Local Appetite

In the thick of 4 p.m. sunsets and dreary evenings, it’s hard to imagine a dinner more consoling than that which can be found at 113 Brighton Ave. While the name may be straightforward, the unassuming storefront of Boston Soup Dumplings purveys some of the best xiaolongbao in Boston.

For three years, this restaurant in the heart of Allston has been serving authentic Chinese comfort food for pick-up, dine-in, and delivery. Despite the speedy service and unanimously delicious dishes, the establishment often finds itself lacking physical guests when compared with its better-known competitors. Make no mistake: This metric underestimates its quality. Boston Soup Dumplings is a staple for local Chinese Americans and Allston residents alike — one that deserves far more love and attention from the greater Boston area.

Speaking with The Crimson on-site at the restaurant, new customers raved.

Clear Flour Bread has purveyed artisanal breads and pastries to the residents of Brookline since 1982. Under the care of Nicole Walsh and Jon Goodman — who took over baking operations from Christy Timon and Abe Faber eight years ago — Clear Flour Coffee Bar sprouted from the original bakery in 2022. Nestled in the elbow of Thorndike St. and Lawton St., Clear Flour is a true Boston idyll.

Every weekend, a procession of customers reliably traces at least a third of Lawton St.’s sidewalk. Clear Flour may be the only establishment in Boston where a line down the block isn’t so much a deterring factor for the small business, as an enticing promise — one of perfect pastries. Only three parties are able to fit in the tiny lobby of the bakery at a time (the reason for the line), so the wait is far less enduring than an initial look might suggest. Dreamy French jazz and the persuasive scent of freshly baked rolls waft from the swinging door of the bakery to greet seasoned regulars and patient newbies alike, seven days a week.

With its crusty baguettes that might come straight out of that one scene in Ratatouille and its detailed, old-school bakery schedule which shifts on a daily basis, Clear Flour feels like a corner of Europe, here in Brookline. The bake shop boasts delicacies of German and Italian origin, like vollkornbrot (every Monday) and pastiera (an Italian orange and ricotta tart that was available in their spring rotation).