This year’s Boston Calling, headlined by Foo Fighters(Friday, May 26), The Lumineers (Saturday, May 27), and Paramore (Sunday, May 28), announces its highly anticipated food and drink lineup. With a variety of standout dishes ranging from award-winning barbecue to handcrafted dumplings to mouth-watering fried chicken, this year’s festival rolls out an impressive collection of new culinary gems, talented chefs, and returning fan favorites – all local to the Greater Boston region. Boston Calling’s menu represents the best of dining diversity, with hundreds of different dishes ready to satisfy all kinds of cravings. As always, the festival features a vast assortment of drink options,including craft beers and select wines. Boston Calling takes place Memorial Day Weekend, May 26-28, 2023, at the Harvard Athletic Complex in Allston (65 North Harvard Street, Boston). Tickets are available at www.bostoncalling.com.
General Admission Dining Offerings
Within General Admission, Boston Calling welcomes several exciting newcomers to the festival including James Beard Award winning chef/owner Joanne Chang’s beloved Flour Bakery + Cafe; Cambridge’s fried chicken hot spot, Lily P’s Fried Chicken; Chinese dumpling innovator, Dumpling Daughter; South Boston’s new American comfort eatery,The Broadway; scratch made tacos & tortas from Naco Taco; wood-fired Neapolitan-style pizzas from PieSons Pizza, as well as Blackbird Doughnuts, El Jefe’s Taqueria, Fresh Boston and Che! Empanada.
Returning to Boston Calling’s lineup of deliciousness are acclaimed Jewish delicatessen,Mamaleh’s, serving its new Hot Dog wrapped in hand rolled bagel dough with “Everything” seasoning and Loaded Latkes Fries with pastrami, Swiss cheese, and Russian dressing; The Smoke Shop BBQ with its Instagram-worthy Ultimate BBQ Cone filled with burnt ends, pimento mac and cheese, pit beans, coleslaw, and pickled jalapenos; modern Greek standout,Greco, serving authentic pork and chicken gyros; and The Farmacy Café, the wholesome concept from Boston’s popular High Street Place food hall serving rice and salad bowls, as well as its signature “Naughty” Waffles. Among other returnees are Chicken & Rice Guys,Jaju Pierogi, Rice Burg, Roxy’s Gourmet Grilled Cheese, Tasty Burger, The Sausage Guy, and Trolley Dogs, alongside vegetarian and vegan options from The Chubby Chickpea and FoMu ice cream. Boston Calling’s new and returning food vendors will all be conveniently located throughout the festival’s General Admission landscape, which newly includes the DoorDash Food Village, exclusively featuring DoorDash partner restaurants from this year’s lineup.
Platinum Culinary Offerings
Every year, Boston Calling Platinum ticketholders have been treated to specialty menus created and prepared by some of the city’s most talented and acclaimed gourmet talent, and this year is no exception, with each day featuring epicurean stars from across the city. Friday features “Top Chef” alum Carl Dooley of Mooncusser, a Boston Magazine “Top 50” restaurant and a haven for locally sourced seafood; and legendary North End restaurateur,Phil Frattaroli, owner of Ducali, Cunard Tavern, Caffé Ducali, and The Pine Bar. On Saturday, Boston Calling welcomes back acclaimed chef, Colin Lynch, of Boston’s Bar Mezzana, Shore Leave, Black Lamb and No Relation. Lynch has received rave reviews for his exceptional crudo offerings and handmade pastas at Bar Mezzana – as well as his sushi menu at his tropical neighborhood bar, Shore Leave. Sunday features James Beard Award winner and powerhouse chef/owner, Karen Akunowicz, of Bar Volpe, Fox & The Knife Enoteca and Fox Pasta Co.. Akunowicz will be joined by Bar Volpe Chef de Cuisine, Molly Dwyer, and the two will showcase a menu from Chef Karen’s vibrant Italian restaurants. The culinary star power continues into Sunday with Will Gilson, chef/partner of Puritan & Co., The Lexington, Café Beatrice, Geppetto, The Herb Lyceum, and his newly openedPuritan Oyster Bar. Each day throughout the festival Platinum guests will be treated to savory delights throughout the weekend with chefs rotating from day to night, providing guests the option to satisfy their cravings with a variety of delicious delights at any point in time during the festival.
Beverage Offerings
Along with Boston Calling’s curated assortment of dining choices for its 12th edition, it has an equally standout selection of beers and wines in General Admission, VIP and Platinum. Hometown brewing favorite Samuel Adams returns with its signature Summer Ale andWicked Hazy New England Style IPA. Iconic beers Miller Lite, Miller High Life and Peroni, return to the Boston Calling beverage lineup as well as a variety of flavors from the ever-popular Truly Seltzers. New addition Josh Cellars will offer several wine options, including its Rosé Prosecco and Cabernet Sauvignon.
An expanded wine and beverage list will be available in VIP and Platinum, where guests will have access to exclusive bars featuring an assortment of craft cocktails and a lineup of spirits including Jack Daniel’s and Thomas Tew Rum.
There will be several non-alcoholic options to choose from including soft drinks, Red Bull, and bottled water available for purchase throughout the entire festival. Numerous free water stations will be ever present onsite at Boston Calling for attendees who bring a factory-sealed water bottle or empty beverage container.
The full food and drink lineup is below. All vendors are subject to change. A folder containing images of dishes for this year as well as Platinum chef headshots can be accessedhere.
BOSTON CALLING 2023
GENERAL ADMISSION FOOD VENDOR LINEUP
Blackbird Doughnuts (new)
Che! Empanada (new)
Chicken & Rice Guys
Dean’s Concessions
Dumpling Daughter (new)
El Jefe’s Taqueria (new)
Flour Bakery + Cafe (new)
FoMu
Fresh Boston (new)
Greco
Jaju Pierogi
Lily P’s Fried Chicken (new)
Love Art Sushi
Mamaleh’s Delicatessen
Moyzilla
Naco Taco (new)
PieSons Pizza (new)
Rice Burg
Roxy’s Grilled Cheese
Tasty Burger
The Broadway (new)
The Chubby Chickpea
The Farmacy Cafe
The Flatbread Company
The Sausage Guy
The Smoke Shop BBQ
Top Shelf Cookies
Trolley Dogs
Walloon’s
BOSTON CALLING 2023
PLATINUM CHEF LINEUP
Friday, May 26
Restaurateur Phil Frattaroli
Ducali, Cunard Tavern, Caffé Ducali, and The Pine Bar
Chef Carl Dooley
Mooncusser
Saturday, May 27
Chef Colin Lynch
Bar Mezzana, Shore Leave, Black Lamb, No Relation
Sunday, May 28
Chef Karen Akunowicz & Chef de Cuisine Molly Dwyer
Bar Volpe, Fox & The Knife Enoteca, and Fox Pasta Co.
Chef Will Gilson
Puritan & Co., The Lexington, Café Beatrice, Geppetto,
The Herb Lyceum, and Puritan Oyster Bar
BOSTON CALLING 2023
BEER & WINE MENU
BEER:
Miller Lite
Miller High Life
Peroni
Sam Adams Summer Ale
Sam Adams Wicked Hazy New England IPA
Truly Wild Berry
Twisted Tea
WINE:
Josh Cellars
Rose
Prosecco
Cabernet Sauvignon
Reserve North Coast Cabernet
Featured Liquor Sponsors:
Jack Daniel’s
Thomas Tew Rum
Slane Irish Whiskey
2023 BOSTON CALLING LINEUP
The day-by-day music lineup for Boston Calling 2023 is as follows.
Performance times can be found at www.bostoncalling.com.
*Artists are subject to change.
Friday, May 26, 2023
Foo Fighters
Yeah Yeah Yeahs
The National
Niall Horan
Chelsea Cutler
Teddy Swims
LÉON
TALK
Celisse
The Beaches
Zolita
GA-20
Alisa Amador
Little Fuss
Blue Light Bandits
Summer Cult
Brandie Blaze
Saturday, May 27, 2023
The Lumineers
Alanis Morissette
Noah Kahan
The Flaming Lips
Mt. Joy
Fletcher
Declan McKenna
Joy Oladokun
The Aces
Loveless
Welshly Arms
Neemz
The Q-Tip Bandits
Najee Janey
Actor Observer
Coral Moons
Chrysalis
Sunday, May 28, 2023
Paramore
Queens of the Stone Age
Bleachers
King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard
Maren Morris
070 Shake
The Walkmen
The Linda Lindas
Wunderhorse
Genesis Owusu
Brutus
Juice
Mint Green
Couch
Ali McGuirk
Sorry Mom
Workman Song
