The New England Restaurant That Serves Overflowing Clam Chowder In A Mug

Clam chowder is one of many types of comforting soups that can really hit the spot on a cold day (or, heck, even a warm day). If you're a fan, there's a New England restaurant you shouldn't miss: The Boston Sail Loft Cafe & Bar in Boston, Massachusetts. If there's anything better than gazing out over Boston Harbor, it's doing so with a steaming, overflowing mug of clam chowder before you — topped with Westminster soup crackers — and a soup spoon at the ready!

Boston Sail Loft has been serving up its famous chowder and other seafood delights for more than four decades. Both the restaurant and its clam chowder are award-winning and have been featured on national programs like "Good Morning America" and "The Drew Barrymore Show." The soup, featuring thick, creamy broth, lots of fresh clams, potatoes, and abundant dill, has been hailed as the best clam chowder in Boston. It comes served in a large mug bearing the brand's logo, and the vessel is served to overflowing, with a saucer catching the excess.

New England clam chowder is a classic seafood dish you have to try at least once. If popular opinion is any indication, one of the best places in the United States to enjoy it is at Boston Sail Loft. Online reviewers sing the chowder's praises, with many calling it the best they ever had and one TripAdvisor user writing that it was "to die for."

Boston Sail Loft doesn't take reservations — the restaurant is first come, first seated, first-served. Because the eatery and its clam chowder have achieved such fame and acclaim, it's reportedly always busy (even on weeknights) at this harbor-front spot. Fans advise arriving early, promising it's worth the wait to get a table and try that celebrated chowder. Of course, if you really can't wait, you can buy a tub of it at the bar and enjoy it at your leisure.

A trip to one of America's oldest cities certainly yields diversion and deliciousness — there's a lot to see and eat in Boston. There's Fenway Park and its iconic stadium dogs, and the city's oldest operating restaurant, Union Oyster House, was a favorite of John F. Kennedy. And, of course, you now know that the distinguished Boston Sail Loft needs an entry on your checklist of must-sees in the city.

If Boston is just a bit too far out of your way, though, don't despair — The Boston Sail Loft ships its famous clam chowder all over the United States. You can order the restaurant's soup in 2-quart and 4-quart containers via Goldbelly. It comes frozen, and oyster crackers are even included with the shipment. The Boston Sail Loft logoed mug isn't, but you can purchase it as an add-on to your soup order, completing the in-restaurant experience in your own home if you really want to feel like you're harborside in the restaurant. Let the chowder flow over the rim to your heart's content!

Preparing the soup in your kitchen is as easy as can be. Instructions are included with the order, but all it takes is thawing the chowder overnight in your refrigerator and then heating it to a food-safe temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit, stirring constantly as the chowder warms. Reviewers on the ordering page affirm that the packaged product is just as good as the soup offered in the restaurant, and the taste is identical. So, whether in-restaurant or in your home kitchen, you can get an authentic taste of Boston and that legendary New England clam chowder.