Get FREE email communications from Fodor's Travel, covering must-see travel destinations, expert trip planning advice, and travel inspiration to fuel your passion.
Sorry! We don't have any recommendations for Boston right now.
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.
If all that shopping and snacking has made you thirsty, you might want to stop for a pint at the Black Rose; take a right at the far end of the South Market. The bar-restaurant features traditional Irish fare and live music seven nights a week.
A trifecta of Celtic celebration, this Quincy Market hot spot is part Irish pub, part lounge, and part live music hall. A destination for tourists and townies alike, the menu is a mix of classic Irish dishes, like chicken curry, warm Jameson bread pudding, and beef stew, alongside New England favorites, such as chowder fries, Samuel Adams chicken tenders, and clam chowder. Ned Devine’s features a cozy, upper-level dining room, a spacious dance floor for when bands are scheduled, and three bars that usually have the game on. The cozy interior, accented with exposed brick, is the perfect place to curl up with a fresh-drawn pint and relax after a day of sightseeing. When your energy is back on track, the live music draws big crowds on the weekends, with a $10 cover charge starting at 10 pm on Friday and 9 pm on Saturday.
This authentic Irish addition to Charlestown focuses on food, offering Scotch eggs wrapped in housemade sausage, pulled pork nachos, loaded potato soup, soda bread, wings, potato boxty, grilled cheese, curry brick chicken, sirloin steak, and more. But don't worry: there will still be plenty of drinking, as the restaurant also offers a big selection of beer, wine, cider, and cocktails (including chilled Irish coffee) for settling into the dark and cozy atmosphere for the night.
Sign up for Travel Tips & News
Thank you for your interest!
