Jeanne O'Brien Coffey

On my first trip to Florence, Italy, my husband and I visited the same small wine bar every afternoon at 3 p.m. to recall the day’s adventures over a glass of Sangiovese. On our second day there the server recognized us. On the third he offered us samples of his favorite cheeses and wines. And by the fourth day he greeted us as old friends.
More than the beauty of the Uffizi Gallery and the splendor of the Duomo, those afternoons stuck with us a...

I am about shin-deep in the Irish Sea, my hands flapping about like hummingbird wings, as I question my judgement. I’m gasping for air, as the shock of the chill 50 degree Fahrenheit water laps at my knees. The air temperature is about the same, with a fine mist falling—romantic weather for a stroll on the strand, but not generally inviting for bathing.

“Once you can control your breath, you’ll be fine,” assured Susan Dillon, a coach from SwimCamp Ireland. With most every fiber of my being ca...

Step back in time to these 10 historic restaurants and inns, where US presidents, Hollywood royalty, and Prohibition gangsters once drank, dined, and slept
Snuggle into a booth where Hollywood stars once lingered over cocktails, sit in a tavern where Founding Fathers plotted a revolution, or dine in an award-winning novelist’s childhood home. Whatever your interest, there’s a restaurant with a fascinating story and legendary eats on Yelp’s list of 10 of the Most Historic Restaurants. We found...

I recently had the best cup of shellfish chowder I’ve ever had– and as a New Englander born and bred, that is saying something. Yet, sadly, I may never have it again. I enjoyed that perfectly seasoned, silky soup, packed with clams and lobster, at a preview of Logan International Airport’s new Delta One Lounge.
“The star of the show is the food,” says Claude Roussel, who oversees the airline’s network of more than 50 Delta Sky Clubs. The Delta One Lounge —the airline’s third— is an exclusive ...

The 16-year-old learned an important lesson about overpacking when we stepped off the boat in Venice. According to Google maps, the walk from the dock to our hotel was just 15 minutes. But what Google maps does not tell you is that walk is primarily up and down bridges. While we were there for the canals that serve as streets in this spectacular city, we hadn’t thought through what that means from a practical standpoint.
Turns out that meant dragging a suitcase up and over four bridges in 90-...

I watched a couple slip down a neat alleyway alongside a white fence and decided to follow them, at a distance of course. I was on a mission on behalf of Northshore readers to investigate a speakeasy, The Hidden Door, that had appeared mysteriously on social media a few months back, with dark, moody pictures of alluring cocktails and no address. Anywhere.
By the time I turned the corner, they had vanished! I spied a pair of sad plastic patio chairs and a matching table. They were not giving o...

Chewy Biang Biang noodles, oversized dumplings, and DIY hotpots are wowing Yelpers at the best Chinese restaurants this year

Chinese food is made for sharing—especially during the holiday season, when friends and family gather to enjoy the warm, flavorful dishes of this popular cuisine. Yelp searches for Chinese restaurants typically spike every December, as people look for cozy meals. In 2023, the highest number of searches were on Christmas Day.

To help you find favorite new spots for juicy...

Forget everything you thought you knew about food halls. These once-humble hubs have undergone a dramatic transformation in the past few years.
Redesigned and rethought for a post-pandemic world, the new food halls are attracting some of today’s most exciting chefs, becoming foodie destinations in their own right and bustling gathering spaces that feed our craving for community.
There are more than 200 food halls scattered across the U.S., according to industry source...

Bill Fogarty makes his own ketchup. While the chef/owner of Kitchen Table in Beverly respects Heinz 57, and his flavor profile hews closely to what most consider the gold standard of that condiment, he is stubborn. But more important, he is also committed to serving comfort food that is minimally processed, locally sourced, and sustainably raised, with results that are vibrant and delicious. Whether you are stopping by the bar for an order of bacon nachos and a craft cocktail, or looking for ...

The solitary house rises rosy-hued and defiant in the midst of a salt marsh, like a grand dame keeping up appearances. A closer look reveals a sadness reminiscent of an Edward Hopper painting—the facade peeling, plantings overgrown—an icon of a bygone era.
The Pink House, as it has come to be known, captures the imagination of just about everyone who passes it along the Plum Island Turnpike in Newbury. Even local wildlife is drawn to it—snowy owls and hawks often perch on the cupola, rising a...

It’s unusual to use the word chic next to a description of crab cakes. The old-school dish doesn’t usually gain high marks for presentation. But the house crab cake at Seamark Seafood & Cocktails, the new restaurant at Encore Boston Harbor in Everett, is downright artful. The crab cakes arrive jauntily tipped on a bed of yellow sweet corn salad, surrounded by a circle of chartreuse avocado purée and dots of chipotle cream—an apt dish for the glamorous surroundings.
But what makes this dish sp...

In Gloucester, boats unload catches of squirming lobsters, bluefin tuna, haddock, and cod at the bustling docks, as they have for centuries, surrounded by this Massachusetts town’s panoramas of postcard perfection. That duality has been irresistible to artists for more than 150 years.
Gloucester’s working waterfront often serves as inspiration for artists. Photo by Mauritius Images GmbH/Stock Photo
“There’s something about the water and the working waterfront,” says Loren Doucette, a Gloucest...

While the craziest a doughnut got even a dozen years ago was probably Boston cream, modern makers are not above sticking just about anything on a fried round.
Trendy places proffering outlandish toppings have their fans, but so do shops that have been around for decades, sticking to the basics: honey-dipped or powdered sugar.
After hundreds of miles and many, many calories, we’ve discovered a place in our hearts (and bellies) for both. Here are our highly subjective picks from t...

From classic crab cakes and lobster rolls to unique ceviche tostadas and crab-topped fry bread, you’ll find all the best catches at these top seafood restaurants in America
It’s a seafood shell-abration! As the days get warmer, cravings for seafood towers, lobster rolls, and fresh ceviche increase. Seafood is also the second most popular Recognitions category earned by Yelp reviewers across the country. So we’re shining a spotlight on our community’s favorite places (and dishes) from coast to...

New England has eclipse fever. Of course there are themed cocktails and viewing parties, but small towns in the path of totality are girding themselves for some apocalypse-level craziness. A Facebook post from the Plainfield, Vt., (pop. 1,236) Department of Emergency Management and Hazard Mitigation warns residents not to attempt to drive on highways or rely on cell phones, because visitors will be “totally unaware that our cell networks can't handle the traffic.” The post also suggested loca...