I was tickled to see this comic strip hanging up at the Needham Trader Joe’s.
It made me realize in all the time I’ve been blogging I’ve never written about a very common question home buyers moving to the Boston suburbs have: Where can I shop around here? And what are some good restaurants nearby? So without further adieu, here’s quick snapshot of places to dine, shop, and more in the Boston suburbs:
Dover: The Dover Market is one of the few shops in town, but the town offers easy access to Needham for shopping. Locals enjoy breakfast or lunch at the Dover Cafe & Deli, or take a short drive to Needham to enjoy Italian, Indian, Thai & other cuisines.
Holliston: Shops include Fiske’s General Store, Superette (small grocery shop), as well as a few cute shops such as the Bird in the Hand Boutique. There are larger grocery stores on the town borders with Ashland and Milford. Restaurants include Bertucci’s and Pejamajo Cafe, which also has music at night. More info: The town center also features a children’s playground, tennis courts, and artist lofts.
Hopkinton: Grocery stores include Colella’s Grocery Store and Price Chopper.
There are a few boutique shops in town, including a great little clothing store called Threads. Many residents zip over to Westborough for larger shopping excursions.
Restaurants are few in Hopkinton. They include Zio’s Cafe and Dynasty Chinese Restaurant, as well as a few breakfast/lunch spots, such as Hopkinton Gourmet and the new Water Fresh Farms. More info: The town hosts free movie nights and summer concerts on the pretty town common.
Sherborn: The town has few shops to speak of, but is just a few miles to the Natick Collection Mall as well as a wealth of shops & restaurants in Wellesley. The town is home to the historic Sherborn Inn, which offers a lovely jazz brunch on Sundays. Residents hop over the town line to the Roche Brothers in Natick, Trader Joe’s in Framingham, or the new Whole Foods in Wellesley. More info: Farm Pond is a lovely place in town to swim & sail.
Sudbury: The town offers a wealth of shopping and dining experiences. Sudbury has two grocery stores and a growing number of clothing and gift shops. There are many restaurants to choose from, including Indian, Japanese, Mexican, Chinese, American fare, and more. There are also several coffee shops, including Starbucks and Karma Coffee Roasters (which gets rave reviews).
Wayland: The town is home to a few well known names (Starbucks & Whole Foods) but primarily has smaller establishments. There is a fantastic garden center (Russell’s) in town as well. There are a handful of restaurants in town, plus many more just up the road in Sudbury and Natick.
Wellesley: The town has a wonderful walkable shopping area filled with great clothing, jewelry, toy, and gift shops, including the wonderful little Wellesley Booksmith (An added plus: They donate a portion of their proceeds to Greyhound Friends!) There are lots of restaurants to choose from. You can find everything from Italian to Turkish, Chinese to Thai. (My fave restaurants in town are Cafe Mangal, China Sky & Blue Ginger.)
Westborough: The town has three grocery stories plus lots of big box stores such as Target, Staples, Lowes, Home Goods, Marshalls, and others, as well as lots of little boutiques such as Lyn Evans Potpourri Design and Nicolina’s. There’s a wide array of restaurants in town, from large chains to smaller family-owned establishments.