Naples Illustrated – September 2019

NAPLESILLUSTRATED.COM | SEPTEMBER 2019 51

the sweet, salty, and decadent It Takes Two

to Mango, presented in a fiery volcano. In be-
tween, feast on Pacific-inspired appetizers like
the scallion pancake with king crab dip, the

fried clam bao, and a spicy green mango salad.
(shoreleaveboston.com)

NO. 9 PARK

Given her array of accolades, including numer-

ous James Beard Award wins and nominations,
Barbara Lynch is regarded as the celebrity chef
in New England. Her seven Boston food and

beverage concepts are on everyone’s radar,
none more so than Beacon Hill stalwart No.

9 Park. Savor regionally influenced Italian
and French dishes, such as Lynch’s signature
prune-stuffed gnocchi, through either an à

la carte menu or a six-course, wine-paired
chef’s tasting experience. For something more
interactive, consider spending an evening

at Lynch’s 10-seat show kitchen and micro-
cookbook store, Stir, which hosts thematic

cooking classes, wine tastings, and dinners
year-round. (no9park.com)

ROW 34

New England’s seafood dream team—oyster
farmer Skip Bennett, noted chef Jeremy Sewall,

and restaurateurs Garrett Harker and Shore

Gregory—take diners on a timeless gastro-

nomic adventure under-the-sea at this Boston

institution. Book weeks in advance for a night

of craft beer and the freshest raw selections,

not to mention the city’s best lobster roll and

hand-cut fries. Admire the seductive, industrial

interiors, envisioned by New York–based de-

sign firm Bentel & Bentel (of Eleven Madison

Park and Gramercy Tavern fame), which trans-

formed Row 34’s century-old building into a

modern amalgam of brick, steel, wood beams,

and subway tiles. (row34.com)

TONY & ELAINE’S

Boston’s Italian-centric North End has its fair

share of tourist traps, so we’re always excited

when authenticity lands in this history-steeped

neighborhood. Our newest obsession, Tony &

Elaine’s, proudly skews Italian-American, ful-

filling foodie fantasies of colossal fried mozza-

rella sticks (made with blocks of fresh cheese),

baking pans of fluffy focaccia, and heaping

plates of the perfect eggplant parmigiana over

a mountain of fresh pasta. This is a fun, new-

fashioned take on your favorite mom-and-pop

joint from the neighborhood strip mall. Be sure

to come very hungry. (tonyandelaines.com)

Clockwise from left: Bentel & Bentel–designed

bar and dining room at Row 34 ; incredibly fresh

oysters paired with Row 34 ’s small-batch hot

sauce; Meritage Restaurant & Wine Bar and John

Adams Presidential Suite at Boston Harbor Hotel;

spaghetti and meatballs at Tony & Elaine’s.

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SLEEP

Luxuriate between meals in one of the newly

renovated, coastal-chic rooms at the Boston

Harbor Hotel, where oversized windows

reveal the city’s premier waterfront pano-

ramas. Consider splurging on one of the

specialty suites, such as the got-to-see-it-to-

believe-it, 4,800-square-foot John Adams

Presidential Suite. For an evening of formal

dining, reserve a table at in-house restaurant

Meritage Restaurant & Wine Bar, a European-

accented, vineyard-to-table concept by

Daniel Bruce, a pioneering chef and founder

of the country’s first vino-focused food fest,

the Boston Wine Festival. (bhh.com) «