The Top 14 Comfort Food Dishes in the Boston Suburbs
Article and photos (unless otherwise noted) by Eric Hurwitz. Updated
Oct. 7, 2017
The
suburban Boston area restaurant scene has really picked up over the
past 20 years to the point where locals often prefer staying closer to
home than wresting with traffic and then paying a high price for a
parking spot in Boston.
Many suburban Boston restaurant owners and chefs have either worked in
the Boston restaurant scene, or taken cues from the very best spots to
bring that culinary excellence to the suburbs. Occasionally, a suburban
Boston restaurant will surpass the quality of well-known,
highly-regarded Boston restaurants in a specific genre!
Focusing on comfort foods, here is my top list of dishes you
just have to try in the Boston suburbs broken down by category...
Burger -
Brothers Marketplace, Medfield
Roches Bros. supermarkets owns this wonderful neighborhood grocery
store in downtown Medfield that also features a diner. That diner
serves up incredible comfort foods, including a piled-high cheeseburger that
is nothing short of mouthwatering! Read
more about Brothers Marketplace here...
Calzone -
Lambert's Fruit, Westwood
Lambert's Fruit might look like another grocery store outside, but
inside is
where the culinary magic begins with one of the biggest salad bars in
New England, a fabulous burrito bar, and some of the best calzones in
suburban Boston. Besides tasting great, the calzones can be cut to any
size! In addition to the calzones, read
about Lambert's salad bar here...
Chili - Eagle
Brook Saloon, Norfolk
This restaurant with a western saloon look is actually family-friendly
and serves some tremendous steak, chicken and fish dishes along with
surprisingly good pizza and many ales, but my favorite is the Boot Hill
Chili. This amply-served bowl is loaded with tender beef, plenty of gooey cheese, onions, a
full-bodied tomato sauce with the right combination of herbs and
spices, and nachos. Read
more about the Eagle Brook Saloon here...
Club
Sandwich and Sweet Potato Fries - Kravings, Millis
Millis might be a small town, but the servings are huge at Kravings --
including amazing club sandwiches with a heaping amount of delicious
sweet potato fries. Read
more about Kravings here...
Chicken
parm - Cafe Assisi, Wrentham
This quaint, little Italian bistro comes across every bit as good as
many of the best restaurants in the North End of Boston. The chicken
parm is to die for with its homemade pasta and tomato sauce and an
incredibly flavorful, large portion of lightly breaded chicken. The
photo above is the lunch version! Read
more about Cafe Assisi here...
Eggs, bacon,
corned beef hash and toast - Don's Diner, Plainville
Don's Diner knows how to cook a great breakfast, having been in the
business since 1936. When dining at this classic dining car, I
recommend starting with the eggs, bacon, homemade corned beef hash and
toast. Read
more about Don's Diner here (as part of an article on Plainville)...
Fried
clam plate - Woodman's of Essex in Essex
Photo
courtesy of Massachusetts Department of Travel and Tourism.
Why reinvent the wheel? Woodman's of Essex is reportedly the birthplace
of the fried clam, dating back to the early 20th century. It doesn't
get any better than this in terms of
taste and serving size! Read more about
Woodman's here (as part of The Best Seafood Restaurants in New England)
article...
Ice
Cream - Crescent Ridge Dairy, Sharon
Named twice as one of the best ice cream places in the world by
National Geographic, Crescent Ridge Dairy lives up to its reputation
with some of the creamiest, flavorful ice cream, well, on the planet.
Equally good news: This welcoming ice cream stand is open year-round!
Photo above: orange pineapple ice cream. Read
more on Crescent Ridge right here...
Lobster
roll - Kelly's Roast Beef, Revere Beach
Is it me, or is a tasty lobster roll not enough? Sometimes, lobster
rolls can be eaten in virtually a few bites and at a premium price.
Kelly's Roast Beef waterfront food stand, on the other hand, serves a huge, tasty lobster roll,
year-round, that will provide a challenge to even the hungriest to
finish this delicious masterpiece at one sitting. Read
more on Kelly's Roast Beef here...
Pastrami and
Swiss - Michael's Cafe and Deli, Wrentham
Owner Mike Lewicki was once a truck driver who dreamed of opening his
own restaurant. More than 25 years ago, he did just that, and
customers had their sandwich dreams come true at Michael's Cafe and
Deli with some of the best served in the area. Normally pastrami and
Swiss is optimal on rye bread, but Michael's version on a freshly-made, braided sesame
roll is a brilliant, well-executed idea that bursts with classic deli
flavor. Michael's is a bit hard to find as it is located in a rural
area off the main drag, so employ your GPS! Read
more on Michael's here...
Pizza
- Prince Pizzeria, Saugus
Photo source: Price
Pizzeria web site.
Prince Pizzeria -- known for its Leaning Tower of Pizza structure
outside -- has been making a tremendous Italian-style pizza since the
early 1960s. A great crust, the right amount of quality toppings and a
phenomenal cheese blend help elevate this pizza to local hall of fame
status. Plus, it's a fun, family-friendly place with a large,
colorful dining room saturated with "local" pictures on
the walls, as well as having a separate comedy club. Read more
about Prince Pizzeria here...
Onion rings - C&L Frosty, Sherborn
C&L Frosty cuts through the grease -- all too well known to
restaurant goers -- to make crispy, clean, perfectly-formed onion
rings. They have been doing this since 1975, and the new owners have no
plans on changing what works so well at this classic ice cream and
comfort foods restaurant! Read
more on C&L Frosty right here...
Pu Pu Platter -
Kihei Dynasty, Walpole
With
all the trendy, expensive Asian food out there, sometimes you just have
to go with the tried-and-true-basics of old school Chinese food.
Few do it better than Kihei Dynasty -- a hidden gem located at the side
of a gas station in Walpole. The pu pu platter is one of the signature
dishes here, and with good reason: it's gigantic, delicious and offers
everything you would expect in a pu pu platter. Read
more about Kihei Dynasty right here...
Steak and
Cheese - Carl's Oxford Diner, Oxford
I know Carl's isn't located in a Boston suburb -- Worcester is more
like it -- but just had to include it! Carl's Oxford Diner is best
known for its over-the-top portions, but this classic diner also
prioritizes high quality menu offerings. I know Phildadelphia takes
honors when it comes to steak and cheese, but is Carl's any less in
quality when it comes to its own version? I think not! Loaded with
steak and cheese -- and virtually covering the whole plate -- you
might not be able to finish the whole sandwich. If you don't, be
prepared to have written on the leftover bag something like "Real Big
Wimp"! Read
more about Carl's Oxford Diner here...
Related articles:
Best
lobster rolls in New England
Top
destinations for fried clams in the Boston area
Best
vintage and modern diners in New England
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