Our Fathers Opens in the Fenway with Tender Pastrami and Frozen Cocktails Galore
It’s a neon rebirth for the former Allston deli and restaurant—a little more tropical this time.
Our Fathers. / Photo by Elisabeth Hadjis
With hearty deli sandwiches, frozen cocktails, local sake on tap, and relaxing minty-green vibes, the revival of Our Fathers—a restaurant, bar, and deli previously open in Allston from 2017 to 2022—has arrived in the Fenway, with some new surprises. Follow the cursive neon sign to the Tasty Burger and Citizen Public House sibling, located in a distinctive-looking Boylston Street building that was once a gas station. More recently, it was a Tasty Burger, and the takeout window is still in play, now slinging hand-carved pastrami sandwiches instead of juicy burgers and milkshakes. Inside, the former bright red motif is now green, and a comforting mix of frozen daiquiris, Reubens, and matzo ball soup awaits.
Co-owners David DuBois and Phil Audino have been operating out of this iconic one-story spot since 2010, when they opened the first-ever Tasty Burger there, a casual burger joint so popular it spawned offshoots throughout Greater Boston (and, for a time, Washington, D.C.). They love the endearing character of the Fenway neighborhood, they say, and after moving the original Tasty Burger to a new location across the street, decided to transplant Our Fathers to this space, giving new life to a playful concept that includes sandwiches inspired by their Massachusetts childhoods and the comfort of their own neighborhood delis.
Pastrami cheese fries at Our Fathers. / Photo by Elisabeth Hadjis
“Hand-cut pastrami and corned beef are a lost art that very few places across the country have been able to execute,” says DuBois. “The pastrami has a 14-day process, and the corned beef has a seven-to-nine-day process. It has to be cured, smoked, cooked, and smoked again, all with our specialty spice blend.” At the original Our Fathers location, the pastrami was a highlight. “[The pastrami] isn’t just good,” wrote Boston restaurant critic Jolyon Helterman in 2018. “It is exceptional … We’re talking some serious Cézanne-level excellence right here.” Later that year, we gave the restaurant a Best of Boston award for Best Deli, thanks in part to that pastrami — “some kind of smoky, cardamom-crusted godsend.”
In addition to the pastrami and corned beef sandwiches, you’ll find a variety of other classics and fun twists. Like the enormous “everything Italian,” a smorgasbord of cold cuts and toppings on a toasted, everything-seasoned sub roll, and the brisket steak and cheese, served on a pretzel roll. There are options without meat, too, such as a pita stuffed with falafel, feta, cucumber, garlic sauce, and hummus, and a beefsteak-tomato-and-burrata combo on grilled ciabatta.
The Reuben at Our Fathers, with corned beef, Swiss cheese, sauerkraut, and house Russian, served on toasted pumpernickel. / Photo by Elisabeth Hadjis
While the focus is the sandwiches, don’t miss the made-to-share snacks like the dip sampler—featuring crunchy bits of crostini to soak in hummus, labneh, spicy baba ghanoush, and beet tahina—or the unforgettable pastrami cheese fries, an over-the-top experience that pairs perfectly with a frozen cocktail. Top it all off with a slice of classic carrot cake.
“We cooked many, many versions of that carrot cake,” DuBois says. “There are two things you always see at a deli: cheesecake and carrot cake. We decided we only wanted one dessert, and this one took a long time to get there.”
The dip sampler at Our Fathers. / Photo by Elisabeth Hadjis
As for drinks, fans of the original location might remember the gin-centric program. The team went in a different direction this time (although there’s still a gin and tonic), with bartender Tone Dickson crafting a wide variety of cocktails that maximize the restaurant’s cordials license. From the tangy, sweet Strawberry Smash Spritz to the Rock & Rye Old Fashioned, there are options for all tastes. We recommend pretending it’s summer year-round with one of three frozen cocktails: the aforementioned daiquiri, a lemon almond freeze, or an Aperol paloma. Or, better yet, ask for them all mixed together. A handful of beers, wines, hard seltzers, and local draft sake (Farthest Star from Medfield) round out the alcoholic options, while sodas like root beer, cherry cream, and coconut are available on the non-alcoholic side.
Brunch lovers should swing by on Sundays, when a special menu is available from 10:30 a.m. all the way until 6 p.m. in addition to the usual all-day offerings. With chocolate babka mudslides, challah French toast, and pastrami latke Benedict among the options, you’re not going to want to miss this one.
Frozen cocktails at Our Fathers. / Photo by Elisabeth Hadjis
And time is of the essence: The team was initially promoting Our Fathers 2.0 as “a sandwich pop-up” because this space might not be around forever. The lot could be part of some longer-term redevelopment in the neighborhood, but with nothing specific planned yet, the group is hopeful to stick around in the funky former gas station as long as possible. “I feel like we’ll be here for a while,” says DuBois.
Our Fathers serves frozen cocktails, draft sake, and more. / Photo by Elisabeth Hadjis
1301 Boylston St., Fenway, Boston, ourfathersboston.com.
