Holiday Eating - Boston, MA. Need recommendations on where to shop and eat :)

boredloser

Not sure if this is the right place but.. I'd like to try to keep losing while I'm away.

I'm going to Boston, Massachusetts (well, Braintree) for two weeks and am staying at the Hyatt Place. A skillet breakfast is provided but I can handle that (I'm not huge on breakfasts, but if I think I can estimate (don't kill me) on that), so that's not the problem.

Okay, the problem is, AFAIK there is no microwave or other facilities for cooking in the hotel so apart from buying the odd cooked chicken from somewhere we will be eating out most of the time. I'll be there for two weeks and need some recommendation on any supermarkets nearby that sell ready-to-eat stuff (like how Walmart sell ready cooked chickens etc). There is a Target across the road from us at a mall, but I don't know if they sell such things like ready to eat chicken.

Does anyone who lives in or around Braintree or Boston know the best places to shop and any good places for eating out? Any places that provide calorie info is a bonus! We don't have a car so it needs to be easily accessible by either foot or not too far out. We can get the train from Braintree into Boston, and if needed a taxi to wherever. I was thinking of hitting up a Trader Joes while there.

I'll be taking my food scales with me for weighing my food in the room (incase of cereal etc).

fitoverfortymom

There is a Star Market (large grocery store) in Boston at the Pru as well as across the street from City Target on Boylston. There is also a Whole Foods, but I forget the cross streets.

yirara

If you have a fridge you might also just buy bread and slices of chicken breast for example. Worked for me when in Calgary a few years back for breakfast and lunch.

MrsPinterest34

Will you be in Braintree or Boston. Depending on the time of the day drive to Boston and depending on which area in Boston can be a nightmare with traffic unless you plan to take the subway. They is is a stop and ship supper market if you take 1-93 north, it's close by exit 18 around South Boston. I can't remember where the grocery store is in Braintree, I know there are some there plus a Walmart I think. Also there's is a Target and Costco, around Randolph/ Stoughton which is not too far from Braintree and close to highway 24. I think it will be much easier to download the google map app and search for the nearest grocery store.

MilesAddie

Braintree is on the 'Red Line' of the subway, so you're in luck, because I'm on the redline in Southie.

Foodies is an upscale grocery store that is in Southie (South Boston) that has a healthy focus to it. Head 'inbound' to the Broadway stop, walk up broadway 5 blocks to E street, it's on the Left side of the street. Explore Southie too, there's a lot more than just what The Departed and Black Mass would let you believe. There's even a two mile beach, with lifeguards, boardwalk, historic fort. Wikipedia South Boston.

If you stay on the Red Line, two more stops gets you to Boston Common, another stop to Beacon Hill, another two to Cambridge, and another two to Harvard, which are all awesome places to explore. Boston is an immensely walkable city, get your steps in!

If you want to stock up, there's a HUGE Wegmans in Norwood, which is about 15 minutes South of you where 95 and 93 meet. Don't know if you've ever been to a Weg's before but they have a gigantic prepared food section, and all the food has nutritional info on it. Traffic should not be an issue for you going there unless it's between 8-9 or 5-6. As for heading into Downtown Boston, just use the subway. If you don't have a resident parking permit you WILL get a ticket or pay 20 bucks an hour for a garage, traffic is a pain unless it's midday, it can get confusing, and I'm sure you've heard that MA drivers have a notorious reputation for being, how do I put this, less than courteous. The subway is fast, cheap, and will get you everywhere you need to go within a few blocks.

Enjoy your trip!

boredloser

@MrsPinterest34
I'm staying in the Hyatt Place in Braintree. There is a Target in the South Shore Plaza right across the road from us from what I managed to read up. We'll be travelling between Braintree and Boston on the subway, we decided to not rent a car because of how busy the traffic can get. I'll keep note of this though, thank you!

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@MilesAddie
Thank you so much! I've been meaning to look up more things to explore while there, so knowing theres stuff to check out around Braintree/Southie is great! I've only ever been to Orlando, FL in the past and we had a car with a Walmart just about a mile or two away so it was easy access and we knew where things were. Very excited about going somewhere different, but I'll take all the info on places to check out from whoever is willing. My mum will be glad to know that there's a beach and boardwalk too. I'll be sure to have my fitbit on me constantly.

Never even heard of Wegs before but that sounds perfect. I'm sure that we have a fridge but just no cooking facilities but I've no issue at all with eating cold chicken and such at all. I'll take a note of everything mentioned so I remember when we get there! Thanks and thanks for all the advice too!

MilesAddie

@boredloser

Well, Boston is nothing like Orlando. I've spent some time there, went to college in Florida, and I really like downtown Orlando, but you can't honestly compare the two.

- I took the liberty of checking public transportation for you, and you are in luck! The 238 bus stops about 100 yards from your hotel, on Granite Street, and will take you directly to the Quincy Adams Red Line Station. I would also download the ridesharing apps Uber and/or Lyft. Boston also has a bikesharing program which allows you to rent bikes at points throughout the city and drop them off at other points, which is great.

- Although gentrification has taken its toll, Boston is still very much a city of neighborhoods, so you can have pretty unique experiences depending on where you are. Some of the can't-miss one's would be The North End, which is the traditional Italian section of Boston. Here you'll find TONS of great small restaurants, most of which have been around for a long time, including the awesome Neptune Oyster. New England is known for its seafood. Southie, where I live, is the traditional Irish part of Boston, although now it's lost most of the that cache to yuppies. You won't find any chain restaurants in Southie, except for one Burger King and a handful of Dunkin Donuts, but there really isn't a restaurant I would make a trip specifically for. But as I mentioned before, it's a great place to walk. Theres a boardwalk/esplanade that follows along a beach where plenty of people swim and connects to an old fort that juts out into the harbor. There's a well kept park out there and a great little restaurant that has fried clams and stuff. There's also some Revolutionary war history in Southie. Telegraph Hill is the highest natural point in Old Boston and has a spectacular view of the city. It's also where George Washington brought his cannons to force the British out. Only issue would be that it's about 1.5 Miles from the Subway to the Beach (Southie is the only part of Boston thats not well connected by it), so you would either need to hop on a bus, grab a Taxi or Uber. It's not a bad walk at all, about 20 minutes, but if your mother is coming you might want to consider it.

- You absolutely should do the 'Freedom Trail'. It's a 2.6 Mile long marked path through downtown Boston that starts at Boston Common and ends at Bunker Hill. It's marked by a brick path that cuts through the heart of Boston and makes stops at Paul Revere's house, Bunker Hill Battlefield, etc. You'll get a crash course on early American history, some good exercise, and see some great parts of Boston. AND you can't get lost! If you go on a Friday or Saturday, it will also by chance happen to take you through a fantastic green market which is a great place to buy fruit and veggies on the super cheap.

- Of course, theres the usual Tourist stuff. What I think is tacky other people think is awesome, so I'll keep my opinions on that to myself, but I will say that as far as tours go, you can't go wrong with the DUCK tours. They are in old WWII amphibious troop carriers that take you through the streets then go right in the Charles river that splits Boston. Pretty cool. And the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Museum of Science is awesome.


Ok getting long. Send me a message if you have any questions at all!

nowine4me

Boston is a great city with awesome food. Including fresh seafood, lean meat, fruit and vegetables. Like anywhere, you just need to make good choices. And for the most part, you can walk anywhere, just bring warm gear.