Beacon Hill Books & Cafe
71 Charles Street • Boston, MA 02114
bhbooks.com • 617-945-4713
By the time Melissa Fetter moved to Boston from Dallas in 2019, one crucial thing was missing—a traditional bookshop. So, when she had an opportunity to purchase a property on Charles Street, she began plans to repurpose the five-story, 1840s Greek Revival townhouse.
“I always envisioned that my bookstore would be in a townhouse, and I could picture people wandering from floor to floor and exploring nooks and crannies,” says Melissa. “I wanted it to feel like you were in someone’s home.” Since opening in 2022, her bookstore/café has become a destination for book lovers of all ages. Each floor is a wonderland of curated books and gifts.
Well-known Boston chef Colleen Suhanosky is at the helm of the lower-level café where farm fresh and local ingredients are showcased based on what’s in season. When you walk into the store, the smell of freshly baked pastries greets you as you peruse over 10,000 book titles.
Besides breakfast and lunch, the café features a fanciful afternoon tea on Sunday afternoons from noon until 5:00 p.m. by reservation. Two different scones are offered with Devonshire cream and homemade jam. The traditional tea sandwiches change seasonally. The elegant affair concludes with a fruit tartlet and an assortment of other sweets. You won’t leave hungry, and most diners leave with a box of leftover desserts to enjoy at a later teatime.
Contributing editor Bruce Richardson also serves as the tea historian for the Boston Tea Party Ships & Museum, bostonteapartyship.com.
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