My first several jobs were in local restaurants–(in order from ‘fancy’ to ‘not fancy’), The Fox Run and The King Phillip (both in Phillipston), Lee’s Hot Dog Stand and the Ice Cream Truck at Lake Dennison (both in Templeton), and I’m not even counting my brief stint in the kitchen at Baldwinville Nursing Home.
I’m assembling a list of locally owned restaurants in Central Massachusetts, and it’s a work in progress. I haven’t even gotten to the W’s, which means I haven’t listed anything yet in Worcester.
Pictured above is my favorite meal and my favorite wine, at one of my top favorite restaurants, the 111 Chop House in Worcester. Before you judge the spend, I turned 50 during Covid when there was no going out, so two years later for our 25th wedding anniversary we splurged. 🙂 Check out my list and message me if I missed any of your favorite locally owned Central Mass Restaurants. Message me here!
Ashburnham
Lucky Dragon II
Tavern on Central
Yaka Sawa Sushi and Grill
Ashby
873 Cafe and Smith Hill Tavern
Boylston
Boylston Deli Cafe and Catering
Bread and Butter Diner
Cyprian’s Restaurant
Dragon 88 Restaurant
Farmer and The Fork
The Other Place Pub
Clinton
Clinton’s Bar and Grille
Lou’s Diner
Similan Thai Bistro
The Simple Man Saloon and Grill
Spruce Street Tavern
Sunshine Cafe
Taqueria El Amigo 3
Tee’s Liberty Tavern
The Vegan Nest Cafe
Zaytoon Restaurant
Fitchburg
The 50/50 Diner
Bangkok Hill Thai Cuisine
Crazy Crab
Dario’s
El Toro Steakhouse
The Fay Club
Legends Bar and Grille
Makarios Kitchen
Mill City Pub
Singapore
Slattery’s Restaurant and Bar
Tacos Tequilas Grill
Pada Thai
Pammy’s Place
Zapata Mexican Cocina
Gardner
Blue Moon Diner
Chair City Diner
Gabby’s Place
Gardner Ale House
The Hen House
Sawa Asian Cuisine
Williams Restaurant
Yen Yen
Holden
122 Diner
Pholicious Asian Fusion Restaurant
Quinn’s Blue Plate
Siam 9 Thai Cuisine
The Specialty Bar & Grill
Thai House of Holden
Val’s Restaurant
Wong Dynasty and Yankee Grill
Lancaster
Michael’s Bridge Diner
Sandee’s Restaurant
Leominster
435 Bar and Grille
Arisu Korean Restaurant
Brady’s
Columbia Tavern
Comeketo Brazilian Steakhouse
Cristina’s Restaurant
Don’s Diner
Gazbar Sports Grill
Il Camino
Lemongrass Vietnamese Restaurant
Logan’s Table
Lucca’s American Kitchen
Mai Tai’s
North End Diner
A Taste of Vietnam
Princeton
The Barn
Mountainside Bakery & Cafe
Sterling
Barbers Crossing
The Brick Mexican Grill
Templeton
KRO’s on the Common
Westminster
Albatross Restaurant and Bigelow Tavern (seasonal)
The Angler Fish Market and Chowder Company
Blueprint New American Bar and Grill
Kay’s Dairy Bar
The Old Mill (Official name: The 1761 Old Mill)
Sa’MoreRay’s and Sons
West Boylston
Bamboo Garden
Brown Rice Thai Cuisine
Country Kettle Cafe
Draught House Bar and Grill
Jake’s Cafe
Maken Zi Ramen and Rice Bowls
Miku
The Mill 185 Restaurant and Lounge
NOLA Cajun Kitchen
Oli’s Italian Eatery
Pinecroft Dairy and Restaurant
Ross Tavern
Table Twelve Kitchen and Bar
West Boylston Seafood and Restaurant
Winchendon
Harbour Restaurant
River Walk Cafe
Worcester
2 Chefs Italian Restaurant & Bar
Altea’s Eatery
Armsby Abbey
Boardroom Kitchen and Bar
The Boynton Restaurant & Spirits
Cafe Reyes
Dalat Restaurant
deadhorse hill
George’s Coney Island
Leo’s Ristorante
Lock 50
Mare E Monti
Nuovo Restaurant
One Eleven Chop House
Peppercorn’s Grille and Tavern
Piccolo’s
Saigon Restaurant
Shawarma Palace
The Sole Proprietor
Via Italian Table
Volturno Pizza Napoletana
The Woo Bar and Grill