Dollar Wings and Oysters, Bottomless Meatballs, and More Snow Day Specials Around Boston
If your office is closed during Thursday’s projected bombogenesis—or if you’re just planning to “work from home” anyway—after all that shivering and shoveling, you’ll certainly need to warm up and refuel.
If you’re thinking about trekking to your neighborhood go-to, bundle up—but first, remember to check your spot’s Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter pages to confirm it remains open. The following restaurants and bars plan to be open during the storm with specials to heat things up, but things could change.
Know of other fun snow-inspired specials? Email us to share the details. We’ll plan to update this list.
Alden & Harlow. / Photo by Kristin Teig
Alden & Harlow
Chef Michael Scelfo is working on some TBD specials to offer during the snow—whatever they are, something tells us they’ll be tasty. Alden opens at 5 p.m.
40 Brattle St., Cambridge, 617-864-2100, aldenharlow.com.
The Automatic
Anyone who can safely walk, ski, or snowshoe over to this Kendall Square spot is invited to help build snowpeople on the patio. Inside, there will be board games, a foozball table, hot drinks like hot buttered rum, and spiked coffee; and grilled cheese and tomato soup on special for $8. It opens as usual at 11:30 a.m.
50 Hampshire St., Cambridge, 617-714-5226, theautomaticbar.com.
B&G Oysters
A full order of calamari is $5 on snow days this season, and on Thursday this week, there’s a “real New Englander” deal of half-priced caviar.
550 Tremont St., Boston, 617-423-0550, bandgoysters.com.
Photo provided by Babbo
Babbo Pizzeria e Enoteca
During every storm this season, chef Mario LaPosta will serve up a complimentary order of meatballs to everyone who gets a drink at the bar.
11 Fan Pier Blvd., Boston, 617-421-4466, babbopizzeria.com.
French onion soup at Bar Boulud Boston. / Photo provided
Bar Boulud
One of the most comforting dishes at Daniel Boulud’s Boston spot are on special during the storm: French onion soup is 1/3 of its usual price at just $4 on Thursday.
776 Boylston St., 617-535-8800, barboulud.com.
The Chicken ParMezzana at Bar Mezzana. / Photo by Brian Samuels
Bar Mezzana
Typically just a Monday night, bar-only special, the chicken ParMezzana is on special throughout the Ink Block restaurant, while supplies last, during this Thursday’s inclement weather. Chef Colin Lynch is calling it the Parmageddon. Plus, burgers and board games will be available all night. The kitchen is open from 5-11 p.m.and the bar is open until 1 a.m.
360 Harrison Ave., Boston, 617-530-1770, barmezzana.com.
The Brown Box Special is on Thursday only at Bon Me Back Bay. / Photo provided
Bon Me
Unless the MBTA shuts down, Bon Me’s Back Bay location (and that location only) is open Thursday from 10:30 a.m.-5 p.m., with the #BrownBoxSpecial. Mention it for free edamame and a drink with your purchase of entree.
441 Stuart St., Boston, 857-233-2607, bonmetruck.com.
Wings are $1 during the snow this week at Boston Chops. / Photo provided
Boston Chops
Fill up on wings at this South End steakhouse: They’re $1 all day during the storm.
1375 Washington St., 617-227-5011, Boston, bostonchops.com.
Brassica has a beefy bourbon special during the storm. / Photo provided
Brassica Kitchen
Beverage director Noah Todoroff is tapping a barrel of house-infused bone marrow bourbon. The beefy booze has been resting in a charred oak barrel for six months, and during Thursday’s storm, it’s available neat ($10), or on the rocks in a grapefruit Old Fashioned with demerara sugar, Angostura, and grapefruit bitters ($13).
3710 Washington St., Jamaica Plain, 617-477-4519, brassicakitchen.com.
The snow day cocktail at the Broadway. / Photo provided
The Broadway
This new spot in Southie plans to open at 11 a.m. as usual, and is celebrating the snowstorm with boozy s’mores hot chocolate ($12). House-made cocoa is spiked with Stoli Vanilla and creme de cacao, topped with brûléed marshmallow, and rimmed with Nutella.
726 E. Broadway, Boston, 617-307-6480, thebroadwaysouthboston.com.
Tony Maws. / Photo by Mike Piazza
Craigie on Main
If your whim is to head out in Central Square this evening, head here for chef Tony Maws’ whim. His typical Sunday night spontaneity of four courses for $45 is on Thursday night, and the restaurant opens with a full bar early at 5 p.m. They even plan to offer valet parking, if you manage to dig the car out.
853 Main St., Cambridge, 617-497-5511 or craigieonmain.com.
Cultivar
How does Irish coffee with stout whipped cream and mole spices sound today? Like a perfect pairing for bar bites including heirloom pumpkin sourdough toast with mushroom conserva and carrots; and buttermilk fried rabbit with kewpie mayo and house-made hot sauce.
1 Court St., Boston, 617-979-8203, cultivarboston.com.
Cunard Tavern
Shovel out in Eastie for peanut butter fat-washed-whiskey-spiked hot cocoa ($9), and more snow day specials.
24 Orleans St., East Boston, 617-567-7609, cunardtavern.com.
The oyster bar at Eventide Fenway. / Photo provided
Eventide Fenway
It’s a dollar oyster day at the Fenway’s newest hotspot. Whenever a large storm looms over Boston, pick from the full lineup of bivavles to populate your plate. Check Eventide Fenway’s social media for real time updates.
1321 Boylston St., Boston, 617-545-1060, eventideoysterco.com.
Forage
This Cambridge spot will have a $39, three-course prix-fixe menu on tonight—plus a few special bottle of Burgundy wines uncorked for the snow day—as long as the MBTA is running.
5 Craigie Circle, Cambridge, 617-576-5444, foragecambridge.com.
The Gallows
Warm up with a bowl of $6 chop suey.
1395 Washington St., Boston, 617-425-0200, thegallowsboston.com.
Loukoumades at GreCo. / Photo provided
GreCo
Head to the Back Bay for a free order of loukoumades with your order. The truly Greek spot opens at 11 a.m.
225 Newbury St., Back Bay, 617-572-3300, grecoboston.com.
Photo by Toan Trinh for “Best Neighborhood Bar 2014″
The Haven
Your snow day needs more soccer—and whiskied apples. This Jamaica Plain spot is showing Celta Vigo versus Barcelona today at 1 p.m., followed by Tottenham versus West Ham at 3 p.m. Both run alongside hot drink specials including hot mulled wine with whiskied apples; a Scotch hot toddy called the Sherlock Holmes; and Scotch Fazenda Coffee, with Drambuie, whipped cream, and a dusting of nutmeg.
2 Perkins St., Jamaica Plain, 617-524-2836, thehavenjp.com.
Kings Dining & Entertainment
Forget snowballs in favor of bowling balls. Apps are half-priced from 3-6 p.m., and then again from 10 p.m.-close, at this venue’s Back Bay location. Plus, a third game is free with the purchase of two.
50 Dalton St., 617-266-2695, Boston, kings-de.com.
Kirkland Tap & Trotter
Among the $12 snow day specials Thursday night are the KTT burger, and French green lentil soup with a grilled cheese sandwich. Plus, there’s a new-to-the-menu hot toddy, and kids eat free from 5:30-6:30.
425 Washington St., Somerville, 857-259-6585, kirklandtapandtrotter.com.
Thursday is ramen night at Lincoln Tavern. / Photo provided
Lincoln Tavern
No plans to ever close for measly snow from this Southie spot. Brunch is on, as usual, every day, including Thursday beginning at 10 a.m. Plus, Thursday is ramen night here, which starts at 5 p.m. If you’ll still be “working from home” on Friday, the tavern has free Wifi, and Test Kitchen Brunch specials including hot chocolate pancakes, and nitro cold brew cocktails.
425 W. Broadway, Boston, 617-765-8636, lincolnsouthboston.com.
Lion’s Tail
Smoky dry-rubbed, crispy-fried chicken wings with a pineapple gorgonzola sauce are half-priced all day—12 wings are $6 during the snow.
354 Harrison Ave., Boston, 857-239-9276, lionstailboston.com.
Loco’s winter cocktails. / Photo provided
Loco Taqueria
The team here is shaking up its “Winter Lunchin’ Land” cocktails on Thursday—typically just a Friday special this season—like the Grinch, with tequila, crème de menthe, Rumchata, Bailey’s, and a candy cane rim; and Ralphie, with Captain Morgan, Averna, and Angostura bitters.
412 W. Broadway, 617-917-5626, locosouthboston.com.
Loretta’s Last Call
If your snow day needs more country, Lansdowne Street-style, head here. During snowstorms, there’s spiked hot chocolate, and 20 percent off all food.
1 Lansdowne St., Boston, 617-421-9595, lorettaslastcall.com.
Warm up by the wood-fired oven at Moody’s Backroom. / Photo provided
Moody’s Backroom
If you’re shoveling out in Waltham, head over to this wine bar when you’re finished to warm up by the wood-fired oven. The Backroom opens at 5 p.m. with the full, a la carte menu, but chef Josh Smith and crew also have a family-style feast going on for the snow day. Choose from roasted chicken with herb spätzle, garlic confit, and local wood-fired vegetables; duck cassoulet with heirloom beans and pork belly; spaghetti and meatballs with garlic bread; or country-style meatloaf with mashed potatoes. The deal is $25 per person, and comes with a bottle of red wine for the group.
468 Moody St., Waltham, 781-216-8732, moodyswaltham.com.
Oak Long Bar + Kitchen
The cozy Copley Square hotel bar will have the fireplace going, board games out, and a couple specials, including roasted oysters gratinee with black garlic aioli. Plus, the bar team is heating things up with a Privateer hot buttered rum cocktail called Cabin Fever, and they’re popping tabs on two limited edition can offerings, including Night Shift’s Dynasty imperial stout, and Great North Aleworks’ Northern Nights double black IPA.
138 St. James Ave., Boston, 617-585-7222, oaklongbarkitchen.com.
Photograph by Emily Sotomayor for “Restaurant Review: Oak + Rowan”
Oak + Rowan
This Fort Point spot has a three-course, $35, “healthy and hearty blizzard celebration menu” on Thursday beginning at 5:15 p.m. The comfort food dishes include vegetable-farro soup, American wagyu sirloin cap, and apple-cheddar pie for dessert.
321 A St, Boston, 857-284-7742, oakandrowan.com.
Bar pizza is always complimentary for some time Thursday nights at the Puritan & Co. bar, and that includes during this week’s snow. / Photo provided
Puritan & Co.
The snow is forecast for Thursday—which is this Inman Square spot’s regular bar pizza night! So a free pie comes with a drink order at the bar from 9-10 p.m., as usual. But chef Will Gilson is also bringing back his $30, three-course storm menu any time it snows more than three inches this winter.
1166 Cambridge St., Cambridge, 617-615-6195, puritancambridge.com.
The Rosebud has a “Pappy Meal” special as long as supplies last. / Photo provided
The Rosebud
All of the Alpine Restaurant Group’s restaurants—Posto and the Waltham Osteria, Painted Burro and the Brookline Burro Bar, and this renovated diner—are open for regular service with snow day specials—and here you’ll find a $29 Pappy Meal while supplies last. That’s a griddled cheeseburger and fries, and a 1.5-ounce pour of Old Rip Van Winkle 10-year bourbon.
381 Summer St., Somerville, 617-629-9500, rosebudkitchen.com.
Russell House Tavern
Craving oysters on this snowy day? Walk like a penguin to this Harvard Square spot, which is shucking $1 bivavles during the storm.
14 JFK St., Cambridge, 617-500-3055, russellhousecambridge.com.
Michael Serpa at Select Oyster Bar. / Photograph by Nina Gallant for “Best New Restaurants 2015″
Select Oyster Bar
Chef-owner Michael Serpa is shucking $1 oysters all day in the Back Bay.
50 Gloucester St., Boston, 857-239-8064, selectboston.com.
Sonsie
Get snowed in here with the “snowed in at Sonsie” soup-and-cider special: the Newbury Street spot’s award-winning chowder and a mug of mulled apple cider for $12.
327 Newbury St., Boston, 617-351-0400, sonsieboston.com.
SRV’s red sauce meatballs are bottomless during snowstorms. / Photo by Morgan Ione Yeager
SRV
From 5 p.m. until close, a bottomless order of saucy meatballs from the cicchetti bar is just $4 during the storm.
569 Columbus Ave., Boston, 617-536-9500, srvboston.com.
Sweet Cheeks
Calories don’t count on snow days, right? Forget About Your Resolution Gumbo is on special at this Fenway spot for $16, with the option to top it with fried oysters for an extra $4. New-ish pastry chef Dee Chinn is making mouths water with new desserts like chewy molasses cookies with cream cheese frosting, and the bar is dishing out drinks like the wintry hot honey buttered rum all day and night. It opens at 11:30 a.m.
1381 Boylston St., Boston, 617-266-1300, sweetcheeksq.com.
Tiger Mama tiki bar Photo by Jared Kuzia for “How Tiger Mama Reversed the Curse” / Curried Sweet Potato Dumplings photo provided
Tiger Mama
Tiffani Faison’s Southeast Asian-inspired spot has $1 dumplings every Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday, but they’ll be on special during Thursday’s snowstorm this week, too. Plus, the kitchen will warm your soul with big bowls of beef or chicken pho for $15. And of course, you’ll be able to escape reality with all of the tiki drinks.
1363 Boylston St., Boston 617-425-6262, tigermamaboston.com.
Toro
After shoveling this mess, regain feeling in your lower extremities here with a special snow day punch called the Leg Warmer.
1704 Washington St., Boston, 617-536-4300, toro-restaurant.com.
Townsman
Chef Matt Jennings’ charcuterie and raw bar will be available, plus a special, $49 “Bomb Cyclone” comfort food tasting menu, complete with a pitcher of beer.
120 Kingston St., Boston, 617-993-0750, townsmanboston.com
