Boston Calling returns for its 11th year over Memorial Day Weekend at the Harvard Athletic Complex in Allston.
While the music is the top draw, the lineup of food and drinks — primarily from local vendors — is not to be missed.
In between performances by Dave Matthews Band, Fall Out Boy, Avril Lavigne, and Luke Combs, fans can chow down on just about every kind of food you can imagine, including fish tacos, porchetta sandwiches, sushi, and fancy doughnuts.
This year, the food lineup in the general admission area is a who’s who of New England chefs and restaurants.
New to the mix is Pennypacker’s, a family-run business serving Italian-inspired sandwiches, whose owner, Kevin McGuire, told us, “We will have our regular porchetta sandwich [a mound of meaty pork with relish], and also we’re going to do a Philly-style, like a steak and cheese, but with porchetta and peppers.”
He told us they’ll also have a chicken Caesar wrap, parmesan truffle fries, and mac ‘n’ cheese ready for hungry music lovers.
Also new to the lineup, but probably not to locals, is New England Provisions, serving lobster rolls and oysters; Sally’s Apizza, serving classic New Haven style pizza; Flip the Bird from Beverly, serving fried chicken sandwiches; Summer Shack, serving seafood classics; and on the lighter side, Amelia’s Acai with organic acai bowls.
Plenty of favorite vendors are returning this year, including Dumpling Daughter, serving fresh made dumplings; fried chicken from Lily P’s; Neapolitan pizza from PieSons Pizza; barbecue from The Smoke Shop; Greco, bringing Greek goodness in the form of gyros; as well as Naco Taco, Blackbird Doughnuts; Flour Bakery + Cafe, Chicken & Rice Guys, Jaju Pierogi, Roxy’s Grilled Cheese, Tasty Burger, and The Sausage Guy.
Love Art Sushi also returns with a menu of rainbow sushi nachos, rainbow rice balls, and seaweed salad.
This year, owner Ronald Liu told us, “We’re introducing a new item we’re excited about, matcha tiramisu.”
Liu also told us it’s one of the most fun things they do every year, and that Boston Calling feels like the kickoff of summer fun season.
“It’s something that everyone gets excited looking forward to, it’s like, OK, we’re out of the trenches of the cold and so it’s a weekend full of just music, fun, and sun.”
Both McGuire and Liu are excited for people to try their food, with McGuire noting, “It’s a good percentage of people that are local, so the idea is to find groups that haven’t been to my original truck, to try our food.”
Greco culinary director Brendan Palley, who also oversees Bar Vlaha, Krasi, and Hecate, told us, “Greco has been doing this for years, and it’s such a great way to connect with the community at large and watch people fall in love with authentic Greek street food.”
To wash it all down, festival-goers will find local brewer Samuel Adams returning to pour beers, along with Miller, Coors, and Heineken products.
Josh Cellars will have several wines from their vineyards available as well.
Non-alcoholic options like Red Bull and Liquid Death water will be available to keep the crowd hydrated.
Over in the platinum section, there will be elevated food selections (and air-conditioned bathrooms) from the city’s top culinary talent.
We asked Will Gilson, chef and partner of Cambridge’s Puritan & Co., Puritan Oyster Bar, The Lexington, Café Beatrice, Geppetto, and Amba, what would be on the menu, and he told us, “This is our fifth Boston Calling so we know what people want, and that is steak frites!
This year we are also doing fish tacos and an antipasto bar.”
Palley will be representing Bar Vlaha, and using an outdoor grill to cook some classics from their menu, like rainbow trout with caper parsley sauce, honey-brined pork chops with marinated onion salad, and a favorite vegan entrée, “The Melitzana Yianni, kind of like a layered eggplant potato herby oniony tomato Ragu casserole.”
Along with Gilson and Palley, a rotating array of chefs including James Beard award winner Ken Oringer, chef and co-owner of Uni, Toro, Coppa, and more; Joanne Chang, another James Beard award-winning chef and owner of Myers + Chang; and chefs from Mariel and Lolita, will all be creating concert-friendly gourmet food.
And, yes, the chefs are looking forward to hearing some great music while cooking for the crowd, including self-proclaimed dad-rock lover Gilson, who loves the Black Crowes, and Liu, who is ready for early aughts throwbacks like T-Pain and Fall Out Boy.
Tanya Edwards can be reached at [email protected].
image source from：https://www.bostonglobe.com/2025/04/16/lifestyle/food-lineup-boston-calling-2025/
