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Natick offers a variety of eateries, from fancy to homey to chains. Natick’s best-known restaurant team is Dora Tavel-Sanchez Luz and Gabriel Sanchez Luz, who launched Buttercup in Natick following their success with The Farmhouse in Needham. Fanciness aside, Casey’s Diner is the place to go for steamed hot dogs, burgers, and other diner classics.
A slew of Asian restaurants dot the town, from sushi-and-more powerhouse Minado to strip-mall Shanghai Tokyo and Route 9’s Oga’s. There’s even a take-out sushi bar at Roche Bros. grocery store that does a very brisk business.
Other restaurants featuring ethnic delights include Italian restaurants such as Comella’s, which has a signature dish called the “Mess,” Agostino’s, and Mexicali Grill, serving authentic Mexican cuisine on the Natick/Wellesley line.
Natick’s densest restaurant rows is Route 9, which in addition to the previously mentioned spots is home to chains such as The Cheesecake Factory, and P.F. Chang’s (all located in the Natick Mall), and more.
Not to be overlooked in town are eateries such as Zaftigs, an authentic Jewish deli that serves all-day breakfast, latkes, loaded sandwiches, and more. Another unique breakfast and lunch spot is Station 5 Grille, a hometown diner that’s been family owned and operated since 2006.
Natick is home to a host of pizza joints as well. These include Bill’s Pizzeria, located in a strip mall just outside of Natick Center; and Liberty’s, an Italian-style pizzeria.
If you’re looking for a cold treat, Natick has a bunch of options, including Park Street Ice Cream, which closes for the winter; Ben & Jerry’s on route 9; and Dairy Queen on N. Main St.
Then there’s always Dunkin’ Donuts, which has no fewer than eight outposts in town, from the Natick Mall to one on West Central St., and one on East Central St.
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We stopped in for lunch in November 2022 and enjoyed the seafood cannelloni, a rich dish of rolled pasta stuffed with scallops, shrimp, lobster and ricotta. Delicious.
We stopped in for a toasted onion bagel with a schmear of lox, and took a seat at a window table overlooking Natick Common. They toast up a nice bagle here, and the staff was helpful when asked for the wifi password. Here’s our review from when the popular breakfast and lunch spot opened.
The perfect after-school snack spot for kids of all ages in Natick. Whether you are going with your family or friends to grab a homemade slice, you will not be disappointed.
Jan., 2022: We were in desperate need of a pizza joint, so we stopped into Bill’s for lunch. Chicken parm calzone…yum!
Delightful farm fresh cuisine featuring their red wine Poached pear salad appetizer, and popular fried chicken with fried green tomatoes, buttermilk ranch, and spicy aioli. Great drinks and desserts, too.
This delicious pizza chain can be found in many different locations across Eastern Mass. Known for their unbeatable pricing and specialty pizzas. They also provide a catering service which is a great option for graduations and other parties.
Mediterranean restaurant that offers the fun option to “Build Your Meal” with a pita pocket, a choice of meat or veggies, three toppings, and sauce. They also have many yummy sandwiches, salads, and a long list of fun dips.
During our most recent visit we tried out the chicken shawarma rolled up in a pita along with lettuce, hummus, tomatoes, onions, and tahini. When I tell you it was brought to the table hot, I mean it was piping hot, as in from the grill to me with no delay. For a healthy and delicious lunch, there’s nothing like the offerings at Dates & Olives.
Eli’s serves all-day breakfast (closes at 3pm), including a wide selection of humorously named omelets such as the “Hot Mama”. However, if you’re feeling more in the mood for lunch, they have a mouthwatering list of burgers to feast on.
SPONSORED CONTENT: Healthy, seasonally inspired meals — no cooking required. Feast & Fettle is a gourmet meal delivery service that offers chef-prepared entrees and side dishes delivered right to your door. Some menu items: Balsamic Grilled Flank Steak with Roasted Cherry Tomatoes; Toasted Hazelnut Crusted Salmon; Mediterranean Quinoa Salad with Roasted Summer Vegetables; Corn on the Cob with Garlic Scallion Butter.
August 2022. We unfortunately had a sub-standard lunch experience at FressCafe recently. The service was incredibly slow, and the food on the day we were there missed the mark, by far. Most disappointing was the fries and cheese starter priced at $9.99. The menu promised melty goodness. The FressCafe website promises food that’s “always fresh, always delicious.” Instead our server plunked down a few fries on a paper plate that looked very similar to the frozen fries in our home freezer. The cheese, which looked very similar to the bagged and shredded cheese we keep in our home refrigerator wasn’t even fully melted. Bacon was part of the dish and served on the side, as we requested. But seriously, $9.99 for this?
FressCafe, Natick. $9.99 for this? It’s true, that’s what we paid.
We couldn’t help but reminisce over our last visit a couple of years ago when we enjoyed a wonderful breakfast. I mean, just look at the difference. China plates. Beautiful presentation. We well remember how we were fortified for the day after such a meal. Hopefully our recent visit was a one-off negative experience.
Mexican-style restaurant that has all of your cherished authentic favorites. Whether you want to make a quick stop for queso dip and chips or maybe tackle some pulled pork tacos, you will not leave with an empty stomach.
Looking for more of a relaxed bar atmosphere? The Morse Tavern is the place to be on a Tuesday at 8pm for their trivia night, or on a Sunday to watch the game. On top of their tasty American style menu, this restaurant also frequently brings in local bands for your entertainment.
The Muffin House is a small place with a big menu. The astonishing variety of drinks includes over 15 coffee flavors available, and all flavors are roasted in the bean so that each drink comes to the customer with a rich flavor profile. They’ve got four varieties of frozen coffee (mint chip, extreme toffee coffee, coconut cream, and chocolate decadence); nitro coffee; lattes; cappuccinos; espresso shots; teas; cider; hot chocolate; strawberry banana, wildberry, or tropical smoothies; and more.
But they’re not called the Muffin House for nothing. On any given day about a dozen varieties of freshly baked muffins are in rotation from their roster of almost 20 recipes. We went with pina colada muffin, as moist and tropical as a beach day on an island paradise. The vanilla raspberry offered a subtler taste, also good. Both muffins had a nice crumb to them, and a muffin top that gave a slight crunch at the edges. We washed the muffins down with a flavorful mango smoothie and were good for the morning.–September 2022 visit
Ready-to-eat meals, with a menu that changes on a weekly basis to keep things interesting. This is a perfect and healthy option (some meals are gluten free) for the on-the-go families who want a delicious homemade dinner, but don’t have time to make it themselves.
Natick’s newest restaurant opened in summer 2022. We asked for an appetizer of bacon and cheddar potato kegs, the adult version of that kid’s-table standby, tater tots. In the 7 South way of reimagining the comfort food, the tots have put on some weight, evolving into crispy, deep-fried grated potato barrels, with bacon bits and scallions, served on top of garlic aioli ($14). The six potato kegs, crunchy on the outside, steaming hot on the inside, disappeared fast. Serving the kegs on top of the smooth-tasting and garlicky aioli sauce, instead of smothering them with it, allows diners who aren’t sauce fans to join in the delicious fun. Read more about our visit here.
As for the coffee and tea, look for menu items like French Vietnamese Au Lait (dark roasted French chicory coffee and sweetened condensed milk); Crème Caramel (caramel coated vanilla latte topped with whipped cream); a collection of classic daily brews; and premium teas from Earl Grey to Dragon Pearl Jasmine. They also have pastries, bagels, filled croissants, and more.
Anthony’s Coal-Fired Pizza, 9/27 Plaza Pizzas, roasted chicken wings, large homemade meatballs made from a recipe passed down from Anthony’s grandmother.
Ben & Jerry’s, 1265 Worcester St. (westbound side) Premium ice cream that got its start in Burlington, Vermont.
B. GOOD, 1265 Worcester St. (westbound side) Kale and Grain bowls, salads, wraps, burgers and sandwiches, smoothies, milkshakes.
Café Yafa, 6A Wethersfield Rd. Mediterranean favorites, plus a coffee bar, muffins & more. In Arabic, Yafa means beautiful or pretty and is often used as a girl’s name. So it makes sense that the owner of Natick’s newest eatery named his first restaurant Café Yafa. The 25-seat dine-in or take-out spot is clearly Mo Alghool’s baby, its homemade Mediterranean specialties his pride. SEE THE WHOLE REVIEW…
Dunkin’, 1362 Worcester St. (eastbound side) Donuts, coffee.
Five Guys, 221 N. Main St. (route 9/27) Burgers, fries, hot dogs, sandwiches, shakes in a fast-moving atmosphere.
Hot Doogy, 1300D, Worcester St. (Rte. 9 east in Sherwood Plaza)
Brazilian-style hotdogs, which means not just a dog and bun, but all sorts of flavors and varieties. The dogs cost between $5-$13 depending upon how loaded you want them. We visited on opening day in March 2021.
Krua Thai , 231 N Main St. Gourmet Thai cuisine in a casual atmosphere.
Minado, 1282 Worcester St. (eastbound side) Sushi and seafood buffet.
Oga’s, 915 Worcester St. (westbound side) Japanese cuisine, Japanese owned.
Panera Bread, 841 Worcester St. (9/27 Plaza) Emphasis on clean food; sandwiches, soups, baked goods.
The Pantry, 1360 Worcester St. (eastbound side) Located inside The Verve Hotel. Serving breakfast daily.
Shaanxi Gourmet, 259 Worcester St. (westbound side) Authentic cuisine from North China.
SKYBOKX 109, 319 Speen Street Fun sports bar filled with TVs tuned to the big game. Enjoy classic bar food here from wings to burgers. Family friendly.
Smashburger, 1298 Worcester St. (eastbound side) Burgers that are smashed, seasoned, and seared on the grill.
December 2022: There’s seating for about eight in this small, independently owned coffee house that serves sandwiches, soups, salads, muffins, bagels, cookies, and more. We enjoyed our hot chocolate on a cold day, and grabbed a tiny corner table to enjoy our beverage. The drink was good, but something’s up with the sound system. The music comes and goes in a jerky stop-star. Super annoying.
April 2021: We wanted a venue that felt safe and where we could celebrate our half-vaccinated state on a chilly spring day. The Greenhouse with its high ceilings and enormous dining area that holds 37 well-spaced picnic tables fit the bill. The big win of the night was the Nashville hot jumbo shrimp with Vermont cheddar garlic bread. The “hot” refers to the sauce that had a solid kick but didn’t overpower the cheddar cheese. This one’s a winner paired with the farmer’s baby greens salad with cranberries, goat cheese, pepitos, chives, and butternut squash. Wash it all down with a Hay Bale Belgian Golden Ale and go away happy.
Lookout Farm invites you outdoors, in Adirondack chairs and under tents, to dine and drink at The Lookout. Beautiful views of the orchards and farmland surroundings. Pizza, brunch, BBQ, concerts, and more depending on the day, plus beer and cider.
Located within the Level99 interactive gaming venue, Night Shift Brewing starting in summer 2021 began serving fresh, locally-crafted beer, hard seltzer, wine, and cocktails, and on the food front, bar food favorites plus fancier stuff.
Master Wok (food court)
McDonalds (food court)
Melt (upper level, near Lord & Taylor) Gelato and crepe cafe.
April 2021: We picked up take-out from the Chinese cuisine chain’s Natick Mall location. We tried out the Family Meal for Two (for 4 or 6 also available). At $34 for 2, the take-out or delivery only option is the best value on the menu. You get to choose a Lettuce Wrap appetizer (their signature dish, and the lettuce is always fresh and crisp); a soup; a noodle or rice dish; and a main entrée. Nobody goes away hungry, and everything was delicious. Vegetarian and gluten-free options available for the Family Meal option, and throughout the menu.