Neighborhoods

Boston College senior, Sarah Dansreau, takes us through her perfect day in Boston’s Brighton neighborhood.

In Boston.com’s Perfect Day series, we’re talking to a local expert in each of Boston’s 23 neighborhoods about how they’d spend their perfect day. See what makes this city so special to your neighbors, and share your perfect day with us at [email protected].

Welcome to Brighton: a calm community outside of Boston’s bustling downtown.

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

In the 19th century, Brighton became a booming agricultural and horticultural hub, according to the Brighton Allston Historical Society. Home to the largest agricultural fair and cattle show in the state at the time, and “one of the most important horticultural and market garden centers” in Boston, Brighton was able to flourish in population and industry. 

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

Boston College senior Sarah Dansreau describes Brighton as the “perfect balance” between the communal aspect of living in a suburb 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’s very friendly with each other.”

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

Dansreau lived in Brighton during her junior year, and visits family and friends who currently live in the neighborhood. 

“There’s 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 are looking for good coffee to get you through a study day, a new place to go shopping, or something fun to do in the evening, Brighton has much to offer. 

Here is how she’d spend a perfect day in Brighton. 

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

Morning: Coffee and a fitness class

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

She typically ends the walk at Lakon Paris Patisserie (407 Washington St.), a French bakery that serves pastries “almost too perfect to eat.” (Their cube croissants are TikTok and Instagram famous.)

She orders her go-to, an iced vanilla latte that “is perfect every single time.”

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

With her coffee, she will order either a croissant or monkey bread, both great pastries, she adds. 

For a more hearty breakfast, she will head across the street to Cafenation Cafe and Roastery (380 Washington St.) for the cafe’s most popular sandwich.

“It is the best breakfast sandwich I’ve ever eaten,” she said. The Otom is made up of bacon, eggs, lettuce, tomato, cheddar cheese, and spicy aioli. For a sweet treat, Dansreau also recommends trying any of their homemade muffins, which she ranks a “10 out of 10.” 

Whether looking for a place to study or to catch up with a friend, Dansreau highly recommends Cafenation. 

After breakfast, take a class at the New Balance Fitness Club (40 Life St.), which is frequented by BC students and athletes. 

Afternoon: Lunch and trivia

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

Not only is the food great at both restaurants, but so is the atmosphere. In warmer weather, Dansreau enjoys sitting outside between the adjacent buildings underneath the fairy lights.

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

To keep the midday fun going, Dansreau recommends checking out a Boston Landing (100 Arthur St.) event, which offers things to do for all ages, year-round including Thursday Night Trivia, themed brunches, live music, and more. 

Evening: Steak dinner and bowling

At around 6:30 p.m., it’s time to grab dinner. With her family and friends in tow, Dansreau will head to one of her favorite restaurants in the neighborhood to kick off the night. 

Located on the grounds of Brighton’s historic cattle industry, this steakhouse is anything but ordinary. First opening in 1972, The Stockyard (135 Market St.) has a 200-seated dining area and parking lot that can hold up to 150 cars, according to its website. From the atmosphere to the food, this tavern-style restaurant is a great place for a meal with the family, according to Dansreau. 

Among her favorites are the beef tournedos, small tenderloins with whipped potatoes, grilled asparagus, and demi-glace sauce to top it off. She also recommends their signature Stockyard burger. 

For a quicker dinner option, Dansreau recommends stopping at traditional Greek restaurant, Esperia Grill (344 Washington St.). Her go-to is the chicken kabob dinner which comes with your choice of two hot sides and a side Greek salad. 

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

For a delicious side, she recommends trying the Greek-style roasted potatoes, which she says taste “unbelievable”. 

After dinner, she’ll enjoy some friendly competition candlepin bowling at Brighton Bowl (76 Guest St.), which is housed next to American Flatbread, a New England pizza chain. 

“It’s really fun to just have a bowling match with your friends once in a while,” she said. “It brings back the childhood nostalgia of bowling with your friends for a birthday party, but the adult version.”

To end the night, she recommends hanging out at The Notch Brewery and Taproom (525 Western Ave.), which serves a variety of European-style beers. She also recommends Last Drop (596 Washington St.) or Irish Village (224 Market St.), common hangouts for post-grad students according to Dansreau. 

No perfect day is complete without a much deserved sweet treat. Prepare for an “unbelievable sundae” from The Scoop N Scootery (360 Washington St.), which is open until 11 p.m. most nights.

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

“If someone cares so much about what they’re putting into this company or small startup business, then I want to support them and root for 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?