Woodman's in Essex, Mass., the Birthplace of the Fried Clam

Woodman's Seafood Restaurant in Essex, Mass., is a household name in New England, and with good reason: its founder Lawrence "Chubby" Woodman invented the fried clam here more than 100 years ago.

Today, Woodman's is a thriving  local and tourist favorite that also specializes in lobster, lobster rolls, New England clam chowder and other seafood, but it is the fried clam that impresses me most. Yes, New England offers many great seafood shacks for fried clams, but for some reason Woodman's seems a notch above the elite destinations. They just know what they are doing, and the heaping portions further help the matter.

I think Zagat sums Woodman's up best:  "A cult classic—right up there with baseball and apple pie, this Essex icon is an enduring American cult favorite." Forbes FYI also acknowledged Woodman's as having "the best seafood in America." I'm quite sure both media outlets factored in the fried clam when speaking so highly of this North Shore of Massachusetts dining and catering gem.

While the media accolades are nice, it is the constant year-round crowds that truly confirm this seafood shack's greatness. Success surely could have gone to Woodman's head, but thankfully this fried clam destination never became a shell of itself!

Woodman's Seafood Restaurant is located at 121 Main St. in Essex MA. Tel. (978) 768-6057
Editor's note: I recently read Woodman's of Essex: Five Generations of Stories, 100 Years of Recipes. It's really a wonderful book that is not only filled with great stories and recipes, but also an ode to a hard-working family residing in a beautiful coastal, close-knit town.  I highly recommend you read the book!

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Good Eeeevening!: A Perspective on New Hampshire Meteorologist Al Kaprielian

Article by Eric H., at VisitingNewEngland.com Somewhere in the 1980s, my esteemed Arlington High School journalism teacher Len Tammaro tipped me off about a New Hampshire television weatherman that he called "Crazy Al Kaprielian." That night, I couldn't believe what I saw: this nerdy-looking guy with a high-pitched voice flailing his arms all over the weather map, contorting his face in every direction, and squealing, "Good Eeeevening!" and "HIGH PRESSURE!" (his future trademark phrases)." All that boundless energy and the myriad antics left the viewer laughing, yet enervated at the same time. In this world of slick, Ken and Barbie television meteorologists, Al Kaprielian has been the antidote to the standard, unctuous television personality. Twenty-five years later, Al is still going strong on MyTV New England with his unique style --perhaps validation that he really loves his job. No doubt, Al has always been an unconventional, unique-looking a
Read more

Visiting My Grandmother Had That Antiques in Wrentham, Mass.

Image
My Grandmother Had That...Antiques  in Wrentham, Mass., is one of those "hidden gem" antique stores that is jam-packed with antiques, collectibles and other items from the past. Located in a charming, two-story old red barn at 446 South St. (Route 1A), My Grandmother Had That...Antiques certainly lives up to its name. You'll find furniture, lamps, desks, chairs, plant holders, fine China sets and just about everything your grandma had, and also didn't have -- like a web address, Facebook fan page or any hint on the Internet that this place exists! Unless you're a Wrentham native, one familiar with the antiques industry, have driven by the red barn on South St., or somebody that just reads maps of Wrentham all day, My Grandmother Had That...Antiques is as hard to find as the rarest antique. You won't even find the name, "My Grandmother Had That," on the building, just a sign that states "Antiques." The My Grandmother Had That name is on
Read more

Where To Live In Connecticut That Has A Small Town Feel?

Image
Noank, Conn. Editor's note: We recently received an email from one of our readers looking to possibly move to Connecticut. Here is her inquiry, followed by our response... Hi, my name is Courtney and I found your website completely truthful and helpful. I talked to my cousin who lives in the northern part of the east coast and she described exactly what you did! I am currently in Orange County, California, and don't like the "ingenuinity" (we're assuming the word is"disingenuous") and mindset of the people. I have found that Connecticut is a place with great weather and has a lot if cities with a small town feel. I was wondering if there was any way that you could help me specify my search in CT? I would like a city with a small town feel where your neighbors are sweet, but it still has a high quality of life. Essex and Stonington caught my eye, but I've never been so I can't say! Thank you for your time. Thank-you for your inquiry. We d
Read more