So it has been awhile since I’ve been to what I would call Boston (Proper) and we will be there for a week this summer though staying out in Brookline near the Green line. During that time will also be my wedding anniversary, so I’m looking for good local places that work for a family of 3 (child is 11 but can be picky) and also one place that would be good for an anniversary but doesn’t necessarily require special dress. I’ve looked a few of the familiar spots like Copa, Bar Volpe, Giulia, Row 23 and some others. I personally would like to eat foods that are well done regionals (in this case NOT lobster rolls).
So if clam strips in Boston are vastly different than what you can get in mid Atlantic and South Eastern towns, then I’m looking at that. If there is a spot that you’d recommend for desserts, take out, noodle bars, or unique experiences let me know. If you need to know, what our current plans are in general to give recommendations for various areas that is fine too. At this point, I believe we are doing the Science Museum, Zoo, Aquarium and Ducks. At some point, I want to take the family CandlePin bowling and I know we have tix to see the Sox. We will not be using a car. What else woudl help answer questions?
So big clue here is clam strips… 
(I kid, I kid…)
In Boston - and New England - you’re not likely to find clam strips on many seafood place menus, unless it is for kids or catering to those who don’t enjoy clams much. Fried clams will be whole belly clams, and they are fantastic and fabulous, if you’ve never had them before. If you want to get good fried clams without heading out to a clam shack, Courthouse Seafood is not far from where you’ll be when you’re at the Museum of Science. Note that it’s a seafood market, and then half the space is an eat-in counter service cafe. Not even close to fancy by any means.
If you want a restaurant that focuses on New England cuisine, take a look at Puritan & Co. They are in the middle of Cambridge, so reachable via the T (maybe a 11-15 min walk from 2 nearest T stops.
Also adding that since you may be by Fenway Park, another good option is Eventide for different seafoods. Their raw bar is fantastic. It is an outpost of the very popular restaurant in Portland, Maine.
If you want great croissants/breads/desserts for noshing you can’t go wrong with Clear Flour on Thorndike Street. On weekends, the line can be long, but it moves fast. They have opened a coffee bar next door and offer pre-made sandwiches and other snacky bits, including tinned fish. Prairie Fire in Coolidge Corner mixes high and low and uses a wood fired oven for many of their dishes. Merai and Mahaniyom are run by the same people and get raves for Thai. The Abbey and Stoked Pizza are my go tos in Washington Square.
Seconding @kobuta’s recommendation of Puritan & Co. for a lovely but not stuffy celebratory meal with a heavy New England emphasis.
Depending on what time you do the Museum of Science, it’s a nice walk from there through North Point Park and then through the Navy Yard. That gives you the option of sandwiches from the Dovetail Shop - which you can take and eat along the water - or dinner inside Dovetail OR a continued walk (maybe another 1/2 mile) to Brewer’s Fork for excellent oysters, pizza, and beer menu. Both options are kid-friendly without being kid-centric.
There is also a Stoked location in Harvard Square that is a nice addition to a visit to the Harvard museums and Kemp playground (which may interest even an 11 year old!). You can easily hop on the red line from there to other downtown spots or the 1 bus back into Back Bay.
We recently had two 10 year olds visit and they loved the huge climbing structure at the City Hall playground, followed by Boston Public Market (my favorites: George Howell coffee and a fish sandwich from Red’s Best; my kids’: Union Square Donuts).
Have a great trip!
For candlepin bowling, you will want to hit up Sacco’s Bowl Haven and American Flatbread, just steps from the red line T in Davis Square. True local history and quite nice wood oven fired pizza. They do take reservations for the bowling lanes which I would recommend as even off-peak, there can sometimes be birthday parties taking up quite a few lanes.
Also in the Navy Yard is the waterfront restaurant Pier 6. And nearby there is an inexpensive, 10 minute ferry between the Navy Yard in Charlestown and Long Wharf/Aquarium run by the MBTA. Great city views. The Freedom Trail also goes through the Navy Yard.
The brownie sundae at American Flatbread in Somerville is great for dessert there. The weekends can be very crowded as those birthday parties are also taking up dining room space in addition to the bowling lanes.
I don’t live in Boston but I go there a lot with kids. The Museum of Science is great for younger kids, but for older kids I like the MIT Museum (right at the Kendall stop on the Red Line). They often have hands-on activities as well as exhibits. The Natural History Museum at Harvard (just up the street from the Harvard stop) has all the animals and rocks and insects, and the glass flowers are breathtaking. Look at their websites before you drop a lot of money for the science museum.
I will second the rec of the brownie sundae at Flatbread (we have that in our town too).
That reminds me to say that the Harvard Art Museum is a gem for people who like art. It’s smaller by far than the MFA, everything hanging is a masterpiece or very interesting, and it’s free. The Museum of Science and the Aquarium are quite expensive and if you’ve been to zoos that opened more recently, the zoo here may not be a great choice (there are different opinions on that). Actually, I could say the same about the Aquarium as I said about the zoo.
Sometimes the Harvard Natural History museum has hands-on activities, too. I do love the suggestion of the MIT museum, thanks for reminding me, sciencediet.
The T has changed somewhat, and for the better over the last year. You might benefit from looking at https://www.mbta.com/guides and also checking the alerts for service changes when you get here. https://www.mbta.com/alerts/subway
I hope you enjoy the trip!
Agreed, but in all seriousness, maybe the request for clam strips is for the picky kid? My 10-year old has tried whole bellies and declared them to be “ok” but not something he seeks out. I don’t even know where to get clam strips in Greater Boston. Even whole-belly clams? Maybe I’ve had them before at Yankee Lobster, washed down with ice-cold beer? Fun to wander the Seaport and hit up Yankee Lobster. Or in the opposite direction, Sail Loft closer to the North End. Pretty sure I’ve had full-belly clams there.
For your anniversary dinner, you can either drop your kid off at our house, or you might consider Branchline , which depending on where in Brookline you are staying could be a 15-20 minute drive. There are places like Sycamore in Newton which is about equidistant but I have no experience with (other trusted Onions do…please search on Newton). I think those kinds of places are nice for a special occasion but not too fancy (but really, there are few places in Greater Boston that are).
Another fun place for candlepin is American Flatbread in Brighton. Big industrial-cool space and it might be less crowded than older sister Sacco in Davis Sq that other trusted Onions recommended.
Lots of locals don’t endorse Legal Seafood. We love the clam chowder and they do serve whole-belly fried clams at all locations. Legal also has a newish lunch combo very reasonably priced with mini lobster, crab, etc. rolls plus cup of chowder and fries. And many other places in the area I think do serve whole belly friend clams, though I can’t name them. I think online menus will specify “clam strips” but probably not reliably.
We love Branchline in Watertown! I’m not a big chicken fan and I really like the chicken there as well as the snap pea salad and everything else. Casual atmosphere, really good, to us it does feel special.
I thought Courthouse closed early last year.
There is also a Stoked pizza in Brookline, perhaps close to where they are staying. Highly recommend.
Did they really? That’s a bummer. Although I hit New Deal more often, I haven’t had a chance to go back much since the pandemic. What a loss, for the market and the restaurant!
Edit: Just a note - their website is still up and running (which may mean nothing), and their Google listing still shows them open (also may mean nothing). If anyone knows for sure, please confirm. I certainly hope they are still up and running.
The Courthouse Fish Market closed in January 2024. The restaurant is still open. Somebody posted somewhere (can’t remember where) that the restaurant will sale uncooked fish; don’t know if that is still true.
Oh interesting - thanks for the clarification. I would have assumes the opposite were true - close the restaurant but keep the market, but perhaps two fishmongers not far apart is too much competition. It’s nice to have an option in the city that does good individual portion of fried clams (and one that doesn’t cost an arm and a leg), and not have to trek to the beach.
Fascinating. Does one sit at the table, I wonder, peruse the menu then order two whole trout, filet of halibut, and a salmon steak raw, wait for them to appear then say, you know what, I’ll just take the order to go?
I can name one: Summer Shack.
Oh crap! I thought the whole place closed down. Well, that’s good to know.
I have no idea how it works. Or if it works! As I said, I remember reading that someone posted that possibility somewhere, I don’t remember where. I haven’t been there in years so I haven’t had the chance to ask about it myself.
Oh, your post gave me the opportunity to see my horrific typo or auto correct I didn’t notice “whole belly friend clams.” Belle Isle probably offers whole belly fried clams; I’ve never been there so can’t confirm. Kelly’s menu specifies whole belly and so does Red’s Best at the Boston Public Market. I’ve never had them at either place, but I can say Red’s Best at BPM fried oysters are very good.
