Voice of Boston is our series where we interview local tastemakers on their favorite neighborhoods, restaurants and hangouts around the city. If you missed our last one, catch up on our chat with Jamie Bissonnette of Faccia a Faccia, Toro, Coppa and Little Donkey.
This week we are hearing from Chef Erin Miller, owner of Urban Hearth in Cambridge. Classically trained at the French Culinary Institute of New York, Erin draws from her professional experience working in New York fine dining. Urban Hearth opened its doors in 2016.
What are your favorite neighborhoods in Boston?
My husband and I have lived in the Boston area for over 15 years now, and witnessed it change and grow significantly during that time. While my life is largely centered in Cambridge, and I love my West Cambridge neighborhood of Strawberry Hill, exploring the neighborhoods of Boston and surrounding communities never gets old. The explosive growth of neighborhoods like the Seaport and South End offer lots of entertainment and distraction, but I am largely drawn to the older, quieter parts of the city. I’m drawn to natural spaces in the urban environment (especially small ones) as well as historical neighborhoods. So, the neighborhoods around the common and along the waterfront in Boston are favorites—the North End, Beacon Hill, and the South End. And strangely enough, while I’m not drawn to the Seaport personally, one of the highlights of my job is visiting the fish pier. Standing out at the end of the pier, seeing the working boats come in and the open water in the distance, is transporting. It feels like the edge of a precipice, with the bustling business district behind.
Where do you go for a late-night bite?
By the time I finish work, I’m generally in a rush to get home and spend some time with my husband and kids before they go to bed. So, my “after-hours” go-to is the window of time after our dinner guests have left and while our team is cleaning up. The music changes from the more sedate dinner hour track to soul or disco, and everyone works together to clean up. This part of the evening usually includes a “shifty” - a glass of wine, generally, and the leftover biscuits, and other bits and pieces remaining from dinner service. It’s not sexy, or trendy, but it’s real, and my work community is built around this daily routine. It’s a time when we laugh and joke, dance a bit, and shake off the stresses of the day.
In general, what are some of your favorite restaurants and bars right now?
I am drawn to places that are relaxed, offer a thoughtful, well-curated menu, and have staff that know and care about what they are serving. Some of my current favorites include Dear Annie on a Sunday afternoon. Especially when the weather is nice, my husband and I like to walk there from home and have a glass of wine or two and a light bite before dinner. I love the communal vibe and the easy, friendly service. We’re also keen fans of the Notch Brewing at the Speedway. Both because their lineup of Czech and German-style beers is outstanding, and because they’ve created such a great space for getting together with friends. Talulla is my favorite for special occasions. Conor, Danielle and their team consistently serve up a memorable dining experience and make every guest feel seen, appreciated and nourished. And Pammy’s, particularly sitting at the bar for dinner, is a favorite for our rare “date-night” outings. They manage to make every space feel intimate and the food and drinks are always spot-on.
Name a “hidden gem” where you always take friends or family when they are visiting from out of town?
A bit off the beaten path, but our go-to spot, Atwoods in East Cambridge, has a wonderful back garden where we go in the summer for beer and burgers. They source New England beef and know how to cook it. We always order burgers, mine with a side salad, but I totally steal everyone else’s fries. Inside they have nightly live music and a great tap list featuring New England beer including some rare and hard to get brews. Atwoods is my Cheers. We’ve been going there for years and it feels like family.
Where is your favorite place to go for a walk in the city?
Walking in the city is a big part of my life, beyond exercise, it’s a form of therapy - a time for me to clear my head, refocus my thoughts and refill the well. Some of my favorite paths include walking the length of the Charles River from my house in West Cambridge, down to North Point and across the locks, around the North End and back home. I also walk daily around Fresh Pond in Cambridge, which is basically my backyard, or across Danehey Park to the restaurant. No matter when or where I’m walking, I always have one eye trained on things to forage: herbs, wild fruit, the occasional mushroom…it’s like a scavenger hunt that never ends. And what I think is so fascinating and thrilling about urban foraging is the way that you begin to see the environment in a more intensive and intimate way—a level of familiarity that you can only achieve on foot.
What do you think is the best thing about Boston right now?
The growing support for enhancing and celebrating our outdoor spaces, both parks and social spaces. One of the positive legacies of the pandemic. Outdoor dining has been so beneficial for me as a business owner, too. Patio dining in our “streetside parklet” has created so many connections with people in our neighborhood. No longer just a destination restaurant for special occasions, we have become a go-to spot for neighbors in our area—a place to meet up for a quiet weeknight dinner or last-minute date night. We’re meeting so many people who live close by and are only now discovering Urban Hearth. We feel more part of the fabric of our neighborhood than ever before, and the visibility and added seated that the patio provided are largely the cause.
What do you think is the worst thing about Boston right now?
The cost of housing is making it increasingly difficult to attract and retain strong talent in the hospitality industry. It takes a special set of skills and a collection of personalities to make an intimate restaurant like Urban Hearth work, so when chefs or servers are struggling to find housing that they can afford, I take notice.
What is your go-to Dunkin Donuts coffee order?
Coffee is like water for me. In fact, I probably drink more coffee than water on most days, but I’m pretty particular about my brew and where it comes from. Sorry, Dunkin. I like strong black coffee or well-pulled Americanos with a perfect crema—not diluted espresso! So, when I go out for coffee, I gravitate to espresso shops that know their business. Favorites in my immediate neighborhood are Nine Bar in Davis Square, Simons in Porter Square and more recently Curio in East Cambridge. Shout out to Barrington Coffee roasters as well. We have served their coffee at the restaurant since the beginning, and it continues to be a stellar and versatile product for both brewed coffee and espresso. 413 blend is my current favorite.