Boston restaurants are starting to take off again. And no business seems to be doing better than Stephanie’s on Newbury. The Boston stalwart has done more than merely bounced back after the last few months of quarantine; it seems to be doing extraordinarily well in foot traffic. It’s a comfortable and fun spot with flavorful food, the perfect place to go as the summer season unfolds.
Stephanie’s has always been a delightful bar and restaurant. With a great selection of, and various other delectable entrees. An elegantly furnished yet still approachable decor interior. The restaurant has developed a strong exterior, even adding fenced seating along the street for additional customer seating. One of the restaurant’s greatest strengths is its centralized location and easy access to passersby. Situated right at the corner of Exeter and Newbury streets, it’s smack dab in the middle of the most upscale areas while still being an easy block from the calm bustle of Commonwealth Avenue. It takes up the better part of the corner and is to spot from a block down in any direction, acting almost like a beacon for safe harbor for Bostonian passersby.
The restaurant just reopened much like many other Boston establishments. Though it hardly seems to have skipped the crawl to walk stage most restaurants are taking, instead pushing up right out of bed, bolstering speed to hit the running mark. There doesn’t seem to be any need for this restaurant in stretching itself after the months long business slumber of the last few months due to Covid-19. Stephanie’s is serving plenty of people already and has attracted a large body of customers, having a healthy stream during off hours, and being filled up to maximum permitted capacity during lunch and dinner hours.
The staff was considerate and diligent. They were as polite as they were precautious in how they went about abiding by social distancing safety measures. Every server is gloved and masked whenever around patrons. Stephanie’s is providing a bottle of hand sanitizer spray for patrons to use and disinfect before each meal; It’s a nice and helpful touch that feels personable while also curbing any chance for spread of germs. The setup felt more than safe, an incredibly impressive feat with all the customer traffic.
Stephanie’s menu has a great selection of appetizers, salads, entrees, sides, and deserts. The Back Bay burger section is especially filled with delicious variable choices. While their Prime Blend certainly snatches the gold for most delicious burger meat choice, the Turkey and Salmon options are also more than worthy of adulation for their deliciousness. Their drink menu also has a myriad of great options of all kinds. The Bloody Mary they served definitely ranks in my personal top five of Boston restaurants. Though I didn’t get it on my last visit, I also know the girdled chocolate-flecked pound cake is beyond mouthwateringly delectable.
Seeing a Boston business not only reopen, but actually do this well after months brings a lot of reason to be optimistic going forward in coming months. Boston has always had an indomitable spirit, and seeing a business such as Stephanie’s set such a strong example helps to keep hope alive. I can’t wait to visit this Boston staple again sometime soon.