Warehouse Bar and Grille, 40 Broad St., Boston, Mass.
Hours: 11:30 a.m.-11 p.m. Sunday-Thursday, 11:30 a.m.-midnight Friday-Saturday.
Menu: https://www.thewarehouseboston.com/menus/
Suited for: Vegetarians, vegans, omnivores, beer lovers, football fans
True story: After my beloved Florida State Seminoles beat the Miami Hurricanes in their annual football matchup a couple of weeks back, LeeLee and I made a spur-of-the-moment decision to travel to Boston, Mass., for the following weekend in the hopes that the Seminoles would once again prove victorious, this time against the Boston College Eagles. After much back-and-forth and consternation, they DID! And much joy was had among the large Seminole contingent present. (We happen to be a fanbase that travels well.)
But the weekend wasn’t just all football and sightseeing. No, there was a fair amount of eating, as well. And while many of our restaurant decisions were largely guided by the now-normal “Is this restaurant too crowded in an age of pandemic” question, we found many wonderful options around the city – eateries we will gladly return to post-pandemic, as well, crowded or no!
We won’t speak much more about covid protocols here today, but when it comes to relative safety in this age of coronavirus, The Warehouse Bar and Grille is doing things right. The tables are well spaced and the aisle between the bar and dining area is nice and wide. There are tall plexiglass panels separating adjacent booths and the staff is all properly masked (and requires masks for customers when not at their tables). Check, check, check on that front.
But just as important, of course, is the food! And the Warehouse is doing things right on this front as well. For one thing, there’s sheer variety of vegetarian and vegan options – every category of menu items has at least one thing suitable for veg-centric diners. And then there’s the variety of offerings in each category, as well – from tacos to salads to rice bowls to big entrees, the cuisine runs the gamut. And nearly anything that’s marked as vegetarian on the menu can be easily veganized (except for perhaps the mac and cheese and ravioli).
LeeLee had a bigger brunch than I had, so he opted for the Farmer’s Market salad with added falafel. What arrived was a mountain of salad with some substantial falafel patties, and ol’ LL mowed it down with gusto. With pumpkin seeds and a lemon vinaigrette dressing topping off a base of mixed greens, shredded carrots, tomatoes and red onions, it was a flavorful and light option after a weekend of the heavier stuff.
As for me, I had enjoyed an inadvertently light brunch (another travel guide to come!) and was ready for something more hearty. The teriyaki bowl fit the bill! A base of jasmine rice served as the platform for edamame, mushrooms, broccoli, carrots and sesame oil, topped with a sweet soy sauce that had the perfect umami balance. Between us, what would have sent the meal over the top would have been an added-tofu option, but honestly the bowl was perfectly delightful just as it was.
And this is a BAR and grille after all, so let’s not forget the beverages. While there are a number of cocktails on the menu worthy of attention, the beer list is where it’s at. So many local options to choose from, so little time (and so little liver space!), but you could do worse than ordering a pint of whatever Wormtown is brewing at the moment – or, of course, Sam Adams. You ARE in Boston, for heaven’s sake.
:)