Boston Is a Better City to Visit for the Holidays Than New York City — Prove Me Wrong

I have stood in untenable New York City holiday lines, waiting for a glimpse of a very large tree. I have battled tourists for a look at poinsettias, pushed my way toward a better view of the Saks windows, and waited outside in extreme cold for a chance to buy a drink at Rolf’s, just so I could take a selfie at the most Christmassy bar in the world.

I love the holidays, which is why I am here to extol the virtue of Boston over New York, because in Boston, you can have your 'nog and drink it, too. Our restaurants skirt the line between old-school establishment and up-and-coming. You can get a superlative shrimp cocktail with a view at the coolest new hotel or have Taiwanese dumplings at a nondescript Chinatown spot for excellence.

Here, we launch the holidays with lunch at Grill 23 & Bar, a tradition that spans over 30 years and that puts the ho ho ho in holiday. (The rest of the year, Grill 23 serves dinner only.) As part of the restaurant’s seasonal decor, executive pastry chef Valerie Nin constructs a sprawling, thematic gingerbread village. "She spends almost 100 hours with our team, just trying to create," says Chris Himmel, president of Himmel Hospitality Group. "She has a lot of fun with it."

Related: I've Always Been in Love with Boston's Chinatown and You Should Be, Too

Tchaikovsky’s Nutcracker ballet is performed every December at the Wang Theatre at the Boch Center, a music hall that opened in 1925 and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. And there’s the annual upside-down tree installation at The Liberty Hotel, the tree at Faneuil Hall, and the one in Boston Common, surrounded by 1,100 acres of parks and waterways known as the Emerald Necklace, which was designed by none other than Frederick Law Olmsted. (We see your Central Park and raise you about 250 acres.)

Boston may be a second city to some, but for those of us who live here, its underratedness is its charm. It twinkles. It sparkles. For me, it’s exactly what the winter holidays are all about: sheer, unadulterated joy, with none of the crowds.

Where to eat and drink in Boston

Grill 23 & Bar

Over four decades old, Grill 23 remains a Boston institution, especially around the holidays, when the steakhouse launches its celebrated Wednesday-through-Saturday lunch menu. Featuring steak frites, a Prime aged burger, and a New England lobster roll with a lemon remoulade and Old Bay potato chips, lunch at Grill 23 signifies that holidays in the city have arrived.

Moon Bar

Tucked into the Back Bay, Moon Bar, a new addition to Boston’s scene, is the casual sibling of chef Carl Dooley’s fine-dining seafood restaurant Mooncusser (which is upstairs). The menu is bright and fun, irrespective of the season — think yellowfin tuna with red chile salsa, marinated snap peas, and sesame — and the vibe is playful, amplified by a vibrant, cheeky bar, where cocktails and bartenders are full of personality.

Taiwan Cafe

On a cold December evening, there is nothing more satisfying than a meal at Taiwan Cafe. This Chinatown gem is known for its Taiwanese dumplings — pan-fried, supple, generously crisp. Look around, and you’re sure to see guests eating straight from a pot set right on the table. That’s the Szechuan-style white fish in chile oil, and it’s popular for a reason.

Row 34

Market-driven seafood restaurant Row 34 has been a Seaport staple since 2013. It’s no secret that New Englanders love their bivalves, and if you abide by the traditional adage — to stick to eating them in the months that end with the letter “r” — then the holidays are the perfect time to indulge. The local Island Creeks are the way to go, as are the petite and saline Aunt Dottys, hailing from nearby Saquish.

Where to stay in Boston

Raffles Boston

The city’s newest luxury hotel is the Raffles Boston, a 35-story tower overlooking tony Back Bay. Raffles draws inspiration from Boston’s surroundings, like Paul Revere’s copper plating company. Guests can visit 2011 F&W Best New Chef George Mendes’ Portuguese-inspired restaurant, Amar, or the 17th-floor Long Bar & Terrace, where sitting down for a shrimp cocktail unlocks one of the best views of the city. Rooms from $580.

The Liberty, A Luxury Collection Hotel

First opened in 1851 as the Charles Street Jail, the historic Liberty Hotel reopened in 2007 and has since cemented itself as a must-visit holiday attraction. The Saturday after Thanksgiving, the hotel installs several Christmas trees decorated by Boston florist and event designer Cityscapes, hanging each nine-foot-tall tree upside down from the lobby’s rotunda. Rooms from $234.

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