Bella Vita Caffe

Bella Vita Caffe

30 Charles St.

Beacon Hill Boston, Ma 02114

Food: Coffee, Soups, Salad, Sandwiches, icecream pastries

Atmosphere: Laid back Coffee shop

$$$$: Not too bad for this part of the city.

Who needs a web page when your one of a small few cafe's on Charles Street and Carolyn Meehan is your mayor? That would be your mayor on foursquare.

Apparently Bella Vita Caffe knows this because they don't have a webpage and they seem to be doing just fine.

Don't know who Carolyn Meehan is? If you have a business you are trying to promote you should. She is a social media maven, and President of The Keyturn, a unique digital solutions provider that specializes in the development and deployment of integrated, online and social media marketing strategies.

www.thekeyturn.com

Between a location on Charles Street in Beacon Hill and Carolyn bringing clients in for meetings over cappuccino what more could you ask for in terms of exposure when you don't have your own webpage?

This place isn't sheik, it doesn't have all new furniture, or a hip atmosphere. It just has great coffee, yummy pastries and cakes, and a few choices for soups, salads and sandwiches. It's also got, gelato, free wi-fi, lots of tables which can be pushed together for bigger parties, and a book trading book case in the back.

For some reason Lou and I always find our way here in the winter after trekking around the city shopping. I like to get a warm drink, sit by the window and watch the people on Charles St. as the bustle by.

If you are high maintenance, trying to impress, like superb service, this place probably isn't for you, but if you are laid back, want to take your time with a latte, have some good conversation, and great people watching, then check it out.

Al Fresco ULA Style

ULA Cafe

284 Armory St.

Jamaica Plain, Ma 02130

Atmosphere: Laid back, cafe and coffeehouse, indoor and outdoor seating, Dog Friendly with lots of rings to tie your dog outside and free doggie biscuits!

Food: Lite sandwiches, soups, salads, pastries and lots of varieties in hot and cold beverages.

Price: Is Right. 4 drinks, a salad, a popover and 3 cookies was all under $20

I have been in search of the perfect Al Fresco Casual Dining experience, and I think I may have found it in the ULA Cafe. Last week Lou was craving a popover but instead of driving an hour to our favorite popover place in Portsmouth NH, I googled "popover Boston" and found the ULA Cafe in JP.

Our good friend Kat was visiting from Maine and having lived in J.P. previously she knew the cafe was by the Sam Adam's brewery, and that it was fairly hip, so we headed on over.

Not only is the ULA cafe near the brewery, it is attached to the brewery. When we entered the parking lot, a nice surprise was standing there. Lou's dad! He was waiting for Lou's younger brother Harold to get out of a practice for the Nutcracker, so we asked him to join us.

We were mainly there for Lou's popover, but Kat got a curry chicken salad and mixed green salad along with a Raspberry Izze. Mac got a few cookies.I got a pot of Assam tea which is just fancy for English Breakfast. I love when a place gives you a pot. You get two cups for the price of one and can sit and enjoy a little longer.

ULA Cafe has indoor and outdoor seating, but it was the ultimate Indian summer day, so we opted for the patio. The J.P. vibe is laid back and friendly and made for a relaxing afternoon tea, and snack break.