Phantom Gourmet: Great 8 Fenway Restaurants
When you need something more substantial than just peanuts and Cracker Jack, these are Phantom's picks for the 8 Greatest place to eat outside Fenway Park.
Blazing Paddles
Kicking off the Great 8 is the Blazing Paddles. This ping pong player's paradise sports a dozen championship tables along with a great pub food menu. There are Classic Buffalo Wings, upscale pizzas, and big juicy burgers loaded up with everything from melted cheddar
and crispy bacon, to grilled ham, pineapple and onions. While the food and games are impressive, the restaurant's exclusive access to the visiting team's real batting cage underneath Fenway makes this spot truly special.
Gyro City
If you're looking for something to grab and go before the game, get yourself to Gyro City on Peterborough Street. This sandwich shop may be small, but it cranks out hundreds of authentic Greek gyros every day. Each one of these signature sandwiches starts on a spit, seasoned and
stacked on site and then shaved into a fluffy pita and served up quick.
Audubon
Another Great 8 winner is Audubon. Located blocks away from the park, on Beacon Street, this neighborhood spot serves casual fare like fiery Salt and Pepper Shrimp, grilled pizza with taleggio and roasted red peppers, and char-grilled burgers served on a fresh baked black pepper brioche. With more than ten tasty toppings, the burger possibilities are endless, including the insanely delicious bacon jam, made from caramelized onions and apple wood smoked bacon.
Loretta's Last Call
Loretta's Last Call on Landsdowne Street brings real Southern food and hospitality to the Northeast. The dining room is decked out with Honky Tonk decorations, along with a patio outside, and long bar inside that serves classic brews from Schlitz to Shiner Bock and moonshine-inspired cocktails. All of those beverages pair perfectly with the menu, which sports comfort foods like four styles of crispy fried chicken. Phantom also recommends the slow-smoked barbecue brisket and authentically delicious deep fried Hush Puppies.
Cask N Flagon
Cask N Flagon has been serving suds before and after Sox games for decades. They've recently amped up their menu adding creative American fare and southern style smoked barbecue. There are Asian style chicken wings, a Fenway-inspired pizza with sausage, peppers,
and onions, and a half pound cheeseburger topped with pulled pork, caramelized onions, and maple Cajun bacon on a toasted pretzel bun. If you really want to fill your belly before heading off to the ballpark, order the Cask's Lobster Mac and Cheese, overloaded with sweet corn, sherry, five cheeses and plenty of lobster.
The Sausage Guy
Another Great 8 winner is the Sausage Guy. No trip to Fenway is complete without a visit to this legendary sizzling pushcart located on Lansdowne Street, just behind the Green Monster. For just a few bucks, you get a sweet Italian sausage loaded up with peppers and onions on a soft squishy roll, perfect for snacking before you enter the park.
Island Creek Oyster Bar
Nestled in Kenmore Square, Island Creek Oyster Bar is an upscale eatery named after the celebrated Duxbury oyster farm that supplies the restaurant with beautiful bivalves for slurping back before or after a game. Here seafood is king, with fried oyster sliders and local clam chowder. Whether you order the indulgent Lobster Roe Noodles or the classic lobster roll, you know the food will be incredibly fresh because the chef's cousin just happens to be a lobsterman out of York, Maine.
Bleacher Bar
Rounding off the Great 8 is the Bleacher Bar on Lansdowne Street. The fun and happening sports bar is literally attached to Fenway Park, just below the bleachers. So you can see the famous Fenway field without having to pay for a ticket to the game. The menu is lined
with ballpark friendly foods like overloaded sandwiches, fried pickles, and crispy fries topped with bacon and cheese.
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