We've mapped out your food options in (almost) every town along the route of the Boston Marathon.
LessJust before the starting line is Bill’s Downtown Pizzeria & Bar, which opens later than usual on Marathon Monday at 3 p.m. If you can wait it out, or are a participant who makes their way back to Hopkinton, there will be plenty of carbs to devour, like pasta and pizza. If you stick around ‘til 6 p.m., you can unwind with their weekly music bingo competition.
Another pizza option in Hopkinton opening up earlier for lunch at 11:30 a.m. is Blue Square Pizza, a sourdough pizzeria also located just before the starting line. On their extensive menu, diners will find three types of pies: Detroit-style, “grandma pizza,” and New York-style.
If you’re watching from downtown Framingham and need a beer, consider heading over to Jack’s Abby Brewing. Starting at 10 a.m. the brewery is hosting a festival with multiple vendors, live music, food, and of course, beer. The brewery recommends grabbing one of their pizzas or their double hoppy Boston Rising beer, a special release during the marathon.
If you’re looking for something heavier around lunch, grab a taco, slider, or even a house margarita from the full bar at Lockheart in Wellesley’s downtown. The Southwestern restaurant opens an hour earlier than usual at 10 a.m.
Nothing pairs better with an early morning than coffee and a croissant. Grab yourself some caffeine and a pastry from Quebrada Baking Co., which will be open from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. For those who get a sweet tooth while spectating, they’ll also have cupcakes for sale to celebrate their 40th anniversary.
Though the Newton Centre Green and its many restaurants (Little Big Diner and Pho Viet’s II, for example) are only about a 10-minute walk from a section of the route, most of Newton’s eateries aren’t directly along the route. But spectators will find Blacker’s Bakeshop, located on Commonwealth, convenient and an early morning cure with its coffee, cookies, and muffins available for purchase. The owner noted that they may close depending on weather.
Opening bright and early at 8 a.m., bar and restaurant Cityside Tavern becomes a marathon viewing destination come time for the Boston Marathon. And it’s easy to see why: they have a patio — though they wouldn’t confirm if it would be open during this year’s race — and there’s something for everyone on their extensive food and drink menu, like burgers, bar appetizers, and a whiskey menu.
Cafe Landwer, which has three locations along the Boston Marathon route, including in Cleveland Circle, is serving up a pasta deal for runners in need of carbs and spectators alike: Buy one pasta, get a second pasta half off when you order and pay through their app. Favorite pasta dishes include their bolognese, rosé pasta, and butternut squash ravioli.
For spectators in Brookline, Stoked Pizza Company’s Washington Square location is serving up a deal on Marathon Monday: a roasted garlic-infused cremini mushroom and caramelized onion pie with fresh and aged mozzarella, porcini oil drizzle, and fresh chives for $12.70. They’ll also have a rum cocktail special that serves two, as well as their usual menu of pizza, appetizers, and vegan options that spectators can enjoy inside the restaurant or a spot on their patio.
Eastern Standard is back for another marathon — albeit in a different location. Opening up early at 8 a.m., spectators can grab a bite from the brasserie’s limited breakfast menu. If you find yourself there for lunch, the Standard burger and a Narragansett collab ES Pilsner come highly recommended.
There’s quite a bit going on at Hotel Commonwealth on race day including a breakfast buffet with coffee and tea service from 6 to 10 a.m.
Blue Ribbon Brasserie will open at 10 a.m. serving up marathon specials — like a burger and Jack’s Abby lager combo for $26.20.
Like Blue Ribbon Brasserie, Blue Ribbon Sushi will open at 10 a.m. serving up marathon specials — like a burger and Jack’s Abby lager combo for $26.20.
Don’t expect any opening changes or specials the day of the race at Parish Cafe — just their usual inventive sandwiches from some of Boston’s best chefs. This Boylston Street eatery is only a couple of blocks away from the finish line; spectators can stop in at the bar for a quick, filling lunch before the majority of the runners reach the finish line, or celebrate the event’s end with a meal on their patio.
Brunch just got extended an hour early at Rochambeau, serving its brasserie breakfast and lunch menu items until from 9 a.m. until 3 p.m. the day of the race. Don’t have time for a sit-down meal? Grab a to-go breakfast sandwich from Rochambeau while watching the race close to the finish line.