By Valerie Franchi, Contributing Writer
Westborough – Harry’s Restaurant and Dairy Bar has been serving up delicious homemade fare for nearly 70 years, first in Shrewsbury, then in Westborough after relocating to Route 9 in 1968.
If owner Jon Cohen, son of founder Harry Cohen, has anything to say about it, Harry’s will be around for at least 70 more. The local landmark has a large and loyal clientele, but Cohen is doing his best to reach out to the next generation of customers.
“We are very kid-friendly,” Cohen said, referring not only to those who come in with their parents and order off the children’s menu, but to teenagers and young adults as well.
“We want to be a place where kids will come and stop in for a snack when their homework is done,” he said.
A lot of older customers have been coming for years, he noted, but in order to maintain its popularity Harry’s needs to keep attracting new faces.
“We are trying to attract a younger crowd,” Cohen said. “And those teens and college students will someday bring their own children here.”
To do this, Cohen explained, “We are reinventing ourselves all the time to stay current with trends. There are a lot more choices out there now. We need to keep up with the competition by always offering something new.”
However, that doesn’t mean that Harry’s will stop serving the dishes that have made it so well-loved in the first place.
Harry’s specialty is comfort food. Soups, stews, chicken pot pie, macaroni and cheese, pot roast and meatloaf are just a few of the selections that are perfect for chilly fall and frigid winter days.
“It’s like what your mother used to make,” Cohen said. “It warms your belly and gives you a good feeling.”
There is also a wide variety of pastas, seafood, chicken and barbecue entrees. For lunchtime, there are mile-high burgers and sandwiches, including the hot pastrami sandwich – the first thing Harry’s served when it opened in 1946 when it was called “Harry’s Famous Hot Pastrami.”
The menu has been expanded to include more healthy options, such as baked and grilled items and a wide array of salads.
Cohen promised that Harry’s will continue to offer two of its longtime favorites – fried clams and lobster rolls. They are served year-round.
Harry’s is also the perfect place for a hot breakfast or just a cup of coffee and a slice of homemade pie – just like mom used to make.
Harry’s is located at 149 Turnpike Rd. (Route 9), just west of the Lyman Road intersection. The hours have changed for the winter season: Monday to Thursday, 7 a.m. to 11 p.m.; Friday, 7 a.m. to 12 a.m.; Saturday 11 a.m. to 12 a.m.; and Sunday 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.
For more information or for takeout orders, call 508-366-8302 or visit www.harrysrestaurant.com.
