Nice lunch near Chestnut Hill? (Chestnut Hill, MA)

Hi All! I’m looking for some celebratory lunch recommendations near Chestnut Hill for a Saturday in March. There will be four of us - we’re helping a girlfriend pick out a wedding dress at Anthropologie and wanted to have a nice lunch after. The bride likes sushi but it looks like Oishii is too tiny. Any other recommendations? If we can’t do sushi, I was thinking of something like Barcelona, which is a little cheesy but is good and I feel like would appeal to everyone for lunch. That doesn’t look like too far of a drive away in Brookline. We’ll be carpooling so don’t mind driving a little bit and looking for parking. I’m not familiar with anything out that way at all so looking forward to your recommendations. Thank you!

I’m not a fancy-kind-of-girl, so if I found myself in that part of the world, I would go to Little Big Diner 99 times out 100. Like Oishii, it too is tiny.

I’ve also heard that Cook in Newtonville is good. I like his other place, Tryst, in Arlington.

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There are a lot of mediocre choices in that part of our world … its sort of easier to warn you against places, particularly the places in the mall and across the street by the Wegmans. That said, I’ve never been to Pepe’s or Bernard’s. And there’s a Davios around there now.

I think Barcelona sounds like a great girls lunch choice. Its 10 min away and there is on-street parking.

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If you’re worried about parking in Brookline, Newton Centre could also be an option. I also love Little Big Diner, though it’s not an especially celebratory vibe, the food is delicious. I find the Aquitaine over there to be relatively unimpressive, though it’s been redone and reopened since I was last there. If you’re looking for a very easy trip, I’ve actually found the lunch at The Cottage, right across Rt. 9, to be surprisingly good. Besito also has a great atmosphere.

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There is one 4 top in front of Oishii, which would work out well for you depending on the timing. They open at 1p on Saturdays. If you arrive at 12:45p there is a good chance you can grab the first seating at that table. If the bride likes sushi, that is where you should try and take her. Anthropologie is closeby, one person can go a few minutes early to wait for the table while the other’s shop across the street.

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this is all so helpful everyone! thank you! little big diner looks PERFECT. but no resos. is it hard to get in for a saturday lunch?! for some reason it’s making me think of highland kitchen where the brunch waits are forever.

this is super helpful too, thank you uni!

In Chestnut Hill there is Frank Pepe Pizzeria, but stay away from the clam pizza, the clams were unbelievable rubbery, but the pizza itself was very good. Brio Tuscan grille is also very nice. The Cottage is also very nice. The food at Besito was sub par compared to the Burlington location. Del Frisco’s Grille is good and have lunch specials. I believe Aquitaine does brunch on the weekends. Bernard’s is just so-so.

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My thoughts have already been expressed by others on here -

but one place that has been on my list to try is Farmstead, which I think is right there in Newton Center - anyone been?

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Cook is good. Excellent cocktail program to complement the occasion. They take reservations.

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I only went when it first opened, but due to its size, the wait was fairly long unless you go right before opening time. Hopefully that has now changed!

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Cook has decent food but we found especially the cocktails rather disappointing

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I enjoyed the “Professor” and the (brunch) Bellini. What did you try?

The Woodsman and the Mule - both completely umbalanced. It was pretty obvious when you look how they tend to put it together without much care on the ratios.

sounds like inexperience behind the bar that evening

Not sure if that is not a more general problem at the bar as this was on two different nights