Hot Dogs, Ice Cream, and More Ongoing Summer Happenings
Boston-area restaurants, cafés, and bars prove that summer’s just ramping up after the Fourth of July, with pop-up hot dog stands, fancy ice cream treats, and more throughout the season.
Eataly Boston’s Piazza all’Aperto continues every Thursday through September. / Photo provided by Eataly Boston
Piazza all’Aperto at Eataly
Happy hour gets a festive, outdoor, Italian-style makeover every Thursday in August and September. Grilled dining specials, pastas, gelato, freshly filled cannoli, wine, beer, and Aperol spritzes are all available outside on the plaza outside Eataly’s Boylston Street entrance, with live music and games into the evening. It’s free to enter, and food and drink tickets can be purchased online in advance or at the door.
Ticket bundles $35/$40, Thursdays, August 3–September 28, 5-9 p.m., Prudential Center, 800 Boylston St., Back Bay, Boston, eataly.com.
Photo provided by Bar Boulud
Back Bay Sundaes at Bar Boulud
For the second year in a row, pastry chef Robert Differ is getting creative with ice cream sundaes on his summer menu. Magically Delicious features toasted oat cereal ice cream, Lucky Charms marshmallows, and a vanilla crumble; Black & White tops cookies and cream with bittersweet chocolate sauce, chantilly, and chocolate wafers, and Hazelnut Rocher has hazelnut ice cream with Nutella, praline pirouettes, vanilla chantilly, and its crumbled namesake chocolates. The giant sundaes debuted July 5, and will be on the menu for the season.
$13-$15, 776 Boylston St., Back Bay, 617-535-8800, barboulud.com.
Lincoln’s Bacon Mac and Cheese Hot Dog. / Photo by Kellene Ratko
Wednesday Night Hot Dogs
Lincoln Tavern joins Haley.Henry Wine Bar in grilling up Wednesday weiners. At Lincoln, “the Hot Dog Days of Summer” continue through Labor Day with an inventive, $5 hot dog special each Wednesday. Recent specials have included a Wagyu chili cheese dog with crispy fried potato sticks, and a bacon mac and cheese dog.
Craigie on Main burger photo by Brian Samuels for The Food Lens
The Craigie Burger
It’s no secret that there’s demand for chef Tony Maws’ limited-availability burger at Craigie on Main. So to celebrate summer with Notch Brewing Co., he decided to open especially for lunch select Fridays this summer, offering the burger and a range of sessionable beers from Salem. Plan to get there early—the umami bombs will definitely sell out.
Fridays, August 4, September 1, 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m., 853 Main St., Cambridge, 617-497-5511, craigieonmain.com, Facebook.
A swizzle at the Hawthorne. / Photo by Melissa Ostrow
Swizzle Sundays
Another certain sign of summer returned to the Hawthorne last month. Guest bartenders head for the tropical paradise that is the Hawthorne patio every Sunday this summer to sling island-inspired favorites, including, of course, Bermuda’s national drink.
Sundays, June 25-August 27, 5 p.m.-dusk, the Hawthorne patio, 500A Commonwealth Ave., Kenmore Square, Boston, 617-532-9150, thehawthornebar.com.
Hot Dogs for Charity
The Lenox Hotel’s custom-made hot dog cart is rolling into breweries around the region all summer long, dishing up Pearl hot dogs for good. Each week, a new beneficiary receives the proceeds donated by hot dog-loving beer fans. How can you say no to that? The cart is at Cisco Brewers on July 19, Bully Boy Distillers in Roxbury on August 2, Lord Hobo Brewing, Bantam Cider, and more locations through October 11. Check out the lineup, and the non-profit honorees, on lenoxhotel.com.
Parlor Ice Cream + George Howell Coffee Affogato
Ice cream queen Jacqueline Dole has secured a few regular locations for select Parlor Ice Cream Co. flavors. In addition to a regular Sunday gig up at Tandem Coffee in Portland, Maine, Parlor is on the menu at Kaki Lima at Wink & Nod, and has a trio of flavors available at George Howell Coffee Roasters in Downtown Crossing. The recommended serving there is as an affogato, or drowning in espresso. George Howell has Parlor’s Toasted Milk, and Sweet Corn Miso Caramel, as well as a Clementine Sherbet, perfect for pairing with a pour-over of the Kenyan roast Mamuto.
George Howell Coffee, 505 Washington St., Boston, 857-957-0217, georgehowellcoffee.com.
Stracciatella and Nutella gelato at Capo. / Photos provided
Capo Gelato Stand
For those moments when a gelato craving stops you in the streets, chef Tony Susi and the Capo team have the perfect solution. A pop-up, outdoor gelato stand appeared on W. Broadway last week, with a rotating list of scoops, like chocolate, espresso, pistachio, amaretto, and more house-made gelato flavors, plus sorbet, and toppings like crushed cannoli shells, strawberry jam, and more. The cart will be out there, weather-permitting, every weekend through the summer, and gelato is also on the menu inside at the Capo Café.
$3.25-$4.75, plus toppings, Thursday-Sunday, noon-7 p.m., 443 W. Broadway, South Boston, 617-993-8080, caposouthboston.com.
Juliet. / Photo by Jim Brueckner for “Restaurant Review: Juliet in Somerville”
The New England Shoreline at Juliet
The summer menu at Juliet’s ever-changing dinner theater is called Beach Rose, a celebration of the season’s produce, seafood, and more. The menu will stick around through September, every Wednesday-Sunday with a prix-fixe reservation. Co-owner Katrina Jazayeri has a Madeira pairing at the ready, and chef Josh Lewin is preparing dishes like pan-roasted hake with brown butter, rhubarb, soft herbs, and summer vegetables; corn and lobster chowder with steamers and saffron; and strawberry shortcake. Check out the full menu online, where you can also make a reservation.
$57-$80, Wednesday-Sunday, 6-10 p.m., July 13-September 2, Juliet, 257 Washington St., Union Square, Somerville, 617-718-0958, julietsomerville.com.
Michael Serpa at Select Oyster Bar. / Photograph by Nina Gallant for Best New Restaurants 2015
Café Lunch at Select Oyster Bar
Take advantage of the carefree summertime while it’s here—indulge in a leisurely lunch at Select Oyster Bar. Chef Michael Serpa has options like a half-dozen Island Creek oysters on the half-shell, smoked salmon deviled eggs, heirloom tomatoes with Nicoise olives, and trout amandine to make a three-course prix-fixe for $33. The deal is on weekdays through September 1.
Monday-Friday, August 1-September 1, 11:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m., 50 Gloucester St., Back Bay, Boston, 857-239-8064, selectboston.com.
