DID YOU KNOW?
Did You Know? The South End is the largest intact Victorian row house district in the country, which is made up of over 300 acres. In 1973, the South End was listed in the National Register of Historic Places.
Did You Know? The South End used to be tidal marshes until it was filled in with land (similar to Back Bay) beginning in 1849.
Did You Know? The South End used to be one of the great jazz neighborhoods in the country, with clubs such as the Royal Palms, Eddie Levine's, the Pioneer Club, Handy's Grille, Tic-Toc, Connolly's, Estelle's, the Hi-Hat, The Savoy, The Cave, Basin Street, Louie's Lounge, and Wally's Paradise. Wally's is the only venue to have survived to the present day. From 1915 to 1970 the American Federation of Musicians Local 535 was the top black musicians' union in the country, with local and national musicians such as Duke Ellington, Cab Calloway, Chick Webb, Earl Hines, and Jimmie Lunceford.
FOOD & DRINK
The South End certainly has no shortage of places to grab a bite to eat or a drink. Locals will often refer to Tremont Street as "restaurant row." While we encourage you to explore everything, we'll help give you a head-start with some of our personal favorites.
For starters, let's get your day started on the right foot. Have a sweet tooth? We recommend stopping by Blackbird Doughnuts to start your day with a coffee and one of Boston's best doughnuts. If you prefer more of a meal to start your day, then you'll want to swing through Flour Bakery for a breakfast sandwich (and we should mention they don't have a shortage of sweets either).
In the mood for some incredible Italian food? Head on over to SRV for housemade pasta's & other small plates and a bottle of wine. Or maybe Coppa is more your style, an intimate Italian enoteca tucked away on a quiet side street. And to round out our Italian options, let's certainly not forget about Mida, a charming, contemporary Italian eatery with an open kitchen & patio scene.
Maybe seafood is more your thing, in which case, you'll want to check out B&G Oysters, one of the hottest seafood restaurants in all of Boston and the best fried clams you'll find in the city. If you prefer Asian inspired cuisine then you'll want to check out Myers and Changfor some mouth-watering small plates served family style. Can't get a table there? Check out Oishii for some high-concept sushi & other Japanese plates.
Toro (pictured above) will definitely work for you if you are looking for Spanish inspired tapas, cocktails & wines. Or maybe you prefer no food at all and are just looking for some cocktails and music, in which case you should go grab a drink and listen to some incredible live jazz music at either The Beehive or Wally's Cafe, both will not disappoint!
ACTIVITIES
When you talk about things to do around the South End with local residents, the SoWa Open Market is almost always brought up. Open every Sunday during the warmer months, you'll find food trucks, local artisans, farmers, brewers, and local live music. Even if you don't want to buy anything, it's fun to just walk around and explore. Newer to Boston is the Underground at Ink Block (pictured above), an 8-acre urban park underneath the highway overpass, bordering the area between the South End and South Boston. The Underground is home to boardwalks, bike paths, a dog park, and a variety of street art. Various outdoor events will be held at the Underground throughout the year.
Moving indoors, you'll want to explore the latest exhibit at the Mills Gallery at the Boston Center for Arts. If you are looking for a night out, grab tickets for a performance at the internationally acclaimed Boston Ballet.
And lastly, just walk around the South End, which is rich with culture, small landscaped parks, and beautiful historical architecture. You won't be bored, we promise.
REAL ESTATE
The South End has established itself as one of the most desirable neighborhoods in Boston, featuring the perfect balance of everything Boston has to offer. Because of this, it probably comes to no one's surprise that the South End is also one of the hottest real estate markets throughout the city.
In 2018, the South End saw a total of 500 home sales, with an average price of $1,310,513. The average home price jumped 48% in just 5 years! If you have a home in the South End area and are curious to see how much your home has gone up in value, give us a shout and we'll give a free consultation on what we think it's worth in today's market.
Want to know what all this fuss is about? We’ve created a collection of some of our favorite homes currently on the market or recently sold around the South End. Click HERE to view the entire collection of homes.