Boston, Massachusetts is home to a number of historic sites with important ties to the early history of the United States. It is also home to a number of restaurants that have stood the test of time and continue to flourish. In fact, for many people these restaurants are part of the very fabric of Boston.
Durgin-Park Restaurant
Located within the shadow of historic Faneuil Hall in Downtown Boston, Durgin-Park is one of Boston’s oldest and most unique restaurants. The restaurant has been situated in the same location in the Quincy Market Building for more than 170 years. Found in what was originally a waterfront warehouse district, the surrounding area has been transformed into the Faneuil Hall Marketplace as a result of major renovations that took place in the 1970s. Known for its traditional “Yankee” fare including Boston Baked Beans and Indian Pudding, it also serves an array of seafood and meat entrees as well as a frighteningly large serving of prime rib.
Part of the reputation and “charm” of the restaurant came from the well-chronicled mildly gruff and ill-tempered style of the waitstaff, which has largely been set aside over the course of the last few years. The majority of the dining room is filled with large, “family-style” tables. And while there are smaller tables available, and a more private dining room on an upper floor, part of the experience for a small group or couple is to be seated at the same long table with total strangers.
The Warren Tavern
Located in the historic Charlestown neighborhood of Boston, within a short stroll of the famous Revolutionary War battle site Bunker Hill, and just steps from the Freedom Trail, is found Warren Tavern. Situated in the same location essentially since the late 1700s, this is likely one of the oldest taverns in America and is the oldest tavern in Massachusetts. It is said that this was a favorite haunt of Revolutionary War figures such as Paul Revere.
Known primarily today for serving pub fare, including its reasonably priced Angus beef hamburgers, visiting this locale is more about the history. While today it is frequented by both visitors and many of the young professionals that live nearby, imagine yourself dining in the same location that served as host to members of the Sons of Liberty in the early days of the United States.
The Union Oyster House
Located in downtown Boston near to Faneuil Hall and just across Congress Street behind Boston City Hall, The Union Oyster House is the oldest continuously operated restaurant in the United States. As the name suggests, shucked oysters and oyster dishes are a central feature of the menu. But this classic New England seafood restaurant has the array of other shellfish and ocean treats that one would expect. Lobster, clams, mussels, fish of various types and classic seafood and clam chowders fill the menu.
Frequented by the members of the Kennedy family over the years, one of the booths in the restaurant is dedicated to the memory of President John F. Kennedy. Replete with dining rooms for both public and private use, one of the central features of the restaurant is the historic semi-circular oyster bar. Historic figures of early America have been said to have been regulars at this Boston institution.
There are a great many other historic restaurants in Boston, but these are some of the most notable. For more information on visiting these wonderful restaurants or other Boston attractions see the website for the Greater Boston Convention and Visitors Bureau (GBCVB).
{updated April 2011}
Kenneth Rosen - I am a medical research doctor with more than 20 years of experience studying how the nervous system and skeletal muscle develop and ...
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