New England Clam Chowder
Name: Union Oyster House
Location: Boston,MA
Meal: New England Clam Chowder and Sam Adams Summer Ale
Type: Formal Seafood
Anyone who has read my entries before knows that I love older establishments; restaurants that have been serving quality for years if not decades. I may have taken this love to an extreme with my visit to Union Oyster House in Boston, MA. Union Oyster House holds the distinction of being the oldest restaurant in the United States. They have been operating from the same location since 1826. It is so old that records of its creation don’t exist. Needless to say, if you can stay in business that long you’re doing it right. The restaurant is located just around the corner from Faneuil Hall, Boston’s most popular tourist destination so its a little touristy but they handle it well.
More after the jump.
I visited soon after they opened for the morning and took a seat at the bar; a half-circle built around the oyster shucking station. Being that they had just opened for the day, the two shuckers were fast at work; quickly processing bins of oysters. The guy behind the counter was by far one of the best restaurants characters I’ve ever met. He mentioned that he now works part-time; retired after working full-time for over 30 years shucking oysters. Cracking jokes, offering to take pictures, and engaging everyone in conversation all while quickly prying open the oysters reminded me that it doesn’t matter what you do as long as you love your job. I had a big day of eating exploring planned ahead of me so I opted for a bowl of their clam chowder and a “local” beer, in this case Sam Adams Summer Ale. The clam chowder was the best I had in Boston; hearty but not too think. On the thickness scale, if Pike Place is a 2 and Jacob Wirth’s is a 10, Union Oyster House was a perfect 5. The right consistency is important for good chowder, it effects both mouth feel and how well the all-important oyster crackers play into the whole thing.
Great food aside, you owe Union Oyster House a visit. It is a designated National Historic Landmark for being the oldest restaurant in the country. I spent a couple days in Boston and know I didn’t even scratch the surface but am quite glad my short list included Union Oyster House. Go, sit at the oyster bar, you’ll be glad you did.
Shucking Oysters
Union Oyster House
Established 1826
What Others Are Saying About Union Oyster House
