Renee Lemieux (left) and Lixue Tu share laughs over a delicious dinner at Afro-Infused. Emerson Street has seen some of Haverhill’s most diverse restaurants—from Lebanese to Mexican. The latest is Afro Infused, a delightful new addition to the Washington Square neighborhood serving flavors of Nigeria and Haiti in a laid-back lounge atmosphere. Co-owners Mardochee Constant and Chef Daniel used to host cookouts for friends before that morphed into catering birthday parties, graduations and other events. Eventually, they expanded their business by acquiring a food truck. Then in 2022, while Che ..read more

Nika Desir of Haverhill, Mass., delights in Egusi Soup with Fufu, a Friday night special. Salem Life photos by Hailey Moschella Emerson Street has seen some of Haverhill’s most diverse restaurants. Tucked away just steps from Washington Square has resided a selection of authentic Lebanese, Mexican and now Afro-Infused options, a delightful experience serving flavors of Nigeria and Haiti in a laid-back, lounge atmosphere. Co-owners Mardochee Constant and Chef Daniel began this journey with cookouts, serving up food for friends which morphed into catering events like birthday parties and gradu ..read more

Neko Zen sips on Miso Soup. Do you ever find yourself searching for a restaurant open on Mondays? You continue to come up short, with few options to choose from? Take a ride down Route 28 to Ginger Gourmet in North Reading, Mass., where you can enjoy sushi and Chinese options every day of the week. With half-price sushi Sunday through Tuesday, you’ll leave feeling satisfied and barely make a dent on the credit card. There is an impressive sushi and sashimi list on the back of the menu with items listed at their discounted rate. Ranging from $3 to $9 per roll, you can dine in for less than pi ..read more

  Winter recipes have one big culinary bright spot: citrus fruits. Showcase best in-season citrus with this simple salad featuring blood oranges, ruby red grapefruits, sumo mandarins, star fruit and peppery arugula tossed in a sweet, tangy mustard vinaigrette for a visually and palate-pleasing plate. Rather than peeling your citrus, using a sharp knife, cut off the top and bottom of the orange/grapefruit. Stand the fruit up and starting at the top, slice off the rind following the curve of the fruit and continue all the way around until all the rind and bitter white pith has been remove ..read more

A salad featuring citrus fruits can be a visually and palate-pleasing plate. Haverhill Life photo by Maryellen Powers Winter recipes have one big culinary bright spot: citrus fruits. You can showcase the best in-season citrus with this simple salad that is a visually and palate-pleasing plate. It features blood oranges, ruby red grapefruits, sumo mandarins, star fruit and peppery arugula tossed in a sweet and tangy mustard vinaigrette. Rather than peeling your citrus, use a sharp knife to cut off the tops and bottoms of the oranges and grapefruit. Stand the fruit up and, starting at the top ..read more

From Sunday through Tuesday, you can get your sushi fix at Ginger Gourmet without breaking the bank. Haverhill Life photos by Hailey Moschella Have you ever decided to dine out on a Monday night but had trouble finding a restaurant that’s open? The next time that happens, take a ride down Route 28 to Ginger Gourmet in North Reading, where you can enjoy sushi and Chinese options every day of the week. If it is a Monday, you can order the half-price sushi, served Sunday through Tuesday, and fill your belly without emptying your wallet. I work in a school and learned about Ginger Gourmet and th ..read more

Sarah LoVasco, owner of Haverhill’s SJ Art Consulting, delights in the veggie shio ramen. Haverhill Life photos by Hailey Moschella It’s winter, and the holidays are behind us. It’s dark, and the nights are long. During this time when the sun is hibernating, we need to find warmth in other ways. What better way to feed our soul than to feed our body with warm broth and satisfying flavors from the Far East? The menu at Akita Ramen in Andover has a perfect assortment of options. Order a few appetizers if you want to sample a variety of flavors or dive into a satisfying bowl of ramen. I love se ..read more

  Celebrate your love for family, friends, partners, kiddos – whomever this Valentine’s Day – with delicious food. Start their day with a mouth-watering strawberries and cream crepe breakfast or finish your dinner with a delectable crepe dessert. No excuses necessary with everyday kitchen ingredients and a recipe that’s ready in minutes! Crepe is the French word for a thin, delicate pancake where the batter is sweetened with a spoonful of sugar, or unsweetened if you like. Crepes should go on your Valentine menu this year whether sweet or savory. Best of all, you can fill them with what ..read more

With colorful decor of mural art, tasteful neon and Japanese posters, Akita Ramen transports you to the city streets of Tokyo. The entrance of Akita Ramen brings you through a portal to a colorful city in Japan. As you walk in, you’ll be greeted with tasteful mural artwork and Japanese posters plastered on the walls, creating the illusion that the intimate restaurant extends far beyond the minimal seating you see. Although the restaurant will likely be filled, the host will spot you from the kitchen and offer a warm invitation to settle in. It’s winter and the holidays are behind us. It’s da ..read more

The walls at Ya Mas Greek Taverna & Bar are adorned with family portraits, vintage advertisements, needlepoint, and collected currency. Haverhill Life photos by Hailey Moschella With a vibrant, raucous atmosphere in which servers dance in and out of the scene and diners indulge in flavorful cuisine, Ya Mas Greek Taverna & Bar, at the Mall at Rockingham Park, is reminiscent of a film set. The restaurant is filled on any given night, in part due to a loyal fanbase flocking to Salem from the original Pelham location. Mall management approached the owners of Ya Mas and asked if they woul ..read more