In a recent email newsletter to customers, Back Bay sushi hotspot Uni wrote, “Our outdoor patio is equipped with heaters, but we strongly advise all guests to dress for the weather. Uni sweatshirts and blankets are available for purchase.”
It’s a brilliant idea: Plenty of local restaurants are already selling branded merch anyway, an especially important tool during the pandemic, when capacity caps and other restrictions keep restaurants from operating as they did before March 2020. Why not directly market winter-friendly merch to customers who are braving the patios this fall and beyond?
With Boston, Somerville, and other cities and towns extending patio season as long as possible and many diners not feeling comfortable eating indoors yet, locals are in for several chilly months of outdoor dining, even as restaurants scramble to add heat lamps, igloos, and other warming features.
Here are some of the best sweatshirts, flannel shirts, winter hats, and blankets that local restaurants and food brands are currently selling. Got a favorite not listed here? Hit up the tipline.
Sweatshirts
Mostly hoodies. Some have zippers. All are supremely cozy for a winter of repping your favorite local restaurants and brands.
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Bagelsaurus logo hoodie
- $40
Prices taken at time of publishing.
You could probably stash a bagel or two in the kangaroo pocket in Bagelsaurus’ blue logo hoodie. This one’s a team Eater Boston favorite for its ultra softness and adorable dinosaur — er, bagelsaur. In-store pickup.
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Saltie Girl logo zip-up hoodie
- $65
Prices taken at time of publishing.
In the Saltie Girl shop, you can stock up on hoodies, t-shirts, and hats, as well as all kinds of tinned seafood. The zip-up hoodie comes in white or navy blue, with Saltie Girl written in cursive on the front and a full logo design on the back. Shipping available.
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Night Shift crewneck sweatshirt
- $20
- $40
- 50% off
Prices taken at time of publishing.
Night Shift Brewing has a number of attractive sweatshirts available, and most are currently on sale. Not a fan of hoods and zippers? Perhaps this crewneck is the sweatshirt for you, featuring the It’s Not a Phase New England IPA label design. But yes, there are also zip-up hoodies in several colors. Prefer flannel? Night Shift’s got that, too — see below. Shipping available.
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Gracie’s “ice cream weather” zip-up hoodie
- $35
Prices taken at time of publishing.
All weather is ice cream weather, as far as Gracie’s Ice Cream is concerned. The Somerville ice cream shop — which has a brand new sibling in Cambridge, too — sells this navy zip-up hoodie, which features a design by artist Lauren May / Monster Tea Party on the back, a play on the band Jawbreaker’s version of the Morton Salt girl. In-store pickup.
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James Hook & Co. logo hoodie
- $40
Prices taken at time of publishing.
Show your love of lobster with this logo hoodie from waterfront classic James Hook & Co.; it’s available in red, black, white, or gray, as either a lightweight zip-up ($30) or heavyweight pullover ($40). The logo is small on the front and giant on the back. Shipping available.
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Shōjō logo hoodie
- $48
Prices taken at time of publishing.
Shōjō is selling these logo hoodies in partnership with Merch4Relief, which passes along 95% of the profits to the restaurant. (A few other Boston restaurants are represented on the site as well, although many of the items — mostly t-shirts — are already sold out.) Shipping available.
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Eventide logo hoodie
- $65
Prices taken at time of publishing.
Lobster roll favorite and Maine import Eventide has some merch available on its takeout and delivery menu, including an oyster knife, cookbook, onesies, baseball-style tees, and more. There are two logo hoodie options, a navy blue Carharrt zip-up (men’s sizing) for $75 and a turquoise zip-up (women’s sizing) for $65. Pickup and local delivery available.
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Flour “bakers gonna bake” sweatshirt
- $42
Prices taken at time of publishing.
There are hoodies, with and without zippers, in Flour Bakery & Cafe’s collection of branded apparel, but the best item is probably this navy crewneck for those who love to bake. Shipping available.
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Kowloon logo hoodie
- $45
Prices taken at time of publishing.
Ah, Kowloon. A Saugus landmark. The online gift shop is full of interesting items, from tiki bowls to “got pupu?” t-shirts to stuffed animals wearing their own Kowloon sweatshirts. This (human-sized) black hoodie features the logo in bright red. Kowloon’s winter hat is also a keeper; see below. Shipping available.
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Remnant Brewing Exquisite Corpse zip-up hoodie
- $50
Prices taken at time of publishing.
Somerville’s Remnant Brewing offers a variety of nice glassware and apparel. Lovers of zip-up hoodies may be particularly interested in the gray zip-up, which features a small Remnant logo on the front and a large rendition of the Exquisite Corpse label design on the back. (The beer was brewed in celebration of Remnant’s first anniversary and was a collaboration with Dancing Gnome.) In-store pickup.
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Lamplighter logo hoodie
- $30
- $38
- 22% off
Prices taken at time of publishing.
Cambridge brewery Lamplighter Brewing Co. offers quite a bit of good-looking apparel; the “stupid seagulls” onesie is a must for any young ones in your life. The classic blue logo hoodie, screen-printed in Somerville, is a good pick for yourself for winter. In-store pickup and shipping available. As of publication time, it’s on sale, marked down to $30, so you might want to act fast before it runs out or goes back up in price.
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Cutty’s logo zip-up hoodie
- $36
Prices taken at time of publishing.
Wear this gray Cutty’s logo hoodie while waiting in line for Super Cluckin’ Sunday. In-store pickup.
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Lobsta Land “dark side” hoodie
- $47
Prices taken at time of publishing.
Minimalist lobster design on the front, giant Lobsta Land Restaurant logo on the back. This North Shore hoodie comes in black, dark gray, navy, or red. Shipping available.
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Woodman’s hoodie
- $46
Prices taken at time of publishing.
If your North Shore seafood loyalties are more fried oyster than lobster, try the classic Woodman’s hoodie in heather gray with simple navy lettering across the front. Shipping available.
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Trillium Brewing Company logo hoodie
- $40
Prices taken at time of publishing.
Trillium Brewing Company has quite a bit of merch, including several different styles of sweatshirts. This pale green option is perhaps the nicest — and something a little different among the local restaurant scene’s many navy blue sweatshirts. Those who feel claustrophobic in shirts with tight necklines will appreciate the open fit. In-store pickup.
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Jack’s Abby House Lager hoodie
- $60
Prices taken at time of publishing.
Jack’s Abby and sibling brand Springdale each have a variety of clothing and other merch options on the Jack’s Abby online store — see the flannel shirt below, for one — but this particular hoodie celebrates the brewery’s popular house lager and features a Bavarian flag-inspired lining. Shipping available.
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Mr. Bartley’s shamrock hoodie
- $30
Prices taken at time of publishing.
Harvard Square burger mainstay Mr. Bartley’s is for sale, although the plan is to find a buyer who will continue to run it as Bartley’s. Whatever happens, you’ll always have your Bartley’s merch (if you buy now), such as this navy hoodie featuring a green shamrock logo. Shipping available.
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Island Creek Oysters “oysters” crewneck
- $50
Prices taken at time of publishing.
Right to the point: oysters. From Duxbury-based Island Creek Oysters, this simple crewneck comes in burgundy with blueish-gray text (pictured) or blue with white text. Shipping available.
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Veggie Galaxy crewneck hoodie
- $35
Prices taken at time of publishing.
Support Central Square’s vegetarian diner and vegan bakery: The colorful Veggie Galaxy logo is emblazoned on this black crewneck sweatshirt. (The online shop also has some t-shirts, mugs, and other merch.) In-store pickup.
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Paddy’s Lunch hoodie
- $72
Prices taken at time of publishing.
Celebrate decades-old Cambridge pub Paddy’s Lunch with an oh-so-Bostonian white and green shamrock hoodie. Shipping available.
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The Pheasant quarter-zip hoodie
- $45
Prices taken at time of publishing.
Maybe you weren’t able to make it to Cape Cod this summer, but you can still feel those Cape vibes all winter long with a quarter-zip hoodie from the Pheasant, available in pale red or blue. (There’s also a blue crewneck option.) Shipping available.
Flannel
Who knew? At least a couple local breweries offer extensive collections of branded flannel. Dress like a lumberjack who just wants to enjoy a winter night on a restaurant patio without freezing.
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Night Shift flannel shirt
- $25
- $50
- 50% off
Prices taken at time of publishing.
Night Shift Brewing has several colors, styles, and fits of flannel shirts available, and they’re all on final sale, so there’s no telling how long they’ll last. Check out the rest of the large online store, too; the drinkware, in particular, is excellent. Shipping available.
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Springdale flannel shirt
- $50
Prices taken at time of publishing.
Framingham brewery Jack’s Abby and sibling brand Springdale both have flannel shirts available in Jack’s Abby’s online shop (along with tons of other apparel, drinkware, and accessories). The Springdale version is black and white, with an embossed faux-leather logo on the chest. Shipping available.
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Island Creek Oysters flannel shirt
- $72
Prices taken at time of publishing.
Duxbury-based Island Creek Oysters has quite the online store, with some cute graphic tees, toddler clothes, and more. (See the hoodie above.) The flannel shirt, designed by Levitate Surf Shop, comes in a color called “woodsman” — sea greens and sky blues — and is supposed to be “thick but not heavy, warm but not stifling.” There’s an Island Creek logo patch on the arm. Shipping available.
Winter Hats
Pompoms galore. And a few without, if that’s more your thing.
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Gracie’s pompom hat
- $14
Prices taken at time of publishing.
Somerville and Cambridge ice cream shop Gracie’s Ice Cream has lots of fun merch, including a hoodie (see above) and this patriotic and pompom-bedecked winter hat. Logo and lettering by Josh LaFayette. Shipping available. While perusing the merch store, you may also find the need to buy some lawn flamingos. Why not?
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Kowloon pompom hat
- $20
Prices taken at time of publishing.
As mentioned in the sweatshirt section above, Saugus landmark Kowloon has an extensive and charmingly weird online gift shop. The red, black, and white Kowloon logo winter hat is a good way to keep warm — perhaps while taking in a movie in the Kowloon parking lot, which has been turned into a drive-in theater. Shipping available.
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Eventide pompom hat
- $25
Prices taken at time of publishing.
Continuing on the pompom theme, Eventide Fenway — home of the brown butter lobster roll — features this snazzy blue and turquoise option. Pickup and local delivery available.
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Paddy’s Lunch hockey winter hat
- $22
Prices taken at time of publishing.
Sick of pompoms? Here’s one more, courtesy of Paddy’s Lunch, a Cambridge mainstay since the 1930s. (Check out the hoodie above, too.) Shipping available.
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Row 34 “pros only” beanie
- $15
Prices taken at time of publishing.
Fort Point seafood restaurant Row 34 has an online shop full of cookbooks, “dad hats,” oyster shucking tools, and more. For the winter, how about a “pros only” beanie? In-store pickup.
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“What the Fluff” Somerville beanie
- $10
Prices taken at time of publishing.
For better or worse, sticky-sweet marshmallow Fluff was invented in Somerville, where it’s celebrated with an annual festival. Love the local brand? Nostalgic for the Fluffernutter sandwiches of your youth? Here’s a gray beanie that pays homage to Fluff and Somerville. Shipping available.
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Polar pompom hat
- $20
Prices taken at time of publishing.
Speaking of local brands, how about Worcester-based Polar Seltzer? It seems like Polar is missing an opportunity to cover some merch with its artsy, colorful “Impossibly Good” branding from its collection of “mythical” flavors, but this simple navy-and-white winter hat with subdued white pompom will probably match winter outfits more easily. Shipping available.
Not available online
- Inman Square poultry shop Mayflower Poultry slaps its iconic “live poultry fresh killed” logo on a variety of items, including a black knit cap perfect for cool New England days. Order by phone — (617) 547-9191 (pay by Visa or Mastercard) — or in person at 621 Cambridge St., Cambridge.
- With locations in Boston’s North End and Winchester, Lucia Ristorante is selling red and white striped winter hats with red and white pompoms and a white embroidered Lucia logo. They’re available for purchase onsite for $10.
Blankets
In these days of COVID, most restaurants are no longer handing out blankets to be borrowed for the length of your stay on the patio. Instead, bring your own — or buy one of these when you arrive.
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Trillium Brewing Company blanket
- $30
Prices taken at time of publishing.
Measuring 47” by 53”, the Trillium Brewing blanket includes its own carrying handle. Add it to your beer order; drink in your backyard all winter long. In-store pickup.
Not available online
- Uni, which is currently open for outdoor dining and takeout, is selling fleece blankets ($15) and thermal “space blankets” ($5) onsite.
- Belmont restaurant the Wellington has expanded its patio and installed heaters, and it is offering blankets for sale onsite for $10. The restaurant describes them as “fluffy,” per a recent email newsletter.
- Sibling spots JM Curley and Bin 26 Enoteca have installed heaters in their outdoor dining areas and will be selling custom blankets at cost onsite.
- Lucia Ristorante, in Boston’s North End and Winchester, is selling a bright red blanket embroidered with the restaurant’s name in white cursive. It’s available for purchase onsite for $20.