You Absolutely MUST Try This

Like any major metropolis, Boston is home to hundreds of restaurants. And that’s probably a gross understatement. With so many options, it’s hard for any visitor to know where to begin!

Let’s start with the basics. Every place on Earth has at least one local specialty.  That one thing you absolutely HAVE to try, and Boston is no exception to that rule. 

First and foremost is the seafood. This is essential. Having a food allergy is the only acceptable excuse for not downing a bowl of New England clam chowder – in a bread bowl of course – during your time in Boston. This famous specialty is a milk- or cream-based chowder usually made with potatoes, onions, and clams. Tomatoes too? Absolutely not. In 1939 a bill was passed in Maine making it illegal to add tomatoes to the chowder, which was considered a barbaric New York custom by New Englanders. How strictly this is enforced these days is unknown, but if you’re served a bowl of “authentic” New England clam chowder with tomatoes, something has gone horribly wrong.  Another staple of New England clam chowder is using oyster crackers instead of flour to thicken it —  a simple way to make things extra delicious. 

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Another Boston must-eat is lobster dipped in melted butter sauce. Doesn't that just make your mouth water? Boston is one of the first cities to develop a taste for lobster in the mid 19th century, and the industry really took off after the development of the “lobster smack,” a boat with open holding wells to keep the lobsters alive during transport. Before then, consuming lobsters was considered a mark of poverty, often used as food for servants or lower members of society. My, how the times have changed....

One last piece of Boston food culture that is often overlooked is the fruit. Again, besides a food allergy, there’s no excuse for not chowing down on a handful of berries, peaches, plums, or whatever else you can find this spring, especially since the Boston Copley Square Farmers Market will be, quite literally, just outside your door. Located just a few minutes walk from the Boston Marriott Copley Place, the Farmers Market is open every Tuesday and Friday during the summer months. 

Are your taste buds tingling yet? Stay tuned for more Boston dining suggestions coming soon!

For More Information

ACHA 2013 Annual Meeting 
Best of Boston 2012 Dining Guide Index
Union Oyster House 
Best of Boston 2012 Winner, New England Clam Chowder
Best of Boston 2012 Winner, Lobster Roll
Boston Copley Place Farmer’s Market

Image Credit - Clam Chowder: The Wicked Noodle Blog, Fruit: Laylita's Recipes Blog