Since opening its doors on Nov. 12 of last year, School Street Foods with its mouth-watering menu of empanadas, sandwiches, fries, and tenders has been a smash hit for residents looking for their fill of Latin, American, and Caribbean cuisine.
Executive Chef Javier Baez shared his journey from School Street in Roxbury, his hometown, to Salem Street in Lynnfield with 01940 Magazine when the restaurant first opened for business. Already, he was confident that his cooking expertise would stand out from the crowd.
“I think Lynnfield was lacking something because there aren’t that many choices, especially when it comes to different foods. So far, the response has been fantastic,” he said back in November.
Customers have welcomed the restaurant with open arms. Already, Baez says he is seeing familiar faces regularly returning to order their favorite menu items. One woman stops by the restaurant every morning to get a sandwich, sometimes bringing along her friends to try out what School Street has to offer.
“The turnout from the city of Lynnfield has been incredible; people are coming from the surrounding towns, and people have traveled over an hour to come and try the food. Social media has been abuzz about everything. It’s been incredible,” Baez said.
School Street Foods’ popularity becomes obvious just from passing by the unassuming shop, and the smell of Baez’s vibrant cooking transports anyone in close proximity to an oasis of birria and barbeque.
Inside, the irresistible aroma rules over the cozy space enclosed by welcoming yet fun yellow walls. One of them features a floor-to-ceiling chalkboard graffitied by a community of empanada lovers with full stomachs who sing the praises of Baez’s cuisine.
Important to Baez and the owner of School Street, Gina Goodwin, is giving back to the community that’s already given them so much love. To that end, the two have used their extensive philanthropic experience to host fundraisers at the restaurant. For instance, a Feb. 8 drive gave 10% of all proceeds to resident Shannon de Forest in her fight for ALS.
Drawing many customers into the shop isn’t just the food. A lot of School Street’s visitors have come specifically to see Baez, who they know from his Instagram, where he’ll post hilarious skits or announce a new special by bursting through the kitchen doors chanting “pastelito” with an infectious smile.
Just hearing Baez talk about a dish, one can sense his uncontained passion for his craft. Here he is describing the popular School House chicken sandwich:
“The chicken sandwich ended up being something that I didn’t expect to be as big as it is. I use a marinade with pepper, cheese, and a bunch of different spices, then buttermilk. We hand pound and bread the tenders that go into the sandwich. We make a special habanero honey mustard here, crispy bacon, we put cheese on it, and then we use a torch to melt it down so it gives it a kind of smoky taste. And then Grillo’s pickles, the best pickles in Massachusetts. Stop playing with them.”
Another popular item is the birria pastelito, which uses chilies, cumin, oregano, brown tomatoes, brown onions, and brown garlic to slow roast meat for a flavor experience that is intense and unforgettable.
Baez is also always adding new items to School Street’s menu, with five new dishes coming down the pipe.
“We got a birria burger coming. We have a Cuban wrap coming. We have our version of the chicken parm that has a basil mango drizzle on top of it. We have a double smash burger with a sticky glaze made with this Dominican liquor. Then the buffalo sandwich with passion fruit and blue cheese is coming out,” Baez said.
A recent epiphany he had was a rotating menu, where besides a few of the bestsellers that would be permanent stays, pastelito flavors would always be changing, giving customers the opportunity to experience new ingredients.
Like any good artist, Baez crafts dishes that come from his own life. For example, a trip to the grocery store recently where he saw truffle oil sparked the idea of a luxury empanada that would source wagyu beef, fresh truffles, and a high-end cheese to make a dish fit for kings.
“I just do it from my creative side. That’s where it comes from, just life, the same way art is created from life, heartache, and good experiences, and then art happens, the same thing with food.” Baez said. “There’s a lot of curiosity, too, which is good… Food is an art, and art is supposed to create conversation.”
