For decades the family-owned business continues to set the bar for exceptional dock-to-table dining

BOSTON, Dec. 14, 2023 - The Daily Catch™, the dock-to-table seafood eatery, celebrates their 50th anniversary, marking five decades of Sicilian-style seafood and pasta served in the pan. The family-owned restaurants, founded by Paul Freddura in 1973, specializes in calamari, serving squid over seven different ways, earning the title of "Calamari King" by numerous publications. The Daily Catch celebrates this milestone with a new Feast of The Seven Fishes Seafood Tower, 50th Anniversary Merchandise, and an online archive featuring 50 years of history.  

In Boston's North End neighborhood in 1973, before many people knew what calamari was, Paul Freddura started frying local squid and serving other Sicilian specialties in his shoebox storefront. Back then, squid was used more for bait fish than cooking, and Paul served a long list of underutilized fish species local to New England. With Boston's Fish Pier just down the street, he built connections with local fishmongers and set up his seafood display out front of his store every day.

It wasn't long after that Paul met Maria, his soon-to-be business partner and wife, in 1979. Together, they transformed this storefront into a tiny open-kitchen eatery known as the Calamari Café. This was a time of innovation when they introduced their pasta in the pan and Lobster Fra Diavolo. The Freddura's ambition was fueled by a passion to make calamari a culinary staple, and they began cleaning and distributing squid throughout New England. 

As their wholesale squid business—Calamari Fisheries—continued to grow in the 80s, the Freddura's had an abundance of squid ink sacks, and in 1985, they started producing fresh Squid Ink Black Pasta. Black Pasta became an instant culinary sensation that still excites diners today. 

The backbone of The Daily Catch is its proximity to Boston's docks where the Freddura's operate their seafood processing facility. "Our concept has always been fresh off the boats," Paul says, "Our job is to stay busy and keep the fish fresh." 

The Daily Catch Waterfront location will offer a Seafood Tower as an approachable way to celebrate the feast of the seven fishes. The tower includes lobster, clams, oysters, shrimp cocktail, calamari salad, marinated octopus, and Baccala salad. 

Dine with us at our three locations: North End, Waterfront, and Brookline.