Editors’ Choice
Teresa’s Prime
Photograph by Joseph Ferraro
On the menu, it is simply called “Bacon”—three triple-thick slabs of cured pork goodness, slow cooked for four hours and then seared with a Maker’s Mark bourbon glaze. Crispy on the outside, creamy and buttery on the inside, almost like a smoky salty bacon crème brûlée, it is one of the most popular appetizers at Teresa’s Prime.
20 Elm St. (Rte. 62), North Reading, 978-276-0044 (ext. 2), teresaseatery.com
Readers’ Choice
Scratch Kitchen
Thick-but-not-too-thick slabs of house-cured and smoked bacon are a luscious accompaniment at brunch, and the star of the house-made bacon-onion jam that tops the indulgent Scratch burger.
245 Derby St., Salem, 978-741-2442, scratchkitchensalem.com
Insider Tip
Back Alley Bacon
Okay, so Back Alley doesn’t usually serve bacon, but when they do, it is house-cured and a home run. What they do serve, nearly every Wednesday evening (save for October, when the crowds scare off even these masked chefs), is delicious pork-based take out, from BLTs to massive racks of ribs. Follow them on Facebook and Twitter for the menu and secret password, and then line up on Liberty Street for the goods.
Salem, backalleybacon.com