Bradford Tavern in Rowley Has Reopened Under New Ownership

Late last year, it was reported that a family-friendly restaurant on the North Shore appeared to have closed permanently. Now we have learned that it is open once again, though with a change in ownership.

According to a tweet from @swixvonflaubert, Bradford Tavern is open once again, with an earlier Facebook post from the previous owners of the Haverhill Street place indicating that the owners of Fox Creek Tavern in Ipswich have taken it over. A post from the new owners shows the menu for the reopened restaurant, with such options as chicken nachos, short rib poutine, clam chowder, a Nashville hot chicken sandwich, steak tips, meatloaf, fish and chips, macaroni and cheese, and sushi being available.

The original Bradford Tavern closed in December of 2020 after being open for approximately ten years.

The address for Bradford Tavern is 87 Haverhill Street (Route 133), Rowley, MA, 01969. Its website is at https://www.bradfordtavern.com/

[Earlier Article]
Bradford Tavern in Rowley Is Closing

by Marc Hurwitz (Also follow us on Twitter at @hiddenboston)

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[A related post from our sister site (Boston's Hidden Restaurants): List of Restaurant Closings and Openings in the Boston Area]

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Blue Boat in Rowley Has Closed Down

It looks like a seafood restaurant on the North Shore that debuted last year may have shut down for good.

According to a source, Blue Boat in Rowley is no longer in business, with a message sent to us from the people behind the dining spot confirming that it has indeed closed permanently. Blue Boat first opened in the summer of 2020, offering such items as clam chowder, lobster rolls, a haddock sandwich, fried scallops, and more, with the place having an ownership connection to Boat House Grille and the Blue Marlin Grille in Essex.

The Blue Boat space had previously been home to the last location of Spud's, a family-friendly chain that once had locations in Brockton, Danvers, Saugus, Woburn, and North Hampton, NH.

The address for the now-closed Blue Boat is 255 Newburyport Turnpike (Route 1), Rowley, MA, 01969. The Facebook page for the restaurant is at https://www.facebook.com/blueboatrowley/

[November 19 update: The Facebook page for the place confirms what our source told us earlier, that the team behind Blue Boat will be opening a new restaurant within the space.]

by Marc Hurwitz (Also follow us on Twitter at @hiddenboston)

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[A related post from our sister site (Boston's Hidden Restaurants): List of Restaurant Closings and Openings in the Boston Area]

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Please help keep Boston Restaurant Talk and Boston's Hidden Restaurants going by making a one-time contribution or via a monthly subscription. Thanks! (Donations are non-deductible.)

Bradford Tavern in Rowley Is Closing

A family-friendly North Shore restaurant known for its rustic atmosphere and its working fireplaces is shutting down permanently.

According to a source, Bradford Tavern in Rowley is closing for good, with a Facebook post from the Haverhill Street spot saying that its last day will be Saturday, December 19 while mentioning that "Unfortunately, the events of the last 8 months, with the extended closure and continued loss of business since reopening due to COVID-19, it is impossible for us to remain open." The post does indicate that gift certificates, loyalty points, and bonus dollars will still be able to be used at their two affiliated restaurants--the Sylvan Street Grille locations in Peabody and Salisbury.

Bradford Tavern first opened approximately 10 years ago, with the restaurant featuring comfort food and classic American fare along with beer, wine, and cocktails.

The address for Bradford Tavern is 87 Haverhill Street (Route 133), Rowley, MA, 01969. The website for the place can be found at https://www.bradfordtavern.com/

by Marc Hurwitz (Also follow us on Twitter at @hiddenboston)

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[A related post from our sister site (Boston's Hidden Restaurants): List of Restaurant Closings and Openings in the Boston Area]

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Please help keep Boston Restaurant Talk and Boston's Hidden Restaurants going by making a one-time contribution or via a monthly subscription. Thanks! (Donations are non-deductible.)

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Blue Boat Opens in Former Spud's Space in Rowley

A new restaurant featuring seafood and more has come to the North Shore, taking over the space of the last location of a small local group of casual dining spots.

According to a source, Blue Boat is now open in Rowley moving into the former Spud's Restaurant & Pub space on Route 1, and as mentioned earlier, the new spot is affiliated with the Boat House Grille and the Blue Marlin Grille in Essex. A North Shore Magazine article says that the restaurant currently has outdoor dining via large tents, while also offering curbside pickup including meals brought directly to people's cars--and a "clam shack window" is on its way to the place as well. Some offerings at Blue Boat include clam chowder, mussels, steak tips, Essex clams, lobster macaroni and cheese, crab cakes, blackened fish tacos, chicken parmigiana, and burgers.

The Rowley outlet of Spud's was sold earlier this year, though the new owner kept the place open for awhile; this was the last location of the chain, which once had locations in Brockton, Danvers, Saugus, Woburn, and North Hampton, NH.

The address for Blue Boat in Rowley is 255 Newburyport Turnpike (Route 1), Rowley, MA, 01969. https://blueboatrowley.com/

[Earlier Article]
Spud's Restaurant & Pub in Rowley Is Closing

by Marc Hurwitz (Also follow us on Twitter at @hiddenboston)

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[A related post from our sister site (Boston's Hidden Restaurants): List of Restaurant Closings and Openings in the Boston Area]

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Spud's Restaurant & Pub in Rowley Is Closing

What was once a small local group of casual dining spots will soon officially disappear from the local landscape, as its last location is being sold by the owner.

According to a source, Bruce Spaulding of Spud's Restaurant & Pub in Rowley is planning to sell the restaurant in January, saying that "It's time to take some days off, travel, and enjoy my family." This has been confirmed on several Facebook posts, including the Boston's Wicked North Shore Facebook page, which mentions that a seafood restaurant could be taking over the space (though this has not been confirmed as of yet).

Spud's first started out in 1984 and once had outlets in Brockton, Danvers, Saugus, Woburn, and North Hampton, NH, all of which have since closed.

The address for Spud's in Rowley is 255 Newburyport Turnpike (Route 1), Rowley, MA 01969.

[December 6 update: An article in The Gloucester Times indicates that Corey Matthews, who owns the Boat House Grille and the Blue Marlin Grille in Essex, is taking over the Spud's space, with the plan being to open a seafood restaurant there. The article also indicates that the Spud's staff will be given the option to return to the new dining spot once it opens after renovations are complete. (A name has not been given for the new restaurant, which is expected to remain a reasonably-priced family-friendly spot.)]

[January 19, 2020 update: A Facebook post from the place indicates that Spud's has been sold, though the new owner will reportedly keep the restaurant open for awhile longer.]

[February 19, 2020 update: A comment within the restaurant's Facebook page indicates that Spud's could be closing later this week.]

by Marc Hurwitz (Also follow us on Twitter at @hiddenboston)

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[A related post from our sister site (Boston's Hidden Restaurants): List of Restaurant Closings and Openings in the Boston Area]

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Food Network's Top 5 Diner Dishes in America Include Items from Modern Diner, Agawam Diner at # 1 and 2

A popular food-based TV channel, magazine, and website has come out with its picks for the five best diner dishes in the United States, and items from a couple of New England diners have come out at the very top of the list.

According to the slideshow/article from the Food Network, the custard French toast from Modern Diner in Pawtucket, RI, and the chicken pot pie from Agawam Diner in Rowley are at #1 and #2, respectively, with items from diners in San Francisco, La Jolla, CA, and Austin also making the grade. Both of the New England spots have been visited by our sister site (Boston's Hidden Restaurants), with the latter being featured in a review that can be found below:

http://www.hiddenboston.com/AgawamDiner.html

Modern Diner can be found at 364 East Avenue in Pawtucket while Agawam Diner is at 166 Newburyport Turnpike (Route 1) in Rowley.

For a complete look at the picks from the Food Network, please go to the following link:

Top 5 Diner Dishes in America

Follow us on Twitter at @hiddenboston

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Sidney and Hampton in Rowley Closes

Sidney and Hampton, an upscale restaurant on Route 133 in Rowley, has closed its doors.

A mostly little-known dining spot located between Routes 1 and 1A in this small North Shore town, Sidney and Hampton featured creative American cuisine in a classy and elegant setting.

According to a message on the restaurant's voicemail, gift certificates to Sidney and Hampton will be honored at the Sylvan Street Grille in Salisbury or Peabody, which have the same ownership as Sidney and Hampton.

Thanks to one of our emailers (J. Marie) for letting us know about the closing of Sidney and Hampton in Rowley. If you know of any other changes to the Boston-area restaurant scene, feel free to contact us through the Boston's Hidden Restaurants site.