Walter Budzian

Jamaica Plain bars aren't necessarily the highlight of JP in most people's minds, but ask anyone who has lived in the Boston area about where to get a great drink and if they know what they are talking about you'll hear about some great Jamaica Plain bars. Jamaica Plain bars are many and varied. Whether you're looking for a more upscale and restaurant focused experience like at TT Bar on Centre St, or the prototypical dive bar such as at Drinking Fountain in the Forest Hills area, Jamaica Plain bars have it all.

A great place to start (or end) a night of liquid revelry is at Brendan Behan Pub. This pub in the Hyde / Jackson South neighborhood of JP boasts a fantastic selection of craft beers on draft, full liquor bar, and some of the most friendly staff any Jamaica Plain bars have to showcase.

After getting the night off to the right start at Behan's, why not saunter briefly down Centre St and over on Perkins St to eat and be merry at The Haven, Boston's first Scottish pub and restaurant. This is a new addition to JP and is what is making Jamaica Plain bars a highlight of the neighborhood. The Haven has a focus on “session” beers; these beers are at a lower alcohol content, with the idea in mind that you can keep enjoying their vibrant flavors for longer without having to pick yourself up off the floor. The Haven has an incredibly friendly and European pub vibe, which makes it a great place to spend several hours drinking, eating, talking with old friends and making new ones. This is easily one of my favorite Jamaica Plain bars.

For an excellent night-cap and one the most elegant Jamaica Plain bars, try out TT Bar, the connected bar of local phenomenon restaurant Ten Tables. The cocktail menu is superb, the wine selection sublime and the beer selection is paired wonderfully with the available “bar bites.” This is a hot spot in JP and because of it's relatively small size you may have to wait a bit to get up to the bar, but it's completely worth it! It's an outstanding example of what Jamaica Plain bars have to offer!

There are of course a huge number of other Jamaica Plain bars, this is just a sampling of a few of my favorites, but I have many more recommendations. If you're new to Jamaica Plain, looking to visit or have lived here for a while and just need some recommendations on what to do around town, feel free to contact me. If you're interested in living in the JP neighborhood, why not get a free list of available homes sent right to your email. Click on the link to go to my website and get a free list of JP homes sent right to you! If you love Jamaica Plain bars, you'll love Jamaica Plain Homes!

There's nothing I love more on a Saturday afternoon then taking a stroll through JP and looking at some amazing Jamaica Plain homes. Oh dear, that's a lie. I do love something more, (my apologies to the Jamaica Plain homes), I love taking a buyer out on a Sunday afternoon for open houses to help them purchase some Jamaica Plain homes! Yes, "some" it's a buyers market isn't it??

Jamaica Plain homes have a spectacular mix of architecture ranging from the late 1700s to today, with a large number of the JP (as it's known locally) homes having been built in the 1800s. On a walk around the Jamaica Pond, you'll see styles from Queen Anne Victorians and Mansard roofed Second Empire styled mansions alongside Tudor and Georgian homes. Back further in the neighborhoods off Centre st, you'll encounter many beautiful triple-decker and Greek revival homes. In a 20 minute walk you're likely to encounter 10 or more architecturally unique styles of Jamaica Plain homes, yet somehow in this eclectic neighborhood, they all surround each other with perfect harmony.

One of the best features of the Boston (and really the entire Bay State) is the blending of architectural styles within our neighborhoods. JP does a particular great job of integrating beautiful homes in a variety of styles and keeping a sense of cohesion in the neighborhood. This blending of styles is also a perfect metaphor for the people in JP as well! Just like the many different types of architecture within the same area, the same block even, the people of Jamaica Plain represent the terrific diversity of this world all while living in cohesive unity with one another. I love JP!

For a free list of available Jamaica Plain homes sent right to your email, visit my site linked here: Jamaica Plain Homes and request your list now!

When I first moved to Jamaica Plain, I thought to myself, “self, this is a pretty swell jam you've got going here. There are tree-lined streets aplenty, a beautiful pond with walking and biking paths, and an irish pub at the end of your street that pours the single best Guinness you've ever tasted. I love Jamaica Plain! Keep it up self, keep it up.” And myself did. I've been in JP for 5 years now and can't imagine leaving. I also can't imagine teleporting, but that's not to say I have a weak mind. It's just, teleporting, wow, how could THAT ever happen...but I digress...

Jamaica Plain, or JP as it is known locally doesn't necessarily have a history of being a "go-to" destination for a culinary experience, but as a JP local, I find that there are several great choices, whether you're looking for stellar Indian like at Bukhara or Ghazal, Thai like at Wonder Spice, casual American fare like at Bella Luna, fine dining at Ten Tables, a cafes like Ula or City Feed, or new to JP, (in fact the first in Boston), Scottish cuisine at The Haven! Jamaica Plain restaurants have it all and the culinary scene continues to grow.

I'll be interviewing local Jamaica Plain restaurant owners and patrons and giving you the inside scoop on the current chow sitch in the Jamaica Plain neighborhood now and as it evolves. If there are any particular restaurants or cafes that you're interested in knowing more about, feel free to let me know in the comments and I'll get to work!

If you happen to be looking to move to the Jamaica Plain area and are interested in a free list of homes sent right to your email, feel free to check out my website at www.emergentproperties.net and request a free list sent to you now!