Each month, we visit a new food spot thanks to the folks at Surprenant, Beneski & Nunes, an estate & elder planning law firm who wanted to shine a spotlight on local gems, like The Hideaway in Middleborough.
At this time of year, The Hideaway, a new high-end pub in Middleborough and sister establishment of the popular Baldie’s Craft Pizzeria in Lakeville, goes all out for the holidays.
Evergreen garland adorns the latticed ceilings of its two dining rooms, with more than 4,000—yes, 4,000—metallic ornaments cascading down from the trellises. Pinned on every inch of the surrounding walls are beautifully wrapped gift boxes, tied with bows of elegant ribbons. Thousands of miniature lights twinkle like stars overhead.
It’s a spectacle worthy of comparisons to The Venetian in Weymouth.
But the menu is very down-to-earth pub food, with ingredients made fresh every morning from scratch, like the dough for the South Shore Bar Pizza. The two best sellers of this staple are a Pepperoni and Hot Honey and a Hideaway Big Mac version, with all the expected fixin’s: ground beef, onion, shredded lettuce, tomato, and special sauce (Thousand Island dressing). Should you choose to splurge a little for the holidays, there is a Braised Short Rib with a red wine demi-glace served over creamy mashed potatoes. How’s that for comfort food!?
The salad of choice for the off-season features butternut squash, front and center. “I love the brown sugar,” says general manager and managing partner Ian Neubecker, who is one-third of the triumvirate responsible for these successful restaurants. The other partners are natives Andy Hart, part of the investment firm that bought Smuttynose Brewery in 2018, and Bo McMahon, who was a Middleborough police officer before going into real estate.
Neubacker brings a lot of restaurant operations experience to the table. He had worked at the Playwright in Boston before going on to own a bar nearby in the South End, Roza Lyons. Once his wife Jillian became pregnant with their first child (they now have three under the age of six), they sold their stake in the bar and decided to relocate to a much more family friendly Plymouth. Hart and McMahon met him and immediately saw his potential to round out their trio.
The holiday décor, however, is Jillian’s project. After some inspiration on TikTok, she researched what it would take to build out the wondrous display. They started on Saturday, November 1, on the second floor, closing it off to patrons for two days, then they hurried to finish the main floor on their day off (Monday) and through Tuesday morning until they opened that afternoon.
In addition to being Ian’s significant other and the head decorating elf, Jillian is also responsible for the holiday drink concoctions, being a long-time bartender herself. The piece de resistance: the X-mas Orna-tini. The vodka, pomegranate juice, triple sec, and white cranberry juice mixture comes in a small ornament, which the customer pours into their martini glass. Cheers, indeed.
After a long time as a dive bar with a single bathroom and then laying dormant for a few years, the Hideaway has found new life as a family friendly destination. With its inspired fare and memorable holiday ambiance, it is now seen as a bona fide seasonal destination, with all its good tidings of comfort and joy.
Photography by Liam Connor Photography
The Hideaway, 9 Station St. Middleborough
We hope you enjoyed this post, which is part of a series of blog posts celebrating local food spots, sponsored by Surprenant, Beneski & Nunes, P.C., the premier estate planning and elder law practice serving clients in Southeastern Massachusetts. Surprenant, Beneski & Nunes can help you prepare the foundational documents needed to facilitate healthcare, financial and legal decisions should a medical crisis occur. Early planning can save money, heartache and angst during a temporary bout of incapacity or a long-term care event. Getting your estate plan in order gives you peace of mind. Find out more about Surprenant, Beneski & Nunes here.
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Last post in the series: Check out Plimoth General Store, a place to gather in America’s hometown. Read more here.