Nachos on the North Shore
February 1, 2022
What is the one warm, crunchy, and crispy snack that you can bite into? The answer is nachos. These are a common feature at many Mexican restaurants and other American-style restaurants. The one problem is that good nachos can be very difficult to find. I decided to try out a variety of different nachos from restaurants on the North Shore.
When I spoke to Ipswich High School senior Bella Scrietto, she said that she eats out about “10 or 15 times [a month],” but rarely orders nachos because “Most of the restaurants I go to don’t have nachos or if they do then they aren’t that good. If I’m going to eat nachos then I want them to be good.” It seems like the main problem with the lack of ordering nachos is that people don’t know where to get the best ones, which is why I reviewed the nachos at four local restaurants.
The first restaurant I went to was The Farm in Essex, my family has been going to The Farm for years because of their nachos. The nachos have the perfect consistency between chip and cheese, the cheese is always perfectly melted. You can also add guacamole and sour cream but those both come at a cost, $2.95 for guacamole and $1.95 for sour cream but with a starting price of $12.95, it doesn’t get too expensive. I also visited Bradford Tavern in Rowley which was recently bought by a different restaurant and reopened with a new menu. The nachos came with BBQ chicken but it was a little undercooked and didn’t have much flavor to it. It also felt like the cheese was evenly dispersed which made it feel like you were mostly eating chips. Bradford Tavern also did recently reopen so it could be because they are still getting used to things but for a starting price of $14.95 and an extra $2.95 for guacamole, it didn’t seem like it was worth the money at all.
Next, I went to Tony C’s at the Northshore Mall in Peabody. I have been to this restaurant before but in a different location. The nachos had a great consistent spread of cheese, pico de gallo, guacamole, sour cream, and jalapenos. The cost of these nachos is $15 but that cost includes guacamole and sour cream. It’s one of the better choices for nachos on the north shore but the 25-minute drive from the school can make it a bit of a turn-off. Finally, I went to Metzy’s Cantina in Newburyport, their nachos are similar to Tony C’s with the consistent spread of cheese, black beans, pico de gallo, and sour cream. The portion sizes are also larger than any of the other restaurants which makes the $11 price tag and the extra $2 for guacamole worth it.
It is difficult to rate the best nachos since many people have different preferences and taste buds but in my opinion, I feel that The Farm has the best price for the quality and the short drive from the school makes it worth it. I spoke to Mary Canzano, a nachos lover, on what she believed was the best option for nachos. She said, “In the Ipswich area, my favorite place to get nachos is The Farm in Essex because they’re always good and you never have to worry about if they’re having an off day.” She makes a good point that no matter what, you’re always going to get great food and great service at The Farm which can be a big draw for many.
