Editor’s Choice Award: Bostonia Public House Offers an Old-School Vibe for Date Night

The Short Version: Bostonia Public House gives Boston couples a modern date experience with a nod to the past. Situated in the city’s Financial District, Bostonia is housed in a carefully updated historic building. This stylish yet approachable restaurant serves a wide range of food, including raw seafood, sandwiches, and salads. Couples can also listen to live bands and pianists playing music on weekday nights.Bostonia Public House

is in a historic building in the Financial District of downtown Boston near Faneuil Hall. The building evokes an image of days gone by with its 110-foot walnut bar, marble flooring, and the exposed kitchen that shows the work that goes into every meal.

The restaurant is a combination of old and new. Its decor is timeless, while its menu is constantly being updated and expanded.

The Bostonia Public House opened in 2014.

“The space thoughtfully integrates rustic elements with modern accents. Iconic architecture, raw building materials, vintage finishes are juxtaposed and flattered by distinctive lighting, glossy brick treatments and marble flooring,” according to the website.

Couples flock to Bostonia Public House for special occasions and everyday dates. The restaurant can offer a casual place for a conversation at the bar, or an upscale dining experience with live music.

Megan Long, who is the Manager of Marketing and Private Events, explains the appeal of the restaurant for daters.

“Guests are able to have the experience that they want. I think that’s why everyone enjoys Bostonia — they come looking for a certain element, and they get it,” she told us.

She mentions that the restaurant can be energetic, so it offers a lot of entertainment along with a filling meal. Its warm colors and decor can offer a great backdrop for an Instagram selfie, and couples can often be seen snapping photos throughout their meal.

Couples can explore a range of drinks and food at Bostonia. They can stick to affordable beers and wines or treat themselves to the restaurant’s signature cocktails. The cheese boards and starters are also perfect for sharing. If you like seafood, you’ll love the raw bar with its selection of oysters, lobster, crab legs, and shrimp cocktails.

Diners have many options on the menu, which can accommodate different dietary restrictions and preferences.

Many couples prefer to start their dates with a drink. The Bostonia bar makes a delicious Passionfruit Mojito, which is zesty and not too sweet. It’s also famous for its Blackberry Smash, which is made using fresh blackberry puree, Altos Resposado, Cointreau, and agave.

The food menu highlights fresh seafood, healthy salads, and comfort food.

The appetizers on the menu offer a fun opportunity to share food and try something new. The Tater Tot Poutine serves classic taters smothered in gravy and cheese. The Korean Sticky Pork Ribs are a bit lighter yet still indulgent and juicy.

Bostonia offers a variety of tasty options inspired by the sea. The Fish and Chips offer beer-battered cod served with dill tartar sauce, and the Seared Scallops come with beetroot risotto. The Lobster Mac & Cheese features a house-made four-cheese bechamel sauce that is absolutely decadent.

“We have seafood, light dishes, and heart-attacks-on-plate dishes. We have a wide range of food,” Megan said with a laugh.

For dessert, we recommend going with the Sweet Potato Doughnuts, which come covered with a sweet bourbon glaze. Other after-dinner options include a flourless chocolate torte and a sour cream cake.

Bostonia Public House has gotten rave reviews from the hungry public, and it earned TripAdvisor’s Traveler’s Choice Award in 2021.

“Incredible food and atmosphere, but the service made the ultimate difference,” said one satisfied customer. “Ultimate burger is legit, and lots of gluten-free options. If you are lucky enough to have Joe P. as your server, then you are in for a great night!”

Another person came for brunch and wasn’t disappointed. According to the review, “The food was wonderful. I had the breakfast tacos and the bae-mosa, and they were delicious. I highly recommend eating here!”

Bostonia Public House hosts private events, including anniversary parties, rehearsal dinners, and weddings. Some couples went on their first date or got engaged at the restaurant and returned to celebrate those special moments in life.

“We’ve had a bunch of first dates turn into hosting their rehearsal dinner or wedding receptions at Bostonia — makes for a great meet-cute,” said Megan.

The Bostonia’s upstairs has dedicated spaces for private events.

The restaurant rents out space on its second floor to host private gatherings. The 1880 Room is an elegant space that can accommodate up to 30 people for an intimate dinner party or cocktail hour. The Board of Trade room can serve up to 150 standing guests or 50 seated guests. The entire restaurant has room for up to 420 people for a cocktail reception.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, the Bostonia team set stricter capacity limits on its private events space, but that hasn’t stopped wedding and event bookings for small parties.

A bride named Samantha left a glowing review of the private event space. “We had such [an] amazing time at the Bostonia Public House for our wedding reception,” she said. “They did a fantastic job and had no problem accommodating our 60+ person party. The manager, Megan Long, was awesome and helped with so many other aspects of our wedding! We love the Bostonia and our guests had an absolute blast!”

Jessica and Jonas had a small wedding reception on the second floor of the Bostonia in July 2017 and left a five-star review on The Knot.

“There were about 60 guests for a cocktail-style party and the entire experience was everything and more,” Jessica wrote. “After the three-hour reception, we went to take more photos because the sunset was perfect and Megan went above and beyond guiding us (along with our photographer and videographer) around the city to find the PERFECT spots to take photos.”

Dining at Bostonia Public House is meant to be an experience, and that makes it perfect for couples on a date. Since 2014, this restaurant has become well-known as a timeless place to gather with loved ones and enjoy a delicious meal.

“The owner’s really proud, and we’re really proud of what we’ve created here,” said Megan.

The restaurant accommodates guests with all types of food restrictions and cravings. A lot of business professionals grab a seat at the bar for lunch on the weekdays, and a lot of young couples enjoy the live music and fun vibes in the evenings. Bostonia Public House can set the stage for a friendly happy hour, a corporate dinner, or a romantic date night.

“We are a fun place. Our guests range from suits to tourists to families and so forth, pretty much everyone,” Megan told us. “We always get compliments on how great our staff is. Hospitality is important to us. Our kitchen crushes it all the time.”

Bostonia Public House is a hub of socializing and dating in the financial district.

As Boston bounces back from COVID-19, the Bostonia team is working hard to make up for lost time. Megan told us that business is rapidly returning to pre-pandemic levels, and brunches are particularly packed. Additionally, more private events have been booked on the Bostonia calendar as a growing number of people look for memorable ways to celebrate special occasions in the year ahead.