New England Dining Reviews>>> The Red Wing, Walpole, MA

The Red Wing Restaurant in Walpole, MA, Proves You Can't Judge A Book By Its Cover

Article and photo by Eric H.

The Red Wing in Walpole, MA, will never win any beauty contests with its beat-up, red-wood, shingle exterior, but then again, that's not why people frequent this Route 1 roadside dining gem.

On the interior, the Red Wing continues its exemption from beauty status, with a tile floor and formica tables in a drab-looking but friendly dining room and a 1933 Worcester

dining car serving as the bar area. By now you know, however, the cliche that beauty is in the eye of the beholder, and for the Red Wing dining patrons that means classic, old school suburban, Italian-American lunch and dinner selections in large portions, quick efficient service, and great value. You won't find better fried clams, clam chowder, roast turkey, or lobster rolls (only $9.95!) in the suburbs. The homemade pizza is a real winner, the tuna roll tasty and plentiful, and a Greek salad that transcends the generic house of pizza kind with mixed greens, plenty of feta and a nice tasting Greek dressing.  The waitresses have personality, are quick on their feet, seem to have good peripheral vision if you need their attention, and deliver your food in quick fashion. Desserts are phenomenal, including blueberry and Boston Cream pies, chocolate cake and some good tasting ice cream.

The Red Wing might seem older than Walpole -- which was incorporated as a town in 1724 -- but that doesn't stop locals and Route 1 travelers from experiencing this restaurant from another era. Sometimes, it's best not to renovate, and to stick with what has worked (the Red Wing has been under the same ownership for more than 50 years). Good food and value are, after all,  timeless, and that's a beautiful thing.

The Red Wing,  2235 Providence Highway, Route 1, Walpole, MA. Tel. (508) 668-0453