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Hi there!

I live in the Boston area and find myself in/near Burlington quite frequently... also sometimes go into Boston proper, but doing that less in recent years (so much good stuff in the surrounding 'burbs).

The big questions are what do you like to eat and what price range are you shooting for when you eat lunch or dinner?

Please do NOT restrict yourself to Burlington and Boston!  There is so much good food in towns near Burlington and between Burlington and Boston.  For example, there is a big Indian community in Waltham.  If you drive about 15-20 minutes up to Lowell, there is a huge SE Asian community there (and another in Revere, just outside of Boston).  There are all sorts of good places to eat in Cambridge (and more and more, in Somerville).  If your tastes run to Mexican and Central American, you can find that in Waltham and an even larger community in South Boston (not the part of Boston that most tourists visit).

Welcome to the Hub, even if it is only for 6 weeks!

Debbie

P.S. My all-time favorite vegetarian Indian restaurant is in Burlington!  The buffet there is to die for.  It is sort of hidden from the road, but well worth seeking out.  http://www.ritukirasoi.com

Hey there !

Thanks a lot for the quick replies and warm welcome :)

I love all kinds of foods, except fast food and anything not done with great quality ingredients or too many industrial things, or too heavy/creamy.

I am much more a savoury person than a sugar tooth (big big cheese fan) - I eat good meat with great pleasure, but love all my veggies too, and just made an attempt at Alice Hart root vegetables curry. I am not counting calories at all, pleasure is more important for me :)

That aside, all countries welcome!

I am not sure of my expense budget but anyhow, being French, 1/ based on previous experience in DC and MD, the US portions are way too big for me everywhere, so meal budget will likely be split over twoo or three meals :) 2/ I can hardly resist good quality food, whatever the price :)

Making notes of all ! The one in Burlington is handy especially because it is likely that I won't have much time to go very far during the day (especially for lunch).

Keep them coming :) :) Also happy to learn about good stores and farmers market, and good wine shops (and there, I am very, I mean very, picky)

Cheers

Agnes

Agnes, bienvenue aux États-Unis (mais pas tellement unis ces jours-ci) et à Boston! My general impression of Burlington, where I occasionally shop (it's only about 1/2 hour away from where I live), is that it's mostly the typical American chain restaurants and fast food places. But there is one nearby restaurant my family loves: Flatbread Company, a wood-fired clay oven pizza place. They're a fairly small franchise with a dozen locations throughout New England -- we discovered and fell in love with them years ago on a ski vacation in New Hampshire and were so excited to find they had opened a couple of locations in Mass. They have a restaurant on Burlington Road in Bedford, which is the next town over to Burlington. Not sure how busy it is a lunchtime but very popular for dinner and carryout. Highly recommended!

No worries Deborah, not many united countries these days - and living in the UK I should know!! :)

Yes that was my worries about Burlington, but from also looking at Tripadvisor I can see there are some very good options too - or seem to be - so I will make sure I test everything and give you updates :)

This for example is just near my work and looks yummy and they also have a deli :) Apparently I will be just next to the mall.

http://www.tuscanbrands....en/Burlington/our-menus/

Maybe a bit expensive, but the photos of the steaks are making me hungry : http://www.the-bancroft.com/

I live near Burlington and like PinchofSalt I would recommend that you get out and about in the area. These are my current favorites:

Waltham - The Backroom (they make all their own charcuterie), Gustazo Cuban Cafe (unlicensed currently), Amuleto Mexican Table

Concord - Bondir, 80 Thoreau

West Concord - Woods Hill Table

Watertown - Branch Line, Strip-T's

On a non-food topic I would also recommend the Eileen Fisher outlet store in Wayside Commons, one exit further north than the Burlington Mall.

Thanks Jane and all! I am almost thinking 6 weeks won't be enough now :-)

If you want to splurge, I highly recommend Menton in Boston.  http://www.mentonboston.com/menus/#menus-header

There's a Clover Food Lab in Burlington, worth checking out:

https://www.cloverfoodlab.com/locations/

Check out a grocery store - H Mart

Most visitors like to visit Legal Seafoods, and that's in the Burlington Mall.

Have fun!

One week in!

OK I have splurged and went to Menton :) Very nice indeed, and very friendly service. Yes expensive, but that is the type of restaurant that would be and I did not take the cheapest options (local oysters, scallops, foie gras tartelette, salmon, cheese platter).

We also went to Besito in Burlington (very nice! they even make the guacamole fresh at your table, which was excellent!!), and to the Cracker Barrel next to the Wrentham outlet (very good BTW!!). I loved both.

We also went to a function at the Hilton Doubletree which was terrible food (ouch!).

I want to try the indian place that @PinchofSalt mentioned because we have a vegetarian Indian among us

And all the other ones too! We have a whole list to try on between all of us - we are four expats with four different nationalities - :)

Otherwise while Burlington is pretty standard suburb (of what I have seen so far) with mostly chains...etc. => I have fallen in love with Boston. Big time.

I thought I had told you in that thread but two other restaurants worth mentioning in Burlington, :

- The Bancroft, one of the best steak I have tasted. This was something! I absolutely loved it. Melt in the mough meaty wonderfulness.

- More "everyday" style, I liked "Not Your Average Joe" and the red lounge (I could have the name wrong, it is next to Wegman's)

If you want to sample some barbeque Blue Ribbon Barbeque in Arlington is aweome - lots of variety and I especially love all the house-made sauces you can try!

I am so glad you enjoyed your time in Boston.  I moved here to attend university and for the most part have stayed here ever since.  It's just too bad you weren't here during the growing season and had a chance to visit our farmers markets and enjoy meals produced with local ingredients.  Most of the veggies that I have been cooking with these days come from a farm less than 2 miles from home.

As an aside, the description of your group reminds me of my time working at a multinational company where the people in my group came from five different countries and I was the only American.  My boss was based on the other side of the Atlantic.  We had regular group phone calls very early in the morning my time.  I am sure my teammates figured that I was on the call clad in a robe and sipping my morning coffee, but they never asked!

Hello! Relaunching this topic as my parents are going to the US for the first time and are starting with Boston for four days, and then take the train to NY with 5 days there. Do you have great recommendation for either cities? They have no dietary restrictions whatsoever, and they like quiet places that are not too fancy or trendy (they don't dress really fancy either, just two retired people traveling who don't like a fuss). 

They don't know and would love to taste good american food, I am not talking burgers (they don't really like them), but you know, lobster rolls, Waldorf salad, cheesecake, clam chowder, a good steakhouse, key lime pie, etc. or regional cooking such as cajun etc. (even if it's not the area).

They stay in the city centers of each city (Back Bay in Boston and Chelsea in NYC)

Originally Posted by: Agaillard

Hello! Relaunching this topic as my parents are going to the US for the first time and are starting with Boston for four days, and then take the train to NY with 5 days there. Do you have great recommendation for either cities? They have no dietary restrictions whatsoever, and they like quiet places that are not too fancy or trendy (they don't dress really fancy either, just two retired people traveling who don't like a fuss). 

They don't know and would love to taste good american food, I am not talking burgers (they don't really like them), but you know, lobster rolls, Waldorf salad, cheesecake, clam chowder, a good steakhouse, key lime pie, etc. or regional cooking such as cajun etc. (even if it's not the area).

They stay in the city centers of each city (Back Bay in Boston and Chelsea in NYC)

Hi!  

We liked Luke's for lobster rolls and Saltie Girl for oysters and lobster rolls at the bar.  The Tatte Bakery had very nice pastries (try the mixed nut tart).   Cannoli's at Mike's Pastry were tasty as advertised.   The lines moved very quickly.  We liked a couple of small, family run Italian restuarants in the North End.

Hope your parents have a nice time!