Neponset Cafe a Real Look Back into Canton's History

Donna and Donald Titus started working for their parents’ bar the Neponset Café, or Big D’s, 41 years ago, and it has quite a history.

“It was our grandparents who bought it back in 1947,” Donna said.

“Our uncle and father worked it, and our grandfather gave it to our uncle for a while,” said Donald. “My father bought it from him in 1957, and my father was going to leave and Donna just took over everything.”

The pair has been working there ever since. Donna said she originally took over for her mother’s sake.

“My mother was working the place and I didn’t like my mother behind the bar when she was here,” she said.

Donald said at the time he was teaching math at the Walpole State Prison and overheard they needed help so he went on full time at the restaurant.

Donna said it was tough at first. She said there always seemed to be an obstacle of one way or another.

“We’ve seen them all come and go,” she said. “A lot of them said, "oh I’ll put you out business. All I say is good luck.”'

Donna said the place holds a lot of memories for her and her brother, and they’ve developed a lot of friendships during their time in Canton.

“We’re like Cheers,” she said. “The second time you come in you’re not a stranger anymore, you’re company.”

The pair said they catered the film crew for Mystic River when it was in production. They said the whole crew loved their cooking, including the director.

“Clint Eastwood said we had the best clam chowder he’s ever had,” Donald said with a grin. “Production stopped whenever the chowder was ready.”

Donna said the strangest request they get would have to be the pickle pizza, but they’re always ready for strange requests.

“We have one girl who works here, if you order it she will make it,” she said.

The bar used to be a place called Sheehan’s in the late 1800s and was then turned into a meat market during prohibition, then turned back into a bar.

“There were chickens just hanging right where the bar is now,” Donald said.

The pair added the place has changed quite a bit since their grandfather bought the place.

“It was a rough bar back then,” Donald said. “When my uncle took it over no women came in, when my father took it over no women came in. in the 70s my sister’s [Donna’s] girlfriends started coming in and that’s when more couples started coming in. Now there’s families that come in with their kids.”

The pair said they donate to whatever local charity that knocks on their door.

Neponset Café is located on 497 Washington St. and is open Monday - Saturday, 11 a.m. - 11 p.m.; Sunday, noon - 11 p.m.