Description: The Armani Cafe on Newbury Street is one of the obscure places in the world where fashion and food actually work together! Right next to the Emporio Armani store in the Back Bay neighborhood sits this swanky cafe with a European feel. The servers wear all black, and this place is frequented by Euro transplants, fashionistas, power-lunchers, and some tourists. It is an extremely jet-set crowd.
People go to the Armani cafe mainly for the scene. What better place than Boston's Newbury Street, which is often equated with a fashion runway, to play host to this fashion-oriented cafe. The people-watching in this area is very entertaining. Expect to see the hipper-than-thou art students strutting down the street mixed with the richer-than-thou debutantes. The snooty attitude of the area is a little over-the-top, but the cafe's patio sits squarely on the street level so you can take it all in at your leisure.
Though the Armani Cafe's main focus is scene-watching and sidewalk-critiquing of passersby, the cafe actually serves pretty decent food as well. Last time I went, I had a saffron risotto that was very flavorful. They also make very good desserts and drinks. Order a martini or champagne if you want to fit into this pseudo-model world.
Inside is more laid-back but still has a European-chic lounge feel. The bar and seating area are well appointed and comfortable. This might be the place to grab a bite if you don't feel like waiting for a table in the popular outdoor section. A word of warning--if the place is busy, the service tends to be lagging. Your best bet is to kill some time in the busy hours with the shopping in the area, then grab a table in the off-peak times when they are more on top of their game.
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