KrissyInBoston Presents…The Best of Newton
Newton is great because of its close proximity to Boston and Cambridge…but fellow Newtonians have lots to do without even leaving the city limits!
Here are some of my favorites…
Pub:
It’s gotta be Paddy’s on Elm Street in West Newton Square. The people who run Paddy’s also have another pub in the Newton Highlands called O’Hara’s, which I’ve never eaten at.
Paddy’s has delicious pub food and Irish fare. Their beef stew is delicious. They also make pizza and calzones — try one of their calzones with eggplant! The atmosphere is festive but mellow and the decor is cozy. There is often a long wait, but the waitstaff is friendly and the wait is worth it!
Ice cream:
For a traditional ice cream parlor, try Cabot’s on Washington Street in Newtonville. I recommend going there with an empty tummy, because their sundaes are HUGE. But they’re delicious! They have lots of creative toppings and tons of flavors. I recommend a Belgian waffle sundae (split that with someone!) or a “Chipperoo” — their version of a Chipwich.
For something quick and smaller portions, I like Coney Island in West Newton Square. They have “microsundaes” which are cheap and the perfect amount of ice cream. (I always eat too much at Cabot’s!)
Indian food:
Well, my favorite Indian restaurant in ALL of Greater Boston is Little India on Moody Street in Waltham…but since I’m focusing on Newton here, I recommend another delicious Indian restaurant. India Paradise in Newton Centre is fantastic. Great flavors, good price, and lots of food. You’ll leave pleasantly stuffed and with a bag full of leftovers to take home!
Pizza:
My favorite is Sweet Tomatoes. A little pricier, but worth every penny. It’s Neopolitan style, so the pizza has a thin and crispy crust. I like their pizza with garlic and basil…anything else just distracts from the fresh tomatoes and crust. They don’t deliver, but with locations both in West Newton and Newton Centre, it’s worth going to pick it up. The West Newton location has more seating inside, but neither have that many tables.
Another place to get pizza from is Ravioli’s on Beacon Street. Good pizza and really inexpensive. They deliver, too.
Liquor Store:
Marty’s on Washington Street in Newtonville. Lots of cool beers, wines, and hard liquor. They’re also a deli and they carry some gourmet groceries. I always go to Marty’s to pick up lots of beer before we have a party!
Brunch:
Baker’s Best!!! Baker’s Best, in Newton Highlands, is fantastic. There’s usually a huge wait on weekends, but I can’t stress how worthwhile the wait is. They have delicious brunch food. Some of the best I’ve had in all of Greater Boston.
Movie Theater:
Want to catch some good indie or foreign films? Check out The West Newton Cinema. It’s an alternative to those giant corporate movie theaters, and they always show great movies. They also have the best popcorn I’ve ever had at a movie theater.
Otherwise, there’s always Chestnut Hill Cinema, which is a perfectly good theater.
Bakery:
Antoine’s in Nonantum is one of the cutest bakeries around. It specializes in French and Italian pastries…and they also have great chocolate chip muffins!
Another great bakery is Keltic Krust in West Newton. They specialize in Irish baked goods, but they also have coffee, tea, smoothies, bagels, and sandwiches. I love their panini!
Italian food:
I love Fiorella’s. You don’t have to go to the North End to get great Italian food! Their food would definitely get the seal of approval from my Nonna. Great selection of traditional Italian food, in a cozy restaurant with attentive waiters. From ravioli to eggplant parm, everything I’ve tried there has impressed me. They also have a nice wine selection.
Vietnamese food:
Lam’s in Newtonville is great. Their spring rolls are fantastic and their noodle dishes are impressive too. Great flavors and very quick service, too!
Japanese food:
OK, I’m cheating because New Ginza is technically in Watertown. But it is THISCLOSE to Newton Corner, so I’m putting it here. It’s that good. The fish is so fresh that it tasted like they caught it after we ordered our sushi. Nice atmosphere inside, too.
Coffee shop:
OK, we’ve got our fair share of Starbucks (and Dunkin Donuts, of course), but the nicest coffee shop in Newton is Lincoln Street Coffee in Newton Highlands. They have tasty hot chocolate (I’m not a coffee drinker but I hear the coffee is good too), sandwiches, couches, and acoustic entertainment. Definitely worth checking out!
Mexican food:
I’m the first to admit that I’m no Mexican food aficionado…I’m from New Jersey, for crying out loud! But I think Sol Azteca is really tasty! I love their enchiladas! They also have a nice location on Beacon Street, near Fenway.
Bank:
Wainwright Bank. Forget Bank of America, Citizen’s Bank, and all of those places. Wainwright is my bank of choice and I love it. They’re very reasonable and they do a lot for the community. They have locations in Newton Centre, Watertown, Central, Davis, and Harvard Squares. They’re a small bank, but part of the SUM Network, so it’s always easy to find an ATM to use free of charge.
Automotive:
Value Gas & Repair is my choice. The people here are friendly, quick, honest, and reasonably priced. I used to always go to auto places with my stomach in knots, because a lot of places would take advantage of the fact that I am not too car savvy. But this place never stresses me out. (I always go to Keltic Krust for some hot chocolate while they’re working on my car!)
Clothes at a bargain:
Filene’s Basement, of course! Obviously, nothing can top the Downtown Crossing location but Newton’s got one on Needham Street. Another nearby one is in the Arsenal Mall in Watertown. I am wearing a lovely shirt I purchased at the Watertown location last week! There’s also Marshall’s by both of those locations.
Hardware:
Matt’s a Home Depot man, but I prefer neighborhood hardware shops, like the one in Nonantum!. It’s not as big, obviously, but less intimidating to someone like me who knows little about hardware. The employees are helpful and I feel good about supporting the little guys.
Chinese food:
Shing Yee in West Newton Square is where we usually get our Chinese food from. I’ve enjoyed everything I’ve had there EXCEPT for the spicy wontons in peanut sauce. Avoid those. But overall, the food there tends to be enjoyable. I like the soup! They’re also very, very fast with delivery and very friendly if you chose to dine-in.
Fresh bread:
Definitely try Great Harvest Bread! Ignore the surly teenagers who work behind the counter, and treat yourself to a loaf of nice, fresh bread. I recommend the challah!
Totally unhealthy comfort food:
Blue Ribbon BBQ…now, I don’t enjoy traditional southern BBQ, but whenever I’m in the mood for some culinary indulgence, I’ll go to Blue Ribbon for sausage, cole slaw, and mashed potatoes. They have tables but it’s largely a take-out place. It’s probably better to take out, because a meal like that calls for beer.
Best place to take kids on a rainy day:
The Kid’s Place! It has pottery painting, plaster painting, digging for gems, mosaics, and build your own teddy bear. It’s awesome.
Other stuff:
I’m still looking for Thai in Newton, but I’ve found a few good Thai places in Waltham. I’d also like to find good bagels. This summer I plan to do some exploring of the parks in Newton…looks like there are a few state parks here. I wanted to add a category for my favorite parks, but that will have to wait.
Anything to add? Any suggestions?
Filed under Greater Boston (General), Greater Boston Restaurants, Things to do in the Boston Area, Uncategorized |17 Responses to “KrissyInBoston Presents…The Best of Newton”
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This is a great list! And don’t forget Best Pet Shop–Newtonville Pet! :)
Oh, and for *heavenly* Thai food, I suggest Jamjuli in Newton Highlands. E and I think they have the best Thai food ever!! I wasn’t even into Thai food ’til I tried Jamjuli. Let me know if you ever want company for lunch or dinner there…
i love great harvest!
I have to disagree with you on Chestnut Hill Cinema. It sucks. The sound systems are outdated and you have to struggle to hear dialog during movies. Everything there is outdated. I vowed to never return!!
Great list, however!!
I’ve only been to the Chestnut Hill Cinema once and I didn’t have a bad experience there, it was decent. Although I have to say I’m not an avid moviegoer these days because it’s just so expensive!!!
I LOVE Lincoln Street Coffee! I love Blue Ribbon!
I also love Jamjuli, Thai Thai and Coconut Cafe for Thai food. Ariadne in Newtonville has a great Martini bar.
I have to disagree with you on pizza. ST is good, but CBs is GREAT. It’s just a few steps away in West Newton Square. I used to love ST, but CBs just blows it away.
Also, the best coffee place may be Lincoln (it’s one of the few in the area that are locally owned) but the coffee at Peets is incredible. I make a weekly stop.
Oh… and for bagels there is only one: Rosenfeld’s in Newton Centre. Been eating those for 18 years. You can always find a line of ex-New Yorkers there on a Sunday morning.
Awesome list. Even old-timers will find a few places they didn’t know about ….
One alternative I would like to offer for Chinese food in Newton — Green Tea, off Rte 9 where it meets Woodward.
I’ll have to try CB’s, Rosenfeld’s, and Great Tea!! :-) I really need a good bagel, especially.
Nice list… My $.02…
For Thai– I’m a frequent patron of Amarin in Newton Corner, though it’s hard to beat Jamjuli.
Golden Star in NewtonVille for chinese
I’ll second Cabot’s for Ice cream, but Coney Island in West Newton Square is worth a mention.
For rules geeks, Shogun is a pretty good Japanese sushi place, right near Blue Ribbon BBQ.
And best place to take kids on a rainy day is the YMCA, hands down. Pool or Gym, take your pick.
Oh– and best Busffalo Wings– Buff’s Pub in Newton Corner (perhaps we should spell it Newton Cornre, like Newton Centre).
I was going to do the best gym = YMCA, but I have nothing to compare it to around here. I love the YMCA’s facilities though.
Just one more for the record. The small, local pub called West Street Grill in Nonantum has recently become a household favorite. It’s small, tight, but has great, cheap food.
And it’s in Nonantum, which just adds to the charm. You should visit when you head to the hardware store over there, it’s basically across the street.
On the subject of “why I love living in this city” is China Fair for kitchen gadgets, it’s right next to the paper annex and New England Mobile Bookfair. Three buildings that look like they could collapse tomorrow, but offer some of the best deals on great stuff.
Great article Krissy! I remember that you were one of the first to comment on my blog that focuses on Newton and surrounding restaurants. Here is my input:
Pub- Although I have not reviewed it yet, I really like Paddy’s and O’Haras. They both serve excellent pub grub!
Ice Cream- Cabot’s is the best! Any time I take someone there they say, why don’t I have one of these kind of places near me? This place is a blast from the past and is still going strong. I always get their frozen yogurt which they grind and turn it into soft serve and mix in any flavors.
Inidan Food-I agree with you on Little India in Waltham. I have never been to India Paradise, I will have to go. But recently I went to Masala Art in Needham…which is a WOW!
Pizza- That is a SENSITIVE subject for me! I am not happy with our choices for pizza in this area. I like Sweet Tomatoes and CB’s but I am not WOWed. Sorry. I recently came upon a Boston.com blog on pizza and have been trying to get through all of those recommended places. One of them was Tom’s Pizza in Auburndale. It was pretty good, but still not a WOW. There is a new place in Watertown called Marzo in the Arsenal complex, I have yet to try. I like my pizza thin crusted with a charcoal flavor, light tomato, heavy on the cheese….Al Forno’s in Providence, RI..is my ticket. I don’t mind going to the Chateau in Waltham or Bertucci’s in Newton for pizza.
Liquor Store- Marty’s in Newtonville is the only place I go. You can get bargain wines by the dozen.
Brunch- Not a brunch kind of gal, but I love Baker’s Best for their fresh baked goods and their interesting meals. I have known that place since they began across the street. I really prefer going for breakfast and recently went to a great one at the Deluxe Town Diner in Cooldge Square East Watertown. They have sweet potato pancakes that are out of this world.
Bakery: Yes, Antoine’s in Nonantum is the best for Italian pastries, cakes, cookies. Their Lobster Claws are decadent and their Italian Rum Cakes are as good as any in the North End. Great place to order a cake. Lets keep that family business going!
Italian food- Fiorella’s is good for pizza and quick Italian, but if you want real Italian you have to spend more and go to La Campagna on Main St in Waltham. It is very expensive and hard to get in, but worth it. For lower priced Italian, I don’t mind Bertucci’s in Newton. They have a new pasta menu that is fantastic.
Vietnamese food- Lam’s in Newtonville is the best. Everything they make is good. We always get the Mongolian Chicken.
Japanese food- Shogun is awesome. The sushi chef is Eto, I call him ET, and he is masterful with his sushi. He taught me how to eat sushi that has no raw ingredients, which is the only way I will eat it. Great place. I know that everyone is going to New Ginza in Watertown, but lets keep ET HOME.
Coffee shop-Not too wowed by any coffee show right now in Newton, but a new Tea House is opening in Newtonville on Walnut St, which looks kind of fun.
Mexican food-There is a new place in Newton towards Needham on Needham St., called Acapulcos Mexican Cantina. It was pretty good, I must say. There is also Margheritas in Waltham, which is fun TEX MEX and around the corner from them, off of Moody St, there is a little Mexican restaurant that is MUI AUTHENTICO!
Banks, Hardware & Auto- no comment
Clothes at a bargain- Newton is the best place for that….have you considered consignment? Very popular these days. Second Appearance on Washington St., Newtonville and the Discovery Shop on Walnut St. in Newtonville will turn you around and you will never want to shop anywhere else.
Chinese food-Green Tea is the best. They are located off of Route 9 near Home Goods. Their Dim Sum is all day Saturday and Sunday and it is fantastic.
Fresh Bread-I really prefer the rustic Italian bread to the Great Harvest style bread. Although their Apple Pie Bread and Cinnamon Swirl is amazing.
Totally unhealthy comfort food- I love the Blue Ribbon BBQ wet ribs and their meals are enormous.
Other stuff- Great Thai is at Amarin of Thailand in Newton Corner. They have been there before Thai became popular. They were my first experience and still are great. I also like to go to Jamjuli in Newton Highlands. I discovered the best Thai food by watching TV Diner. This place got their Platinum Plate, which is their best, it is called Bamboo and it is on Commonwealth Ave on the Brighton/Newton line. Fantastic food and very reasonable.
But the Absolute BEST REASON TO COME TO NEWTON is NEWTONVILLE BOOKS, BOOKS & BREWS SERIES! Go to http://www.newtonvillebooks.com and look at what is coming up. Always a great evening listening to a notable author read and then go over to Ariadne for a drink and appetizers with the groupl
This is a great idea, Krissy, and I think that I am going to publish my own “Best of” http://www.tishsdish.blogspot.com. See you there!
Great list Krissy. I definitely have to agree with Blue Ribbon, great bbq. You missed Comellas in West Newton for decent Italian dishes.
I totally disagree about Great Harvest though. No character or flavor to the breads or treats. They’re all bland and seem to have a sawdust feel to them. A new bakery called Bread & Chocolate recently opened in Newtonville which is fabulous. I was in twice the first weekend they were open and couldn’t get enough. The morning pastries are fresh out of the oven, cakes and sweets are beautifully decorated and sandwiches are very European - high quality and ready to go. You definitely have to give it a try. They blow Keltic away too.
For Kids Place, you could try Create a Cook in Newton Highlands. Its fairly new too. They do bday parties and such, but I don’t know what kind of rainy day activities they might have.
Cabots also has a decent brunch depending on your tastes. Has much more of a greasy spoon feel, which I adore.
For Thai food the best place to go if you are willing to travel a bit is Phuket. It is located at 1856 Centre St. in West Roxbury. The food is very authentic, delicious and affordable. They are open for lunch and dinner. I went there with my mom for lunch(and she went to Thailand this past fall) and she said it was the best Thai food she has had outside of Thailand. The chicken coconut soup, dumplings, shrimp “whale tails”, grilled lemon scallops, honey spareribs, and pad Thai are all superb. The place is small so you might want to call ahead and make a reservation. The phone number is (617)469-5200