Dig Inn

After months of anticipatory hunger, we finally ate dinner at Dig Inn when it opened its doors on Boston’s Boylston Street in early July. Founded by Adam Eskin, the chain of eateries first began in 2011 in New York and locations spread quickly throughout New York City. This Boston location is Dig Inn’s first venture outside of New York, so we were eager to see if it lived up to the hype.

The insufferable mugginess of the day had given way to a cool, breezy night, so we were happy to grab a table outside. Along the perimeter of the outdoor seating area were lavender plants, which not only smelled dreamy but also created a rare feeling of seclusion from the busyness of Boston.

Dig Inn isn’t a typical restaurant. Rather, it’s a fast-casual dining spot that allows diners to choose exactly what they want on their plates. Or bowls, I should say, because that’s what they offer – either a grain bowl or a salad bowl, with a myriad of options for sides and add-ons.

Their central theme is farm-to-table dining, so all of their ingredients are sourced locally and their offerings change monthly as well as seasonally. We’re thrilled that Dig Inn is here to offer more options for fresh, local food to the people of Boston, and to gently suggest (with their superbly clean and modern aesthetic) that this farm to table philosophy is the future all our dining tables so desperately need.

The moment we entered its doors, we were immediately greeted by Dig Inn’s friendly staff. They were quick to assist with the ordering process and questions that guests had about the menu items. There’s a lot to choose from and it can get a bit overwhelming, so we suggest grabbing one of their beautiful menus to check out the food options before ordering. Did we mention that their menus double as a newsletter? Yup, oyster shucking instructions included.

Once you’ve decided on a salad or grain bowl, you’ll be walking through the side items first and you can actually see what they look like before you place them in your bowl. The protein comes last – with options such as salmon, chicken, meatballs, etc. We wanted to try everything. Seriously.

So we started opening night with one grain and one salad bowl to learn the ropes. For the grain bowl, we had quinoa and bulgur tabbouleh as the base. Then we loaded that up with summer squash, baby bok choy with yogurt ranch dressing, and wild salmon. This delicious bowl was finished with a light pesto dressing, and you know what big pesto fans we are.

We topped the salad bowl with vegetable poke, charred broccoli, sweet corn, and avocado dressed delicately with salt and olive oil. This was satisfying in multiple levels – the vegetable poke, while it looked like fish, was actually made with delicious white beets. The charred broccoli was highly addictive and slightly spicy, making this salad especially satiating and nourishing. (There is also a yoga studio right above Dig Inn, so we expect those yogis will be enjoying some post-workout salads from now on.)

We also ordered a side of roasted sweet potatoes and a side of their macaroni and cheese. Their mac and cheese was an unexpected menu item in the midst of so many fresh vegetables, but it was an excellent choice, and a great option for those who want to add a little more heft to their meal.

Dig Inn could change the way people consume “fast food” because healthy can be done and it doesn’t have to be difficult or taste like cardboard. Good and local foods are so important for the future of food and Dig Inn understands that. We are seriously passionate about wholesome and unprocessed foods and we are so happy that this little piece of heaven has arrived in Boston.

We also met a lovely lady named Melanie who helped build this location from the ground up. She was simply a pleasure to talk to and made this place so inviting. The space, food, and people are beautiful. We mean it.

To find out more, visit them here. They also do breakfast so we’ll be coming for that next.