Home to more than 50 restaurants, Somerville is on the map as an amazing culinary destination. Despite the vast number of dining opportunities, many patrons find themselves in the habit of repeatedly visiting the same establishments over and over, failing to branch out and try new places.
Is it the fear of an unknown menu? Not knowing these restaurants exist? Or simply the comfort of knowing what to expect from "old faithful?"
Beyond the Plate Food Tours makes it easy to try new places. Tourgoers are given the ability to sample several restaurants in one afternoon. The tours are led by a local guide who gives “the dish” on the stories beyond the plate. At each stop, the guide highlights the best items on the menu, so diners do not have to figure out what to order. Tourgoers are warned to “Come hungry!” because no one escapes the tours with room left in their bellies.
The tours provide more than just a tasting. They deliver an educational experience showcasing the most delicious, crowd-pleasing and unique locations in Somerville. As tourgoers are seated at the various stops, they get one-on-one exclusive access to chefs and owners. Walking from one tasting location to the next, the tour guides sprinkle in bits of art, culture and history.
Each tour has variations, so diners can attend multiple times and always be trying new restaurants and menus. To give diners a taste of what to expect, here we highlight a walking tour held this summer. Led by local food editor Jenna Intersimone, the tour stopped at five of Somerville’s tastiest restaurants.
Stop 1: King Tut
This Egyptian restaurant brings a great mix of authentic and fusion dishes to the eatery. The tour served cauliflower cakes, hummus, falafel and chicken kebabs alongside wine pairings provided by Discover Wine.
Stop 2: Project PUB
Run by the same owners as Tapastre downstairs, this restaurant is a "rotating brewpub." Each month, they select a different brewery to do a tap takeover and design a food menu to be paired with the beers. The tour provided beer pairings, items from their pickled veggie board, duck fat fries and pork belly bites.
Stop 3: Village Brewing
Somerville's first brewery opened to much fanfare in town. Tourgoers were given a tour of the brewery and served brewers' grain soft pretzels, crispy curried fried cauliflower, spinach and bacon dip and a tasting of their signature craft beers.
Stop 4: Division Cafe
The cafe is owned by an Argentinian husband and his Costa Rican wife. This pair does a phenomenal job coming up with fun Latin-fusion dishes. At this stop, tourgoers sampled their award-winning empanadas and tostones.
Stop 5: Cheech's Own
Tourgoers finished the afternoon off at this cold brew-centric coffeehouse. Here, they were given the chance to sample coffee-infused concoctions while enjoying vegan cinnamon buns and cheese biscuits.
