Saltie Girl: How a Neighborhood Seafood Place Has Kept Local Daters Wining & Dining

The Short Version: Saltie Girl is a trendy seafood restaurant and bar where Boston couples on dates can sample the many rich flavors of the Northeast coastline. The menu takes traditional favorites and cranks them up a notch with generous portions and inventive chef-inspired pairings. Due to the pandemic, Saltie Girl has had to revamp to accommodate takeout, delivery, and outdoor seating. Its menu is now available at the Met Back Bay location on Dartmouth Street.

Notable restaurateur and culinarian Kathy Sidell grew up sailing with her father on Nantucket Bay and exploring the shorelines along the East Coast.

“I have a deep affinity for the saltiness of the sea and the fruit it bears,” Kathy said. “During my travels, I have discovered beautiful, high-quality fish in tins, jars, smoked, and, of course, amazing local and fresh seafood.”

Saltie Girl serves eye-catching seafood packed with savory and salty flavors.

Kathy captured the flavors of the ocean and the heart of New England when she opened Saltie Girl, a casual seafood restaurant and bar in Boston.

Saltie Girl has curated one of the largest tinned seafood collections in New England, and it has plated many inventive seafood dishes, including fried lobster and waffles. Over the years, Saltie Girl solidified its reputation as a local hangout and date spot. It’s a place where people from different walks of life can come together to enjoy fresh seafood.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Saltie Girl has had to adapt to social distancing measures and find new ways to deliver its quality food to the Boston community. The restaurant has expanded its takeout and delivery options in 2020, and it has also unveiled a Saltie Girl at Home subscription to bring curated seafood to individuals, couples, and families stuck at home.

Kathy said she crafted the Saltie Girl menu to celebrate nature’s bounty and highlight ocean-fresh flavors that transport diners to the New England coast.

Whether you’re enjoying the atmosphere on the outdoor patio or ordering a meal from home, Saltie Girl can deliver mouthwatering flavors from the ocean to your palate.

Saltie Girl has become a noteworthy food destination in Boston thanks to its unique and savory dishes. The indulgent menu can satisfy seafood lovers of all stripes. Some customers enjoy keeping things simple with a plate of panko-crusted fish sticks or lobster roll, while others go for more bold flavor options such as the tinned sardines or seafood towers.

All seafood tins are served with fresh bread, house-made butter, and salt, so daters can enjoy a tactile and shareable meal.

Local daters can spice up their evenings by stopping by Saltie Girl and sharing a plate of clams or treating themselves to signature cocktails.

“This place was inspired by life in the seashore,” said Kathy Sidell in an interview. “In a way, it takes you to a different place when you walk through the door.”

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Saltie Girl has turned heads by putting a seafood twist on classic dishes. For instance, the fried lobster and waffles has become a brunch staple thanks to its perfect combination of salty and sweet flavors. The dish offers five ounces of lobster served on a classic Belgian waffle and slathered in spicy maple syrup. It also comes with a sweet corn butter — in case this dish isn’t already indulgent enough!

Couples can warm themselves up on their date night by ordering the New England Clam Chowder. It is chock full of clams and potatoes with a creamy broth that is perfect comfort food in the wintertime.

From petite caviar appetizers to a towering lobster burger, the Saltie Girl menu has a little something for everyone, and the restaurant can accomodate a family dinner party just as easily as it can an intimate anniversary dinner.

Saltie Girl is always bringing something new to the table to delight the taste buds and reimagine some of New England’s favorite foods.

Seafood Pizza by Saltie Girl has recently taken off, especially among college-aged diners, because it offers the perfect marriage between Italian food and seafood. “We wanted to elevate the pizza experience by offering super high-quality ingredients on top of a delicious dough,” the culinary team said. “We’re so excited to share this neighborhood, Italian-style seafood pizza with the world.”

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Saltie Girl has had to change to meet the moment. The seafood restaurant responded to the March shutdowns by offering Saltie Girl To Go for the first time ever. The team provided curbside pickup and delivery options to help people at home still get a tasty dinner on the table.

Another major shift occurred when restaurants opened back up for dine-in service. Sidell Hospitality has done some reorganizing to accommodate customers in search of outdoor dining. The original Saltie Girl space on Newberry has been revamped to serve the Saltie Girl Pizza menu, while the Met Back Bay on Dartmouth is serving the Saltie Girl menu.

Saltie Girl delivery is available through Grubhub, UberEats, or Caviar, or customers can call (617) 267-0691 to order takeout or make a reservation for an outdoor table.

Saltie Girl at Home is a wonderful way to glam up a date night at home.

Additionally, the restaurant owners launched Saltie Girl at Home to provide curated food selections to locals craving an upscale meal. The monthly membership includes samplings of chef-inspired seafood tins, caviar, meals, or cocktails, so couples can enjoy the dining experience of Saltie Girl from the comfort of home.

Saltie Girl has gotten many rave reviews on Yelp from couples looking for a delicious meal and an escape from their everyday cares.

“My wife and I had been meaning to try this place and somehow it took Covid to force our hand,” said JB, who gave the seafood an A+ in his review. “We will be back soon (and often). Everything here was overall simple, letting the ingredients shine.”

“This was the best meal my boyfriend and I have had while dining out during Covid times,” said Michelle D. “Don’t miss out on this special place.”

“We have been knocked out by the support from our guests, friends, neighbors, and the community as a whole,” a spokesperson for Sidell Hospitality said on Facebook. “Thank you for showing up, and a HUGE thank you to our staff, who have been ultimate professionals.”

Kathy Sidell is a true New Englander with a passion for bringing the flavors of the ocean to life. Saltie Girl has earned praise for its ocean-to-table menu and down-to-earth dining experience. The restaurant encourages customers to dive into a tower of oysters or a buttery lobster roll to treat themselves to a unique meal.

Couples can order seafood takeout from Saltie Girl, get it delivered, or sit down at the outdoor patio — weather permitting — to make their date nights something special. The award-winning restaurant offers delicious food, a friendly atmosphere, and socially distant service that has many foodies returning again and again for seconds.

“It was honestly one of the best meals of my life, and I’m already looking at my calendar for when I can go back,” said Evan G. on Yelp. “The restaurant is so quaint and quiet, it’s perfect for date night.”