On our recent day trip to Boston, Meredith and I had the opportunity to take a walk around Boston’s South End, to enjoy the christmas decorations, a little shopping, and, like always, to sample some of the food. In the Union Park area, there was certainly no shortage of eateries that caught our eyes, but when we peeked into Coppa, on the corner of Shawmut and Milford, with its cozy interior, exposed brick, natural wood, Tolix cafe chairs (just like our own dining room), and long featured bar, we knew we’d found our place for lunch.

We didn’t have long, but that seemed to be the beauty of Coppa – a neighborhood place where you could grab a delicious, quick bite at the bar (as we did), or where you could spend an afternoon chatting with friends over drinks. We placed our order – the daily special beef harissa crostini to start, a glass of Nero D’Avola and the Penne Bolognese (homemade pasta, ragu, parmesan, and nutmeg) for her, and a 21st Amendment Brew Free! or Die IPA, and the Trippa alla Collinsville (tripe, beef tongue and pork belly stew with heirloom beans) for me. Everything was delicious, warming (crucial on a chilly day in Boston), and just right for our pop-in lunch. We were in and out in 30 minutes, but if we’d had the time, we probably would’ve just called up some friends and spent the afternoon. Maybe next time!