The Dish

The best Boston restaurants for each time of day, according to a local bartender

In the first of our Yes, Chef series, Moon Bar's bartender shares his picks for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and a nightcap.

A breakfast sandwich from Mike & Patty's. Globe File Photo

November 15, 2024

3 minutes to read

You’re reading The Dish, Boston.com’s guide to the Greater Boston food and dining scene. Sign up to get expert food guides, chef Q&As, and industry news in your inbox every week.

I know a lot of restaurants. I have an entire list and Google Map of places I’ve been, places I’ve loved, and places I want to go. But I am plagued with decision-making anxiety when it comes to where I spend my money next. Sometimes all I want is for someone to tell me where to go.

So I found someone who could. Welcome to our Yes, Chef series, where once a month I’ll feature a chef — or in this case, a bartender — and their picks for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and a nightcap.

This month, our recommendations are coming from Jake Smith, the bar director at Moon Bar and Mooncusser. The acclaimed team has plans to roll out a new program, Thirsty Tasty Thursdays, with a special late-night food and drink menu in addition to their regular menu at Moon Bar.

A good enough reason to go, he said, is to get out of your own head right now. Here’s where Jake goes when he wants to socialize, be with his community, or just get off the couch:

Breakfast: Is Boston breakfast friendly? Not really, but there are still standouts for Jake, like McKenna’s Cafe. He swears by their steak tip burrito being a “cure-all,” especially for hangovers. Jake also recommends the mission burrito from Mike & Patty’s in Bay Village.

Lunch: Because he’s usually at work during lunch, a sandwich near Moon Bar is all Jake has time for, and Parish Cafe is a “really solid” option. Their sandwiches are created by some of Boston’s most well-known chefs, and he never gets the same order twice in a row. He also frequents Hei La Moon for weekend dim sum brunch.

Dinner: One of Jake’s favorite spots lately is a new one that’s garnered a lot of praise: Merai. His top picks from the Mahaniyom team’s new restaurant were the Khao Soi “fettuccini” and their hot dog made with northern Thai sausage (it’s all over their Instagram). He also loves Jamie Bissonnette’s Somaek and Davis Square’s Spoke Wine Bar.

Nightcap: The Abbey in Brookline for beer, wine, classic cocktails, and their great late-night food menu; and Bar Pallino for the coziest bar, their Mezcal selection, and a glass of funky natural wine. A spot this bartender would love to try next — if he can ever get in — is the new Spy Bar at the Revolution Hotel.

For your reading list

🍺 Tree House eyes Boston expansion
🍽️ 5 restaurants you should try this month
👀 Phil Rosenthal spotted in Cambridge-Somerville
🍻 Can this Boston bierhaus rise from the ashes once again? (Boston Magazine)
💸 How Trump policies could disrupt the food chain (The Guardian)

For your calendar

🍸 Learn to make NA cocktails at Dray Drinks
🎶 Go to a new listening lounge in the South End
🍝 Attend a spaghetti western dinner from Bar Pellino + Aperitivo
🥧 Bake apple pie at Northern Spy

What I’m eating this week: The Pu Pu Platter from Tiki Rock ($48)

On Election Night, I found myself bar-hopping — for work and to keep myself from doomscrolling on the couch all night long. To give me fuel for the night to come, I opted for an order of fried foods (because when in a tiki bar, order a Pu Pu Platter). There were a few items on the platter I could have skipped, like the chicken wings. But the section of the platter that was cleared within 15 minutes was the crab rangoon, some of the best in Boston, in my opinion.

I’d like to know: What’s your favorite townie bar? We’re looking for community responses that could eventually make it into a guide. You can fill it out here, or email me at [email protected].

I can’t wait to add your responses to my list of next places to play pool with a High Life in hand. Thanks for reading!