We’re seeing a concert at City Winery in Boston soon. We’ll be a party of 4 adults, who like to grab dinner and catch up on each other’s lives before we go to an event.
While I do see that we can dine at the venue, might anyone have another pre-concert suggestion in that neighborhood?
P.S. Don’t want to anyone to have to move their car once they park for the evening, so ideally a spot within walking distance would be perfect. Or maybe within a short Uber ride.
Depends on what you consider walking distance - but the whole North End could be an option. I’m partial to Bricco, but there are a lot of competing opinions out there. I’ve also had some good experiences recently at Alcove.
Worth noting that many City Winery concerts do have table service - and if you get there early, you could actually dine at your table/seat for the concert. Their food is actually pretty good.
Reporting back on our pre-concert dining before a performance at City Winery.
First we started with a cocktail at Alcove, because I have wanted to check this place out. We arrived just before dinner service on a blustery Sunday and were warmly welcomed by the bartender. I enjoyed a Courtside, based on a house-made cranberry and rosemary shrub. My husband went for a Gunnersbury Park, which is a scotch-based cocktail that was beautifully balanced (and I am not at all a fan of scotch).
Then we met up with our friends at City Winery, where pre-show light dining at our table was agreeable. Hard to beat the convenience of reserved seats ideally positioned near the stage.
We shared meatballs, Brussels sprouts, and 2 flatbreads from the City Winery concert dining menu. Next time I would pass on the meh flatbreads in favor of other choices from the shared plates selection.
On a future visit, we’d probably opt for Alcove or the Night Shift Brewing Taproom on Lovejoy Wharf to grab a bite before a City Winery show. Fun to try new things.
The North End would have appealed but farther than we felt like walking on a cold, dark evening—that option would have been way more inviting if it weren’t November!
Denise, may I ask where you parked? Parking is tricky around the Alcove area, but I noticed that it’s only a ten minute or so walk from Parcel 7/Haymarket.
Aha, parking. We lucked out because there was no event at TD Garden or the Big Night Live venue that Sunday night. “Flat Non-Event” $10 rate at the Garden that particular evening.
Oh, thanks. Great tip. We haven’t made it to City Winery but it is in our future, and I have a gift certificate to Alcove that keeps getting put off, and that needs to change.
Oooh, dinner at Alcove before a City Winery show is now on my want list.
The beverage program at Alcove is far more creative than offerings at City Winery and not outrageously priced for what you get. City Winery appears to charge a premium on that score.
We were at City Winery last night, saw a great show with John Doe, Kristen Hersh and Grant Lee Phillips.
It was our first trip so we landed about 6:30 to have some dinner.
We struggled a little with the wine options. What we wanted was $120.00+ so we settled on a glass of rose and a white ale. Then the owner came by with the “tome” as our waiter called it. A very large selection of wine from all over. And we found a nice syrah for a reasonable price.
We shared the meatballs and I had a baby kale Caesar salad with chicken and dh had the burger.
Everything was fine, we ate it all but if we get tickets for the Animaniacs in Concert we will most likely try Alcove or the brewery across the way.
Its a nice place and the front bar looked busy and inviting on a cold blustery night.
Yep, so did we. Looks like you ordered smart and strategically for an agreeable night out.
We flubbed. My husband and I ended up with an overpriced carafe of some red wine or other and its only memorable quality was the price. My husband misread the price in the low light. Let’s just say our eyebrows lifted when the bill came. Oops.
I thought the options for the prices were not very impressive. And if we hadn’t see the tome! we never
would of found a reasonable bottle.
We’ll remember to ask for it if we go back.
Oh yea, I can definitely could see that happening!
Man, first of all, awesome bill! Three musical greats in one show (I’m so out of touch these days).
We almost went to Night Shift yesterday for an unplanned happy hour/early dinner (the “brewery across the way.” ) Welcoming bright space but for reasons I can’t get into, spring onion and I didn’t stay and instead had to scurry over to Jacks Abby in North Station which made me sad.
I’m sorry it did not work out, I hope all is well. Was Jack Abby ok? Show was great.
Spring Onion might enjoy the Bugs Bunny Cartoons at the Brattle Theater over Feb Break if they haven’t been. Always fun to see the BB operas.
