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Boston Restaurant Blog -- July, 2011
Tuesday, July 12, 2011
Five Restaurants in the Middle of Nowhere
Last year, some of you may recall that we posted a blog entry on five very hidden Boston-area restaurants. And while these dining spots are indeed more physically "hidden" than many that are featured on this site, they are still in the Boston area, which means they are mostly in or near busy areas and easy to find if you know that they are there. Well, some recent visits to the Dudley Chateau in Wayland got me thinking about more rural out-of-the-way spots that seem to be well off the beaten path, yet are still not too far from the Boston area. A number of places came to mind, including the five described below, all of which are within an hour or so of the Greater Boston area (if not Boston proper).
1) Boxford Community Store, Boxford
In a way, Boxford is one of the most remote-feeling communities inside of Route 495, in part because much of it is in that vast, mostly rural area between Routes 95, 495, and 93 north of Boston, making it a place that you generally don't go to on the way to somewhere else. In the tiny center of this peaceful town is a cozy little family-run "store" that serves breakfast, lunch, and (on weekdays) dinner with such items as coffee, omelets, sandwiches, and pizza offered, mainly to locals, since no one else seems to know about this place. Boxford Community Store, 7 Elm Street, Boxford, MA, 01921. Phone: (978) 887-5632.
2) Fireside Tavern at Sharpe Hill, Pomfret, CT
High up in the hills of Pomfret in Northeast Connecticut (and not far from the Massachusetts border) is a vineyard that is located in about as bucolic a setting as you'll find within an hour (or so) of the Boston area. Indeed, Sharpe Vineyard is rather tough to find, but worth seeking out if you are a wine lover, or a food lover for that matter, since an upscale restaurant is also on the premises. And the Fireside Tavern is every bit as rustic as the rest of the vineyard, and it is certainly one of those "special occasion" spots. The eatery, which is only open on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays, features such dishes as lamb chops, delmonico steak, Jamaican chicken, and Creole shrimp. Fireside Tavern at Sharpe Hill, 108 Wade Road, Pomfret, CT, 06258. Phone: (860) 974-3549.
3) J's at Nashoba Valley Winery, Bolton
Another restaurant located at a winery, J's is a bit like the Fireside Tavern (see above) in that it is a good place for a special meal. Situated on a scenic hill above the center of Bolton, J's feels like it is a million miles away from Boston, but really is on the outer edge of the Greater Boston area. The rustic dining spot, which resides in an old farmhouse, offers a prix-fixe menu as well as a regular dinner menu, a lunch menu, and on weekends, a Sunday brunch menu. Items available at J's include stuffed squash, wild striped bass, jambalaya, and iron-roasted spring chicken. J's at Nashoba Valley Winery, 100 Wattaquadock Hill Road, Bolton, MA, 01740. Phone: (978) 779-9816.
4) Rye Tavern, Plymouth
A newcomer on the restaurant scene, the Rye Tavern is located on the outskirts of the Pinehills section of Plymouth, a quiet golf course community in a heavily wooded area a few miles west of the ocean and a short distance east of the vast Myles Standish State Forest. The setting of the restaurant is distinctly rural, with the dining spot being located in an historic tavern that has been around for since the Colonial Era. The Rye Tavern focuses on seasonal and locally grown foods, including dishes such as maple-smoked salmon omelettes, a curried chicken salad, steamed mussels, grilled hanger steak, baked cod, and pulled pork empanadas. Rye Tavern, 517 Old Sandwich Road, Plymouth, MA, 02134. Phone: (508) 591-7515.
5) The Tap Room at the Stone House, Little Compton, RI
The Sakonnet section of Little Compton, RI, feels a bit like the end of the world, as it is located on a main road (Route 77) that simply dead-ends at a particular wild and remote section of the Atlantic Ocean. Just before the road ends, it takes a sharp right, and if you look to the left as you take the turn, you'll see what looks like a seaside mansion. This is the Stone House, a former estate that is now a country inn. Within the inn is a cozy little restaurant called The Tap Room that has a whole lot of character (it may have been a speakeasy during Prohibition, according to the inn's website). The dining spot and watering hole focuses on upscale comfort food, with such items as clam chowder, lobster rolls, burgers, pulled pork, lamb chops, braised short ribs, and buttermilk fried chicken available. The Tap Room at the Stone House, 122 Sakonnet Point Road, Little Compton, RI, 02837. Phone: (401) 635-2222.
As always with these lists, there are so many other spots that we could have mentioned (including the aforementioned Dudley Chateau, of course). If you know of any other restaurants fairly close to Boston that seem to be in the middle of nowhere, let us know in the comments section here, thanks!
Posted by MH, Boston's Hidden Restaurants, on July 5, 2011.
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