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Breakfast, lunch, and dinner in Roxbury’s hub
Dudley Square is Roxbury’s culinary hub. In and around the Boston neighborhood, eaters can indulge in an exemplary breakfast sandwich, Louisiana-inspired fare, Puerto Rican cuisine, North African cuisine, West African cuisine, East African cuisine, and something as simple (but perfect) as a greasy spoon breakfast.
Here are 10 restaurants that serve all that and more in and close to Dudley Square.
Read MoreThis Somali restaurant’s entrance is located on the side of a brick building on Harrison Avenue that contains a furniture store and Mr. G’s Plaza. It’s easy to miss, but you won’t want to miss it. Go to Deria Express Cafe and try the goat with rice — and get it spicy.
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This Sierra Leonean spot is located in the same Harrison Avenue building as Express Cafe (see above.) Get the whole fried tilapia, and get it with okra sauce and crain-crain, which is a dark green stew made of mallow-leaves. There aren’t many tables at Bintimani, but if there’s room, eat there and chat with owners Baindu and Sahr Josiah.
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Ashur Restaurant offers North African and Middle Eastern cuisine, and its menu is halal. The Ashurs moved to Boston from Somalia and opened the restaurant in 2007. Former Boston city councilor Tito Jackson once called Ashur “the intersection of culture, community, and college.” Go for the braised lamb with rice (or spaghetti); stay for the Somali chai tea.
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This breakfast and lunch spot is located directly adjacent to Dudley Station. Chef and owner Cheryl Straughter, who is the former owner of popular restaurant Keith’s Place in Grove Hall, offers an extensive menu of breakfast and lunch sandwiches at her counter-service restaurant, along with nods to Southern cooking, such as fried chicken and grits.
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Dudley Cafe has very good coffee, but it’s more than just a coffee shop. It also provides internships and employment opportunities to the neighborhood’s youth — the cafe has a partnership with Madison Park Technical High School and hires students for baking and front-of-house jobs. Go for breakfast and get the Roxbury Deluxe, which is a breakfast sandwich with sauteed spinach, egg, bacon, cheddar cheese, and seasonal jam, served on an English muffin.
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Fasika Cafe is the sibling restaurant to Fasika Ethiopian Restaurant in Somerville. The Dudley outpost’s menu is a pared-down version of the original’s, but diners can still indulge in a wide range of Ethiopian dishes. The cafe special, which consists of beef cooked in a spicy sauce, always satisfies.
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This no-frills greasy spoon is a required spot for breakfast in Dudley Square. Try the spicy sausage, and get some grits, too. The omelets are tasty, and the coffee is unlike the kind of coffee usually available at diners — which is to say, it’s relatively enjoyable.
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This Puerto Rican restaurant has some of the best mondongo (tripe stew) in the city. The chicharrones are worth your time, too. Beers are cheap, and the music is loud. It’s a fun dive bar that also happens to have excellent food.
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Suya Joint offers diners a variety of Nigerian dishes. The egusi is especially great — the stew is thickened with ground melon seeds and contains spinach, fish, and chicken. Try the beef suya to start; beef skewers are topped with a mix of Nigerian spices and ground peanuts. Get them spicy.
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Maxine’s on Saint James is serving Louisiana-inspired cuisine like shrimp po’ boys, jambalaya, étouffée, and banana pudding. Try the fried catfish with collared greens and Creole corn on the side. The chicken and waffles are also on point.
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This Somali restaurant’s entrance is located on the side of a brick building on Harrison Avenue that contains a furniture store and Mr. G’s Plaza. It’s easy to miss, but you won’t want to miss it. Go to Deria Express Cafe and try the goat with rice — and get it spicy.
This Sierra Leonean spot is located in the same Harrison Avenue building as Express Cafe (see above.) Get the whole fried tilapia, and get it with okra sauce and crain-crain, which is a dark green stew made of mallow-leaves. There aren’t many tables at Bintimani, but if there’s room, eat there and chat with owners Baindu and Sahr Josiah.
Ashur Restaurant offers North African and Middle Eastern cuisine, and its menu is halal. The Ashurs moved to Boston from Somalia and opened the restaurant in 2007. Former Boston city councilor Tito Jackson once called Ashur “the intersection of culture, community, and college.” Go for the braised lamb with rice (or spaghetti); stay for the Somali chai tea.
This breakfast and lunch spot is located directly adjacent to Dudley Station. Chef and owner Cheryl Straughter, who is the former owner of popular restaurant Keith’s Place in Grove Hall, offers an extensive menu of breakfast and lunch sandwiches at her counter-service restaurant, along with nods to Southern cooking, such as fried chicken and grits.
Dudley Cafe has very good coffee, but it’s more than just a coffee shop. It also provides internships and employment opportunities to the neighborhood’s youth — the cafe has a partnership with Madison Park Technical High School and hires students for baking and front-of-house jobs. Go for breakfast and get the Roxbury Deluxe, which is a breakfast sandwich with sauteed spinach, egg, bacon, cheddar cheese, and seasonal jam, served on an English muffin.
Fasika Cafe is the sibling restaurant to Fasika Ethiopian Restaurant in Somerville. The Dudley outpost’s menu is a pared-down version of the original’s, but diners can still indulge in a wide range of Ethiopian dishes. The cafe special, which consists of beef cooked in a spicy sauce, always satisfies.
This no-frills greasy spoon is a required spot for breakfast in Dudley Square. Try the spicy sausage, and get some grits, too. The omelets are tasty, and the coffee is unlike the kind of coffee usually available at diners — which is to say, it’s relatively enjoyable.
This Puerto Rican restaurant has some of the best mondongo (tripe stew) in the city. The chicharrones are worth your time, too. Beers are cheap, and the music is loud. It’s a fun dive bar that also happens to have excellent food.
Suya Joint offers diners a variety of Nigerian dishes. The egusi is especially great — the stew is thickened with ground melon seeds and contains spinach, fish, and chicken. Try the beef suya to start; beef skewers are topped with a mix of Nigerian spices and ground peanuts. Get them spicy.
Maxine’s on Saint James is serving Louisiana-inspired cuisine like shrimp po’ boys, jambalaya, étouffée, and banana pudding. Try the fried catfish with collared greens and Creole corn on the side. The chicken and waffles are also on point.
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