The specialty of this big house is a particular New England favorite: Grape-Nut ice cream, complete with crunchy bits of the earthy cereal within a mellow vanilla confection. Always happy to accommodate, the counter staff will set your cone into an old wooden holder while you pay. Bishop’s maple sundae is also a treat to […]
Echo Moon Farm delivers fresh milk daily from rBGH-free cows to this producer and “scoop shop,” where local ingredients such as maple and pumpkin are blended into rich flavor. You can watch the ice cream churning right there at the stand, too. 532 Main St., Walpole. 603-445-5700; walpolecreamery.com
This tiny North End eatery serves some of the best seafood in Boston. The chowder trades the usual thickened base for a vibrant, intensely clammy broth. The secret? It’s lightly enriched with milk, cream, and potatoes and accented with a hint of oregano. 63 Salem St., Boston. 617-742-3474; neptuneoyster.com
For a place that branded itself on its meat, Kelly’s does surprisingly well with seafood. We found a sprightly, creamy broth, rich in potatoes; it’s a bit lighter on the clams, but fully aromatic and delicious. Locations in Allston, Danvers, Medford, Natick, Revere (where it all began), and Saugus. 781-233-5700; kellysroastbeef.com
Farmer Bob Brown and his wife, Kathy, have found their true calling in the chowder they serve at this year-round market. It’s a thick, stick-to-your-ribs style, supremely creamy, but fresh and brimming with clams. 210 Maple St., Middleton. 978-774-7110; farmerbrownsfarmstand.com
The oyster crackers are house-made, and the stew is a hearty mixture of quahogs and cherrystones for intense clam flavor. A light hand with the flour keeps the chowder saucy, not gloppy. Westin Copley Place, 10 Huntington Ave., Boston. 617-424-7425; turnersboston.com
Between the creamy chowder, stuffed with chopped quahogs and accented with sweet onions, and the sunset views over the harbor, this little shingled Martha’s Vineyard shack draws a hungry crowd during peak season. 29 Basin Road, Menemsha. 508-645-9239; thebitemenemsha.com
Served in takeout containers, this chowder puts on no airs. But it has incredible fresh-from-the-sea flavor, a hint of smoke from the bacon, and just the right amount of milk to thicken it without overwhelming it. 45 Barcliff Ave. Extension, Chatham. 508-945-3474; chathampierfishmarket.com
End of the road, end of the earth: Look for mountain views, bluebloods, bluehairs, and swarms of fishing boats. Steamboat Wharf Road, Bernard. 207-244-7600; thurstonslobster.com
Don’t miss this one for the atmosphere: open ocean, battered cliffs, foghorns, wind, and crashing waves. 225 Two Lights Road, Cape Elizabeth. 207-799-1677; lobstershacktwolights.com
It’s right on a working wharf, with views out to the Muscle Ridge Islands, the bubbly granite shore, and pointed firs: foggy, soggy, and piratey. 12 Commercial St., Tenants Harbor. 207-372-6782; codend.com
J’s may be the last of Portland’s salty, divey seafood houses. Casco Bay and the urban working waterfront are right outside the door: condos, cruise ships, and bait houses. 5 Portland Pier, Portland. 207-772-4828; jsoyster.com
