For many college Bostonians, Eastie is a part of the city associated more with the airport than anything else—which largely ignores Eastie's rich culinary history. While there are plenty of places in Eastie to try, Food For Thought Eastie is a perfect way to learn more about the area and connect with a part of Boston many have overlooked in the past.
The Space
Located inside Sammy Carlo's Delicatessen—the oldest delicatessen in the area (opening in 1927)—Food For Thought makes sure the community of Eastie is represented and supported. While the restaurant is open later in the day, Sammy Carlo's is still up and running before then.
Owner of Sammy Carlo's, Steve Scire, first learned about Food For Thought when he and his wife were vacationing on the south coast of Maine and went to dinner at Food For Thought's original location in Ogunquit, Maine. The pair learned that the owner, Jay Grey, had connections to Eastie and offered the space as an opportunity to expand into pop ups.
"We want to bring back the old, but make it new," Scire explained—who did a revitalization of the delicatessen where they've been located since 1974 in the past year. With a large emphasis of community and the delicatessen's rich history, the space now has photos all over the walls relating to the city's history as well as the family's own personal history.
The space also has diner style seating, with tables even coming from the Scire's grandparents.
The Food
Eastie has a history of being home to many Italian and Latino immigrants, which Food For Thought makes sure to highlight. "We're not trying to force something into an area," said owner Jay Grey.
One dish that exemplifies this is the Plantain Fries, which are served with hot honey, black salt, and a curry mayo. The fries were smoky, spicy, and perfectly crisp and a must try for anyone checking out the space.
While there is some classic fare like clam chowder and burgers, Food For Thought also want people to have fun with their food—offering up options like Fenway Frank Poutine and Adult Lunchables.
Dishes with classic flavors are given updates as well—such as their Italian Submarine Dumplings, or their Lobster Mac and Cheese, made with Maine lobster, Mornay sauce, house cut pasta, and a bacon Parmesan crumble that is served in the lobster shell.
Such inventive and fun dishes are really the heart and soul of Food For Thought. According to executive chef Bradley Andries, the menu was influenced by, "what makes you happy as a fat kid," and that he gauged dishes by what would "make food fun for people"
Andries has a wide culinary background, which is reflected in the menu. Raised in with Cajun flavors but professionally taught in Italy, Andries does not shy away from looking for inventive twists on classic flavors, saying that he, "pulls from all of [his] loves."
The drinks at Food For Thought also hold this philosophy of having fun with their food, even though the space is BYOB. Although all of their drinks are nonalcoholic, there was a process to make drinks that tasted "like how you want a cocktail to taste but without the alcohol."
Community
While the space and the food has a lot of thought put into it, the heart of Food For Thought is all about the community they're joining.
Grey, originally from Beacon Hill, moved to Eastie at 21 and has a close connection to the area despite moving away from the area at 27. "It was really my first time on my own, I learned how to be an adult here," Grey added.
Grey makes a point to acknowledge the changes occurring in the area and how lifelong residents are being impacted. The area that Food For Thought Eastie is extending into is in a food desert, and Grey and Andries are well aware of this.
"No one has really done anything like this around here," Grey remarked. The food options in Eastie are mostly fast food, so Grey wants to make a point to give back to the community that influenced his life so much.
At their original location in Ogunquit, Maine, the restaurant donated five percent of their profits to combat opiod addiction in the state, and at this new location in Eastie there is a plan to donate five percent of profits back to the community as well.
Grey and Andries are also hoping to create a space for the community to come together through food. During the holidays they're hoping to have turkey drives and they also have plans to go to soup kitchens around the city to make meals with the ingredients there.
Food For Thought Eastie is the second restaurant that Grey and Andries have opened in the past 11 months, and while opening two restaurants in the span of 11 months may seem like a lot, for Grey—who left the car business and has a finance background—he wouldn't have it any other way. As Grey says, "My life is a vacation now."
Food For Thought Eastie is open from 5 pm-11 pm Tuesday through Saturday and 9 am-9 pm on Sunday (offering brunch 9 am-2 pm)