Where to Lunch if: You are Feeling Particularly Carnivorous

E. - Dear, sweet Beantown Hoagie. You had me and my Philly-area roots at the word ‘Hoagie.’ “Challenge accepted,” you think, if you’re me. “let’s see how you stack up to my glittering childhood memories of the motherland’s own Wawa specialty sandwich.” Well. Once that gleaming Boar's Head logo has sunk its teeth into your hungry yearnings, and the subtle beckoning of your primal instincts has lured you through the doorway,

you'll already be gnawing on a mouthful of turkey before the jungle-drum underscore snaps out of your head and you remember you're in public and to stop before you swallow the toothpick. That's right: samples. Upon entry. And you know, you won't even want to nab one on the sly and run off for some fluffy-pants falafel pita; you'll be hooked. Not only does Boar's Head's marketing team do a stand-up job with both entertaining and seducing you visually, but the real-time flavors of their product surely mean that their meats come from only the happiest, most carefree animals to ever frolic in a field (*I have no way to verify if that is truly true). And if you think the menu stops at the classic Italian Hoagie (isn't that all you really need?) you will be mistaken as I was. The paninis are spot-on, sporting well-balanced additions from bacon to lush, generous avocado slices. The cheese proudly holds its own, just as cheese should, the bread is just the right degree of crispy and fluffy, masterfully controlling the sauces and spreads from reaching your grubby little fingers while never upstaging the all-star sammie fillings. (It is also great to salt with your tears of abandonment because someone had a meeting and left you to lunch solo...) Yep, any sandwich so far has been A) delicious and B) filling to the gills. Fast-moving lines, too. And if you’re looking for a side or dessert (ya really should be) the whole counter and wall is full of ‘em. Healthy, local, indulgent, specialty-flavored fill-in-the-blank... just don’t forget to snag your snack before you pay for the hoagie: $5.00 credit card minimum, friends. Oh, and they do actually have at least one vegetarian option on the menu, surely meeting the same level of quality and delectability. Not that it should really matter.

Menu: http://www.beantownhoagie.com/ordereze/Menu/Menus.aspx

A happy, satisfied salute to you, Beantown Hoagie.
E.

Where to Lunch: If You're in Boston's Financial District

Both E. and I have taken our taste buds far and wide (Italy, France, Panama, the Jersey Shore) but we're focusing our efforts on Boston's Financial District, which is roughly this area here:

via boston.gov

If you're taking public transportation, we're talking about the area between State Street, Government Center, and the Aquarium. There is a wealth of lunch options here, but you do have to look and it can be hard to take that gamble. 

My first day at my new job Downtown I was happy to A.) re-unite with E. and B.) pick her brain for all the good food spots. Without her, it would have been Au Bon Pain, or worse, Subway. I'm not saying those places don't have their merits but I am saying I always regret it a half hour later. 

Luckily for me, E. also has a palate tuned to the healthy and delicious and she quickly steered me to the first of our three gems:

• Espresso Love-- 33 Broad Street
• Zo's-- 92 State Street
• Milk Street Cafe-- 50 Milk Street

These three beautiful establishments never let us down when we're in a pinch. I'll leave you with that morsel for now and we'll be back to expand and expound on their virtues and help you navigate their menus to get the most bang for your buck and your belly. 

Until later!

B. 

Hungry in the City

E. and I are two best friends from college who found ourselves working in Boston's Financial District, literally a street apart. (We discovered this on her birthday. It was a beautiful.) We had a lot to catch up on, so we commenced eating.

In college together, we were always hungry. For knowledge, sure, but more specifically for yummy noms. Our friendship was built on long breakfasts and existential life-chats over dorm-room snacks. Also, we make each other laugh.

On any given day, our texts to each other read like the inner thoughts of this hungry pup:

via buzzfeed.com

Lunch time is the very best time of the day for us and we want it to be the same for you. There is a world outside of Panera and we'll gladly taste-test it for you first! Google "where to lunch financial district Boston" and you get either a Yelp list or ideas for pricey business lunches. We're hoping to change that by sharing our favorite haunts, best bargains, and no-fail hangover cures. So, follow us. No, seriously. We're going to need some blog followers.

Until next time!
B.