Like many of our fellow travel lovers out there, a big part of building the hype and excitement around visiting a new destination is the pre-trip research. And as devote foodies, planning our restaurants including lunch spots is a serious endeavour. Here are a few of our favorites from our recent visit to Boston.
Sam La Grassa’s
In previous posts, I’ve talked about my long-standing love affair with sandwiches. And when a restaurant boasts that they serve the world’s number 1 sandwiches, needless to say – I’m there.
Family owned and operated since 1968, Sam La Grassa’s is a Boston sandwich maven landmark. Serving unbelievably delicious and filling deli style sandwiches, I really struggled to make a choice with so many incredible looking options.
We settled on a classic Grilled Rueben and a mind blowing Pastrami Corned Beef Combo. Both sandwiches were outstanding, but the Combo was potentially the best sandwich I have ever eaten. The meat was exceptional, and the Russian dressing and cole slaw toppings elevated this Sammy to something unforgettable. Great fries too. Highly recommended.
El Pelón Taqueria
While Mexican food might not be my all time favorite cuisine, there are times when nothing else will do to satisfy a wicked craving. And when you talk El Pelón Taqueria, you are talking authentic Mexican food.
And talk about a loyal following! We were lucky to arrive around 11:20am for an early lunch. By noon, every table was filled – inside and out, and a long line-up carried on out the door. Incidentally, the same thing happened at Sam La Grassa’s. In other words, get there early to avoid the crowd!
There is such a huge difference between “franchise fast food” Mexican, and traditionally made Mexican dishes with fresh, top quality ingredients. El Pelón Taqueria does Mexican right.
We went with the Americanos Grilled Chicken Tacos and the massive and loaded with goodness Carnitas (Braised Pork) Burrito. My mouth is watering just thinking about the food. Great nachos, fresh salsa and guacamole too. A must stop lunch spot when visiting Boston.
Quattro
After a long and exciting day of whale watching, nothing hits the spot like a good pizza. And when visiting Boston’s North End, Quattro is a great choice for lunch.
Love the Little Italy vibe of Boston’s North End. There are a number of cool Italian restaurants, delis, gelato shops and bakeries in a few block radius. Definitely an area worth checking out.
Quattro serves delicious pizzas that are baked in a 900 degree wood-burning Marra Forni brick oven brought in from Naples, Italy. How else can you get that awesome crisp but chewy crust and beautifully bubbly cheese!
We ordered the Parma Prosciutto and Sausage and Rabe pies. Both were excellent. In particular, the sausage was super moist and flavourful. Traditional pizza at its best. You just can’t go wrong if you stop in for lunch at Quattro, La Grassa’s or El Pelón. Stay tuned for dinner reviews of some of Boston’s hottest restaurants. For now, back to the cage.
