DID YOU KNOW?
Did You Know? Dorchester is Boston’s largest neighborhood, consisting of many smaller neighborhoods such as Savin Hill, Jones Hill, Polish Triangle, Fields Corner, Adams Village, Ashmont, Lower Mills, and Neponset.
Did You Know? Dorchester is the birthplace of the first public elementary school in America, the Mather School, established in 1639.
Did You Know? The oldest surviving house in Boston is the James Blake house, located in Dorchester.
Did You Know? Lower Mills, Dorchester, is the site of the first ever chocolate mill and factory in America. The Walter Baker Chocolate Factory, part of Walter Baker & Company, operated until 1965.
FOOD & DRINK
Seeing as this is the largest neighborhood in Boston, nearly the same size as the entirety of Cambridge, there is clearly no shortage of places to grab a bite or go out for a drink. Because Dorchester happens to be the neighborhood Sam is lucky enough to call home, this week’s Food & Drink highlights is a special list of Sam’s personal favorites.
To start your morning, make sure you grab your coffee and breakfast sandwich (or if you have time, a full sit down breakfast) at McKenna’s Cafe, the best way to start your day in Dorchester. If you are looking for a date night place to grab a delicious meal, you should check out 224 Boston or dbar (the mac n cheese with spicy sausage is a personal dbar favorite of Sam’s). If you are a lover of Indian food, Shanti is a must. Or maybe you prefer taco’s, in which case Yellow Door Taqueria (pictured above) is your spot, which has potentially the best tacos and margaritas Boston has to offer. If you have any room left after eating at Yellow Door, stop directly next door for some incredible ice cream at The Ice Creamsmith. If you’re looking for a delicious American dish and a perfect cocktail while watching whatever game is on, Lucy’s American Tavern is your go-to spot.
Looking for a place to go out for a drink with some friends? Dorchester Brewing is a great spot for locally brewed beers and a fun, social atmosphere, with plenty of board games to play. If it’s warm out and you want some fresh air, The Bowery in Lower Mills has one of the best patio spaces in all of Boston with plenty of space. And if trivia is your thing, you’ll have to go to The Banshee, which has one of the best trivia nights in Boston (every Wednesday night).
FRESH AIR
Excited for winter to be over so you can explore the outdoors? Dorchester has plenty of places to enjoy your time in the sun!
If you’re looking for a quick dip in the water, head on over to Malibu Beach in Savin Hill. If you are looking for some green space to relax in, or hang out with some friends, you’ll enjoy Pope Park (pictured above), a 66-acre state park, bordering the Neponset River. Move a little further south and you’ll get to the Neponset River Reservation, filled with park space and trails. If you’re looking for more city activities and a dog park, head on over to Ronan Park in Meeting House Hill.
Have a bike and looking for some trails? Dorchester has no shortage! Hop on the UMass HarborWalk, and ride along the ocean, around UMass all the way out to Castle Island in South Boston. Heading in the other direction, you can start in Joseph Finnegan Park, ride through Pope Park, through the Neponset River Reservation and head out to Milton. Regardless of what you are looking for, Dorchester will have an option for you.
REAL ESTATE
Similar to our last neighborhood spotlight, East Boston, Dorchester has been a quickly growing community with big real estate appreciation numbers. In 2018, Dorchester saw a total of 538 condo & single-family home sales, with an average home sale price of $525,683. The average home price has increased by 67.5% in just 5 years!
If you have a home in the Dorchester area and are curious to see how much your home has gone up in value, give us a shout and we'll give a free consultation on what we think it's worth in today's market.
Want to know what all this fuss is about? We’ve created a collection of some of our favorite homes recently sold around Dorchester. Click HERE to view the entire collection of homes.