A Dozen Places to Get Excellent Fried Pickles around Boston
Stop by these local spots for secret sauces, can’t-miss views, and crispy, tangy, fried pickles.
Fried pickles and jalapeños with “Comeback Sauce” at Loretta’s in Fenway. / Courtesy photo
If you’ve ever felt a craving for a savory snack with a pang of tartness and a crispy crunch, you might want to try some fried pickles. (A note to those not yet initiated into the cult of deep-fried-pickled goodness: They’re also called “frickles.”) Common at pubs, sports bars, late-night joints, and tried-and-true local favorites, frickles have made their way into the mainstream. And rightfully so.
At the dozen restaurants on this list, you’ll find everything from dill pickle spears to Old Bay-seasoned chips and giant slices that are battered and breaded, plated with a side of secret sauce, and enjoyed with, for example, a view of Fenway Park or in the company of live music. No matter how they serve ‘em, these spots know how to do fried pickles right.
Fried pickles and chipotle aioli at A&B. / Courtesy photo
A&B Kitchen & Bar
Need a spot to hit before or after a game? Look no further than A&B. Just steps from TD Garden, the menu is filled with burgers, comfort food, and a whole host of sides—most notably, crispy fried pickles served with chipotle aioli. And if you’re in the market for something more filling, try the pork belly Cubano—served with a side of fried pickles, of course.
115 Beverly St., Boston, 857-449-2251, anbkitchen.com.
Bleacher Bar
Bringing a whole new meaning to dinner with a view, Bleacher Bar has a huge garage window that looks directly into Fenway at center field, so you can enjoy a snack of Mike’s fried pickles while watching the game. And don’t forget to opt for an obligatory local beer from a draft list that’s chock full of them. 82A Lansdowne St., Boston, 617-262-2424, bleacherbarboston.com.
Boston Burger Company
Known for its oversized burgers and massive shakes, Boston Burger Company also has fried pickles that live up to the same standard. Served in long slices rather than the far more ubiquitous chips, BBC’s homemade frickles come on their own, on a sampler platter alongside other fried goodies, or atop the hefty “Rundown” burger.
1105 Massachusetts Ave., Cambridge, 857-242-3605; 1100 Boylston St., Boston, 857-233-4560; 37 Davis Sq., Somerville, 617-440-7361; 133 Washington St., Salem; instagram.com/bostonburger_co.
Cambridge Common
With 30 beers on tap and pickle spears fried in spicy beer batter, plus sides of ranch and spicy chipotle aioli, how could you go wrong? Get your frickle fix at Cambridge Common for a weeknight dinner or post-work happy hour, or stop in for Saturday and Sunday brunch instead. Because here, frickles are served no matter the hour.
1667 Massachusetts Ave., Cambridge, 617-547-1228, cambridgecommonrestaurant.com.
Spicy fried dill pickles and peppers at Citizen Public House in Fenway. / Courtesy photo
Citizen Public House & Oyster Bar
Some of the crispiest around, Citizen Public House’s spicy fried dill pickles and hot cherry peppers—topped with an Old Bay-esque seasoning and a side of house-made buttermilk ranch to cool it down—have the crunch that every fried food fan craves. Even better: You can get them until 2 a.m. on the weekend. Post-concert snack, anyone?
1310 Boylston St., Boston, 617-450-9000, citizenpub.com.
Emmets Irish Pub & Restaurant
A slice of Ireland on Beacon Hill, Emmets serves up Irish comfort food that truly warms the soul. Grab a pint of Guinness and a plate of battered, half-sour fried pickle chips served with an herbed buttermilk ranch dip and settle in for the evening. They’re a perfect starter to the decidedly on-theme dinner: a trio of three savory pies dubbed the “Taste of Ireland.”
6 Beacon St., Boston, 617-742-8565, emmetsirishpubandrestaurant.com.
JM Curley
Downtown’s no-fuss, all-fun JM Curley is the place to go for good food until the early morning (1:30 a.m., to be exact). If you’re there during normal dinner hours, though, whet your palate with fried pickles and Creole sauce, then pass through the velvet curtain to the bar’s speakeasy steakhouse, Bogie’s Place, to round out the meal with a rib-eye. Finally, end the night at sibling and neighbor cocktail lounge the Wig Shop.
21 Temple Pl., Boston, MA, 617-338-5333, jmcurleyboston.com.
Local 149
Local food, local beer, and fried pickles and peppers with a side of ranch round out the menu at Local 149. They go best with the Southie restaurant’s Tuesday night trivia, or a quick walk around the nearby Pleasure Bay and M Street Beach on a warm afternoon.
149 P St., South Boston, 617-269-0900, local149.com.
Fried pickles and secret sauce at the Seaport’s Lola Burger. / Courtesy photo
Lola Burger
Take a stroll on the Harborwalk and Waterfront Park before hitting this laid-back Seaport spot for specialty burgers (think lamb, tuna, and falafel patties) accompanied by none other than fried dill pickles with a savory and tangy secret sauce. Top it all off with a four-glass beer flight, and you have yourself a meal.
11 Fan Pier Blvd., Boston, lolaburger.com.
Loretta’s Last Call
A country atmosphere and Southern fare—the likes of biscuits and gravy or shrimp and grits—are the hallmarks of Loretta’s. Head to the popular Fenway spot on a night when there’s live music to really get into the spirit, and munch on some fried pickles and jalapeños dipped in “Comeback Sauce,” a Southern-style spicy mayo condiment.
1 Lansdowne St., Boston, 617-421-9595, lorettaslastcall.com.
Fried pickles at the Quiet Few. / Photo by Scott Jensen
The Quiet Few
Who knew a whiskey bar in Eastie would be so into pickles? Stop by the cozy space for an easygoing vibe and the “Bowl o’ Grillos” fried pickles, topped with green onions and parsley and served with house-made ranch. The only appropriate drink to pair them with is pickleback shots, of course.
331 Sumner St., East Boston, 617-561-1061, thequietfew.com.
Tavern in the Square
As a Massachusetts fixture, Tavern in the Square is almost guaranteed to have a location close to wherever you are in Boston. Its fried pickle chips with a side of secret sauce are served best as a late-night snack—but early birds can get them for dinner, too. (And they’re good.)
120 Beverly St., North Station, Boston, 617-263-0404; 640 Atlantic Ave., South Station, 857-233-4717; 161 Brighton Ave., Allston, 617-782-8100; and more locations; taverninthesquare.com.
