Boston: Food and Culture

When I am traveling to new places, two things excite me more than almost anything: food and culture. Don’t get me wrong; I love museums, zoos and visiting historic sites as much as anyone else, but as far as I’m concerned, Food and culture surpass them all. Why? Well, to start off with, food is something that can differ vastly from region to region. Many travelers don’t expect to find new foods in the United States, but it’s a fact that certain states and regions have different specialties. I had a friend that once ordered a steak from a restaurant on the coast of South Carolina. Being from Nebraska, where fresh beef is a must, she immediately recognized the steak as being fairly low quality. The seafood we had eaten at the same restaurant was amazing, but they just didn’t know their beef. Traveling allows people to try new foods, and since most people eat three times a day there are three opportunities to try something new. Culture is another highlight for me. Many large cities have cultural neighborhoods that give visitors a small taste of a different country by simply walking around a corner. Definitely cool. Here are a few things you might consider trying when traveling in Boston.

Ok, remember the steak illustration? (I’m giving you a minute to go back and read it…). I’ll give you some practice in remembering those analogies from high school. Seafood is to Boston as steak is to the Midwest. Basically that means that Boston knows their seafood! Lobster, fish, clams and oysters are all in relative abundance at nearly any restaurant. Legal Sea Foods and Union Oyster House are some great places to try some of these specialties. Another must-try is New England clam chowder, a cream-based soup with potatoes and onions. Fish and chips, oysters on the half shell, Boston Baked Beans, maple syrup and cranberries are other regional specialties.

Boston’s North End is sometimes referred to as “Little Italy.” While it’s not exclusively Italian (as the presence of Thai restaurants will tell you!), there are a number of Italian restaurants ranging from sandwich shops, bakeries and coffee houses to more upscale restaurants. For those who would like to experiment with Italian cooking, this is a prime location to buy ingredients such as fresh mozzarella, prosciutto, and Italian wines.

For a taste of Chinese culture, visit Chinatown. Boston, like many larger cities, has a Chinatown and with about 70% of this neighborhood consisting of an Asian population, there is a definite Asian presence from the architecture to the food. There are many excellent restaurants that serve genuine Asian cuisine, as well as shops, teahouses and markets where customers can find some jade jewelry, purchase some herbs and teas or browse through imported goods. Smaller stores may even let you haggle on prices, which I know firsthand is a lot of fun. Vietnamese, Korean and Japanese foods can also be found in and around Chinatown.

These are just a few options to start you on your culinary and cultural adventures. Why settle for places like Pizza Hut and Applebee’s when you have the chance to experience some great regional and international fare.