Local food, lovely lodging in Salem, MA

On a recent trip to Salem, MA to visit family, I was fortunate to stumble upon Scratch Kitchen in my quest to escape (what I assumed would be) crappy, uninspired food in the touristy downtown area. Scratch Kitchen

…is a quality driven restaurant with a focus on regional and local farm fresh ingredients. We feature house smoked meats & homemade bacon, breads, condiments and pickles.

We believe in helping our regional and local producers in showcasing their efforts to the best of our abilities in creating dishes that let their hard work stand forward. We also offer a fine selection of craft beers and wine.

The weather was perfect for sitting at one of the small outdoor tables, but the never-ending procession of roaring, souped-up motorcycles on the adjacent road (is this a thing in Salem??) drove us indoors.

Scratch Kitchen dining room

We enjoyed our brunch dishes: a little basket of cornbread that was so good we ate it all before I could take a picture; squash and red pepper quiche; and a big, bacony breakfast sandwich with potatoes. One warning: Scratch Kitchen doesn’t have a full liquor license, so they make their Bloody Marys with sake. Mr. HP, an optimistic sake disliker, nervously tried one sip of his and immediately exchanged it for a mimosa.

Scratch Kitchen brunch

Scratch Kitchen proudly displays the long list of local farmers and vendors they source their ingredients and products from–including eggs, meat, dairy, produce, beer, and wine–and seasonal produce they are featuring. They also make their own bread in-house and it is delicious.

Scratch Kitchen local food list

While in Salem we stayed, via Airbnb, at the House of Four Gables. The guest lodging is a basement apartment with a comfortable bed, a full kitchen and bathroom, and a backyard to die for.

House of Four Gables

Dale was a gracious host, answering all our questions on Salem activities and beaches. The price and value of this rental absolutely cannot be beat. From their Facebook page:

Enjoy amazing views from this charming lower level 2 room apartment in an 1885 Victorian Home. Located in Salem Willows, a mile from downtown Salem, it offers a fully equipped kitchen with granite countertops, stove, refrigerator and microwave, a recently renovated bath and large bedroom with queen sized bed. TV, internet and cable are also included.

If you are looking for lodging in Salem, I highly recommend contacting Dale on Airbnb.

Cheers!

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