Labor Day Weekend in Boston: Where to Eat, Drink

Finz in Salem

By Naomi Kooker

If you haven’t started making Labor Day weekend plans, no sweat. We have an idea for each day of the weekend to keep you enjoying the last days of summer.

Friday: Go Alfresco After Work
For those staying in the city for the weekend, here’s a tip: Tavern on the Water in Charlestown makes a great after-work find for a cocktail and easy eats like fried clams or lobster mac ’n’ cheese. Since there’s usually a mass exodus of city dwellers this weekend, you’ve got a good chance in snagging a table outdoors with a panoramic skyline view of Beantown. Yessah! (617-242-8040).

Saturday: Empanadas and Eye-Candy
Take in a meal a the Harvard Square outpost of Venezuelan cafe Orinoco, where the charming back patio makes a perfect spot to enjoy arepas, empanadas and more at an umbrella-equipped table (617-495-4700). If it's dinner, heat things up afterward with Harvard Film Archive's "Hot Saturday: The Paramount Pre-Code Marathon," a series of six movies (yes, six) that feature Cary Grant and other eye-candy actors and actresses romping around in shorts, swimsuits and whatnot (9:15 PM; $12; 617-491-3434).

Sunday: Eco-Friendly Eats
Head down to Buzzards Bay's Bay End Farm at 2 PM for a farm tour and then sit down at a communal table for a four-course family-style spread prepared by The Blue Room’s Robert Grant, all paired with wines. The caveat? You'll need to bring your own plate, with the aim of conserving dish-washing water (2 PM farm tour; 3 PM meal time; $85 per person; 617-494-9034 or order your tickets online by clicking here).

Monday: Photos and Fin Fare
 Before or after checking out The Peabody Essex Museum's “Ansel Adams: At the Water’s Edge” exhibit, head to Finz, an elegant yet casual seafooder on Pickering Wharf overlooking Salem Harbor (978-744-8485).