Like a Pisces has many personalities, Boston has many defining characteristics: polarizing sports teams, that time our ancestors dumped some tea in a river, and a food scene burgeoning with Instagram fodder. Luckily, both Bostonian pride and the eats of our dreams come together at Boston Calling, the official kickoff to the Northeast’s festival season. With a lineup boasting both Travis Scott and Tame Impala, the most essential part of any music festival gets obscured—the food.
That’s where we come in. Known for breaking down the food lineup at every festival north of the Mason-Dixon line, we’re serving up our picks for the best vendors (in no particular order) at Boston Calling 2019. And spoiler alert: there’s going to be a lot of cheese.
1. Arancini Bros
Hailing from New York City, the food capital of the world, Arancini Bros brings an iconic twist to Sicilian street food. Traditionally, arancini are deep-fried risotto balls, and while delicious in their own right, the New York City favorite seamlessly updates the classic Italian fare. That’s right—Arancini Bros mixes risotto with non-traditional ingredients such as indulgent Nutella, smoky buffalo chicken, creamy pesto, and rich mac and cheese to create the perfect bite-sized snack. Fried, portable, and loaded with a complex flavor profile, these balls check off all of our festival #EEEEATS boxes.
#SpoonTip: Have you become addicted to Arancini Bros? We don’t blame you! Be sure to stop by their stand at Gov Ball the following weekend!
2. Fōmū Ice cream
Music festivals offer a perfect tease to summer—carefree, fun-filled days with good music, friends, food, and vibes. And of course, what would the season be without escaping the day’s heat with a delicious dripping ice cream cone? Lucky for us, FōMū Ice Cream is here to complete our vision of a perfect summer day. One of Boston’s most renowned ice cream vendors, FōMū, will offer a selection of their signature flavors—all made by hand with locally sourced, plant-based ingredients. The secret to their addictive scoops and pints? In addition to being natural and preservative free, FōMū makes their ice cream in small batches to maximize the total flavor profile and churns it with as little air as possible to ensure each spoonful is silky smooth and jam-packed with pure flavor.
You already spoiled yourself with a 3-day festival pass and a new wardrobe, so keep that positive self-love energy going and treat yourself with a chocolate chip ice cream sandwich.
3. Roxy’s Grilled Cheese
While there isn’t a wrong way to make a grilled cheese, there most certainly is a right one—and Roxy’s Grilled Cheese practically patented it. The first food truck in Boston, Roxy’s serves up the kind of grilled cheeses you’d expect from an overpriced gastropub or the kitchen of a retired Michelin Star chef. Bursting with unique flavors, yet simplistic enough to be a crowd pleaser, each grilled cheese brings you one step closer to peak happiness.
At Boston Calling, the culinary masterminds behind Roxy’s will be whipping up four hometown favorites, straight from the truck: a simplistic Three Cheese Melt, The Rookie Melt, a three cheese melt with ripened tomatoes, the Hot Honey Bacon (which is exactly as incredible as it sounds), and the Green Monster—a three cheese melt with bacon and guacamole. Now, if you’ll excuse me, my mouth is watering.
4. The Smoke Shop
The best barbecue in the world will be just a few feet away from you at Boston Calling—It’s almost a sin not to stop by.
Like how Lil Nas X’s innovative country-rap hybrid, “Old Town Road”, soared to the top of the Billboard Hot 100 as the ultimate summer banger, World Class Pitmaster Andy Husbands turned his slow-cooked brisket and ribs into a Jack Daniels BBQ World Championship winner. In fact, Husbands has an innovative hybrid of his own: The BBQ Bomb. This cookout favorite served inside a waffle cone is the ultimate answer to the lingering question of how to incorporate messy, clunky, barbecue trays into the festival scene.
The BBQ Bomb includes a choice of meat (pulled pork, chopped brisket, or smoked chicken), queso mac and cheese, and baked beans and jalapenos—basically everything you want on your barbecue tray compacted into one portable, delicious dish. In case you’re more of a Luke Combs fan and crave a more traditional barbecue experience, The Smoke Shop will also be serving The Pit Boss—a tray featuring three types of meat and three sides. (Yes, there is mac and cheese and cornbread; Yes, you should be sprinting to get in line).
5. Papi’s Stuffed Sopapillas
Stuffed by Papi deals in sopapillas, a Mexican classic similar to a crêpe that is completely customizable. Whether you order it sweet, with a heavy dusting of powdered sugar, or savory, packed with flavorful spices, a sopapilla is a puffy pocket of joy. The only difference is that, at Stuffed by Papi, these pockets are filled to the brim with flavors authentic to the steamy pueblas of Mexico and the artisanal aisle at your local Whole Foods. Our pick? The Seared Steak and Cheese Sopapilla, a masterpiece filled with steak, a smorgasbord of vegetables, fontina cheese, and of course, the signature Papi Sauce.
#SpoonTip: Hankering for a sugar rush before the inevitable “Old Town Road” mosh pit? Look no further than the Sopapilla Doughnut, a glazed sopapilla topped with crushed Oreo bits or Cinnamon Toast Crunch.
6. Zinneken’s
A waffle shop basking in Belgian tradition and lots of cups of powdered sugar, Zinneken’s is Boston’s take on New York City’s iconic Wafels and Dinges. Fluffy with a slightly crispy edge, a Zinneken’s waffle turns this basic breakfast food into an experience worthy of a 5-star Yelp review. And for Boston Calling, this institution is bringing out a bundle of crowd-pleasers.
There’s the Gourmand, a decadent mix of caramel, bananas, and whipped cream, and the Fruit Delight, which is basically just a deconstructed fondue platter served atop a waffle.
But the real star of the show is the Ice Cream Zandwich: a creamy scoop of vanilla squished between two buttery waffles. Double fist one with a glass of lemonade to get a head start on summer.
7. Whole Heart Provisions
Whole Heart Provisions typifies the kind of effortless vegan we wish we could be, with a subtly trendy thrifted wardrobe. Sleek and healthy in an approachable way, Whole Heart Provisions will have you munching on kale in between sets. Expect a slew of handcrafted bowls throughout the festival weekend, each packed with the energy to survive a full Travis Scott Set.
While certainly a tough decision, our pick is The Tazon Bowl, which tastes exactly like what we’d imagine a BTS and Luis Fonsi collab would sound like. Spicy and tangy, it hits all the right notes.
8. Shuck Truck
The lobster roll is to New England as the deep dish pizza is to Chicago. No summer gathering is complete without a buttery lobster roll, a round of oysters, and a responsible ‘cold one’ with the boys. Boston Calling is no exception. Enter Shuck Truck, a traveling seafood truck specializing in coastal favorites. Expect your classic lobster roll, served either hot and buttered or Cape Cod cold, as well as some elevated takes on the regional mascot. Split a tray of lobster fries with your friends, or warm up with a cup of Brown Butter Bisque.
9. Saté Vietnamese Grill
When you bought your ticket for Boston Calling, not only did you receive access to the mindblowing sets of world-class musicians, but also to a culinary trip around the world. Like Epcot, but without the rides and screaming children, your tastebuds will have the luxury of experiencing a wide array of global cuisines, so do them a favor and bless them with some epic Vietnamese street eats. Whether you’re looking for the perfect dumpling to hit the spot or an authentic banh mi to recharge before the next set, this Boston favorite fast-casual chain has got your back. You can even customize your own rice bowl, packed with all of your favorite fresh flavors.
#SpoonTip: Balance out the taste of some savory Vietnamese snacks with one of Saté’s delicious Vietnamese coffee chocolate chip cookies. You won’t regret it.
10. Sweet Cheeks Q
Whether its 2 A.M. and you’re going through a bad breakup or you’re trying to emotionally recover from Travis Scott’s rollercoaster of a set, nachos will always be there for you. Nachos are the ultimate comfort food, and no one does it quite like Sweet Cheeks Q. Stop by for Ooey Gooey Cheesy Nachos, loaded sky-high with chicken, bacon, or guacamole. Afterwards, be sure to stay for the Fluffernutter Garbage Sundae. Anything but a pile of garbage, this hit dessert is packed with marshmallows and peanut butter, which are just as iconic of a duo as Anderson Paak and the Free Nationals.
Whether you use this guide as a bucket-list, road map, or suggestion, we hope it finds you well. These are just 10 of the 30 incredible food options that await you. The full Boston Calling Food Lineup can be found here. Until next time… See you in Boston!