In the market for a new cookbook? We know just the spot. Below the shelves of highly curated food and drinks at EBO & Co. Grocery, you’ll find Over The Tunnel Books: a cozy bookstore and gathering space.
To find this snug book nook, head to the Meridian Street market and make your way toward the back wall, stocked with an array of wines. From there, pause to read the directions just above the stairs – and note that the maximum capacity for the space is five people.
Once you’ve stepped into the hidden gem – an eclectic, moody, and thoughtfully decorated room – take a few moments to peruse the shelves of food-related publications, from “Italian Street Food: Recipes from Italy’s Bars and Hidden Laneways” to “Eventide: Recipes for Clambakes, Oysters, Lobster Rolls, and More from a Modern Maine Seafood Shack.”
Plus, it wouldn’t be an East Boston Oysters project without a little extra foodie fun, and at Over The Tunnel Books, that comes in the form of espresso. Stop by the space to use the Neretva espresso machine and jazz up your complimentary beverage with maple or hazelnut syrup. (Gratuity is appreciated, and instructions for tipping are on the notes above the stairs.)
With plush, comfortable seating and board games like Chess and Connect 4, Over The Tunnel Books invites visitors to sit and stay a while, flipping through cookbook pages and enjoying a treat purchased from upstairs. That treat might come in the form of EBO & Co. Grocery’s top-notch caviar or fresh croissants from Iggy’s Bread (available on Saturday mornings). This space is also available to rent for up to eight people.
Over the Tunnel Books is open at 110 Meridian St. Monday through Thursday from 12 to 6 p.m. and Friday through Sunday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Sara Frazier is a writer and editor living in East Boston. She has a degree in journalism from Boston University and can usually be found with her nose in a book at a local coffee shop.
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