Welcome back to Food Crawls (or in this case, Booze Crawls), a series in which Eater Boston staffers guide you (virtually) on various food and booze crawls in the Boston area.
When we go out, we often find ourselves wanting to try more than one restaurant (or bar) at a time — a drink and a snack here, another drink and perhaps a dessert there — and want to share our favorite multi-stop combinations with you. These crawls are meant to be relatively walkable, and the amount of food and drink is meant to correspond roughly to a couple of average appetites (so bring a friend), although your mileage may vary. Email us if there’s a particular theme, specific dish or drink, or neighborhood you’d like to see covered in a future installment.
While throwing a few back in Back Bay, it’s compulsory to stop off at the Fairmont Copley Plaza Hotel for a twee cocktail at Oak Long Bar & Kitchen. From there, be sure to head to Bukowski’s for one or several cheap-ish beers and then to the Pour House for more of the same. Finally, finish the night in the moody red light of Lolita.
- Total stops: 4
- Drinks imbibed: Depends on whether or not it’s a work night
A Peachy Keen at Oak Long Bar & Kitchen
138 St. James Ave., Boston, MA 02116
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The space is gorgeous, and it sure feels good to be there and to drink there. Get a Peachy Keen, which is an Old Fashioned made with peach-infused Maker’s Mark bourbon, demerara, and peach bitters.
A Beer or Two at Bukowski Tavern
50 Dalton St., Boston, MA 02115
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Bukowski Tavern isn’t exactly a dive bar, but it’s not not a dive bar, either. And it’s especially not the Oak Long Bar & Kitchen, either in appearance or patronage. There are 20 beers on draft, and then many, many more in bottles and cans. Start off with something local — the hazy, fruity, slightly funky Fiddlehead IPA is an exemplar of the American IPA variety — and then move onto the rare bird that is draft PBR.
Another Beer — and a Burger — at Pour House
907 Boylston St. #21, Boston, MA 02115
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If it’s local craft beer you’re after, the Pour House isn’t your joint. If it’s cheap domestic lager you’re after, the Pour House is very much your joint. Grab a Budweiser, and eat a surprisingly good — and quite cheap — burger too. If you happen to be there on a Saturday between 6 p.m. and 10 p.m., that burger will be half price.
A Nightcap at Lolita
271 Dartmouth St., Boston, MA 02116
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End the night with the Oaxacan Old Fashioned, which is made with Altos Reposado tequila, Del Maguey, agave nectar, and chocolate mole bitters. It’s as much dessert as it is night cap.