Waltham, MA and local attractions
Waltham is one of the most racially and ethnically diverse towns in MA. It has a long history connected to the Waltham Watch Company and its headquarters at the Waltham Watch Factory. If you interested in looking into the history of technology in the area, I would suggest going to the Charles River Museum of Industry and Innovation.
On the Brandeis University campus, the local attraction I would most recommend is the Rose Art Museum. It is a major art museum for modern and contemporary art. If you arrive on Wednesday, there is an artist talk by Stephen Hamilton with Dr. Kyrah Malika Daniels at 7pm on September 17. It requires registration but is free and open to the public. Otherwise, it is open Wednesday-Sunday 11AM-5pm. The current exhibitions that are available to view include: “Fred Wilson: Reflections,” “Fabricated Imaginaries: Crafting Art,” “Danielle McKinney: Tell Me More,” “Mark Dion: The Undisciplined Collector,” and the permanent outdoor sculpture exhibition, “Chris Burden: Light of Reason.”
Finally, for medievalists, there is a peculiar attraction a walk from the Brandeis campus. If you walk around town and keep seeing “Norumbega” on street signs, and are wondering what is going on, this is connected to a 19th-century history in the Boston metro area of a Harvard chemistry professor, Eben Norton Horsford who made a fortune off of baking powder. He decided that the early Scandinavians from the Vinland Saga was located in Boston and specifically near the Charles River. You can read about it in this useful Aeon article. Horsford erected a Norman tower to mark a location he thought linked to this early Scandinavian settler colonialists of the 11th century. You can go up the tower (but at your own peril).
Waltham and the Local Food Scene
Brandeis University is on the unceded and stolen territory of the Nipmuc and Massa-adchu-es-et, and Pawtucket tribes. It is one of the most diverse Massachusetts towns. In fact, it is a majority-minority town with a white population at around 36% with a substantial Latinx, Black, Asian, multiracial, Indigenous population compared to other Massachusetts towns. What this means in terms of food options is a wide-variety of great and often not expensive food choices that includes second restaurants of well-established places in Boston.
In general, I recommend exploring the restaurants in and off Moody and Main Street. There are some excellent deals for dinner. For example, Joco’s Bar and Kitchen (an Irish Bar) does several weeknight special including a burger and beer for $10 on Wednesday nights.
Nonnantum in Newton
This area is right next to Waltham and I recommend it for a couple of reasons. First, this is the best lobster roll in the area with the best price. This can be had at Steamers which is a fish market that regularly brings in catches from Boston Harbor. Across the street from Steamers is Antoine’s Pastry Shop which is a long-standing Italian bakery with amazing cannollis but also if you are interested in other desserts. The neighborhood also includes a great Irish pub with outdoor seating, The Dooliner. In another part of Nonnantum is the best sushi in the area which is at Sakanaya Boston. They supply the fish for a number of the sushi restaurants in the area. They have Chirashi bowls for $10.99 either tuna, mixed, or tuna and salmon. They also allow you to choose the fish and they will make you a bowl there. There is no indoor seating, but there is occasionally tables outside. Next door is the best Japanese bakery called Little L.
Main Street in Waltham
At one end of Main Street in Waltham heading towards the I-95, there is Domenics an amazing local Italian sandwich spot. The owners who have run Domenics also run an amazing Italian restaurant and pizzeria, Pizzeria Enzina and then next door is the bakery, Enzina Bakery. Also on Main Street heading closer to Moody is several Asian options including Hakata Ramen and Sushi and Mulan Taiwanese Restaurant for Taiwanese food. Mr. Monut is great if you need a mochi donut and cruffle fix. There is a boba tea place next door to Mr. Monut. Also on Main is a Cowboy Supermarket which is a Brazilian Market that also does Brazilian and Puerto Rican takeaway. They also have a bakery.
Near Moody, you have Café on the Common which is a popular coffeehouse. Close to the common, but just off Main Street is Kiwaz, the best Haitian place. It does not have a lot of indoor seating, but is great for takeaway. I recommend, if they have it that day, the oxtail and the jerk chicken. You are also near Peshwari Kebabs which is the best Pakistani restaurant. There is another coffee shop on Main Street across the Common called The Fika Spot for coffee, pastries, and snack. There are amazing Chinese dumpling and noodles at Aries Dumpling and Noodles. They make their stuff fresh, it is amazing. If you are up for diner food, there are three on Main Street I would recommend. Joseph’s Two Family Restaurant for the great prices and huge portions. The classic Massachusett’s diner experience is at Wilson’s Diner (they only take cash but they are also used regularly in filming). The other diner I would recommend is across from the Common, Leo’s Place Diner.
Markets
Along with the various chain markets, Waltham has a range of specialty ethnic food markets that I highly recommend. You will not be disappointed if you wander into some of them for amazing takeaway options that are delicious and often incredibly cheap. In addition, just a local dialect note, convenience stores in Massachusetts are often called spas.
Market Basket: If any market represents Massachusetts, it’s Market Basket. There is a lot of drama around what is happening currently with the ownership of Market Basket but they absolutely have a devoted, loyal (ready to strike if the ownership question does not go the way they wish) following for a reason. The Waltham Market Basket has a café where you have the best prices on coffee, drinks, pastries, and soft serve ice cream. And they are legendary for their cold and hot food takeaway including freshly-made sandwiches which can run you $5.29 for an Italian sub or $6.99 for a steak and cheese or a hamburger and fries for $2.99 etc. It is the best price on so many different takeaway foods but also they have a little self-serve eating area where you can eat and drink.
Costco: You do not need membership to go to the Costco food court and as is legendary, they have the most inexpensive pizza, hot dog and soda combination, and a range of other takeaway or quick sit-down eating items.
Cowboy Supermarket: I totally recommend their restaurant and bakery. The food is good. Though again, really for takeaway.
The India Market: They have an extensive takeaway, hot-food area and you can get amazing samosas, cheese puffs, as well as biryani and other items to eat away. They also often have a fresh coconut juice stand in the front. It is two stories, and I think of it as the Islamicate diaspora market as they have a massive section that includes African, South East Asian, Middle Eastern, South Asian, and Latin American (this seems to reflect the local Waltham demographics) ingredients.
Patel Brothers: My mother swears by the produce here and you can pick up snacks.
La Costenita Market: If you are staying at the Crescent Suites, this is right next door and has great reviews for both basics and also hot and cold Salvadoran, Guatemalan, and Mexican food.
La Chapanita Market: Great Latinx market, this is where I would go to find masa to make tortillas during the pandemic.
Casa D’Italia: Little Italian Market and great Italian sandwiches.
Coffee
The best price on coffee and coffee drinks is at Market Basket in Waltham. Otherwise, along with Café on the Common, The Fika Spot, I also recommend Café Olla, Common Good, and Del’s Coffee Roasters. If you need a boba fix, there is a Yum Cha on Moody Street as well as a Kung Fu Tea. There is also Angel Tea on Moody Street.
Bakeries
There are several Latinx bakeries in Waltham that I would just recommend to visit to get really great baked goods at great prices. Occasionally, you will need to practice your Spanish to order. There is Kairos Bakery (Guatemalan). There is also La Castellana Bakery where I tend to pick up bags of pan de dulces. Panaderia Rincon Guatemalteca are known for their sweet rolls and tamales. I also recommend Chepes Bakery which is a Guatemalan bakery but also has often has interesting take-away items. The last bakery is just South of Waltham when you walk down Moody when it turns into the town of Newton and the street becomes Lexington. This is Country Desserts which gets rave reviews for their pies and cookies.
East Asian Food
Along with my recommendations of restaurants on Main Street, I would recommend some of the following places for East Asian Food in Waltham. If you need to have Korean, you have two choices, you can go to Ponzu which serves Sushi but also has an extensive Korean menu. My mother approves. The other option is to go for more bar food and head to Bonchon for Korean fried chicken and other Korean bar staples.
For Japanese food, you can go to Waku Waku Ramen and Sake, this is an outlet of a Chinatown restaurant. I would also recommend Sakura Japanese Restaurant and if you want Shabu Shabu, I really enjoy Shiki Shiki Shabu Shabu especially with a group. It is a lot of fun.
For Chinese food, I also recommend both Shanghai Cuisine and Taste House.
Mexican Food
Because I grew up in California, I am incredibly picky about Mexican food. My three recommendations are: 1. Taqueria El Mexico which has great sit down, the service is great, and the food is great. They have both indoor and outdoor tables. 2. The next one is at the Waltham commuter rail station called Trencito Taqueria and Deli which I recommend especially for Mexican breakfast. There is also Juanita’s Kitchen that has both Mexican sopas and tacos but also El Salvadoran pupusas. I also recommend Antojitos Café (they only take cash) for their pupusas and the best breakfast burritos.
Central American Food
Dominican Grill Chicken and Pizza: There are a number of restaurants that seem like a regular pizza takeaway but in fact also include an extensive menu of another specialized global food. This is one of them. Go for the Dominican food and their specialty is the grilled chicken but they have other options.
El Sabor Salvadoreano Restaurant: This has great pupusas and an extensive Salvadorean menu that is both eat-in and take-out.
Tita’s Kitchen: This is a highly recommended place for Guatemalan food.
Athens Pizza: This is another one of those places that seems just like a takeaway pizza joint, but in fact serves very specific Central American food. They have birria tacos and Guatemalan hot dogs called shucos.
Caribbean and South American Food
Gustazo Kitchen and Bar: This is the second restaurant of an amazing Cuban place in Cambridge. This is great for groups and also has a good bar. You can do dishes or tapas style.
Tara’s Restaurant and Pizza: This is another place where it just looks like a major Italian and standard American place but it is not. This also has a separate Chilean menu that includes Chilean sandwiches, dishes, and empanadas. This place is also open late if you need a late-night snack.
Panelo de Barro: This is a sit down (or takeaway) Brazilian churascarria that charges by weight. Boston Metro is part of the Portuguese-Brazilian-Cape Verdean Diaspora. There is the food at the Cowboy Market but for a group, this is great and fun. They change their menu every day. Though try to get there before 7pm because they stop making fresh food after that. They close at nine. If you are interested in more extensive Brazilian food, you should head to Framingham which is a Brazilian diaspora epicenter. For Cape Verdean, I would suggest going south to Brockton and New Bedford and for Portuguese, Fall River.
South and Southeast Asian Food
The best Thai Place, and it is only takeaway, in Waltham is Tree Top Thai Cuisine. I recommend all of it and especially their duck curry and fried pineapple rice.
Penang is great and is the second restaurant of the best Malaysian restaurant in Boston (located in Chinatown).
The only Vietnamese place I recommend in Waltham is Bánh Mì Oi which has a really creative Banh Mi menu as well as excellent pho.
I haven’t been, but Rassa has gotten rave revues. We will be going to Peppino’s for our banquet, but if you want to pop in, they originally started out just as a vegetarian Dosa restaurant until they expanded to include more traditional Northern Indian food. So if you are interested in South Asian Dosas as well as an Indo-Chinese vegetarian menu, I would highly recommend. Peppino’s also owns Da Vinci’s, the Italian restaurant on Moody which I also recommend.
Food near Campus
I recommend AK’s near campus if you want to walk somewhere. They are also excellent on delivering on campus because they understand where our buildings on campus are located.
The South Street Café is also excellent.
There is a Dunkin on Campus and an Einstein’s Bagels. I recommend the Einstein’s Bagels for coffee and also sandwiches.
Thrift Shopping
If you are interested in doing a little thrift shopping, I recommend both Global Thrift on Moody street which has a massive turnover and also Re/Chic on Main Street which is a thrift/consignment which currently has a 20% off everything with your school ID for Back to School. If you are interested in furniture, housewares, etc. I would recommend Buy and Consign in Waltham.
If you are interested in antiquing/vintage etc., I would recommend Felton Antiques which has 6000 sq. feet and 40+ vendors. It is walkable from Moody and also the Crescent Suites.