Brian Peterson is his name, and snapping snacks around Boston is his game. Peterson (you might know him as @BostonsBestSnacks) is a registered nurse, part-time bartender and full-time eater sharing his love of food on Insta. He’s been at it for three years now, posting mouthwatering shots of gooey cheese, Italian subs and all things carbolicious. He took a minute to answer some Qs and reveal his best food photography tip, his go-to for zucchini chips and his favorite pandemic take-out. Read on to get the skinny then pop over to his feed and give him a follow.
Tell us a little about yourself. How’d you end up in Boston, and what inspired you to create your Instagram account?
My name is Brian and I was born and raised just outside of Boston. I currently live in Lowell, MA (where I went to school) and got my undergrad at Regis College. I work full time as a Registered Nurse and bartend part-time in Boston, which is what sort of led me to the Boston food scene. I started working for a couple different restaurants in the South End and fell in love with the food. As most of my friends and family were outside of the city, I found myself constantly taking pictures of food/drink and posting things on my personal Instagram. I got lots of good feedback from everyone and really enjoyed taking pictures and trying new places. One early morning in May 2019, I went to Donna’s Donuts in Tewksbury, and no lie, I decided at that moment I was going to take pictures of the donuts, make a food Instagram, post it, and see what happened! Ever since then, I’ve fallen in love with running @BostonsBestSnacks and have been introduced to so many different kinds of food, drink and people while out on my food adventures. I’m so excited to see what’s ahead for BBS and cannot wait to keep showing everyone some awesome snacks in Boston!
Name the top five dishes on your Boston food bucket list.
Omgggg only 5?!
- HANDS-DOWN is the orecchiette pasta dish from Bar Mezzana. This dish should be illegal. Orecchiette pasta, fennel, radicchio, sausage, parm cheese, breadcrumbs – what more could you want?
- Zucchini chips from KAVA neo-taverna I don’t care if these don’t count as a dish, because I would eat these for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Homemade fried zucchini chips served on top of a house made tzatziki – wow, they’re SO good.
- Duck Frites at Black Lamb. I didn’t even know I liked duck until I had this dish and wait until you try the orange béarnaise sauce. I’m hooked on this dish; the duck is always cooked perfectly.
- ‘Merica style burger at Crazy Good Kitchen. Make sure you add the burnt butter mayo, it’s delicious!! CGK’s food is phenomenal and always picture-perfect too!
- Italian Sub at Monica’s Mercato & Salumeria. The best Italian sub in Boston in my opinion. It’s the perfect bite every time. Just try it.
What do you think is on the horizon for restaurants?
I think restaurants will continue to adapt and adjust to the crazy times that we’re living in. From outdoor dining to different types of take-out options, etc. I truly hope that people continue to support restaurants as much as they can, because so many of them are very short staffed and struggling right now. I also think modern, casual dining is on the rise in Boston and that style of dining is becoming a lot more prevalent. I’m excited to see what is in store for restaurants!
Which chefs are your favorite to follow on Instagram and why?
- Juan G Pere (@JuanGPizza) — his pizzas are AMAZING! I look forward to seeing posts and I love the different types of pizzas he makes. He also made me a special pizza for a giveaway with Posto!
- Asia Mei (@ChefAsiaMei) — I love going to her restaurant (Moonshine 152) and chatting with her, she’s such a kind soul! I really appreciate her hustle and her drive. It’s inspiring!
- Gordon Ramsay (@Gordongram) — He’s just always been a favorite of mine. I’ve always followed him and watched his shows. I think he’s a very talented chef.
Beyond chefs, what are your top three favorite food Instagram accounts to follow?
Describe Boston’s food scene in three words.
Diverse, modern, delicious
Which restaurants haven’t you been to but you’re eager to try?
What’s your food photography philosophy, and can you share your top tips for taking awesome food photos?
My philosophy is to always have fun with it. I try to remind myself that taking pictures of food should not be the cause of my stress. My one tip is — use natural light! I feel like once I discovered how much better my pictures came out when I was shooting in natural light compared to artificial light, I never turned back. Whenever I have big photo shoots at restaurants or other places, I always book them during the day when I know I’ll have lots of natural light for pictures. Shoot next to a window if you need to, or take the food outside!
Favorite brunch spot: RIP to my favorite, The Gallows. Now I would probably say The Broadway.
Favorite place for outdoor dining: Banyan Bar + Refuge
Favorite Pizza joint: Santarpio’s in Eastie
Favorite neighborhood for food: South End most definitely!
Favorite new restaurant: MIDA – Newton (love the pizza!)
Favorite pandemic takeout: Anchovies Bar
Favorite new restaurant innovation: QR code menus/payment.
Meet The Tastemakers is a monthly column that shares the stories of those contributing to the conversation on Boston’s food scene.
