Geoffrey's Cafe (CLOSED)
4257 Washington Street, Roslindale, MA 02131
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--- Winner, Best New American Restaurant in Boston Area, 2008 ---
When it comes to dining out, good food isn't the only part of a positive dining experience. Atmosphere and service are also very important, and indeed there are many otherwise decent restaurants in the Greater Boston area that fall short in one or both of these categories. Not Geoffrey's Cafe, however; this friendly little restaurant on the edge of Roslindale Village seems to be running on all cylinders, which makes it a prime dining destination in this particular neighborhood of Boston.
Geoffrey's used to be located in a few different locations in the Back Bay and South End of Boston before ending up in its current location on Washington Street in Roslindale. And their present location has a lot going for it, from the slightly trendy yet laid back inside dining area to the attractive outdoor patio, which includes a working fountain and a well-tended garden in the front section. The indoor dining area also includes a small bar, and the sidewall and windows that overlook the outdoor patio open up, allowing for plenty of fresh air.
The menu at Geoffrey's features what can only be described as upscale comfort food, with such items as artichoke and spinach dip with tortilla chips (gooey, full of calories, but tasty as can be), flatbread pizza (fresh, crackerlike pies that are both tasty and healthy); char-grilled burgers (almost as good as Costello's in nearby Jamaica Plain, though not quite as juicy); chicken with fettucine, spinach, and sun-dried tomatoes (as good as similar dishes in many top Italian restaurants); beef bourguignon (a deliciously rich and hearty wine sauce is used for this dish); fried calamari (tender and full of flavor); chicken and herb dumplings (excellent comfort food); chicken and sausage with pasta (the homemade sausage puts this plate over the top); and couscous with veggies (a great comfort food that is almost like soup without the broth). The key to dining at Geoffrey's, however, is to leave room for dessert, as they have some good ones, including a downright sinful chocolate chip bread pudding that includes some chips that seem to be as big as entire chocolate bars.
Geoffrey's Cafe is just one of many excellent restaurants in Roslindale Village; and while one or two of the restaurants in this Boston neighborhood may have better food than Geoffrey's, it is tough to beat both the atmosphere and, especially, the service. A waitstaff that truly cares about its patrons goes a long way in this writer's opinion, and those who work at Geoffrey's tend to be gregarious and funny, and seem to care about doing a good job. A big thumbs-up for this great little dining spot in a neighborhood that is becoming one of Boston's culinary hubs.
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