Brick walls, 40 tables, sandwiches with local ingredients, art from Somerville natives and a huge bank vault in which to imbibe your daily caffeine intake? This is the wonderfully quirky Block 11. Owner Jennifer Park also owns the impossibly hip Diesel Café in Davis Square, but Bloc 11 has a decidedly more sophisticated feel than its hipster sister. Don't miss the courtyard seating or the freestanding fireplace in the back; watching new baristas learning how to pull the perfect espresso on the trainer machine behind the main counter is also entertaining. Of special note is "The 257" sandwich, a sinful concoction of prosciutto, ricotta from Capone's market across the street and caramelized onions.
Allen Edmonds is the premier shoe store in the Back Bay. The shoe quality is unmatched and they have staying power. The staff is exceptionally friendly and helpful, making for a great shopping experience. For a true gentleman's shoe, every man will want to step into a pair of Allen Edmonds.
Club Cafe is a restaurant, cabaret and dance club. Patrons enjoy American cuisine for lunch, dinner and Sunday brunch, a full bar and music, dance, trivia and karaoke events.
In our age of Taylorism, mass-production and impersonality, Simon Pearce stands out as a bulwark of old-school craftsmanship. Educated first in his parents' pottery studio, and later in the Royal College of Art in London, Simon Pearce and the artisans in his employ are absolutely committed to a now (sadly) all-too-rare attitude towards labor: they combine art with utility, form with function, to create beautiful, durable and unique pieces, meant to last a lifetime (and more). All their products are lovingly hand-made in Vermont. Their Back Bay location boasts high ceilings, wood floors, plenty of natural light and an accommodating, eager-to-please staff. Whatever you buy here, be it for yourself or a friend, is sure to become a treasured family heirloom.
This family-owned grocery store stocks specialty foods from around the globe, with an emphasis on Italian foods and take-home meals. Shelves of high-quality and rare olive oil, cases of artisan cheeses and meats, stacks of exotic chocolate (some even made with Earl Grey tea) and massive jars of various truffles line the walls. Floor-to-ceiling cool cases keep house-made pasta sauces, stuffed ravioli and gnocchi fresh, and fresh-baked cannoli fill hulking glass containers.
A huge chart above the register lists the ingredients of every homemade pasta and the best way to cook each kind. Or if you prefer your meal ready-to-go, housemade entrees such as flat-bottomed meatballs, duck and squash lasagna or Argentine empanadas are sold. Occasional cooking classes share Capone family kitchen secrets.
Insider info: Various Capone products are used across the street at Bloc 11 coffee shop.
