Mrs. Jones (CLOSED)
2255 Dorchester Avenue, Dorchester, MA 02124
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The Boston restaurant scene has few good places for soul food and Southern-style cooking. Other than Darryl's Bar and Kitchen in the South End, Slade's Bar and Grill in Roxbury, and a few other places around Mattapan and Dorchester, there aren't many options if you like Southern cuisine. And it is one of these lesser-known restaurants that is featured here, as Mrs. Jones in the Lower Mills section of Dorchester is a place that, while a bit off the beaten track, is an absolute treasure for those craving some terrific Southern-style home cooking.
Mrs. Jones is a rather plain-looking place, but it doesn't really need to be fancy, as it is mainly a takeout restaurant (though there are a few seats along the sides of the place). And though much of its business includes folks looking for something quick to take home on their way back from work, the menu is a lot more interesting than your typical takeout joint. Tender brisket, mouthwatering cornbread, buttery pork chops (perhaps the best this writer has had in Boston), gooey macaroni and cheese, flavorful cornbread stuffing, decadent candied yams, and perfectly prepared black-eyed peas are just a few of the items that can be found on the menu here. Some of the other items featured at Mrs. Jones are not the type of foods you would ordinarily find in the Boston area; examples include whole deep-fried chicken or turkey (the deep-fried white meat and dark meat turkey are both tremendous), ham hocks, and smoked turkey legs. And there are some really interesting entrees that are served every now and then here, including neck bones, pig feet, oxtails, and fish and grits. Dessert is tempting at Mrs. Jones, too, as the place offers both sweet potato pie and banana pudding.
The Lower Mills section of Dorchester is a pleasant, quiet neighborhood that feels like it is far away from the city, but is in fact only a couple of minutes off the Southeast Expressway. With its attractive main street, stress-free parking, and easy access to the Neponset bike path, Lower Mills is one of Boston's hidden gems. And the same can be said for Mrs. Jones, a friendly, reasonably-priced place that adds much to this neighborhood. If you have a need for some good old-fashioned Southern cooking, Mrs. Jones is a must.
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