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Your New England Restaurant Blog

The community dining gathering place where professional and citizen journalists review local restaurants

Lorenzo's, a "hidden gem" Italian-American  restaurant in Middleboro, MA (photo by Eric H.)

Welcome to the New England Restaurant Blog at Visiting New England.com. Whether it's New England clam chowder, lobster or just finding a charming New England restaurant, you're sure to find it in our detailed and thoughtful dining guide covering Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Vermont. Updated on a regular basis!

New England Restaurant Blog Ratings Key:

One star --  Some dining appeal, but uneven.

Two Stars -- Some very good qualities, but not enough to make a special trip.


Three Stars -- A restaurant that, for the most part, exhibits excellence at all levels in their particular dining category.

Babe's Place
11 Washington St.
Attleboro MA 02703
Tel. (508)  399-9910

Babe's Place features a diner-like dining room with booths and a counter, an adjoining mid-sized dining room, and huge portions of breakfast, lunch and dinner. We had some great chocolate chip pancakes, a chicken soup that was low on salt but yet flavorful, a tremendous moussaka with a tangy red sauce, tender eggplant and and wonderful meat sauce, and a "veggie" wrap with a combination of fresh vegetables. Babe's Place has the friendly but straightforward servie you would expect from a diner-type place, as well as terrific value.  At Babe's Place, you get a lot for the money and for the taste bud! 

Eric from VisitingNewEngland.com

Taso's Euro Cafe
125 Access Road, Norwood, MA
Tel. (781) 278-0001 

Taso's is a wonderful Greek-American family-style restaurant that we'll be coming back to for along time. We had delicious baked lamb, lemon soup, chicken souvlaki with yogurt sauce, pastichio (meat and macaroni), meatless grape leaves and a pizza with the right combination of cheese, tomato and herbs. Taso's is hidden near the Norwood Airport.  It's a plain-looking, brightly-lit, sit-down restaurant with friendly service.  The food is really amazing!  
Eric from VisitingNewEngland.com


The Burren
247 Elm Street
Somerville, MA 02144
Tel. (617) 776-6896

The Burren can be noisier than Logan Airport and the service can be confused and clueless, but the food and atmosphere make up for the shortcomings. Some say The Burren is the closest thing to being in an irish pub with its lively, cavernous surroundings, 20 beers on draught and top- notch Irish cusine like Shepherd's Pie and chicken curry.  If you're not prone to headaches., can yell above a crowd and love great Irish food, this is the place for you.

Eric from VisitingNewEngland.com

Victory Lane,
32 Exchange St. 
Millis, MA
Tel. 508-376-2595

We recently met a pleasant lady, at the local skating rink, who lives in Millis. She trashed virtually every Millis restaurant -- even the ones we really like. The one that she praised was Victory Lane, applauding, in particular, the pizza that reminded her of the pizza from her hometown -- the pizza-rich Revere, MA. We don't agree with her putting down some very good local restaurants, but we can see why she considered Victory Lane to be "number one." Tucked away on a side street in Millis (otherwise known as downtown Millis), Victory Lane is a classic bar and grill with auto racing decor in the bar. Victory Lane features steak and turkey tips, pasta and pizza, all ranking with the best we've experienced. The clam chowder was also surprisingly good, full of clams and a hearty, full-bodied taste. The restaurant side is plain yet comfortable. Service is down-to-earth with the waitresses seeming to know every customer (except us, and we were treated equally well). Victory Lane validates the neighborhood bar and restaurant genre that can be every bit as good as more high profile and expensive places that serve the same type of food. Victory Lane represents that genre quite well.

Eric from VisitingNewEngland.com

The Gull Restaurant, Gloucester, MA
75 Essex Ave., Rt. 133, 
Gloucester, MA 
Tel. (978)-281-6060

Many times when a restaurant advertises seafood at an affordable price, it means breaded, dried-out seafood soaked in butter. Fortunately, that's not the case at The Gull Restaurant where you not only can sample reasonably-priced seafood (including lobster), Greek-American (like Pastichio), pasta (many with seafood) steak and chicken dishes, but also experience an unbeatable waterfront view of the harbor (with more than 250 yachts) in an attractive but informal setting. This seasonal breakfast, lunch and dinner restaurant is located at the Cape Ann's Marina Resort featuring whale watches, recreational boating opportunities, a gift shop and an inn. Service at The Gull is friendly and served with a New England accent. The chowder was amongst the best we've ever had, creamy, flavorful and loaded with clams. The fresh fillet of sole, wrapped around asparagus and seafood stuffing, and topped with lobster meat and homemade hollandaise sauce was tender and quite tasty. We also sampled a wonderful Greek salad with fresh peppers, tomatoes, oregano and huge chunks of feta cheese drizzled in olive oil. The Gull also has a great-looking bar section with flat screen TVs, a expansive bar counter with stools, tables, and fishermen who bring in their own catch of the day to have the cooks fry that fish for a reasonable $4.95. We look forward to returning to this scenic and affordably-priced seafood restaurant.

Eric from VisitingNewEngland.com

A Little Something
148 Washington St., 
East Walpole, MA 
Tel. (508) 668-6165

A Little Something offers a little something more than your standard bakery or sandwich shop. On the bakery side, its "natural bakery" makes natural baked goods without preservatives, hydrogenated oils, and artificial colors and flavors. The result --whether it's a muffin, strudel, cupcake, whoopie pie, etc. -- are baked goods that taste better than most bakeries that put junk in their products. Regarding lunches, the soups, salads, wraps, specials of the day and vegetarian-based meals are fresh and quite tasty. I recently had a roasted "hormone free" turkey sandwich with homemade stuffing and cranberry on a multi grain bread that matched the best Thanksgiving kind of turkey. The chicken salad is chunky, tender and seasoned instead of loaded with mayonaisse. The chocolate chip muffins are phenomenal! Through a healthful, thoughtful business approach, A Little Something has transformed a tiny but cozy eat-in, take-out storefront into a popular East Walpole eatery. A Little Something is not only a good dining spot, but it also represents the best of owner-occupied businesses that go the extra mile by delivering a good product as well as getting involved with a close-knit community.

Eric from VisitingNewEngland.com

Lorenzo's, 
500 West Grove St., 
Middleboro, MA 
Tel (508)947-3000

Lorenzo's is better than the much-heralded Italian restaurants in the "city" that seem to be media darlings. With an old-school approach, this unassuming, but large Route 18 restaurant makes incredibly tasty homemade pastas and sauces as well as resourcing its fresh vegetables from Lorenzo's Farm in Middleboro. The result is Italian food that proved to be our best Italian restaurant dining experience in a long time , as evidenced by the homemade meat ravioli, pan seared scallops with pasta and vegetables and chicken escarole soup. Lorenzo's also makes homemade pizzas. We can hardly wait to return for lunch or dinner based on our first visit. 

Eric from VisitingNewEngland.com

Famous Bills Restaurant, 
30 Federal St., 
Greenfield, MA 
Tel. (413) 773-9230

Famous Bills is the ultimate family restaurant. Nearly 80-years old, this beloved Greenfield dining landmark keeps its culinary mission simple and direct: offer a wide variety of traditional favorites that people enjoy eating, prepare those dishes with the highest quality food and chef pride, and serve it in a pleasant manner. Famous Bills indeed has a large menu, featuring appetizers, soups, steak, lobster, chicken pot pie, Italian-American dishes, and homemade desserts. We feasted on a homemade roast turkey dinner, oversized crab cakes, fish and chips, clam chowder and a mixed greens salad with delicious Italian dressing, all ranking up there with the best of our New England dining experiences.

Very few places have made us feel totally at home like Famous Bills. From host to waitress to co-owner, each treated us like family. It almost made us want to move to Greenfield that night! We highly recommend Famous Bills as a family-oriented restaurant that people of all ages will love. 

Eric from VisitingNewEngland.com

Phoenix Bar & Grill, Shirley, MA
4 Ayer Rd, 
Shirley, MA 
Tel. (978) 425-4835

With the community of nearby Devens rapidly developing, let's never forget about local great restaurants located in older surrounding communities with historical heart and soul. The Phoenix Grille, located in the quiet North Central Massachusetts Town of Shirley, is one of those terrific bar/restaurants, having a nice rustic, Adirondack feel and well- prepared food for those with big appetites. Great club sandwiches and salads, steak, chicken and seafood dishes will satisfy both the finicky eater and the. The dining room has cozy booths and is decorated with memorabilia, white lights and stuffed animals. The bar is large, friendly, pleasantly dark with a pool table and knowledgeable bartenders. It's the best of both worlds: those looking for a high quality filling meal and those looking for a legitimate local watering hole will not be disappointed. 

Eric from VisitingNewEngland.com

Lowell's Restaurant, Mendon, MA
75 Cape Rd., 
Route 140, 
Mendon, MA 
Tel. (508) 473-1073

Lowell's does American home style breakfast, lunch and dinner the right way. Big on portions and high in quality, the food at Lowell's is like the kind your grandmother used to make. There's some wonderful pot roast, roast turkey dinners, roast chicken, and meat lasagna, to name a few. The lemon pepper trout is particularly good, a doubling serving that has a "fresh catch taste." The clam chowder is as good as it gets with plenty of clams and a tangy broth. Desserts are out-of-this world, especially the French Silk Pie, Boston Cream Pie and Apple Crisp with vanilla ice cream. For more dessert delights, Lowell's features an attached ice cream stand with a deck and plenty of seating. The hosts and wait staff at Lowell's are always pleasant, almost like family. The counter with stools and three dining rooms with booths and tables are quite comfortable. The look may be reminiscent of Howard Johnson's, but the food isn't -- it's terrific, done exactly the way you would expect from a family-style restaurant. 

Eric from VisitingNewEngland.com

 

Previous mini restaurant reviews

Dining Blog Individual Restaurant Reviews

July 14, 2008

Dave's Diner in Middleboro, MA, Features Great Comfort Food in a Classic 1950s Setting

June 30, 2008

Conrad's in Norwood, MA, Specializes in "Neighborhood" Dining

June 27, 2008

Sparta, in Bedford, Mass., is a long-time local family favorite offering  Greek-American cuisine.

June 18, 2008

Carmella's brings great home cooking to Walpole, MA

June 10, 2008

Jalapenos Grill brings dining spice to Walpole, MA with authentic Mexican cuisine

June 9, 2008

Rossi's Restaurant Reopens in Millis, MA

Dining Blog Archives:

Sept. 2007

Aug. 2007

July 2007

Previous New England Dining Blog  restaurant reviews