12 Takeout Ideas for a Delicious, Socially Distanced Memorial Day Weekend
From wine-paired grilling kits to a drive-through pig roast, here are fun ways to safely kick off the summer season.
The Gray’s Hall Grill Kit will set you up for Memorial Day Weekend success. / Photo by Mira Stella
With patios closed and parades on hold, this might not be the unofficial kickoff to summer we’re used to. But from the sunny social distance of your own backyard, you can still share a memorable cookout or seafood feast, thanks to creative takeout options from restaurants and shops around Boston. From wine-paired grilling kits to a drive-through pig roast, here are fun ways to safely kick off the summer season.
The Bacon Truck Cafe
While its pink and porky food trucks remain in the garage, this bacon-centric brand’s Charlestown cafe will open for a no-contact pig roast this Saturday. Preorder online to pick up a quarter-pound of spit-roasted pork with cracklins, house-made barbecue sauce, bacon mac and cheese, and other sides. The feast is priced from $19-$22, and there are also add-ons like smoked Buffalo wings, plus strips of chocolate-and-pretzel-covered bacon for dessert. Order online, call, or text your order and set up a pickup time on Saturday, May 23, between 4-8 p.m.
50 Terminal St., Charlestown, 857-600-6158, bostonbacontruck.com.
Barrel House Z + Blue Ribbon BBQ
Just in time for Memorial Day, two favorite local spots have established a convenient, one-shop stop for beer and barbecue. Order by Thursday, May 21, at 5 p.m. to bring home a package of burnt ends, pulled pork, pulled chicken, sides, and sauces from Greater Boston’s Blue Ribbon BBQ; plus two fresh crowlers filled by Barrel House Z, Weymouth’s first brewery. The $79 package feeds 4-6 people. Order online to schedule pickup on Saturday, May 23, at either Barrel House Z or Blue Ribbon’s Dedham location.
95 Woodrock Rd., Weymouth, 339-201-7888, barrelhousez.net; 342 Washington St., Dedham, 781-312-2583, blueribbonbbq.com.
The Barbara Lynch Collective
Whether your family’s Memorial Day weekend plans call for grilling in the backyard or finding a socially distant picnicking place, chef Barbara Lynch’s talented team can help. The restaurateur’s lineup of special takeout packages includes a grilling feast for two ($125), stocked not only with Wagyu beef burgers, but also spicy pork sausages, hot dogs from her Butcher Shop in the South End, barbecue pork, sides, and dessert. There’s also a seafood feast for two ($150), stocked with lobster salad, East Coast oysters and a shucking knife, clam chowder from B&G Oysters, sides, and desserts, among other options. A la carte items and wine packages are also available for preordering, while beer and cocktail kits can be purchased day-of. Check out the offerings and order online by Thursday, May 21, at 7 p.m., to schedule pickup at the Butcher Shop on Saturday, May 23 or Sunday, May 24.
552 Tremont St., South End, Boston, 617-423-4800, barbaralynch.com.
Charlie’s Kitchen
Recreate Harvard Square’s iconic beer garden at your own home with takeout cheeseburgers, lobster rolls, and even a pack of Miller High Life. Charlie’s is offering several different Memorial Day Weekend party plans, or family-style packages of food and beer; as well as a la carte items. Call Tuesday or Wednesday by 5 p.m. to order pickup or local delivery on Sunday, May 24.
10 Eliot St., Harvard Square, Cambridge, 617-492-9646, charlieskitchen.com.
Gray’s Hall
Southie’s newest wine bar is teaming up with sister shop American Provisions to offer a grill kit that’ll set you up for long-weekend success. Along with an optional $30 selection of two patio-ready wines, the $50 package for two includes harissa-marinated chicken thighs, marinated steak tips, burgers and buns, pasta salad, pickles, and sauces. Preorder online to schedule Friday pickup from either Boston location of American Provisions.
613 E. Broadway, South Boston, 617-269-6100; 1971 Dorchester Ave., Ashmont, Dorchester, 617-514-4599, americanprovisions.com.
Haley.Henry + Nathálie Wine Bars
First, place an order with Haley.Henry Wine Bar for Friday or Saturday pickup of cookout-ready side dishes like gruyere mac and cheese, Caesar salad, and rolls. Then, tune into sister spot Nathálie Wine Bar’s Zoom chat on Thursday, May 21, at 4 p.m., to get schooled on the best patio pounders to pair with it. Call Haley.Henry between 11:30 a.m.-6 p.m. or order online to reserve your cookout sides, and check out both bars’ web stores for wine delivery options, too. Memorial Day side orders must be in by Thursday for pickup at Haley.Henry on Friday or Saturday.
45 Province St., Downtown Crossing, Boston, 617-208-6000, haleyhenry.com; 186 Brookline Ave., Fenway, Boston, 857-317-3884, nathaliebar.com.
Idle Hands Craft Ales + Brato Brewhouse
Get your “tickets” to the latest collaboration between these Malden and Brighton breweries: a drive-through pig roast on Saturday, May 23. The Memorial Day weekend event also celebrates the release of Idle Hands’ newest sour beer, the mai tai-inspired Kill Your Idels: Tiki. And so, naturally, Brato chef Jonathan Gilman is preparing a complementary feast. Each takeout order is packed with luau-style pork and smoked pineapple salsa; grilled zucchini and summer squash salad; sweet potato polenta; and spiced rum cake. You can add a mixed four-pack of beers to pair, and every order comes with a link to a special Spotify playlist curated by the taproom team at Idle Hands. Preorder online by Friday, May 22, at 7 p.m. to schedule a parking lot-pickup time between 4-6:30 p.m. on Saturday.
89 Commercial St., Malden, 781-333-6070, idlehandscraftales.com.
Juliet
Sign up for the Family Meal newsletter to get Juliet chef Rachel Collins’ Memorial Day takeout menu, which will drop this Thursday, May 21, for preordering ahead of the weekend. Or, opt for an ingredient assist from chef Josh Lewin—who, fun fact, is also a Marine—via the new Juliet Outpost, which has a selection of grill-ready meats and produce packages for sale. For both options, you’ll order online and set up a pickup time over the weekend.
257 Washington St., Union Square, Somerville, 617-718-0958, julietsomerville.com.
Lamplighter Brewing Co. + Shy Bird
Settle in with Sunday supper, care of Lamplighter Brewing Co. and Kendall Square rotisserie Shy Bird. The two Cambridge businesses team up this weekend for a whole-bird feast for 2-3, which includes rotisserie chicken, Birds of a Feather IPA, springy side dishes, dessert, and plenty more beer. Preorder online by Saturday to pick up from Lamplighter’s to-go window on Sunday, May 24, from 2-7:30 p.m.
284 Broadway, Cambridge, lamplighterbrewing.com.
Rebel Rebel Wine Bar
The weekly online wine class hosted by Somerville’s Rebel Rebel has an American theme this federal holiday weekend. Attendees will learn all about how wine came to the U.S., how Prohibition affected the wine trade, and how hybrid grape varietals are thriving here and paving the way for a climate change-friendly wine trade. If you’d like to drink along, the featured wines are available for preorder via Rebel Rebel, though the pros will even offer suggestions to find at another store nearer to you. Sign up for the class via Eventbrite to get the Zoom meeting information.
1 Bow Market Way, Somerville, rebelrebelsomerville.com.
Wulf’s Fish + Local Booze
The pandemic shutdown has forced all kinds of businesses to rethink their standard models, which is why wholesale seafood company Wulf’s Fish is doing home deliveries right now. And starting just in time for Memorial Day, Wulf’s is also hooking up a few local breweries and wine shops with fresh, local seafood, so diners can make a single stop to get everything they need for a sudsy summer supper. Browse the online ordering options from Bent Water Brewing in Lynn, Castle Island Brewing in Norwood, and Beacon Hill Wine & Gourmet in Melrose to decide where to pick up your fish—Wulf’s pickups will happen at those locations on Friday afternoons. Seafood orders must be in by Thursday at midnight.
The Smoke Shop BBQ
Just in time for Memorial Day weekend, all three locations of chef and pitmaster Andy Husbands’ restaurants are open for takeout. Beginning this week, order takeout or app delivery Wednesday-Sunday from 3-8 p.m. to bring home a la carte orders of the Smoke Shop’s famous wings, burnt ends, pulled pork, and more. This week only, though, the Assembly Row location also offers special holiday Barbecue Boxes to feed 2-6 people, plus fun dessert collaborations with Flour Bakery + Cafe. Saturday pickups of the Memorial Day weekend packages have sold out, but Sunday time slots remain—as do sweet treats from Flour pastry chef Joanne Chang.
325 Assembly Row, Somerville, thesmokeshopbbq.com.
