Posted on

#FamilyEats – It’s a Picnic at Meola’s

More than ice cream at Meola’s Wayside Ice Cream.

There is nothing Norman Rockwell about a family picnic. Between organizing the little ones, packing the car with every household essential and creating a picnic menu that can keep up with every ‘DIY’ Pinterest post, picnics are chaotic and at times, unworthy. But, at Meola’s Wayside Ice Cream, planning a picnic with family is as easy as getting in the car and driving to this gem of a destination.

Meola’s Wayside Ice Cream
Meola’s Wayside Ice Cream

From hot dogs to ice cream to live music, Meola’s Wayside Ice Cream is the epitome of a family-run business delivering family-friendly entertainment. Since the 1980s, Meola’s has kept the concept of family at the forefront of the business and the dedication reflects the quality of service, food, and decor.

Year after year, Meola’s remains an intergenerational fan favorite offering over 65 flavors of high-quality ice cream and frozen yogurts like the addictive German chocolate cake, the infused coffee Kahlua brownie, and the sweet cotton candy. In addition to creating an endless list of flavorful combinations, Meola’s offers a hot dog meal deal too good to pass up. For a price cheaper than a Venti Pike from Starbucks, families can enjoy two hot dogs, a bag of chips and a small drink. And no, this location is not just a place to bring your kids to fill them with all of the summer foodie treasures, but also a sweet spot to check-in and spend outdoor family time.

Ice cream from Meola’s Wayside Ice Cream.With a converted garage adjacent to the Meola’s Wayside Ice Cream side, families can sit down and enjoy the weather (rain or shine) at one of the eleven picnic tables. Adorned with summer colors of childhood memories, the seating area at Meola’s is one of a kind. With pianos (yes, more than one) in various corners, seashell decorations filling the center of the tables and airplanes and hot air balloons hanging from the ceiling, Meola’s sets the tone for a great #FamilyEats destination as they remake the concept of outdoor picnics.

Posted on

#SundayFunday – More Than Flatbreads at Rail Trail

Rail Trail Hudson

The Rail Trail Flatbread Co., the founder of the new Hudson, has been known for their neighborhood changing flatbreads and undisputable rustic charm. With flatbreads like the loaded baked potato – a bechamel based flatbread topped with slow cooked potatoes, caramelized onions, cheese blend, crema, scallions, crispy potato skins and prosciutto (an add-on option) – and banh mi – a garlic based flatbread topped with braised tofu, jalapeno, cheese blend, sriracha aioli, hoisin bbq, pickled daikon and carrot, diced cucumber, cilantro and braised pork belly or pulled pork (add-on option, of course), it is hard to visit the Rail Trail for anything other than their flatbreads.

While the ambiance and hipster-decor offer patrons a different atmosphere than most are used to in Hudson, the beauty of the Rail Trail is truly displayed in their eclectic dishes. When Mass Foodies is on the prowl for the next #SundayFunday destination, a place must offer a little more than just good flatbreads and thankfully, the Rail Trail exceeds our expectations with their well-rounded menu. Serving everything from their classic beer braised wings to their sriracha chicken poutine – fries smothered in sriracha aioli, fried chicken, blue cheese curds, and scallions – the Rail Trail has a certain appeal to them that can satisfy the masses and they don’t disappoint. Their summer sensation, the fire roasted mussels, is one of the reasons we’ve given the Rail Trail our official #SundayFunday seal of approval.

Listed on the ‘smalls + shares’ segment on the expansive menu, the fire roasted mussels make a trip to Hudson feel like a trip to the seaport in Boston. Roasted in white wine, butter, lemon, parsley pesto, cilantro and topped off with sourdough grilled bread, the mussels speak of summer days off the coast and pairing the mussels with a cocktail or beer is easy, as the Rail Trail offers over 20 beers on tap and a curated list of signature cocktails. Pressing their own juices and creating their own syrups, each drink takes on a new meaning to the term “hand-crafted,” and gives #SundayFunday lovers a new reason to make the Rail Trail a part of the Sunday tradition.