Phat Tuesday

Eleven ways to welcome Mardi Gras

ou don’t have to be French to celebrate Mardi Gras. Or Catholic. Or in Louisiana. The Carnival celebrations that lead up to Ash Wednesday are all about indulging before Lent. So indulge! Have some barbecue, fried pickles, and jambalaya! Ejoy a little bluegrass! And get into the spirit of Fat Tuesday with these Boston secrets:

Where to hear the best bluegrass pickers from near and far.
 

Enjoy some home-cooked soul food including Jamaican jerk chicken, macaroni and cheese, collard greens, and sweet potato mash—all while giving back.
 

Waffles and fried chicken and other southern-inspired comfort fare
 

A weird southern-style food combination you never heard of—but have got to try.
 

Great barbecue, slow-cooked over wood fires, in the last place you’d expect to find it.
 

A taste of Texas, smack dab in the middle of Beantown.
 

Celebrate Mardis Gras at a Boston basement blues haunt.
 

A weekly blues jam, conveniently on Tuesdays
 

A timeless jazz club where the in-the-know go
 

Jambalaya and fried catfish, with cozy cocktails and old-style desserts
 

Where to find fried dill pickle slices with a Cajun remoulade for dipping