Boasting a scratch kitchen that emphasizes the use of fresh local ingredients churning out regional specials from the kitchen and craft cocktails from the bar, you'll find yourself impressed with your experience at Earl's Kitchen + Bar. Focused on classic food with clever twists, Earls Kitchen + Bar is your go-to spot in Assembly Row. A comfortable place to eat and drink, Earl's has been designed to create an atmosphere that inspires lingering. White tiles are accented by copper inlays, and maps of the Boston area, while the same lines that run throughout the walls can also be found in their lighting. A four-season lounge style "patio" features plush leather seating and offers large windows that open in the warmer months for that al fresco feeling. Made from scratch, Earl's menu can be altered to suit your dietary needs allowing you to make many menu items healthy.
Recommended for Restaurants with Healthy Menus because: Earl's Kitchen + Bar does it all from scratch allowing you to customize your order and make it healthy.
Jessica's expert tip: The cajun blackened chicken, Thai vegetable bowl, and salmon are dishes that can easily transform to fit your dietary needs.
Only in the diverse, eclectic neighborhood of Jamaica Plain could a tapas bar converge with a book and record store and be a huge success. Tres Gatos is that restaurant. With menu items that range in price from under $10 to the mid teens, you certainly get excellent tapas at a good price in a very local setting. Healthy options abound at this Mexican focused joint where flavorful specialties include fire-roasted eggplant, monkfish a la plancha and chickpea salad. Add creative craft cocktails like a leadbelly lemonade and the rosa de Espana, amazing red and white sangria and a an impressive yet reasonably priced wine list to the mix and you have one amazing meal.
Recommended for Restaurants with Healthy Menus because: Tres Gatos serves flavorful cuisine that includes healthy, fresh options everyone will enjoy.
Jessica's expert tip: Shop, eat and drink at Tres Gatos, a restaurant that combines all three.
Healthy and fast have finally found cohesion at SA PA. This fast casual, modern Vietnamese spot in Downtown Crossing and Cleveland Circle churns out super fresh & healthy dishes using top-quality ingredients. You'll be amazed that you can get such bright flavors without heavy hearty fattening ingredients, but the bold spices and long simmering times for their broths allow full flavor development without the need for anything extra. The broth of their Pho is bursting with the aroma of star anise, combined with crisp fresh vegetables, fragrant herbs, and delicate noodles. While their bowls are a broth-less way to enjoy similar flavors; choose vermicelli noodles, brown rice or mixed greens as a base and you'll get toppings that include pickled carrots, daikon, cucumbers, cilantro, sliced mango, and pistachios and your choice of protein: slow braised beef, Saigon BBQ pulled pork, ginger lime chicken, or marinated tofu.
Recommended for Restaurants with Healthy Menus because: Fast casual, healthy food is the specialty of SA PA allowing you to enjoy a great healthy meal without the fuss of a fancy night out.
Jessica's expert tip: Try the Pho; this signature Vietnamese dish is special at SA PA where they simmer their broth the old fashioned way- for a full 24 hours before serving.
Those seeking to enjoy Legal's like the locals do will love the floor to ceiling windows, outdoor patio and the casual, fun, family friendly, moderately priced menu offered on floor one. The basic New England selection of seafood is complimented with flavors from other cultures to create a menu that brings the past of Legal Seafoods into the present. Specialties range from richly sauced dishes to healthy, simply grilled fish served with your choice of side dishes Legal's offers a little something for everyone. Raw bar selections are another way to watch what you eat, as the naturally light shellfish is always fresh and flavorful.
Recommended for Restaurants with Healthy Menus because: Legal Harborside's amazing views pair well with their simply grilled, healthy seafood dishes; enjoy the Legal's experience without the fat.
Jessica's expert tip: Grilled specialties at Legal Seafoods take the fat out of healthy fish dishes
Alden & Harlow is one of those cool spots where you just feel like you fit in. From the inviting bar that runs the length of the restaurant to their mix of high-top and low-top dining tables you'll feel at home at Alden+ Harlow. The menu is meant to be eaten tapas style with about three plates needed per person to create a full meal. Loaded with creative interpretations of local fare, you'll find the flavorful bites will fulfill your sense elf taste as well as quell your hunger. Healthier items include their fan favorite charred broccoli dish; served atop squash hummus and sprinkled with montasio & cashew crumble you'll wonder why your mother never prepped vegetables this way. Another healthy winner is the ubiquitous kale salad that includes shaved fennel, pistachio & lemon.
Recommended for Restaurants with Healthy Menus because: A focus on fresh local and seasonal items and heavy use of vegetables makes Alden + Harlow a good choice for a healthy meal.
Jessica's expert tip: Sharable plates make portion control easy allowing you to focus on healthy options but adda few bites of the richer choices.
Juniper is a suburban hot spot you'll want to try. A no reservations policy makes snagging a table tough during prime time, but their inviting bar serves a sensational selection of food. More casual fare is served bar-sdie along with your pint of beer or favorite cocktail. Here you can enjoy quinoa falafel in a pita, lamb burgers on homemade English muffins, and a traditional shakshouka. The dinner menu boasts a selection of mezze that includes lamb tartare, souvlaki, and charred octopus salad, dips that can't be missed like the almond skordalia, and the pickled beet hummus, and entrees that wow like the skirt steak with whipped feta yogurt and the seafood couscous. Specialty cocktails have a savory element that sets them apart from most and the wine list is a bargain with reds running $42/bottle and whites set at $34.
Recommended for Restaurants with Healthy Menus because: Juniper's menu is made up of healthy Mediterranean selections including most dips, mezze and several entrees.
Jessica's expert tip: To taste the best of Juniper, order a bunch of mezze and dips and skip or share a main course.
La Brasa is an East Somerville spot making a big splash on the dining scene in the Boston area. With culinary influences that span the globe, you'll find yourself dining around the world within the walls of this one spot. Order meals with influences from Mexico, Peru, and the Middle East all under one roof. La Brasa's menu has a flavorful mix of items to choose from. Healthy snacks like the burnt beets with honey mustard and lovage, and the swiss chard pie with colorado chile,coddled farm fresh egg, spanish ham & piperade are great ways to kick off a healthy meal. While main course selections like the harissa grilled chicken breast with roasted broccolini & greek yogurt, roast pork loin sandwich with rapini, chorizo & fiddlehead tome, and grilled snapper rubbed with guajillo make for wonderful main dishes.
Recommended for Restaurants with Healthy Menus because: La Brasa's focus on fresh, local food translates into healthy flavorful food that is satisfying.
Jessica's expert tip: Order a variety of vegetables and snacks to share as well getting your own main dish to make the most of your meal.