On December 16, 1773, approximately 92,000 pounds of tea were thrown from British East India Company cargo ships into Boston Harbor, an act of protest that ultimately led to the American Revolution.
This year’s 250th anniversary is a potent reminder of how far the city has come as a place of innovation, tolerance, and culture. Read on for a list of must-visit new spots, all of which nod toward Beantown’s storied past.
Chris Capozzi/Courtesy of Boston Seaport
Check out the Seaport
The Seaport, the original site of the Tea Party, is now a thriving mixed-use district of residences, outdoor art, green space, and museums, including the Institute of Contemporary Art and the Boston Children’s Museum. (On December 16, 2023, the Boston Tea Party Ships & Museum will ceremonially dump 250 pounds of loose tea into the harbor.)
Mingle at the ‘Quin House
At the turn of the 19th century, the Algonquin Club was one of the city’s most prestigious social clubs. But the building was on the verge of crumbling when Boston locals Sandy and Paul Edgerley acquired it in 2018. The Commonwealth Avenue landmark has now been reimagined by interior designer Ken Fulk as the ’Quin House, a place for young Bostonians to eat, drink, and work. The six-story mansion is a hive of activity, with a rooftop deck, four restaurants, three bars, a speakeasy, a record-listening room, a gym, and private event spaces. Frequent Boston travelers can get a nonresident membership, which includes access to the house’s eight guest rooms.
Jenna Peffley/Courtesy of The ‘Quin House (2)
Where to Eat
For upscale soul food, pop into Grace by Nia (entrées $20–$35), where the wine and drinks list emphasizes Black- and woman-owned makers, then head to the Kartal, a new cocktail lounge in the former location of the Boston Eagle, one of the city’s oldest and most venerated gay bars.
Can’t get a table at Contessa Ristorante, the rooftop trattoria at the Newbury Boston hotel (and one of the city’s most covetable reservations)? Have a dinner party instead: with the recent launch of Contessa at Home, you can have a North Italian feast (rigatoni lobster fra diavolo, olive oil ice cream) prepared and served wherever you may be staying.
Douglas Friedman/Courtesy of The Newbury Boston; Chris Churchill
Where to Stay
After an extensive renovation, Four Seasons Hotel Boston, in Back Bay, reopened in May with a fresh design inspired by its leafy neighbor, the Public Garden. The lobby’s Impressionist mural, for example, depicts the park’s flora and fauna.
In September, the Raffles Boston, the brand’s first in North America, also debuted in the area. Copper accents throughout the property pay homage to Paul Revere’s copper-plating company.
Courtesy of Four Seasons Hotel Boston
A version of this story first appeared in the December 2023/January 20214issue of Travel + Leisure under the headline “Time for Tea.”