This winter season, Harvard Magazine sought out some of Greater Boston’s fun, cozy, stylish, or idiosyncratic lounges. Whether shopping for the holidays, meeting up with friends and family to celebrate, or simply wanting a warm place with friendly faces, you can stop by these bars for a congenial respite from the cold and raging winds outside.
Although the North End isn’t known for its bar scene, The Red Fox, with its sultry, retro vibe, could change that. The velvety interior in all shades of red is anchored by curvy banquettes and cushy bar stools amid dark walls and café lamps. Old-style Italian American food reigns (lasagna and spaghetti with meatballs), matching classic cocktails, martinis, and negronis, often made with a twist: the “Bananavardier” blends bourbon, banana, Campari, and vermouth.
For an even more theatrical evening, duck through the hidden door to Yvonne’s in Downtown Crossing. The former beloved Locke-Ober space was transformed into this chandelier-laden, richly upholstered rococo dreamscape that’s so over-the-top you just have to give in and smile. Drinks pair with the supper-club-inspired menu (bavette steak, baked Alaska), starting with the suave Naga Rumba, a vodka and whiskey concoction with hints of mango, coconut, cacao, and basil.
Festive, and more classically stylish, The Dark Bar at the Boston Harbor Hotel on Rowes Wharf is a mainstay. Single malts and cognacs abound, and all the cocktails are carefully crafted in a place where hospitality is paramount. Another favorite hotel spot, the OAK Long Bar + Kitchen at Fairmont Copley Plaza, in Back Bay, sports polished wood and mirrors and leather upholstered bar stools. That comfortable glamour contributes to the feel-good ambience that makes people want to stay for just one more round.
Amid the retail hubs of Newbury Street and Copley Place is a bookish hideout: the Map Room Lounge at the landmark Boston Public Library. Take a break to read or check your holiday to-do list while sipping a pumpkin spice espresso martini (which goes perfectly with the decadent maple-braised short rib panini).
Tucked away from the chaotic tangle of Somerville’s Union Square, the Bow Market complex is a funky place to gather for food, drinks, and boutiques. Remnant Brewing offers craft beers on tap—the malty Fest Lager and the fruitier Hang Time IPA, among others—along with mixed drinks. Stop into Rebel Rebel for natural wine chosen by award-winning sommelier Lauren Friel (who also runs Dear Annie in Cambridge) or linger at Nook where the bartenders can get fancy: “The Substance” has a Cambodian-Mexican kick (tequila, dry curaçao, green tomato, ancho verde, pandan, and lime) while the bourbon-based “No Country” sparkles with hints of oranges and cardamom.
Closer to Harvard, in Cambridge’s Central Square, Brick & Mortar has a raw, dimly lit interior with, yes, brick walls, and scattered wrought iron. Sit at the marvelous V-shaped copper bar and peruse the one big room (entered by way of a nondescript stairway from the street, next door to a cannabis shop). Liquor bottles are stacked in a corner, as they might be at home. The bar’s soundtrack offers smooth, sophisticated jazz and hypnotic electronic beats, and the mixologists, all smiles, seriously cater to diverse tastes. “What’s New Pussycat?” features lychee liqueur, and the four-shot “Daquiri Time Out” helps counter what the bar calls “whatever craziness is going on.”
By contrast, Harvard Square’s Wusong Road is packed with fake stuff, but feels very much alive. Faux flowers and vines spring from every corner amid tiki hut decor. At the bar, patrons can order from the pan-Asian menu and pick out kitschy glassware—cobras and kitty cats share space with skulls—for their fruity tropical drinks. Share Scorpion Bowls and Singapore Slings or try the rarer “Breath of the Dragon,” made with tequila, mezcal, and dragon fruit and strawberry-infused Campari. The whole South Pacific/Asian/tropical vibe and exuberant decor make this a prime escape from worldly woes.
The nearby Longfellow Bar (at the Alden & Harlow restaurant) is a relative straight-shooter. Choose to hang out upstairs or down—both have a handsome modern feel with marble tables, all warmly lit. All drinks reflect attention to detail, as with the layered “Ocean Eyes,” made with gin, bergamot, lemon, eucalyptus, spirulina, sake, and falernum, a spicy, nutty syrup popular in the Caribbean. Such care is evident, too, at Harvest’s gem-like bar. Facing a quiet pedestrian walkway, it’s perfect for solo visits or tête-à-têtes far from holiday pressures.
Lastly, here are two especially creative ventures. The tiny Barlette in Brookline’s Coolidge Corner serves seasonal drinks like they are precious gifts. A spiced cider float blends vanilla ice cream, angostura, seltzer, and salted caramel with bourbon or rum, and the “Peru Plunder” offers smoked chili, rosemary syrup, and poached pear with a choice of spirits. Further afield, the Baldwin Bar in Woburn occupies a mansion, but is so not pretentious. Showrunner Ran Duan, who transformed his parents’ Chinese restaurant, operates the award-winning venue that’s particularly praised for its edgy drinks—“Alvarado’s Initiation” includes chamomile oil, rhubarb, gin, and golden beet flavors—all served with a magician’s flair.
