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Categories: American (New), Breakfast & Brunch [Edit]
Neighborhoods: Waterfront, South BostonWednesday - Saturday 5-10, come and sample our NEW FALL MENU featuring Seared Duck Breast, Braised Seitan and always fresh Catch of the Day!
Courthouse (Silver)
South Station (Silver, Red)
Mon-Tue. 8:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.
Wed-Fri. 8:00 a.m. - 10:00 p.m.
Sat. 5:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m.
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Great local place. I live nearby and end up here a lot. The food is always good and reasonably priced, with a number of good options for vegetarians and a few gluton-free as well.
It's in the first floor of an artists' co-op and attached to an art gallery. And the vibe is very low-key and relaxed.
I came here bringing my staff for lunch. It was their numerous vegetarian options that brought me here since one of my staff is vegetarian, and poor thing usually eats beforehand expecting not to find much to eat other than a salad.
The cafe is set down one level from the entrance to the Artist Building. There are tall ceilings, an interesting copper overhang piece, and the smell of the wood flooring, it has a very natural and open feel to the space.
There was a wait, even with reservations (which I would suggest if there are five or more in your party). The service was quick and efficient. I started with the tortilla and chicken soup. It was a nice start for such a chilly day with the tortillas slightly peppered. I chose the Thai noodle bowl with chicken. A good variety of vegetables, peanut sauce with the rice noodles and chucks of chicken thigh meat. The chicken was a bit dry but overall it was a tasty dish. With such interesting variety of menu items I plan to come back for dinner.
As for the vegetarian she was quite happy with a burrito. Let's hope it translates to better work performance ;)
I had my eye on their fish tacos $14.95 (three soft flour tacos with roasted tilapia, avocado, salsa verde, jalapeños, jicama slaw, mesclun greens) for a couple of months now, so I was glad to finally have the chance to visit Channel Cafe.
If you're going to drive there, let me begin by warning you to read the signs carefully before leaving your car parked anywhere. While the meters turn off at 6pm, certain spots turn into residential parking at that time.
A blackboard greeted us at the door listing the night's specials... ooooo... the possibilities... but no. Fish tacos are calling my name.
My night did not start gracefully; as I attempted to walk through the open doors I turned to talk to my friend, and I almost walked right into the side of the glass door? wall? that wasn't open. I only just caught myself in time to have my foot stepped on by my friend. So, yeah, watch where you are going... We still had to make our way down a flight of stairs to reach our dining destination.
The grilled local corn fritters $8.95 from the day's special came three flat patties to an order garnished with a lightly spicy sauce and some greens. The soft orange insides were studded with sweet corn kernels and surrounded by a crispy outside.
The crostini $6.95 consisted of three slices of toasted baguette with your choice of toppings (we had one of each: sliced portobello steak, arugula, gorgonzola drizzle, port wine reduction; hand pulled pork, pickled red onion, romaine, spicy dijon; garlic shrimp, roasted tomato, basil pesto). The portobello didn't stand out. The tomato was juicy under the shrimp. Somehow the toast under the leaf of lettuce cradling the shredded pork ended up moister than the other two. Order of preference: shrimp, pork, then portobello.
I picked out the slices of jalapenos off my fish tacos because I'm a spice wimp, and ended up with tacos without a lot of flavor. The fish chunks were moist, the avocado not quite ripe enough. Maybe I should have added some of the tasty slaw to the taco instead of just eating it separately? The greens either weren't dressed or were only lightly dressed.
The honey glazed baby back ribs $15.95 with sweet potato fries, mesclun greens, balsamic were tender and very easy to separate from the bones. There was a nice little mountain of separated ribs on the plate, but when we counted the fries, they only numbered seven planks of orange and yellow. However, they were sweet and tender.
When it was time for dessert, they were unfortunately out of flour, so I couldn't order the made to order cinnamon donuts with vanilla cream. :( Instead I ended up with a rather large chocolate chip cookie (served warm, but nothing special) and a taste of the bread & butter pudding with vanilla ice cream $6, which was burnt on the bottom and in other spots. While I like pudding, I think I've confirmed again that bread pudding doesn't count as pudding to my taste buds... except maybe the chocolate croissant pudding at that chocolate buffet in a Boston hotel.
Our waiter was great and responsive. The attached room of art work neat to walk around. On the way to the single working bathroom in the back, I passed a net filled with fresh corn on the cob. Fresh produce! Yes!
ps - I spotted a table being served these really tall not that wide (4 in diameter?) hamburgers... hmmm...
Liked this place, principally for its relaxing and fun layout, good vibe, service, and ambitious food. I thought it was a nice cafe that was trying to do food of a cut above what you'd typically find in a neighborhood cafe, and that that effort was sometimes successful. I really enjoyed the Moroccan Lamb and Chick Pea Stew and the Sweet Corn Gnocchi; things I'd probably not get on a second go 'round were the pesto pasta with scallops (too oily) and the home made lamb sausage (good but not great). This place is definitely worth a try if you are in the area.
I ate here last night with some friends. It's a pleasant space in the Fort Point Channel artists building Simple tables & chairs but plenty of room between them. I noticed the music was not too loud, and was not intrusive either. We were bothered a bit by a motion sensitive light in the adjacent gallery.
One friend had a Nantucket scallops special (and yes, they were the real thing--the server told us when they came off the boat, and they were small bay scallops, not great big sea scallops). They looked perfectly seared. The other had a menu item, lamb stew with various vegetables, and I had a flank steak special. It was a bit over done from the medium rare I ordered but tender and sweet. It came with parmesan seasoned handcut fries, very crispy and savory. I thought the quality of the food was very high. I had a glass of Argentine Malbec, dry and suited well to the steak. My friends didn't drink.
Desserts were quite limited. I had two superb, cinnamony apple fritters (the special, I think). My friend's pumpkin ice cream was terrible, really a shock after the high quality of the rest of the meal. Grainy, tasted a bit re-frozen and not very strongly of pumpkin.
The staff were a bit flaky, although uniformly friendly. They didn't notice that my friend had only taken a couple of bites of the ice cream. Staff should notice that and at least ask if it's okay.
I'd go again, though, the food was mostly high quality and delicious. I don't get over to that part of town often, it's good to know it's there. The appetizers looked interesting; I think next time I would order a number of those.
This place has a really good vibe, it is very cool with the art studio and DJ going on during dinner. I hit up this place on Friday night and I was happy with the spot. Parking wasn't a problem across the street. Now to the food- we ordered the vegetarian appetizer for two. This was a great choice, the white bean dip was very good, cheeses were different and tasty, spiced almonds were a nice treat and the slaw was off the hook. I didn't try the olives but I was told they were good. I ended up ordering the veggie burger which was so dense. It was good but super heavy. The bread was homemade so that was noticeable, we opted to both get the sweet potato fries as our side and were both charged an additional $3.00. Seemed a bit high to me but they were good. I would def go back. This is only the second place I have been able to find Edison Beer, so great. My only complaint was our server wasn't good. It was his first day so that may explain why he was running around nervous like his head was cut off. We waiting a super long time to get our check. Overall I would def go back. I noticed the menu on-line is a lot larger then the menu for dinner. Just a heads up.
When my friend invited me to his dinner party at Channel Café, I was pretty stoked to experience a different dining scene.
The inventive menu and innovative exhibit of local artwork locked in the first few stars for Channel. None of that artsy jargon or stuffy feeling that are norm at contemporary art museums - just fun, amateur interpretation. The live dj (thankfully) dropped beats at an acceptable volume, which lent to an urban effect. Really, this is a fantastic spot for groups, dates, and... book club/community meetings, what? My only disappointment was with the pretty vacant art gallery; I guess most of artwork had been sold.
After absorbing the ambiance, I quickly browsed the specials menu and ordered the steak of the day with sweet potato fries and onion tart. $20 is a bit steep for "café" prices, but I was pretty satisfied with my meal. "Tart" might be a bit misleading though since it was more like puff pastry garnished with grilled onions, but good nonetheless. The burgers and seared duck also received standing o's from my dining companions.
A couple mishaps with service but no biggie: waiter tapped my shoulder to get my attention (not a big fan of touching from strangers, sorry). My steak was cooked medium-rare when I asked for medium; good thing I was feeling indifferent anyway and could go either/or.
I'd come back for the chill, low-key atmosphere and awesome food. Plus, there's virtually no table wait (even for large groups) since dinner option is relatively new for Channel. Now I must send a thank-you note to my friend for his invitation. Gosh.
This place is great. The food is wonderful and the choices are many. I go here for lunch because I work near by and its quick and delicious. It is very easy to find something gluten free, and the even have gluten free beer! We also tried a mocha coffee and it was very good.
Price is goo too. We got 2 meals, 2 drinks and appetizer for under $30. Even better is that its a local restaurant supporting local artists.
Found ants crawling on their cookies that were on display. I brought it to the attention of the waitress, but she was like "Oh well... too bad"! Oh well too bad???? I wish she'd have disposed it right away when I told her as it would've been reassuring to teh customer.
I've also noticed that their customer service isn't very warm. Inormally go there for take-outs and they have a grim look all the time. No idea why....
Channel Cafe was the perfect spot for laid back Fri. night dinner. The vibe is funky, cool and artsy. The space is huge yet inviting since the cafe itself is small and cozy. The gallery is wonderful and served as a great conservation starter.
We got there around 8pm and were seated immediately. The server was quick to greet us, very friendly and informative.
Harpoon Leviathan IPA on tap= Fantastic!
The fish tacos were awesome! Really well seasoned and the jicama slaw gave the dish the extra punch of flavor and texture.
The lamb burger and channel burger got great reviews from our table.
For desert we had the English bread pudding a la mode and the ginger pear pie. Both were good but not great. The bread pudding was the clear favorite. The ginger pear pie was overly gingerly but still enjoyable.
Overall a great experience! Delicious food, well priced menu, great crowd, cool ambiance and laid back vibe---I will be back!
Oops it's been a bit too long since I came here for lunch but I can't forget that it was a great stop with the gf and parents while on the Fort Point art walk. Innovative and airy space. Good sandwiches. Everything fresh fresh fresh. Caught some attitude at the register when I grabbed a brownie to ring up with our coffee-to-go. Apparently I was an asshole because now all those brownies in the pile have to be thrown away. Maybe don't put a pile of things that people like to grab right in front of them and expect them to wait for a professional to assist. Anyway, I digress. The lunch here was fantastic. Very much recommended.
The Channel Cafe is a charming little restaurant close to South Station. I like that it's in the basement, and they took out the first floor to give the cafe a very open feel. I also really liked the art gallery right next to the restaurant space.
The food is excellent. I had a veggie burger, which tastes a lot like falafel but I'm not complaining. They have a special from 5-7pm where it's $10 for a burger and a beer. The sweet potato fries with the five spice aioli are really really tasty. And even though it was a special occasion, they had the most heavenly cinammon sugar donuts with kona coffee ice cream.
Great place to go after work for a quick and good bite to eat.
When, you ask your friend to recommend a place, in an area she usually does lunch, you never know what you'll get when you try to get dinner.
Channel Cafe was a pleasant surprise. It is a coffee haus, restaurant, art gallery all rolled into one. It may even be a laundromat too (I'll get to that).
On the weekends they start serving dinner at 5pm, though they let us come in and order drinks at like 4.30pm. I think they were open early for a gallery tour or something.
Its easily the kind of place you could set up shop for lunch and stay all the way through dinner. They had live music playing which was a nice touch. The service was really great, our waiter answered all of our questions and gave us plenty of time. The food came out nice and hot. I had the Channel Burger and it was good. I think i preferred the burger at CODA more, but this place was good.
I want to go back and try their chicken sandwich because the breast they put on that thing was HUGE.
The atmosphere, the food selection (veggie, burger, meat, etc) will have something for everyone. The beer selection is great, and they serve coke in glass bottles. This place might not be for everyone ... if you are a fan of corporate places, or don't get that artsy kind of thing... then you might feel out of place. Otherwise if you just kick back, take in the surroundings and check out the art. You'll have a blast.
It's also fun to discuss why there are coin operated washing machines near the bathroom...but hey, if they have wifi, laundry and good food... i might just move in.
I like this place.
It's cool. It's different. It's unique.
Food is good. They have Pabst Blue Ribbon on tap! Is that a good thing? I don't know. I think so?
This place is located in a unique space: the floor space of the restaurant/art show is below ground level. From where you are seated, you can look up and see the street - which is kinda cool. A unique viewpoint of the outside world - let's put it that way. Being here during a snow storm makes you feel like you're inside a snow globe.
Part of this place is an art display thing. Looks cool. I guess. I only ever eat here. I've never gone to look (or listen) to the art.
Food has always been solid and good. I like beer. They have beer.
A great place for lunch. You can actually hear who you are talking to! They have beer! I like it here.
They serve dinner now, on weekend nights. There's live music often, but when we were there it was on the earlier side and there was just a DJ, which was still pretty cool.
The space is gorgeous. The floors are beautiful and the bar - all wood and lovely. While you eat and listen to the music you can also see into the gallery and check out the latest art work.
The food is quite good too. I had the Mediterranean platter (hummus, grilled veggies, pita, grape leaves etc.) and my husband had steak frites. Though he liked it very much, we agreed that "steak frites" was a bit of a misnomer. It was really steak tips with potato wedges. I'm not sure how they managed to get a license to serve alcohol (and I'm not even sure if it's a full bar or just beer & wine) but I was very happy to be able to enjoy a glass of wine with my meal.
I'm just so happy to have this place nearby. It's casual and really funky at the same time. If I had an occasion to throw a big party and I was looking for a space to have it, I would definitely inquire about Channel Cafe. Love it.
This is a great place to eat. It isn't terribly fast and the wait staff are sort of inefficient/inattentive, but if you're not expecting to whip in and out on a lunch break, it is a wonderful place to savor delicious food and good art. Every time I've eaten there I get something off the special's chalkboard and am highly satisfied.
I came once with a friend and the chalkboard had FIVE SOUPS! I am such a soup fan. So is she. We ordered all five and shared them. They were seriously outstanding, but my two favorites were the tomato bisque and the mushroom. Oh mushroom soup. How do I love thee? It was brothy and flavorful with lots and lots of sliced mushrooms. It was cold and windy the day we went and she was feeling under the weather (don't worry, she very graciously ate all the soups 2nd). Nothing warms the spirit on a cold day like the soup at Channel Cafe!
I am a big fan of Channel Cafe! It's this really airy, fun, artsy, cool space with really good food.
The veggie burger is excellent (which says a lot because I'm usually a carnivore!), their salads are fresh and yummy, and my friend really liked the fish tacos. It's always hard making a decision about what to eat, especially with their changing daily specials, so I'll probably come and try a lot more!
Not too much to complain about, except that yes, it does get incredibly crowded at lunch which sometimes makes for slow service. I've never been here for dinner but would love to try one day.
An artsy hidden gem - and a reason to take an hour and 15 min lunch break. Food here is great, service however can be spotty.
My faves:
-Thai noodle bowl (crisp veggies and enough BEEF!)
-Grilled cheese of the day (makes comfort food a surprise)
-The cheater (served only in dinner - veggie burger with bacon..yum!)
Atmosphere is loud and busy and there can be a 15 minute wait. there is a gallery in there so you can check it out while you wait for your food.
My former company has gotten catering for those special lunch meetings (about $10 per person). This is also a great meet after work for a quick dinner with co-workers or friends
Channel is one of my favorites for Friday lunches (when we actually make time to leave the office for a break and sit down somewhere to eat for a change).
There are always creative specials, soups, and grilled cheese sandwiches, but you might find the menu a little limited if you go too frequently and always want to try something new.
As you'll start to pick up, I'm a great lover of avocado, so I'm happy to stick with their Avocado, Bacon, Chicken, Lettuce, Tomato wrap. Even though we sometimes think the chicken is spiced or prepared differently, it always consistently hits the spot.
Depending on how staffed they are and how crowded it is, you might have to wait a while between visits from your waiter or waitress, but even when we've had to wait for a table during peak lunch hours, it's never taken more than 10-15 minutes to get seated.
Another plus is being able to look into the Fort Point Arts Community. If you're in the area and looking for something different, take a break from the Metros' hot and cold sandwiches (there are two between Summer & Congress Streets) and check this place out.
I'm curious to see what the happy hour / dinner crowd is like here and be sure to update you after I try their $10 Burger and a Draft Beer after work special - let me know if you want to try it out with me!
Another fine establishment. I love that this place is situated in the midst of art galleries. This is another place where I have tried many of their offerings. I have not been let down yet. I think the food here is excellent, the coffee is pretty good, and the service was great- a little slow, but the times I have been here to eat in have been around lunch and the place gets really busy, so I would not hold it against the staff. I have only been for lunch, but apparently the cafe is open in the evenings now too.
Stand outs on the menu-
-Steak and Mozzarella sandwich- really good and marinated steak is among the best I've had in a sandwich- the reason I am having a hard time giving up meat.
-Veggie burger- this is great, if you have not tried it and like samosas this will float your boat. The reason I am almost able to give up meat.
Some day I will make it here in the evening for a drink- I really find the cafes setting appealing.
This is primarily a review of Channel's Veggie Burger:
Simply the best veggie burgers...evah!
It's not even a veggie burger, per se, so the label might be construed as erroneous. What it is, though, is a delicious mix of red onions, chickpeas, potatoes, and curry mounded into a mashed potato-like texture and formed into general "patty" shape and nestled between a folded over pita (salad and pita chips on the side)! It's spicy and hearty with lots of unexpected flavors...this ain't your grandma's rubbery frozen-food veggie burger.
Channel is even doing a special deal on Thursday and Friday evenings from 5-7pm: a burger (veggie or meaty) and a beer all for $10. Pretty swell. They take reservations, for your convenience, if you are worried about fighting for a table among an angsty after-work crowd of ravenous architects and artists.
This place is near where I work, so I have tried it out a few times.
I, personally, don't go here anymore because I don't have enough time to wait 20 minutes to get a breakfast sandwich or a coffee.
Their hours say they open at 8am... but they usually don't start cooking until 8:30am. I don't know why they just don't say 8:30am or open at 7am like most work-area places.
Not exactly the friendliest people. But not really UNfriendly, either.
Nice, clean decor.
Their muffins are AWESOME, I will admit.
My co-workers love the breakfast burritos.
They added beer and wine to their menu and are open after work hours.
This place marked my first foray into the Fort Point Channel area, which has been getting a lot of love lately from the Boston free-daily press. Although you'll never hear me say this again, Improper was right on when they termed it a "Best Kept Secret" of Boston: my hipster foodie friends have yet to discover this one, and I'm not sure whether to tell them about it. The space reminds me of the best restaurants of the West--the Channel Cafe seems like it would be more home in San Fran or Seattle than in Southie, but I'm grateful it's here. The double-decker space is open and loft-like and is connected to the galleries of the Fort Point Arts Community (FPAC), of which owner Ana Crowley is a member, which is the kind of "fusion" I'd like to see more of in the Bean. It also boasts good beer on tap, and a to-go coffee bar for the business-lunch crowd.
The menu itself was a great casual bistro mix, with some familiar favorites like mesclun salad and vegetable ravioli, and some fun and daring dishes like quiches and fried tofu. It was only 9 degrees out on the day I went, so they also got extra points for serving delicious soups and Illy tea in a big cup. In the end I had a beet and goat cheese salad with pistachio, which was good (especially since they go generous with the chevre); my companion had a delicious-looking ravioli with butternut squash, which he had forcibly suggested I order instead (I should have listened).
In fact, my companion devoted nearly 10 minutes of his lunch break to rave about how much he loved the food and the place--yet how paradoxically distressing it was to see the neighborhood become a victim of its own success (rents are going up and galleries like the ones upstairs are getting squeezed out). He and our server, Chris, seemed to have a good rapport (Chris even discussed his manuscript with us) and all of the servers seemed similarly intelligent and nice. The service is a bit slow when it's crowded, but that's to be expected, as other reviewers have noted.
The verdict: this tasty cafe is well worth a walk across the channel--but keep it on the down low with your hipster foodie friends, or they'll love the place to death.
Remind me to review this in more detail.
AWESOME Gazpacho. I suspect it's not very authentic, but *very* tasty.
I've never gotten to try the regular menu because the daily specials always look so good. And always end up tasting so good.
GREAT for vegetarians-- only place I've ever seen with Seitan on the menu as a substitute for any meat.
A few things have changed here since the last reviews...they now serve beer and wine. Service has gotten a little better too. Love the hot chocolate (to-go usually), Mediterranean salad is great and the homemade chocolate chip cookies are really good.
UPDATE: I am sitting here eating the most delicious lunch! My normal lunch spot had a line around the corner so on a whim I walked up a little further to Channel Cafe which I haven't been to since the winter. They have revamped the menu but it still includes all the favorites and they added the most delicious Fish Taco Entree, yummmmm! Grilled Tilapia spritzed with lime juice in a blue corn tortilla shell with a scoop of fresh guacamole, diced green peppers and chopped chillies on top, delicious! Served with a side of rice, black beans, and fresh greens.
They also added a Roasted Pear and Prosciutto Salad that I'll try next week :-)
All of the specials can now be found daily, on their website. It was really busy when I went in at 12:10pm so get there early :-)
First things first: their Vietnamese Iced Coffee--
Espresso + condensed milk + ice = sheer caffinated bliss. DO IT. It's the only legal way to make it through the work day.
Now that that's been said...when i used to work in the Fort Point area, the Channel Cafe was my go-to restaurant when I wanted to spoil myself for a work-week lunch that was more luxurious and healthy than my typical Metro sub lunch (read: $10 more expensive, but done with a side of Chardonnay).
The atmosphere and the waitstaff give off a laid back, hip vibe that's unpretentious and makes you feel as if you're in your artist buddy's loft--your artist buddy that makes grilled cheese sandwiches with brie and carmelized onions, that is. Part of that comes from the fact that most of the people who work there ARE artists, and are invested in the Fort Point arts community, and that gives me the warm fuzzies. They have a little gallery attached to the cafe that showcases local talent, and since I went a few months ago to a Poetry Slam on a Friday night, I think they've started to serve dinner with artist performances.
If THAT'S not enough of a reason to like it, their breakfast goodies is another; get a cappucino done right, get it with a fresh blueberry muffin straight from the oven or maybe a massive chocolate chip cookie, and you can't have a bad day.
Food options for those working across the channel are few and far between... especially if you're looking for somewhere to go, sit, chat, and basically waste a little more than your lunch hour.
The Channel Cafe is, so far, the only place I've found that satisfies all of the above. The food is inventive, the specials are always good, and the service is attentive.
Sometimes it can be slow but you can't hold that against the servers. There are only a handful of them for a crowded restaurant full of people.
Try the Grilled Cheese of the Day - it's ALWAYS delicious.
I recently took a job down on the Waterfront /Fort Point Channel and there is No Where to eat (seriously! I can't believe it!) - so when I walked by the Channel Cafe, I was really excited that maybe I had found my go-to lunch spot.
Set up as an art gallery, with artist lofts upstairs, this little spot looked hip and unique. It's the only full service restaurant besides Lucky's in the area, so it's a nice retreat from work - but unfortunately, I can't go there very often because the service is Terrible!
You need to give yourself an hour, at the Least to be able to go here and enjoy your lunch without looking around all meal, like, Where the Hell is my server? Where the Hell is my FOOD!?
It's sad, because it's always packed, so they probably don't see a problem - but maybe it's always packed b/c everyone is waiting around... they would do more business if they could turn over their tables faster. And then I could go there and not have to worry if I'm going to get fired when I finally make it back to work!
ps though: the food is really yummy when you finally get it. :o)
Great lunch spot if you can get a seat. People are starved for decent lunch choices without having to cross the Channel. Moi, I actually walk over from South Station to go here, it's that good. Great salads, I like the Mediterranean salad with grape leaves, sandwiches, and entrees (the Thai beef is a favorite). And YES now they serve beer and wine. If you don't have a beer lunch will run you ten to twelve dollars.
* I don't like to wait, so if I don't see any available seating when I peer over the stairwell, I leave.
A gem in Fort Point Channel in terms of a place to fill your empty belly. So far, I'd say this is one of my favorite places for lunch in the area (I say this knowing I have yet to try them all).
A good selection of food, real food. Daily specials include a daily grilled cheese, quiche, pasta dish and soups. So far I haven't met a meal here that I didn't like. They do breakfast stuff too, which I've yet to try (but am eager to). Portions are rather large and the prices are not going to make you poor. Which is a nice combination.
One thing is you cannot count on quick service here. If you're in a rush, you'd be best to order your food to go (bonus, you can check out their website for the daily specials, call ahead and put in your order so you just stop and pick it up and go). The first time I was here, the service was actually rather good and quick. The second time, we had to wait 5 minutes to be acknowledged that we were standing there, waiting to be seated. So it's a crap shoot. Just be prepared for slow service, and when it's not, you'll be happily surprised. ;)
Haven't been here in a while.. But like other reviewers said, busy at lunch hour but well worth it. Sometimes slow service but great food, great atmosphere. Lots of great vegetarian options too!
Downside is: i dont think they are open for anything but lunch.
I had lunch here today and had a talapia/avocado/black bean fish taco on a blue corn tortilla that was very fresh and tasty. My friend had a BLT in tortilla wrap. The bacon clearly took its baconyishness very seriously. It was perfectly crispy, salty, not fatty. This is the kind of place where even the side dishes are great - the garnish side salad has an awesome lemomy dressing, the tortilla chips are phenomenal, and the rice has a unique southwestern flavor.
The atmosphere strikes me as very Seattle. It's in a basement, and is surrounded by local art displays and gallery rooms. There are big green plants blooming in the sunny windowsill above. It has a full espresso bar, with cookies and tea and muffins. Plus they serve coke in glass bottles.
Our server was so pleasant. I mean, really, really super nice.
This is the best place I've found since I started working in Fort Point, and its art/basement/southwestern/coffee-bar style so unique to Boston it really is set apart from every other place I've found in town.
This is a pretty funky place for lunch or dinner. It's in the downstairs of a building, right outside a gallery. I never have to wait to long to be seated, even if I have a fairly large group. At that point, however, the service starts to drop off. The waiters can be a bit slow and they aren't terribly accommodating when asking for substitutions -- I think some of their items may be pre-made.
Still, the food and the atmosphere is good, and I love that they have a special quiche and a special grilled cheese sandwich of the day. The prices are pretty typical of the area -- not too high, not too low.
I love the food at this place! The waiters are a little funny, but the food is stellar and is awesome that they have Pabst Blue Ribbon on tap. Went here last night with some friends since one of our friends works on Summer Street. I had the Nantucket Sea Scallops served over steamed argula and linguine - yum yum yum. Another person had the pan-seared duck which looked wonderful and another person had the $10 burger deal (before 7 pm) - excellent! For dessert we had the chocolate hazelnut bread pudding and the peach almond cake. Both were delicious although I think the peach cake was better. Would definitely recommend going here but just be a little patient with the waiters - is an artsy atmosphere. Everyone is super friendly and nice though.
Why had I never been to this place before? This adorable cafe with a quasi-indie vibe has a great open space with lots of natural light flowing in. Nice menu selection and super reasonable prices. Great raspberry ice tea! I went there during the lunch rush and except for having to flag down our server once for a drink refill, I was happy with the service. I'm definitely going back.
My office is right next door to this place, so I happily hit it up for lunch fairly often. It gets quite crowded at lunch, so I always call ahead and get takeout.
What I really love about this place is that each day they have several specials in addition to their fantastic regular menu items. I love the grilled cheese of the day. Previous winners include havarti with dill with pear, spinach and swiss, sundried tomato and swiss. The soups are also great.
The veggie burger with raita is really outstanding and pretty darn big. The mediterranean salad is one of my favorites: grape leaves, feta, roasted red peppers with a light lemony dressing.
Be warned: If you go to pick up a takeout order you'll come face-to-face with a counter topped with warm, fresh-baked, drool-inducing examples of cookie perfection. I swear they put them by the register just to taunt me.
Descending into Channel Cafe is like crawling into the womb of a refined gypsy. The cavernous space is filled with huge plants, comfy seating and interesting art. The lamb burger with garlic mint aoli was boss. Mmm salivating thinkin bout it even now. Washed it down with a tasty Rouge Dead Guy from their strong beer selection. The sweet potato quesadilla of the day was also pretty awesome. Definitely go moaw some food and peep the art.
While I agree with Shirley that it's a bummer this place isn't quite the hidden secret it used to be, I still love it and don't mind waiting for a table or my take-out order.
Fantastic atmosphere, a great set menu but the daily specials never fail to please either.
I've only gotten take-out from the Channel Cafe, but the atmosphere looks nice for a sit down bite to eat...modern and casual. Seemed a little slow the last time I showed up to grab some food, which was during the Fort Point Art Walk, so I was a bit surprised.
The food is really tasty, if a bit pricey for what you get...a smallish piece of veggie quiche with a wimpy yet deliciously dressed side salad came to $9...plus a drink and one of their yummy cookies and we're looking at $15 for a somewhat small take-out lunch...
Service is fine, a little uptight...i saw them get mad at a girl once for buying an apple and then daring to take a seat at one of their tiny side tables, gasp! Over all not a bad place to grab lunch if you're in the area.
I went to the Channel Cafe for the first time today for lunch. It was a good thing my boss was with me, or I would've had to explain why I was gone for two hours. Best I can tell, the places reaches critical mass just before noon and stays packed until around 1:30. This isn't a particularly big surprise, considering that most folks would agree that those hours are the textbook definition of "the lunch rush".
The service was bafflingly slow. No matter how busy a twelve table cafe is, there's no reason to wait fifteen minutes for drinks when you have three waitresses walking the floor. If the concept of the place is to serve swanky grub to businessmen on their lunch breaks, then the execution is flawed because of the delays in seating and service.
The food (for me, a mesclun salad with goat cheese and chicken; for my boss, a quesadilla; for my co-workers, cheesesteaks) is the only thing keeping this place at three stars instead of two. Though everything was salted a little too liberally for my liking, the flavors were interesting and the ingredients seemed fresh in every dish I saw.
I'd only recommend the place if you make your own hours.
Neighborhood: Waterfront
Category: Restaurants
Neighborhood: Waterfront
Category: Greek
Neighborhood: Waterfront
Category: Bakeries
Neighborhood: Waterfront
Category: Italian
Neighborhood: Waterfront
Category: Sandwiches
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