Published August 14, 2022

After walking over 10 miles around the North End, we decided we would stay locally in Back Bay for dinner. We went back to Newbury Street, which we explored when we went to Krasi for dinner.

With no particular place in mind, we decided to walk the sidewalks and stop at any restaurant that caught our eye. Eventually, we ended up at Stephanie’s on Newbury.

Stephanie’s on Newbury | Outdoor Dining

Since it was such a beautiful summer evening, we decided to eat outside in the giant outdoor dining. Stephanie’s had tons of metal rose gold tables with tan wicker chairs. Umbrellas shaded the sidewalk and a fence blocked our dining area from the sidewalk’s foot traffic. The outdoor seating was surprisingly comfortable, and I was glad that we could people-watch while enjoying our meal.

We took a two-top table against the side of the building and explored the menu. I was surprised to see a small selection across the menu’s categories. I believe we were served the “Late Afternoon” menu and not the all day menu. A specials menu offered choices based on the day of the week. Since we visited Stephanie’s on a Wednesday evening, the specials were Italian dishes.

We placed our full order and waited for our appetizer. On the sidewalk across the street, we listened to the music of the Keytar Bear, who is a well-known musician within the Boston area. The Keytar Bear is talented, and provided some nice background music while we enjoyed the summer weather.

A crowd gathered around the Keytar Bear. Our packed outdoor patio buzzed with groups coming and going. The waitstaff dressed in identical tan and cream outfits wove in and out of the tables, carrying circular drink trays and plates of food.

Appetizer

Mezze Plate | $24.00

Our appetizer arrived quickly and took up the whole table!

The wooden platter was divided into sections featuring: Hummus, roasted baba ganoush, beet tzatziki, greek olives, feta, falafel, and slices of warm pita.

We realized this platter was probably best for a group of people to share, as it was a lot of food. I was excited to try each item.

The pita was fresh, warm, and perfect with each of the items in the mezze plate. The hummus was my favorite, though the baba ganoush was a close second. My boyfriend enjoyed the tzatziki and the falafel, so it was a good mixture of items for us to share.

We took the leftover olives, pita, and feta back to our accommodation to have as a snack. In hindsight, we probably could’ve split an entree after ordering such a large appetizer.

Entrees

Deli Style Eggplant Parmesan | $16.00

I was surprised my boyfriend ordered an Italian dish. He selected a “deli style” — i.e. a sandwich — instead of a plated entree.

The bread looked glorious and the sandwich had a fair amount of sauce, which is something I enjoy when ordering Italian sandwiches. My boyfriend ate half of his sandwich and wrapped the rest to go. I thought this was a great portion for $16.00.

Stephi Burger | $22.00

Stephanie’s offered many salad combinations, but I was looking for a filling sandwich, so that led me to order the Stephi burger.

I couldn’t think of why this burger would be more expensive than my boyfriend’s sandwich, but that was until it arrived and I saw how massive it was.

Even with two hands, this burger was a monster to pick up. My burger had sautéed onions (that didn’t look like red onions, as specified on the menu), but it was still tasty, even alongside the onion strings, which were crispy. The Stephi burger also had three slices of bacon and cheese.

The burger was juicy and cooked well. I loved the fresh french fries. I also wrapped up a majority of my burger, as that was too much for one sitting.

We had dessert back at our accommodation, so we decided to skip seeing the dessert menu at Stephanie’s. In the end, we were so full anyway that it didn’t feel like we missed out.

My Recommendations

I would give our visit to Stephanie’s on Newbury a 7/10 for the following:

• Decor and Design

  • The outdoor dining at Stephanie’s on Newbury is clean, organized, and decorative. I like the matching wicker chairs and umbrellas. I appreciated the extra shade, which makes the dining experience more comfortable. I managed to walk inside Stephanie’s restaurant at one point, and the interior is an elegant gray-blue color with a retro patterned fabric on the booth seating. I would’ve enjoyed dining inside, but I think outdoor dining in the summer is the way to go when visiting Newbury Street.

• Service

  • Our waitress was attentive and friendly. She checked in frequently to ensure our drinks were filled and that our food was to our liking. Our appetizer arrived quickly and our entrees were hot and fresh. Stephanie’s gave the impression that they were a well-staffed and organized restaurant.

• Food

  • Stephanie’s is an American restaurant, but it seems like they offer something for everyone. I saw Mexican, Greek, regional seafood dishes, Italian, and American dishes and appetizers on the menu. Overall, the dishes we had were large portions, prepared fresh, and reasonably priced.
    

Have you visited Stephanie’s on Newbury?

Tell me about your favorite dish from Stephanie’s on Newbury.

If you’re ready to read our next full day of adventures, click here to see our travels around the Boston Waterfront.