On May 15, 1976, The Garden Club of the Back Bay presented a City Garden Tour in support of the planting of the Courtyard of the Boston Public Library. Tickets were $3.50 in advance and $4 on the day of the tour. Eleven gardens were featured, and in future From the Archives posts we plan to revisit some of those addresses and see how the gardens have fared. What most interests us today, however, was the list of suggested restaurants for a “pleasant lunch.” Not one of them currently exists (although some have transformed), but perhaps you remember them: Cafe Florian at 85 Newbury, the Cafe Vendome at 160 Commonwealth, The Magic Pan at 47 Newbury Street, the Ritz-Carlton Hotel at 15 Arlington Street, The Stockpot at 119 Newbury Street, and Whimsey’s at 165 Dartmouth Street. Back Bay changes, and today you are more likely to find sushi and Thai food than crepes and Viennese coffee.
