Eating Out: Halloween

Think Halloween in the city is all about drunken undergrads carousing in the streets? Think it's all about costumes from the Garment District or Salvation Army? Think you can't adequately celebrate without a plastic cup in your hand? Think again. Boston has plenty to offer outside of house parties and club nights, with several local restaurants providing a much-needed alternative to beiruit and bump n' grind.

Let's start out with the Halloween scene at Upstairs on the Square, where the drinks are themed, the menu is enhanced, and the kitchen is open until midnight. The night is set to music by the Reed Cournoyer Jazz Trio, and while costume is not required, there are prizes for creativity. If you're in the mood for something a little more trendy, head over to Vox Populi for their annual fete. Five dollars gets you in the door, after which cocktails are a la carte, and a $500 cash prize goes to the best dressed. Pumpkin mojitos, anyone? Over in Brookline, The Fireplace hosts its own costume party, upping the ante by offering tarot readings and snacks, but if you're looking to shun the holiday altogether, the tasting at Aujourd'hui might be for you. For $45, diners receive a non-themed three-course pairing of food and wine that's sure to please any palate. This one starts at 6pm, too, so you'll miss the trick-or-treaters entirely. But look out while you're leaving the restaurant – more adventurous revelers will just be heading out to parties, like the DJ-driven bash at Cambridge's uber-hip Middlesex Lounge.

Photo by Flickr user Silkshootah