The article cited south Framingham's "Little Brazil" for its concentration of Brazilian eateries and food stores, putting it in the same category as Little Havana in Miami, Persian Square in LA, and Little Ethiopia in DC. That the town of Framingham with under 70,000 residents was recognized in the same breath as major cities with populations up into the millions is amazing.
The profusion of Brazilian businesses downtown in the past couple of decades, to the consternation of some life-long residents, inarguably has played a major role in its rebirth. And remember that a rising tide lifts all boats. Alongside the Brazilian establishments downtown there are now also many other ethnic restaurants, serving Vietnamese, Colombian, Salvadoran, Mexican, Italian, and other cuisines, along with plenty of places you can get traditional American fare as well. And let's not forget our award-winning craft brewery, Jack's Abby Brewing, that with its new tap room is bringing more people downtown than ever.What may be ho-hum or of little interest to some locals can be seen as exotic and attractive to people from out of town. More than one Framingham resident has told me that when out of town family and friends visit they are delighted to try ethnic places downtown that don't exist where they live.
And to put the icing on the proverbial cake, a few days after the Thrillist.com article was published, the Boston Globe's Cheap Eats column featured Pupusas y Tacos Dona Sofia, downtown's beloved Salvadoran/Mexican comfort food haven.
The secret is out; downtown Framingham is now on the map as a dining destination. Rather than lament what downtown used to be, let's embrace and capitalize on the strengths inherent in what it has become. With our support of its businesses and institutions we can help bring about an even more dynamic and exciting future for us all.
5 comments:
Thank you for telling us about this. I am fairly new to Framingham and haven't been to many of the restaurants, so your article has enticed me to start trying them. I Love Framingham and am happy to be living here, also because we have excellent water quality.
A great post! We love Dona Y Sofia and I would add the new Pho Dakao to the list of fantatic downtown dining.
For a really, really hidden gem, go get some of the Peurto Rican and Dominican empanadas, alcapurrias, and Cuban sandwiches that a lovely lady sells from her own counter inside of Latina's Market on Beaver St. It usually seems like the food is most available between 11 a.m and 4 p.m. there. Delicious!!!
Unfortunately I have to disagree. I think the downtown area has the potential to become another downtown Waltham but it's a long way from there.the area needs more restaurants like pho dakao that offer not only good ethnic food but also a comfortable dining environment. Sorry I just can't imagine someone coming into Boston from Chicago and say hey we got to go to downtown Framingham to dine.
Thanks, Kerry, I will have to get down to Latino's Market - I had heard that before from someone else.
alan k, I would not expect someone in Boston from another part of the country to come out here to eat in downtown Framingham. But there *are* a lot of people, particularly visiting Metrowest for business, who do seek out interesting places to eat in our town - I've read many reviews by them on Yelp. I agree with you that Pho Dakao has set a nice high standard for a great dining ambiance that I hope others will follow.
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