Living the Veggie Life with @mass_meatlessfinds

If there’s one thing that @mass_meatlessfinds knows about Boston, it’s that there’s no shortage of vegetarian-friendly options. As a native, she started her Instagram account to help local peeps find the best veggie dishes around. Her mission was to prove that a vegetarian lifestyle is delicious, and each post she shares is evidence. Read on to hear about her favorite spots in town, her photography tips, and much more.

Tell us a little about yourself. How’d you end up in Boston, and what inspired you to create your Instagram account?

As a born & raised Bostonian, I couldn’t love this city more if I tried! I originally started this account in 2020 during Covid as a way to try to help bring more traffic to the amazing places that were struggling. I’ve always loved going out to eat and always took photos of my pretty meals when I ate out, so I figured why not try to start something with all of the food photos in my camera roll? Also, as a vegetarian of 7 years, I constantly felt stigmatized by people thinking the vegetarian lifestyle consisted of “just eating salads,” and I knew I wanted to break that stigma by bringing more attention to the vegetarian gems scattered throughout Boston & beyond.

What makes the Boston restaurant scene special?

Whatever your craving may be, this city has something to satisfy it. My favorite part about dining in Boston is that the possibilities are endless, and there’s a delicious spot for every type of cuisine imaginable.

Name the top five dishes on your Boston food bucket list.

Everything bagel donut from Blackbird donuts. I could eat 10 of these in one sitting. A bagel/donut hybrid?! Genius. Lighter than a bagel but equally as delicious.
Watermelon poke bowl from the Life Alive summer menu. It’s only available in the summer but quite literally the best dish I’ve ever eaten.
Orecchiette from Capo Restaurant: homemade pasta with pistachio pesto & burrata. So good!
Jimmy Two Times pizza from Mortadella Head is the best pizza I’ve ever had. Thick Roman-style pizza with fried eggplant and their homemade ricotta which is unreal.
Yasai katsu curry from Wagamama: so unique, delicious & comforting

What do your friends and family think of your life as an influencer?

I’m so grateful to have incredibly supportive friends & family who always hype up my posts & help spread the word about @mass_meatlessfinds. They, much like myself, never imagined it would become half of what it has today!

What’s your food photography/videography philosophy, and can you share your top tips for taking awesome food photos or videos? Do you use any fun tools or equipment for snapping the best ‘gram worthy content?

My goal is to always capture the details of a dish! Lighting is key to making this possible. Natural light is always best or an alternative light source is also great. If you see me lighting up the entire restaurant with my super bright external light, no you didn’t.

What advice would you give someone just starting out as an influencer?

Stay consistent, be supportive, and block out the noise. Posting on a consistent basis is so important, as is interacting with other people in your niche! I love opening Instagram to a feed full of insane food pics from fellow foodies! Additionally, ignore the numbers. Social media has algorithms and some content will perform better than others for whatever reason — it’s just the nature of the beast. Don’t let views and likes discourage you from starting your influencer journey!

Which Boston restaurants and chefs are nailing it on social?