21North
I want to take you a new restaurant that’s a true suburban standout: 21 North in Medfield, Massachusetts. Drawing in crowds for dinner and drinks since they opened in 2024, 21 North has just the perfect combination of cool and comfortable. It’s actually located inside of an old post office, and thanks to owners Garrett and Nikki Larkin, the atmosphere and the food definitely deliver. “21 North is an upscale casual American fare restaurant. We're located in the center of Medfield, Massachusetts. When you walk in, it's very warm. It's welcoming. The ambience is cool. We have a really cool vibe. But the centerpiece of our restaurant, the star of the show, is our 30 seat rectangular bar. Around the bar we have a variety of two tops and four tops and some comfortable booths for larger parties. And you come in as a stranger, and you leave as a friend.“
The menu here ranges from casual burgers and pizza to more upscale seafood and steaks. To start things out, we definitely recommend the signature maple bacon Brussels sprouts with goat cheese. “We do it a little differently. Here we roast them, they're slightly charred, and then we drizzle them with maple syrup, and we throw in a whole bunch of applewood smoked bacon. And who doesn't like bacon?... So the combination of the sweetness and the smokiness and the slight char really is a bang for your mouth, a bang for your taste buds. And our guests love them.”
When it comes to pizza, 21 North puts a bit of an upscale twist on the traditional South Shore style bar pie. So there are 10 inch pizzas featuring a blend of cheeses and a crispy, puffy crust. And the toppings range from crumbled Italian sausage to fresh-shucked lobster. “Our lobster pizza, we use knuckles, claws and tails. We saute that in a white wine shallot butter sauce, and that becomes the sauce as the base of the pizza. Then we use a house cheese blend. We toast that and cook that to perfection, and then we top it with ripped basil. It is summer on a pizza.”
You want a good burger? The 21 North Burger has top grade ground beef, applewood smoked bacon, and cheddar cheese on a fresh-baked, grilled brioche bun. Or you could go for the Carne Asada Tacos. They come three to an order, packed with grilled steak, guacamole, fresh salsa, and Sriracha Aioli. And for some reason, it’s served with a side of fries… which is kind of weird, but I’m all for it.
When it comes time for the main course, the number one dish Nikki recommends is the Grilled Double Cut Lamb Chops that are stacked and seasoned with Greek flavors. “Our double cut lamb lollipops are tender and tremendously juicy. We French them so you can eat them with your hand and pick them up and kind of eat them like a lollipop… We house season them, and we serve them with creamy, red skinned mashed potatoes and a dollop of tzatziki sauce with a side Greek salad. I love it. It's my favorite dish.”
For all my fellow steak tip lovers, you’ll be happy to find these char-grilled beauties. The house marinade makes these very tender, a little smoky, and a little sweet. On the comfort food side of things, you can get the Chicken and Waffles, covered in country gravy with a side of maple syrup.
And here’s an Italian style seafood dish: Lightly breaded and pan-fied Cod Milanese with capers, arugula, Jasmine rice, and brown butter. “The inside is light and flaky, and the outside has just the right amount of crispness to make it a great combination and contrast. Dip your fork full or run your fork through the brown butter sauce and grab a little bit of that jasmine rice. It really is succulent.”
There are a few tempting options for dessert, but the one you really need to try is the Cinnamon Cereal Cake, which I think is the finest breakfast cereal inspired dessert since the invention of the Rice Krispies Treat. “Our cinnamon cereal cake is a very light and delicious dessert…It's a dairy soaked sponge cake layered between cinnamon whipped cream, and we also serve that with a caramel drizzle, and we top it with a cinnamon cereal topping. If you like cinnamon, this is your go to dessert.”
Throw in a great bar scene, live music a couple times a week, lots of smiling faces, and very reasonable prices considering the quality, and 21 North definitely deserves a visit. “If you're looking to watch a game, come out for girls night out. Have a romantic dinner, or bring your family, 21 North is a great place to come to dinner."
