Starting with Memorial Day parties the summer party season ramps up on the North Shore. Whether it is a relaxed picnic for two at the beach, cocktails and a fire pit on the patio, or a tented holiday bash the summer’s plentiful daylight hours and heat provide the perfect party backdrop. Need to find the perfect ingredients and prepared foods to level up your menu? Luckily the North Shore contains a wonderful array of farm stands, butchers, gourmet shops, and seafood markets that have you covered.
Butcher Boy, North Andover
Butcher Boy’s 60-foot full-service meat counter features everything you could need for a barbecue including hard-to-find specialty items. Add in their marketplace where you can purchase produce, grocery items, and spirits to cross every item off your list. Have a question about what to serve or how much to buy? Let their butchers help you answer every question. Check out their Summer Order Guide for a selection of beef, pork, lamb, chicken, and sausages.
The Modern Butcher, Danvers
The Modern Butcher is a Whole Animal Butchery where no part of the animal goes to waste. They work with local farms that are all within 150mi of the shop to source their meats. They carry a vast lineup of sausages and are constantly updating flavors throughout the week to keep up with the demand. They offer a selection of Pork, Beef, and Chicken – most being gluten free, dairy free or both.
Henry’s Fine Foods, Beverly
Look to Henry’s Fine Foods on Cabot Street to provide a one-stop shop for your party needs. Their bakery offers an extensive list of options from fruit and cream pies to whoopie pies to custom cakes and cupcakes. The deli offers a “Best of” Henry’s List of Sandwiches Platter that includes ten wraps cut in thirds. Need a gluten free wrap? They have you covered. An extensive prepared foods menu allows hosts to preorder everything from soups to baked ziti to teriyaki salmon and vegetable egg rolls.
Grand Trunk Wine & Cheese, Newburyport
The Grand Trunk is an “old world” wine and cheese shop created in 2003 by husband and wife Jeremy and Angela Kirkpatrick. They offer an extensive ever changing selection of rare and imported and local cheeses for your platters and charcuterie boards. Their wide selection of wines organized by price range and country of origin allows customers to stock up for their guests or to select that perfect bottle as a hospitality gift. The shop’s grocery shelves contain items including caviar, smoked seafood, chocolate, confections, olive oil, spreads, grains, pasta, and more.
FISH, Newburyport
Located on the Newburyport waterfront FISH carries an extensive list of fresh seafood and complimentary items to create seafood platters, your own raw bar, and even homemade sashimi with their sushi grade filets. Thinking about a clambake or grilling a whole fish? Live lobsters and whole fish are available and need to be preordered. Other options include smoked fish pate, octopus salad, caviar, and oysters. Going on a picnic? I highly recommend their customizable Poke Bowls.
Cape Ann Fresh Catch, Various Locations
It is no surprise that the largest Community Supported Fishery(CSF) in America is located on the North Shore. To become a CSF member sign up on their website, select a pick up site or home delivery, and start shopping. Pick up sites are located in over 30 community organizations, farmers markets or specialty food stores in the Greater Boston area. Their Twin Light Smokehouse allows members to order items including cold smoked haddock, smoked salmon, and smoked mussel spread.
Photograph By Anthony Tieuli
Long Hill Orchard & Farm, West Newbury
Long Hill’s Farmstand is open year round but it bursts with its own fruits and vegetables during the summer. The selection rotates depending on what the farm is currently harvesting and includes lettuces, tomatoes, peppers, herbs, zucchini, watermelon, pears, apples – and more. To round out your party needs they offer homemade bakery items, house made salsas and pestos, Richardson’s Dairy items, and fresh flowers for your table.
Cider Hill Farm, Amesbury
Want to turn your party prep into a pick your own adventure? Travel to Cider Hill Farm for seasonal picking of tulips, strawberries, raspberries, cherries, blackberries, blueberries, peaches, flowers, and apples. Stop by their farm store and bakery their own produce, baked goods, locally produced dairy items, their own eggs, meats, seafood, and sweet and hard cider from Cider Hill Cellars. Need to refuel before shopping? Check out Cider Hill’s Eleanor’s Lunch Box and PitchFork Food truck.