No, “Beli” isn’t a typo. But it is a play on the term “belly”—a fitting name for an app made for food lovers to track, share, and discover their favorite restaurants. I’d argue that it’s one of the most innovative platforms out there (I am a foodie at the end of the day). In fact, Beli itself currently ranks among the top 50 Food & Drink apps.
Despite “beli-ing” more than I’d like to admit, I’m still nowhere near close to finding the best of the best. So when my friend Elle came to visit from our small hometown in Pennsylvania, I took it as the perfect excuse to treat her—and myself—to some of Boston’s top-ranked spots. Here’s how I planned our food-filled weekend, plus a few tips I’d recommend along the way.
Day 1
We started Friday night with a seafood dinner at Moeca, ranked #3 on Beli’s “Top 10 Boston Seafood” list. Now, Boston is known for its seafood scene, so what makes this newer spot stand out over the city’s established classics? Simple: they take reservations. And so, two weeks in advance, my 6:00 p.m. table for two was secured.
Tip 01: Save walk-in-only restaurants for weekdays.
We started the meal off with their Unicorn Oysters, topped with orange sea buckthorn juice (no, I actually don’t know what this is) and fresh cucumber and dill. I’m typically not much of an oyster fan, but these were admittedly pretty tasty. Next came the Tuna N’duja, served with two slices of a black squid ink sourdough—it was slightly salty for my liking, but an overall classy pairing. We followed with the Fairy Tale Eggplant and fried Loligo Squid before our final dish, the Lobster Spaghetti, arrived. I’m not much of a pasta fan either, but this was easily my favorite dish of the night. The spaghetti was perfectly al dente, with a slight spice and generous bits of fresh lobster.
After dinner, we were stuffed… but we were in Cambridge, a.k.a. the neighborhood of BerryLine. This frozen yogurt shop, although not technically featured on any Beli list, had been sitting on my bookmark list for months, so it was about time to try. Quick word of advice: don’t be discouraged by the long line—there seems to be one no matter what time you visit, but it moves quickly, and the final reward is well worth the wait.
After what seemed like fate bumping into Angelina, Spoon BU’s very own Treasurer, I took the opportunity to ask her for her BerryLine recs. She suggested the Original sweet tarte paired with their homemade mochi—a crowd favorite, or so I’ve heard. Naturally, I ordered exactly that… plus brownie and cheesecake bites, because multiple toppings are better than one. The sweet bites balanced the tartness of the yogurt perfectly. But I’m a sweets girl, so what can I say? The sweeter, the better.
Tip 02: BerryLine offers free samples of their flavors. Just ask!
Day 2
We started Saturday morning at Brookline Lunch. Or maybe I should say afternoon? We arrived at the small Middle Eastern restaurant around 10:20 a.m., joined the line, which already took up half the block, and waited nearly 45 minutes to be seated. Now, this place has basically been on my “to-visit” list since I moved to Boston, so the line didn’t phase me (it might’ve phased Elle, though, who’s only used to waiting in the checkout lines at Target in our small hometown).
Tip 03: Brookline Lunch doesn’t take reservations, so get there early (and maybe not on a weekend) if you want to be seated before you get hangry.
Two things to know about me: I love to share, and I love a sweet and savory combo, especially for breakfast. Elle was feeling in a strictly savory mood, so sharing was off the table. My only choice was to order two entrees for myself, no problem. Sweet came from the Baklava Pancakes, a triple stack of fluffy hot cakes topped with pistachio sugar and drizzled with their homemade rosewater syrup. Savory came from the Spicy Sausage Shakshuka, a rich combination of meat, veggies, cheese, and a perfectly poached egg.
This spot is truly what you’d call a neighborhood gem, but hidden? Not so much. In fact, Shawn Mendes had just been there the week before, and the line stretching down the block speaks for itself. I’m glad to have finally crossed Brookline Lunch off my list, but that won’t stop me from coming back.
After some shopping around Cambridge, we headed to dinner at Tonino, a 28-seat Italian restaurant ranked #1 on both Beli’s “Top Boston Italian” and the “NYT Best Boston Restaurants of 2024” lists. That’s really the only context you need to understand why it was necessary for our dinner reservation to be scheduled one month in advance. Side note: the process is brutal—my first two choices were taken by the time the page refreshed, so 5:15 p.m. dinner it was.
Tip 04: Got time at noon? Book your Tonino reservation for next month.
Elle and I started the meal with the Pizza Bianca or “white pizza” in Italian, paired with the Ricotta and Hot Honey dip. The toast was the perfect thickness and texture for scooping up the whipped cheese. And it was just the right amount with a total of five large pieces to share. For mains, we first ordered the Taleggio Cappelletti, eight pieces of stuffed “little hats,” drizzled with a balsamic glaze and served on a bed of white sauce. It’s best enjoyed in one bite, our server advised (so pick up your spoon, and put down your fork!). Our second main was the Lumache, a shell-shaped pasta served with a garlicky cream, mushrooms, and fresh parsley. Though the less popular pasta of the two, according to Beli, this one was both of our favorites.
Another thing to note, Tonino is as much about ambience as it is about pasta. Across from us, a woman was solo-dining, with a book in one hand and an oyster in the other. To my right was a family of five, sharing an entire pizza. To my left, a young couple celebrated their anniversary. And there we were, just two friends enjoying a very, very nice meal.
Later that night, we capped things off with dessert at Scoop N Scootery, #7 on “Top Boston Ice Cream.” This might’ve been my third visit of the semester alone, and it had only been week five at this point. But seriously, who’s counting? With an endless number of sundae combinations (what factorial equation do I even use to calculate that?), I’ll say that I could go an endless number of times. This visit, I tried the seasonal Pumpkin Donut sundae—finally, after missing it the week before.
It sure as heck wasn’t my first time there, but it was Elle’s. She ordered the Thick Mint, which she described as something along the lines of “it’s rich and nothing like Ben & Jerry’s.” I’ll take it!
Tip 05: The “mini” size is a lot bigger than it sounds.
Day 3
Surprised we still had an appetite after the first two days of good food? If you know me, then probably not.
Our next stop on this Sunday morning was brunch at Krasi on Newbury Street, which appears on a solid four Beli lists, including “Top Boston Greek” and “Top Most Bookmarked Boston.” Normally, I’d go for a sweet and savory breakfast, as I’ve mentioned, but the yiaourti and tsoureki were calling my name. In case you don’t know what either of those terms mean, let me translate: the Yiaourti Me Meli is a Greek yogurt topped with honey, sweet dried cherries, and candied nuts, and the Tsoureki is Krasi’s take on French toast—a thick sweet bread topped with baklava granola, fig jam, and maple whipped cream. After our big, delicious sweet breakfast, walking on Newbury seemed like a given.
Alas, all good things come to an end. We wrapped up Elle’s visit with dinner at Mahaniyom, a tapas-style Thai restaurant in cozy Brookline. By now you can probably guess that I picked this restaurant for its rankings. Mahaniyom is also featured on four Beli lists, including “Top Boston Thai” and the “NYT Best Restaurants in Boston 2024.”
We split three small dishes: the Jor Puu—fried tofu dumplings filled with seafood and meat served with a sweet plum dipping sauce; the Moo Krob Pad Kapi—crispy pork belly topped with crispy shallots; and Sautéed Brussel Sprouts—no explanation needed. Each dish was refined and balanced. I didn’t get to try any of their spicy dishes (Elle’s biggest flaw is her low spice tolerance), but trust me, I’ll find an occasion to.
Tip 06: You won’t be able to adjust the spice level on their Thai curries, but everything else is fair game.
The End
After spending an entire weekend trying to conquer Boston’s highest-rated spots, I’m still nowhere near close to finishing my list of bookmarks. You’ll continue to find me “beli-ing,” on the hunt for the best of the best. But sometimes, the best meals aren’t the ones that are on the top-ranked lists, but the ones that you share with good company.