Here’s Where to Eat All Along the Boston Marathon Route
From Hopkinton to Heartbreak Hill, our picks for refueling on race day.
Night Shift Brewing’s Detroit-style pizza. / Photo by Kate Weiser
There’s no doubt about it: Marathon Monday is one of the most exciting days in Boston and, for that matter, all the ‘burbs that line the route. Planning to come out and cheer on the runners? After you do, refuel yourself by sprinting over to one of our race-day picks—each open for Monday lunch—for every town and neighborhood from Hopkinton to Heartbreak Hill.
This guide was last updated in April 2023; keep an eye out for periodic updates.
Hopkinton: Bill’s Downtown Pizzeria & Bar
If you want to grab a bite near the starting line of the marathon in Hopkinton, you will quickly discover that a lot of the restaurants in town are closed on Mondays. Bill’s, blessedly, is an exception to that rule—the place is firing up pizzas topped with meatballs, barbecue or Buffalo chicken, pineapple (if you play it that way), and much more by 10:30 a.m. So once you’ve sufficiently seen off the runners, book it over for a pie, panini, calzone, or baklava. There’s a full bar, too, so take advantage on your own Monday off.
14 Main St., Hopkinton, 508-435-0447, mybillspizza.com.
Ashland: Los Cabos Mexican Grill & Cantina
Let the margaritas flow at this colorful Mexican spot, where the tacos, chimichangas, enchiladas, and other eats are so tasty, runners might be tempted to take a detour for lunch. Luckily, the rest of us will not have to consider tossing months’ worth of training out the window to score a sizzling fajita wrap or chipotle-sauced chicken. We’ll just need to consider whether we want one, two, or three burritos for our combo plate. Decisions, decisions.
300 Elliot St., Ashland, 508-309-4595, loscabosashlandma.com.
Framingham: Sichuan Gourmet
Speaking of decision-making: One, two, or three chili peppers on the menu will indicate the level of spiciness you’ll receive when ordering at Sichuan Gourmet, although the comfy, familiar Chinese restaurant can dial it up or down, depending on how you feel. What you probably feel like, frankly, are house specials of pickled pepper chicken or braised whole fish with pine nuts. Take note: The slimmed-down lunch menu is supremely affordable, making it easier to table deliberation and try a few things at once.
271 Worcester Rd., Framingham, 508-626-0347, sichuangourmetma.com.
Level99. / Photo by Chris Winroth
Natick: Night Shift Brewing at Level99
After all that time marveling at the athleticism of marathoners, you might feel inspired to undertake your own challenge of physical and mental strength and stamina. Also, you might feel inspired to eat some beer and pizza. Both of these feats can be accomplished at the location of Night Shift Brewing—one of the Boston area’s best makers of beer and Detroit-style pies, by the way—at Level99 in Natick. The venue is an acre-large playground of 40 escape room-type setups with themes like “Aztec Temple,” “Ninja Dojo,” and “Pirates Brig.” Your mission, if you choose to accept it, is to have fun attempting to clear as many of these real-life-video-game levels as you can. And your reward? We mentioned pizza and beer, right?
1235 Worcester St. (Natick Mall), Natick, 617-865-8599, nightshiftnatick.com.
Wellesley: Cafe Mangal
This cozy Wellesley spot features Mediterranean cuisine, drawing particular inspiration from Turkey. And its Turkish dishes—some cooked in the titular mangal, a type of braising pot—are all must-tries. Look for specialties like lahmacun and borek, which join simple-but-delicious fare like smoked salmon salads and an Aegean-style feta sandwich on the lovely little lunch menu.
555 Washington St., Wellesley, 781-235-5322, cafemangal.com.
Newton: Union Street Restaurant
If it’s a nice day, it’s a bummer to move inside after cheering on the runners from the sidelines. Union Street, though, has a hell of a spacious, cloistered patio for continuing to soak up the sun while sipping on craft beers and cocktails, including a cider mule and a spicy pomegranate margarita. And if rain clouds appear? Move inside to the usually boisterous, sports bar-like space, a favorite local hang for kicking back over Buffalo wings, mountains of nachos, and comfort food like chicken parm or steak tips.
107R Union St., Newton, 617-964-6684, unionst.com.
Café Landwer. / Photo by Drew Katz
Brighton: Café Landwer
Watching all the fleet-footed runners tear their way up Beacon Street might put you in the mood for some light fare that won’t weigh you down, and Café Landwer will land just right. The casual spot—an outpost of an Israeli chain—has a lot of vegetarian-friendly options, especially during the breakfast service that runs through 3 p.m. Spicy shakshuka with vegan meatballs is a highlight, and so are the fresh-squeezed juices like the Mediterranean Energy shake: raw tahini with date, banana, and soy milk.
383 Chestnut Hill Ave., Brighton, Boston, 617-383-5786, landwercafe.com.
Stoked Pizza Company. / Photo by Scott Goodwin
Brookline: Stoked Pizza Company
It’s thoughtful for the folks at Stoked to have plopped some of Boston’s best pizza so close to the marathon route. Thanks to them, we can dip inside and grab a seat for wood-fired pies topped with everything from Italian sausage to cheeseburger ingredients to hot honey. (There are ample vegan options, too.) But if we’d rather grab a box to go and take back to the crowd, well, that’s a possibility too—although you may have to slap away hands reaching for a slice of the Porky, loaded with applewood smoked bacon, pepperoni, and more.
1632 Beacon St., Brookline, 617-879-0707, stokedpizzaco.com.
Audubon Circle/Fenway: Time Out Market
Feel like keeping your options open? A short jaunt from where the runners stream through Audubon Circle, this Fenway-neighborhood food hall sits, stuffed with local vendors serving everything from fried chicken sandwiches to burgers to gelato. Grab a table inside or head out to the spacious lawn, where there’s often some kind of special event going down.
401 Park Dr., Boston, 978-393-8088, timeoutmarket.com/boston.
Terra at Eataly. / Courtesy photo
Back Bay: Eataly
There’s something that just feels right about digging into a huge plate of pasta while the marathoners burn through their own previous night of carb-loading. Eataly—a multi-floor Italian market and collection of restaurants—will provide. Head to La Pizza & La Pasta for, well, pizza (tasty Neapolitan-style) and pasta, but you’ll also find plenty of other Italian treats throughout the venue, whether you’re looking for hearty wood-grilled meats (Terra) or beautiful pastries (La Pasticceria).
800 Boylston St., Boston, 617-807-7300, eataly.com.
