Stuck in a rut with your restaurant picks? Turn to Marcela Lima & Cameron Shah from Munching Through Boston for inspiration on where to eat next. They scour the city and the suburbs for the tastiest plates they can find from overflowing burgers piled high with toppings to decked out desserts like a profiterole mountain and bacon, peanut butter & banana freak frappe. Here, they share the two chefs they love to follow on Instagram, which new restaurant is their favorite (hint: it opened a few weeks ago in Porter Square) and where to find the cutest patio fireplaces for outdoor dining.
Tell us a little about yourself. How’d you end up in Boston, and what inspired you to create your Instagram account?
We both attended school at Emerson College and loved Boston so much that we just had to stick around after graduation! Food is what brought us together in the first place and after realizing how many pictures of food we had just sitting in our phones, we decided to start our Instagram – that happened in August of 2017 and we’re so proud of what we’ve built so far.
Name the top five dishes on your Boston food bucket list.
One – a big ol’ pizza pie from Semolina Kitchen in Medford.
Two – a savory lox popover from Popover King.
Three – shrimp shumai from DakZen.
Four – falafel bao from PAGU.
Five – a lobster roll from Pauli’s in the North End.
What do you think the next big trend is for restaurants?
We’ve been seeing a lot of restaurants using virtual reality for their menus, so customers can see what they’re purchasing before they even order it. We definitely see that taking off in the future! Also influencer marketing is only going to get bigger and bigger – users trust these social media gurus and influencers to promote the latest and greatest in Boston, and their opinions mean a lot.
Which chefs are your favorite to follow on Instagram and why?
We love Chef Tatiana Rosana (Outlook at the Envoy) and Tiffani Faison (Sweet Cheeks, Tiger Mama, Fool’s Errand). Tatiana has such a relatable way about her and her Instagram is so fun! We love seeing what she makes at home as well as the sophisticated dishes she crafts for the Envoy. Tiffani is a BOSS. She runs some of our favorite restaurants in Boston (Tiger Mama being the first) and you can just tell how much passion she has for food, and it certainly comes through in her dishes.
Beyond chefs, what are your top three favorite food Instagram accounts to follow?
We love @bostonfoodgram! Emily finds the best shots and her lighting is always on point. We also love @wesaygravy and @forkingwitharmani. Matt’s homemade dinners on his Story are so fun to watch and he definitely has a love for all things food. Armani’s page is so colorful and he showcases a variety of different cuisines and dishes, love him for that!
Describe Boston’s food scene in three words.
High-quality, innovative, and cozy.
Which restaurants haven’t you been to but you’re eager to try?
We’re dying to go to PAGU, Neptune Oyster, o ya, SRV, Bootleg Special, Fox & The Knife… the list goes on and on! We literally have a spreadsheet of restaurants we want to go to organized by neighborhood, Marcela is *very* organized.
What’s your food photography philosophy, and can you share your top tips for taking awesome food photos?
Our philosophy when it comes to taking photos is take pictures of food that YOU would want to eat! Before we post a photo we like to ask ourselves, would we want to engage with this post if someone else had posted it? Natural lighting is key, also – if you can take a photo outside, do it! When it comes to taking photos it’s all about lighting, so play around with that and different angles until you find a style that works for you 😊
Favorite brunch spot: Masa in the South End (Gustazo in Waltham if we’re talking outside the city)
Favorite place for outdoor dining: City Tap in the Seaport, they have the cutest fireplaces on their patio!
Favorite BBQ joint: Sweet Cheeks BBQ
Favorite late night: Tasty Burger in Fenway!
Favorite neighborhood for food: South End/South Boston, hands down.
Favorite new restaurant: Gustazo! They just opened their Cambridge location and we’re too excited. Their brunch is one of our favorites ever (and they make a mean Cuban sandwich).
