Beverly, MA picks? restaurants, groceries, anything
hey all,
headed up to Beverly for a show, and want to know, what's good around there? we'll be driving up from New York City and passing through Boston on the way back down, but spending a weekend in Beverly, MA. We'll be doing a cookout at some point so any recs for groceries and purveyors would be great but also, good brunch? good dinner? good outdoor casual? good seafood? anything and everything is welcom so let me know; it'll be this coming weekend.
thanks all.
bigjeff
Sep 24, 2006 05:55PM
The dining scene around here leaves a lot to be desired. IMHO, the best restaurant in the area is Tryst on Cabot St in Beverly- bistro food, always a good fish or seafood special, good salads and appetizers, really good service. It's a small place and you need to make reservations, especially for the weekend.
On the same block is Soma - primarily Mediterranean/Greek food, a lot of fish. I'm partial to the beet and giant bean salad appeitzer. Have never had a bad meal, but have never had even remotely good service.
Excellent Indian food at Anmol. Decent sushi at Kame.
Henry's Market is great for meat and lots of prepared foods.
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Kame Japanese Sushi Restaurant 250 Cabot Street, Beverly, MA 01915 978-922-9333.
The sushi bar was introduced to me from a San Fran transplant who spent time in Japan. He says it's fantastic and right on par with any West Coast sushi bar and I'd have to agree. I've been on the East Coast for a long time but the sushi there is great. The key is to just have the chef make you his favorite stuff, which isn't on the menu.
I've also gotten some great food at the Wild Horse 392 Cafe Cabot Street Route 1A Beverly, MA 01915 [Phone] 978.922.6868. The food there is really fresh and flavorful.
Salem also has some great places to eat like the Grapevine, which is terrific.
Are you looking for anything in particular? Beverly isn't Boston but you should be able to find a good meal thereabouts.
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I have no expectations whatsoever; I went to school for awhile in boston but that was years ago; I had the impression Beverly was a quiet woodsy town? The suggestions about sound great so I will definitely check some of them out; maybe Tryst and the Wild Horse Cafe; I want some american food, new american or not, but nothing really ethnic (I can get all that down here). A great spot for brunch or lunch would be ideal so maybe the Cafe place is good for that. But anyway, keep the suggestions coming, they are much appreciated.
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If I were spending a weekend in Beverly, I'd be inclined to drive a little bit north for a meal at the Clam Box in Ipswich. It's a shortish trip up Route 1A. Actually, there are several good places for clams and other seafood in the North Shore/Cape Ann area--this is, after all, the Clam Belt. So far the best clams I've had were at the Clam Box.
http://www.ipswichma.com/clambox/
If you search this board you can find many posts opining on the merits and drawbacks of the various seafood eateries in the region. A lot of posters have said that lines at the Clam Box deter them from going there, but when I was there recently there was no line at all. It was a Wednesday evening, though; on the weekend it is likely to be busy. But if you like clams, it is worth the wait. And the drive through the Essex River area is worthwhile, too. It's a wonderful part of Massachusetts.
Beverly is close to the threshold of Cape Ann, which is also a very special place with some good restaurants (again, search this board). The drive along the shore is nice--from Beverly take Route 127 rather than 128. Check out Manchester and Magnolia if you have time.
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There used to be a good ice cream place there, Dick & Junes I think was the name? Still open? Still good?
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yes and yes
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I actually really enjoyed my dinner at the Fish Hill Tavern, also on Cabot Street. I've eaten at most of the places up there and unless you're looking for something special, they're all good. I spent much of my summer in Beverly Cove this year, and I found myself going into Manchester-by-the-Sea pretty frequently. The grocery there, Crosby's, has excellent potato salad.
Also for ice cream, Captain Dusty's in Beverly Farms on 127 is my favorite.
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We just spent a weekend in the Salem MA area and discovered both a Trader Joes and Whole Foods Market on Rt 1A in Swampscott. We picked up things we can't find at home. Looked like Whole Foods had a great selection of cheeses and had a fantastic salad bar. I didn't check out the prepared foods but this store is supposed to have a good variety. A friend's son is a chef for Whole Foods at another location.
We also went to Russell Orchards and Winery in Ipswich. Thought the cider donuts were tasty but greasy. Wine tastings start at noon in the barn. We were too early but since my husband loves hard cider I got several bottles of different types (they also make Perry which is hard cider made from pears). Very nice selection of apples. Ginger Golds were still available but that season is coming to an end.
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I shop at this Whole Foods and this TJ's frequently, although the former, of course, ain't cheap. But it does have a great selection of prepared foods as well as a staggering variety of groceries of all sorts.
If you're going to venture as far as that area of Swampscott, and if it's a Saturday morning, you should drive another 2.7 miles--maybe 7 minutes--to the farmers' market in Marblehead. It's one of the best farmers' markets anywhere. That's not just my opinion; several of the vendors have told me that too. There is a cheesemaker from Vermont that comes here every week--a three-hour drive each way--because, she says, it is such a good market. (Her cheeses are fantastic, too!)
I've been getting great heirloom tomatoes (although with the recent cool weather they may not be abundant now), sweet corn, herbs, and apples, among other things. At reasonable prices--especially from the Food Project booth. The Food Project is a nonprofit in Lynn that works with youth and that grows produce, among other things. Even such seemingly mundane items as potatoes are so much better than the grocery store kind--noticeably tastier. It's going to be hard to go back to ordinary produce when the season ends next month.
The market, in addition to produce, has good bakery goods, cheese, organic/natural meats, preserves, and various other goodies. And usually live music. It's worth the trip, I believe. (And no, I'm not a vendor; just a regular shopper there.)
To get there, if you're at the Whole Foods in Swampscott, go a little ways north on 1A to Vinnin Street (look for the sign directing you to Marblehead). Go right on Vinnin; continue straight (well, mostly straight; none of the streets around here are actually straight) onto Tedesco; that runs into Humphrey which runs into Pleasant. Once on Pleasant, shortly after you pass the public library on the left you'll pass Veterans Middle School, also on the left. Make the next left turn and follow the signs to the market.
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Only part of Beverly is quiet and woodsy (especially Beverly Farms, nearer to Manchester). Downtown Beverly is quite built up, a mirror to Salem across the river.
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hey thanks all, this thread was vital this weekend; we ended up eating at Soma since Tryst was booked for the weekend! And had a perfectly pleasant meal. I got 3 starters (the fried ipswich clams, the beet and bean salad, and a mushroom gratine) while everyone else had various entrees. The clams were good, the beets were good, the gratine was not that good at all (very skimpy with the fungi) but I think everyone else enjoyed their swordfish entree, monkfish entree, pork tenderloin app, veal chop and drinks. nice service, a little too sleek and modern for the area I think, but good.
we ended up not cooking at all so I didn't get to go to the farmer's market, but we did make it up to Ipswich to the Clam Box, and we had the large box of native clams, well worth the wait and delicious. Try to get there around 2:45pm since they change the oil around 2:30pm, so if you order then, you'll get a fresh fry. Really simple, low-key place, and great food. much much enjoyed.
next time, I'm up, I want to eat in Salem and maybe hit some other clam shack type places, and maybe the Wild Horse Cafe.
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