By Debra Roberts, Contributing Writer
Photo/Debra Roberts
Hudson – On a recent Saturday afternoon my family and I stopped into Checkerboards Restaurant & Bar in Hudson for lunch. We were enticed by the “gluten-free pizza” sign outside, as my 10-year-old, Ryan, has celiac disease and cannot have anything with gluten. Upon entering this busy shopping plaza restaurant, we were pleasantly surprised by the spacious, bright interior. The first thing I noticed was a large display case full of tempting desserts. The cannoli looked particularly appealing – I was eyeing one with chocolate chips. On the left was a casual checkerboard designed dining room with an open kitchen and booth seating, as well as longer tables for larger parties.
The welcoming hostess said that we could sit wherever we liked. Although my 11-year-old son, Andrew, wanted to sit in the bar area dining room to watch the game on TV, the hostess mentioned that there were televisions throughout the restaurant and we would be able to see them from wherever we sat. We decided to sit in the third dining room just past the bar that was decorated with colorful frescoes depicting a Venice-like scene.
It took us a while to look over the menu as there were so many delicious-looking items – tortellini, fish tacos, lobster ravioli and grilled blackened swordfish tips to name a few.
Our very patient waitress answered our numerous questions about the menu items as we have multiple food allergies. My husband, Ken, ordered one of the flat-bread pizzas with grilled chicken and sliced tomatoes and it was delicious. I helped myself to a slice and loved the homemade tomato sauce and thin, crispy crust.
Ryan ordered the chicken kebob off of the gluten-free menu, which tasted very fresh and perfectly cooked with just the right amount of marinade. It was accompanied by mouth-watering grilled tomatoes and peppers. Andrew ordered a junior burger from the regular kids menu. It was juicy and delicious and came with large, crispy steak fries. I had trouble choosing what to order given the plethora of menu choices but decided on the soup and salad special. I chose the chili and the Greek salad. The chili was tasty without being too spicy and had a balanced amount of meat and beans. The Greek salad was very fresh and had a generous amount of vegetable toppings and feta cheese and a flavorful dressing.
Although we were very full when we left and brought leftovers home with us, we couldn’t help but order one of the gluten-free desserts to go from the enticing dessert display case. Co-owner Jill Smith informed me that they try to always at least have a choice of two different gluten-free desserts in addition to their regular dessert offerings. She said that there is a big demand now from her customers and she wanted to be able to cater to their needs.
“I have a daughter with food allergies, so I understand what it’s like,” she said.
We brought home the flourless chocolate cake, which was rich and fudgy with a delicious ganache topping and chocolate shavings. The regular desserts also looked amazing. I made a mental note to try a cannoli on a future visit.
Smith, who co-owns the restaurant with her father, Joe Martocci, and brother-in-law, Chris Tsiros, said they have been open for almost 25 years. They are a full-service, family-friendly restaurant that also offers catering. They specialize in fresh seafood, homemade Italian dishes, steaks, salads, homemade soups, pizza and more. While we were there, I noticed patrons of all ages enjoying their lunches from families with small children to senior couples.
Checkerboards is located at 10 Technology Drive in Hudson in the shopping center at the intersection of Route 85 and the corner of the connector to I-290. They are open Sunday through Thursday from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. and 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays.
For more information call 978-562-4400 or visit www.checkerboardsrestaurant.com or their Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/Checkerboards-Pizza-Restaurant-Bar-278292975641961/timeline/.
