Let’s be honest – Boston has never been known as a late-night city. Last call remains at 2 a.m. – the same as when I was in college, which didn’t really matter because I had to catch the MBTA, which ceases service around 1 a.m. (This was the dark ages before ride-share services.) But that doesn’t mean we don’t know how to party – we just start early.
It’s a short walk from the Boston Calling Festival to late-night eats in Harvard Square.
Boston Calling
At 1 p.m., to be precise. That’s when the gates open at Boston Calling, the three-day Memorial Day weekend music festival that attracts more than 100,000 people to the city’s biggest party. This year, organizers tell me that a redesign of the main stage should alleviate the crowd-crunch that happened last year after Chappell Roan (I squeezed behind pop-up tents to escape the fray). This year, I’m looking forward to sets by Sheryl Crow, Remi Wolf, and Vampire Weekend – and the legendary food line-up includes Boston’s best, from Summer Shack and Flour Bakery to Dumpling Daughters and Moyzilla. Not to mention Dunks dishing out free samples of ice cream-flavored coffee drinks. Also new this year, you can escape what may be a rainy weekend by heading to the new Arena Stage, a covered and air-conditioned space featuring music from up-and-coming Berklee College jazz musicians.
Let the crowds streaming to the T stand shoulder to shoulder while you chill with a burger in a beer garden.
Bill Manley
But when you are spilling out of the gates at 11 p.m., you don’t have to head straight home. In fact, don’t even try. While the ride share lot at the festival is actually pretty well-organized chaos, you don’t want to do battle with that demand pricing. And the walk to Harvard Square, which doesn’t actually disappear after midnight, is not that much longer than the walk to the ride share lot.
So chill for a while – grab a drink or a snack. Here are some prime options for late-night eats.
Enjoy a late-night menu from charcuterie specialist Kured in the Garden Bar at the Charles Hotel.
Charles Hotel
The Charles Hotel: It’s about a 10-minute walk from the gates to this property, making it a great home-base for the weekend. Rooms are nearly fully booked – at press time there were only five king-bed rooms remaining, at $745 a night. A much gentler option cost-wise is to park in the garage under the hotel, which maxes out at $50 for 24 hours. The hotel’s One Reason Garden Bar is hosting a block party until midnight with music, social media friendly photo ops, specialty cocktails and a late-night menu from Kured. Or cozy up at the hotel’s Noir Bar, open until 1 a.m. with French-inspired cocktails
El Jefe’s Taqueria: Whether the line was too long at this local favorite’s booth inside the festival, or you just need one more burrito heaping with Al Pastor and Mexican rice, the Harvard Square location is open until 4 a.m.
Charlie’s Kitchen: Relax in the beer garden over one of their famous double cheeseburgers until midnight at this 76-year-old spot.
Grendel’s Den: The kitchen closes at 11:30 pm, but you can drink at this snug —and historic—underground bistro until 1 a.m.
Pinocchio’s Pizza : Craving an old-school pizza? The big decision is Sicilian or thin-crust at this spot that has been slinging pies for fans (including Ben Affleck and Mark Zuckerberg) since 1966. Seating is only at a couple of small tables, but they serve until 2 a.m.
Van Leeuwen Ice Cream: Does a scoop of Brown Sugar Cookie Dough Brownie ice cream sound like just the right ending to your day? The Harvard Square location of this booming chain is open until midnight.
