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Great Places to Eat at the Faneuil Hall Food Court in Boston

Faneuil Hall, Food Court, Quincy, Quincy Market

Faneuil Hall’s food court, also known as the Colonnade, is in the heart of Quincy Market and is a food lover’s dream. With over 35 counters to approach for a wide variety of amazing eating, Faneuil Hall’s food court can also be a little overwhelming for the first time visitor and even for the repeat customer. Here’s a quick run down of some of my favorite eateries in the beautiful and historic Faneuil Hall food court.

For those unfamiliar, Quincy Market is a great, historic open air market located in Boston, Massachusetts. Surrounded by boutiques and chain stores, souvenier carts and shops, and located along the historic Freedom Trail, it’s a tourist “must see” and a place locals and suburbanite visitors also love. At the heart of the market is historic Faneuil Hall, a place where revolutionary leaders, abolitionists and other movers and shakers have held court for over two centuries. Within this building is another kind of court, the one that serves food. And it’s a definite stop for any hungry Bostonian or out of towner.

Pizzeria Regina is probably first on a lot of lists. This pizza company is a Boston staple and pizza on the go is always a family favorite. I know people who pass by all the other restaurants at Faneuil Hall and go right for this thin crust original every time. It’s usually busy, but it’s also usually worth it. Other Italian offerings in the Colonnade include La Pastaria,Piccolo Panini, Al Mercantino, and North End Bakery. You might also want to note the actual North End is right near by if you’re looking for beyond great sit-down Italian food.

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Sure, the best place – some may say the only place – to get a good steak and cheese sub (as we call them in Massachusetts) is Philadelphia. But I can personally vouch for the steak and cheese available at the Faneuil Hall Philadelphia Steak and Hoagie. It’s big, greasy, and everything a cheese steak not actually made in Phillie can hope to be. Another popular sandwich shop in the Faneuil Hall food market include the Brown Derby Deli.

A Boston tradition is, of course, seafood, whether it’s clam chowder or fish and chips or whatever else you might be interested in. Personally, I don’t do seafood (what kind of New Englander that makes me, I don’t know…) But Faneuil Hall won’t let you down. You can find tons of seafood here in places like the accent-proud Boston Chowda, Boston & Maine Fish Company and Fisherman’s Net.

Of course, don’t forget Boston is a cosmopolitan city and Faneuil Hall’s food court offers more than you typical Panada Express. Beyond the aforementioned Italian, there’s a really good Mexican style counter, El Paso Enchiladas. You can get Asian cuisine from Ming Tree, Indian food at Bombay Club, Greek food at Mykonos Fair, guess what kind of food at Little Brazil. That’s a sampling.

Of course, you might just be in the mood for desert or a cup of coffee or some other snack. Faneuil Hall food court has chain stores like Starbucks (of course) and Steve’s Ice cream and Columbia Yogurt. But there’s also Carol Ann’s Bake Shop, Boston Chipyard (yes, that would be cookies…), Boston Pretzel (self-explanatory) Kilvert & Forbes (baked goods) and Bistany International (coffee).

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Now, if you go through the whole food court and can’t find anything that suits your fancy – well, there’s probably something wrong with you. But don’t worry, there are probably a good twenty “sit down” restaurants also located in Quincy Market, some inside and some outside Faneuil Hall. One good place for kids: Slugger’s Dugout. There’s a great variety of ice cream there and a candy shop, too. You can sit down with your family and rest after putting in a hard morning on the cobblestones. The array of eateries also include some bars with Cheers-like themes, though, the original setting used for Cheers is the Bullfinch Pub and it is not located near Faneuil Hall.

Sitting, actually, is sometimes easier said than done in Quincy Market, especially at the Faneuil Hall food court/colonnade. In the atrium of the building, there are many tables with block benches but it’s such a popular place for locals and tourists that it can get crowded fast, so while one person in your party goes to get the good, you might want someone else to be staying on the look out for a table or saving seats. There are also benches out in Quincy Market but those, too, are often overwhelmed by the crowds that pass through.

Faneuil Hall has many great attributes- it’s a lovely piece of architecture. It has historical significance. It’s a hub of activity. But I have to admit, the food court is probably my favorite part.

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