Needham - town in Norfolk County, Massachusetts, United States

Needham is a town in Massachusetts, near Boston with a population of 32,000 (2020). Home to Olin College, it is primarily a residential suburb with little historical or cultural interest, although a number of upscale and ethnic restaurants have turned it into a rather unlikely culinary destination.

Dedham is a town in Massachusetts with a population of 25,000 (2020).

Get in

By train

Mass Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA OR "T"). Commuter rail Needham Line service linking to Boston. This service runs Monday through Saturday, no Sunday service. Four station stops in Needham are (in order of increasing distance from the terminal of South Station in Boston) Hersey, Needham Junction, Needham Center, and Needham Heights. In Dedham, the Dedham and Endicott stations are on the Commuter Rail.

By car

Needham is located right on Interstate 95 (also known as Route 128). Exits 33 and 35 serve Needham. Route 135 runs through Needham. Route 109 is a thoroughfare that runs through Dedham.

By bus

Catch the 59 bus from Watertown Square or Newton Highlands. For Dedham, the 34E bus is accessible from Forest Hills, it makes many stops along Washington Street in Dedham, runs every 30 to 60 minutes 7 days a week. The 52 bus from Watertown and Newton runs to Dedham very infrequently on weekdays only. The 34, 35, and 52 buses all terminate at the Dedham Mall. The 33 bus ends at the eastern border of Dedham.

Get around

The MBTA's #59 bus runs through town, heading to Newton and Watertown. There is a direct connection to the D branch of the Green Line at Newton Highlands. Runs every 50 minutes weekdays and 90 on weekends, no evening service. Given the infrequent nature of the former, a car can be helpful in Needham.

See

• Franklin W. Olin College of Engineering, 42.293456°, -71.263942°, +1 781-292-2300. Olin Way (off Great Plain Avenue west of the town center). Olin is one of the few new colleges campuses to have been built on the East Coast. Olin College's modern vernacular stands in stark contrast to the historicism of many other local colleges. 2022-12-05

Do

Buy

• Dedham Mall, 300 Providence Hwy (Dedham), 42.25364°, -71.16972°, +1 781-516-8980. The biggest mall in the area. 2022-12-05
• Dedham Plaza, 747 Providence Hwy (Dedham), 42.24004°, -71.17886°. A smaller mall, most stores are mostly for locals. 2022-12-05
• Legacy Place, 680 Legacy Pl (Dedham), 42.2306°, -71.17829°, +1 781-329-3009. 8AM-9PM daily. A more upscale mall, with eateries and shops mixed together. 2022-12-05

Eat

• Cafe Fresh Bagel, 896 Highland Ave, 42.29353°, -71.2351°, +1 781-444-7444. 6AM-2PM daily. Delicious bagels and bagel sandwiches. Bagels that would impress even a die-hard New Yorker. Open for breakfast and lunch. 2022-12-05
• Fuji Steak House, 1430 Highland Ave, 42.28183°, -71.23594°, +1 781-726-7658. Noon-9PM daily. Japanese sushi and teppanyaki. Family-friendly. 2022-12-05
• Sweet Basil, 942 Great Plain Ave, 42.28014°, -71.23536°, +1 781-444-9600. M-Sa 5-10PM, Su 4-9PM. Small but highly rated Italian bistro. 2022-12-05
• Hearth Pizza, 974 Great Plain Ave, 42.28011°, -71.23616°, +1 781-433-0600. Tu-Su 11:30AM-8PM daily. Neapolitan style, thin crust pizza along with gourmet salads and a hand-picked selection of wine and beer. 2022-12-05

Drink

• Village Manor, 427 Sprague St (Dedham), 42.23084°, -71.14175°, +1 781-407-9191. W-Su 11:30AM-11PM. Great little bar with live entertainment at weekends and good food. Lots of TV's showing all sports. Friendly staff and locals. 2022-12-05

Sleep

• Sheraton Needham Hotel, 100 Cabot Street, 42.3032°, -71.21979°, +1 781-444-1110. Sheraton Needham provides a free shuttle service to nearby local corporate headquarters and features a full fitness center and a heated indoor pool. 2022-12-05
• The Hilton, 25 Allied Dr (Dedham), 42.2253°, -71.16977°, +1 781 329-7900. Check-in: 3PM, check-out: Noon. 2022-12-05
• Residence Inn Boston Dedham, 259 Elm St (Dedham), 42.22703°, -71.17812°, +1 781-407-0999. 2022-12-05

Go next

• Boston is nearby.