We'll be staying at Westin/Copley Place for 3 nights. Our travel is not 'company' paid and we will not have rental car.
A Boston friend suggests dinner at La Summa for Sat. night (I did make reservations). Thinking perhaps 'Legal' for Fri. night (early) as we have never dined at Legal and it's close to our hotel. All comments appreciated. We would like to have early dinner on Thurs. evening and need a suggestion. Staying close to hotel preferable due to 'dig' etc. Quality of meal more important than ambiance, as is 'easy access'.
Thanks in advance to all who reply!

If you're in the mood for seafood on Thursday, Turner Fisheries is right in your hotel. Havent eaten there yet, but friends who have like it. Also nearby for seafood are Skipjacks, Atlantic Fish Co, and Legals. At the Prudential Center is Marche Movenpick (I think thats the name!). It's a restaraunt with "stations" with everything from Mexican to Seafood to Italian. It's fun and pretty good too! You could also walk the few blocks over the Newbury St and go to Ciao Bella or Sonsie. Have fun!

What price range and what kind of food?

You won't need a car in any case. In fact, as we so often say, having a car in Boston is a nightmare.

Where is La Summa? I've never heard of it. (not the greatest sign - I'm a foody. Not definitive by any means though. I haven't eaten at all the good places in Boston. Yet.)

I think La Summa is an Italian Restaurant in the North End--I could swear that I've walked by a place by that name.

But I've never been there.

betsy,

Thanks for the list of dining options! We would enjoy eating fish/seafood on Thursday as well as Friday!

Note to charles: "La Summa" is a neighborhood restaurant, located in North End at 30 Fleet St. (Hanover St.). According to Zagat it gets a so-so rating, Food: 21, Decor: 15 Service: 21 - average price per dinner is $28 per person. City Search review was very favorable. Our friends have been dining here often for past 10 yrs.

We are adventurous diners, but due to time contraint, we cannot venture too far. Our preference is to spend approx. $80 (2 people) for dinner. As we live near large east coast city, am hoping to find 'gem' where locals dine. Upscale dining for this visit is not applicable. Should you have any suggestions, would love to hear from you!

I've got a couple of ideas that may fit. Assuming your budget is for food (no wine), I'd recommend the Franklin Cafe in the South End. Near your hotel, but no reservations and VERY popular. TO get a table you will have to be there by 6 or after midnight. (They serve to 1:30). Loud scene, superb food. ANother possibility is Lala Rokh - great persian food in Beacon Hill in a gracious setting. Also The Helmand - superb Afghani in an out of the way place in Cambridge. Himalaya in Back Bay is generally excellent indian - very close. Garden of Eden is a very casual, inexpensive, but excellent French cafe in the South End. I have a number of other reasonable gems within a short distance of your hotel. Can you give any more criteria?

(The North End is very nice, btw, but a bit touristy food wise. There is good food there but it tends to be expensive. On the other hand the street scene is great.

charles,

I really appreciate your suggestions. Franklin Cafe and Garden of Eden sound very appealing. However, as we live in metropolitan area, I would prefer making reservations, as our stay in Boston is Thurs./Sun. Meetings start very, very early each morning (hate to waste time 'waiting'). You are correct re: price we prefer...if you have an opportunity, please post. I thank you for your info!

Another place I forgot to mention is Addis Red Sea--great food (Ethiopian) and it's pretty inexpensive. It's located on the corner of Tremont and Clarendon. Also in that area are more "higher-end" restaraunts like Hamerslys Bistro, Truc, and Aquataine.

Don't stay too close to your hotel, since it's closer to the dig than a lot of interesting places you can easily reach on the "T" -- e.g. Cambridge/Harvard Sq.

Lala Rokh is a charming place in a charming setting. Easy to get to on the "T" you have to look for it -- from Charles T stop, walk straight down Charles St. a couple of blocks, turn left on Mt. Vernon and it's 1/2 way up the block. The food is quite good, but note to Charles: I am an adventurous diner but their version of a classic dessert with cream-based yogurt, rose-water, blueberries and almonds was one of the strangest experiences I've ever had. My partner and I agreed that it tasted exactly like Pond's cold cream with fruit in it. But perhaps historically, that's where cold cream came from.)

But not too far from your hotel is the Cottonwood Cafe -- "standard" nuevo-southwestern but good food.

Re:Italian Most insiders now say that the North End is over-touristed and the place to go now is the South End (not to be confused with Southie/South Boston), which happily isn't too far from you.

If you are looking for seafood - try Grillfish or Skipjacks - Legals is overrated with bad service. There's another new place in the Park Plaza hotel - McCormick & Schmicks, good, but it is a chain. Legals is a total tourist trap.

I too am a food person, and had not heard of Summa either. Try looking on www.foodline.com to check menus of places. I would recommend the South End with places like Metropolis Cafe (Cal-Italian), Claremont Cafe (American), Aquitaine (French), Truc (romantic French if you get the back room), or Masa (upscale Southwestern). I've been to all and quality is wonderful.

The above posting is exactly right..Legal is very overrated and Skipjacks which is across from the Prudential is excellent..haven't eaten at that one, but have at the one in Brookline Village.. The new McCormick and Schilling is just opening..they are from Seattle and a brand new steak house is next door.. Also they are right..South End has much better variety..647 Tremont Street... Grill Fish..around the corner from you next to the Fire Station..lots of choices.. BTW so what if the North End is touristy..it's fun...

Thanks to all who posted great restaurant suggestions! Will be sure to post to Forum upon our return!

Just wanted to agree with the posts after mine. The South End is an excellent food neighborhood. Most of these places are alos within a short walk of each other - in fact, most are on "restaurant row" on Tremont Street. (These are, from west to east, Tremont 647, Metropolis, Geoffreys, Garden of Eden, Aquitaine, Rave, Hamersleys, Truc, Addis, Le Gamin, Icarus, Appetito, Masa. All good, though varying quality and price.

Have returned from Boston. Our dinner at "Metropolis Cafe" was outstanding. Our dinner at "La Summa" was also outstanding (as was the service and prices). Our dinner at 'Atlantic' was adequate as restaurant was convenient to our hotel, fish was fresh and ambiance lovely.
We would return to "La Summa" and "Metropolis Cafe". Boston locals were very helpful, as are the folks on Fodors forum.

Elaine, one word, Italian. Boston has some of the finest Italian, and we've eaten in NYC, Seattle, San Francisco,but we love Boston.