Guidebook for Ipswich
Food Scene
Owned by our Nepalese friend, it's the best coffee/espresso around. The bonus is it's friendly, artsy atmosphere with fair trade items from around the world.
19 locals recommend
Zumi’s Espresso
40 Market StOwned by our Nepalese friend, it's the best coffee/espresso around. The bonus is it's friendly, artsy atmosphere with fair trade items from around the world.
Gourmet, beautiful plates worthy of any foodie. The atmosphere is modern and upscale. People travel all over to go here, and it's only a few blocks away!
21 locals recommend
Ithaki Modern Mediterranean
1A Hammatt StGourmet, beautiful plates worthy of any foodie. The atmosphere is modern and upscale. People travel all over to go here, and it's only a few blocks away!
Our very own brewery downtown, for the hop lover's delight. The food is excellent, too!
12 locals recommend
Ipswich Ale Brewer's Table
2 Soffron LnOur very own brewery downtown, for the hop lover's delight. The food is excellent, too!
Peace, love and avocado toast. Very reasonable, great for breakfast and lunch. My kids love to go. They sometimes have live music!
12 locals recommend
Heart and Soul Cafe
0 Central StPeace, love and avocado toast. Very reasonable, great for breakfast and lunch. My kids love to go. They sometimes have live music!
Charming and historic. It's been around forever, due to it's reputation of fabulous-ness. Again, just down the street from our place!
11 locals recommend
1640 Hart House
51 Linebrook RdCharming and historic. It's been around forever, due to it's reputation of fabulous-ness. Again, just down the street from our place!
DownRiver Ice Cream
241 John Wise AveHOMEMADE. Huge menu! It's known far and wide to be the BEST!
This is an absolute treat. EVERYTHING there is good, which is why you'll see the parking lot so well-filled. The artwork at the entrance- a glass work scene- is stunning.
9 locals recommend
Boat House Grille Essex
234 John Wise AveThis is an absolute treat. EVERYTHING there is good, which is why you'll see the parking lot so well-filled. The artwork at the entrance- a glass work scene- is stunning.
One of our first dates was here, because we love pub food. Great place to watch a game and mingle with the locals!
26 locals recommend
Choate Bridge Pub
3 S Main StOne of our first dates was here, because we love pub food. Great place to watch a game and mingle with the locals!
Just down the street is an amazing Thai restaurant. They often have live music to compliment yummy Pad Thai!
Spice Thai Kitchen
15 Depot SquareJust down the street is an amazing Thai restaurant. They often have live music to compliment yummy Pad Thai!
Famous Ipswich clams, and you can't get fresher than this! You may see a line out the door of the building shaped like it's name- a landmark!
17 locals recommend
Clam Box of Ipswich
246 High StFamous Ipswich clams, and you can't get fresher than this! You may see a line out the door of the building shaped like it's name- a landmark!
This place is so good and so well known among the locals, that they only accept cash and they only serve pizza. It's obviously the best!
23 locals recommend
Riverview Restaurant
20 Estes StThis place is so good and so well known among the locals, that they only accept cash and they only serve pizza. It's obviously the best!
Hamilton gets to boast the BEST bakery around. It's new, and everything, EVERYTHING is good. It is a little pricey, but probably for a reason, right?
Honeycomb
248 Bay RdHamilton gets to boast the BEST bakery around. It's new, and everything, EVERYTHING is good. It is a little pricey, but probably for a reason, right?
Breakfast. With whipped cream. My kid's favorite. I wonder why.
8 locals recommend
Village Pancake House
26 Main StBreakfast. With whipped cream. My kid's favorite. I wonder why.
Sandpiper Bakery
29 North Main StreetAn exciting, new and popular choice right in town! Great scones!
Fox Creek Tavern
141 High StGreat American comfort food at a good price
Little Wolf Coffee
129 High StWonderful style, enticing smell! Right on Rt 1A with lots of parking.
White Farms Ice Cream
326 High StThis place is yummy, and has a sweet little mini golf set up!
Burrito Spice
36 Central StreetMmmm Mexican at a great price!
CK Pearl
112 Main StExcellent seafood, sit right on the water in beautiful Essex!
Drinks & Nightlife
This place has great music, and you can even bring the kids!
9 locals recommend
True North Ale Company
116 County RdThis place has great music, and you can even bring the kids!
1634 Meadery
3 Short StNot so much a winery, but a meadery! Honey mead is their specialty, right in town!
Mill River Winery
498 Newburyport TurnpikeThis is an adorable place, just a few minutes away!
Brand new brewery on the causeway. cannot beat the view!
15 locals recommend
Great Marsh Brewing Company
99 Main StBrand new brewery on the causeway. cannot beat the view!
Parks & Nature
Willowdale Estate
24 Asbury StJust down the street. Mountain bikers and hikers are especially numerous here.
This has so many choices of landscape... meadow, pine forest, along the Ipswich River, down a quaint paved road. Your bound to see riders on horseback here.
7 locals recommend
Bradley Palmer State Park
40 Asbury StThis has so many choices of landscape... meadow, pine forest, along the Ipswich River, down a quaint paved road. Your bound to see riders on horseback here.
Rent a canoe for cheap and paddle the Ipswich River!
14 locals recommend
Foote Brothers Canoe / Kayak Rentals
230 Topsfield RdRent a canoe for cheap and paddle the Ipswich River!
Walking through the ponds to the rockery- a unique rock formation- allows you access to birds you can feed out of your palm!
11 locals recommend
Mass Audubon's Ipswich River Wildlife Sanctuary
87 Perkins RowWalking through the ponds to the rockery- a unique rock formation- allows you access to birds you can feed out of your palm!
Renowned beach on the Atlantic Ocean with rolling dunes, beautiful new facilities, and 7 miles of white sand. Views from the boardwalk alone are gorgeous. I love that you can hardly see a building from here- nature at it's best.
124 locals recommend
Crane Beach
Renowned beach on the Atlantic Ocean with rolling dunes, beautiful new facilities, and 7 miles of white sand. Views from the boardwalk alone are gorgeous. I love that you can hardly see a building from here- nature at it's best.
The lower half of Plum Island is a wildlife sanctuary- birders from all over the world come here due to it's location along migratory routes of hundreds of species. At the southern tip is Sandy Point Beach, a quieter, super sandy beach.
25 locals recommend
Plum Island
The lower half of Plum Island is a wildlife sanctuary- birders from all over the world come here due to it's location along migratory routes of hundreds of species. At the southern tip is Sandy Point Beach, a quieter, super sandy beach.
This one's free, with a really fun playground nearby. We've collected very cool rocks here, and you can watch the clammers finding their dinner at low tide.
13 locals recommend
Pavilion Beach
This one's free, with a really fun playground nearby. We've collected very cool rocks here, and you can watch the clammers finding their dinner at low tide.
Sightseeing
A breathtaking estate on a hill overlooking the Atlantic. Take a tour of the Great House, picnic on the Grand Allee, stroll through the gardens. It's gorgeous. On Thursday nights in the summer, there's outdoor live music off a stage in the back of the Great House, with food, drinks and dancing!
43 locals recommend
Castle Hill on the Crane Estate
290 Argilla RdA breathtaking estate on a hill overlooking the Atlantic. Take a tour of the Great House, picnic on the Grand Allee, stroll through the gardens. It's gorgeous. On Thursday nights in the summer, there's outdoor live music off a stage in the back of the Great House, with food, drinks and dancing!
Visit the cows, walk the many miles up and around slopes of grass, through some of the oldest forests around. Visit the dairy store for the freshest vat-pasteurized milk and cheese, as well as local treats.
22 locals recommend
Appleton Farms
Massachusetts 1AVisit the cows, walk the many miles up and around slopes of grass, through some of the oldest forests around. Visit the dairy store for the freshest vat-pasteurized milk and cheese, as well as local treats.
This is a sweet guided tour along the beautiful Essex River. I took my mom on it, and we learned so much, even though we live here!
10 locals recommend
Essex River Cruises & Charters
35 Dodge StThis is a sweet guided tour along the beautiful Essex River. I took my mom on it, and we learned so much, even though we live here!
Arts & Culture
Ipswich boasts the largest number of First Period homes still in use in the country. They have wonderful collections from the China Trade, the Whipple House and Alexander House offer living artifacts of European's first years here... and tours of the houses- still preserved in their original states- leave from here daily in the summer.
Ipswich Museum
54 S Main StIpswich boasts the largest number of First Period homes still in use in the country. They have wonderful collections from the China Trade, the Whipple House and Alexander House offer living artifacts of European's first years here... and tours of the houses- still preserved in their original states- leave from here daily in the summer.
This organization helps produce the Farmer's Market, Tuesday Night Downtown music, and seasonal festivals like Illumination Night and The Spring Color Party.
ReCreation & Culture Department
25 Green StThis organization helps produce the Farmer's Market, Tuesday Night Downtown music, and seasonal festivals like Illumination Night and The Spring Color Party.
Shopping
This eclectic store has everything from local art to stones pieces and jewelry from all over the world. The owner is so friendly! The perfect place to find a gift.
zenobia
38 Essex RdThis eclectic store has everything from local art to stones pieces and jewelry from all over the world. The owner is so friendly! The perfect place to find a gift.
Henry Bear's Park
3 Market StToy store! It's sooo fun to walk through this place, at any age!
I could spend hours here. Beautifully selected antiques, some of which we have bought for our house!
AnnTiques
45 South Main StreetI could spend hours here. Beautifully selected antiques, some of which we have bought for our house!
Betsy Frost Design
4 Market StHigh-end jewelry, locally made. My necklace from here gets many compliments!
Super cool place for the foodie! They make their own flavored vinegars, the brickwork is wonderful, and they have a wine cellar with the best stuff!
Cellar Door Culinary, Wine & Craft Beer Shop
1 N Main StSuper cool place for the foodie! They make their own flavored vinegars, the brickwork is wonderful, and they have a wine cellar with the best stuff!
Cider donuts. Beach snacks. A whole room full of great stuff, and apple picking!
30 locals recommend
Russell Orchards
Cider donuts. Beach snacks. A whole room full of great stuff, and apple picking!
Essentials
Shaw's
146 High StWe make runs here all. the. time. They've got everything!
This is a sweet little market with the best prepared foods- sandwiches, wraps, and soups, as well as gourmet foodie stuff!
Coastal Green Grocer Inc
51 Market StThis is a sweet little market with the best prepared foods- sandwiches, wraps, and soups, as well as gourmet foodie stuff!