The Seaport, once a vast expanse of parking and the Boston Children’s Museum, is now a shining harborside cluster with high-rises. Nia Grace, one of the two Black servers aboard the SS Great Britain in the early 2000s. Spirit of Boston, A dinner cruise docks at Seaport. Her car used to be parked where Grace by Na now stands. A turquoise door leads to a large room with a Southern menu that includes Maryland crab and jambalaya. “People of color have learned to adapt and fit into spaces that were not created with us in mind,” says Grace, who also owns Darryl’s Corner Bar & Kitchen, a beloved live-music venue in Roxbury. “Years of being intimidated by spaces like that probably made people feel like, ‘I’ll just stay here in Dorchester or Roxbury.’ But when you see a Grace by Nia or BLKChip Gallery, you think, ‘Oh, you do want me here.’ I’m so glad to be part of this new generation.”
On my last night, I meet a friend for dinner at Somerville’s retro diner Rosebud Bar & Grill. The beloved railcar façade has been a fixture in Davis Square since 1941, and the glossy red chesterfield booths and chrome-ringed tables look like they haven’t been touched since. It’s now under Indian American ownership and their classic diner has been given unexpected twists. There is grilled cheddar with spicy tomato soup rasam or masala-chai French toast. This meal is the one that I remember most from this week. It’s aesthetically familiar and some might even call it antiquated but has been reimagined in bold flavors. Boston’s greatest asset will always be history, but there is a lot of complexity that’s surfacing among the sepia tinted nostalgia. First time in my life, I’m able to see myself in the city.
Boston’s history goes beyond Revolutionary War history
The Afrimerican Academy provides Black-history Tours, such as visits to Roxbury Nubian Square or the North End New Guinea settlement of 19th century. The Boston Little Syria Project Guides visitors through this bygone enclave from the early 20th century. The Immigrant Heritage Trail is an self-guided tour through Chinatown, with markers telling the stories about the multicultural communities in the area. The gallery scene in Cambridge is also gaining steam. Last year, the pioneering BLKChip Gallery opened its doors in the Seaport for Black and Brown artists, and, in October, the edgy Street Theory Collective will open a 6,000 square-foot cultural hub in Central Square. Yng Ru moved to Brookline, Massachusetts in 2019, to open Praise Shades Art gallery for emerging and middle-career contemporary artists. As part of the inaugural exhibition, installation art has been displayed in public places across the city. Boston Public Art Triennial, Continue through October.
What to Eat
Since the pandemic, a wave of restaurants has been bringing diverse flavors to the city’s neighborhoods—from Grace by Nia, a soul food spot in the Seaport, to Jadu, a globally inspired café in Jamaica Plain that added a wine bar this summer with bottles from lesser-known regions like Slovenia, Croatia, and Uruguay. The husband and wife team behind Comfort Kitchen in Dorchester, which showcases flavors from the Global South will open Ama as well as an rooftop bar. Atlas, A new hotel is opening in trendy Allston. Across the river, among the momo joints and crystal shops of Cambridge and Somerville, there’s been a surge of cool cafés with varied influences, including the family-owned Rwandan place Yego CoffeeThe Palestinian style Yafa Bakery & Café, Saigon inspired Cicada Coffee BarThe Portuguese-inflected Bōm Dough, and the Indian American diner Rosebud Bar & Kitchen, a reborn classic serving twists on familiar favorites.
What to do?
The city’s best hotels are centered around the historic Back Bay. Its central location is ideal for exploring the rest of the city. When the Four Seasons Hotel Boston (From $800) opened across from the Public Garden 40 years ago, it was a trailblazer; now, thanks to a 2023 transformation by the celebrated designer Ken Fulk, its lobby and public spaces have been redone in jewel tones that match the lushness of the park. The 147-room hotel is newer. Raffles Boston (From $675), which became the brand’s first foray into America in 2023; its 35-story tower brings Asian-style hospitality, including Raffles’ signature butler service, while out-of-towners and locals flock to its restaurants, like the Italian-inspired La Padrona and the 17th-floor Long Bar & Terrace, whose views make it popular at sunset. The historic Beaux Arts Beacon Hill building houses the restaurant. XV Beacon (From $495The rooftop provides a panoramic view of the golden dome at the Massachusetts State House.
This article appeared in September/October 2025 issue Condé Nast Traveler. Subscribe to the magazine here.
