Challenge accepted 🍽️

Order up: The Black Restaurant Challenge is underway

We’re adding Dorchester’s Ripple Cafe to our coffee bucket list. | Photo by @mikemontiel

Since we’re about halfway through February, we thought it’d be a good time to check in on your progress on Boston’s Black Restaurant Challenge.

ICYMI — the month-long program was first created by Massachusetts State Representative Chynah Tyler and The Boston Black Hospitality Coalition in 2018.

The challenge encourages locals to dine at or order takeout from at least one Black-owned eatery per week in February. If you haven’t started yet, the good news is that it’s always a good time to support local Black-owned businesses.

You can find the full list of restaurants, organized by neighborhood, on the Black Restaurant Challenge website. Here are just a few spots to check out:

Sign for Wally'z Jazz Club — Look for this iconic sign + the bright red door at Wally’s Cafe.

🎶 Wally’s Cafe and Jazz Club, South End
This historic jazz club and cafe is a must-visit for music lovers. New England’s first Black-owned jazz establishment reopened in 2022 after a two-year closure, and now hosts three bands a night.

☕ Ripple Cafe, Dorchester
Fuel up with a fresh fruit smoothie or an iced coffee from this cafe located just off the Red Line. There are also plenty of food options, from MEM pastries to sandwiches and toasts.

🌯 Rhythm N’ Wraps, Allston
The casual Commonwealth Avenue space offers up a variety of tasty vegan eats. Think: wraps, smoothies, and impossible burgers.

🎹 Slade’s Bar and Grille, Roxbury
Once owned by Celtics icon Bill Russell, this local landmark in Roxbury Crossing serves up soul food, including dinner entrees like catfish and barbecue ribs. Be sure to snap a picture of the iconic purple piano sign when you visit.

🍽️ Savvor Restaurant and Lounge, Downtown
Southern comfort cuisine meets Caribbean influences at this Lincoln Street dinner spot. Try the hot fried chicken and waffles or steak frites, plus a craft cocktail like “Savvor the Flavor” with apple and cinnamon.

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Thursday, Feb. 16

Live Figure Drawing by Hoamsy | Thursday, Feb. 16 | 6:30-8 p.m. | Cannonball Cafe, 383 Dorchester Ave., Boston | $20 | Grab tickets for this live drawing costume event at the South Boston coffee shop, intended for artists of all skill levels.
Third Thursdays Poetry | Thursday, Feb. 16 | 7 p.m. | Brookline Booksmith, 279 Harvard St., Boston | $0-$5 | Join an evening of poetry with José Olivarez, Quintin Collins + Porsha Olayiwola at the Brookline bookstore.
Love’s A Joke | Thursday, Feb. 16-Saturday, Feb. 18 | 7-8:30 p.m. | Laugh Boston, 425 Summer St., Boston | $25-$33 | Watch America’s top comedy couples dish on marriage, parenthood, weddings, and other love-related topics.

Friday, Feb. 17

Back Bay Coffee Hours | Friday, Feb. 17 | 10-11 a.m. | Boston Public Library, 700 Boylston St., Boston | Free | Meet with Maggie Van Scoy, the Back Bay neighborhood liaison, to chat about the area over a cup of coffee.
Goblin Hole One Year Birthday | Friday, Feb. 17 | 9 p.m. | Somerville Theatre, 55 Davis Sq., Somerville | $20-$30 | Snag tickets to this queer art party with interactive activities, video art, and digital drag.

Saturday, Feb. 18

Apres Ski | Saturday, Feb. 18-Sunday, Feb. 19 | 12-7 p.m. | Bow Market, 1 Bow Market Way, Somerville | Free to attend | Skip the slopes and get cozy at the Somerville marketplace with themed drinks from Remnant Brewing, Rebel Rebel, and Ski Bar.
The Bugs Bunny Film Festival | Saturday, Feb. 18-Sunday, Feb. 26 | Times vary | The Brattle Theatre, 40 Brattle St., Cambridge | $12-$14 | The annual celebration of everyone’s favorite cartoon returns for another weekend all about the “Looney Tunes” gang.

We have a calendar filled with events and activities you can plan for in advance. Click the button below to bookmark ideas for upcoming date nights, family outings, and time with friends.

100+ MORE EVENTS

Weather

61º | Mostly cloudy | 20% chance of rain
The Boston area is on track to reach record high temperatures this week. Today’s temperature is expected to exceed 60 degrees, breaking the record set in 1910. (Boston Globe)

Transit

We’ve got a March MBTA update. The Red, Orange, and Green Lines will see multiple weekend and weeknight service disruptions next month. Plus, portions of the Haverhill and Newburyport/Rockport Commuter Rail routes will have partial closures. Prepare for the service changes. 🚊

Edu

Boston City Council voted to approve the return to an elected School Committee. Currently, our city’s School Committee is the only non-elected school board in the state. If approved by the Mayor’s Office, the elected members would be phased in over time, likely starting in 2025 at the earliest. (Boston Globe)

Coming Soon

Local chef Lydia Shire is opening a new restaurant at the Seaport Science Center in 2024. She currently runs Scampo at The Liberty Hotel, and we’re staying tuned for more details on the new Seaport venture.

Arts

Have love on the brain? Submit your love-related poetry for the chance to have your work displayed in City Hall. Share your entry before the Friday, March 3 deadline. ♥️

Sports

Patriots fans should expect to shell out more money for next season’s tickets. The team announced a stadium-wide price increase for next fall. The good news? Parking at Gillette Stadium will become more affordable. 🏈 (NBC Sports)

History

The Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution has released rare footage of a 1986 dive through wreckage from the Titanic. In 1985, a team from the Massachusetts-based institution helped discover the sunken ship by using a towed underwater camera. (Boston.com)

Number

$9.7 million. That’s the amount of money a local biotech company has raised to advance its limb regrowth research. Morphoceuticals was founded by two Tufts University professors + is working on technology to help people regrow limbs lost from trauma or disease. (Boston Globe)

Travel

How does Going (formerly Scott’s Cheap Flights) work? Sign up for free, follow up to five airports, and Going will notify you when flights are 40-90% off. Bonus: You can browse deals immediately after signing up (like a $500+ flight to Italy). 🍝*

Wellness

Level up your sleep hygiene and wake up feeling well-rested with a little help from two top-rated products: this blackout sleep mask with ~9,000 five-star reviews and this sleek white noise machine complete with 31 different soothing sounds. 💤 *

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Brews, beats, and Boston Common 🍻

🍻 Brews and beats have arrived at the Boston Common

The new pop-up UnCommon Stage at the Boston Common.

Take a seat for one of the upcoming perforances. | Photo via Emerson College

This is music to our ears — a new hybrid beer garden and live performance stage is open for the season on Boston Common, at the corner of Tremont and Boylston streets. The pop-up space has seating for over 400 guests and will provide entertainment for all Bostonians beginning today, May 4, through Nov. 1.

Here’s what you can expect:

Entertainment: The 5,000-sqft performance space will feature daily performances + programming from Emerson College on the UnCommon Stage. Performances will include local musicians, DJs, comedy shows, book readings, and more. Check out the performance schedule.

Brews: The Trillium Garden on the Common will be open Wednesday and Thursday from 4 to 9 p.m., Friday and Saturday from 12 to 9 p.m. + Sunday from 12 to 6 p.m. Stop by to sip draft beers, seltzers, and wine.

Eats: The outdoor garden will offer a variety menu options from Taqueria El Barrio (think: tacos, tortas + chips and salsa).

Pro tip: The patio is dog-friendly, so leash up your pups and bring them along for the show.

Pass the ribbon: This afternoon, Mayor Wu will join the Parks and Recreation Department, Emerson College, and Trillium Brewing for a ribbon-cutting ceremony at 5:15 p.m. After that, guests can enjoy live music tonight from 6 to 9 p.m. and all summer long.

THE WRAP

Today’s issue was written by Sara.

Editor’s pick: If you’ve been to a colorful and trendy spot in Boston recently — think: PKL, Mariel, and Coquette — you’ve probably seen artwork by “Blind Fox.” 🎨

Check out this interview with local muralist Erica Hagler, who’s leaving her creative stamp and signature street-art style all over the city.

Missed yesterday’s newsletter? Learn the origins of the Boston accent + local slang words.

Connect with us.

Editorial: Jessica Burton, Sara Frazier, Josh Kranzberg, Emily Shea, Jessalin Heins-Nagamoto, Dayten Rose, Sarah Leonhardt, Katie Smith | Send us a scoop, question, or feedback.

Sales: Peter Baldassare | Advertise with us.

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