Eat, Drink, and Be Spooky with These Treats and Parties [UPDATED]
Ogawa Coffee’s Halloween latte art, Provided
UPDATE, October 30, 11 a.m.: Halloween night events at River Bar, Hojoko, and the Gallows have been added to this chronological list.
Halloween Latte Art at Ogawa Coffee: Ongoing through October 31
Japanese coffee roaster Ogawa opened its first U.S. shop in Downtown Crossing earlier this year, and brought its stunning, intricate latte art with it. The coffee program is led by Haruna Murayama, the 2010 World Latte Art champion, who designed delightfully ghoulish—and gourdish— art for foamy drinks this month. Since October 1, Ogawa’s baristas have free-handed a ghost or jack-o’-lantern by request, and from October 29 – 31, all cappuccinos will be adorned with one of the frightening forms.
10 Milk Street, Boston; 617-780-713, ogawacoffeeusa.com.
Samhain Specials at Beat Brasserie: Ongoing through October 31
Instead of Halloween or Día de los Muertos, Chef Ignacio Lopez has looked to a lesser-known autumnal holiday to inspire Beat Brasserie specials. Samhain was the main feast day for pre-Christian, Celtic people, celebrated on November 1 to mark the darker half of the year. Over time, the holiday merged with All Saints Day and evolved into Halloween festivities we recognize today. Traditional Samhain dishes include colcannon, creamy mashed potatoes with kale and onions; griddled farls, thin pieces of Irish soda bread; and fadge, potato cakes with roasted apples and butter. The a la carte offerings are available in addition to Beat Brasserie’s regular menu through Saturday next week.
13 Brattle St., Cambridge; 617-499-0001, beatbrasserie.com.
Diá de los Muertos at Painted Burro: October 29 – November 2
This Davis Square cocina has special events planned all week to celebrate the Day of the Dead, from costumed “scaryoke” to face-painting to rounds of lotería. For foodies, the Burro’s Sunday brunch on November 1 will honor the dead with a pan de muertos torta: grilled ham, Swiss, cabbage, and mustard hollandaise, served on a house-made, traditional Mexican sweet roll (“bread of the dead”). On Monday, November 2, the Burro closes out the festivities with a banana leaf-wrapped, shrimp and yellow rice fiambre, a dish with Guatemalan roots shared annually in honor of los muertos.
219 Elm St., Somerville; 617-776-0005, thepaintedburro.com.
Halloween on the Harbor: Friday, October 30
The Seaport has its proverbial front porch lights on to welcome adult trick-or-treaters next Friday. The sixth annual, costumed pub crawl stops at nine area restaurants this year, including MJ O’Connor’s, The Barking Crab, Temazcal Tequila Cantina, and more. The part that most appeals to your inner child? Event sponsor Seaport Boston Hotel and World Trade Center has hired Duck Boats to ferry partygoers around the Harbor all night. Tickets for the Duck Boat are a $5 donation to the Friends of the Fort Point Channel, and each stop on the tour will have appetizers, cocktails, and treats for purchase.
7 p.m. – 10 p.m., meet at TAMO Bistro & Bar, Seaport Boston Hotel, 1 Seaport Ln., Boston, 617-385-4315, eventbrite.com.
River Bar’s Arrested Development Halloween Party
Break out the blue body paint, the banana costume, or the orange jumpsuit: This Assembly Row eatery is honoring the family Bluth all day this Halloween. In addition to a costume contest including a Best Arrested Development outfit category, there will be pun-laced cocktails like the Lucille (St. George vodka, Tito’s Handmade Vodka, housemade limoncello vodka); the Loose-Seal (Gosling’s Rum, Ancho Reyes, orgeat, lime, ginger beer); STEVE OVERHOLT! (Old Overholt, Bonal, combier cherry, Coke syrup, Angostura Bitters); Pop-Pop Gets a Treat? (mystery shot, bartender’s choice), and more.
11 a.m. – 1 a.m., 661 Assembly Row, Somerville; 617-616-5561, facebook.com.
Truck ‘R Treat at City Hall Plaza: Saturday, October 31
Government Center is hosting a daytime Halloween party, with food trucks Captain Marden’s Cod Squad, Boston Projuice, Frozen Hoagies, Moyzilla, M&M Ribs, and Chubby Chickpea rolling in to satisfy the costumed throngs. There will be live music, giveaways, and games, including Gronk Pong, a large-format, beer pong-inspired backyard game invented by Patriots tight end and resident goofball, Rob Grokowski. The afternoon fête is sponsored by the promotions app BuyMaster, but a $3 donation ($5 at the door) goes to local doers, People Making a Difference.
11:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m., 1 City Hall Square, Boston; eventbrite.com.
Hojokoween
Fenway’s wild new izakaya is hosting one weird party for its first Halloween. Anime costumes and sake bomb-crushing encouraged, and there’s cornhole, a photo booth, and pumpkins galore. DJ Turbo Diesel is spinning the tunes, and Boston Pollen has decked out the space. The costume contest crowns victors at midnight.
8 p.m. – 1 a.m., 1271 Boylston St., Boston; 617-670-0507, hojokoboston.com.
Monsters of the Sea Dinner at Bambara Kitchen & Bar: Saturday, October 31
Chef Jay Silva is celebrating his favorite holiday with a four-course seafood dinner in the spirit of Halloween. The menu is based on some of the creepiest sea-dwellers, including lobster-laden pumpkin soup spicy with red curry; grilled calamari with chorizo, fingerling potatoes, and blood orange salad; lobster-saffron “boo-illabaisse” with monkfish, lobster, shrimp, skate, eel and sunfish; and a panna cotta “jellyfish.” Optional cordial and brandy pairings can come to the table for an additional $15. Reservations aren’t required, but they are recommended.
$35 plus optional $15 beverage pairing, 5:30 – 10 p.m., 25 Edwin H. Land Blvd., Cambridge; 617-868-4444, bambara-cambridge.com.
“Heroes & Villains” Halloween Bash at Brass Union: Saturday, October 31
Beverage director Paulo Pereira has concocted a trio of festive libations for Brass Union’s comic book character-themed throwdown, so get your best hero or villain getup ready. A Don Julio margarita get a spirited punch from ghost pepper agave nectar in Fantasma; and the classic vesper gets dangerous with Ketel One, Tanqueray, and Lillet Rouge in Venom Vesper. The Massachusetts-based American Horror Story: Asylum character Oliver Thredson is the namesake of an allspice Old Fashioned with Bulleit bourbon.
9 p.m. – 2 a.m., 70 Union Square, Somerville, 617-623-9211, brassunion.com.
Dia de los Muertos Kickoff at Naco Taco—#DancingFiesta: Saturday, October 31
Kick off Día de los Muertos with cheap eats and dancin’ feet at Naco Taco. In addition to the requisite costume contest, there will be $2 taco specials, including the taqueria’s spicy chorizo; $3 PBR and Corona; and $5 white, red, or rosé sangria.
9:30 p.m. – 1 a.m., 297 Massachusetts Ave., Cambridge; 617-945-1548, nacocentral.com.
Love Nite Resurrection at Canary Square: Saturday, October 31
This Jamaica Plain hang is bringing “Love Nite” back from the dead. The underground dance party thrived at Common Ground in Allston in the 1990s and 2000s; the party’s original mixmaster is planning an eclectic “monster mash” of tunes for the resurrection at Canary Square. Snacks, like deviled eggs, fried pickles, and chips and dip will be circulating all night, and special, $10 cocktails are undead-themed, including The Corpse Reviver #2; the rum-based Zombie; and a classic Blood & Sand.
10 p.m. – 1 a.m., 435 S. Huntington Ave., Jamaica Plain; 617-524-2500, canarysquare.com.
Galloween 2015: Witch Better Have my Money: Saturday, October 31
Named for that song you now have stuck in your head, this year’s installment of the Gallows’ annual Halloween party features more than 1,200 bats hanging from the ceiling, cauldrons full of dry ice, a photo booth, bumping jams, and an eery green glow. Come early for dinner, with specials like witches brew poutine and a Frankenstein burger, but there will be Halloween-themed snacks into the night.
10 p.m. – 1a.m., 1395 Washington St., Boston; 617-425-0200, thegallowsboston.com.
