Prattville - Chelsea, MA

The Prattville neighborhood is part of Chelsea, MA where the Battle of Chelsea Creek was fought during the Revolutionary War. Many fine art events and cultural festivals are held south in the downtown region of Chelsea or further west into the City of Everett.

The Old Post Office in Chelsea Square stood just south of Prattville and was a part of the community for 100 years. In 1999, the building was transformed into the Apollinaire Theatre Company. As part of Chelsea’s cultural appeal, the building has an art gallery that features some of the best pieces from local artists.

The restaurants and nightlife in Prattville aren’t as bountiful as they are in Boston, but the neighborhood has many great hidden gems leaving the residents coming back for more.

Locals flock to Floramo’s, located in southern most Prattville. This charming restaurant sells everything from barbecue to pizza. It appeals to all tastes and ages and is especially known for its marinated steak tips or baby back ribs. With decent menu prices that don’t extend over $20 for a dish, Floramo's provides great comfort food and a relaxed atmosphere at low prices.

When craving Asian cuisine, visit Ho Win Palace Restaurant and Lounge. The menu features sushi along with traditional Chinese dishes. With modern brick walls, tile floors and marble counters, the restaurant makes a great destination for a dinner outing with a partner or friends. Be sure to check out the cocktails; locals rave about Ho Win Palace’s Pina Coladas.

The Prattville neighborhood has many options when residents want to go out for the evening. There are several late-night restaurants and coffee shops within the neighborhood, or you can head to one of the nearby pubs. The Brown Jug located directly on the Revere Beach Parkway Plaza operates a lounge that stays open until 1 a.m. The lounge resembles a sports bar with many flat screens, dartboards, sports memorabilia and seating areas where you can kick back and grab a Sam Adams while cheering on the Patriots.

In the Prattville neighborhood, locals are commonly found walking, bicycling or driving to get where they need to go and run errands. Considering that the neighborhood has more residential than commercial property, public transportation remains more common in areas such as Chelsea, Revere or Everett. The streets in Prattville are known to be very safe, making walking and biking throughout the neighborhood a great option on fair-weather days.

Taxi services can be accessed right off of the Revere Beach Parkway on the eastern border of the Prattville neighborhood. The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA), located on the corner of Arlington St. and 6th St., provides the 111 bus line for neighborhood residents. Stops along Sagamore Ave and Garfield Ave in Prattville lead to the Haymarket Station in Central Boston.

With Washington and Voke Park located nearby, Prattville neighborhood residents enjoy plenty of opportunities for outdoor walking, bicycling and sports. Voke Park, located in the north eastern part of Prattville, features more than 3 full acres of land filled with playgrounds for the kids, walking paths, basketball courts, baseball diamonds, and beautiful seating areas that are perfect for outdoor picnic lunches. A whole day can be spent exploring everything Voke Park has to offer, whereas Washington Park is quite a bit smaller.

Living outside of Boston in the Prattville neighborhood helps to cut costs on residency, fuel and other necessities, and using public transportation to get to the city is a cinch. The 111 bus line through the MBTA has routes that run from Prattville to Boston from 4:45 a.m. to just before 1 a.m. A monthly bus pass runs for about $50 and a quick trip downtown costs between $3.65 to $5.25.

With quick access to the Northeast Express Way and other major roads, getting anywhere in or near Prattville can be done easily when you own a vehicle. With only one primary gas station in the neighborhood, the gas prices remain higher than those throughout the Chelsea area. However, Massachusetts typically lies just below the national average for fuel costs.

Other essentials in the Prattville area, such as renting a home or purchasing a beer at the bar cost lower than they do in Boston, yet remains higher than the national average by over 26 percent. The median rental cost for a one-bedroom apartment in Prattville is around $1,000 a month, whereas a one-bedroom apartment in Boston goes for around $2,350. Expect to pay about $3 for a pint of beer.

The many well-known department stores in the neighborhood make shopping extremely convenient. With Home Depot, TJ Maxx, CVS, Costco, and Target all located in the immediate vicinity, residents of Prattville can quickly find any needed items. Other popular neighborhood shops include Val's Flowers, The Gold Mine, Russo Tux Dress, and Richie's Home Furniture. Consignment shops and thrift stores are located along the Revere Beach Parkway through Chelsea and Prattville.

When you need to grab dinner for the night at a local grocery store, head to Save-a-Lot, located just east of Prattville along the Northeast Expressway, or McKinnon's Market just to the west. Many of the locals head to McKinnon's Market for the some of the best-tasting meat sold in the area. The store features a "super" butcher shop right inside.