I'll be in Boston for Labor Day weekend, staying by the South Waterfront, and hoping to get some recommendations for places I can get a good meal with a good tap list, ideally that would be conducive to having an infant in tow. Already planning on some combination of a lunch and an early dinner at Trillium and Row 34, so any suggestions on the other side of Downtown near the Aquarium/Freedom Trail stuff would be appreciated. Also, do Widowmaker and Vitamin Sea do any distro in the area? If so what'd be the best shops to find that kinda stuff?
Best taps lists in downtown/Financial District area are The Merchant and Tip Tap Room (though pours /food here run on the expensive side). You also have the Night Shift Brewing location at Lovejoy Wharf a few steps from the Freedom Trail before you cross the bridge to Charlestown. Similarly, one of the best tap lists in the area is at Brewers Fork in Charlestown, just off the Freedom Trail - excellent wood-fired pizzas and small plates, very kid friendly (this would be at the top of my list). You can find Widowmaker at most local shops, I would expect you'll find it at Fort Point Market in the Seaport (next to Row 34) along with a great selection of other beers. Vitamin Sea does not distribute. Depending on when you arrive in the city, they have a beer garden just over the river in Cambridge on Thurs/Fri from 2-9 PM.
Publick House in Brookline is one of the best beer restaurants around. Tons of local craft, rare imports, a Heady Topper sighting from time to time. Food is solid there too. It's a little bit west of the city, but if you find yourself around Fenway it really isn't that far.
They really don't distribute to Boston?! That is crazy because we see them on a fairly regular basis here in southeastern NC. There is usually a drop every few months.
I didn’t realize VSB doesn’t distribute in MA, but I guess I get it. We get it almost weekly here in Seacoast NH and draft at least in Maine
If you venture out to Roxbury, Long Live Beerworks has a new location out there. I can't personally vouch for the new place, but many can and the one in Providence is one of my favorite breweries in the state
Hard to beat the people watching from the deck seating at the Sam Adam’s taproom at Faneuil Hall. Def worth a stop if you are already in the area.
You will have already been to Trillium I suppose but they do run their beer gardens on the Rose Kennedy Greenway and at the Public Gardens as well. If it hasn't been said yet, Notch Brighton is worth ubering to.
You can also commuter rail from South Station (on the Framingham/Worcester line - make sure it makes that stop) to Boston Landing and it's about 10-15 walk from there.
