Bar Vlaha
Greek restaurant · Brookline ·
Authentic Vlach Greek cuisine, spit-roasted meats, savory pies
Authentic Vlach Greek cuisine, spit-roasted meats, savory pies
"At Brookline’s Bar Vlaha, diners can expect traditional, rustic food inspired by central Greece’s nomadic shepherds. The restaurant will be open 10 a.m. until 3 p.m. on New Year’s Day, serving dishes like souvla and eggs, which is lamb cooked on a skewer with two fried eggs and a seasonal salad; and hilopites, which is house-made pasta with poached egg, smoked cheese, loukaniko (traditional Greek sausage), brown sugar with olive oil. The Pump the Briki coffee-based cocktail with vodka and sweet Cypriot wine can help turn any hangover around. Book reservations online." - Tanya Edwards
"Greek food is having a moment in the Boston area, and Bar Vlaha is the best example of the cuisine done exactly right. The food is all about super shareable dishes from the mountain regions of Greece: think pork and fennel sausage, whipped feta aloifes, and flatbread-style pitas topped with fresh cheeses and smoky meats. It’s one of the toughest reservations to get in town, unless you show up right at 5pm on a Wednesday (and even that’s iffy). So force your friends, family, neighbors—pretty much anyone you can—to commit to a night out roughly a month in the future so you can try it all." - Team Infatuation
"Greek food is having a moment in the Boston area, and Bar Vlaha is the best example of the cuisine done exactly right. The food is all about super shareable dishes from the mountain regions of Greece: think pork and fennel sausage, whipped feta aloifes, and flatbread-style pitas topped with fresh cheeses and smoky meats. It’s one of the toughest reservations to get in town, unless you show up right at 5pm on a Wednesday (and even that’s iffy). So force your friends, family, neighbors—pretty much anyone you can—to commit to a night out roughly a month in the future so you can try it all." - tanya edwards, jonathan smith
"Bar Vlaha fills a particular niche in Boston’s ever-growing Greek scene. Vlach food is rustic shepherd food, from the nomadic Vlach people of northern Greece, and this Brookline restaurant specializes in it. Walking in the door here is like entering a tent hot-boxed with lamb, with heavy smoke from pork and fennel sausage, wild boar, and fish. If you’re lucky, you’ll get seated in the small section of the dining room separated from the kitchen with glass walls, where you can watch what looks like a fire show at a circus arts party in a warehouse. Order a bottle from the wine list stocked with rarely seen selections from northern and central Greece, and start with three or six of the spreads—the taramosalata is particularly good—before moving on to the spit-roasted lamb leg. photo credit: Joe St. Pierre photo credit: Joe St. Pierre photo credit: Joe St. Pierre Pause Unmute Bar Vlaha is the rare restaurant that just might introduce you to flavors you’ve never experienced before, through familiar ingredients cooked in unfamiliar ways. This is one of the toughest reservations to get in town for good reason, so unless you show up right at 5pm on a Wednesday (and even that’s iffy), force your friends, family, or strangers on the street to commit to a night out roughly a month in the future so you can try it all. Food Rundown Taramosalata This carp roe spread tastes like a fishy mayonnaise and is served with warm housemade sourdough bread. Lemon gives it a nice brightness, but this is one for the real fish heads out there. Loukaniko Served as a mezze, we could make a whole meal out of this Greek sausage. There’s tons of fennel in here too, and you’ll want to dredge the slices in the tangy mustard. Arni Stin Souvla We’re unapologetic lamb leg fans, but we’re not lucky enough to get it roasted on a spit all that often. That’s changed with Bar Vlaha. It’s all about the tender meat in this dish, roasted to smoky perfection with a heady dose of garlic. Kolokithokeftedes (Zucchini Fritters) These fritters are made with zucchini, brackish feta, and handfuls of herbs. Dunk them liberally in the makalo pepper and garlic dipping sauce." - Tanya Edwards
"Washington Square has long been a favorite spot for the local cheering squads. Greek restaurant Bar Vlaha, located right off of Beacon Street in Washington Square, provides a unique viewpoint to watch the runners sprinting their way through the last few miles. Want to try your luck in Back Bay? Bar Vlaha has a sister restaurant, Krasi, off of Boylston Street, which is right near the finish line." - Erika Adams