Country Kitchen – Concord, MA
In the center of Concord, MA (approx. 18,000 residents) is a small, yellow building that stands alone, adjacent to the town center’s commuter rail station. My family and I have enjoyed sandwiches, soups, and cookies from this establishment from the time I moved to Concord in 2000. The building itself is quite small, offering only enough space for several patrons at a time, crammed into tight quarters between the cashier and the drink cooler. Although the space is small, it adds to what is a pleasant and personal experience, rooted in the tradition of hospitality and customer service the Country Kitchen is known for. The owners take photos of customers and post them on the walls, which adds even more to the homey vibe and experience of this small-town sandwich shop. Everything on the menu is great, but a first timer might want to try a turkey sandwich, dressed how ever he or she may like it, as the turkey is roasted in house each day.
The Country Kitchen also stands out for reasons that set it apart from their local competitors. The first of which is its downtown location and close proximity to the Concord MBTA commuter rail station (see map below), which connects the suburbs, as far west as Fitchburg, to Boston, on this particular rail line. This makes it easily accessible to residents but also people from out of town who may stop to see Concord’s historical landmarks. The second thing that sets it apart, and works in conjunction with the first reason, is the fact that it opens each morning at 5am. In Concord, many people use the commuter rail to commute into Boston in order to avoid the inevitable street traffic during the week. By opening at such an early hour, residents who commute via the commuter rail have a convenient place to pickup a quality lunch for the day. In just minutes, one can park there car, buy lunch, and then be seated on a train inbound to Boston. This makes it a perfect destination for weekday commuters. In addition, it is located just 1.4 miles away from the town’s high school. Having been a student there, I can speak for many and say that we benefitted greatly from its close proximity during our open-campus lunch periods.
The prices are on the higher side, around $7 for a sandwich, but you do get what you pay for- the portions are more than sufficient. Its central location and early hours are factors of convenience that make it worth the extra dollar or so you might save by going elsewhere.
Map of walking directions from Country Kitchen to MBTA commuter rail station