Hey there, fellow foodie travelers! Today, we’re in New England, talking about food! There are so many cool things to do in New England, and all that sightseeing will definitely help you work up an appetite. There are so many great New England food spots that it would take ages to try them all. So we’re going to tell you the top five things to eat and drink in New England.
Lobster
Of course, when you think of New England, you probably think of lobster. It’s everywhere, and that’s because the chilly waters of the Atlantic Ocean are prime lobster habitat. Order a whole lobster and dip the meat in butter. Have a lobster roll, lobster bisque, lobster macaroni and cheese, and every derivation you can imagine. Lobster ice cream? You can find it in New England! (When you order lobster, don’t be ashamed to wear the bib…you will be glad you did!)
Oysters
Another New England seafood staple is oysters. You can get fresh, delicious oysters up and down the East Coast. They come in several variations and preparations, from salty to sweet. You typically order oysters by the dozen, and many restaurants will let you mix up the dozen and try several different preparations. If oyster shooters aren’t your favorite, you can also try fried oysters, oysters Rockefeller, or oyster stew.
Clams
Last on the New England seafood list is clams. Have steamed clams, fried clams, or clam chowder. They make clam-flavored potato chips. When you get fried clams, you have to choose between whole belly clams or clam strips. New England clam chowder is our kids’ favorite soup; it’s the white clam chowder, and it’s creamy and delicious!
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Regional Specialties
Now that we’ve covered seafood along the coast of New England, the next “must eat” food is actually several foods. Each area of New England has a regional specialty. Often, they are sweet treats, but these are a few of our favorite regional New England foods:
- A fluffernutter is a sandwich made with peanut butter and marshmallow fluff. This New England staple is so delicious, and you can get them toasted to make everything extra ooey-gooey.
- Boston baked beans are a Boston staple, obviously.
- Boston Creme Pie is one of Mark’s favorites
- Vermont is home to Ben & Jerry’s ice cream, where you can tour the factory and try some of the newest flavors.
- Whoopie Pie is another of our favorite New England desserts you should try. Invented in Maine, it’s a little sandwich made of dense chocolate cake with marshmallow fluff or buttercream frosting in the middle.
- In the summer, you’ll see a lot of blueberry treats, like blueberry muffins, blueberry pie, and blueberry sundaes.
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New England Drinks
You will need something to wash down all this great New England food! Jocelyn’s favorite is flavored seltzer water. At the grocery stores in New England, you’ll find as many varieties of seltzer water as soda. Mark prefers New England beer, and there is a lot to sample! Vermont and Connecticut have some of the best breweries in the USA. (Note: liquor laws vary by state, but you can’t always buy liquor at the grocery store. Sometimes, you have to visit a specific liquor store.)
Although they do speak English in New England, there are some New England food names that might leave you scratching your head. A “grinder” is actually just a sub sandwich and a “frappe” is a milkshake. A milkshake in New England is just flavored milk! Keep this in mind as you sample all the good New England cuisine and drinks! Looking for more tips on travel in the northeast United States? Check out some of these other blog posts!