Whats up NE, I'm headed to Boston, staying in the charleston area, only public transit, for the weekend and am looking for some good beer and/or food to enjoy while in town. More "and", less "or" is what my friends and I are looking for. Also, I'm in need of a good bottle shop for some return goodies. Any other must see/must do advice is much appreciated. Thank you in advance.
I don't think there's a hotel in Charlestown, Somerville Holiday Inn or Somerville La Quinta? There aren't any good packies in Charlestown(expensive and not at all that well stocked). If you're at the Holiday Inn, there's a SavMor Liquors not too far on the bus or a cab ride(not my favorite, but they're likely to have most of the good locally distributed beers. If you're at La Quinta, you're closer to Atlas or Kappy's in Medford. Best local bar by far for beer is Tavern at the end of the World: http://beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/19535 It's also right down the street from the Holiday Inn. For breweries, I'd definitely go to Harpoon and Trillium (walking distance to each other, Boston Beer Company(Sam Adams) is also T accessible).
Another vote for Trillium - note that they are growler sales only (not allowed to do tastings). While you are in that part of town you could hit up Bee's Knees - it's right around the corner from Trillium and they have a small selection of decent beers (there are bigger shops with a better selection elsewhere in town, but you'll be right there so it may be worth checking out.)
Yep - for the OP, here's their taplist if it helps you plan your walk. http://whiskey-priest.com/menu.html#
There is a Residence Inn right on the water in Charlestown, as well as the Constitution Inn at the Navy Yard Y, which is spartan but budget friendly. Neither of those places is close to Tavern at the End of the World, and really it's not worth going out of your way to check that out (it's a good bar, but its name tells you a fair amount about the neighborhood, too). As mentioned, packies in Ctown are fairly dire, and bars are not particularly interesting in terms of beer selection, either. However, if you are staying in the Navy Yard area you can do worse than crossing the bridge to the North End for pizza and solid draft selections at Ducali on Commercial. You can also take the MBTA commuter boat from the Navy Yard to over near the Aquarium - cheapest site-seeing cruise in town, and you can usually get a Harpoon on board, to boot. Otherwise, you are taking the Orange Line from Sullivan Square, Community College, or North Station to explore the rest of the city. Closest decent package store via public transportation is probably Boston Wine Exchange on Devonshire St. - solid selection, high prices and you can also take the 92/93 bus right from Charlestown to the front door. Kendall Square in Cambridge is not too far from Charlestown by cab (MBTA will get you there, but not very directly), and has some great options for food and beer: Lord Hobo, CBC, and Meadhall are beer paradise, but for quality food with good cocktails and always something good on tap you are spoiled for choice, too: West Bridge (creative French/American, trendy), Hungry Mother (upscale Southern cuisine) and Area Four (wood grilled pizza, good salads, local drafts) are three of my personal favorites, but you can also hit any of Catalyst, Belly Wine Bar, Blue Room and get very good food. Craigie on Main is also spectacular and not too far away from that area. Trillium/Harpoon/Boston Beer are fine trips and T accessible, and the beer bars around town are pretty well documented in other threads. ETA: If this sounds harsh about Charlestown, that was not the intent. It is a charming, beautiful neighborhood with rich history, great people, easy access to downtown, and many wonderful amenities. I lived there happily for 3 years and miss it very much now. The one thing I do not miss are its restaurants and bars, which were simply not up to snuff compared to many other neighborhoods in town and in Cambridge and Somerville.
