The New Retail Thread

Recent article in NYT about the sharp decline of city diners in recent years (not trying to derail boston-specific discussion, but I'm quite sure it applies here as well - not that we ever quite had that degree of diner culture):

https://www.nytimes.com/2016/11/23/nyregion/diners-new-york-city.html?_r=0

Meanwhile I agree with the sentiments that there certainly aren't zero early morning breakfast establishments in Boston, but truth is that these establishments are sparse in the city core. They seem to have survived as you move outward.

I too am not thrilled at the semi-gentrified manifestation that is Yolk, but having been there in Chicago a couple of years ago, it was pretty good and reasonably affordable. I guess my bar was set pretty low when I expressed my excitement - I am more interested in a Yolk opening up than yet another source of 5-dollar latte's at 6:30am. Fact is: few choices at that time along my commute.

(This generation doesn't appreciate a good ceramic mug that gets automatically refilled with coffee at no charge as you slurp it).
 
I feel like diners get romanticized by a lot of people; most of the diners I've been to have had terrible food and coffee. If I wanted dry pancakes and burned bacon I would cook it myself. The only upside is that they are usually open 24 hours. My guess is that's why they're going out of business.

As far as breakfast goes I think it would be great if Boston took a different page out of NYC's book by opening up more delis. Every other block has a place where you can get bacon, eggs, bagels, sandwiches, muffins, etc. to go for $3-4 and for the most part they're way beyond Dunkin/Starbucks quality.
 
FenwayResident said:
As far as breakfast goes I think it would be great if Boston took a different page out of NYC's book by opening up more delis. Every other block has a place where you can get bacon, eggs, bagels, sandwiches, muffins, etc. to go for $3-4 and for the most part they're way beyond Dunkin/Starbucks quality.
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Archies New York Deli in 101 Arch St on Hawley is a gem. Open early for breakfast, good sandwiches, soups & great homecooked food specials. Boston needs more delis like Archies.
 
bigpicture7 said:
(This generation doesn't appreciate a good ceramic mug that gets automatically refilled with coffee at no charge as you slurp it).
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Maybe I'm just weird and sensitive, but I've frequently felt that the people employed to fill those ceramic mugs at these establishments don't have much appreciation for "this generation" either...

As a card-carrying young urban professional, I usually feel like the townie down the counter is much more welcome in these places than I am. I guess it's a chicken-and-egg situation as to what the source of this is...

Maybe I'm not alone, and this has something to do with why some diners may be struggling? And it could explain "gentrified replacement" diners like Yolk - "this generation" wants diner food without the attitude.
 
Mul's (South Boston) might be the exception to the rule. They seem to have "adapted" to the changing demographics. From the first time we went there in 2003, I've always felt like a regular. (Well, I am White, Irish Catholic, but still ...)
 
As already mentioned, Archie's in DTX is amazing. Also good for a quick/cheap sitdown breakfast is Max's Deli on Milk Street.
 
chmeeee said:
As already mentioned, Archie's in DTX is amazing. Also good for a quick/cheap sitdown breakfast is Max's Deli on Milk Street.
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Deli One on Arch (next to BoA) right around the block from Archies too. Owned by a nice Greek family.
 
I think the diner exists between two service styles that have grown more popular today - counter service cafe and big fancy breakfast/brunch. Counter service cafes often serve hot food and you are in and out much faster than a sit-down diner. That is certainly my preferred breakfast speed on a typical work day and especially on an early morning. Obviously there is no shortage of cafe/bistro/restaurants doing amazing things with breakfast foods in a full-service, sit-down environment.

The combination of full-service with cheap prices at a diner works sort of well if everyone is have eggs or pancakes and a bottomless mug-o-joe. I would guess that diversity in tastes could be the killer of the efficiency of the classic diner concept. When 90% of customers were "regular middle-class white Americans" it was easy to make a bunch of ruben sandwiches and then sling corned beef hash from the leftovers for breakfast. I think people are much pickier now with real/imagined food allergies, paleo diets, and various intolerances. The typically large diner menu is really just made by rearranging the same handful of ingredients.

People are drinking cold, nitrogenated coffee now, for Pete's sake...


P.S. Mass Ave Diner on the edge of Central is great. Love the breakfast sandwiches. They are just right to start the day without weighing you down with a huge meal.
 
Billy's on Berkeley St in the South End is excellent and going strong
 
datadyne007 said:
Deli One on Arch (next to BoA) right around the block from Archies too. Owned by a nice Greek family.
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Couple of more downtown breakfast spots to mention:
Bean and Leaf on India St. near custom house tower - very good, order at counter and grab a table type place
Capital Coffee shop and Fill-a-buster on Bowdoin St by the state house
Hi Spot Deli around the corner on Beacon st. near the parker house
Also, I've enjoyed the egg breakfast sandwich at Clover food truck many times in the past and now they have a brick and morter store on High st. so maybe they are open for breakfast?
 
^tried LuLu's Kitchen yesterday (Blackstone Block) which has been open for a month or so. It's excellent. EXCELLENT. Southern inspired breakfast and lunch. Great bagels, awesome biscuits and a lot of unique sides.

http://www.lulusboston.com/?page_id=103
 
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Tasty Burger will be opening in Avalon North Station.

(For the record, Tasty Burger isn't great. It's drunk food. If you're near the Fenway location, try UBurger in Kenmore Square instead!)
 
cjbski said:
Tasty Burger will be opening in Avalon North Station.

(For the record, Tasty Burger isn't great. It's drunk food. If you're near the Fenway location, try UBurger in Kenmore Square instead!)
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Yes, Boston eater just posted this yesterday: http://www.bostonmagazine.com/restaurants/blog/2017/01/11/tasty-burger-north-station/ -- Looks like Spring 2017. Someone posted about Tasty Burger at Avalon a few months back, so it's good to see that it's still coming along.

I actually like Tasty Burger for what it is. There are infinitely better pub-style sit-down burgers all over, but Tasty Burger is pretty decent in that fast casual category (I've never tried UBurger). This area (North Station/West End/Beacon Hill) was left with a fast casual burger void when Griddler's left Cambridge St. So Tasty Burger fills it and it will be wildly successful in that location considering that there's no competition. Tasty Burger > Griddler's too.

Also in the area, there's a Sushi Burrito place going in on Cambridge Street at Bowdoin where Blue Fuji was in the little building with Uptown Cafe and Dunkin Donuts. I don't know if it's called "Sushi Burrito" or if that's just what's on the awning and it's got a different name.
 
Target in Central Square (Pearl and Mass Ave, former Cort Furniture) has a huge "now hiring" poster in the window. No opening date.

From the Target website:

Central Square, Cambridge, MA
  • Located at 564 Massachusetts Ave.
  • Approx. 21,000 sq. ft. over two floors.
  • Merchandise includes fresh grocery (with grab-and-go offerings), home, health and beauty items, tech and selected basic apparel.
  • Services offered: Target Mobile and Order Pick-up.
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cjbski said:
For the record, Tasty Burger isn't great.
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estyle said:
I am super excited about this--I work right near here and didn't know this had opened. Going to check them out!
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Enjoy! I've actually gone twice this week. Breakfast once and lunch another day. The chicken and biscuit sandwich is out of this world good. I'm seriously considering going back today.
 
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