No chowda please.

November 27, 2009 8:12 AM

Please recommend romantic restaurants/cafes in Boston/Cambridge. I'd like to hear about anything you feel is exceptional and possibly off the beaten path.
posted by Behemoth to Food & Drink (17 answers total)

Ten Tables in Cambridge and Jamaica Plain is both romantic and exceptional. Not sure if it's off the beaten path.
posted by samsarah at 8:17 AM on November 27, 2009

gargoyles in davis square.
posted by rmd1023 at 8:49 AM on November 27, 2009

Mistral is romantic, but not off the beaten path.
posted by burlsube at 8:51 AM on November 27, 2009

Baraka Cafe in Cambridge is tiny and romantic. The cuisine is Algerian-Tunisian, so make sure your date is open minded towards unfamiliar food.
posted by nowoutside at 8:56 AM on November 27, 2009 [2 favorites]

I really like Evoo at the Cambridge/Somerville line.
posted by Metroid Baby at 9:01 AM on November 27, 2009

I always liked Sandrine's, though its hardly off the beaten path.
posted by jefficator at 9:51 AM on November 27, 2009

Chez Henri, Cambridge
Burdick's Cafe, Cambridge
Cuchi Cuchi, Cambridge

I find Chinatown very romantic.
posted by cocoagirl at 11:28 AM on November 27, 2009

TW Food in North Cambridge is extremely intimate and waaaay off the beaten path. Also mostly locally-sourced and organic food.
posted by Sidhedevil at 11:43 AM on November 27, 2009 [2 favorites]

Seconding Baraka, but be forewarned that there is no alcohol (though the rose lemonade makes up for it).

Also, Dali is amaaaazing.
posted by oinopaponton at 12:43 PM on November 27, 2009

dali is amazing, as is cuchi cuchi over in central square. however, both are often sufficiently crowded and loud as to make it pretty unromantic. great food, tho.

i'm not sure about dali, but if you go somewhat early to cuchi cuchi, and on a weeknight, it is quite pleasant and you finish up around the time it gets utterly swamped.
posted by rmd1023 at 12:47 PM on November 27, 2009

Seconding Mistral for a romantic dinner. Their food and service were quite good. On weekend nights, it can get a little louder. Our last time, we reserved a corner table for a bit more intimacy. We ordered a number of the seasonal items (duck confit squash soup, sirloin carpaccio, pumpkin-seasoned swordfish, and rack of lamb). We shared (all of them were delicious) and were quite pleased with the experience.
posted by seppyk at 1:11 PM on November 27, 2009

These are all great suggestions. If you were interested in doing the North End thing, we had a delicious and romantic dinner at Assaggio. It's on Prince which is one of the side streets, so it's not as hectic as Hanover Street, but still in the heart of the North End.
posted by katemcd at 1:43 PM on November 27, 2009

Maybe Oleana in Cambridge? I haven't eaten there in years, but it was quite good.
posted by A dead Quaker at 1:59 PM on November 27, 2009

I always liked Daedalus
posted by zentrification at 3:08 PM on November 27, 2009

I can vouch for Ten Tables and Gargoyles. I dislike Chez Henri immensely.

Blue Ginger in Wellesley is great and off the beaten path in terms of location.
posted by reddot at 5:53 PM on November 27, 2009

Add more votes for Oleana, TW Food, and Ten Tables. Also Lumiere in Newton and Il Casale in Belmont.
posted by Jasper Fnorde at 7:25 PM on November 27, 2009

Helmand in Cambridge is Afghani, rumored to be owned by Hamid Karzai's brother, and very, very delicious and romantic. I love Green Street in central square and the Highland Kitchen in Somerville, and though both are upscale-but-casual, I'm not sure how romantic they are. The best/most-romantic experience in the North End Italian eateries I've had was at Pomodoro. Definitely not cheesy and overpriced like some of the other restaurants in the area.
posted by lalalana at 11:19 PM on November 27, 2009