Rant: Older Restaurants Deserve Respect Too

Last month, I provided my initial impressions of Casa Romero, a Mexican restaurant in Boston which has existed for 50+ years. And later this week, I'll be providing some initial impressions of the Adega Restaurant & Bar, a Portuguese restaurant in Woburn which has existed for 10+ years. 

I believe that these restaurants, and many others, don't seem to get sufficient attention from the press. On social media, they are infrequently mentioned. Why is that so? As I've said before, new restaurants get the lion's share of publicity from food writers, reviewers and on social media. There's often a frenzy to be one of the first to review a new restaurant, and with so many restaurants opening all the time, writers don't lack for material. However, that means they give little, if any, attention to restaurants that have been open for years. 

That needs to change!

I've written about this issue before, as far back as 2014, and it's an issue that should be raised time and time again, to continue to bring attention to this matter, as a regular reminder to people. The last time I wrote about this issue was back in 2018, so it's time to bring it to the forefront once again.

Many older restaurants were reviewed years ago but often haven't received an updated review in a very long time, if at all. During those years, so much can change, sometimes for the positive and sometimes for the negative. Consumers shouldn't have to rely on a 10 year old review to judge a restaurant. Some of these older restaurants are worthy of a new review, to ensure people know that it remains a quality restaurant.

These restaurants have survived so long for a reason and they should receive additional attention from time to time, to ensure people don't forget them. Every month, a significant number of restaurants close, indicative of the toughness of the restaurant industry. Each year a restaurant survives is a significant achievement. Those that can survive the test of time often deserve our respect and attention, and we need to ensure they are not forgotten. They need to be supported by our patronage. 

We need to write more about these older restaurants, to continue to highlight their quality. Any worthy writer can find an angle concerning these older restaurants. Don't just be dazzled by the new, restaurants that might not even survive a year. On social media, people need to talk about these older, but worthy, restaurants. And we need to dine at these places, to give them our financial support as well. 

Which older restaurants do you believe are worthy of more attention?