If you’re a big fan of Hollywood flicks, you’ll be pleased to know many aren’t just shot on a sound stage. Some crews set the scene more naturally and head out into town for real life restaurants. Visiting the favorite food spot of your most beloved silver screen characters brings the movie to life and definitely makes for photo-worthy, memorable moments. If you’ve ever dreamt about grabbing a bit where your favorite characters dined, you might be in luck. See these 13 restaurants still open to the public. GOOD WILL HUNTING https://youtu.be/LMD2vUErcYU From the movie: Good Will Hunting Real life restaurant name: Woody’s L Street Tavern Real life address: 195 L Street, Boston, Massachusetts, MA 02127 The local dive bar served as a regular hangout for life-long Boston friends Will (Matt Damon) and Chuckie (Ben Affleck) in Good Will Hunting. The South End spot has been renovated, so fan shouldn’t expect every detail to be intact,…
The 21 most-Instagrammed restaurants of 2017
The most important meal of the day is one you can Instagram. If you subscribe to this logic, particularly if you live or follow Instagram users in New York, Chicago or Los Angeles, you’ve likely contributed to the most-Instagrammed restaurants, bars, bakeries and cafes of 2017. On Wednesday, Instagram released it’s annual year in review list of “most popular” in categories such as celebrities, cities and of course, everyone’s favorite category to share, food. Eateries were divided into two categories: restaurants and bakeries/cafes. The title of “most photographed restaurant” went to 230 Fifth in New York City, located 21 floors up, and offering sweeping views of Manhattan. The upscale casual restaurants allows guests to snap shots of swanky looking cocktails against a scene of palm trees and some of the country’s most iconic buildings including the Empire State Building. Topping the list for most-Instagrammed bakery or cafe was the Kim Kardashian West-approved Cafe du…
11 restaurants open on Thanksgiving
Thanksgiving is all about home cooked meals, but that doesn’t mean all restaurants will be shutting their doors. According to the National Restaurant Association, holiday dinners and Thanksgiving brunch are big business. About one in every ten Americans will eat out this Thanksgiving, with Millennials being especially likely to skip out on making the meal. But regardless if you’re giving up cooking this Thanksgiving, going out for breakfast, or in a pinch and need to pick up a take-out side dish, these national restaurant chains have you covered. They’ll be leaving their doors open on national Turkey Day to help you celebrate however you see fit. Here are 11 restaurants open on Thanksgiving. ApplebEe’s Select Applebee’s locations around the country will offer a special Thanksgiving meal with all the usual sides done Applebee’s style. Call your local restaurant ahead of time to make sure they’ll be ope. Boston Market Order by…
Too many restaurants in America are causing industry trouble
The restaurant industry can expect some troubled times ahead. After a prolonged period of growth, fueled by Wall Street, experts say the market is now oversaturated with casual, fast-food and chain restaurants, the New York Times reports. After the dot-com bust, many investors turned away from Silicon Valley and looked toward the hospitality sector for more reliable — although smaller — returns. The New York Times reported that Wall Street “poured billions into the restaurant industry.” In recent years, the number of restaurants in the U.S. — currently estimated at about 620,000 — has grown at twice the rate of the population. It’s true that customers are faced with busy lifestyles and continue to spend a large portion of their food budget at restaurants. But that dollar amount is now being spread across an ever-increasing number of establishments, so profits are divided into smaller and smaller pieces. Changes in single-store sales over time are down to the lowest they’ve been…
Chick-fil-A rolling out gluten-free bun, but there’s a catch
Chick-fil-A has gone gluten free! Not entirely, but the nationwide chicken sandwich chain is poised to capitalize on its consumers’ dietary needs with a new menu offering. Chick-fil-A announced on Monday that it will offer gluten-free buns at restaurants nationwide, after reportedly receiving positive feedback from test marketed areas in 2016. The gluten-free bun is made with ancient grains quinoa and amaranth and sweetened with molasses and raisins. “We know our customers are looking for more gluten-sensitive alternatives. They asked, and we listened,” said Leslie Neslage, senior consultant of menu development at Chick-fil-A in a release on the company’s Chicken Wire. “Our hope is that the Gluten-Free Bun addition opens up options for gluten-sensitive customers to enjoy more of our menu.” The new bun can be ordered with any of the restaurant’s sandwiches. But there is one catch. Customers who order the gluten-free buns will have to assemble their sandwiches themselves. According to…
Restaurants owned by former NHL players
Like many professional athletes, NHL players don’t always simply ‘retire’ the day of their last big game. Some become coaches or commentators. Other still, pursue a totally different career path. Surprisingly, the food service industry is often a good fit for former sports stars. Players can lend their name to an establishment where fans can come to pay homage and relive their favorite career highlights. Here are a few restaurants where hockey lovers can go to dine among fellow fans. Wayne Gretzky’s Wayne Gretzky is arguably the most well-known hockey player to ever start in the NHL. With a career spanning twenty season (1979-1999) across four teams, and as the leading scorer in the league’s history, “The Great One” was immediately inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame after his retirement. Since then, Gretzky has stayed busy with endorsements, appearances and his sit-down namesake restaurant in downtown Toronto. The restaurant and bar showcase a personal collection…
25 Years of Loving Cheddar Bay Biscuits at Red Lobster
If all of the Red Lobster Cheddar Bay Biscuits served in one day were stacked up, it would tower the height of the Empire State Building 137 times! We’ve been eating Cheddar Bay Biscuits at Red Lobster for 25 years now. Surely that calculation would have our biscuit consumption reaching the moon and back. That’s right. For a quarter century we’ve been craving those fresh out-of-the-oven cheddary carb bombs. The mid-range seafood restaurant first starting offering the biscuits in 1992. Originally offered as “freshly baked, hot cheese garlic bread,” the biscuits changed name a few years later to better reflect the other seaside offerings of the restaurant and more accurately describe what they are — I mean, they are definitely biscuits, no? You may remember, they were also originally served to guests waiting to be seated, rather than in a basket table side. The biscuits became so popular, guests requested them…
Celebrities taking a bite out of the food world
It was announced last week that Walburgers, the burger restaurant chain co-founded by the famous Wahlberg brothers Mark and Donnie, will expand their restaurant empire once again — this time they have their meat hooks in Pittsburgh, with reportedly two locations opening up in the next year. The Boston-born brothers opened their first restaurant in their home city in 2011, but the chain has expanded to include locations in Massachusetts, New York, South Carolina, Michigan, Nevada, Florida and Canada. But they’re not the only famous faces lending their celebrity status and financial firepower to please our stomachs. Here are 20 celebrities you didn’t know were in the restaurant biz. 1. Channing Tatum, Saints and Sinners (pictured) The New Orleans restaurant is decked out in contemporary bordello décor, a tribute to the Big Easy’s nightlife. Cocktails, specialty drinks and dirty martinis are in store for the bustling crowds. 2. Robert DeNiro, Nobu DeNiro opened Nobu…
Day Without Immigrants felt by restaurants nationwide
In a show of solidarity, immigrants around the country stayed home from work and school Thursday to demonstrate how important they are to America’s way of life—and America’s economy. The nationwide protest has been called A Day Without Immigrants, reported the Associated Press. The effects have been felt most strongly by the restaurant industry, which employs nearly 12 million people with immigrants making up the majority—that applies to both fast food and fine dining. The number increases to 70% in cities the major cities like New York, according to the Restaurant Opportunities Center United. The protest has been aimed at President Donald Trump’s efforts to crack down on immigration, both legal and illegal. Historically, the food industry has been a first step toward a financially stable life for newcomers to America. Immigrants who have been able to open successful restaurants and grocery stores often started as dishwashers, servers and line cooks in other restaurants. All…
8 restaurants owned by former NFL players
Former NFL players. Present foodies. Most athletes will spend the majority of their time focusing solely on their skills. They will clock endless off-field hours fine-tuning their physiques so they stay at the top of their game. The most successful and marketable athletes will spend time, with the help of an agent, crafting a public persona — giving interviews, attending fan events, endorsements and appearances. After a physically challenging career, most athletes will disappear from the public eye to a world of beautiful houses, cars and chiropractor visits. Others will get in to commentary. Still others will pursue a different industry all-together: food service. What is it about athletes that makes us flock to their restaurants? Maybe we think athletes know something about nutrition. This might be true, except most of their restaurants revolve around red meat. Maybe we feel a solidarity with the other diners. Or maybe we think, somehow,…