You've had a stressful day, you're hungry, you look down at your phone to find your friend Karen wants to go out to eat. Ugh... you know what this means. The next half hour will be devoted to helping Karen go through her existential food crisis (because its definitely not the DH again, but she isn't quite sure what she really really feels). But fear not! You don't have to feel guilty over making an excuse not to eat out with the picky eaters in your life.
Quincy Market (if you want the widest variety)
Most Bostonians already have this food hall (or "food colonnade") on their radar. If your picky eater finds that they have absolutely no idea what category of food they want, this is the best place to take them. Quincy Market has everything: pizza bagels, gyro, clam chowder bread bowls, burritos, mac n cheese, udon, and even cocktails. You can even get a bit of shopping done while you wait for Karen to determine what is absolutely the correct meal to eat.
The Boston Public Market (If Ingredients Really Matter To You)
If you're dealing with one of those picky eaters who need their food to be locally sourced or coherent with their diet, the Boston Public Market is the perfect place to take them. All of the vendors are local and there are tons of options for vegans, vegetarians, meat enthusiasts, and all kinds of food intolerances. Plus you can get your grocery shopping out of the way.
Super 88 Market (If You've Agreed On Asian Food)
You've managed to get Karen down to a single continent: Asia. But you begin to realize that's still very broad in terms of food. Indian? Korean? Japanese? Chinese? Thai? Vietnamese? Super 88 has vendors with all of these options. You can get bibimbap in a stone pot, curries of all varieties, steamed buns, bahn mi, sushi, and barbecue all under one roof. (Plus there's a cheap market with fun snacks and hard to find teas in the back).
Eataly (If You're Feeling A Bit Fancy)
So Karen might not be sure what it is that she wants, but the two of you are looking to treat yourselves to something on the pricier side. At Eataly, a recent addition to Boston's prudential center, you have access to variety, with the option for a nice sit down dinner. There's crepes, salads, seafood, sandwiches, pizza, all in a nice market area that is entertaining to walk and shop around while your picky eater closely examines their options.
The stress is over. Karen has eaten the one meal to rule them all. But most importantly you got to spend quality time rather than starving through the tedious mission of finding a single place to eat.