Boston Neighborhood Spotlight: Everything To Know About the South End

Friends gather on the many restaurant patios sprinkled on Tremont Street, the main drag of Boston’s South End neighborhod, chatting over wine and cheese. Young families skip down the brick sidewalks, toting coffees and perhaps pastries from the South End Buttery. Culture vultures peruse the over 200 artists’ studios and galleries at the SoWa Open Market, collecting vintage and modern treasures from various vendors’ stalls. Residents meander through independent shops and boutiques – likely with a furry friend in tow – and are greeted by name by store owners.

The South End is proud of its tight-knit community. “My favorite part about the South End is that it truly feels like a neighborhood,” says chef Colin Lynch, whose South End restaurant empire includes the acclaimed Bar Mezzana and tropical paradise Shore Leave. “You have everything you need here. The community is diverse and supportive. There is art, culture and food all within a short walk.” Lynch also notes the range in the neighborhood’s restaurant scene. “Some of my favorites are Coppa Enoteca and Toro for small plates and al fresco dining, JJ Foley’s Café for an authentic Irish neighborhood bar with tons of Boston political history and Anchovies and Delux for a local dive/industry hang.”

Along with numerous events such as the South End Stroll, which celebrates the plethora of small businesses in the area, there is always a warm welcome waiting for newcomers and plenty of ways to get involved and get to know the neighborhood store owners. Explorers would be hard-pressed to find any chain stores or eateries – making the South End the perfect place to eat, shop and live like a Bostonian. “I love the South End because it has such a warm neighborhood feel to it,” says Dani McDonald, owner of Flock, a boutique selling clothes that run the gamut from boho to classic. “The little shops sprinkled among the brownstones means that, as a shop owner, I get to see part of our neighbors’ everyday routine: walking kids home from school, taking their dogs for a walk, sitting on their steps in the summertime. It’s those sort of things that make me feel part of this neighborhood.”

The South End is the best place in Boston to get a taste of stores unique to the city. Fashion-conscious women should head to Flock, while stylish gents should swing by Sault for classic New England wardrobe staples. M Flynn is a sister-owned spot showcasing high-end and bespoke fine jewelry, while PATCH NYC delivers unique homewares. For treasures of the edible variety, Formaggio Kitchen is every South Ender’s go-to for gourmet cheeses and groceries from local purveyors.

Perhaps the South End’s most notable event, the SoWa Open Market showcases work from artists and artisans across Boston and New England every Sunday from May to October. Along with goods to peruse from nearly 200 makers, the market has a lively beer garden (complete with cornhole and live music) and a slew of food trucks delivering scrumptious food options. SoWa also hosts open-studio events, where you can get a voyeuristic view into the creative processes of the area’s resident artists, as well as the indoor Winter Festival. Even if there isn’t an event going on, this creative haven is still a must-see – with plenty of artisan shops and galleries to browse and a year-round subterranean vintage market filled with wearable treasures and quirky furnishings.

History buffs visiting the South End should check out the Cyclorama, a historic building that dates back to the 19th century. The spot’s unique rounded shape was originally furnished to accommodate a wraparound mural of the Battle of Gettysburg. But the locale now serves as the Boston Center for the Arts’ headquarters and houses multiple performance spaces – where local troupes like the Huntington Theatre Company strut their stuff – and the Mills Gallery, which displays six exhibits per season that highlight new and established artists.

Wally’s is a can’t-miss spot for the musically inclined or any self-respecting history buff. This old-school jazz and blues joint has been touting tunes since 1947 and played an integral role in getting the city’s population acquainted with jazz music. Opened by Joseph L Walcott, who immigrated to Boston from Barbados, Wally’s was the first nightclub in New England to be owned by an African American. Along with hosting industry bigwigs, the venue is also credited with giving a platform to young musicians from nearby Berklee College of Music and still honors this tradition today through its Student Music Project, making Wally’s the perfect spot to catch some tunes from the next big names in the industry.

Another landmark to see in the neighborhood is the Cathedral of the Holy Cross. Though Boston is filled with churches, this South End cathedral is the city’s most special one, serving as the seat of the Archdiocese of Boston. The Gothic Revival stunner was designed by architect Patrick Keely in 1875 and is currently the largest Roman Catholic church in New England. Admire the grand structure’s stone facade or step inside to appreciate the vaulted ceilings and intricate stained-glass windows.

The South End first rose to prominence in the mid-1800s, when the once marshy area was filled with land to accommodate high-society members moving from overcrowded Downtown and Beacon Hill. As Boston’s well-to-do continued to flock to the neighborhood, the city commissioned renowned architect Charles Bulfinch (who also designed the Massachusetts State House) to craft a plan for the area in the 1850s. Inspired by the manicured green spaces and architecture of London, Bulfinch fashioned blocks of brick, bow-front row homes, decked out with ornate iron railings and pint-size gardens, situated around five major communal squares.

Some 20 years later, wealthy inhabitants left the South End because of a financial crisis, causing property values in the area to plummet. However, this made room for more diverse groups of residents to move in. A growing African American population brought jazz music to the area, while many gay individuals were able to live safely in the neighborhood’s single-sex lodging houses. A wide variety of immigrant groups populated the blocks as well, all contributing to the rich and varied culture that still distinguishes the South End today, with 45 percent of the neighborhood’s residents identifying as people of color in 2015.

Eventually, an influx of young professionals, enticed by the neighborhood’s urban location, came to the South End’s streets. With new money in the area, residents established the South End Historical Society and the Victorian row homes were restored to their former glory. Meticulously maintained through to the present day, the area continues to honor its colorful heritage through these preservation efforts as well as retaining a racially, economically and ethnically diverse population.