14 Must-Eat Dining Events Happening in Boston in November

T&B Pizza photo by Nina Gallant

November 6

Wednesday Night Pizza Party

Somerville’s new T & B Pizza just launched a weekly all-you-can-crush pizza party series, with special guests slinging drinks and themed playlists to set the vibe. Mixologist Kevin Doyle is curating the lineup, which features Teeling Whiskey in the house on Nov. 6 for a Southern rock-themed bourbon night; Bully Boy on hand for ’80s Poppin’ Vodka party on November 20; and more—check out the lineup here (scroll down a bit). Chef-owner Tim Wiechmann is sending out improvisational pies each week, pizza party-style, and it’s all-you-can-eat for just $10 per person.

Wednesdays through December 18, 8:30 p.m., 251 Washington St., Somerville, 617-764-4054, tbpizza.com.

November 7

Wine Bottega Third Anniversary Party

To celebrate the third anniversary of local wine human Kimberly Scott taking over the North End’s hidden gem all-natural bottle shop, the Wine Bottega, North Square Oyster is popping some special bottles to pair with fresh Island Creek Oysters. Tickets include passed oysters and a glass of a Partida Creus white from Spain; after that, the tiny wine bar (tucked inside Ciao Bella) will have a special selection of “extra cool creatures” available by the glass. Cheers to natural wine in the North End!

$30 + optional $20 caviar add-on, Thursday, Nov. 7, North Square Oyster Bar, 5 No. Square, North End, Boston, 617-829-4975, northsquareoyster.com, tickets.

Photo courtesy of Bantam Cider

November 8

Bantam Cider’s Big Cheese & Charcuterie Party

Nothing pairs better with cured meats, bold cheeses, and tiny pickles than a bright and lively hard cider—Bantam Cider has proved this year after year at its annual Big Cheese & Charcuterie Party. The fête returns to the Somerville taproom for its sixth year with a full spread, including hand-carved prosciutto, and special sips from friends Cider Hill Farm and Russel Orchards alongside the lineup of house juice. Tickets are all-you-can-eat, and include one drink; afterwards, ciders are $6.50 each.

$46, Friday, Nov. 8, 7-10 p.m., Bantam Cider, 40 Merriam St., Somerville, 617-299-8600, bantamcider.com, tickets.

Craigie on Main, one of the best restaurants in Boston, and star chef-owner Tony Maws (right) will be at Taste 2019. / Taste 2018 photo courtesy of Boston Magazine Events

November 12

Taste 2019

Top culinary talent is coming out to celebrate Boston magazine’s annual Best Restaurants issue—and you should come, too. Check out the lineup of chefs and restaurants fueling the annual food fest, including tons of the spots included on our latest 50 Best Restaurants list. Tickets include all the food you can eat, three full-sized drinks, plus tons to sip and sample—and a portion of sales goes back to No Kid Hungry, in support of its mission to end childhood hunger.

$89-$129, Taste 2019, Tuesday, Nov. 12, 6/7 p.m.-9:30 p.m., Boston Children’s Museum, 308 Congress St., Fort Point, Boston, bostonmagazine.com.

Apple Dinner

Resident “apple geek” and chef Eric Cooper is hosting Forage’s first-ever apple dinner. It’s part of the Cambridge restaurant’s typical $65 Tuesday night wine dinner series, but it won’t be like anything you’ve tasted before. “We’ll be featuring local heirloom apples in each course in a way that’s unexpected and fun,” reports owner Stan Hilbert. Look forward to “apple charcuterie,” for example, featuring fruit that’s been aging in beeswax for over a year; among other dishes. Reservations are available between 5:30-10 p.m.

$65, 5 Craigie Circle, Cambridge, 617-576-5444, foragecambridge.com.

Gata, a traditional Armenian sweet bread, from the new cookbook, Lavash. / Photo by John Lee

November 13

Lavash Book Signing

The authors of Lavash, a new book about the foundational flatbread of Armenian cuisine, are bringing their bread…th of knowledge to Elmendorf Baking Supplies. Owners Teddy and Alyssa Applebaum will be cooking up recipes from the book, while Andrew Janjigian—an Armenian-American and a senior editor at America’s Test Kitchen—is in the house to interview Lavash authors Kate Leahy, Ara Zada, and John Lee. It’s a great excuse to check out new baker-centric retail shop and community space in East Cambridge. Opt for a signed book or not; tickets include bites like zhingyalov hats (a type of flatbread stuffed with herbs and diced vegetables), and more.

$45/$65, Lavash Book Signing, Wednesday, Nov. 13, 6:30-8:30 p.m., Elmendorf Baking Supplies, 594 Cambridge St., ​617-945-0045, elmendorfbaking.com, tickets.

Women in Wine Dinner Series

Through November 20, the lovely Talulla hosts dinner parties every Wednesday that celebrate the women leading Boston’s wine scene. Appearances this month include importer Gemma Iannoni (Nov. 6) and sommelier Theresa Paopao of Oleana (Momofuku, Asta, Ribelle) on Nov. 13, as well as Lauren Hayes (Nov. 20), the force behind the all-natural wine list at Pammy’s in Cambridge. The menu is always $80 for four courses, with reservations available between 5:30-10 p.m.

Women in Wine Wednesdays through November 20, Talulla, 377 Walden St., Cambridge, 617-714-5584, talullacambridge.com.

November 14

Gordon’s Festa D’Italia

In charge of selecting the wines for this year’s holiday table? Before you make any decisions, treat yourself to a ticket to this “ode to great Italian winemaking” hosted by Gordon’s Fine Wines. The team has selected more than 100 world-class wines to sample during the walk-around tasting event—from Piedmont, Tuscany, Sicily, and the Boot beyond. The festive atmosphere is complete with live music and a spread of gourmet Italian fare, and tickets include it all.

$99, Gordon’s Festa D’Italia, Thursday, Nov. 14, 6-9 p.m., Artists for Humanity Epicenter, 100 W. 2nd St., South Boston, gordonswine.com.

Photo courtesy of Joshua M. Bernstein

November 18

Drink Better Beer: A Talk with Joshua M. Bernstein

If you’ve read anything about America’s still-growing craft beer industry over the past few years, chances are you’ve read Joshua M. Bernstein. The New York-based writer is a leading authority on all things IPA, stout, lager, and sour, and he’s got a new book out to help demystify the increasingly crowded cooler case. Drink Better Beer goes right to the source—beer competition judges, master brewers, and beer consultants—to offer advice on everything from selecting the right glassware to proper aroma-sniffing technique. Join Bernstein and a Sam Adams brewer to discuss navigating new styles and pairings, the quest for freshness and consistency, and the eternal question: Can an IPA ever have too many hops? Tickets include a flight of four brewery-exclusive beers, and a copy of Drink Better Beer if you’d like.

$15/$30, Drink Better Beer: A Talk with Joshua M. Bernstein, Samuel Adams Boston Brewery, 30 Germania St., Jamaica Plain, samueladams.com, tickets.

November 19

Vegan Takeover at Tasting Counter

For one special night at the Tasting Counter wine bar, everything on the menu will be vegan-friendly. Chefs Sabrina Vixama, Charlie Lumpkins, and Chelsea Kantor of MC Kitchen—a former Time Out Market vendor now looking to open a restaurant in Cambridge—are taking over Tasting Counter with vegan-friendly fare like Swiss chard schnitzel, “Sassy Jack Chick’n” with creamy grits, maple kale slaw, and Boston baked beans; and more. The Tasting Counter team is also flexing its Best Restaurant in Boston-muscles with a vegan appetizer, entree, and dessert offering that evening, plus plenty of carefully selected wines available by the glass or bottle. Opt for a prix-fixe menu ($65), or order à la carte.

MC Kitchen Takeover, Tuesday, Nov. 19, 5 p.m.-midnight, Tasting Counter, 14 Tyler St., Somerville, 617-299-6362, tastingcounter.com.

Photo courtesy of Citizen Public House

Pig Roast and Pairings at Citizen Public House

To go whole hog at the Fenway’s coziest pub, you typically need to recruit nine friends. Not so this month: For the first time ever, Citizen Public House & Oyster Bar is hosting a pig roast for the house, complete with family-style roast pork with all the fixings, and a selection of local raw seafood to start. All food plus tax and gratuity are included in the regular ticket price, and there will be optional add-ons available that night, including a whiskey pairing of single-barrel selections from Whistlepig, Russell’s Reserve, and Elijah Craig. A la carte beverages are also an option.

$65 + optional ~$30 beverage pairings, Tuesday, Nov. 19, 6:30 p.m., Citizen Public House & Oyster Bar
1310 Boylston St., the Fenway/Kenmore, Boston, 617-450-9000, citizenpub.com, tickets.

November 20

140 Supper Club: Friendsgiving

Pre-game Thanksgiving without any stress at the intimate 140 Supper Club at Fairmont Copley Plaza. Executive chef Laurent Poulain’s menu might provide holiday inspiration: He’s preparing apple cider-brined grilled turkey, cauliflower “mac” casserole, gingersnap apple crisp, and more fall fare—and of course, his team is doing all the cooking and cleaning. Tickets include the five-course feast plus wine pairings.

$125, 140 Supper Club Dinner: Friendsgiving, Wednesday, Nov. 20, 7-10 p.m., Fairmont Copley Plaza, 138 Saint James Ave., Boston, fairmont.com, tickets.

Photo by Randy H. Goodman.

November 21

Cookies and Cocktails

Back in my day, we put our Thin Mints in the freezer to enjoy them by the sleeveful all year long. These days, the Girl Scouts of Eastern Massachusetts are the type of foodies who host sweet culinary competitions—and we are here for it. To kick off Girl Scouts cookie season, local pastry chefs including Sarah Wallace of Magnolia Bakery and this season’s Holiday Baking Championship, Oak + Rowan’s Michelle Boland, and more are making cookie-inspired creations for this annual throwdown. Tickets include a complimentary signature cocktail, sweets, and appetizers, and there will be a silent auction and cash bar, as well as a chance to vote for your favorite cookie creation. The event supports the local Girl Scouts’ mission to support female leadership development.

$50, Thursday, Nov. 21, 6 p.m., UMass Club, One Beacon Street, 32nd Floor, Boston, gsema.org.

November 23

Food For Free Brunch

Here’s an easy way to give back ahead of the holidays: Have brunch. Essential Central Square restaurant Vialé is hosting a fundraiser for the Cambridge-based non-profit Food for Free, during which 100% of sales go directly to the local food access organization. Chef Greg Reeves, which does Italian-inspired farm-to-table fare, is preparing options for a three-course prix-fixe menu, plus coffee; and his staff is donating their service and ingredients so the feast costs guests just $35 per person. Make a reservation to do your part.

$35 including coffee, Brunch to Benefit Food For Free, Saturday, Nov. 23, 10:30 a.m.-2 p.m., Viale, 502 Massachusetts Ave., Cambridge, 617-576-1900, vialecambridge.com.