Hamburgers and Horchata: Boston’s Duo of Perfect Lunch Spots

It’s the middle of the day and your crew is famished. You’ve been exploring Boston’s Freedom Trail, took a Duck Tour and visited the expansive Boston Common for a stroll. The kids are ready to eat almost anything and you hope for something nice and hearty too. The city is full of fast, quick and delicious lunch options that easily feed a family on the go.

Tacos and Burritos For the Win

Love a little south-of-the-border grub? Skip the lines at national chain burrito joints and sample some of the fresh Mexican food around at Anna’s Taqueria. For two decades this Boston mainstay has satisfied hungry locals and tourists alike with a simple, authentic menu and casual, fun ambiance.

As everything is customized, little picky eaters will be happy to know they can get whatever they’d like in their burrito, quesadilla, taco or plate. If your brood has any allergies, dietary prescriptions or just simply hates black beans, the pros at Anna’s are glad to cater to your requests.

We ordered a feast when it was lunchtime, including super fresh veggie tacos, rice and bean burritos and carnitas quesadillas. There were also some more bold ingredients to choose from, like beef tongue. It looked tasty, but we weren’t brave enough to try it this round.

Our favorite drink on the menu had to be the Horchata. It’s tough to find this made correctly outside of Mexico, but Anna’s nailed it. Skip the dessert and order a Horchata instead, as it’s made with almonds, rice milk, sugar and cinnamon. Kids will slurp it up in a heartbeat.

There are six locations throughout Boston, so one is most likely to be near you while you sightsee. Consider visiting a little before or after the big lunch rush if you want to snag a table and relax, as lines can get long due to its popularity.

A Burger Institution Takes Over Boston

Yes, the Shake Shack was originally a genius New York idea. But despite the venom spewed over to our NY neighbor during baseball season, Bostonites are happy to embrace their beautiful burger customs and offer the olive branch as a sign of peace over fast food perfection. Kids will love the burger and fries concept, while parents can relax and indulge in a clean, modern looking restaurant (complete with local wine and beer offerings if it’s been a particularly long day).

All the burgers are juicy and fresh, as were the classic crinkle cut fries. Flat-top grilled hot dogs and a flavorful veggie burger are also on the simple, yet nostalgic menu. But the grand finale of super thick shakes, called Concrete, were the group favorite. Choose from flavors like red velvet cupcake and the city favorite, “Lobstah Shell”. They actually blend a lobster tail pastry from the North End into a custard shake, complete with strawberry puree and ricotta cheese.

This year the Shake Shack is introducing a new burger as well for the first time in 3 years – The ShackMeister Burger. An all-angus cheeseburger topped with crispy shallots and ShakeSauce. You can get one at either the Chestnut Hill or Harvard Square location.

What wonderful lunch spots have you discovered in Boston? Let us know!

For more information visit:
Anna’s Taqueria
Harvard Square Shake Shack