Neighborhoods

Boston College senior Sarah Dansreau tells us about her perfect day in Boston’s Brighton neighborhood.

In Boston.com’s Perfect Day series, we talk with a local expert in each of Boston’s regions. 23 districts about how they would spend their perfect day. Find out what makes this city so special to your neighbors and share your perfect day with us on (email protected).

Welcome to Brighton: a quiet community outside of busy downtown Boston.

Settled in 1630, Brighton was known for its first 160 years as “Little Cambridge”. Before the American Revolution, the neighborhood was a small but thriving farming community that was home to prominent figures, such as Benjamin Faneuil and Colonel Thomas Gardner.

In the 19th century, Brighton became a thriving agricultural and horticultural center, according to the Brighton Allston Historical Society. Home to the state’s largest agricultural fair and livestock exhibition at the time, and “one of the most important horticultural and market gardening centers” in Boston, Brighton was able to prosper in population and industry.

Today, the slower-paced residential neighborhood is filled with students, young professionals, families, and one of Boston College’s campuses.

Boston College senior Sarah Dansreau describes Brighton as “the perfect balance” of the community aspect of suburban living while not being too far from the city.

“It’s the best of both worlds,” she told Boston.com. “It’s a very welcoming community. You walk down the street and smile at people, and everyone is very friendly to each other.

“Especially on the Boston College campus, everyone is very welcoming and friendly,” she adds. “When you walk into a cafe, they greet you and you’re always greeted with a smile, which I love.”

Dansreau lived in Brighton during his freshman year and visits family and friends who currently live in the neighborhood.

“There are so many hidden gems in Brighton,” she said. “(There are) local restaurants and small mom-and-pop shops that deserve more attention than they get.”

Whether you’re looking for a great coffee shop to while away a day of studying, a new place to shop, or something fun to do in the evening, Brighton has plenty to offer.

Here’s how she would spend a perfect day in Brighton.

Morning | Afternoon | Evening | Map | Share your perfect day in Boston

Morning: Coffee and fitness class

With the leaves changing, the sun shining and the temperature slightly cool, Dansreau begins her perfect fall day with a walk around Brighton around 10 a.m.

She usually ends the walk at the Lakon Paris pastry shop (407 Washington Street.), a French bakery that serves pastries “almost too perfect to eat.” (Their croissant cubes are famous on TikTok and Instagram.)

She orders him to go to, a iced vanilla latte it’s “perfect every time.”

“You can really taste the quality of the coffee. It’s incredible,” she adds.

With her coffee, she will order either a croissant Or monkey breadtwo excellent pastries, she adds.

For a heartier breakfast, she’ll head across the street to Cafenation Cafe and Roastery (380 Washington Street.) for the cafe’s most popular sandwich.

“It’s the best breakfast sandwich I’ve ever had,” she said. THE Otom is made with bacon, eggs, lettuce, tomato, cheddar cheese and spicy aioli. For a sweet treat, Dansreau also recommends trying one of their homemade muffinswhich she rates “10 out of 10”.

Whether you’re looking for a place to study or meet up with a friend, Dansreau highly recommends Cafenation.

After breakfast, take a class at the New Balance Fitness Club (40, rue Vie.), frequented by BC students and athletes.

Afternoon: Lunch and quiz

After a relaxing start to her ideal day, Dansreau will head to Porter Belly’s Pub (338 Washington Street.) or Bistro Devlin (332 Washington Street.) for lunch.

Not only is the food excellent at both restaurants, but so is the atmosphere. In warm weather, Dansreau likes to sit outside between adjacent buildings, under the fairy lights.

To grab a quick bite or stop to study for lunch, she recommends heading to Fuel America Cafe (152 Chestnut Hill Ave.) or get Gyro City (183 Chestnut Hill Avenue.), a traditional Greek restaurant named after the classic sandwich.

To keep the midday fun going, Dansreau recommends visiting a Boston Landing (100 Arthur Street.), which offers activities for all ages, year-round, including a Thursday night trivia game, themed brunches, live music and much more.

Evening: Steak dinner and bowling

Around 6:30 p.m., it’s time for dinner. Accompanied by her family and friends, Dansreau will go to one of her favorite restaurants in the neighborhood to kick off the evening.

Situated on the grounds of Brighton’s historic cattle industry, this steakhouse is anything but ordinary. First opened in 1972, The Stockyard (135, rue du Marché) has a 200-seat dining room and parking for up to 150 cars, according to its website. From the ambiance to the food, this tavern-style restaurant is a great place for a family meal, according to Dansreau.

Among his favorites are the beef tournedossmall fillets with whipped potatoes, grilled asparagus and demi-glace sauce to top it off. It also recommends their signature Farmyard Burger.

For a quicker dinner, Dansreau recommends stopping at the traditional Greek restaurant, Esperia Grill (344 Washington Street.). His appointment is chicken skewers dinner which comes with your choice of two hot sides and a Greek salad.

“The people there are so nice,” Dansreau said. “They are totally welcoming and want you to try all their different dishes.”

For a delicious side dish, she recommends trying the Greek Roasted Potatoeswhich she says tastes “incredible”.

After dinner, she will participate in a friendly candlelight bowling competition at Brighton Bowl (76, guest street), which is next to American Flatbread, a New England pizza chain.

“It’s really fun to go bowling with your friends every once in a while,” she said. “It brings back the childhood nostalgia of bowling with your friends at a birthday party, but in a grown-up version.”

To end the evening, she recommends spending time at The Notch Brewery and Taproom (525 West Avenue.), which serves a variety of European-style beers. She also recommends Last Drop (596 Washington Street.) or Irish Village (224, rue du Marché), common meeting places for postgraduate students according to Dansreau.

No perfect day is complete without a well-deserved treat. Get ready for an “amazing sundae” from The Scoop N Scootery (360 Washington Street.), which is open until 11 p.m. most evenings.

“These are my ideal locations because they are very consistent,” she said.

“If anyone cares that much about what they’re investing in this business or this small startup business, then I want to stand behind them and support them. »

Find all of Sarah Dansreau’s recommendations in our map below.

Map: Perfect day in Brighton

What does a perfect day in Boston look like to you?