Five Festive St. Patrick’s Day Specials in Boston
Begone, green beer. From an "Irish burrito" to whiskey-soaked steak, celebrate with these creative riffs.
Looking for something a little more interesting than lamb stew or green beer to spruce up your St. Patrick’s Day dining? Well, by the luck of the Irish, we’ve got a few ideas. From on-theme burritos to bao, here are five of the funkier options you’ll find.
Anna’s annual Irish-inspired burrito returns. / Photo by Brian Samuels Photography
Corned beef and cabbage burrito at Anna’s Taqueria
Every year, the locally-based, Mexican fast-casual chain puts an Irish spin on its signature burritos; every year, we scoop them up. The limited-availability burritos, offered only on Sunday, are stuffed full o’ corned beef, cabbage, carrots, potatoes, cheese, and spicy (or regular) mustard. Bonus: Having a St. Paddy’s Day feast in tortilla form makes for convenient, one-handed snacking while watching the parade.
800 Boylston St., Boston, and other locations, annastaqueria.com.
Green Bloody Mary at Artisan Bistro
Even the bright red brunch booze is going green for St. Patrick’s Day. Wake up at Artisan, a New American restaurant inside the Ritz-Carlton, and you’ll find a special bloody—available all day on Sunday—that is loaded with greens: arugula, spinach, tomatillos and jalapeño. There’s still plenty of spice from the Worcestershire sauce and horseradish. But at least this emerald-hued interpretation will get you some vitamins with your vodka.
10 Avery St., Boston, 617-574-7176
Guinness pancakes at City Tap House
This Fort Point craft beer bar has been celebrating with St. Patrick’s-related specials all week long; swing by tonight and you’ll find a green-themed ice cream bar, for instance. But the main spread will be laid on Saturday, with offerings both traditional (fish & chips) and quirky: say, pancakes made with Guinness-spiked batter, topped with sugary Lucky Charms cereal and whiskey-infused maple syrup. Saturday will also feature live Irish music from 1-6 p.m., plus a scavenger hunt for four-leaf clovers that will reward one winner with a $100 gift card.
10 Boston Wharf Rd., Boston, 617-904-2748, citytap.com.
This whiskey-soaked Smith & Wollensky steak had a lot to drink. / Photo provided
Whiskey-soaked steak at Smith & Wollensky
A lot of us can claim to be whiskey-soaked after a particularly festive St. Patrick’s Day. But this Boston-based chophouse has taken things to the next level. It infused one of its most popular, prime cuts—Double R Ranch bone-in New York sirloin—by wrapping the steaks with IrishAmerican Whiskey-doused cheesecloth for a full 30 days. The tasty results, which can be paired with IrishAmerican tasting flights, are available at least through St. Patrick’s Day, and for as long as supplies last thereafter.
294 Congress St., Boston, 617-778-2200; 583 Washington St., Wellesley, 781-992-5150, smithandwollensky.com.
“Feirme to Table” bao at Tiki Rock
This week the folks at Tullamore D.E.W. whiskey launch a national promo campaign—dubbed “O’Everyone”—to temporarily fill non-Irish bars with Eire-inspired culinary mash-ups. The Boston-area bars on board are Loretta’s Last Call, Bleacher Bar, Menotomy Grill & Tavern, and Tiki Rock–which has the most intriguing menu addition on deck. From Friday through Sunday, the Financial District hangout best known for funky, Asian-inspired eats and tropical cocktails will turn out a special bao with rendered pork belly, pan-roasted cabbage, and avocado spread. Other options include beef, carrot and cabbage-stuffed “Irish dumplings” with a Guinness reduction dipping sauce.
2 Broad St., Boston, 617-670-2222, tikirock.com.
