By Nicole Duncan
June 18, 2025
It’s been nearly two decades since the taco began its star-studded journey across menus, categories and cuisines. No longer restricted to Mexican and Tex-Mex-leaning concepts, the now ubiquitous carrier is as seamlessly filled with bulgogi or tikka masala as it is with carnitas or al pastor. By contrast, the taco-adjacent quesadilla has remained on the fringe in terms of innovation, beloved and craveable as it may be.
This success also proves that quesadillas needn’t stick to the Mexican cuisine. Over the years, Friendly’s has applied northern flavors and ingredients to the quesadilla, including the recent New England Fisherman’s Quesadilla, featuring crispy tortillas filled with golden-brown cod fillets, melted cheese, sautéed onions and tomatoes. “We leaned into the craveability of New England seafood with the familiar quesadilla format, balancing traditional spices with coastal flavors to create an approachable, indulgent fusion our guests could get excited about,” says Roberto De Angelis, the brand’s chief experience officer. The aim was to honor the region’s seafood roots while providing a playful twist.
Although the Fisherman’s Quesadilla completed its run in early June, it set the stage for a summertime successor, the Lobster & Shrimp Quesadilla, which has graced the seasonal menu in years past. “Quesadillas are trending for their versatility and comfort-food appeal, making them the perfect canvas for creative flavor combinations like our coastal-inspired twists,” De Angelis says.
New England seafood might not be an intuitive filling for a quesadilla, but Friendly’s seasonal specials like the Fisherman’s Quesadilla demonstrate the format’s versatility.
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