'Pork And Pints Boston' Blogger Lisa Nichols' Guide To Boston

New England foodie Lisa Nichols has always had a great love for food and the culture surrounding it. As a proud Bostonian, her favorite things include hops, pork belly, dumplings and Boston sports — all of which can be seen featured in her popular blog and Instagram account, Pork and Pints Boston.

Nichols and her fiancé have also recently decided to pursue their longtime dream of opening The Modern Butcher Shop, meaning that even when she's not cooking at home and sharing her favorite food finds on Instagram, she's still striving to make people happy through food.

So what's this foodie's favorite part of Boston? Aside from the nostalgic feeling she gets each time she catches a Red Sox game at Fenway Park, Nichols loves the city's "perfect balance of rich culture, history and character," along with its "innovations and diversification."

From perusing the shops of Assembly Row to indulging in the bread pudding at Eastern Standard, these are some of Nichols' top activity recommendations around Boston:

What neighborhood do you live in? I recently moved to Wakefield a few weeks ago. My fiancé and I moved to be closer to the butcher shop we are opening this Summer in Newburyport. But my favorite neighborhood I've lived in was Charlestown. It was perfect balance of new restaurants, small boutiques and sights of "Sunday funday" revelers on the pier. But also had still remained some of its history, grit and proud, born and raised townies discussing the Sox over coffee in front of Dunkin' Donuts. It had character.

What’s your occupation? Where do I start? I am the co-owner of The Modern Butcher Shop in Newburyport, opening this summer. Currently I work in the Seaport serving and bartending part-time while we open. I have been in the restaurant industry my whole life, and have been incredibly lucky to meet and work with some of the best in the industry.

Describe Boston in three words: Proud. Delicious. Resilient.

What’s your favorite overall Boston restaurant? Little Donkey

Best sushi: Cafe Sushi in Cambridge

Best Italian food: Al Dente in North End or Rino’s Place in East Boston

Best dessert: Eastern Standard. I literally have dreams about their bread pudding.

Best pizza: Santarpio’s in East Boston. Some of my best memories as a kid was going to their location to pick up pizza in the back because you had to get it in the kitchen and exit completely covered in flour.

Best spot for a quick lunch: Dim sum in Chinatown at Hei La Moon.

Best food truck: Bon Me or The Bacon Truck

Best spot for a romantic date: Dali or Uni

Best glass of wine: I love Italian reds. I’ve been drinking a lot of Barbaresco lately.

Best Sunday brunch: Brewer’s Fork

Best Brewery: Tree House Brewing Co. and Trillium Brewing Company. My favorite beer is Julius from Treehouse.

Best spot for a power business meeting: Ocean Prime

Best cup of coffee: PS Gourmet South Boston. It has the best iced coffee around!

Best steak: If I'm not cooking it at home, definitely Mooo Restaurant.

Best craft cocktail: Baldwin Bar hands down is the best. I also love Backbar, Drink and Baldwin’s new spot, Blossom Bar.

What hotel would you recommend for your out of town guests? Hotel Commonwealth. I usually have family coming in for Red Sox games so it’s the perfect location near Fenway, and the food around the area is fantastic.

Favorite shopping venue or boutique: Lit Boutique. Or Assembly Row. I’m at Assembly shopping or eating at least three times a week.

Best gym or fitness studio: Total Performance Sports- TPS

Best spa: The Spa at Mandarin Oriental

Favorite charity event or organization: Run to Remember. I’ve run this race for the last five years. It's an amazing event through the city of Boston to support our fallen heroes and honor them.

Favorite cultural event: Fisherman’s Feast. This is my favorite out of all the summer festivals in the North End. I love the traditions, the music, the people and, of course, all the food!

Favorite cultural institution: Fenway Park. The amount of history that this park has is incredible. I’ve been to hundreds of games and I still get the same chills every single time I turn that corner onto Lansdowne Street. It's the same history the old Yankee Stadium had as well as Wrigley Field. The tours Fenway hosts are a great way to see and hear more about its history, as well as getting to see a lot of behind the scenes places.

What’s the best museum or current exhibit in Boston? Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum. I could probably spend three hours in each of the rooms here. It's beautiful, detailed, historic and simply stunning.

Best historic or iconic Boston landmark to see or explore: The Freedom Trail. I think this is one of those touristy things everyone must do once. It brings you through so many areas in the city, from Paul Revere’s house in the North End, to the gravestones of Boston’s most famous in Beacon Hill. It's a great way to see the city while learning endlessly about its history.

What’s your all-time favorite spot in Boston? Starry Night, the colored lights that cover the underpass on A Street in Fort Point, South Boston. When living in South Boston, that underpass was on my route home at night from working in the Seaport. It's simple, unexpected and beautiful. It makes me smile every time I pass.

The best aspect of Boston is: Its image. It's the perfect balance of rich culture, history, and character, with the new developments, innovations and diversification.

Image Credit: Lisa Nichols