The food was fantastic! Every dish was a hit. My favorites were the puttanesca, mushroom rigatoni, lamb meatballs, pork schnitzel, and potato rosti. 10/10 would recommend.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Peter Cabral
LOCATION is good, right across the street from rapid transit, with ample curbside and lot parking if you come by car. Outdoor seating available, although we went on a rainy Wednesday and enjoyed seats at the chef’s counter. The other options were the bar and the dining area.SERVICE was good not great. We were waited on by no less than four different people, but on two occasions I was casting around the room looking for someone to take an additional order.TASTE was pretty good, particularly with the combinations of vegetables, but I found myself wanting more spice and less salt with the fish and meat dishes.Staff explained clearly that the style is “similar to tapas”, meaning the portions are smaller. Even the hot tea came in a miniature kettle, which was cute.For us, a couple that doesn’t drink, the pub part of this gastropub was wasted. Though we liked the flavors and the vibe was nice, I’m not sure the menu had enough to pique our curiosity for another visit.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 3
Service: 3
Carol B.
If you want to pay a lot for mediocre food while being uncomfortable this is your place. No tablecloths or place mats. no cushions or upholstery. Service fine. limited selection much better food further down at Farmstead but unfortunately they are open weds =Sunday more of a bar with seating than a real restaurant
Kellyn Rivero Prince
Food is so good. Portions aren’t that big but I loved trying everything. So many flavors. Amazing!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Maureen Buckley
Everything was lovely here - excellent food, welcoming people, cool atmosphere. I cannot say enough about it and can’t wait to work my way through the menu!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Lewis Benjamin
The varied menu, excellent preparations and cozy atmosphere are truly special. It worked for the vegetarian among us, especially the mushroom cassoulet. Salad, monkfish and chickpea fritters were just great.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Craig Hardimon
One of the best meals in years at Thistle & Leek!Last night my wife and I sat at the bar at Thistle & Leek in Newton and had one of the best meals we’ve had in years. The hanger steak melted in our mouths, pastrami salmon was a creative masterpiece, and who knew roasted carrots could be that good!Beyond the amazing food, a special shout out goes to our server/bartender Chelsea B. Her menu advice and engaging conversation made us feel welcomed and cared for.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Craig H.
One of the best meals in years at Thistle & Leek! Last night my wife and I sat at the bar at Thistle & Leek in Newton and had one of the best meals we've had in years. The hanger steak melted in our mouths, pastrami salmon was a creative masterpiece, and who knew roasted carrots could be that good! Beyond the amazing food, a special shout out goes to our server/bartender Chelsea. Her menu advice and engaging conversation made us feel welcomed and cared for.
Claudia L.
The hostess and manager were not welcoming and were rude., We came in at 9:10 p.m., the hostess was hesitant to seat us and told us that the kitchen was closing at 10.00 pm. It felt, right off the bat, like we were being rushed in and out. There were plenty of empty tables and nobody else came in after us. Once we sat, our server did a great job making us feel welcome and the food was very good. After dinner, I casually mentioned to the manager that we enjoyed the food but we would've felt more welcomed and less rushed as customers if the hostess hadn't focused on the kitchen closing close to an hour before it was set to close. The manager was extremely dismissive and said something to the effect that "you are not our customer, you are our guest." Not sure exactly what he meant by that but it felt like he was saying we were lucky to be in his restaurant. In any event, overall a decent experience but as someone who has been in the service industry (including having worked in a high end restaurant) for many years, it struck me that the team working at the front of the house at Thistle & Leek is lacking in people skills.
We ventured out to Newton because the menu sounded super innovative but unfortunately everything fell a little short. Our waiter was very friendly, he asked if "we were libating tonight" which was hilarious. The space is small and cozy, indeed a bit like a pub, but decorated with cute art. I was so intrigued by the parsnip custard but it caught me off guard to see that it costed $28! Probably because of the caviar on top! We were told this was an experimental dish, the chef was playing around with the toppings. The custard itself was cold, I was expecting something warm, like chawanmushi, so a bit aggressive on the stomach to start a meal. The caviar, asian pair, and pine nuts on top felt random, no particular harmony. I couldn't enjoy the saltiness of the caviar because the pine nut flavor was so strong. 2/5 One thing I noticed was how cheap the prices of the other dishes seemed, chickpea panisse for $7?! Maybe it was because we were outside of the city. But alas, it was simply because the portions are tiny! These lil chickpea fritters were the size of a marshmallow. Nicely crispy on the outside, mushy like soft tofu on the inside. I would've preferred the whipped feta on some bread. 3/5 Brussels sprouts bourguignonne ($15) was disappointing too, I wasn't getting any beefy or red wine flavor. The smoked cipollini onions tasted like they had been marinating in liquid smoke. The sprouts were soft, but no crisp. 2.5/5 Mushroom cassoulet ($19) with flageolet beans, leeks, and persillade was nicely savory even without the meat, but was swimming in a pool of oil. 2.5/5 Highly coveted lamb meatballs in tomato & ginger curry were fall apart tender and a pleasant kind of mush, fatty but didn't feel heavy. The garlic flatbread was slightly gummy. Solid, but don't understand the hype. 3/5 Skate alla piccata with hedgehog mushroom, celery root, brown butter. Wonderfully fried but at this point everything was starting to taste the same... like food trying to be French via butter and herbs but roughened / less delicate. 3.5/5 Sweet potato on sesame focaccia with pimenton honey and manchego was recommended by our waiter and surprisingly one of my favorites! The focaccia was fluffy on the inside but had a nice crunch on the outside, paired with the fudgy sweet potato, which I don't usually love but was seasoned to mask that alcoholic sweet flavor. 4/5 Young chicken with rye spaetzle, charred cabbage, apple, mustard jus once again had the same overall buttery vegetable flavor profile! The chicken was cooked wonderfully, but the portion was so small. I loved the little seared spaetzles which all had a bit of crunch on the edges! 4/5 For dessert we got the coconut rice pudding that was creamy but surprisingly refreshing and much needed after all the buttery savory food. The chevre cheesecake sounded interesting with the grape and rosemary cornmeal crumble, but this dessert was not greater than the sum of its parts. 3/5
Subhas Kamath
Great dishes, Tapas style! Everything we ordered was well prepared and tasty. The cocktails hit the spot!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Kaloyan “Kal” Draganov
Amazing restaurant, excellent service, and delicious food! Truly the quintessential “gastropub”
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 5
Mike Davis
Every dish we ordered was excellent. Oysters, chicken, mushrooms, all fantastic. The chevre cheesecake and French press coffee made for an excellent end to the meal.The place can get a little noisy when full.The waitstaff was great. Made some good recommendations.All in all, a really great experience.Parking: There is some street side parking and a large parking lot close by. If you are looking to charge an EV there is a Greenspot charger about a 6 minute walk from the restaurant.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Pork Schnitzel and Garden Salad, French Press Coffee
Sarah Puerini
I recently had the pleasure of dining at Thistle and Leek, and I can confidently say it was an exceptional experience from start to finish.One of the highlights of our evening was being able to sit at the chef's counter. It was a unique experience, and we were lucky enough to witness sous chef Peter expertly shaving truffles for our flatbread. He even took the time to step out from behind the kitchen to share insights about the unique plant placements at the counter. (iykyk)Our server, Noam, was delightful. Not only was he friendly and attentive, but he also had an extensive knowledge of the menu. Noam provided fantastic suggestions for food, cocktails, and wine pairings. A standout dish for me was the skate alla piccata with chanterelles, celery root, and brown butter. To me, this was a perfect dish embodying all of my most favorite flavors.After our meal, I inquired about a port wine to accompany dessert. Brendan, who I believe is a co-owner, offered me a tasting of two port alternatives, a Spanish vermouth and sherry. Both were delicious, exactly what I was looking for, and perfect with my dessert of choice.Thistle and Leek is a gem of a restaurant that deserves every bit of praise it receives. From the friendly and knowledgeable staff to the unique chef's counter experience and, of course, the outstanding food and beverages, this restaurant is a new favorite. I can't wait to return!Vegetarian options: Terrific assortment of vegetarian options!
Always incredible!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Pork Schnitzel and Garden Salad, Monkfish, Hanger Steak, Toasted Focaccia
The food was fantastic! Every dish was a hit. My favorites were the puttanesca, mushroom rigatoni, lamb meatballs, pork schnitzel, and potato rosti. 10/10 would recommend.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
LOCATION is good, right across the street from rapid transit, with ample curbside and lot parking if you come by car. Outdoor seating available, although we went on a rainy Wednesday and enjoyed seats at the chef’s counter. The other options were the bar and the dining area.SERVICE was good not great. We were waited on by no less than four different people, but on two occasions I was casting around the room looking for someone to take an additional order.TASTE was pretty good, particularly with the combinations of vegetables, but I found myself wanting more spice and less salt with the fish and meat dishes.Staff explained clearly that the style is “similar to tapas”, meaning the portions are smaller. Even the hot tea came in a miniature kettle, which was cute.For us, a couple that doesn’t drink, the pub part of this gastropub was wasted. Though we liked the flavors and the vibe was nice, I’m not sure the menu had enough to pique our curiosity for another visit.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 3
Service: 3
If you want to pay a lot for mediocre food while being uncomfortable this is your place. No tablecloths or place mats. no cushions or upholstery. Service fine. limited selection much better food further down at Farmstead but unfortunately they are open weds =Sunday more of a bar with seating than a real restaurant
Food is so good. Portions aren’t that big but I loved trying everything. So many flavors. Amazing!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Everything was lovely here - excellent food, welcoming people, cool atmosphere. I cannot say enough about it and can’t wait to work my way through the menu!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
The varied menu, excellent preparations and cozy atmosphere are truly special. It worked for the vegetarian among us, especially the mushroom cassoulet. Salad, monkfish and chickpea fritters were just great.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
One of the best meals in years at Thistle & Leek!Last night my wife and I sat at the bar at Thistle & Leek in Newton and had one of the best meals we’ve had in years. The hanger steak melted in our mouths, pastrami salmon was a creative masterpiece, and who knew roasted carrots could be that good!Beyond the amazing food, a special shout out goes to our server/bartender Chelsea B. Her menu advice and engaging conversation made us feel welcomed and cared for.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
One of the best meals in years at Thistle & Leek! Last night my wife and I sat at the bar at Thistle & Leek in Newton and had one of the best meals we've had in years. The hanger steak melted in our mouths, pastrami salmon was a creative masterpiece, and who knew roasted carrots could be that good! Beyond the amazing food, a special shout out goes to our server/bartender Chelsea. Her menu advice and engaging conversation made us feel welcomed and cared for.
The hostess and manager were not welcoming and were rude., We came in at 9:10 p.m., the hostess was hesitant to seat us and told us that the kitchen was closing at 10.00 pm. It felt, right off the bat, like we were being rushed in and out. There were plenty of empty tables and nobody else came in after us. Once we sat, our server did a great job making us feel welcome and the food was very good. After dinner, I casually mentioned to the manager that we enjoyed the food but we would've felt more welcomed and less rushed as customers if the hostess hadn't focused on the kitchen closing close to an hour before it was set to close. The manager was extremely dismissive and said something to the effect that "you are not our customer, you are our guest." Not sure exactly what he meant by that but it felt like he was saying we were lucky to be in his restaurant. In any event, overall a decent experience but as someone who has been in the service industry (including having worked in a high end restaurant) for many years, it struck me that the team working at the front of the house at Thistle & Leek is lacking in people skills.
Restaurantji Recommends
We ventured out to Newton because the menu sounded super innovative but unfortunately everything fell a little short. Our waiter was very friendly, he asked if "we were libating tonight" which was hilarious. The space is small and cozy, indeed a bit like a pub, but decorated with cute art. I was so intrigued by the parsnip custard but it caught me off guard to see that it costed $28! Probably because of the caviar on top! We were told this was an experimental dish, the chef was playing around with the toppings. The custard itself was cold, I was expecting something warm, like chawanmushi, so a bit aggressive on the stomach to start a meal. The caviar, asian pair, and pine nuts on top felt random, no particular harmony. I couldn't enjoy the saltiness of the caviar because the pine nut flavor was so strong. 2/5 One thing I noticed was how cheap the prices of the other dishes seemed, chickpea panisse for $7?! Maybe it was because we were outside of the city. But alas, it was simply because the portions are tiny! These lil chickpea fritters were the size of a marshmallow. Nicely crispy on the outside, mushy like soft tofu on the inside. I would've preferred the whipped feta on some bread. 3/5 Brussels sprouts bourguignonne ($15) was disappointing too, I wasn't getting any beefy or red wine flavor. The smoked cipollini onions tasted like they had been marinating in liquid smoke. The sprouts were soft, but no crisp. 2.5/5 Mushroom cassoulet ($19) with flageolet beans, leeks, and persillade was nicely savory even without the meat, but was swimming in a pool of oil. 2.5/5 Highly coveted lamb meatballs in tomato & ginger curry were fall apart tender and a pleasant kind of mush, fatty but didn't feel heavy. The garlic flatbread was slightly gummy. Solid, but don't understand the hype. 3/5 Skate alla piccata with hedgehog mushroom, celery root, brown butter. Wonderfully fried but at this point everything was starting to taste the same... like food trying to be French via butter and herbs but roughened / less delicate. 3.5/5 Sweet potato on sesame focaccia with pimenton honey and manchego was recommended by our waiter and surprisingly one of my favorites! The focaccia was fluffy on the inside but had a nice crunch on the outside, paired with the fudgy sweet potato, which I don't usually love but was seasoned to mask that alcoholic sweet flavor. 4/5 Young chicken with rye spaetzle, charred cabbage, apple, mustard jus once again had the same overall buttery vegetable flavor profile! The chicken was cooked wonderfully, but the portion was so small. I loved the little seared spaetzles which all had a bit of crunch on the edges! 4/5 For dessert we got the coconut rice pudding that was creamy but surprisingly refreshing and much needed after all the buttery savory food. The chevre cheesecake sounded interesting with the grape and rosemary cornmeal crumble, but this dessert was not greater than the sum of its parts. 3/5
Great dishes, Tapas style! Everything we ordered was well prepared and tasty. The cocktails hit the spot!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Amazing restaurant, excellent service, and delicious food! Truly the quintessential “gastropub”
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 5
Every dish we ordered was excellent. Oysters, chicken, mushrooms, all fantastic. The chevre cheesecake and French press coffee made for an excellent end to the meal.The place can get a little noisy when full.The waitstaff was great. Made some good recommendations.All in all, a really great experience.Parking: There is some street side parking and a large parking lot close by. If you are looking to charge an EV there is a Greenspot charger about a 6 minute walk from the restaurant.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Pork Schnitzel and Garden Salad, French Press Coffee
I recently had the pleasure of dining at Thistle and Leek, and I can confidently say it was an exceptional experience from start to finish.One of the highlights of our evening was being able to sit at the chef's counter. It was a unique experience, and we were lucky enough to witness sous chef Peter expertly shaving truffles for our flatbread. He even took the time to step out from behind the kitchen to share insights about the unique plant placements at the counter. (iykyk)Our server, Noam, was delightful. Not only was he friendly and attentive, but he also had an extensive knowledge of the menu. Noam provided fantastic suggestions for food, cocktails, and wine pairings. A standout dish for me was the skate alla piccata with chanterelles, celery root, and brown butter. To me, this was a perfect dish embodying all of my most favorite flavors.After our meal, I inquired about a port wine to accompany dessert. Brendan, who I believe is a co-owner, offered me a tasting of two port alternatives, a Spanish vermouth and sherry. Both were delicious, exactly what I was looking for, and perfect with my dessert of choice.Thistle and Leek is a gem of a restaurant that deserves every bit of praise it receives. From the friendly and knowledgeable staff to the unique chef's counter experience and, of course, the outstanding food and beverages, this restaurant is a new favorite. I can't wait to return!Vegetarian options: Terrific assortment of vegetarian options!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5