Where to have lunch near DeCordova Museum - Lincoln

[gilliano]

I'm meeting a friend at the DeCordova today and we would like a chowish lunch. Any suggestions?

[pondrat]

The closest hidden gem is Domenic's Panini Bakery in Waltham...not far from the Lincoln/Weston line on 117. Get Doms and take it back to the Museum grounds for an EXCELLENT picnic.

http://www.getdoms.com/

[teresacooks]

I would head over to Waltham and go to Taqueria Mexico. It's too bad Campo di Fiori closed in Weston. . . that was fabulous.

[pierce]

I forget the name, but there is a little cheese shop in Walden Street, Concord, that has really great sandwiches, and daily specials. They have a decent wine selection, and one of the best cheese selections this side of Formaggio (which it does not rival, but what does?)

[hiddenboston]

The cheese shop in Concord is called (hee hee) The Cheese Shop of Concord. I love that place--did a wine tasting there awhile back, I think around Christmas. I've never had their sandwiches, but it is definitely a neat place.

[three of us]

This came up in May. Here is the link:

http://www.chowhound.com/topics/515787

[vozick]

Colonial Inn in Concord has a very old fashioned, and pleasant feeling, dining room. Good for a feeling of the earlier centuries.

[BarmyFotheringayPhipps]

It's a good room -- Allstonian and I stayed at the Colonial Inn the weekend we got married, a couple blocks away at the Scout House, so I have a strong fondness for the place -- but the food actually isn't all that great.

[hiddenboston]

Agree about the food being so-so at the Colonial Inn. Note: The men's room door in the tavern opens at an angle that's quite embarrassing..... =-O

[Blumie]

"Isn't all that great" is an understatement for the food at the Colonial Inn! It sucks!

[Harp00n]

Hey Blumie,
Don't hide that light under a bushel basket, tell us what you really think!

Harp
:-0)

BTW, Colonial Inn's food really does suck.

[BarmyFotheringayPhipps]

Actually, I've only ever had the afternoon tea and the Sunday brunch buffet, so I don't have enough of a sample size to say that it sucks. But I'm not planning on going back anytime soon, which says it all right there, really.

[Harp00n]

Being the only full service hotel in the heart of anglophile Concord, the Colonial Inn better be able to deliver on teas, high & low, and Sunday brunch and they do. Hiddenboston's tavern-side, allegedly unintentional, exposure problems aside, it does have a nice laid-back vibe and a decent line-up of musicians.

Harp

[hiddenboston]

LOL, ALLEGEDLY unintentional? Heh, believe me, any guy who has had a drink in the tavern of the Colonial Inn and has had to use that bathroom knows that they better go quick, because when that door opens, you're OUT there, and with no thin layer of Gaberdine separating you from the bar crowd. :-D

[Harp00n]

See Marc,
That's why I wear those, oh so rugged, 15 oz. Carhartt jeans in lieu of flimsy Gabardines. :-0)

Harp

[hiddenboston]

Do they allow Carhartt jeans in Concord? ;-b

Getting back to the Colonial Inn, I do like going to the tavern for a drink or two as the atmosphere is pretty nice, but I don't really bother going there for food, as I've generally been less than impressed by my meals there. If I were going to DeCordova, I'd probably just pack a picnic lunch and enjoy the views of Flint's Pond below or walk a few hundred yards east of the museum and picnic there, since there are some beautiful meadow and field views in that area. But I guess since the OP was going there about 2 weeks ago, I guess it's a moot point, anyways...

[Harp00n]

They do when I'm wearing them!

Kidding aside, I am right?, that is an excellent suggestion and I've done so in the past. BTW, There's a little sandwich & salad (?) place in the Lincoln Mall called The Whistlestop Cafe that I've heard good thinks about but have never been. http://www.wickedlocal.com/lincoln/fun/food/x1277309025

And of course there is always Blumie's old favorite which she doesn't want to share. That would be Country Pizza which is in the Doherty's Garage complex. http://dohertysgarage.com/country_piz...

Harp

[hiddenboston]

Country Pizza? Is this near where the cross-country ski rental place used to be? I do a lot of hikes to Walden Pond starting from that area, but don't recall seeing a pizza joint.

Boy, this is a great tip. I'm sure Blumie is pretty upset, though, hee hee....

[Harp00n]

It's on the other side of the road and on the other side of the R.R. tracks heading towards RT.117, between the MBTA parking lot and the Community Gardens.

Harp

BTW. that pizza is Greek to you & me, just so you know.

[Blumie]

First, Blumie's a he. Second, the Whistlestop is fine, but certainly nothing special. Third, Country Pizza is no better and no worse than all of the other Greek pizza places in the Boston area. Fourth, if I have an "old favorite" in the area, it's Verrill Farms, and certainly not the Whistestop or Country Pizza.

[Harp00n]

Sorry Blumie,
I try to be gender-neutral in my postings if I'm not sure, so mea culpa. I would hope you sensed the "attempted" humor in Marc and my exchange. As your thoughts on Country Pizza have been made crystal clear in the past.

Harp (a sheepish he)

[Blumie]

I was far more troubled by your country pizza comment than by your attempted gender neutrality! The tongue-in-cheekness was completely lost on me!

[Harp00n]

:-)

[three of us]

Colonial Inn is the only place I've eaten (other than my mother's) that salts the water in which they boil potatoes so heavily, the spuds are almost inedible.

[Mayflour]

The food at the Colonial Inn is not good In fact it is bad.

[bee]

On the other side of the reservoir (which is Waltham) just off 128 on Winter St. (on the reservoir side of the road) is Green Papaya thai which I've had good lunch at, and Sato, which has some decent sushi and I think also Chinese. If it's nicer this afternoon, picnicking is def the way to go there.

[FoonFan]

Head for Waltham, about 15 minute drive. There you will find the most significant concentration of chowish places in metrowest - Elephant Walk, Little India, Beijing Star, Franca's, to name a few.

[cassis]

Well of course you can eat at the DeCordova Cafe but that isn't chowish. I would pick up a picnic on the way out to Lincoln and enjoy it in the sculpture garden, but it doesn't look like a nice day. I was going to say I like the sandwiches and cookies at Sally Ann's bakery in Concord center, as well as prepared foods at Verril Farm, but that depends on nice weather too. The three or four sit-down lunch places in Concord are anything but chowish, though I like the atmosphere in the Market Cafe name?) best. It's really a problem....

[dulce de leche]

Just FYI, the DeCordova cafe doesn't just lack great food, it lacks almost any food. There are a few prepared sandwiches, and maybe a salad or two? And a couple of packets of pretzels and cookies. And coffee & milk & juices.

It's a pretty room, but even starving, I had to go somewhere else.

[CookieLee]

It may have been an off day for the deCordova cafe, because they usuallly have two soups available, as well as sandwiches, salads, etc. And they have coffee, chai, cappuccino, tea. I wouldn't say it's chowish, but the soups are pretty good.

[Allstonian]

Unfortunately there's hardly any chow anywhere in Lincoln, and nothing chowish. Others will be able to point you towards reasonable choices in adjoining towns.