Dorchester

As the biggest neighborhood in Boston, made up of many smaller neighborhoods, we can't begin to describe all the different things that make Dorchester special. The Franklin Park border adjacent to Blue Hill Avenue and American Legion Highway sits in Dorchester, here's what's near the park:

On Blue Hill Avenue at the Columbia Road entrance to Franklin Park, right outside the main entrance to the Zoo, there's a cluster of shops and restaurants. Da Hot Spot serves delicious, home cooked West Indian meals. You can try curried goat, a variety of chicken dishes, patties, and desserts. The owner ran track in Franklin Park during his younger days. Stash's has plenty of tables for sitting and good basic pizza, Italian dishes, and sandwiches. For the hippest "rags" in town, check out Hip Zepi.

A little further down Blue Hill is Dino's Pizza, a spot we like to patronize because they donated pizzas every week to feed teens at FPC's drop-in summer sports nights. If you keep meandering down Blue Hill you'll find more Caribbean fare, convenience stores, and the ubiquitous pizza. There are lots of family-friendly, inexpensive spots to eat after a day in the park.

If you turn down American Legion, you'll get to Lena Park CDC, an anchor in the neighborhood for the last few decades. In a gracious old brick building, formerly the Hecht Home for Jewish Orphans, you'll find the FPC office, a child care center, youth programs, a large gym, and other community services. Franklin Hill Housing Development is undergoing a complete transformation, we're not yet sure what it will look like when construction is completed. On the other side of Lena Park on the old Boston State Hospital grounds, a new development is in the early stages of construction. Olmsted Green will offer residents affordable housing, retail stores, social services, and other resources on site.

Check out the SCI Dorchester website, the most comprehensive place to learn more about Boston's largest neighborhood and what's happening around Dorchester today.