Hello Vegan Travelers!
This past weekend I explored the sights and tastes of Boston, Massachusetts! After all, my state capital has been an ever-expanding center of vegan goodness over the past few years. Several new vegan dining establishments have opened in the past year or two. We even have our own vegan retail shop now! The city of course, is steeped in history and culture.

Let us take a look at some of the incredible finds you will encounter during a visit here. I began one recent Saturday by heading over to True Bistro(Tru Bistro) in neighboring Somerville, MA. They recently opened for business a couple of weeks ago. For brunch, I opted for the chocolate and banana crepes topped with berries. “Wow” is all I can say! The portions were huge and quite tasty. They had just the right level of sweetness and moistness. I also tried the Tofu Benedict smothered in soy cheese and covered with spinach with a side of potatoes. It was absolutely delicious! I can’t wait to return. As I glanced over their gourmet vegan dinner menu, I was anxiously choosing meal options for my next visit. They serve vegan cakes and desserts also.

 

The following weekend (three days ago), I headed back into the Boston area to have lunch at the all-vegan MyThai restaurant (MyThai) in Boston’s Chinatown. It is Chinatown’s only vegan restaurant. This location has been successfully in business for many years. I selected the Bird’s Nest which is a taro root shell shaped like a basket filled with vegetables and pineapple chunks with a side of rice.

I also ordered an appetizer of Chinese leek dumplings.

For dessert, I opted for the lemon, poppyseed cake with vanilla frosting. Mmmm good. Yummy! My meal was too good for words. Again, the portions were huge and very reasonably priced.

It was time to begin my sightseeing adventure in the big city! I started my exploration by making a stop at Chinatown’s gate. This is the main symbol of the neighborhood and stands proudly in its massiveness as it’s entrance.

I walked for about ten minutes to the Beacon Hill area of the city. This neighborhood is home for the State House, Boston Common park, and the Beacon Hill residential section.

The breathtaking Federal-style rowhouses on cobblestone or brick roads have been home to many politicians, authors, historic figures and poets. I recommend visiting Louisburg Square where many notable politicians and authors had or still maintain residences. Some famous residents include Louisa May Alcott, Henry Cabot Lodge, and Oliver Wendell Holmes. The most photographed local street on calendars is here also. Boston common is very safe to take a stroll on your own.

The next place on my agenda was Faneuil Hall. Costumed actors in historic figure attire and Patriots roam the streets giving walking tours.

This edifice and its surrounding buildings contain many restaurants, shops, and entertainment. It was built by a wealthy merchant in the 18th century to house merchants and to provide a venue for famous orators of the day. Quincy Market next door was similarly built to maintain additional merchants and sellers. They are among the top tourist attractions of Boston.

On the adjacent cobblestone streets, you will see the oldest bars and dining venues in American history. The farmer’s market take place there throughout the year. You will find a solid red line on some of the sidewalks. this is considered “The Freedom Trail“. Walking along this path will take you back in time to all of the important places and events of our country’s history.

The Old State House and Old City Hall were home to some of the most famous orators, politicians, and presidents in the country. King’s Chapel is one of the oldest churches in the country with a bell crafted by Paul Revere.

As I crossed the highway, I stopped by the picturesque Boston waterfront. Many ships sail through Boston Harbor going to and from many of the harbor islands. That in itself is a popular summer activity. My final stop on this journey back into into history was a visit to the North End. This is Boston’s version of a Little Italy. Hanover Street is a must-see for any tourist. You can find restaurants, one after another offering Italian fare. During certain months of the year, you can observe many outdoor music and food festivals honoring the Catholic saints. There are no vegan restaurants in the North End. You may find one or two that offers pasta without the eggs. However, that is not the norm here. However, the area is quite historic! I made stops at the Paul Revere House and the Old North Church!

The city offers many culture activities also. Not to be missed are a visit to the Museum Of Fine Arts, the Museum Of Science, the New England Aquarium, and the Boston Symphony. Each of these maintain collections which are among the largest in the country.

For those taking in a musical performance at Berklee School of Music, I recommend The Other Side Cafe(The Other Side Cafe) on upper Newbury Street. They offer a few vegan, inexpensive selections. I ordered the Buffalo Tempeh sandwich with vegan cheese and sauce.

Harvard University in neighboring Cambridge provides a beautiful campus for strolling and offers many lecture, music and theater performances open to the general public. Speaking of the neighboring city of Cambridge, the city’s first vegan shoe shop recently opened for business. it is Sudo Shoes on 1771 Mass. Ave.

Veggie Galaxy(Veggie Galaxy) located on Mass. Ave in Cambridge is a new all vegetarian/vegan diner with a vegan bakery on the premises. I visited several times. Their vegan omelette with home fries was an amazing breakfast choice! For dinner, I have ordered their various vegan burgers made with chickpeas or black beans. My dessert was a decadent Boston Cream Pie. On other visits, I have devoured the delectable lemon meringue pie.

For those who have a bit more time for their travels, I suggest a day trip to the northern Massachusetts seaside towns of Gloucester, Salem, or Newburyport. For those wishing to travel to southern Massachusetts, I recommend the city of Plymouth to see the historic Mayflower ship. On Massachusetts western border, one can find the gorgeous Berkshire Mountains, Tanglewood symphony performances, and the Norman Rockwell Museum.

After my exploration of Boston, I was hungry. It was dinner time. I decided to dine at one of the newer restaurants in town, Pulse Cafe(Pulse Cafe). My main course was a vegan Spanish Paella with tofu, veggies, and rice. It was amazing!

For dessert, I chose the German chocolate cake with dark chocolate filling and a light chocolate frosting covered in coconut. It was decadent and pleasing!

The Boston area has two vegan-friendly pizza shops. One of them is Veggie Planet (Veggie Planet) in Cambridge. The other is Peace O’Pie (Peace O’Pie)(all-vegan) in Allston.

At Veggie Planet, in addition to the pizza, their Sunday brunches are quite popular. I frequently enjoy their vegan waffles with fresh fruit.

In the nearby suburbs, Red Lentil (Red Lentil) in Watertown offers gourmet vegan meals including a few macrobiotic dishes. Prana Cafe (Prana) in Newton is a vegan, raw food restaurant. Masao’s Kitchen (Masao’s Kitchen) in Waltham is the regions only completely macrobiotic restaurant. Vegan cupcakes are found at Kickass Bakery (Kickass Cupcakes) in Somerville which only serves a chocolate cupcake, Sweet (Sweet) in Cambridge(only one vegan chocolate variety), and Fiore’s Bakery (55 South Street, no website) in Jamaica Plain which serves quite a few flavors. There is currently only one ice cream shop which serves a couple of flavors of vegan ice cream. It is Lizzy’s (www.lizzysicecream.com) in Harvard Square, Cambridge. They serve two flavors chocolate and mocha. I have eaten at these places in the past and truly enjoyed each one!

In the neighboring city of Somerville, a new vegetarian/vegan Indian restaurant has recently opened. It is called “Dosa Temple”(Dosa Temple). For my first visit, I ordered the veggie Utthapam. It was tasty and fairly priced.

My time spent exploring this historic city and dining at each of the vegan restaurants was well worth my trip! I had a wonderful time sightseeing and eating my way through Boston! I am proud of my city and encourage everyone to visit here. Please be sure to visit Boston!

UPDATE: 2012 – Pulse Cafe in Somerville has closed down permanently.

UPDATE- 2013 – Other Side Cafe, Peace O’Pie, Prana have closed down permanently.

NEW restaurants in town are: Root in Allston(Root Restaurant), O2 Cafe in Cambridge(O2 Cafe), and FoMu vegan ice cream (FoMu vegan ice cream)
See new blog post on these newer vegan restaurants in Boston.