Bar Bites: Takeout Edition
Updated as of January 12, 2021. Yes, we’re still in a pandemic.
So, you’re ready to eat something that you didn’t make in your own kitchen? Same here! After almost thirteen weeks of treating our home as an all-in-one everything center, it’s about time we venture to try something we don’t have to cook or create ourselves. I’m sure you have a similar mindset. I must admit it is convenient to have our “home gym” mere feet away from the kitchen. ;)
Admittedly, we waited about nine weeks before trying any form of takeout /curbside delivery, which was around the time when restaurants began offering takeout options (I think. Time is a blur). I’ve talked about our contactless pickup adventures in recent editions of Flavor Buffet, but I thought it could be helpful to have one specific post to keep the list of spots we’ve gone to during quarantine. I hope you find it useful!
The list below includes restaurants we frequented before COVID restrictions began so please be under the assumption that we are already fans and have deemed them safe for me (I have celiac). Of course, as restrictions change in MA and more places open up to varying degrees, the necessity of a car picnic may not be as necessary.
This list will be updated as we go to more restaurants over time.
As of January 12, 2021, Boston-area restaurants are allowed to serve guests at outdoor and indoor seating areas at reduced capacity. Reservations are often required. Please check the guidelines before making plans.
Please take proper precautions and only dine at places where you feel comfortable and safe. For the time being, you can find me eating piping hot fries in the car or on a park bench, away from everyone. 😎
What have we been eating in the car on our weekend adventures? Let me tell you.
Bistro 781
We haven’t been inside of this Waltham restaurant, but I’ve heard excellent reviews of the dine-in experience (before the pandemic). So, in the spirit of supporting local businesses, we decided to order takeout last weekend! The menu is big and has a vast array of gluten free options. I could barely decide on what to order! Be sure to mention your dietary needs upon ordering. We dined in our car (how chic) and thought the food was delicious. I had gluten free tuna tacos and an order of truffle fries. Heaven! Seth had an avocado BLT sandwich on GF bread (with fries), which he said was great as well. I’m so glad to have another delicious takeout option! Next time we may find a nearby park to enjoy our meal. :) Place your order over the phone and curbside delivery is available in their back parking lot (call when you arrive).
Burton’s Grill and Bar
While we usually love to eat at the bar, that’s not happening right now so we opted for the next best thing: french fries delivered to our car. We safely ordered from their website and curbside pickup couldn’t have been easier. I’m sure there are plenty of fun activities in the world right now, but one of my favorites is ordering large boxes of piping hot french fries from Burton’s and eating them in a parking lot. It’s divine. And yes, you can mark your order as gluten free.
Crave - Beverly
Taking the sandwich game to a new level, this spot offers all sorts of delicious sandwiches and bakery treats to-go at this time. We opted for breakfast-ish sandwiches via curbside pickup and then ate them (inhaled) in the car at a park nearby (it was chilly out). We have only been once and I have been craving (get it?) this meal ever since. I got a steak-and-eggs sandwich on the most-amazing GF bread. Yum!
Update: We have since visited several more times and continue to love the breakfast sandwiches on gluten free bread. Also, I can confirm that the GF cupcakes are astounding and too delicious. Order them all because they are all excellent. I loved the carrot cake and cookie dough option. Be aware - the cupcakes sell out quickly, head over early to choose from the full assortment.
J.T. Farnham’s
Just a short drive in the opposite direction of Woodman’s (below), Farnham’s is another must-go for their top-notch fried seafood, all of which can be made gluten free! And even better, they can make gluten free onion rings! Mind blown. Gluten free chowder is also available. This is a much smaller restaurant so be sure to arrive early, or plan on a line that snakes along the side of a very busy road. Outdoor seating is available with beautiful views; alternatively, you could eat it in the car or drive it home.
Most important: Farnham’s is cash only. Plan accordingly! This means you should bring a lot of cash. The fried clams are fabulous and I loved the fried oysters as well. I cannot wait to visit again before they close for the season (they’re only open March - December). I highly recommend you do the same!
Lone Star Taco Bar
One of our favorite spots in the city, Lone Star has the best tacos around. While you can dine-in, we are sticking to takeout right now. In fact, we ordered a bunch of tacos through the online ordering system (easy to note what needs to be gluten free and/or other allergens) and inhaled them in our car, right in front of the restaurant (no shame).
The tacos (carnitas, chorizo, grilled fish) were individually wrapped in foil so they stayed warm and my goodness, they were just as delicious as if we’d been eating them at the bar with a margarita (almost). I strongly recommend ordering takeout from Lone Star for all of your tacos cravings. They also offer taco kits to prepare at home as well as many other great menu items.
Public Kitchen
This is one of our favorite local restaurants which we visited somewhat often before quarantine. The food is great and the gluten free options are plentiful. Now that we know their takeout is terrific, I think we will be ordering from here more frequently. Recently, we decided to order on a Friday night because cooking was out of the question.
We ordered 2 gluten free pizzas (one truffled mushroom, one cheddar broccoli) as well as the duck confit poutine (can be made GF). Everything was outstanding! Of course it was way too much food for one night so we happily had leftover pizza the next day. Too delicious! The poutine was perfect and while I was skeptical of ordering at-home fries covered in toppings, the dish was burning hot and fantastic. I highly recommend ordering takeout from Public Kitchen; the gluten free pizza (and much more) is fab.
Rancatore’s Ice Cream
Summer has arrived and the ice cream cravings are real. Once this local shop opened up for business we ordered online and picked it up in-store, masks-on. Yum! While it’s totally OK to buy your pints at the grocery store, I find I have slightly better control if I get a dish handed to me at a scoop shop instead. That being said, the portions here are large! I had my favorite chocolate chip; let’s just say my ice cream craving was satisfied for weeks! And now, I’d like to go back and order another. Note your gluten-free needs when your order is placed.
Update: Guests are now allowed to order ice cream inside the shop! Social-distancing and masks are required inside. Ice cream must be eaten off-premises. Best news: Gluten Free Hydrox Ice Cream is awesome.
Red Heat Tavern
This is another restaurant we usually head to after the end of a long work week, but instead takeout will have to do for now. And while I definitely think the best bar food experience is eating bar food in a bar, I admit that eating spicy Thai boneless chicken wings in our kitchen is pretty satisfying as well. We ordered onion rings, too. Make sure to re-heat them in the toaster oven and they’ll be nice and fresh. :)
Sakura Organic
This is a local restaurant that’s always had an excellent takeout program. Now, it’s contact-less and your order is waiting for you on a table right inside the door. I love going out for sushi, but having it at our kitchen table is pretty great, too. This spot has excellent sushi as well as an extensive fusion menu with everything labeled GF. My favorites include egg drop soup and their house fried rice (with a couple spicy tuna rolls to start).
The Stones Common House and Kitchen
Our favorite go-to restaurant pre-pandemic, Stones also has excellent takeout! Operating with reduced capacity, you can go inside to eat, but we will be ordering takeout for the foreseeable future (free local delivery on weekends, too). While the menu doesn’t mark items as GF, I do know they take dietary restrictions seriously and i have never had an issue with the specific dishes I’ve eaten.
My top recommendations are the hand cut fries (safely GF), a double-cheeseburger without a bun, or any of the salads (the chopped Italian is awesome). Upscale, but approachable bar food and great drinks - you can’t go wrong!
Tempo Kitchen and Cocktails
We finally ordered takeout from this great spot in Waltham, MA and now I wish we had done it much sooner! The gluten free menu is vast and almost everything can be made to be gluten free (if it’s not already GF). The online ordering system for takeout is terrific and it’s easy to note dietary restrictions. My favorite item is the shoestring truffle fries (omg so good), but I also love the gluten free flatbreads and taquitos.
Of course, we love going to this restaurant’s bar and hanging out, but for now the terrific, delicious takeout will do. I plan to order far more frequently from this great local restaurant.
Twist Bakery Cafe
This local restaurant is 100% gluten free which means the entire menu is available. They’re offering contact-less pickup (and now offer outdoor seating) so we’re now including this as a once-a-week treat. I love going out for breakfast or lunch on the weekends so this is usually where we go. I love their breakfast tacos, which are a new menu item, but their omelette is not to miss either. Also, the pancakes are great, the lunch options are delicious, and maybe you should go over there right now.
Update: my weekend lunch order is the Caesar quesadilla (with chicken) and it’s just awesome. I’d recommend a slice of carrot cake, too. You know, for dessert. In the car. Their online ordering system works like a charm.
Woodman’s of Essex
They really have the whole contact-less pickup thing down to a science. It’s well run, very organized, and we felt totally safe from the moment we placed the order to when it was handed to us in the car from a staff member wearing a mask and gloves.
We love Woodman’s for their vast array of fried seafood that is made gluten free. Recent discoveries include calamari (absurdly perfect) and our go-to native shrimp, which are very little, but very scrumptious. Of course, order the famous fried clams, but we’ve found these other items just as awesome.
Looking for more Bar Bites? Here you go.
Enjoy!