Restaurants

Including Del's frozen lemonade, a celebration of vegetables, and Allston X-Mas.

Del's Frozen Lemonade
Del's in Arlington is now open. Del's Frozen Lemonade

Wondering what to eat and drink in Boston this weekend? The Dish is a weekly guide to five things in the local restaurant and bar scene that are on my radar right now. Shoot me an e-mail at [email protected] to let me know what other dishes and drinks I should check out.

Summer produce is incredible, but with September almost here, it’s starting to feel like we’re up against a ticking clock. Tomato season: Almost over. Peaches: Get your peach cobbler fix now. Talulla in Cambridge is making the most of summer produce this weekend with a Drumlin Farm tasting menu available through Sunday. The vegetarian spread, featuring ingredients exclusively sourced from Mass Audubon’s Drumlin Farm in Lincoln, features tomato salad, watermelon soup, raviolo con uovo, Swiss chard mielle feuille, and kabocha squash panna cotta with husk cherries. The restaurant will also launch their own Talulla table beer, Sage Advice, brewed in collaboration with Lamplighter Brewing. Reservations can be booked through Resy, and all guests attending the Drumlin Farm dinner will be given free day passes to the farm. Both indoor and patio seating is available.

Harpoon Brewery's Allston X-Mas
Harpoon Brewery’s Allston X-Mas. – Harpoon Brewery

Deep breaths. September 1 is quickly approaching, and ’round these parts, it means an excruciatingly stressful moving day for many (too many!) Boston residents. I did it last year. I sympathize. So with September 1, also known as Allston Christmas, on the horizon, now might be a good time to pick up a four-pack of Harpoon Brewery’s own Allston X-Mas, which they’ve re-released for a limited time. Honoring “Boston’s favorite unofficial holiday,” the citrusy pale ale is a good reminder that sometimes you need to take a break from packing and sit down with a cold one. Then it’s back to wrapping mugs in socks, and maybe taking a quick stroll around the block to see what unclaimed treasures your neighbors have cast aside.

Earlier this year, I spoke with Paul Piatelli Jr., owner of Del’s Boston, about his plans to expand the Del’s brand to Arlington, opening a brick-and-mortar location at 1050 Massachusetts Ave. After a brief delay, the shop finally opened earlier this week, serving the frozen lemonades we know and love from a takeout window. Stop by this weekend to choose from flavors like peach mango, blood orange, and lemon — just watch out for the brain freeze.

As summer starts to wind down (say it aint’ so!), Night Shift is hoping to capture the season’s final golden days with a summer party at its Lovejoy Wharf location. On Saturday, pay a visit to the West End brewery for buckets of Hoot hard seltzer, Hoot sangria, and some summer menu additions like halibut ceviche, shrimp tacos, and Hawaiian Detroit-style pizza (then have a healthy debate about whether pineapple belongs on pizza). The brewery is encouraging everyone to don their best Hawaiian t-shirts and other tropical attire for the chance to win prizes, and a DJ will be on hand to provide the beats.

You may be familiar with the Shaking Crab in downtown Boston, where you can order bags of Cajun-style seafood and plates of fried shrimp, but did you know that it now boasts a New Orleans-inspired cocktail lounge? Colette Lounge debuted in mid-August with small bites and NOLA-centric drinks, including the Cajun Storm (tequila, lime, pineapple, coconut, agave) and the Louisiana Express (vodka, guava, pineapple, lime, honey), along with catfish bites, shrimp ceviche, and fried chicken sliders. Stop by Thursdays through Sundays starting at 4 p.m.