Boston Restaurants

In a city synonymous with tradition, Boston chefs have spent recent years rewriting culinary history. The stuffy, wood-paneled formality is gone; the endless renditions of chowdah, lobster, and cod have retired; and the assumption that true foodies better hop the next Amtrak to New York is also—thankfully—a thing of the past.

In their place, a crop of young chefs has ascended, opening small, upscale neighborhood spots that use local New England ingredients to delicious effect. Traditional eats can still be found (Durgin-Park remains the best place to get baked beans), but many diners now gravitate toward innovative food in understated environs. Whether you're looking for casual French, down-home Southern cooking, some of the best sushi in the country, or Vietnamese banh mi sandwiches, Boston restaurants are ready to deliver. Eclectic Japanese spot o ya and iconic French restaurant L'Espalier have garnered widespread attention, while a coterie of star chefs like Barbara Lynch, Lydia Shire, and Ken Oringer have built mini-empires and thrust the city to the forefront of the national dining scene.

The fish and shellfish brought in from nearby shores continue to inform the regional cuisine, along with locally grown fruits and vegetables, handmade cheeses, and humanely raised heritage game and meats. But don't expect boiled lobsters and baked apple pie. Today’s chefs, while showcasing New England’s bounty, might offer you lobster cassoulet with black truffles, bacon-clam pizza from a wood-burning oven, and a tomato herb salad harvested from the restaurant’s rooftop garden. In many ways, though, Boston remains solidly skeptical of trends. To wit: the cupcake craze and food truck trend hit here later than other cities; the Hawaii-inspired poke movement has only recently arrived. And over in the university culture of Cambridge, places like the Harvest and Oleana espoused the locavore and slow-food movements before they became buzzwords.

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  • 1. Angela's Cafe

    $$

    Colorful and airy, this East Boston Mexican restaurant reflects the culture of many living in the neighborhood, and its eponymous cook re-creates dishes from her native Puebla. Locals love it for its authenticity and extensive selection of small, snacky plates (mmm, queso fundido) and hearty main courses (chilaquiles, mole poblano). It's definitely worth the trip from downtown.

    1012 Bennington St., Boston, Massachusetts, USA
    617-874–8251

    Known For

    • House-made guacamole
    • Chicken and queso chilaquiles
    • Brunch
  • 2. Antico Forno

    $$$ | North End

    Many of the menu choices here come from the eponymous wood-burning brick oven, which turns out surprisingly delicate thin-crust pizzas simply topped with tomato and buffalo mozzarella or complicated combos like pistachio pesto, fresh mozzarella, and sausage. While the name, which translates to "old oven," gives the pizzas top billing, Antico excels at a variety of Italian country dishes that harken back to the Old Country, like veal parmigiana, osso buco with pork shank, chicken saltimbocca, and handmade pastas; the specialty, gnocchi, is rich and creamy but light. The joint is cramped and noisy, but also homey and comfortable—which means that your meal will resemble a raucous dinner with an adopted Italian family. Its rustic decor of large tiles, huge rectangular bar, and imposing brick archway add even more authenticity as you fill your belly.

    93 Salem St., Boston, Massachusetts, 02113, USA
    617-723–6733

    Known For

    • Wood-fired, brick-oven pizza
    • Italian country classics
    • Casual, jovial atmosphere
  • 3. Bricco Salumeria

    $ | North End

    Frank DePasquale’s sandwich and pasta shop is easy to miss, but just follow the steady stream of savvy locals down the alley adjacent to his award-winning restaurant to find the tiny spot packed with imported Italian meats and cheeses, vinegars, tomatoes, olive oils, and more. The monumental Italian sandwich is a heaping pile of mortadella, Genoa salami, soppressata, provolone, and all the fixings, while the packed Chicken Parmagiano is a shareable feast. All are served on house-made breads from the panetteria next door.

    11 Board Alley, Boston, Massachusetts, 02113, USA
    617-248-9629

    Known For

    • Local favorite
    • Huge, made-to-order Italian sandwiches
    • House-made breads
  • 4. Cafe Polonia

    $$

    People come to Boston for certain things—colleges, Irish pubs, Fenway Park—and Polish food isn't usually one of them. But, if you do land here, this authentic Polish restaurant in Southie is a must-stop. The menu is rife with an Eastern European culinary heritage in plates like pierogi, beet soup, stuffed cabbage and kielbasa, and there are some tasty Polish beers. You'll be glad you ventured to Andrew Square.

    611 Dorchester Ave., Boston, Massachusetts, 02127, USA
    617-269–0110

    Known For

    • Pierogi, beet soup, stuffed cabbage and kielbasa
    • Polish beer
    • Food worth traveling for
  • 5. Caffé Vittoria

    $ | North End

    Established in 1929, Caffé Vittoria—Boston's oldest Italian café—is rightfully known as Boston's most traditional Italian café, which is one of the reasons the place is packed with locals. With gleaming brass, marble tabletops, four levels of seating, three bars that serve aperitifs, one of the city's best selections of grappa, and one massive, ancient espresso maker, this old-fashioned café will make you want to lose yourself in these surroundings. Bring your wallet because they are cash-only.

    290–296 Hanover St., Boston, Massachusetts, 02113, USA
    617-227–7606

    Known For

    • Specialty coffee drinks
    • Grapa
    • Gelato
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  • 6. Chacarero

    $ | Downtown

    This place is famous among the city's working professionals, who willingly wait in long lines for the signature Chilean-style sandwich, a delicious combination of green beans, chicken, muenster cheese, tomatoes, and an avocado spread on fresh bread. There are a few other offerings, including empanadas and rice pudding.

    101 Arch St., Boston, Massachusetts, 02108, USA
    617-542–0392

    Known For

    • Bread baked fresh daily
    • Signature Chilean sandwich
    • Tasty orange cake

    Restaurant Details

    Rate Includes: Closed Sat.–Sun.
  • 7. Chickadee

    $$$$

    At the far eastern end of the city and tucked into the Innovation and Design Building, Chickadee is a restaurant you'd wish to stumble over. Make the trek on the Silver Line or simply walk to sample chef-owner John daSilva's curated seasonal menu, rife with unique preparations and locally sourced ingredients. The idea is to order a selection of smaller sized plates and share amongst the table, and, after a look at the Mediterranean-inspired offerings, you'll want to. As for cocktails, they're intentional, well-crafted, and laced with unique ingredients. 

    21 Drydock Ave., Boston, Massachusetts, 02210, USA
    617-531–5591

    Known For

    • Whole-food focused
    • Original, unique cocktails
    • Free parking

    Restaurant Details

    Rate Includes: Closed Sun.
  • 8. Clover Food Lab

    $ | Downtown

    After more than a decade, locals still love this vegetarian restaurant's chickpea fritters, not to mention the daily changing menu of freshly prepared sustainable and local veg- and vegan-friendly sandwiches and plates. Boston and Cambridge feature a number of Clover locations, but this one is bright and airy with huge windows that open onto School Street. Awesome place to stop for lunch along the Freedom Trail.

    27 School St., Boston, Massachusetts, USA

    Known For

    • Chickpea fritter sandwich
    • Housemade juice sodas and George Howell coffee
    • Sourcing ingredients locally and sustainably
  • 9. Coquette

    $$$$

    This new addition to the Seaport District has personality in spades, with pastel purple and bright red chandeliers, plumes of feathers in floral arrangements, and pink napkins on the table. The menu, too, is inspired, featuring French cuisine informed by global flavors meant to be ordered in abundance—two to three plates per diner. The hummus, which takes four days to make, is a must, as is the merde dé can (yes, that does translate to "dog shit") spinach dumplings, which beat Bobby Flay. Cocktails are gorgeous and delicious, and if you win over your server, they may just bring over the gratis Stinger digestif service (coconut butter–washed cognac with crème de menthe, absinthe, and verjus blanc) to end your meal. 

    450 Summer St., Boston, Massachusetts, 02210, USA
    617-419–8140

    Known For

    • Colorful decor
    • Spinach dumplings
    • Excellent cocktails
  • 10. Davio's Northern Italian Steakhouse

    $$$$ | Back Bay

    Comfy armchairs and a grand, high-ceilinged dining room give diners a heightened sense of self-importance, beginning with lunch when the city's power elite stop in for great pastas (half portions are available), prime aged steaks, and oversize salads. For dinner, some patrons snag quick, pretheater bites at the bar while others opt for a more leisurely experience, lingering over sophisticated Italian dishes like tagliatelle Bolognese and succulent grilled veal chops with creamy potatoes and port wine sauce. Gluten-free and children's menus are available, along with a killer Sunday brunch with such options as poached eggs and beef tenderloin with a popover and truffle hollandaise.

    75 Arlington St., Boston, Massachusetts, 02116, USA
    617-357–4810

    Known For

    • Delectable Italian classics
    • Generous portions
    • Elegant setting and service

    Restaurant Details

    Rate Includes: No lunch weekends
  • 11. Deuxave

    $$$ | Back Bay

    At the corner of two avenues (Commonwealth and Massachusetts), which is how this restaurant got its name (deux is French for "two"), you'll find this snazzy, dark-wood enclave serving sophisticated dishes like spice-crusted ahi tuna and braised pork belly, pan-seared Atlantic halibut, and organic chicken with parsnip and foie gras agnolotti. Make sure to pair your meal with a bottle from the thoughtfully crafted and surprisingly affordable wine list served by an attentive staff.

    371 Commonwealth Ave., Boston, Massachusetts, 02115, USA
    617-517–5915

    Known For

    • Modern French food
    • Nine-hour French onion soup
    • Reasonably priced wine list
  • 12. Flour Bakery + Café

    $ | South End

    When folks need coffee, a great sandwich, or an irresistible sweet, like a pecan sticky bun, lemon tart, or double chocolate cookie—or just a place to sit and chat—they pay a visit to one of owner Joanne Chang's 10 Flour bakeries, including this one in the South End. A communal table in the middle acts as a gathering spot, around which diners enjoy morning pastries, homemade soups, hearty bean and grain salads, and specialty sandwiches, which change seasonally.

    1595 Washington St., Boston, Massachusetts, 02118, USA
    617-267–4300

    Known For

    • Scrumptious sweets
    • Delicious salads and sandwiches
    • Laid-back setting

    Restaurant Details

    Rate Includes: Reservations not accepted
  • 13. Fox & the Knife Enoteca

    $$$

    Chef-owner Karen Akunowicz steps up with hearty, traditional Italian food inspired by her time as a chef and pasta maker in Italy. Locals love it so much that in order to score a table, especially on the weekends, you have to book a reservation about a month or so out. But once you get in, you'll realize it was worth the wait to dig into this James Beard Award–winner's carb-heavy fare, like warm focaccia, handmade pasta, pork Milanese, braised lamb, or whole fish. Plates are on the smaller side, so make sure to order with abandon, although your wallet won't thank you for it. At the bar, order the flight of Amaro varieties. 

    28 W. Broadway, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
    617-766–8630

    Known For

    • Award-winning chef
    • Focaccia
    • Excellent service

    Restaurant Details

    Rate Includes: Closed Mon.
  • 14. Giulia

    $$$ | Harvard Square

    With exposed-brick walls and soft lighting, the heart and soul of this charming Italian restaurant is its communal pasta table at which chef Michael Pagliarini spends hours hand-rolling superlative pastas for dishes like buckwheat pizzoccheri and pasta alla Bolognese. Plates such as house-made lamb sausage, monkfish piccata, warm semolina cakes, grilled barramundi, and Sardinian flatbread are original, generous, and, of course delicious. Known for its romantic nature, it's the perfect place for lovers to linger over a chocolate terrine and cappuccino.

    1682 Massachusetts Ave., Cambridge, Massachusetts, 02138, USA
    617-441–2800

    Known For

    • Excellent Italian food
    • Silky pastas
    • Warm, softly lit space

    Restaurant Details

    Rate Includes: Closed Sun.
  • 15. Grill 23 & Bar

    $$$$ | Back Bay

    Pinstripe suits, dark paneling, Persian rugs, and waiters in white jackets give this single-location steak house a posh tone, and the kitchen places a premium on seasonal, organic ingredients and sustainable and humanely raised meats; the divine coconut cake is worth saving room for dessert. Two bars, a big, buzzing one overlooking Berkeley Street and a quieter, smaller one on the second floor by the cozy fireplace, serve excellent drinks, specialty Scotches, and bar bites, along with the full menu.

    161 Berkeley St., Boston, Massachusetts, 02116, USA
    617-542–2255

    Known For

    • Locally owned steak house
    • Brandt family beef
    • Party-dress vibe

    Restaurant Details

    Rate Includes: No lunch
  • 16. haley.henry

    $$$ | Downtown

    Charcuterie, tinned fish, ceviche: You can eat well at this excellent Downtown wine bar that's small in size but big in reputation. Definitely make a reservation before showing up; it can be busy, even on a Wednesday night. The owner and her staff are incredibly well educated on wines, and they can lead you through the curated wine list.

    45 Province St., Boston, Massachusetts, 02108, USA
    617-208–6000

    Known For

    • Wine from small, independent producers
    • Staff knows their stuff
    • Incredible service

    Restaurant Details

    Rate Includes: Closed Sun.–Mon.
  • 17. Harvest

    $$$$ | Brattle Street

    Once a favorite of former Cambridge resident Julia Child, this sophisticated shrine to New England cuisine has been a perennial go-to spot for Harvard students when their parents are in town since 1975. The seasonal menu could feature Cape scallop crudo, fresh pasta with braised veal and pesto, or fresh Cape lobster with lemon hollandaise. The restaurant also serves lunch and à la carte brunch (cinnamon buns on the pastry board are worth the visit alone). In addition to the elegant dining room there's a lush outdoor patio (with fans as well as blankets and an outdoor fire place to accommodate any season).

    44 Brattle St., Cambridge, Massachusetts, 02138, USA
    617-868–2255

    Known For

    • Elegant New England cuisine
    • Expansive wine list
    • Pretty patio dining area
  • 18. Helmand

    $$$ | Kendall Square

    The area's first Afghan restaurant, named after the country's most important river, welcomes you into its cozy Kendall Square confines with Afghan rugs, a wood-burning oven, and exotic, yet extremely approachable food that reflects the motherland's location halfway between the Middle East and India. Standouts, beyond the chewy warm bread, include magical names from a faraway land like aushak (leek-stuffed ravioli over yogurt with beef ragu and mint), chapendaz (marinated grilled beef tenderloin served with cumin-spiced hot pepper–tomato puree), and a vegetarian baked pumpkin platter. The warm atmosphere, courtesy of a small fireplace and a woodburning oven that provides heat for the restaurant's famous flatbread, gives off the comforts of home while maintaining a world's away vibe.

    143 1st St., Cambridge, Massachusetts, 02142, USA
    617-492–4646

    Known For

    • Excellent Afghan fare
    • Enveloping atmosphere
    • Incredible breads

    Restaurant Details

    Rate Includes: Reservations essential
  • 19. High Street Place Food Hall

    $ | Downtown

    If you can't agree among your traveling partners what to eat where, this food hall features 20 different local vendors featuring delicious and top-quality foods of all varieties. Gourmet doughnuts from Blackbird, porchetta sandwiches from Pennypacker's, Jewish deli eats from Mamaleh's, sushi at Fuji, and so much more are here. 

    100 High St., Boston, Massachusetts, 02110, USA

    Known For

    • Tons of options from local vendors
    • Live DJs in the evening
    • Open anytime you're hungry

    Restaurant Details

    Rate Includes: Closed Sun.
  • 20. Kava Neo-Taverna

    $$$ | South End

    This sweet little white-washed taverna serves authentic Greek cuisine, with many ingredients imported directly from the Mediterranean, such as the feta, fish, and octopus. Order some crisp white wine off the hard-to-find Greek wines and liquors list to sip with a parade of home-style dishes, from tasty meze plates to entrées like grilled lamb chops. The tables may be tight and the wait a bit long without a reservation, but you'll forget about these tiny inconveniences once dinner arrives.

    315 Shawmut Ave., Boston, Massachusetts, 02118, USA
    617-356–1100

    Known For

    • Authentic Greek favorites
    • Taverna feel
    • High-quality ingredients

    Restaurant Details

    Rate Includes: No lunch weekdays

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