Tiny Urban Kitchen

Exploring Food from Boston to Hong Kong and Beyond

  • About Me
  • Travel
  • Recipes
  • Michelin
  • Subscribe
  • Taiwanese
menu icon
go to homepage
  • About Me
  • Travel
  • Recipes
  • Michelin
  • Subscribe
  • Taiwanese
    • Email
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • LinkedIn
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
  • subscribe
    search icon
    Homepage link
    • About Me
    • Travel
    • Recipes
    • Michelin
    • Subscribe
    • Taiwanese
    • Email
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • LinkedIn
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
  • ×
    • Bibi London
      Bibi London - Michelin Indian Food
    • Planque London
      Planque London: Tasting the Unexpected
    • Bala Baya London
      Sunday Brunch at Bala Baya London
    • Ta Vie Hong Kong
      Ta Vie Hong Kong 旅 (3 Michelin Stars)
    • Pleka IFC Hong Kong
      Pleka IFC Hong Kong - Italian Japanese fusion
    • Nanjing, China
      Weekend Trip to Nanjing China
    • Po Toi Island and Stanley Hong Kong
      Po Toi Island and Stanley Hong Kong
    • Wakaran Hong Kong
      Wakaran Wan Chai
    • Godenya Hong Kong
      Godenya Hong Kong (revisited)
    • The Chairman Hong Kong
      The Chairman Hong Kong (1 Michelin Star)
    • Hanu Wan Chai Hong Kong
      Hanu (Korean Beef) Wan Chai
    • Always Joy Hong Kong
      Always Joy Hong Kong
    Home » US Travel » Boston

    Beacon Hill Bistro

    Published: Dec 18, 2009 · Modified: Oct 29, 2014 by Jennifer Che

    _MG_2075
    Beacon Hill is the probably THE most expensive neighborhood in Boston.  It's where Senator John Kerry and Todd English live.  It's where John F. Kennedy lived before he became president.  The charming intimate neighborhood is filled with brick and brownstone homes with real gas lamps lining the streets.

    Not only that, this quaint neighborhood is in an awesome location.  It is a short walk from the Public Garden, Boston Common, the Charles River, Newbury Street (high end shopping), a subway stop on the Red Line, and Charles Street, which is filled with cute artisan shops, locally owned restaurants, and a lovely little market.
    heirloom melon, boston bibb salad
    Boston Bibb Lettuce, Heirloom Melon, Hearts of Palm, and Goat Cheese with Tarragon 9
    Because rents are so high in Beacon Hill, it's natural to expect that prices, from a toothbrush at the local drugstore to high end dining, will be significantly higher.

    I had to keep this in mind as we visited Beacon Hill Bistro.  This restaurant sits on the first floor of the Beacon Hill Hotel right on Charles Street, the cute street lined with small shops, a local market, and restaurants.
    BeaconHillBistro1
    Fresh Maine Crab over Heirloom Keener Corn Grits, with Oregano and Sorrel 14
    We had a coupon from Restaurant.com, which lessened the blow. 

    Our over all impression? We thought some of the dishes were excellent, while others were mediocre and seemingly overpriced.  I had the Boston Bibb lettuce salad (pictured above), which was fine.  Nothing particularly special, but it was nice. 

    The fresh Maine Crab, on the other hand, was really good - definitely the best item we had that night.  The sauce had a rich lobster flavor that went really well with the corn grits.  Delicious.
    Cavattapi with chicken
    House-Made Pappardelle, Braised Chicken, Bacon, and Brussels Sprouts, Olive Oil Toasted Breadcrumbs 24
    I was quite disappointed with the pappardelle.  I guess it was OK, but tasted pretty ordinary for the price tag.  I really think it was not even as good as the pasta at Basta Pasta Enoteca or Bottega Fiorentina, which cost a lot less.
    Pan seared scallops with zucchini
    Special of the day: Pan seared scallops with zucchini in a white wine sauce
    The scallops were pretty tasty and well executed.  No complaints about this dish.

    Looking back, I'm pretty sure the prices affected my over all impression of the place.  If I feel that a meal is overpriced, I begin to think more critically (and often negatively) of the food.  I adjust my expectations according to how much I pay for the meal.  If it's expensive, I expect it to be really good.  But, as I said earlier, I need to remember that rents are super high in this area, and thus I really should factor that into the prices of the dishes.
    Beacon Hill Bistro
    I guess if you're in the area, this is not a bad place to visit. The food can be quite good depending on what you order, though I would not call this a "destination"-worthy restaurant.

    They do have a nice Sunday night special menu with pretty recession-friendly prices.  They also have a fun "Wine & Dine Mondays" dinner where you can enjoy a prix fixe menu with 4 wine pairings for $55.

    Beacon Hill Bistro
    25 Charles St
    Boston, MA 02114
    Beacon Hill Bistro on Urbanspoon

    ©2009-2014 Tiny Urban Kitchen
    All Rights Reserved

    More Boston

    • Jen's Top Restaurants to visit in Boston - 2023 Update
    • A Month in Boston: our first post-Covid Trip
    • Jinny's Pizzeria Newton
    • Farewell Bergamot

    Recent Posts

    • Bibi London - Michelin Indian Food July 9, 2025
    • Planque London: Tasting the Unexpected July 4, 2025
    • Sunday Brunch at Bala Baya London July 1, 2025
    • Ta Vie Hong Kong 旅 (3 Michelin Stars) June 27, 2025
    • Pleka IFC Hong Kong - Italian Japanese fusion June 24, 2025
    • Weekend Trip to Nanjing China June 20, 2025
    • Po Toi Island and Stanley Hong Kong June 17, 2025
    • Wakaran Wan Chai June 15, 2025
    Jennifer Che Tiny Urban Kitchen

    Hi, my name's Jen and welcome to my cooking, eating, and travel site! I am an expat who moved from Boston to Hong Kong 5 years ago. Born and raised in Ohio to Taiwanese immigrant parents, I am a chemistry nerd, patent attorney by day, blogger by night, church musician on weekends, and food enthusiast always. Feel free to explore away, maybe starting with the Recipe Index or one of the travel pages! I hope you enjoy this site!

    More about me →

    logo
    Food Advertisements by

    Explore

    • Recipe
    • Restaurant
    • US Travel
    • World Travel

    Popular Posts

    • Michael Chiarelli Ottimo Yountville California
      Bottega + Ottimo Yountville
    • Ciccio Yountville California
      Ciccio Yountville
    • Charter Oak St. Helena Napa Valley California
      Charter Oak St. Helena Napa Valley California
    • Cole’s Chop House Napa California
      Cole's Chop House Napa California

    Recipes

    • Appetizer
    • Snacks
    • Meat
    • Vegetables
    • Soup
    • Salad
    • Seafood
    • Noodles

    Recently Traveled

    • Hong Kong
    • France
    • Belgium
    • Boston
    • California
    • United Kingdom
    • Germany
    • Spain

    Support Us

    Support Tiny Urban Kitchen by making purchases on Amazon through our affiliate link:

    Recognition


    Featured on the front page
    of the FOOD Section: 2015

    Best Food Blog Awards:
    Restaurant & Dining 2012

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    About

    • About Me
    • My Equipment
    • In the Press
    • Project Food Blog
    • Privacy Policy

    Eating Guides!

    Eating & Travel Guides
    Trip Reports
    "Kawaii" (Cute Foods)
    Around the World

    • Pinterest
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Twitter
    • LinkedIn
    • YouTube
    • Mail
    • RSS Feed

    As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Shop at Amazon

    Copyright © 2024 Tiny Urban Kitchen