Donuts, Pizza, Lobstah, oh my!

Most places you go in this world, there is some sort of food that is associated with it. In this country however, it can be a variety of things. Experiencing the food of a new place is a large part of the experience, because, lets be honest, good food is honestly just one of the best things in this world.

New England is full of chain restaurants that have become hugely popular, and there are also restaurants that are special and unique to Boston. In general, New England may be associated with seafood, like clam chowder, lobster, and other random foods, like whoopie pies, apples, cranberries and baked beans. Here is a short list of the restaurants that came to mind as the most important places to know.

Dunkin Donuts
Well, the obvious. Dunkin Donuts began in Massachusetts in 1950, but has since become a national phenomenon. However, I have some family members that rely on Dunkin like we rely on oxygen, and after they visited California they were shocked to find that Dunkin does not exist there. The horror, I know. While Dunkin Donuts may not seem that special, it is a staple, not just in New England, but also many other locations.

                                                   by Brian S

Donuts with a Difference
I have to admit the title is quite goofy. However, I find the donuts here to be top tier, better than Dunkin. While my favorite donuts are warm cider donuts, those only come around once a year at farms so I have to find another way to get good donuts year round. Based in Medford, MA, I used to come here when I was younger with my dad, who would constantly tell me that these donuts were better than others, and I finally realized it all these years later. Although it is a tiny little place tucked away, it holds many delicious treasures inside.

by Best of Boston 2014

Regina Pizza
"Boston's Favorite Pizza" doesn't do the place justice. Started in 1926, the original place is small, always crowded, and on a corner in the North End, the Italian neighorhood of Boston. I have only been once, but it was probably the best pizza I have had. The interior has photographs of famous people that have come to eat there, including Leonardo DiCaprio and Adam Sandler. It is casual and fun, and always very crowded, especially on game days, where everyone eating is decked out in Red Sox gear.

by Kathy Chan

Ben & Jerry's ice cream
Where would we be without them, seriously? This company is not only part of New England 's history, but Penn State's as well! Ben and Jerry took a correspondence course in ice cream making here at Penn State in 1978, and continued to open an ice cream shop in a renovated gas station in Burlington, Vermont. They are known for having a huge array of flavors that are unique to them (fun fact: my dad went to the original shop and ordered plain vanilla...)

by Gray Cargill

Tripoli Pizza and Bakery
I know what you're thinking- more pizza? However this pizza is unlike anything you've ever had. The sauce is sweeter, and it's square pizza. Sounds crazy, I know. I hated it when I was younger, because it was the pizza place that was right on the beach that we ordered from in the summer. They have only a few locations, one of them being on Seabrook Beach in New Hampshire, and some people call it beach pizza, since it originated on the beach. While Seabrook Beach and the surrounding areas are stocked full of seafood restaurants, the following one is the most notable for New England.

                                             by Emil Geithner

Union Oyster House
Confession, I have never eaten here, but it was highly suggested to me by my mom. This is the oldest continuously running restaurant in America, and was started in 1826. Seafood is probably the biggest food industry in New England, primarily Maine and Massachusetts. As you can guess, pretty much everything on the menu is seafood. It has received many awards, such as being in the top ten for best restaurants in the world, and Obama himself got 10 clam chowders to go when he recently visited. This is only one of the literally hundreds of seafood restaurant in the area, so I think one top tier restaurant will suffice.

                                             by Union Oyster House