Time flies and Boston Calling 2018 is now upon us. With a fully stacked lineup, interactive fan experiences, and three days of friends and fun, it only makes sense for the food offerings to hold their own. This year, the team behind Boston Calling has doubled the number of vendors and expanded into specialized foods with vegan, gluten-free, and vegetarian-conscious offerings.
The full food lineup can be found here, but don’t waste your time on the day of the festival waiting on multiple lines, unsure of what to eat when you could pick out your food options ahead of time! Here’s our Spoon University Northeastern guide to the can’t miss eats at this year’s festival! We’ll keep this short and sweet (and savory) for you – here’s all the delicious details and mouth-watering photos you need to decide which food vendors to hit up between sets.
Union Square Donuts
Union Square has been serving up some of Boston’s tastiest and most attractive donuts ever since they opened their original Somerville location. Each of their donuts has a very unique flavor, and donuts are, in my opinion, the perfect festival offering to provide quick energy in a small, easy to carry bite. At the festival they will be serving six assorted flavors including two vegan offerings, coconut and orange mango, which means that everyone can enjoy their donuts!
Festival Menu Item Highlights:
Sea Salted Bourbon Caramel: A rich and gooey caramel glaze, topped with sea salt sprinkles, finished with a kick of bourbon
Vietnamese Coffee: Covered in a rich, creamy glaze made from condensed milk and espresso
Maple Bacon: Featuring real Vermont maple syrup and topped with thick-cut smoked bacon
Zinneken’s
Zinneken’s has expanded from their mobile waffle truck to a brick and mortar location in Harvard Square, serving up traditional Belgian Sugar Waffles (aka Liège waffles) with endless combos of toppings. Baked in cast iron waffle makers in front of you, the sugar crystalizes forming a sweet shell around the dense waffle dough. At the festival, their waffles will be half portions priced at $3 base and a dollar per additional topping. We highly recommend the waffle zandwich as your go-to sweet dessert at the festival!
Festival Menu Item Highlights:
Fruit Delight: Strawberries, banana, and Belgian chocolate
Oreo Freakin’ Party: Oreos, raspberries, and whipped cream
Berries Insanity: Strawberries, raspberries, and blueberries
Waffle Zandwich: Scoop of ice cream between two waffles [can add whipped cream or berries for an additional $1]
Whole Heart Provisions
Whole Heart Provisions is relatively new to the Boston food scene, but has taken the health conscious community by storm, as they expanded from their Allston location to a new Central Square location just over a month ago. They serve up veggie centric street food with a wide array of flavors that are compatible with even the pickiest eaters. Whole Heart Provisions is the perfect festival stop for any lover of fresh, delicious food, and is a great option for anyone with vegetarian, vegan, or gluten free diet restrictions!
Festival Menu Item Highlights:
Viet: Roasted broccoli, smashed cucumber, savory green beans, cured tomato, basil, peanut crumble, peanut sauce
Miso: Roasted broccoli, smashed cucumber, edamame, shaved brussels sprouts, red cabbage slaw, sesame crunch, orange miso dressing
Tazon: Pineapple and corn salsa, Korean black beans, smashed cucumbers, pickled jalapeños, cured tomato, red cabbage slaw, corn nuts, spiced lime vinaigrette
El Pelón Taqueria
Known for their infamous “El Guapo” burrito, El Pelón Taqueria is the go-to Mexican food spot in Boston with locations in Fenway and Brighton. Their menu offers you the chance to try a variety of authentic dishes, from classics like tacos and quesadillas to the unique Mexican sandwich: the tostada. At Boston Calling, they’re offering loaded taco plates and burrito bowls to satisfy your Mexican food fix in a portable, festival-friendly way. And don’t forget the chips and guac!
Festival Menu Item Highlights:
Taco Plate: Mexican rice, beans, salsa fresca, your choice of chicken or steak, and two corn tortillas on the side
Burrito Bowl: Mexican rice, beans, salsa fresca, your choice of chicken or steak, and one flour tortilla on the side
Chips with Salsa and Guacamole: Delicious crunchy tortilla chips with refreshing salsa fresca and one of the best guacamoles we’ve had
Love Art Sushi
Tucked down a side street off of Mass Ave near Berklee College of Music, Love Art Sushi is a welcoming spot serving creative dishes and flavors you can’t really find anywhere else nearby. As I sat waiting to taste their Boston Calling offerings, I watched as each person was greeted by engaged and thoughtful employees well-educated in their food and ready to help guide their customer to creating their desired meal. Whatever your creation, expect a generous serving of fresh and flavorful fish, colorful veggies, and delicious sauces. At the festival, Love Art Sushi is offering three beautiful dishes, with the Volcano Mix being a Boston Calling exclusive! This year, Love Art Sushi is only available for VIP ticket holders, but they are hoping to expand to general admission tickets in future years!
Festival Menu Item Highlights:
Shoyu Ahi Tuna: Raw tuna marinated in housemade shoyu sauce (soy sauce with garlic, chili oil, and dried nori flavors) topped with scallions over sushi rice
Avocado Ponzu Boat: Half avocado with House Ponzu sauce (gluten free tamari base with hints of citrus) topped with sesame seeds and Nori Furikake (dried seaweed) over sushi rice and greens
Volcano Mix: Ground tuna and kanikama (imitation crab) blend with spicy mayo and spices topped with panko bread crumbs over sushi rice
Moyzilla Food Truck
With all the food trucks zipping around Boston these days, Moyzilla sets themselves apart with their tasty approach to Asian street food. Their specialty is dumplings – from their truck they offer pork and cabbage as their classic but also an innovative cheeseburger dumpling and a sweet strawberry nutella option! Rounding out their menu are Asian comfort foods like Curry Katsu and Japanese Fried Chicken along with various sides and fruity teas. Catch their truck at SoWa Sundays this summer and around Boston during the work week. At Boston Calling, hit them up for an extra special menu of vermicelli noodle bowls topped with their classic dumplings or festival-exclusive Korean BBQ chicken. The truck team is excited and ready to fuel you next weekend!
Festival Menu Item Highlights:
The Classic: Pork and napa cabbage dumplings served with ginger soy sauce; available as part of a vermicelli noodle bowl or as a side order
Korean BBQ Chicken Noodle Bowl: Korean BBQ chicken served over vermicelli noodles
Hopefully, this guide has helped you decide what to seek out this weekend at Boston Calling. Whatever delicious choice you choose, we hope you enjoy the festival! And if you can’t hit everything on your wishlist, make sure to pay the restaurants and food trucks above a visit the next time you’re to try something new!