Top Easter And Passover Spots Throughout Greater Boston
Easter falls late this year. But that doesn't mean you can't think ahead and reserve your spot at any one of these wonderful restaurants below on April 20th. Whether you are celebrating Easter or Passover (or both!), factor one of these sumptuous specials into your culinary plans for this very tasty holiday.
Never missing a beat, Chef Josh Lewin has a splendid surprise for guests at his Charles Street restaurant. Located inside one of Boston's most cherished Boutique hotels, Beacon Hill Bistro is a highly sought out spot for Easter brunch.
From 10- 4 pm on the 20th of April, diners are welcomed to indulge in a three course prix fix featuring local bounty from New England farms. To start, choose between Sweet Pea Soup with Lemon Crème Fraîche, Crispy Serrano Ham and Mint Oil, Roasted Asparagus Salad with Farm Egg, Spring Dug Parsnip Purée, Onion Confit and Bacon, Rohan Duck Rillettes with Traditional Accompaniments. For the main course, go the sweet route with Brioche French Toast with Native Strawberries, Mint and Chantilly Crème Fraîche, go traditional with Tamworth Ham with Braised Red Cabbage, Pickled Vegetables and Maple Glaze, go vegetarian with Lewin's Mushroom and Pea Risotto, Parmesan, or go big with the Lamb Shoulder with Minted Green and Roasted Asparagus. Either way you will come out a winner.
For dessert, their usual treat carte will be on hand, good luck choosing between the various pieces of edible art created by Chef Josh with the help of Danielle Mitchell.
$39 pp
Always a wonderful way to enjoy live music and great food, The Beehive presents their Easter Jazz brunch on April the 20th. Chef Marc Orfaly has prepared a three course prix fix menu for diners to indulge in begining nice and early at 9:30 for those of you who simply can't wait until the normal brunch hours. Items include Italian Easter Egg Drop Soup (Stracciatella) or Smoked Salmon Deviled Eggs for starters. The featured course involves choices that include Eggs Benedict with Ham, Spinach or Short Ribs and Easter classics such as Blackened Crackling Ham with Citrus, Rum and Raisin Sauce, Spring Peas & Whipped Potatoes, and Roast Leg of Lamb with Mint Pesto, Spring Peas & Whipped Potatoes. At $42.95 per person, this includes choice of coffee or tea (tax and gratuity not included). With Easter being a family affair, for children ten and under, The Beehive has a "Little Bee's Kids Menu" ($14.95) to order from before they go on to the more important happenings of Easter...ahem egg hunts anyone?
For those who are looking for a much later start, The Beehive has you covered here as well with their Easter dinner service from 4 pm- 1am. This service features a la carte options like Braised Short Rib, Roast Blue Cod with spinach butter, mashed potatoes & peas and Duck Au Poivre with schmaltz fried rice, mustard pickles and sauce Diane, Grilled Shrimp and Potato Gnocchi with toasted walnuts, sautéed zucchini and a Sunday Supper Pasta with meatballs and braised short rib – should we have any Boston Marathon runners in the midst.
Jazz musician Renato Malavasi will be playing tunes from 10-1 and again from 1:30-4:30 and trumpeter Phil Grenadier from 8 pm- midnight.
If Easter brunch is more your style, Bistro du Midi has something incredible ready and waiting. In theme with his usual authentic, Provencal cuisine, Chef Robert Sisca has devised a three course brunch special to be served on the 20th, but only the 20th!
Marinated beet salad, tuna tartare, steamed mussels and smoked white asparagus soup are among the first courses. Second course boasts the likes of poached eggs, cured Scottish salmon, American caviar and béarnaise sauce; heirloom gnocchi with haricot verts, pine nuts, preserved lemon and ricotta salata and pan roasted hake, seared prawn, confit fennel and lobster consommé among other dishes which are just as tantalizing. Of course, Easter brunch would not be complete without a little something sweet. As ever, Bistro du Midi follows through right until the end, vanilla mousseline with goat milk caramel and espresso ice cream, lemon pistachio tart with strawberry sorbet or rhubard and berry crumble with basil ice cream.
Beginning your Easter here means your day will be complete right from the start – it's a sure way to ensure the best Easter yet. ($50 pp)
Tucked away in the Hotel Indigo in Newton, Bokx 109 American Prime is planning something for the whole family to enjoy. Adults can indulge in a three course Easter Brunch with a champagne toast included. Starting with lighter fare like tuna tartare and the Bokx wedge salad. Moving on a 'short rib benny' immediately jumps out, but so does their banana bread French toast, hanger steak and eggs and any one of their frittata-style omelets.
As you make and enjoy your choices, the kids can also have their fun, with simple scrambled eggs, tasty French toast or chicken fingers.
For dessert, everyone gets to pick their favorite from the delectable dessert display where a whole number of sweet things will be vying for your undivided attention...a word of advice, give it to them! $45 for the adults and $20 for the children, brunch will be served from 11-3pm on April 20th.
In the South End, the large, red leather and dark wooden interior of Boston Chops begs attention this Easter. Following a basket of warm sticky buns, croissant and scones as well as an assorted fruit plate, dive into the likes of a duck confit omelet, huevos rancheros or lobster benedict. Finish off with a chocolate pistachio cake and enjoy the whole lot amid bottles of bubbly or any of the delicious wines from their extensive list. It'll be decadent. As it should be. ($40 pp)
Chef Tony Maws, chef de cuisine Carl Dooley and the rest of his stellar team at Craigie love all things Passover and Easter-related. They are thus celebrating both! On April 15-16th, in addition to their regular menu(though to ever call Craigie's menu 'regular' would be the understatement of the century..), a selection of Passover inspired eats like Asparagus with Schmaltz and Matzoh Ball Soup and Apricot and Tamarind-braised Beef Short Rib and Matzoh-crusted Halibut.
Should you be unable to attend this Passover extravaganza, definitely look into a spot at their Easter Brunch. Already renowned for having one of the best brunches in town, Chef Tony Maws holds nothing back for this holiday. a 3-course prix fix is offered for adults and children alike. Roast leg of lamb, farro spaghetti and other yummy creations will all be there for your choosing and your enjoyment. $50 dollars per person and kids 12 and under eat for half price. Make your Easter a family affair around a table of delectable dishes.
An important part of the recent restaurant boom in Newton, Cook will be offering a special Passover meal from April 14th-April 21st. In addition to the regular menu, executive Chef Paul Turano has prepared serve three unique takes on traditional Seder fare including Beef and Barley Soup with herb yogurt and preserved lemon, Slow Braised Lamb with cedar roasted asparagus, onion pear puree and matzo gremolata and Flourless Chocolate Cake with orange meringue. This menu is available from 4:30-10 Sunday through Thursday and 4:30-11 Friday through Saturday.
Easter goes the Italian route in the hands of Dante de Magistris at his Cambridge side restaurant – Dante. With an Italian 75 and a Belini to start you off on the right track, follow along with an Italian style quiche (Pizza Chiena), egg ricotta, basket cheese, prosciutto, sopressata, field greens and aged balsamic or a cauliflower bisque (zuppa) with smoked shrimp and hazelnuts. Vermont Spring lamb over tufoli pasta with lamb ragu, grilled cops, egg stuffing, pine nuts and raisins is a first choice among the mains, but so is the scaloppini di pollo with marsala, garlic chives, wild mushrooms and spinach, or Dante's Italaina eggs benedict – prosciutto, potato toast, grilled rosemary lemon hollandaise, roasted potatoes and tomatoes.
Keeping things simple for dessert, a classic Italian Neapolitan Easter pie – ricotta soft wheat berries, orange blossom and cinnamon gelato will certainly leave you wanting more...
Easter brunch will be served at $55 pp, from 11-3 on the 20th.
From the guys behind Kitchen Kibitz, Boston's newest and only Jewish inspired pop-up concept, it should come as no surprise that they have something brewing for Passover. This event is extra special, held at The Hawthorne on April 13th from 6-8, Naomi Levy of Eastern Standard will be showcasing her cocktail prowess with five non-traditional beverages inspired by various parts of Seder. These cocktails, all created especially for this Passover event, will be paired with Jewish inspired bites and snacks from Kitchen Kibitz creator Jeff Gabel – think bone marrow, pastrami duck, blinis with smoked salmon and many more such tantalizing numbers. The event is strictly 21+, tickets are $64.29 (this includes a processing fee) and can be purchased here.
Chef/owner Anthony Caturano of Prezza in Boston's historic North End is celebrating Pasqua (which is Italian for Easter), from 4 pm – 9 pm on the 20th of April. Make a reservation here to enjoy the following sumptious selections in addition to their regular menu: Gnocchi (San Marzano tomato, parmigiano); Meatballs (tomato, tagliatelle); Fried Clams (cherry peppers); Linguine alle Vongole; Veal Saltimbocca (spinach, roasted potatoes); Chicken Parmigiano (tagliatelle, San Marzano tomato); and, Monkfish, Olives and Potatoes. Who says your Easter plans can't incorporate some Old-World, traditional Italian flair? Stroll the streets of the North End on a Sunday evening – it is usually the best time to do so and no matter how full you are from your Easter meal...there is usually always room for an extra canoli!
Chef Jody Adams presents a special three-course prix fix menu Easter brunch on the 20th of April. From 11 am- 2 pm, adult guests will be started off with a breakfast antipasti including asparagus and salsa verde, parma prosciutto, olive-artichoke relish and burratta and smoked char. Enjoy all of these and other accoutrements with homemade ginger cherry scones, hot crossed buns, Easter cheese focaccia and breadsticks. Second course offers up the choice between Peeky-toe crab tagliatelle, egg-in-a-hole, potato gnocchi, roasted leg of lamb and more...as if you needed more delectable options to choose from! For dessert, Jody Adams' love of Italian cooking is featured in her limoncello baba, rhubard frangipane tart, mixed berries or a chocolate-hazelnut cheesecake. Any combination of selections will ensure an Easter Brunch to remember.
Children need not fret, Jody has a special menu created for them as well. Tenderloin and potatoes, roasted chicken breast and homemade pasta with crab are among their choices. And as usual, their treats are enough to make any adult jealous: ice cream sundae or a simple but delicious cupcake with choclate or buttercream frosting. (Adults $65 and Children $25)
Who says you have to stick to tradition all the time? Why not do something a little different this year and celebrate Passover with a Mexican twist? Over in the Seaport, Rosa Mexicano offers an array of Passover –inspired and Mexican styled dishes. If Matzoh Ball Pozole Soup (Jalisco-style with chipotle-marrow matzo balls), Matzoh-Breaded Chicken Breast (with an arugula, tomato and jicama salad, tamarind vinaigrette and salsa verde), Banana Leaf-Wrapped BBQ Beef Brisket with dried fruit tsimmes and glazed baby carrots and Copa de Mango (Fresh whole mango scooped and filled with dice mangoes and coconut ice cream, topped with raspberry sauce and buñuelos) sound intriguing to you...as they most definitely should, Rosa Mexicano should be on the top of your Passover plans. The Mexican Passover menu will be served from April 14th-April 22nd.
If you are in the mood for a simple treat, make your way to one of Boston's Shake Shack locations for their Easter special concrete. Available April 17th-April 20th, their Shackbury Easter Egg Concrete involves fresh-made vanilla frozen custard blended with caramel sauce and milk chocolate chunks. Enough said. ($4.25 for a single cup, $6.50 for a double).
Over by the water, organize your Easter plans around a delicious 3 course, prix fixe menu served from 12 p.m.- 10 p.m. at Srega Waterfront. Chef Salvatore Firicano will be dishing up an array of tantalizing treats perfect for a lazy, Easter Sunday. To begin, diners can choose between Prosciutto Bocconcini, freshly made Bocconcini wrapped in prosciutto di parma with roasted red peppers; Oysters Rockefeller, sautéed spinach, parmesan, seasoned Italian breadcrumbs, garlic-lemon aioli; and Wild Mushroom Ravioli, homemade pasta, fresh ricotta, béchamel cream sauce. For entrees, holiday classics such as Honey-Glazed Ham with mashed sweet potatoes and Tuscan vegetables; tender Braised Lamb Shank supported by creamy polenta; Homemade Manicotti stuffed with fresh ricotta, spinach, parmesan and topped with Pomodoro, as well as Parmesan Encrusted Cod nestled atop a seasonal pea and pancetta risotto are the highlighted options. To finish off your meal and take you on to the next part of your day, desserts include house made Easter Bread, topped with crème fraiche and seasonal berries or Ricotta Pie.
Prix Fix priced at $49 a person, reservations recommended.