If Rocca Kitchen & Bar (500 Harrison Avenue, Boston, 617.451.5151) was located in Dover, say, or Weston, its enormous parking lot wouldn't be cause for celebration. But in the South End, where permit-only street parking is the rule and most restaurants charge $14 or more for valet parking (the Red Fez excepted), the fact that Rocca's lot is not only sizable but - miracle of miracles, free - warrants both attention and good-karma points for owners Michela Larson, Gary Sullivan, and Karen Haskell, who could be raking in some serious cash by charging patrons for their prime parking real estate. Of course, what we all should be doing is saving the environment and walking or biking to Rocca in the first place. So consider taking the money you're saving on parking here and donating it to one of your favorite Earth-friendly causes or charities.
