Monday, November 25, 2013

DELICIOUS DESSERTS AND DRINKS AT CAFFE VITTORIA IN BOSTON'S NORTH END

Monday, November 25, 2013
Caffe Vittoria in Boston's historic North End is a legendary spot for dessert and a warm drink. There's nothing better than going for a hearty meal and then stopping by Caffee Vittoria for dessert. They have all of the Italian favorites. There are canollis, eclairs, ricotta pie, Italian cookies, flan, chocolate ganache and so many more delicious treats. Their cheesecake is absolutely amazing. Caffe Vittoria also offers many dessert martinis and hot specialty coffee drinks. The service here is also so fast and friendly, but be sure to stop at the A.T.M. first. Caffe Vittoria is cash only.

CONTACT
www.vittoriacaffe.com

Saturday, November 23, 2013

FALL FUN & CIDER DONUTS AT A VERMONT CIDER MILL

Saturday, November 23, 2013
Sample the apple cider.
Making apple cider donuts
If there was ever a place that screams fall in New England, the Cold Hollow Cider Mill in Waterbury, Vermont certainly is it. As soon as you drive in, you'll notice the lush, green Vermont mountains in the background. When you walk inside, you'll have trouble deciding on what to look at first.

Cold Hollow has all of the fall favorites. Of course, there is their apple cider. They squeeze it fresh on sight and if you're lucky, you'll be able to see them doing it when you visit. It comes in several different sizes and you can always help yourself to a free cup.They also sell hot cider by the cup. You've also got to try their fresh apple cider donuts. You can watch them make the donuts the old-fashioned way and then take some to go. Good luck eating just one!

 Cold Hollow also sells all kinds of cooking supplies and Vermont food products. They have fruits & veggies, cookies, pancakes mixes, cheese, fudge, jelly, syrup and all kinds of jelly. They also carry several kinds of honey. Don't leave without seeing Cold Hollow's honey comb with live bees! Christmas is coming and Cold Hollow sells and makes gift packs with their products and ships them anywhere.

After you visit Cold Hollow, take a ride up the road where you'll bump into the Ben & Jerry's factory and a Cabot Cheese shop.

Sunday, November 17, 2013

CHECK OUT THE WEGMANS IN NORTHBORO, MA

Sunday, November 17, 2013
A giant fish on display in the seafood section.
A train circles the daity department.
There's a definite buzz around the Wegmans chain of stores. This grocery store on steroids started in Rochester, New York and is making its way to New England. Wegman's is coming to Chestnut Hill soon, but is already open in Northboro, Massachusetts.

You really could spend hours here. The place is huge and their are all kinds of specialty departments within the store. There's an Asian bar with chefs preparing sushi. The seafood department features live lobsters and huge fish on ice. The cake and pastry sections have a wide selection of sweets. They even have a huge display of pumpkin cakes, cupcakes and pumpkin pie. It was hard to resist the pumpkin pie!

There are several aisles of health food and gluten-free items. The beer and wine department is enormous and I was happy to see they were selling one of my favorites, Shipyard Pumpkinhead. Wegmans even has its own little restaurants within the store. There's a coffee shop, a sandwich shop and pizza shop. They also have a huge buffet and salad bar area with hot and cold items. Wegman's was hopping, but there was plenty of staff to keep things moving.

CONTACT
www.wegmans.com

DEALS AND DISCOUNTS
Be sure to ghet a Wegmans Shoppers Club card at customer service. You'll get a Wegmans Menu magazine for free, along with coupons for a free reusable shopping bag and a free food item. The card is key because it also allows you to get all of the sale items in the store. Without it, you'll pay full price.

Thursday, November 14, 2013

BRIO TUSCAN GRILLE OPENS IN CHESTNUT HILL, MASS.

Thursday, November 14, 2013
Cheesecake dolchino
Brio Tuscan Grille is officially open in Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts. The place was abuzz with activity during its opening last night and I was happy to be there on the first night. There's nothing like an opening. There was an excitement in the air, staff from other restaurants were training and the place was sparkling. You should always give restaurants some time to perfect things, but based on what I experienced last night, Brio is ready already a well-oiled machine.

 Brio is one of the few places were I order wine. They big you a big ole' glass and it's priced right. So, I started with a glass of Merlot. They have great apps. I always have their bistecca salad, which is half a head of iceberg lettuce, Gorgonzola cheese, tomatoes and bacon. It's served ice cold with a steak knife for cutting into it. Wicked good. I also enjoy their tomato and mozzarella caprese. For the main course, I tried their "pasta pesto," with angel hair, grilled chicken, onions tomatoes and peppers. Delicious. They have many pasta entrees. I can also recommend their "campenelle carbonera," but be sure to bring your appetite, its a big dish! Other menu options include a variety of flatbreads, steaks and seafood dishes.

One of the things that I really like about Brio is their dessert options. It's impossible not to order a dessert because the waiters always bring a tray out to tempt you. They have regular-sized sweets, but I always go for one of their "dolchinos," a smaller portion of their bigger desserts. I love their cheesecake dolchino and went for it last night. They are only $2.99 and worth every penny.

Brio is located in the new Chestnut Hill Square development. Be sure to check it out before the new Wegman's opens because by then, the parking lot with be a disaster.

Contact
www.brioitalian.com

Deals & Discounts
- Be sure to get one of Brio's Passport to Rewards cards. It's free and you'll be emailed all sorts of discounts and free food offers. You'll also get a free meal on your birthday.

Tuesday, November 12, 2013

TRY "THE BOBBIE" THIS THANKGIVING SEASON

Tuesday, November 12, 2013
Go ahead. Try to look at this sandwich without drooling. You're looking at "The Bobbie" and you can only find it at Capriotti's Sandwich Shop. I've told you about this sandwich before. This delicious dish is one of the reasons I started Eat Up New England. When you eat something like this, you've got to share the experience with others!

 So, what makes The Bobbie so special? This sandwich is packed with a very generous portion of homemade turkey. It's topped off with an equally generous portion of stuffing. Oh yeah, there's the cranberry sauce and mayo, too. It's the perfect combination of flavors. Be sure to try it this Thanksgiving. If you can't make it to Capriotti's over the next two weeks, don't worry! The Bobbie is available all year long. Capriotti's has a location in Foxboro, Massachusetts at Patriot Place and will soon be open in Mansfield, Massachusetts. While you're there, go for turkey overload and try their turkey soup. Like The Bobbie, it's packed with their delicious hand-carved turkey.

Sunday, November 10, 2013

MAKE IT MINI AT MY LITTLE CUPCAKE IN VERMONT

Sunday, November 10, 2013
Big cupcakes smothered with frosting can sometime be too much. That's where My Little Cupcake in Burlington and Essex, Vermont comes in. They specialize in small cupcakes. This makes it much easier to sample their long list of flavors. We got a half dozen, including some cute ghost cupcakes for Halloween and they are delicious.

My Little Cupcake really does have every kind of cupcake imaginable. There are the standards like chocolate, vanilla, carrot cake and cookies and cream. Walk on the wild side with some more exotic flavors like Vermont maple walnut, s'mores, pumpkin chocolate chip, blueberry pancake and margarita. Check out their website to see pics of all of their cupcakes and read more about their flavors. If you're really hungry, My Little Cupcake also sells big cupcakes. Many of them have fillings. They also have coffee and hot apple cider to warm you up on these cold fall days.

CONTACT
http://mylittlecupcakevt.com/
@mylittlecupc8ke

CUPCAKE CHARLIE'S NOW OPEN IN FOXBORO, MA

Sunday, November 10, 2013
Business is booming at the new Cupcake Charlie's at Patriot Place in Foxboro, Massachusetts. When I was there yesterday, the line was out the door. Fortunately, the wait time wasn't long. I went for a more traditional chocolate cupcake with vanilla frosting. Very good. They also sell many cupcakes with fillings like raspberry and chocolate. Their cupcake of the month is pumpkin pie and looks hearty enough to eat as a meal. If you're looking for an easy Thanksgiving dessert, Cupcake Charlie's is also taking orders for Thanksgiving cupcakes.

www.cupcakecharlies.com

Thursday, November 07, 2013

CLASSIC ITALIAN AT SARDUCCI'S IN MONTPELIER, VERMONT

Thursday, November 07, 2013
Penne with shrimp and scallops
If you ever have your fill of Cabot cheese, syrup and pancakes in Vermont, head to Sarducci's in Montpelier for some classic Italian food. They have all of the traditional favorites and use a wood burning over to really bring out the flavor. 

Start your meal with one of their salads. We went for the "mixta" with greens, black olives, tomatoes. You can choose from my two favorite dressings: creamy Italian or bleu cheese. Other salads include Caesar, Greek, spinach and apple & hazelnut. 

 Lunch and dinner meals include pizza, pasta and panini. There so many pastas on the menu. Go for the traditional. They have penne bolognese and fettuccine alfredo or try their crab ravioli with shrimp or their "Capellini di Verdure," angel hair with spinach, sun-dried tomato, olives, artichokes and goat cheese. I enjoyed one of their "Pasta al Forno" dishes. These pastas are cooked in their wood oven. The penne with scallops and shrimp was sooo good. It's actually made with a cheese sauce instead of tomato sauce. Other oven menu items include baked sausage, mac & cheese and chicken breast over penne. 

If you're in the mood for a pizza, they have many pies on the menu. There's the "Roma," a carnivore's delight with bacon, sausage, pepperoni or go for the "Il Fungo," a veggie lover's dream with roasted portobello mushrooms, blue cheese, mozzarella, and parmesan cheese. 

Sarducci's has many vegetarian meals and gluten-free options. And yes, they have a full bar!

CONTACT
www.sarduccis.com
3 Main Street, Montpelier, VT 05602
802-223-0229 

Sunday, November 03, 2013

HAND-ROLLED, WOOD-FIRED MONTREAL BAGELS AT MYER'S BAGELS IN VERMONT

Sunday, November 03, 2013
Drive too fast and you might just miss Myer's Bagels in Burlington, Vermont. This bagel shop is as unassuming as it gets, tucked in off of the road and advertised only by a small sign. Myer's doesn't really need any advertising. All of the locals and visitors know all about their Montreal-style bagels.

So, what is a Montreal-style bagel? Walk right in the front door of Myer's and you'll find out. Montreal-style bagels are always baked in a wood-fired oven. You'll see it and feel the warmth from the oven right away. They are also handmade. You'll see workers hand rolling these bad boys before they are put into the oven. Myer's offers all of the traditional bagel flavors and then some. A bagel and schmear is just two bucks. They also offer breakfast sandwiches, hash and fruit yogurt. Stop by for lunch and you'll find a variety of Vermont inspired sandwiches like "The Causeway," with curry chicken salad lettuce and tomato, and the "Groovy UV," with hummus, cucumber, onion, lettuce, tomato and sprouts. They also offer a few salads and soups. Order whatever you want, but be sure to try one of their bagels!
Contact:
377 Pine Street
Burlington, VT 05401
802-863-5013

DELICIOUS DISH: COSI'S TURKEY AND STUFFING SANDWICH

Sunday, November 03, 2013
It's only around this time of the year and every November, I go to Cosi over and over again for one tasty reason: their turkey & stuffing sandwich. This is by far one of my most favorite sandwiches. Order it hot or cold. I prefer it hot. The sandwich packed with delicious white turkey breast, warm stuffing and a good portion of tart cranberry sauce. The combination of flavors is simply incredible. Cosi has locations all over New England, so be sure to try this sandwich this November!

Thursday, October 31, 2013

HEARTH 'N KETTLE IN ATTLEBORO, MA CLOSES

Thursday, October 31, 2013
The popular Hearth 'N Kettle restaurant chain in Massachusetts is closing one of its locations. Their Attleboro restaurant closed today after 13 years in business. The Route 1 location will soon house yet another shopping center. If you know the area, you know that another shopping center is the last thing that is needed there. Hearth 'N Kettles five other Massachusetts restaurants (Weymouth, Plymouth, Orleans, Hyannis and Yarmouth) will remain open. It's always sad to see a good restaurant go to make room for something that's not needed.

Tuesday, October 29, 2013

CREPES FOR BREAKFAST, LUNCH, DINNER & DESSERT AT THE SKINNY PANCAKE

Tuesday, October 29, 2013
Crepes for breakfast, lunch, dinner and dessert! If that sounds like a dream to you, be sure to check out The Skinny Pancake at one of its locations in Vermont. In 2007, the first Skinny Pancake opened its doors in Burlington and it has been a hit with college students, vacationers and the locals ever since. 

All of the crepes are made with fresh and local ingredients. There are many breakfast options including the "Early Riser" made with egg and Cabot cheese and the Atlantic Monster, a crepe with Atlantic salmon, spinach, cream cheese wrapped in a scallion wrap. You can order a breakfast crepe all day or go for one of their dinner crepes. They have dreamed up so many options on their menu from the simple spinach & feta and apples & brie crepes to the more complex "Cattle Rancher" with local beef, caramelized onions, red roasted peppers, cheddar and chipotle sour cream or the "Localvore's Dream" with Misty Knoll chicken, cranberry-apple chutney, blue cheese and arugula. The Skinny Pancake also has plenty of local beers on their menu including the wickedly popular Heady Topper.

If I'm having a crepe, I'll usually go for a dessert crepe and that's just what I did on a recent visit. I loved the "Choco Monkey" with Nutella and banana. Simple and savory. They have so many more dessert options including a strawberry shortcake crepe, the "Hot Apple Crispy" with apple, honey, cinnamon sugar and whipped cream and one I'd really like to try called "Brownies in Bed," a brownie blanketed with a crepe, vanilla ice cream and whipped cream. Mmmm.

The Choco Monkey
The Skinny Pancake in Montpelier
Contact: www.skinnypancake.com
Vermont Locations:  Burlington waterfront, Burlington Airport, Montpelier, they also have a cart at the Church Street Marketplace in Burlington

Thursday, October 24, 2013

KRISPY KREME DONUTS SPOTTED IN NEW HAMPSHIRE!

Thursday, October 24, 2013
Krispy Kreme recently made a one night appearance in New Hampshire. Their signature glazed donuts were sold last Saturday night at the Keene Pumpkin Festival. Of course, Krispy Kreme's are hard to come by in New England. There are none in New Hampshire. They had to drive from the Granite State to Connecticut to pick up the donuts. They brought 200 dozen back with them!

Tuesday, October 22, 2013

Eat Up NE Favorite: GET A TASTE OF NYC AT TONY'S IN VERMONT

Tuesday, October 22, 2013


Cheese and tomato slice with sesame seed crust

MUST TRY: Meat stromboli
Tucked away in rural Rawsonville, Vermont you'll find a taste of the big city at Tony's New York Style Pizzeria. You can order your own pie or go for a large, New York style slice like the kind you'll find everywhere in the city. From their veggie to their meat combo, all of their slices are just perfect. Two will easily fill you up. Go for one of their garlic knots or try one of their cheesy pepperoni, chicken & broccoli or cheddar and bacon knots. They make for a great side to one of their slices. You've also got to try Tony's stromboli. Their meat stromboli is stuffed with pepperoni, salami and sausage and oozes mozzarella cheese. Drinks include soda, water, green tea and juices. If you want a beer, visit the large package store next door.

 Contact
8814 Rte. 30
Rawsonville, VT 05155
802-297-1300

Monday, October 14, 2013

APPLES, PUMPKINS & ALL OF THE FALL FIXINS AT THE BIG APPLE!

Monday, October 14, 2013
The Pumpkin House
New England's farms just come to life in the fall. From deep orange pumpkins and gourds of all shapes and sizes to crunchy apples and hot cider, nothing beats a trip to the orchard in the fall.

 One of my favorite farms in New England is The Big Apple in Wrentham, Massachusetts. I've been going there every fall since I was a child. All of these years later, the place hasn't changed much and that's a good thing! You can still get a free apple just for visiting. You can still watch a train circle around the area where the apples are cleaned. Best of all, you can still buy all of their the fall foods that you wait patiently all year for.

 If you go to The Big Apple, you MUST try their donuts. They are perfect and light. You could eat a half dozen in one sitting. If you show up at the right time, you can even see them make the donuts. Right now, they are also selling candy and caramel apples. Both are so delicious. You can also buy bags of several varieties of apples that are grown on their acres of land. Also for sale: several kinds of pies, fudge, candy, popcorn, cider (made from their own apples), cheeses, veggies, pickles and so much more! In recent years, The Big Apple also started to sell ice cream. There are many flavors to choose from including my seasonal favorite, pumpkin.

Now is also the perfect time to visit for all of your fall decorating needs. They have pumpkins and gourds of all sizes. Their pumpkin house is a sight! They also sell mums and Indian corn. Of yeah, be sure to be on the lookout for the witch on Halloween weekend!

Contact:
www.thebigapplefarm.com

*While there are plenty of bagged apples to buy, apple picking is over for the 2013 season.

Thursday, October 10, 2013

EXPERIENCE SUNDAY BRUNCH AT SKY IN NORWOOD, MA

Thursday, October 10, 2013
The chocolate fountain is flowing Sundays at Sky in Norwood, Massachusetts. Their popular Sunday brunch is back and just as popular than ever. It's buffet style and there are endless options. For breakfast, they'll make you an omelet with just about anything you want stuffed inside. You can also watch as chefs prepare waffles and pancakes for you. Make your way down the breakfast buffet and fill your plate with sausage, scrambled eggs, two kinds of crispy bacon, home fries, eggs benedict and their amazing cinnamon raisin French toast. You can even toast yourself a bagel or grab a home-made pastry. I went for breakfast first and saved room for round two: lunch!

 Stop by the chef's carving station for your main course. They had stuffed pork, roast and ham when I was there. Much like their breakfast buffet, their lunch selection often rotates. They have New England scrod, two kinds of mac & cheese, potatoes, seasonal veggies and some really good chicken! They also have many salads to choose from, a huge cheese plate, mozzarella and olives with feta.

 Save room for dessert! This is the highlight of the meal. Sky has a huge chocolate fountain with fruits and brownies for dipping. The dessert table also has all kinds of chocolatey treats, pastries, cakes and pies. Sky even has a full table of gluten-free desserts.

 Hungry yet?

Sunday brunch is served in their large dining room that's complete with a soothing waterfall. They even have a jazz band to set the scene!

More info:
Adults: $29
Kids 7-12: $14
Kids under 7: Free!
- Sunday brunch is served from September 8 to June 29 from 10am-2pm
- Reservations are recommended

Contact:
www.sky-restaurant.com

Saturday, October 05, 2013

FRESH INGREDIENTS AT STONE HEARTH PIZZA

Saturday, October 05, 2013
Cheeseburger Pizza
Stone Hearth Pizza is a favorite in Massachusetts because of its flavorful menu packed with organic, local and many gluten-free options. Grab one of their many beers and start your meal off with one of their apps or a salad. Their parmesan bread is delicious. All of their salads come in half and full sized, so you can split one as an app or enjoy a salad as your entree. Their spinach & avocado salad is so good especially with their lemon thyme olive oil dressing.

 Entrees including several kinds of paninis, stromboli and their signature thin crust pizzas. You can order a personal pan, small or large pie. All of them are made in their stone hearth. You can choose from one of their many specials including chicken pesto, spicy banana pepper, sausage & caramelized onion, buffalo chicken and cheeseburger pizzas. You can also make your own pizza with any of their toppings. All pizzas can be made gluten free. If you're not in a pizza mood, try one of their baked pastas. They have mac & cheese and meatball lover, among a few others. The meatball lovers is one of my favorites. It's a cheesy mix of penne rigate and homemade mini meatballs. 

 Contact
www.stonehearthpizza.com
Locations: Allston, Belmont, Cambridge, Hingham, Needham & Winchester, Massachusetts

Deals & Discounts
If you use Foursquare, be sure to check in at Stone Hearth. Right now, they are offering 15-percent off on all of their pizzas and paninis. In the past, they're hooked diners up with a free order of their delicious Parmesan bread. Stone Hearth is also known to offer deals on Groupon.

Thursday, October 03, 2013

FALL FAVORITES: PUMPKIN ICE CREAM

Thursday, October 03, 2013
It may be the fall, but it's still ice cream season! Just about every ice cream shop in New England is selling pumpkin ice cream right now. One of my favorite places for a scoop of pumpkin is Bliss Dairy in Attleboro, MA. Their pumpkin is so rich and creamy. The Beach Plum in Hampton, N.H. is also selling pumpkin this time of the year. A kids size is plenty. Their portions are HUGE!

Wednesday, October 02, 2013

FALL FAVORITES: CIDER DONUTS & CIDER AT TOWNE IN BOSTON

Wednesday, October 02, 2013

It's the time of the year where everything is pumpkin-flavored and the smell of hot apple cider fills every coffee shop around. This fall, Eat Up New England is profiling some delicious autumn dishes, drinks, even some orchards in our series, "Fall Favorites." 

Let's kick things off at Towne Stove and Spirits on Boylston Street in Boston. I was just there for a birthday dinner with some friends and found a menu full of fall flavor. Their drink menu has several seasonal drinks. I went for the "Southie Cider," a nice mix of bourbon, cinnamon syrup and hard cider. Strong stuff. 

Their dessert menu is loaded with fall treats. There are pumpkin profiteroles, apple cobbler and maple cotton candy. I went for the cider donuts and hot spiced cranberry cider. The donuts were light and coated with cinnamon and the cider was the real deal like you can find in Vermont. Their tasty menu definitely put me in the fall spirit!

Tuesday, October 01, 2013

HARDEE'S RESTAURANT CHAIN IS COMING TO NEW ENGLAND!

Tuesday, October 01, 2013
Just in case you don't have enough options for a burger already, you'll soon have another. Hardee's is expanding into the Northeast. Over the next five years, the fast food chain will open about 200 stores in the Northeast. They'll open in New York and New Jersey first, and then in Connecticut and Massachusetts. Hardee's is known for its huge burgers and provocative ads, like this one:

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