Traveling can be draining, even when you’re having fun. When you’re starting to feel overwhelmed or homesick, comfort food could be what you crave. What counts as comfort food varies from person to person. However, it’s generally defined as food that provides consolation or a feeling of well-being, typically any with a high sugar or other carbohydrate content and associated with childhood or home cooking.
Comfort food is something that can make you feel like you’re back with family, even when you’re traveling alone on vacation or just missing your own kitchen. The next time you’re in need of comfort food while exploring the Merrimack Valley, check out these local restaurants.
Tewksbury
Angelina’s Italian Restaurant
When you want good Italian food made from scratch like your grandmother would make, Angelina’s Italian Restaurant is the place to go. You can dine on Italian staples like chicken parmigiana and veal marsala that will make you feel warm and full like you did around the family table. Be sure to indulge in homemade desserts and a glass of their Zaccagnini wines imported from the owner’s grandparent’s village in Bolognano, Italy. You’ll really feel like family and get a great taste of home, even if you’re not Italian.
Dracut
Owen & Ollie’s Restaurant & Pub
Named for the owners’ son Owen and granddaughter Olivia, Owen & Ollie’s Restaurant & Pub is a family-friendly, homey establishment that serves comforting Irish-American fare. Enjoy a weekend brunch on Saturdays and Sundays full of comfort food like apple cinnamon brioche French toast, croque madames, potato skins, and avocado toasts.
For lunch and dinner during the week, Owen & Ollie’s offers appetizers, entrees, and desserts that will fill you up and give you that content feeling you only get at the places you feel happiest. Order up firecracker shrimp, corned beef, cottage pie, and baked haddock as your delectable dinner, then indulge in a slice of cheesecake, warm apple crisp, or a mini chocolate bundt cake for dessert.
Lowell
Four Sisters Owl Diner
Breakfast and lunch foods are prime examples of comfort food for many Americans. Homemade waffles, juicy burgers, and fried egg sandwiches really hit the spot when you’re feeling homesick and want something comforting and hardy. You can find all of this at Four Sisters Owl Diner. You’ll even get to sit in a vintage lunch car to get the traditional diner experience, which is classic Americana for many. The diner is open daily from 7 am to 1 pm and has a full breakfast and lunch menu full of dishes that will give you that homey, nostalgic feeling.
Fuse Bistro
For comfort food that uses the best seasonal, local ingredients, Fuse Bistro is the place to go. Sit on the patio and absorb the energy of the city while eating great menu options like nachos, Korean BBQ chicken tenders, grilled cheese sandwiches, or even Sunday brunch.
You can enjoy your favorite comfort foods while still getting a taste of Merrimack Valley, which can help with homesickness so you can fully experience the local flavor. Once you’ve satiated that craving, you’ll be ready to keep exploring Lowell and go on your next adventure.
El Potro Mexican Grill
Not everyone’s comfort food is American. For some, home is south of the border. That’s why authentic Mexican cuisine like what your abuela used to make is waiting for you at El Potro Mexican Grill. This family-owned restaurant uses recipes handed down from generation to generation, creating a menu full of traditional dishes like tamales, enchiladas, quesadillas, and more. Each plate is filled with fresh ingredients, bold flavors, and big portions, just like you would have at your own family dinners.
Brew’d Awakening Coffeehaus
Sometimes, comfort food is as simple as a fine cup of coffee. You’ll get exactly that at Brew’d Awakening Coffeehaus, with many varieties of single-roast coffee to choose from, as well as lattes, teas, and more. Pair your drink with delicious food like muffins, pastries, bagel sandwiches, and even acai bowls.
Get your coffee to go or stay in to sit and sip. The atmosphere further lends itself to comfort, as the staff is friendly and welcoming to all and you’ll find locals willing to socialize with you and give advice on where you should go next.
Acton
Rapscallion Table & Tap
Who says comfort food can’t be artisanal? Not us, that’s for sure. At Rapscallion Table & Tap, artisanal comfort food meets craft beer. Enjoy plates cooked with locally sourced ingredients made to order in their scratch kitchen. Settle inside the historic farmhouse and enjoy a meal at the bar, by one of the hearths, or al fresco on the patio, depending on your preference. You’ll feel right at home in no time.
Rapscallion is a taproom first and foremost, meaning you should come in to enjoy a good beer and take in the cozy atmosphere. Pair the flavors of each seasonal dish with Rapscallion’s own hand-brewed beers or select wines and cocktails.
Woburn
Lord Hobo Taproom & Restaurant
Lord Hobo Taproom & Restaurant is a taproom in Woburn where the delicious comfort pub food and energetic atmosphere will lift your spirits and make you feel at home. Showcasing an expansive 40 draft line system, every palate will find something that suits them. They have limited and brewery-only Lord Hobo releases alongside rotating guest taps for wine and cider.
As great as comfort drinks are, comfort food should always go with it. The Woburn taproom serves a full menu with appetizers, craft pizzas, sandwiches, and more. As you watch the big game with other patrons, enjoy poutine or truffle fries, meatball sliders, and wings. For dessert, order yourself a sweet root beer float or an Imperial Stout fudge brownie with vanilla ice cream.
Comfort food can be a major help while traveling, as few things ruin a trip like homesickness. Knowing where to get comfort food in Lowell will give you an easy, relaxing meal that will put a smile on your face and get you ready for exploring Merrimack and enjoying your time away from home.
