetts has escalated rapidly,' according to Melissa Taboada, who edits stories about educational inequity. 'The new projected costs to rebuild Madison Park Technical Vocational High School now stand at $700 million, the most expensive in state history,' as this story from the Globe's Christopher Huffaker explains. 'The school could end up costing even more, raising the question of whether this is the new normal for building or rebuilding school campuses in this state.' 7. Climate: Finally, here's my recommendation: Warming weather over the past decade appears to have helped increase Boston's rat population by more than 50 percent. As the Globe's Claire Thornton wrote, higher temperatures give the rodents 'more days each year to forage, have offspring, and become unwelcome and potentially dangerous houseguests.' Claire's story also includes this insightful observation from a city official: 'Fertility, it's a real challenge with rodents, they're really incredible breeders.' Advertisement 🧩 2 Down: | 🌤️ 49° POINTS OF INTEREST Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel spoke during a press conference at the NFL football scouting combine Tuesday. Michael Conroy/Associated Press Boston and New England His turn: When Mike Vrabel talks football, you can't help but perk up. His confidence is Rejected: The Mass. education board denied KIPP Academy's second attempt to Consequences: The select board of Harvard, Mass., Trump Administration Spoils of war: Ukraine agreed to give the US profits from its natural resources. Ukraine's president had rejected an earlier proposal, sparking a row with Trump, who insisted on a deal. ( Eeny, meeny, miny, moe: The administration said it will choose which reporters can cover presidential events. The White House Correspondents' Association, which currently coordinates that coverage, said the change 'tears at the independence of a free press.' ( Seguro aquí: Mayor Wu told Spanish-language radio listeners, in Spanish, that Boston Deadline: The Trump administration has less than two days to release billions of dollars in foreign aid, a judge ruled, accusing it of not complying with his previous order. ( Not saving the children: Relatedly, US nonprofits that make a treatment sent by USAID to help starving kids abroad say the distribution process is in chaos. ( The Nation and the World Close call: The FAA is investigating after a Southwest Airlines plane landing in Chicago narrowly avoided a private jet Try the oatmeal: Denny's is joining Waffle House in adding a temporary surcharge to meals that include eggs because of soaring prices. ( Apple keeps DEI: Even as shareholders voted to retain diversity policies, CEO Tim Cook said a changing legal landscape may require some changes. 'But our north star of dignity and respect ... will never waver.' ( Inside the tent: MSNBC star Rachel Maddow publicly blasted the network's decision to shake up its programming Monday night, including the cancellation of a show hosted by Joy Reid. ( Crypto heist: North Korean hackers apparently stole $1.5 billion in cryptocurrency from Dubai-based exchange Bybit, by far the biggest theft of digital loot ever. Here's how they did it. ( BESIDE THE POINT 🖼️ MFA loan: The beloved Boit sisters are leaving the building. The 19th century Sargent portrait, crown jewel of the Museum of Fine Arts, is heading to the Met in NY and the Musée d'Orsay in Paris for a year. ( 🍻 Cheers: How Allagash White, brewed in Maine, went from 'couldn't give it away' to the world's 🐟 Food alert: Micro- and nanoplastics are getting into our food, and the effects could be pretty harmful. Here's how to minimize your risk. ( 📷 Pictures perfect: The finalists in the annual Sony World Photography Awards have been unveiled; here's a selection of remarkable images. ( 🦖 De-extinction: Dorchester native Ayo Edebiri will write a live-action movie based on the children's show 'Barney & Friends.' 📵 Screen break: Block the internet on your phone for two weeks and you could be among the 91 percent of people who felt much better. ( 🐶 'Puppy mountain': This cliffside in China resembles a resting dog. It's become a viral sensation and is already attracting tourists. ( Advertisement 😫 Gliding to pain relief: There are no teeth involved, but 'nerve flossing' could help tight or stuck nerves slide more easily, easing pain and inflammation. ( 🔥 Suckerfest: The disaster that was the Fyre Festival of 2017 is getting a sequel, this time in Mexico. The organizer who spent time in prison for fraud is behind it. ( 📧 Want this sent to your inbox? Ian Prasad Philbrick can be reached at
