Jamaica Plain
Isenberg Projects Neighborhood GuideJamaica Plain is home to some of Boston’s most iconic green spaces, unique + innovative restaurants, and vibrant community festivals. Surrounded in three directions by the Emerald Necklace, you’re never far from a park. JP is also highly transit accessible via the Orange Line, and very bikeable via the Emerald Necklace or Southwest Community Path.
Credit: Julio Aguilar Jr.
Eat
JP’s restaurant scene has a little of everything. Wild and funky ferments at Brassica, savory Ethiopian stews at Blue Nile, scotch eggs and stouts at The Haven. Here’s a few of our go-tos:
Brassica Kitchen + Cafe
Brassica is a perfect spot for date night. Food options are casual, but innovative, and the menu is always going to have a focus on unique fermentations.
3710 Washington St
Third Cliff Bakery
Third Cliff is the perfect spot for a mid-bike ride coffee and pastry. The laminated pastry at Third Cliff might be the best in the city!
3531 Washington St Suite 103
The Haven
The Haven is an always-packed Scottish pub with a regular calendar of trivia nights and community events. Scotch egg and a pint!
284 Amory St
Tres Gatos
It’s a restaurant, it’s a book and record store, it’s a music and flamenco venue! There’s not a lot Tres Gatos isn’t! Always offering something new and fun, along with extraordinary food, Tres Gatos is a hit in JP.
Also check out their open letter to learn more about how they are challenging the problematic norms of the restaurant industry.
470 Centre St
JP Seafood Cafe
For a Korean and Japanese inspired menu where seafood takes center stage, run don’t walk to JP Seafood Cafe! Isenberg Projects love the korokke, nigiri lineup, and the vegetable maki as a great vegan option. For breakfast and lunch, stop by their sister spot, Evergreen Eatery + Cafe.
730 Centre St
Blue Nile
Blue Nile is a destination for Ethiopian food in JP. Settle in to their cozy space and order several of the veggie forward stews to scoop up with tangy, spongy, sourdough flatbread.
*Black-owned business
389 Centre St
Tonino
A cozy neighborhood haunt offering Italian classics in a warm, wood-wrapped space. Expect familiar Italian dishes with innovative twists and adventurous wine and cocktail pairings. Reservations go fast, but open two months in advance, so plan ahead or take a chance and walk in.
669 Centre St
Visit
Known for its quintessential Boston greenspaces, JP is the perfect neighborhood for a day outside.
Credit: Erin O’Toole
Jamaica Pond
Jamaica Pond is the perfect place for a summer bike ride, sailing excursion, or dog date. Take a lap around the lake or follow the Emerald Necklace for a longer journey!
Along Jamaicaway
Credit: Olmsted Network
The Emerald Necklace
Bordered by The Emerald Necklace in three directions, JP has immediate access to the Arnold Arboretum, Jamaica Pond, and Franklin Park, meaning green space is never far away. Feeling ambitious? Hop on a bike and follow the Emerald Necklace along it’s full seven mile path, from Franklin Park all the way to Boston Common.
Credit: WBUR
Midway Cafe
The Midway is a mainstay for the local music scene in Boston, hosting a weekly lineup of bands, open mics, community events, and comedy shows. Stop by to discover your newest local music obsession.
3496 Washington St
Credit: Matthew Morse Photo
Drawdown Brewing
Drawdown Brewing opened last year, creating a new hub for sports and brews in JP. Keep an eye on their Instagram to see the weekly “Rundown,” which shows what events will be live on the TVs that week. Expect a dense sports lineup, RuPaul’s Drag Race fantasy league, and more!
*Queer and woman-owned
3204 Washington St
40 South St Vintage
40 South St is a vintage paradise, with highly curated and unique finds that rotate quickly, so there’s always something new to find.
40 South St.
Do
One of Boston’s best music scenes is found in JP, with a full calendar of DIY community performances.
JP Music Festival
Held each year in September at Jamaica Pond, JP Music Festival hosts 20 local acts, along with food trucks and family activities. JP Music Festival is a perfect fall day of music and play!
Pinebank Baseball Field
Credit: Spontaneous Celebrations
The Lantern Parade
Every October, approximately 4,000 people arrive at Jamaica Pond at sunset with homemade, recycled, and locally sourced lanterns; proceeding around the pond in a dreamy candlelit autumn celebration.
45 Danforth St
Credit: Hibernian Hall
Wake Up The Earth
Since 1987, this festival ‘wakes up’ the Earth from its winter sleep and reawaken JP’s diverse communities in a celebration of community and nature. This long running event has built a dedicated and welcoming community in JP.
Lamartine St
Credit: Conde Nast
JP Porchfest
JP Porchfest started 8 years ago, but since 2021 has been produced by our friends at Dunamis Boston! Occurring in August each year, JP Porchfest hosts a dense lineup of house shows (last year there were 68 locations…. 68!)
Across the neighborhood
Credit: Arnold Arboretum
Tree Mobs at the Arnold Arboretum
Want to go deeper at the Arnold Arboretum? Tree Mobs are small group conversations with scientists, arborists, and Gardeners – sharing little known wisdom about the plant communities that make up the Arboretum.
125 Arborway
Organizations
JP is home to some incredible organizations working to promote arts and culture and improve the quality of life for all! Here’s a few folks Isenberg Projects really admires:
Spontaneous Celebrations
Spontaneous Celebrations is JP’s community arts HQ, organizing beloved events and programs for JP’s creative community, including some of our favorites like Wake up the Earth and the JP Holiday market. Make sure to keep an eye on their event calendar for the latest.
45 Danforth St
Credit: Boston Magazine
Community Servings
Healthy communities start with food justice, and Community Servings has provided more than 10 million medically tailored meals to clients across Massachusetts who are living with severe critical and chronic illnesses. There are lots of volunteer opportunities to get involved and support their mission!
179 Armory St
Jamaica Plain Neighborhood Development Corporation (JPNDC)
JPNDC amplifies the voices of Boston residents who have been excluded from prosperity by racial and economic inequities. In addition to organizing, they’ve also created The Brewery, a place for small businesses to grow and thrive in JP. Over 50% of The Brewery’s businesses are owned by women and people of color, and income from The Brewery is reinvested in JPNDC’s community programming, allowing them to further uplift neighbors in JP and beyond.
31 Germania Street
Boston Raising Powerful Musicians
BRPM empowers young women, girls, and gender expansive folks to learn and pursue music! Hosting workshops, classes, programs, and mentors, there are resources for all to grow artistically regardless of experience level!
Admiring their super fun logo? Isenberg Projects designed the refreshed brand identity of BRPM!
826 Boston
826 Boston works with students from across the city, providing literacy support, tutoring, and publishing for student readers and writers. Part of the national 826 network, 826 Boston is amplifying the voices of the city’s youngest creative voices. Be sure to check out their most recent book, What If The World Needs You? Advice and Life Lessons from 826 Boston Students
3035 Washington St
Urbano
Urbano is a creative incubator and community of multigenerational artists, committed to public and participatory art processes that bring place-based projects to life. How do they make this happen? Urbano organizes residencies, youth projects, apprenticeships, and workshops, all grounded by an annual curatorial theme
Isenberg Projects’ Perfect Saturday in JP
- Bike, walk, or jog your way around the arboretum – tackle the hills before the sun gets too high while the paths are still shady.
- Recharge with coffee and snacks from Third Cliff Bakery, just a 10 minute walk away via the Southwest Corridor Park.
- Hit the Tres Gatos book and record store for the best contemporary + vintage music finds.
- Head down to Galway House for lunch and a pint, Isenberg Projects recommends sitting at the bar and striking up a conversation with someone new.
- Do a little afternoon vintage shopping at 40 South St.
- Grab dinner at Blue Nile before catching an evening show at The Midway.
- Time for bed! But first cross off all the amazing JP spots you’ve now explored.
Explore Other Neighborhood Guides
After years of producing experiences, living, and digging deep in the city of Boston, we like to think that we know our way around. The Isenberg Projects Neighborhood Guides series is here to help you discover your next favorite place to eat, play and everything in between.
Roxbury
Released May 2024
Seaport
Released February 2024
East Boston
Released October 2023