Massachusetts: Legal Sea Foods Offering Free Lobster Rolls

One of our beloved local restaurant chains is giving seafood enthusiasts another reason to walk in their doors gladly. Legal Sea Foods has announced that they will offer free lobster rolls in January and, recently had $1 clam chowder as well.

The fun actually started already. Kicking off this past Monday, January 15, Legal Sea Foods held the $1 clam chowder special. This was to coincide with their "Chowda Day” campaign. This promotion started last year, and proceeds go to the Boston Children's Hospital.

"Legal Sea Foods is thrilled to continue the ‘Chowda Day’ tradition and give back to help kids at Boston Children’s Hospital. We are grateful for the ongoing support of our cherished guests and extraordinary restaurant team who continually surpass expectations and make it possible to do what we do,” said Legal Sea Foods' President and Chief Operating Officer, Matt King.

This Chowda party was extended to online orders as well. Customers could score two quarts of clam chowder delivered anywhere in the country for $20.

From one signature dish to another, lobster rolls are also getting in on the January special offerings. The process is a bit different to score a free lobster roll at Legal Sea Foods. Specifically, customers need to be enrolled in the rewards program. This can be done via the Legal Sea Foods app.

In the restaurant, guests can score a free lobster roll upon purchasing one at full price (until January 31). In other words, it is a buy one, get one free promotion. This is their Maine lobster roll item. The menu describes it: "This signature New England-style dish is loaded with a half pound of Maine lobster meat and served traditionally with lemon mayo and chives or warm butter-poached on top of a perfectly grilled bun."

Legal Sea Foods is certainly coming out of the 2024 gates fast with its free lobster rolls and $1 chowder day. Furthermore, they are benefitting an amazing cause.

I'm a guy who moved from New Jersey to Boston; growing up, Sicilian pizza was pretty easily available. I incorrectly assumed that all Americans enjoyed this kind of pizza selection. However, when I moved to Boston, I realized that it's much harder to find that delicacy here. But there are also a few unique places that are cooking up Sicilian pizza in Massachusetts.

As an expert on Sicilian, I will tell you that it has to be prepared properly in order for it to be worth the calories. Here, I will detail three establishments where you can find great Sicilian pizza in Massachusetts. Sure, you may have to travel a bit, but these places are worth your time.

Before we cut into this delicious style of pie, let’s define our terms. Traditional Sicilian pizza is cut into square or rectangular-shaped slices. The crust is thicker and crunchy. Though this pizza is obviously heavier, it still can be topped with your favorite pizza add-ons. A sprinkle of oregano is a subtle but often important finishing.

Though strip pizza in Rhode Island is similar, one significant difference with Sicilian is that it is not baked on a focaccia style dough. In fact, Palermo Pizza NJ defines what distinguishes Sicilian Pizza and what makes it different from regular pizza. “The dough rises differently with this kind of crust because more oil is used in the recipe as opposed to a regular pizza crust recipe,” they said, when describing how this is made in a rectangular pan.

In Massachusetts, the three locations that are serving up great Sicilian Pizza are quite different from each other, but have this menu item in common. One of them happens to be a favorite of Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg.

Tucked into a quaint New England, Harvard Square street, Pinocchio's is where you need to go if you want Sicilian pizza of all varieties. It's also where you will see Mark Zuckerberg's photo all over the wall. This was the go-to spot for Zuck while he was attending Harvard. In fact, it's a place he still makes sure to stop into when in town. As for the pizza, there are 20 different toppings you can find atop the hot Sicilian pies. These pies come in a 9-slice or 15-slice size option. The 15-slice pie comes in two boxes and can feed up to nine people. During the school months, Pinocchio's stays open until 2 am on weekends.

At 289 Hanover Street in the North End of Boston, Umberto's can be easy to miss. However, once you recognize their old-school sign, you know you are in for a treat. They are old-school: it is a cash-only establishment where the large trays of piping hot Sicilian pies are continuously served. Typically, it's cheese only, but you will not be disappointed as no other flavor is needed. The single line usually reaches the door, but it moves quickly. It also gives you time to decide which arancini (their famous rice ball) you'd like to add to your order.

Leone's Pizza and Sub has been family-owned and operated since 1954. They are located right on Broadway and open seven days per week, from 8 a.m. - 9:30 p.m. Their Sicilian pizza is the standard menu option here. It is available by the slice, in a half tray or full tray. The whole tray also comes in two boxes (16 slice) and costs $40. Their Sicilian pies also come in a tomato basil option and a spinach and garlic. Leone's sub menu contains over 30 options. This includes a fried meatball sub.

Right in the heart of Cleveland Circle, Pino's is a fan-favorite of Boston College students. Though the crust is a perfect combination of pillow and crunch, the secret here is actually in the sauce. Pino's describes it as "delicious, garlicky tomato sauce with in-house seasoning, cooked on a pan." $20 gets you nine Sicilian slices at Pino's. If you want to add variety to your order, they also have alfredo pies, white pies, and buffalo chicken. Like Pinocchio's, Pino's stays open until the early morning hours on the weekend to help accommodate the college crowd.