Blue Boat curbside and market is North Shore’s newest al fresco spot featuring fresh, local seafood, steaks, pasta, seasonal salads, and daily specials created by Chef Jason Jones. The sister restaurant of Essex’s Blue Marlin and Boat House Grille in Rowley is conveniently situated along Rt.1, at 255 Newburyport Turnpike. It is a must try!
This one-of-a-kind curbside eatery is especially appealing right now as it features large tents with socially distant picnic tables for your outdoor dining pleasure. Simply call in your order for service at a picnic table, or park in a numbered parking spot for delicious meals brought right to your car.
Blue Boat offers curbside starters and entrees for dinner service Monday through Thursday 4:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m., Friday through Sunday 3:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m., and lunch service Saturday and Sunday from noon to 3:00 p.m. Their menu features a wide array of options like mussels fra diavolo, New England clam chowder, their signature Marlin house salad, charbroiled steak tips, and Essex Whole belly clams served with golden French fries, onions rings, and coleslaw. They also offer a variety of to go beer and wine.
One of our favorites is the grilled combo: grilled, marinated steak tips and chicken breast cooked to perfection with your choice of two sides. Another highlight is the dual-colored beet salad: fresh mixed greens, goat cheese, and toasted pistachios tossed in a super fresh and light citrus vinaigrette.
As someone who’s been in the restaurant industry for over a decade, I know great food when I eat it. When people think of to go food, images of soggy, overcooked meals come to mind that hardly satisfy. This is not the case at Blue Boat; the food did not disappoint. My salad was cold and crisp, the salmon atop was moist, and the steak tips entrée was juicy and cooked exquisitely. Though they were busy, service was prompt, friendly, and efficient. Being gluten-free myself, I was pleased at their array of GF options—from starters to salads to entrees, I had a great variety to choose from.
What’s better than getting fresh, local dishes from chefs who know how to blend the new and exciting with the tried and true? Blue Boat is a fusion of two great North Shore restaurants—and they even have a clam shack window coming soon! I look forward to seeing what these talented chefs will whip up as the seasons change.