Red Sox Pregame Guide – Boston (Fenway)

Patriot’s Day marks the (unofficial) start to Spring in Boston, and there’s no better way to spend it than going to a Red Sox game in the famous Fenway neighborhood. With endless bars and dining around the stadium, we are giving you the only guide you need to make the most of your day out to the ballpark.

Just down the street from Fenway Park is one of Boston’s great food markets, Time Out. Time Out Market opened in 2020, and has a little something for everyone. On top of that, you can also enjoy beer from the best brewery in Boston, Trillium, at their beer garden.

Trillium Fenway

We like to start off at Trillium’s beer garden, since they have a little something for everyone. Trillium is famous for their world-class New England Style IPAs and stouts. For anyone who says they aren’t into beer, then a juicy New England IPA is exactly what they need to try. Unlike a classic style IPA, which is very bitter from the hops used to make it, a “NEIPA” (New England IPA acronym) is hazy in color, looking almost like orange juice (and sometimes tasting like it). Trillium has a number of different kinds of NEIPAs which have a variety of flavor profiles like pineapple, mangos, guava, and other tropical fruits.

When it comes to their stouts, these are as far as you can possibly get from a pint of Guinness. Trillium’s stouts are more of a milkshake than a beer. They will typically have a coffee forward stout on draft. The PM Dawn series is their classic coffee stout, which tastes like straight up cold brew. Throughout the year they will release different versions of this beer including peanut butter, coconut, chocolate, and vanilla. All versions are fire, but the peanut butter rises above the others, as it taste like a dark chocolate Reese’s. For barrel-aged beer lovers, Trillium has a robust barrel aging program, and some of their barrel-aged stouts come in 15% ABV or higher. These are usually their pastry-style stouts, which are perfect for the barrel aging process, as it lessens the sweetness a bit and brings in a ton of that bourbon and barrel bite to it. On top of both of those, their classic pastry stout line up is always fire– from a rocky road stout to a chocolate red velvet cake stout they continue to push the boundaries of brewing.

So, after all of the great and high ABV beer you are going to get at Trillium, we recommend filling up your stomach prior to getting into Fenway and spending $20 on reheated chicken tenders. Luckily, right next to Trillium is the Time Out Food Market

Time Out Market

Time Out Market is a concept that was created in Portugal in 2014, with the goal of bringing together world-class food all under one roof. They have now expanded this concept to cities across the globe including 2 other U.S. locations in Miami and New York. The Boston location has a 6000-foot outside patio which is perfect for enjoying a bite to eat in the summer.

No matter how picky the eater, there will be something here to enjoy. All of the options are great, but we will highlight a few of our favorites.

Taqueria El Barrio

Tacos are our love language, and Taqueria El Barrio had us at “homemade flower tortillas.” These are a step up from your bare bones street tacos that you’ll find in East Boston. Al Pastor is always one of our favorites to try, and the ones here are up there with the best we’ve had. Covered in a guacamole-based salsa and pineapple, it is bursting with flavor. The fish tacos are also a must-try here. The chipotle mayo has a fiery kick that pairs perfectly with a juicy NEIPA.

Nu Burger

Nu Burger is a Time Out exclusive that features burgers that are thick AF. Served on a brioche bun, these burgers are hella juicy and they come in a variety of creative options. If you are as truffle-crazy as we are, the umami burger is a no-brainer. Served with an over easy egg on top, pecorino, & truffle, this burger is decadent. A burger joint is only as good as its fries, and the parmesan truffle fries are as good as they come. Freshly hand-cut, they are crispy on the outside but still have that light, airy inside.

Kured

Now, if you are looking for something on the lighter side that’s extremely shareable, then Kured checks all of the boxes. Specializing in charcuterie boxes, you can create-your-own box or go with their many pre-fixed options. There is an endless amount of combinations. Our hands-down favorite meat here is the truffle salami. We are suckers for truffle, and here, it’s the perfect combination.

Cusser’s

We have written about Cusser’s before in our Roast Beef Guide to Boston. If you’ve never had a roast beef sandwich, and this is your first time in Boston, then Cusser’s is a must-try. The roast beef sandwich is a phenomenon that we have only seen on the North Shore of MA (check out our roast beef guide for the full breakdown). Cusser’s may not be a classic beef if you ask a beef purist, but it is a very classy one. Using wagyu and house made BBQ sauce, this is a must-try piece of New England food culture that isn’t called a lobster roll.

And That’s Our Fenway Food and Drink Guide!

The final shout out we have to give Time Out Market is their bar. They are constantly getting big hitters on tap like Bissell Brothers and other friends from Portland. For those who are looking for something lighter, they have a full drink menu as well as wine and rosé.