By MICHAEL CONWAY

The 13-mile stretch of road from Revere to Danvers that encompasses Route 1 north of Boston has earned fame for its establishments fronted by garish signs and iconic, kitschy landmarks such as orange dinosaurs and fiberglass cows. Eye-catching to some, eyesores to others, still standing or not, they’ve proved memorable to both tourists and locals alike. Strip malls and megastores by corporate giants now coexist with small businesses and Square One Mall. Beloved restaurants have disappeared and motels touting color TV and telephones in every room have pretty much vanished. 

By STACEY MARCUS

Fall is a great time to take a ride along Route One to go apple picking or leaf peeping. Whether you are headed north or south, there are new dining options to enjoy as well.

By MEAGHAN CASEY

It’s hard to imagine that a small ice cream parlor once sat on the landmark Route 1 spot that houses the expansive Kowloon Restaurant. Looking at the transformation, it’s remarkable that one family had the foresight to open a business that would become one of the largest Asian dining complexes in the country.

By STACEY MARCUS

Daylight is dimming as the temperature drops and we surrender to the reality that summer has blown by. No need to despair. Fall is a splendid season of renaissance. Think of all the stylish wool clothing and ankle boots to don, fresh leaves to crunch and bold wines to uncork and pair with your favorite fall menus.

Is there anything better than staying in and eating a plateful of warm, hearty “comfort” food on a crisp fall night (other than finding out that everything on the plate is calorie-free)? How about not having to cook the meal yourself? Now, that’s our favorite kind of dinner!

Candida Rodriguez stirs strawberry glaze, as she prepares to frost donuts at Rantoul Distributors. The Peabody business makes all the doughnuts for Dunkin’ Donuts. | Photo: Mark Lorenz.

By STACEY MARCUS

For or Joe Tavares, it’s time to make the doughnuts.

Eighty-four-thousand doughnuts.

Hot dogs are a summer menu staple. Whether you dress your dog up with a simple stripe of yellow mustard and some relish, go formal with heaping piles of fancy gourmet toppings, or prefer to go naked, quite frankly – they’re delicious. If you have a hankering for a hot dog but don’t feel like firing up the grill, try one (or a few) of these tasty local takes on the summer classic.

WHAT: Bacon Cheese Dog American cheese melted by the heat of a caramelized hot dog and topped with crispy smoked bacon.
WHERE: Five Guys, 227 Andover St., Peabody
PRICE: $5.99

WHAT: Big Chili Cheese Dog Black Angus hot dog topped with chili and shredded cheddar cheese.
WHERE: Fuddruckers, 900 Broadway, Saugus
PRICE: $5.99

WHAT: All Beef Hot Dog X-large dog smothered with melted cheddar and served with fries.
WHERE: R.F. O’Sullivan & Son, 151 Central Ave., Lynn
PRICE: $6.99

Lynn’s coffee consumers are ditching the to-go cup in favor of the in-house experience

By MEAGHAN CASEY

f the walls of downtown Lynn’s newest coffee shops could talk, they would speak an entirely different language from the ones that keep the rest of America running.

Nick Varano’s knack for quality food, experience has led to success after success

By MEAGHAN CASEY

You can take the boy out of the North End, but you can never really take the North End out of the boy.

For restaurateur Nick Varano, opening Strega Ristorante on Hanover Street — two decades after roaming the street as a 12-year-old in search of the perfect loaf of bread — was in many ways a destined homecoming. The son of Italian immigrants, Varano lived in the North End most of his childhood before moving to East Boston at age 14. His mother, Rosetta, owned a beauty salon and cooked covetable Sunday suppers (which included her now famous meatballs). Varano got a neighborhood education not just at St. Anthony’s School, but at tried-and-true businesses like Mike’s Pastry.

Owner Joseph Cerra, left, and Manager Nick Martino work the counter of the current Lynnfield Meat & Deli.

Lynnfield Meat & Deli relocates and relaunches as Cerra’s Market

By STACEY MARCUS

For the past 25 years, customers have been popping by Lynnfield Meat & Deli on Route 1 in Lynnfield to pick up fresh meats and deli, grab a sandwich or place a catering order. Although the perishables frequently change, customers can always count on seeing Ron Cerra and his son Joe hard at work behind the counter or out in the store.