My sister’s 60th birthday luncheon in July with her in-law family and me was at Fiorella’s Cucina in Concord. Parking behind the restaurant which helps, because Concord sucks for trying to find street parking during mealtime. although a sunny Saturday afternoon is probably the worse time.
I had the goat cheese and glazed walnut mesclun salad with lemony vinaigrette and shrimp scampi. Others had Lemon Chicken, Chicken Marsala and Veal Parm, from what I remember. Generous portions, nothing overly imaginative but good Italian food. Our server was amazing, ensuring the young kids had things to do and their pizza were brought quickly.
I’m not sure the Yangtze is there, and there was a very nice french spot across from them for a long time but I believe that is gone as well.
I would like to say Harvard has come into this century but I’m not certain that is true.
Let us know what you find in your travels.
We were also thrilled when the prohibition on Sunday alcohol sales rolled south from New Hampshire to the MA border towns and we could buy libations in Ayer…
there’s an older thread here with a bunch of good recs for the Szechuan side of the menu at Spicepepper Garden in Acton from Striperguy, whose advice is always reliable. My co-worker lives there too and gives the place high marks as well.
Thanks! Didn’t know about this place, either. There are a dearth of good Asian restaurants where we live so we usually cook at home, but even finding ingredients is difficult.
+1 for Spicepepper Garden. Really good, authentic SiChuan flavor, though not overbearingly spicy (though I’m probably not the best person to ask in that respect). If SiChuan cookery is of any interest, this is a terrific option to have at hand.
For interesting and spicy in that area there’s the Westford location of Gene’s Chinese Flatbread Café, a local Shaanxi chain with many fans on this board. I’m especially fond of the #4 hand-pulled noodles, which feature lots of garlic as well as spice, and the #10 dumpling soup. Come cooler weather that’ll be back in our rotation for sure.
Thank you!! We just might make this 3-day trip a Chinese food extravaganza People come to the Cape for a week and only eat fish and chips, clams, scallops and lobster…
We are doing just that in September!
If you are looking for a different coast line head north to Kittery Point in Maine and have some ramen at Anju Noodle Bar.
If thats too far, Tasty Dumpling in Lowell is a great spot too, very nice hand made soup dumplings among other things.
+1 on Tasty Dumplings in Lowell, if you are in need of a dumpling fix.
Also on the dumpling theme I’ll also +1 on the Hot Sour Dumpling Soup at Gene’s Cafe in Westford. My husband and I split an order because each contains about a dozen pork dumplings. If you decide to try the hand pulled noodles at Gene’s, know that they pack a delicious garlicky punch that stays with you. (Or with me, anyway.) Note that Gene’s is open only from Weds.-Sun.
On a related note, there’s an Asian market in the buildout phase, Acton Asian Market, where Willow Books used to be (275 Great Road). Hoping this store might finally be open by the time of your visit.
Some other ideas: Rapscallion Table & Tap in Acton is a gastropub with outdoor seating. Though we haven’t been since the pandemic, I pass by and that lawn looks like an inviting place to grab a beer.
A couple places in Chelmsford that we frequent: Cafe Twelve, which is an owner-staffed breakfast and lunch place in the center. Takeout is best at the moment because the place is tiny. Any egg sandwich with an iced coffee? My day is made!
Max & Leo’s pizza in Chelmsford Center, across from the library, offers basic outdoor seating and thin-crust pizza with a pleasant char. We hit up this place for a pizza and draft beer dinner when we need to get out of the house. I pretend that I’m in a neighborhood osteria on an Italian street somewhere because, imagination. Hours limited; see website.
ETA: How could I forget ice cream? Kimball Farms in either Littleton or Carlisle. We frequent the Carlisle location nowadays because it’s less people-y. Depending on the timing of your trip you may be able to catch them before they close for the season. Their gingersnap molasses flavor is a must for me in the fall.
More ETA: Holi in Bedford Center is worth considering if you need some Indian food in your life. Not a destination-type place but very consistent. We order online for pickup. Every order has been packed with great care.
We’ve been returning to a few reliable favorites at Holi over and over. Our move is to order enough food for two meals. We’ve made our own rut, um, routine there.
We share Aloo Tikki Chaat as a starter. Our go-to main is Keema Mutter. We get two different types of naan: garlic (for now) and butter (for later). Also we get a vegetarian dish but haven’t found the one that we want to order on repeat. Yet.
Holi packs a papadum and three small condiment cups of chutneys with our takeout order too. Nice touch.
Thank you! We’ll check these out. Looking forward to getting off-Cape together for a few days. It’s been somewhat confining out here. Going to Ohio to visit my mother for awhile in September and am looking forward to that, as well. She & I have both been vaccinated but I’m still nervous about the flights and will keep a mask on for the whole trip.
Twin Seafood is not bad the environs are pleasant enough. Spicepepper is okay and so is Asian Gourmet on the rotary. There’s Indian by the lake called Mayuri. Tons of stuff in Lowell but that doesn’t seem very close to Acton. Rapscallion is decent.
Thank you. We’re looking forward to going back up to our beginnings. I’m sure nothing is the same. We left there in 1999. We do know that Bob’s Turkey Farm is still in business, as well as Idylewilde Farms in Acton. We may venture into Concord. Our first house was a late 1800’s colonial on Great Road not far from the Concord rotary. Our dog used to run away and scavenge around the parking lot after they built Burger King.
People come to the Cape for a week and only eat fish and chips, clams, scallops and lobster…
Hours limited; see website.