What's the best Fall River food? We put classic dishes in a tournament bracket. Vote now
Fall River has a food culture all its own. The city’s signature cuisine reflects our economic and cultural history, a stew of blue-collar dishes with multicultural flavors.
As a city full of factory workers, food had to be made fast and eaten faster, be filling, not fancy, and preferably able to be eaten one-handed. Add in a dash of French Canadian heritage, plus a few heaping tablespoons of Azorean culture from poor immigrants in a land of plenty, a sprinkle of people from the Middle East and Eastern Europe, and that's the flavor of Fall River.
We want you to help decide Fall River’s favorite food. We’ve come up with a list of 16 tasty treats and are pairing them off in a tournament-style bracket — we need you to vote in the coming weeks for your favorites to determine the ultimate winner.
Voting will open each Wednesday for three weeks and close on Sundays.
Here are your contenders, with more info on each to tempt your taste buds. Keep scrolling to vote!
Chow mein sandwich vs. chouriço and chips
Chow mein sandwich
A delicacy rarely found anywhere outside Fall River, the chow mein sandwich is not a “sandwich” you can pick up and eat with a hand, not unless you want a mess on your lap — it’s really a noodle dish with a hamburger bun perched on top like a little carb hat.
Global phenomenon: Mee Sum brings Fall River flavor to China Global TV with episode on chow mein sandwiches
Chouriço and chips
The classic English fish and chips gets a Portuguese twist with spicy sausage sliced in rounds instead of seafood. The best way to eat chouriço and chips, of course, is to pack the fries and chouriço into a hearty roll.
National Sandwich Day: Why Fall River's iconic sandwiches are the best
Caçoila vs. Hartley's Pork Pies
Caçoila
A feast favorite, this Portuguese variation of slow-cooked pulled pork or beef is usually served in sandwich form, though some local chefs have adapted it to fill everything from omelets to Chinese wontons.
National Pulled Pork Day: Celebrate the Portuguese way at these hotspots for caçoila
Hartley’s Pork Pies
These savory round delights are known the world over, crafted from a secret recipe on antique English equipment.
French meat pies vs. Lebanese meat pies
French meat pies
Our Quebecois ancestors brought the French meat pie to Fall River, a delicious treat made with flaky dough and savory meat filling flavored with onion, potato and herbs.
Lebanese meat pies
Still other immigrants from the Middle East brought over the Lebanese meat pie, a triangular envelope of fluffy, breadlike dough packed with minced meat that bursts with flavor.
A taste of adventure: Take a self-guided meat pie tour of Fall River
Coney Island hot dog vs. hot cheese sandwich
Coney Island hot dog
Coney Island hot dogs aren't unique to Fall River — you'll also find them at Coney Island, strangely enough — but they've been a local lunch staple for a century. Coney dogs are topped with a rich, savory tomato-based gravy made with ground beef and chili spices, and often drizzled with plenty of toppings.
National Hot Dog Day: Top Fall River-area restaurants to get your frankfurter fix
Hot cheese sandwich
No, it’s not a grilled cheese — the classic hot cheese sandwich, once a staple but still found at a few diners in the city, is made with crumbly warm cheese served in a hamburger bun with chopped onions, relish and a touch of yellow mustard.
Pasteis de nata vs. Portuguese sweet bread
Pasteis de nata
Layers of flaky, crispy, buttery pastry hold a sweet, creamy custard filling. They came to us from Portugal, where an original recipe at a Belém pastry factory is kept secret, known to only a few people.
Nata throwdown: Who makes the best pastel de nata? Fall River or New Bedford?
Portuguese sweet bread
Most often associated with Easter but still available year-round, Portuguese massa is a marvelously golden, sweet, fluffy treat — with or without a boiled egg baked inside.
Bolos levedos vs. malassadas
Bolos levedos
Sometimes called a Portuguese pancake or Portuguese muffin, bolos levedos are like a sweeter cousin to English muffins or crumpets, making them perfect for breakfast — or as the bun to make any sandwich more decadent.
Malassadas
These golden brown plates of luscious fried dough, coated in sugar, are most often found at Portuguese festas, though any time can be festa time if you’re creative enough.
'One more festa': Fall River's Holy Ghost feast marks the glory of all things Portuguese
Venus de Milo soup vs. kale soup
Venus de Milo soup
More than just a variety of Italian minestrone, the Venus de Milo soup stands on its own. It's a hearty stew loaded with ground beef, orzo and vegetables, known for warming people's stomachs and reminding them of landmark celebrations with family gathered around the banquet tables.
'Next level': Venus de Milo to reopen after 'multimillion-dollar improvements'
Kale soup
Caldo verde is a signature dish of Portugal, a warm, robust soup made with shredded greens, potatoes, onions, garlic, and chouriço or linguiça.
Bowled over: Warm your soul this winter at these Fall River area soup spots
Portuguese steak vs. Patti's Pierogis
Portuguese steak
Azorean immigrants who couldn't afford beef back in the Old Country made a steak dish one of their favorites in America — but still thrifty, cut thin, sometimes pounded flat, marinated in garlic and wine, and served topped with a fried egg and red pepper strips.
'Bigger than Bill Murray': Sale of Fall River Polish restaurant causes 'pierogi panic'
Patti’s Pierogis
Fall River’s Polish immigrants brought the pierogi to the city, the delicious dumpling stuffed with potato and cheese. Patti’s on South Main Street has taken that simple dish far further, filling them with everything you could imagine from across the globe, including Italian sausage, teriyaki chicken, chouriço, bacon — even cookie dough.
This article originally appeared on The Herald News: Fall River's best food: Vote now in Round 1 of this tournament bracket
