TOAST Guides | Boston

Our ongoing series, TOAST Guides, explores the neighbourhoods surrounding our shops, shaped by community spaces and creative businesses which enrich daily life. 

For this edition, we visit Boston, a charming city where Victorian brownstones and cobbled streets mix harmoniously with modern culture. Here, we explore the seasonal eateries, art institutions, and hole-in-the-wall haunts found among the historic streets.

Music Research Library

Music Research Library is a cherished vinyl shop in the picturesque Beacon Hill neighbourhood. Founded by musicians Vasyl Kochura and Zachary Warf, it houses a curated record selection, with an emphasis on jazz, hip-hop, funk, soul, and global sounds.

24 Joy St, Boston, MA 02114

Brattle Theatre

Across the river in Cambridge, Brattle Theatre has hosted a diverse film programme since 1953. The single-screen cinema is celebrated for its curated roster of arthouse, foreign, and classic films, as well as its participation in the Boston Underground Film Festival.

40 Brattle St, Cambridge, MA 02138

ICA Watershed

Housed in a renovated copper pipe factory within the Boston Harbor Shipyard, ICA Watershed is the city's leading contemporary art space. Each season unfolds with reflective mixed-media exhibitions alongside a permanent collection.

256 Marginal St, Boston, MA 02128

SRV

SRV, or Serene Republic of Venice, is a Venetian-style bacaro and wine bar specialising in small bites. Drawing on traditional Italian fare while embracing a modern approach, the restaurant is known for its fresh pasta, made in-house using locally milled flour.

569 Columbus Ave, Boston, MA 02118

Dear Annie

A wine bar rooted in shared experience, Dear Annie stands apart with its large communal table and pescatarian menu. The neighbourhood location offers unusual natural wines and New England-caught seafood to be enjoyed in low-lit, plant-filled surrounds.

1741 Massachusetts Ave, Cambridge, MA 02140

Fenway Victory Gardens

Founded during World War II, the Fenway Victory Gardens has grown into an enduring community plot for cultivating fruits and vegetables. Today, the expansive gardens are maintained by almost 500 gardeners, featuring native wildflowers, shared vegetable patches, and habitats that support urban wildlife.

1200 Boylston St, Boston, MA 02215

Elephantine

For European-style lunches or afternoon coffee and pastry, Elephantine delivers classic dishes in an elegant environment. With a changing selection of small-batch breads, scratch-made croissants, and cuisine inspired by the Mediterranean, this Seaport cafe is a local favourite.

332 Congress St, Boston, MA 02210

Cicada

Cicada is a Vietnamese cafe with a laid-back ambience and verdant interior. Run by former architects Vinh Le and Duong Huynh, the space encourages a slower pace as you enjoy fresh noodle salads, bánh mi sandwiches, and speciality coffee.

106 Prospect St, Cambridge, MA 02139

TOAST

Our Boston shop is located on Newbury Street, an area which shifted from a residential neighbourhood to a cultural meeting point in the mid-1960s. Influenced by European architectural movements, the 19th-century building retains many original features and serves as a characterful backdrop to our Womenswear, Menswear, and Home collections.

119 Newbury St, Boston, MA 02116.

Image 1, 2 and 3: Courtesy of Elephantine

Image 4: ICA Watershed, photography by Florian Holzherr.

Image 5: Chiharu Shiota: Home Less Home at ICA Boston, 2025.

Image 6: Dear Annie, photography by Brian Samuels.