5 Classic American Roadside Food Stands and Drive-Ins Not to Be
Missed in
Massachusetts
by
Eric Hurwitz. Page created on 3/22/17. All photos by Eric unless
otherwise noted.
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Some are only seasonal and others require a brave soul
to order at the window in the frozen tundra of Massachusetts winter
weather, but outdoor roadside food stands have a warm place in a
local's heart 12 months a year. Unpretentious, cheap and usually
serving heaping amounts of delicious comfort foods, the following
outdoor-only food stands and drive-ins
in
Massachusetts have achieved local, legendary status and should be on
every travelers A list -- especially on a
warm spring, summer or fall day...
Sullivan's at Castle Island,
South Boston
On Februrary 23, 2017, Sullivan's in South Boston reopened for the
season
to, at times, quarter-of a-mile lines. File that one under "Profiles
of New England Food Stand Dynasties." Located at scenic, coastal Castle
Island, Sullivan's has been in business since 1951 by serving excellent
comfort foods at extremely low prices. Known as a hot dog joint,
Sullivan's is
much more than that with tasty fried seafood, mouthwatering burgers, a
good selection of sandwiches, salads, fantastic New England clam
chowder, ice cream amd even breakfast (served 8:30 a.m.-10:30 a.m.).
Sullivan's always seems to have a crowd, especially in the summer when
the joys of eating comfort foods, the refreshing seabreeze, spending a
day at Carson Beach, and the
chance to walk off the calories at 22-acre Castle Island make for one
of the best Boston travel experiences.
Sullivan's is located at 2080 William J. Day Blvd., South Boston. Tel.
617-268-5685. Web site: http://www.sullivanscastleisland.com
Fish and chips with fries from Sullivan's.
Commonwealth BBQ, Wrentham
Open-year-round in a quaint southwest suburb of Boston,
Commonwealth BBQ might not be south enough to be located below the
Mason-Dixon line, but this colorful roadside shack clearly follows the
authentic homestyle barbecue
cooking of the southern regions. The barbecue meats -- BBQ’s meats are
pit-smoked over hard woods for several hours -- along with burritos and
flavorful Cowboy beans are the standouts , never failing to take on
mouthwatering status.
With picnic tables to dine and quick, efficient service, Commonwealth
BBQ makes for a classic outdoor roadside dining experience with some of
the best barbecue foods in the Boston region -- better than the ones
that seem to get all the press.
Commonwealth BBQ is located at 659 South St. (Route 1A) Wrentham. Tel.
508-384-9676. Web site: http://www.commonwealthbbq.com/
Barbecue pulled pork, summer squash and beans from Commonwealth
BBQ in Wrentham.
Kelly's Roast Beef, Revere Beach
Kelly's Roast Beef at Revere Beach dates back to 1951 and stands as a
Boston area landmark located right across from Revere Beach with its
long stretch of sandy beach. This unassuming little, year-round
roadside food stand has been featured on the Food Network’s show $40 a Day with Rachael Ray, the PBS
Special Sandwiches You Will
Like, Saturday Night Live,
and in the movie classic Good Will
Hunting starring Matt Damon and Ben Affleck. Why has Kelly's
gained so much attention? It comes down to doing the simple things
right: lobster rolls are huge and jam-packed with lobster meat, the
fried clams cooked to golden perfection, and the roast beef especially
tender and abundant. Sit on the wall, a bench or one of the few
outdoor tables at Kelly's to enjoy your meal but before that, expect
significant lines on a hot summer night!
Kelly's Roast Beef is located at 410 Revere Beach Blvd., Revere. Tel.
617-284-9129. Web site: http://www.kellysroastbeef.com/locations/revere-beach/
Lobster roll from Kelly's Roast Beef at Revere Beach.
Howard's Drive-In, West Brookfield
Howard's has been in business since 1947, and truly evokes the classic
American food roadstand. Howard's has everything a comfort foods
fan could ever want: fried seafood and chicken, lobster rolls, barbecue
chicken, baby back ribs, rib eye steak plate, hot dogs, burgers, onions
rings, New England clam chowder, and rock-bottom prices for huge
servings of excellent
hard and soft serve ice cream. Seasonal in nature with a great picnic
grove dining area, Howard's Drive-in goes far beyond basic classic
American fare with some of the freshest tasting food we have tasted at
places of this restaurant genre. -- what a great place to be on a
summer day in beautiful, rural central Massachusetts!
Howard's Drive-In is located at 121 East Main St., West Brookfield.
Tel. 508-867-6504. Facebook fan page: https://www.facebook.com/HowardsDriveInInc/
Barbecue chicken from Howard's Drive-In, West Brookfield.
George's Surf 'N Turf, Mendon
George's Surf 'N Turf holds the retro distinction as being one of the
last roadside food stands in Massachusetts to offer carhop service. You
can opt to order at the window, but either way, the results will be the
same including delicious fried seafood, chicken tenders, burgers, hot
dogs, New England clam chowder, fries, onion rings, root beer floats,
frappes, old-fashioned Rickeys, and hard and soft-serve ice cream.
George's -- with a nice picnic grove perfect for a warm weather day --
typically opens in early March, but the carhop services starts in early
May.
George's Surf 'N Turf is located at 116 Uxbridge Rd., Mendon. Tel.
508-473-2125. Facebook fan page: https://www.facebook.com/Georges-Surf-N-Turf-179243512098682/
Combo fried seafood plate from George's Surf 'N Turf in Mendon.
Photo source: George's Surf 'N Turf Facebook fan page:
https://www.facebook.com/Georges-Surf-N-Turf-179243512098682/
Editor's
note: Always called ahead to find out business hours of these great
roadside stands!
Related article:
The best ice
cream stands in New England
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