What to Eat (and Drink) This Weekend

Clover truck photo by Charlene McBride via Flickr/Creative Commons

Free Food, for the Last Time You Can Ever Order from the Dewey Square Clover Truck 

Clover Food Lab is bidding farewell to its food truck fleet—forever—on Friday by giving away the menu from the Dewey Square truck. The company remembers it’s the place where Mayor Menino first ate a soy BLT and decided to start a food truck program in the city of Boston. The bittersweet feast begins at 11:15 a.m. and continues until it’s all sold out.

Friday, August 4, 11:15 a.m., Dewey Square, Summer Street and Atlantic Ave., Boston, cloverfoodlab.com.

A spread of Kummerspeck fare at a March pop-up at the Dive Bar. / Photo by Jacqueline Cain

“Grief Bacon”

A deli, butcher shop, restaurant, and bar with an exceptional name is now open in Worcester. Kummerspeck—a German word which translates roughly to “grief bacon,” as in, the excess weight gained by emotional eating—is the work of two Barbara Lynch Gruppo alums, former the Butcher Shop chef Matt Mahoney and Sportello sous chef Rachel Coit. The married couple hail from Central Massachusetts, and have a new, hybrid concept for the growing Worcester restaurant scene. Expect house-made sausages and charcuterie, along with vegetarian options; and true-to-form global plates like fried green tomatoes with chowchow; a French dip sandwich with smoked chuck eye; lamb tartar with spice carrot mayo and lavash; house-made tasso ham and Anson Mills grits; mushroom jerky and sweet potato pierogi; German potato salad; a classic Nicoise salad, and more. Worcester Magazine reports that the Queen’s Cups, an expansion of a popular Millbury bakery, is also now open at 56 Water Street, so it’s definitely time to take a day trip to Worcester.

118 Water St., Worcester, 774-243-7071, Kummerspeck Foods on Facebook.

The Kent Falls crew is not bringing brewery cat Buddy Sprinkles to Saturday’s beer garden event at Atwood’s (we don’t think). / Photo provided by Kent Falls

Kent Falls Beers on the Atwood’s Patio

Every summer, the glorious oasis that is the Atwood’s Tavern back patio hosts a beer garden barbecue series. This Saturday, they’re getting a visit from Connecticut farm brewery Kent Falls and founder Barry Labendz, along with distributor Craft Collective. The Atwood’s crew is grilling up brats and burgers and pints will flow into early evening, so hopefully the rain will pass.

Beer Garden BBQ Series: Kent Falls, Saturday, August 5, 3-6 p.m., Atwood’s Tavern, 877 Cambridge St., East Cambridge, 617-864-2792, atwoodstavern.com, Facebook.

A pint of Bantam Ginger Beer at the Somerville taproom. / Photo provided

Bantam Cider, Because There Is Now More Parking Near Their Taproom

Love hanging out at the industrial-chic tasting room at Bantam Cider Company, but hate finding parking around there? Take note: This week’s challenging construction rerouting traffic around Union Square has a very bright silver lining. There’s now more parking along a two-way Prospect Street, the main drag into the square, around the corner from Bantam’s home on Merriam Street. Bring a designated driver! Or, like always, you can take the 91 bus from Central Square, the 86 from Harvard, or the 87 bus from Lechmere or Porter/Davis. The buzzy new Buzzwig, Hibiscus Mint, coffee-infused Joe, and more unique ciders (and ginger beer) are on draft, and, like every weekend, the taproom is open Friday from 5-8 p.m., Saturday from 1- 8 p.m., and Sunday from noon-6 p.m.

Bantam Cider Co., 44 Merriam St., 617-299-8600, bantamcider.com.

An icy platter of bivalves from Island Creek Oyster Bar’s Burlington location. / Photograph by PJ Couture for Best of Boston 2017

So Many Oysters

You know how every food gets its own special holiday these days? The oyster’s day is this Saturday, August 5. Most every restaurant around these parts employs someone who can shuck, and Duxbury, Wellfleet, Pemaquid, and more varieties are easy to find. Consult Eater Boston’s $1 oyster map if you are so inspired. Or, head to SoWa—Eat Boston and the Open Market have an oyster block party going on both days this weekend, with food trucks and restaurants including Gaslight Brasserie, Bon Me, the Shuck Food Truck, Red’s Best, and more, with oysters and oyster-themed specials. Plus, there will craft beer, cider, and wine, and the whole gamut of artists, farmers, and specialty vendors. The rain-or-shine party is cash only, so come prepared.

Oyster, Oyster Block Party, Saturday, August 5, and Sunday August 6, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. both days, SoWa Open Market, 460 Harrison Ave., South End, Boston, wheretoeat.in, sowaboston.com.

Alex Koblan making drinks at the Bully Boy Tasting room. / Photo by Jason Zucco provided

Blackbird Doughnuts, Awake Nitro Coffee, and Bully Boy Booze

Since opening its swanky new cocktail bar and distillery, Bully Boy Distillers have brought a lot of fun local companies in for pop-ups. This Sunday, they’re taking on brunch with Blackbird Doughnuts and Arlington-based cold brew coffee company Awake Nitro Brewing. There will be nitro cold brew on draft, plus a special menu of drinks made with it—and drinks meant to pair perfectly with Blackbird’s pastries. Yes, please?

Blackbird Donuts + Awake Nitro Coffee Brunch!, Sunday, August 6, noon-4 p.m., Bully Boy Distillers, 44 Cedric St., Newmarket, Roxbury, Facebook.