It seems like just yesterday we were struggling to pronounce the name of this saucy dish of poached eggs in tomato-pepper sauce, which originally hails from the Mediterranean coast of North Africa and. But now, shakshuka is interpreted widely and is a cornerstone of our weekend brunch plans. Spiced with cumin or salted with feta, and alternatively served with flatbread or sourdough for sopping up sauce, Boston has no shortage of stellar shakshuka. From a global Jewish deli to an Italian-ish neighborhood joint and everywhere in between, here’s where to order shakshuka in Boston.
Israeli-influenced cafe chain Tatte deserves the credit for turning shakshuka into a local household name. Traditional Shakshuka, made with a tomato and bell pepper sauce, eggs, onions, cumin, feta, and parsley, is on every location’s all-day menu; or opt for a version with Lamb Meatballs, peppadew peppers, and labneh. Tatte also serves a rotating shakshuka special. Each version is served in a piping-hot skillet with challah bread for dipping.
Acclaimed Mediterranean chef Ana Sortun’s West Cambridge bakery and cafe Sofra serves a Shakshuka of poached eggs in tomato sauce spiced with hawaij, an Arabic mixture of warm spices. This dish also gets a sprinkling of spicy, herby zhoug, a bright-green blend of parsley, cilantro, and Hungarian wax peppers. We’d call it Sofra’s “secret sauce,” but it’s not too closely guarded—half-pints of the house-made condiment are often available in their carry-out section.
Inna’s Kitchen, a mainly-takeout global Jewish deli in Newton, is here to help you win brunch at home by selling Shakshuka Simmer Sauce by the quart. The mild sauce stocks tomatoes, fire-roasted bell peppers, onions, and spices. Inna’s Kitchen is also the only place you’ll find Shakalatkes, a house creation-turned-takeaway kit that comes with latkes, shakshuka sauce, and a cup of spicy zhoug on the side. Call or order online 24 hours ahead.
This Watertown restaurant and patio may have built its reputation on rotisserie chicken, but one of Branch Line’s best weekend brunch dishes puts eggs before chicken. We’re of course referring to Shakshuka: a mix of spiced heirloom tomatoes, salty feta, watercress, and two eggs in a skillet. The hearty dish is served with grilled sourdough francese bread to ensure a clean plate.
Global influences permeate the menu at Woods Hill Pier 4, though the menu is truly inspired by New England ingredients: A 360-acre farm in New Hampshire raises chicken and eggs, cows, pigs, lambs, and plenty of produce for this Seaport restaurant. Head here for brunch to try the Woods Hill take on shakshuka, featuring lamb merguez sausage, farm-fresh roasted vegetables and tomato sauce, and organic slow-poached farm eggs.
With a lively patio on Beacon Street, Bar ’Cino is a Brookline neighborhood restaurant serving up Italian-esque Mediterranean cuisine. Their brunchy poached egg dish, which takes its cues from the Boot, is a close cousin of spiced shakshuka: Eggs in Purgatory and white beans luxuriate in a sweet tomato sauce enhanced with herbs and braised greens.
Among the tempting options inside Boston’s new High Street Place food hall is all-day Middle Eastern street food spot, Hum’oveh. In addition to the specialty “Mediterranean Panini,” or lavash flatbreads stuffed with spiced meat, Cauliflower Shawarma, and other savory fillings, there are salads and meze plates to accompany grilled lavash, including red, green, and labne Shakshuka options on the breakfast menu.
Jacqueline Cain contributed reporting
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