🤤🍗 Winner winner chicken dinner!

🥟 On today’s episode of weird Fenway merch, we present: squishy dumplings. Yes, those viral squishies that sometimes end in tantrums are part of this special Red Sox ticket offer ft. a mystery red, blue, white, or rare Wally Squishy Dumpling.

✨ Pssst! We have free tickets to a wellness marketplace. Onyx Art Studios’ Self Care Saturday on July 18 is redefining nightlife with pilates, yoga, journaling, shopping, and more. We're dropping 10 free tickets for Members on Saturday. Just be one of the first 10 to use the code!

👀 What’s on tap today:

Up first…

You know we like our chicken fried. So for this month’s small business telephone tag, we’re showing some love for our fave holiday: National Fried Chicken Day! (OK, it was actually July 6, but close enough.) 

We called up the folks behind some of Boston’s juiciest, crunchiest, crispiest fried chicken to ask where they go when they’re not digging into their own. 

Here’s what they said:

🐣 Shy Bird dines at Darling. Sarah Gibbons, GM of the Kendall location, has been *obsessed* with Darling’s bang bang gai, double-fried chicken thighs with a sweet-spicy gochujang sauce that just adds that perfect extra kick. “Even though it's fried, it’s not super heavy, and a lot of the cocktails cut through some of that richness really well, too,” she said. Her fave cocktail to pair it with? One hundred lightning kicks, which has gin, soursop, and kiwi. *chef’s kiss*

🍽️ Darling swears by Sarma. Darling co-owner Brian Callahan called Sarma’s sesame fried chicken special “the GOAT.” Its juiciness + dry-mustard-based seasoning + crispy crunch = a 10/10 rating from Brian. BUT … this is technically an off-menu, IYKYK item, where trays of it periodically come out of the kitchen and guests can snag one, dim sum-style. “I’d always position myself at the bar to be able to catch it right when it comes out of the kitchen before it sells out,” Brian said. It’s the only way.  

🍗 Sarma said, “Highland Kitchen, forever!!!” Bev director Cameron Brown LOVES this Somerville neighborhood joint, known for their Southern-inspired comfort food and jukebox tunes. While their fried chicken sandwich with pickles and buttermilk ranch is solid, Brown actually prefers the crispy buttermilk fried chicken special (only on Mondays) that comes with a side of mashed potatoes, gravy, collard greens, and cornbread with honey butter that is literally finger-lickin’ good.

🐔 Highland Kitchen can’t get enough of Hemlock Grill. Owner Mark Romano said this fried chicken sandwich is everything you can imagine: moist, plump, crispy … and available after a long day of golf. Yup, this hidden gem is actually on the Robert T. Lynch Municipal Golf Course in Brookline, and its sammie has locals in a chokehold (but you don’t need a tee time to go!). You can get it either original or Nashville Hot, but either way, this thing is LOADED. Oh, and did we mention it was Boston mag’s 2024 pick for THE best fried chicken?

🐤 Hemlock Grill loooooooves Nan’s Kitchen. OK, so Hemlock chef Alex Sáenz knows this farm-to-table spot in Stow is a bit of a drive, but whenever someone posted on social media about who had the best fried chicken, he saw they kept tagging Hemlock AND Nan’s — so he obv had to try it. And as a certified fried-chicken slinger, he said this sammie is worth the hype. Their OG, topped with a smoky mayonnaise and a crunchy slaw, has got “all the things you want in a good fried chicken sandwich.” 

⚽🤒 Missing the match? Painful. Sharing your cold with an entire sports bar? Even worse. If you've got a fever, cough, or you're just feeling under the weather, cheer from the couch instead. Your friends (and the strangers packed shoulder-to-shoulder next to you) will thank you. Public health is a team sport, and staying home when you're sick is one of the easiest ways to help everyone enjoy the summer. Learn more about staying healthy during Boston's busiest season.

🩺 This is the biggest nurses strike Mass. has EVER seen. The TL;DR: ~4,000 Brigham nurses walked out on Wednesday as the nurses’ union has been butting heads with Mass. General Brigham over cost-of-living pay increases and healthcare insurance contributions. In response, MGB claims their demands are not “financially sustainable.” Don’t worry, with 1,300 temporary nurses in place, Brigham is still fully open, and patients should continue going to their appointments. But add some extra travel time since there’ll probably be more traffic.

🤑 New bougie date night dupes just dropped. Shoutout Globe food writer Devra First, who looked at the swankiest restaurants in Boston and gave us her dupes that aren’t too rich for your blood. Can’t shell out ~$400 for O Ya’s omakase? Go to Akame Nigiri and Sake instead for $180. In a steak mood? Head to The Stockyard in Brighton for a cut that won’t slice your wallet in half. Italian? French? Snag a res at two neighborhood digs: Via Cannuccia or Ma Maison. Bon appetit!

😭 Another bar bites the dust. Sad news: Dear Annie, an adorbs Cambridge natural wine bar, will close its doors on July 31. The owner said the combo of operational challenges + motherhood + a more corporate food scene led her to toss in the towel. Instead, she’ll use the space to host private events starting September. On the flip side, Vinal Bakery is staying open late Thursdays and Fridays for soft-serve lovers. Yes, the kitchen will still close at 4 p.m., but cones, floats, frappes, and even ~draftogatos~ are up for grabs till 8 p.m. 

🫖 There’s a new spot in town to spill some (afternoon) tea. South End Buttery’s new tea room is now open for business. Pastry tower? Check. Mini cucumber sandwiches? Check. Floral teacups and fine china? Check, check. She’s got a gorg tea selection, like a milk oolong with hints of macadamia and honeydew (yum!), and the interior is giving *rich grandma’s parlor*. At $68 per person, the afternoon tea experience is not exactly a steal, but she’s a wee bit cheaper than some other high tea prix fixes in the city, like the Courtyard Tea Room at the BPL.

🪩🥂 Boston Magazine’s Best of Boston Soiree is right around the corner, returning to Roadrunner in Brighton on July 22 for a lively night of complimentary food and other goodies from the 2026 Best of Boston list. Expect live music, fun cocktails, take-homes, and something exciting around every corner. Grab your ticket here!

The King of New England had a message for the Busyheads. In case you’re living under a rock, Noah Kahan is performing for four nights at Fenway this week. At Tuesday night’s concert, Kahan picked up a payphone that was part of his set, making us believe that singer-rapper Drake was on the line. 

“Hello, Drake?” he said. “I thought you got canceled or Kendrick beat you or something, right? Why are you calling me? Well, I appreciate you coming to the show, I guess.”

But then Drake Maye magically appeared on the big screen and said, “Wrong Drake, brother.” And everyone lost their minds. 

Maye gave a little message for Kahan: “I just wanted to welcome you to Boston, say what’s up. I know Fenway is rocking right now. I’m here in the crowd. You’re the man. Go Pats.”

One user commented a *slight* change to Noah’s “The Great Divide” lyrics: “I hope you settle down, I hope you marry Drake Maye.” We’ll be at the wedding!

— Written by Kelly Chan and Emily Schario

🌧️ Thanks for reading! Yeah, this was definitely worth the downpour.

💜 Special shoutout to today's sponsor, Boston Public Health Commission, for supporting local journalism reminding us that the best assist this summer might be staying home when you're sick.

🚢 The results are in: There was actually a TIE for the best boat names: B-yacht-ch and Feeling Nauti. One B-Sider suggested a Sail Boston-esque tongue twister: “Sea sails seasails by the seashore.” No one will try to say that, we fear.

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