Super Bowls of Soup in Boston

Super Bowls of Soup in Boston

It is soup season. When it comes to soup everyone has their favourites. Mine are matzoh ball soup, mushroom barley soup, vegetable soup, and dal. Then of course there are the ramens, soba and hot pot soups which are whole other category in my mind. New England Soup Factory in Newton Big Little Diner, Pho Viet, Little Q Hot Pot, Ganko Ittetsu, and Spoodles in Belmont are some obvious choices for soup and ramen because it is what they specialize in. In the world of soup though there are many hidden spots for a delicious homemade cup of soup.

Flour Bakery

Okay so you really are heading in for some sweet treats and pastries, but soon enough you’ll realize that the food food (salads, sandwiches, soups) are also amazingly delicious. This week I had Flour‘s vegetarian escarole farro and potato soup and it was so good I didn’t wait to take a photo. I was unwilling to pause my soup experience just for one quick snap. Flour usually has two soups daily one of which is vegetarian.

South End Buttery, Boston

The South End Buttery is another favourite spot for an afternoon tea or coffee and a treat. The Buttery has two cafés and one restaurant in the South End and I have known to crave their salads as well as their cupcakes. They also always have some chili and soup which is perfect for a little warmth and nourishment.

Celebrity Pizza, Watertown

Celebrity Pizza is my spot for soft serve and unbeknownst to many some if the best fried clams around. In the winter, though when I’m craving soup, I just found out they have delicious chicken soup. This one has orzo and carrots. They also have a pasta fagioli, tortellini, and clam chowder. I have to go back to try the others. The soup is served with two warm bread sticks.

Sarah’s Market, Cambridge

The Sarah’s soup at Sarah’s Market is one of my favourite vegetable soups. It has a good amount of flavourful spices and I love that there are usually chickpeas in it too. Sarah’s always has Sarah’s soup on the menu and then an additional one or two. You can round out the meal with a side of fries or my favourite grilled cheese. Sarahs’s soup is pictured on the left and on the right is the beef stew.

Matilda’s Sandwich Shoppe, Watertown

Another little spot that you may drive by a million times and either not notice or wonder— “What is that cute place called Matilda’s all about? I wonder if it is any good.”. It is in fact very good and in addition to some very tasty sandwiches they always have a soup or two. Their vegetable soup is loaded with tasty herbs and lots of vegetables. This cold winter’s day I also brought home their hearty sausage and lentil soup a warm protein packed meal all in one little cup.

Corner Café, Newton

Just before you hop on the highway to head to NY you might want a quick bite. The Corner Café in Newton has enough soup choices to satisfy your whole carload of people. The avgolemono soup was so comforting and not overly lemony. It was creamy from the starch of the rice with plenty of chicken. The lentil soup was tasty but it was the beef stew that really had me craving more. The beef was so tender and the soft chunks of potato and carrot were the ingredients for a perfect beef stew experience.

Darwin’s, Cambridge

I go to Darwin’s often for a coffee and to get a little work done. When I was a teacher I would stop here after the gym to pick up a sandwich for myself (and a few of my colleagues’ orders too) for our lunches the next day. Now I’ll be stopping in for soup too. Darwin’s always has at least one soup. This is the vegan curried squash soup. It was not overly spiced and just rich and sweet enough from the squash to warm you through on a cold winter afternoon.

Hi Rise Bread Co., Cambridge

Hi Rise has several soups to choose from and they each come with a hunk of their own bread. The soup that I have had since day one and that I always go back for is the potato carrot leek soup. It is comforting because it is creamy from the potatoes and ever so slightly sweet from the carrots then sprinkled with chives that give it a sharp brightness. Now my mouth is watering just writing about it. There are heartier soups like chilis and lentil soup or black bean soup as well.

Drive Through Soup

Not in the Boston area, but if you are headed home from a day of skiing, or heading up to the beach in the summer then take a mini detour and stop at the Auto-Drip Drive Thru in Kittery Maine. The broccoli cheddar soup was thick and creamy just as it should be. They also make delicious rice crispy treats and whoopie pies.

The People’s Soup

When I asked online where people liked to grab a bowl of soup, here are the results. Share your favourite spot for soup in the comments. Please note that while I didn’t include ramen, pho and hot pot above because to me that’s a whole different category of soup and there are so many fab places to slurp. I left in people’s suggestions for all types of soup.