A popular dish in the Middle East and North Africa, Shakshuka has been gaining fame in the past few years, becoming a brunch staple across the restaurant industry. Traditionally, Shakshuka features eggs in a tomato sauce and is usually served with some sort of bread on the side. The beauty of Shakshuka is in the fact that no restaurant makes it the same way, with each chef putting their own individual spin on the dish.
I have never been disappointed with a Shakshuka dish I have come across, and the quest to bring Shakshuka appreciation to forefront of people’s minds is one I embrace wholeheartedly. Shakshuka is currently served in an eclectic array of restaurants across Boston, mostly during brunch, and the following is the MVP list of the best Shakshuka in the 617.
Anoush’ella
35 W Newton St, Boston, MA 02118
Restaurant Blurb: Centered in the heart of the South End, Anoush’ella bases their menu off the “bold, fresh flavors found in the street foods of the Eastern Mediterranean.” The name literally translates to “May it be Sweet,” a homage to the “love, pride, and enjoyment” that goes into serving dishes to customers that enjoy your food. Their restaurant interior is decorated beautifully, with their walls and tables showing off the wide variety of authentic spices and flavorings that they use in each of their dishes. ,
Price of Dish: $9.75 for Labne Shakshuka and $9.75 for Traditional Shakshuka.
What Makes it Unique: With their 2 different Shakshuka takes, Anoush’ella sets themselves apart from the pack with their crafty use of Eastern Mediterranean spices and flavors, as well as the innovative use of Labne, a variation on Greek yogurt, for the base of their plate. Their liberal use of spices throughout their dishes makes for a unique palette experience, and their poached egg was cooked to the perfect consistency for dipping in the dripping egg yolk. My personal favorite was the Labne version because of its inclusion of spicy olive oil, and zhouk and aleppo peppers, which paired nicely with the pita side.
#SpoonTip: Go with friends and order both of their Shakshuka versions. I ordered 2 plates for a group of 3 people and there was more than enough food to go around.
Cafe 26
26 Temple Pl, Boston, MA 02108
Restaurant Blurb: Two blocks from Downtown Crossing, Cafe 26 immediately makes you think of home. Their niche lies in serving a wide array of breakfast, lunch, and dinner options regularly throughout the day, and it the perfect stop by cafe for when you’re at the Boston Common or doing your weekend shopping in the Downtown area. The friendly manager and the overall environment of the restaurant makes you feel like you’re back at home with your mom serving you a home cooked meal.
Price of Dish: $7.99, served with the choice of bacon, ham, or sausage
What Makes it Unique: Cafe 26’s Shakshuka is the epitome of the Shakshuka that your mom would make you. Their Shakshuka claim to fame definitely lies in the flavoring of their tomato sauce as it packs a powerful spoonful filled with spiced herbs and melted cheese. Cafe 26 serves their Shakshuka eggs fried and over easy, creating a perfect dipping environment for their accompanying brown toast. According to their management, their Sausage Shakshuka is their most popular variation, but they can also serve it vegetarian style upon request.
#SpoonTip: Order with a side of Moroccan tea, and they will teach you the correct way to pour this sweet and deliciously hot beverage that is the perfect side to your Shakshuka.
Coppersmith
40 W 3rd St, South Boston, MA 02127
Restaurant Blurb: Housed in a vintage industrial warehouse, Coppersmith prides itself on being a dynamic venue serving “globally influenced comfort food” to a wide array of audiences. Their brunch menu features classics like chicken and waffles, egg sandwiches, and steak and eggs, each with their own twists curated by Chef Steve. If their multifaceted abilities are not apparent enough, Coppersmith also houses a daily cafe featuring homemade pastries and rich coffees in a completely different section of the restaurant.
Price of Dish: $12
What Makes it Unique: Coppersmith serves its Shakshuka in a pan with over hard farm eggs and sides of flatbread and home fries, with a perfect ratio of carbohydrates to sauce. Their home fries were toasted to crispy perfection, and surprisingly complimented the tomato sauce well, acting as a stand in ketchup of sorts. The feta is served melted and slightly charred on top, in a style reminiscent of french onion soup, and the smokiness creating an additional dimension of flavor for the dish.
Committee
50 Northern Ave, Boston, MA 02210
Restaurant Blurb: Located in the Seaport district, Committee combines upscale dining with classic Mediterranean flavors to bring “vibrant brunch dishes and flowing conversation” to its Boston customers. Their brunch menu is based entirely on the concept of Για το Τραπέζι, otherwise known as “for the table” plates, which are supposed to accompany personal selections of single brunch orders.
Price of Dish: $24 for a 2 person portion, so $12 each
What Makes it Unique: The spiced levels of their homemade tomato sauce comes through in perfect amounts with each bite, and the pita bread served alongside it is actually so good you can forget to dip it in the Shakshuka while eating. The feta cheese is melted perfectly on top of everything, and there is a very generous amount of eggs included, probably 5-6 eggs, perfect for dipping in the creamy yolks with the pita. Their Shakshuka is offered based on their sharing concept, as each Shakshuka is meant to serve 2 or more people, and it is probably the largest single serving of Shakshuka I’ve seen in my life.
#SpoonTip: All their dishes are great for sharing, and every time I’ve been with friends we’ve ordered 3-4 appetizers for parties of 6 or more to maximize the different types of delicious food we can try.
Milkweed
1508 Tremont St, Boston, MA 02120
Restaurant Blurb: Milkweed is a staple in the Mission Hill area, and upon entering the restaurant you are immediately treated with delicious smells and greeted by the friendly ownership duo of Dave and Holly. The family-based roots of this restaurant are immediately clear, from the children-originated Lucky Charm pancakes to the flavors of Holly’s savory muffins that change on the daily. Not only is their menu diverse, but their food is also fantastic, which is clear from the long weekend brunch lines that pile down the street.
Price of Shakshuka: $13
What Makes it Unique: Milkweed Shakshuka is served with a generous portion of toasted challah bread and the seasoned meatballs within the dish are to die for. When I was eating the Shakshuka I made sure to evenly distribute the meat, sauce, and cheese on the challah bread, and not even halfway through my plate I was already in food coma mode. Milkweed Shakshuka portion is more than generous, and I struggled to finish more than ¾ of my plate on an empty stomach. I’m not even ashamed to admit that I went back to Milkweed three days after my original Shakshuka visit to have their Saturday brunch because their food was that good.
#SpoonTip: I got the inside scoop from Holly, and the best time to hit up Milkweed for Saturday brunch is before 10:30 am or after 1:30 pm if you want to minimize your wait times!
Tatte
Multiple locations, I went to the one in Fenway
1352 Boylston St, Boston, MA 02215
Restaurant Blurb: Started in 2007, Tatte Bakery and Cafe has expanded its reach far and wide throughout Boston making it it’s delicious coffees and breakfast centered treats dangerously accessible to their hungry customers. Tatte can play many roles ranging from your quiet Thursday afternoon study spot to the insanely packed weekend brunch haunt.
Price of Dish: $12.50 for traditional, $14.50 for lamb, and $15.50 for potato and duck
What Makes it Unique: Tatte offers 3 unique variations on their Shakshuka ranging from traditional (tomato sauce based), lamb meatball (adding meat to the dish), and then potato and duck (completely changing the base to a creamy potato based offering). The flavoring in all 3 Tatte Shakshuka variations is ridiculously good and their servings were so large I could not finish it without the aid of my friends. I have never been disappointed with any Tatte order and their Shakshuka certainly did not break that trend.
#SpoonTip: Make sure to go to Tatte when you have a large amount of time on your hands because it can be difficult to snag seats for larger groups on their group dining styled tables
“Best in the 617” is an article series created and written by Rachel Eng that seeks to provide a comprehensive analysis of restaurants and food providers throughout Boston. It aims to be read by students and other readers alike for the increased awareness of the diverse food selections across Boston. Have a specific dish or food trend you want me to cover next? Email me at eng.r@husky.neu.edu!