Merrimack Valley Magazine

We are happy to present the winners of the 2021 Merrimack Valley Magazine Awards. This spring, the top picks in all categories were chosen by our readers via our online voting platform. Thank you to everyone who took the time to vote and congratulations to all the winners.

Alfresco Dining
Cobblestones of Lowell
Known for their hand-cut steaks, burgers and seafood, Cobblestones of Lowell combines comfort food with regionally inspired American fare and contemporary selections. Dining outside at Cobblestones comes with its perks — beyond the sights of downtown Lowell, there’s occasional live music and entertainment.
91 Dutton St.
Lowell, Mass.
CobblestonesOfLowell.com

American
The Loft
The Loft in North Andover has created a rustic, inviting atmosphere for enjoying food and spirits. They serve fine USDA top-choice steaks, fresh seafood, poultry, produce and are open for lunch, dinner and private celebrations.
1140 Osgood St.
North Andover, Mass.
LoftSteakAndChopHouse.com

Asian
Blue Taleh
Located in downtown Lowell, Blue Taleh offers Thai, Japanese and sushi cuisine as well as a famous martini menu. Visit them and enjoy their cocktails, traditional maki dishes, and much more.
15 Kearney Sq.
Lowell, Mass.
BlueTalehLowell.com

Butcher
Alpine Butcher
Alpine Butcher has remained in the Doyle family since its start in 1913. The beef is USDA prime, and their pork and chicken are humanely raised as well as antibiotic- and hormone-free.
963 Chelmsford St.
Lowell, Mass.
AlpineButcher.com

Coffee Shops & Café’s
Frobie’s Cafe
This family-friendly cafe brings coffee, smoothies, acai bowls, juices, breakfast sandwiches and more to the Merrimack Valley food scene. The pleasant staff and tasty treats have earned Frobie’s a loyal following since it opened in 2014.
101 Broadway Rd.
Dracut, Mass.
Frobies.com

CSA
Farmer Dave’s
Farmer Dave’s is a farm that responsibly grows a myriad of vegetables and fruits. With their CSA programs and “pick-your-own” offerings, Farmer Dave’s is committed to keeping their community strong and healthy.
437 Parker Rd.
Dracut, Mass.
FarmerDaves.net

Frozen Treats
Sullivan Farms Ice Cream
Sullivan Farms Ice Cream in Tyngsboro is known for their variety. They offer over 50 traditional flavors and seasonal options such as Bailey’s Irish Cream and White Chocolate Caramel Latte.
176 Middlesex Rd.
Tyngsboro, Mass.
SullivanFarmsIceCream.com

Italian
Al Fresca Ristorante
Family-owned and run Al Fresca Ristorante brings a taste of Italy to Tewksbury. They offer homemade Italian cuisine, handcrafted cocktails, and a private dining space perfect for events.
1768 Main St.
Tewksbury, Mass.
AlfrescaRistorante.com

Irish Pub
Peddler’s Daughter
The Peddler’s Daughter has locations in Nashua and Haverhill. In addition to their Irish cuisine, they are open for brunch and dinner. Plus, they offer an extensive whiskey menu.
Haverhill, Mass. & Nashua, N.H.
ThePeddlersDaughter.com

Mexican
Casa Blanca
Casa Blanca’s Mexican dishes make them a staple for Mexican authentic cuisine in the Merrimack Valley. The atmosphere is inviting, the food is fresh, and the margaritas may be some of the best in the region.
Andover, Haverhill, Methuen, North Andover, North Billerica and Wilmington, Mass.
CasaBlancaMexican.com

Middle Eastern
Jocelyn’s Mediterranean Restaurant & Lounge
Jocelyn’s offers Lebanese and American food, a full-service bar and even a martini lounge. The menu boasts lamb, kafta and kibbee dishes, as well as a vegetarian combo appetizer plate.
355 South Broadway
Salem, N.H.
JocelynsRestaurant.com

New Restaurant
Tuscan Sea Grill & Bar
An original restaurant concept of Tuscan Brands, Tuscan Sea Grill & Bar features locally sourced seafood, a raw bar, pasta, and much more. With a waterfront location overlooking the Merrimack River, guests can enjoy harbor views and warm weather alfresco dining.
38 Rear Merrimac St.
Newburyport, Mass.
TuscanSea.com

Pastry Shops / Bakery
Purple Carrot Bread Co.
Every item on Purple Carrot Bread Co.’s menu is made from scratch, from hearty stews to salad dressings and condiments. Rustic breads are the heart of Purple Carrot’s menu: Country Blonde, Kalamata olive, rosemary and garlic ciabatta are among the popular offerings.
107 Merrimack St.
Lowell, Mass.
PurpleCarrotBreadCo.com

Pizza
Flatbread Company
Beginning in Amesbury in the summer of 1998, Flatbread Company has prioritized serving real food, by real people, in a real environment. They partner with farms, supporting their surrounding communities and bringing an authentic taste to their pizzas.
Multiple Locations
FlatbreadCompany.com

Seafood
Seaglass Restaurant & Lounge
Located on the shores of the Atlantic, guests at Seaglass enjoy lunch and dinner with panoramic views framed by floor-to-ceiling windows while seated at tables over the ocean. Their seafood menu celebrates the ocean’s bounty by taking the freshest fish and treating it to the creative preparation of their culinary team.
4 Oceanfront North
Salisbury, Mass.
SeaglassOceanside.com

Specialty Market
Borrelli’s Italian Deli
Established in the Merrimack Valley over 50 years ago, Borelli’s Italian Deli is known for its Italian products, including their famous sausage and cold cuts. Borelli’s also offers hot subs, paninis, salads and specialty sandwiches.
322 Merrimack St.
Methuen, Mass.
BorrellisDeli.com

Wine Shop *TIE*
Andover Classic Wines
Locally owned and operated for its entire existence, Andover Classic Wines features more than 1,800 wines from every fine wine region, over 1,100 craft beers from around the world, and hundreds of the best bourbons, scotches, whiskeys, rums, gins, tequilas and other spirts.
209 N. Main St.
Andover, Mass.
AndoverClassicWines.com

Wine ConneXtion
Boasting “excellent wines at exceptional prices” customers at Wine ConneXtion can browse their large, open, cellar-style design that helps educate their clientele on everything from the characteristics of the wine to food pairings.
117 Main St.
North Andover, Mass.
WineConnextion.com

World Cuisine
Olympia Restaurant
Olympia Restaurant has been serving the Merrimack Valley Greek cuisine since 1952. They specialize in fresh USDA Colorado lamb, traditional Greek specialties, chicken, pork, Angus steak, chops, seafood and more.
453 Market St.
Lowell, Mass.
NewOlympia.com

Stop by next week for the winners of the ‘Health & Beauty’ category.

The 2021 MVMAs are sponsored by:

We are happy to present the winners of the 2020 Merrimack Valley Magazine Awards. This spring, the top picks in all categories were chosen by our readers via our online voting platform. Thank you to everyone who took the time to vote and congratulations to all the winners.

Milestone – 5 Years
Seoul Kitchen
Seoul Kitchen is a family-owned and operated restaurant in Westford that captures exciting and authentic Korean flavors in a modern and welcoming setting. Featuring fresh and creative sushi served alongside craft cocktails, their dishes can be best described as bold and innovative, yet traditional. Their sushi is one of a kind — they use hand-selected fish from the local seaport to make delicious fresh items from the sushi bar.
142 Littleton Rd. | Westford, Mass.
EatSeoulKitchen.com

Milestone – 10 Years
Tuscan Kitchen
Inspired by owner Joe Faro’s travels throughout Italy, Tuscan Kitchen’s authentic Italian cuisine makes you feel as though you’ve stepped right into the boot. Tuck into a Fichi pizza with figs, rosemary, burrata and prosciutto, or go for the traditional rigatoni alla Bolognese. Want something lighter? They also offer delicious salads and meat dishes.
Burlington, Mass.; Salem, N.H.
TuscanBrands.com/Kitchen

Milestone – 20 Years
Farmer Dave’s
Farmer Dave was raised on Marsh Hill in Dracut, Massachusetts. At an early age, he began at Brox Farm in Dracut. After graduating from college, he worked with Ecuadorian farmers to improve their soil health, crop yields, irrigation systems, crop storage, animal health, and marketing methods. Upon returning 1997, he began leasing the Brox Farm, growing vegetables and flowers. In 2006, he purchased his own farm in Dracut. Farmer Dave plants a wide variety of long-term crops including apples, blueberries, raspberries and herbs. Visit his website to learn more about Farmer Dave and their popular CSA program.
437 Parker Rd. | Dracut, Mass.
FarmerDaves.net

Milestone – 30 Years
Enterprise Bank
When it first opened, Enterprise Bank quickly gained a reputation for providing full-service banking to community residents and businesses. With success came growth. Headquartered in Lowell, Enterprise Bank now has branches throughout the Merrimack Valley and continues to advance its mission of kindling the entrepreneurial spirit.
Twenty-Five Branches Throughout The Region, with a North Andover Location Opening Soon
EnterpriseBanking.com

Milestone – 40 Years
Flowers by Steve
Step into a floral paradise at Flowers by Steve’s Haverhill store. Steve’s can create specialized arrangements for weddings, anniversaries and other special occasions. Established in 1975, they offer everything from classic roses to exotic bouquets. Flowers by Steve can tailor arrangements to your requests. Find the perfect bouquet for your favorite person with the help of the expert designers at Steve’s.
14 Cross Rd. | Haverhill, Mass.
FlowersbySteveInc.com

Milestone – 50 Years
Harrows Chicken Pies
Harrows Chicken Pies are still made the same way they were in the 1930s, with slow-cooked chicken and rich homemade gravy. You can either call ahead to pick up a piping hot, ready-to-eat chicken pie, or pick up a cold one to bake at home. The pies are available in four different sizes, ranging from 1-6 servings. No matter what size your family is, Harrows can accommodate. Besides the chicken pie, Harrows also sells dessert pies such as apple and blueberry. On top of that they also sell a variety of sides to complement your meal.
436 Broadway | Methuen, Mass.
ChickenPie.com

Milestone – 75 Years
Lowell Memorial Auditorium
Built after World War I to honor veterans, Lowell Memorial Auditorium is an ideal venue for concerts, family shows, conferences, conventions, trade shows, corporate seminars and much more, the 2,800-seat venue was constructed in 1922. Famed as the location of the Golden Gloves boxing tournament (Rocky Marciano began his career at the LMA) and Lowell Irish Festival, the building is a critical part of Lowell’s legacy that continues to provide a home for entertaining and educating area residents.
50 E. Merrimack St. | Lowell, Mass.
LowellAuditorium.com

Milestone – 100 Years
Shaw Farm
While the Shaw family’s farm business is over 100 years old, their history as farmers goes back further. When the king of England offered land to New England farmers in the 1700s, the Shaw family of Rhode Island moved to Nova Scotia before returning to resettle in Dracut. In the spring of 1915, disaster struck at the farm where Shaw was working, and an entire herd of cows had to be destroyed as a result of foot and mouth disease. The farm was sold, but Mark Shaw inherited its home delivery customers. This was the beginning of the M.L. Shaw and Sons milk business. From these beginnings grew the dairy business that has become central to our region’s agricultural history. In the ’60s, the family opened a farm store and would eventually move into ice cream production, which is how many children in the Merrimack Valley come to know of Shaw Farm and its legacy.
204 New Boston Rd. | Dracut, Mass.
ShawFarm.com

The 2020 MVMAs are sponsored by:

2021 MVMA Winners – Good Eats

2020 MVMA Winners – Milestone (Longevity in Business)

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