Outpost Restaurants
| Route 66 | Cities | Beaches |
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Outpost Restaurants |
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| First, an angry requiem. We have always been so impressed with the sense of history Massachusetts and Plymouth people show. They fiercely protect every artifact of their glorious heritage. It has not been the government that has preserved four centuries of precious history. It has been individuals, families, groups and communities. This entire nation owes them such gratitude for resisting development, not letting crass commercial interests tear down cherished buildings or pave over landmarks. However, the fine folk of Plymouth committed a collossal catastrophe when they allowed the 1620 to be run into the ground by an heir to the family business. This was not only the oldest continuously operating restaurant in the nation, but one of the two oldest continuously operating businesses of any kind. For 380 years the 1620 had been in business on the same piece of land. Admittedly, the building had been updated in stages over the centuries, until no part of it was original. But the business continued without interruption. And it was not just a restaurant. The 1620 was the finest seafood restaurant in America. The trophy at right was its 1990 award, one of 12 times it was so named in the 20 years the honor was bestowed. Its 12 page menu was a national treasure. Several items on that menu were among the best anywhere. Almost four centuries of careful refinement went into many of those recipes. They also had maintained a file of three centuries worth of recipes and records which were used by food historians to reconstruct exactly how various dishes were prepared in the 1600s and how they evolved over the years to their present form. Thousands of people each year drove down from Boston or up from Hartford or beyond just to eat at the 1620. We fully appreciate the concepts of family owned business, private property and individual freedom, but when it became apparent that the current generation was unwilling or unable to maintain this national culinary shrine, the community should have stepped in and prevented its demise. Plymouth and America have lost something irreplaceable. And no one salvaged the recipes and records. |  |
| With the 1620 gone, the Patuxet Cafe is an essential stop on your Plymouth visit. It is the other restaurant with all foods 90% guaranteed authentic 1600s Pilgrim and Wampanoag in content and preparation (the 10% exceptions are the soft drinks and other modern drinks, sugar and sugar substitutes, and fries on the kids menu). The Patuxet is at the Plimoth Plantation entrance. It is open from 8-5, early for dinner, but is a great lunch stop on your day at The Plantation. Many people also eat breakfast there on that day. |  |
Everything is great, but we especially like the Stuffed Quahog, Cranberry Soup, Indian Pudding, Venison Skewers, Nasaump, Cod Fricasee, Clam Fritters, and various Sallets. Hops conneisseur Dave loves their Mayflower Golden Ale. Kids like the Venison Burger and Salmon Burger. If you want to just have a soup and salad lunch and splurge on a 4:00 dinner, their Duck, Quail, and Venison are memorable. Pilgrims considered sweets part of the main meal, and their pies, "tarts" and custards are memorable. |
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Back in town, the top restaurant is the Hearth & Kettle, run by the Catania family. Contained within the John Carver Inn, it faces Towne Brook two blocks from Plymouth Rock. It features Classic Pilgrim decor and 70% authentic Pilgrim food. Entries come and go with the seasons. When they're on the breakfast menu, the Lobster Tomato Omelette, Cranberry Pancakes and Baked Sweet Potato are a must. At lunch, the Pot Pie, Yankee Pot Roast and Seafood Medley are classics. And once while you're in town you ought to try the New England Shore Dinner, Roast Turkey Dinner, or Baked Stuffed Shrimp. Their soups are great. Order whatever is their Soup of the Day, or rely on the Clam Chowder. For dessert, you have a wide choice, but we recommend the Grapenut Custard, Indian Pudding, Cranberry Sherbet, or, if you had a hard day, the Chocolate Raspberry Torte, which is obscene but unforgettable. 1-800-447-7778. |  |
| If seafood is not a priority, the restaurant we most recommend is Sam Diego's. Eating there is a unique experience. It is on Main Street, "a block from the rock," as the menu proclaims. Sam's is a converted firehouse, the old Station One. The building itself is an architectural display, shown by the photo top right. There are multiple levels with winding staircases, plenty of polished wood, brass trim, rich tapestries and other hangings. Sam's has a great menu which at its core is Southwestern. Yes, out of place in Plymouth, but innovative and delicious. They serve Texas Tea in glass cowboy boots. The children's menu is excellent with all items under $5. Desserts are obscene. People come here just for Cheesecake Chimichanga, which despite its fame is only $4. There are huge salads, cod grilled or baked, shrimp sauteed in tequila, kabob, chicken fixed a dozen ways, steaks, and Mexican Mud Pie. Kids love the pool tables in the back. Priced very reasonably. Go early to avoid the crowds. 508-747-0048. |  |
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You should eat once at Woods', a classic fish shack right on Town Wharf. Large windows look out on Plymouth Harbor. You can watch the fishing fleet unload the catch that will become your meal. A classic New England fish shack is pretty raw, with paper plates, plastic utensils, and basic tables and chairs. You pick up your food at the counter. However, the food is superb. When locals go out for seafood, this is where they go. Year round, the schrod, haddock, sole, salmon, swordfish, halibut, tuna, shrimp, oysters, clams, and scallops are excellent, and in Summer add bluefish and striped bass. If you've never had bluefish or stuffed quahog, this is the place to try them. Pick a live lobster or rock crab from the tank and have it prepared to suit you. Try the fresh clambake.At lunch, we recommend the lobster roll, scallop roll, or clam roll. But the crabcake sandwich is outstanding. Pick up lunch and eat on the go as you explore Plymouth. Prices are very reasonable. Broiled plates and rolls are all under $10, the crabcake sandwich is $5 and the seafood dinner platter is $14. Woods also ships seafood anywhere. 1-800-626-1011. |
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The final recommended restaurant in the town is Jenney's Grist Mill. And take your camera. This is a fine lunch stop. You walk South from Plymouth Rock, pick up the Town Brook Trail, and enjoy a beautiful mile and a half stroll up the forested valley, along the babbling waters, to this historic old mill. Meticulously maintained, lushly landscaped, the building demands several photos. This mill was built by John Jenney in 1636 to grind corn. It still works, and is still owned by descendants of John. Nancy is the current proprietor.The lake above the mill is spring fed, so even during dry spells the brook runs and the wheel can operate. On the back side of the mill, opposite this photo, is a fish ladder allowing herring to swim up the brook and get to the lake, where they spawn now just as they did in the 1600s. If you are here in early June you can see the last of the spring's herring run. The Wampanoag taught the Pilgrims to catch some of these fish and use them to fertilize their gardens. But herring aren't the only wildlife here. Ducks, geese, swans, turtles and various species of fish live in the mill pond. This was the first grist mill built in America, and was the archetype of the thousands built in the following three centuries. You can take a guided tour before or after you eat, and buy a bag of freshly ground corn meal to take home with you. The wheel is paused in this picture but runs most of the day. The restaurant inside is also a classic. The menu changes over the year but if it's available the Cranberry Bisque is a must. If not, try their interpretation of Clam Chowder, which is made with red potatoes and is unlike the others you've tasted. There are various salads, sandwiches, rollups and desserts, all excellent. We always order whatever is the daily lunch special. This is a small restaurant, done in Pilgrim post and beam style, with windows looking out on the mill pond and down the leafy valley. During a long day's tour of historical sites, it is a great retreat. In the evening, it becomes a classic tavern with live music. When you're done with your meal, outside, just to the right of the wheel, is the best ice cream counter in town. (In the photo at right, the people standing on the deck are at that counter). |
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