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$$$ | Kendall Square |
Chef-owner William Kovel’s simple, approachable French-American cuisine translates to dishes like chicken liver mousse, squid ink cavatelli, pan-roasted blue cod, and house-made pastas. The dining room has views of the semi-open kitchen and the atrium with sweeping floor-to-ceiling windows. In addition to cranking out a superb menu, Chef Kovel is a Level 2 sommelier, so he stays on top of exciting new wines, an ever-changing beer program, and a bar program supplemented with house-made syrups and infusions. Reclaimed barn board, hand-blown glass light fixtures, and a two-way fireplace with sofas give the large restaurant a comfortable, intimate environment. The heated outdoor patio is a hot spot for warmer months and a chilly glass of Patio Punch.
300 Technology Sq., Cambridge, Massachusetts, 02139, USA
Known For
- Modern French dishes
- After-work crowd
- Huge U-shape bar
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Sun.
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$$$ | North End |
Located on the Freedom Trail and overlooking the country's oldest public square, the vintage-looking facade of Ciao Roma is an elevated alternative to dining old-school in the North End. Classics are simple in nature but complex in taste, with dishes such as squid ink linguini, chicken parm, and Sunday ragù vying for your attention. Save room for mini cannolis, tiramisu, and cheesecake, or add a shot of liqueur to your meal-ending dessert of affogato (vanilla gelato drowned in espresso). Campari cocktails, tonics, and spritzes abound, and there's a section featuring kitschy throwbacks like the espresso martini or Godfather cocktail (scotch and amaretto).
5 North Sq., Boston, Massachusetts, 02113, USA
Known For
- Beautifully displayed crudo
- Italian classics
- White tablecloths
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$$$ | |
All you want and expect from a modern public house, this spot has burgers, steak frites, and, as the name promises, plenty of oysters. In addition, the bar offers more than 200 whiskeys, along with plenty of craft beers and wines. Like pig roasts? Book the unusual Citizen Pig Roast for 10 people, a family-style feast with a suckling pig and all the fixings.
1310 Boylston St., Boston, Massachusetts, 02215, USA
Known For
- Classy vibe
- Oysters
- Pig roasts
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$$$ | |
Weekend brunch is a national sport at this popular restaurant known for its modern and inspired take on Greek cuisine and killer cocktails, but it's also open daily for dinner. Come and share meze plates with your dining companions, or, if you've really got a big appetite, dig into one of the "feasts," which may include a selection of grilled meats or a whole fish. The atmosphere is casual and just as lively as the food.
50 Northern Ave., Boston, Massachusetts, 02210, USA
Known For
- Sesame feta meze
- Trendy vibes
- Lively scene
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$$$ | South End |
A small enoteca with a whole lot of personality, Coppa is the definition of a neighborhood staple. James Beard–winning chefs Ken Oringer and Jamie Bissonnette have made this the South End spot to share Italian plates, charcuterie, and a spritz on the outdoor patio.
253 Shawmut Ave., Boston, Massachusetts, 02118, USA
Known For
- Carbonara and pizza
- Intimate setting
- Amari menu
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Recommended Fodor’s Video
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$$$ | |
With the dainty twinkle lights sitting against exposed brick elements, this neighborhood spot creates an intimate atmosphere with a lively energy. Chilled seafood starters along with smaller plates like mushroom toast and mussels Mozambique are perfect for lighter snacks, while housemade pastas and entrées, including pork Milanese, bean cassoulet, and Ora King salmon, are hearty additions to the table. The brunch crowd will happily fill up on dishes such as huevos rancheros and fried chicken and waffles. An outdoor brick patio is perfect for seasonal dining. The wine bar aspect is showcased through an impressive "by the glass" or bottle selection, along with craft beers and cocktails (their seasonal rosé sangria is a local favorite).
1 Sixth Street, Boston, Massachusetts, 02129, USA
Known For
- Gorgeous patio with twinkle lights
- Brunch dishes
- Sangria
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$$$ | South End |
Step down into this charming wine bistro and you'll feel like you've been transported to Paris, with a menu of classic French fare dressed up a bit, such as escargot toast or foie gras on brioche, paired with one of two dozen wines by the glass, all served with a smile by an attentive staff. The wall-length bar is a buzzy spot in the evenings, while those looking for a romantic nook choose the garden-side solarium. Tables fill up fast with diners lingering over escargot toast, duck magret, and steak frites. The mousse au chocolate for dessert ends a meal with a decadent and delicious touch. Visit their sister restaurant, Collette Wine Bistro, in Cambridge's Porter Square.
560 Tremont St., Boston, Massachusetts, 02118, USA
Known For
- Authentic French food
- Lively atmosphere
- Cozy solarium in back
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$$$ | Kendall Square |
A nod to East Cambridge's place as the center of the nation’s glass-making industry and home to its largest glass factory, Glass House is an eye-catching restaurant that offers tasty American cuisine that delivers a good balance between sea and land (think charred octopus and bone-in rib eye). While the cocktail menu is full of creative drinks and the draft beer selections are strong, the mocktail list is just as impressive, with several fruity and fizzy refreshing drinks.
450 Kendall St., Cambridge, Massachusetts, 02142, USA
Known For
- Boston Harborfest five-time winner for best clam chowder
- Kids menu
- Modern twists on classic dishes
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Sat.–Mon.
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$$$ | Downtown |
Grand and resplendent in appearance—it is located in a luxury hotel and former Federal Reserve Bank, after all—Grana features upscale yet casual Italian dishes for lunch and weekend brunch that invite you to dig in. The only drawback to this place is that it isn't open for dinner.
250 Franklin St., Boston, Massachusetts, 02110, USA
Known For
- Signature focaccia bread with a half-dozen different topping options
- Family-style three-course brunch
- Shareable tea cocktail
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No dinner
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$$$ | Old West End |
The eponymous chef offers an explosive, vibrant, and art filled 6,000 square feet of Mexican-inspired fun. Menu features all types of small plates (a must is the trash-can nachos), tacos, and a few signature dishes. Drinkers in your group can really get behind the margaritas and the tequila flights.
110 Causeway St., Boston, Massachusetts, 02114, USA
Known For
- Fun atmosphere
- Trash-can nachos
- Incredibly busy during TD Garden games and events
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$$$ | Harvard Square |
Located in the Charles Hotel, this cheerful, country-style restaurant is named after chef-owner Peter Davis's pet pig, Henrietta. Davis is passionate about working with small area growers and purveyors, as well as harvesting veggies and honey from the restaurant's rooftop garden and hives, which is evident in his fresh, honest, wholesome, New England–style dishes like juicy Yankee pot roast, Pig Under a Brick, Ritz-crusted scrod, and creamy Maine crab-corn chowder. He occasionally even offers that old Yankee standby for dessert, Boston cream pie, but his signature chocolate bread pudding with caramelized rum bananas and vanilla bean ice cream is always available. Grab a seat at the U-shape bar (next to the photo of Henrietta with Pres. Bill Clinton) to enjoy a preprandial coffee, cocktail, or zero-proof refreshment, or head outside in spring or summer to dine al fresco in the large outdoor patio.
1 Bennett St., Cambridge, Massachusetts, 02138, USA
Known For
- Epic weekend brunches
- Inviting, sunny setting
- New England farm–sourced ingredients
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No dinner Mon. and Tues.
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$$$ | Beacon Hill | Middle Eastern
A rotating gallery of Persian art adorns the walls of this pearl-gray eatery specializing in home-style Iranian dishes. Along with classics such as fesejan, duck leg in a satiny pomegranate-walnut sauce, you'll find brain fritters, smoky eggplant puree, pollo (rice dishes), kebabs, and richly spiced lamb stews, including one seasoned with dried lime. The staff obviously enjoys explaining the menu, and the wine list is well selected for foods that often defy wine matches.
97 Mt. Vernon St., Boston, Massachusetts, 02108, USA
Known For
- Authentic Persian cuisine
- Home-style dishes
- Exotic, yet approachable, seasonings
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No lunch
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$$$ | Downtown | Seafood
What began as a tiny restaurant adjacent to a Cambridge fish market has grown to important regional status, with more than 30 East Coast locations, including almost a dozen in Boston. The hallmark is the freshest possible seafood, whether you have it wood-grilled, in New England chowder, or doused in an Asia-inspired sauce. The jumbo lump crab cakes are divine (no fillers) and the clam chowder is so good it has become a menu staple at presidential inaugurations. For a true taste of New England, don't miss the golden cracker-crowned baked lobster stuffed with shrimp and scallops, one of the most popular entrées at all Legal restaurants.
26 Park Sq., Boston, Massachusetts, 02116, USA
Known For
- Classic, superfresh New England seafood
- Family-friendly setting
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$$$ | |
With a roof deck, patio, balcony, and floor-to-ceiling windows, Legal Sea Foods' flagship restaurant features abundant space for diners to take in panoramic views of Boston Harbor no matter the season or the weather, and this view certainly draws a crowd. The menu is classic seafood: from raw bar and sushi offerings to grilled fish, fried fish, and sandwiches, there is plenty to eat here—unless you're a landlubber.
270 Northern Ave., Boston, Massachusetts, 02210, USA
Known For
- Prime waterfront location
- Tasty seafood menu
- Legal Sea Food's flagship restaurant
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$$$ | |
Come for the tacos and margaritas; stay for the nightlife scene and at this lively Mexican joint on the water. In the moody dining room painted with murals and adorned with red chandeliers or on the bright waterfront patio, you'll start off with a granita palate cleanser, then dive into guacamole and a few sharing plates as you imbibe with the trendy, young Boston crowd.
253 Summer St., Boston, Massachusetts, 02210, USA
Known For
- Brunch on the patio
- Bar with stained glass backdrop
- Mexican street corn
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$$$ | North End |
The Frattaroli Family, who opened Lucia shortly after emigrating to Boston from the Abruzzo region of Italy, pack the kitchen with classic dishes that showcase flavors from their beloved home, which is why weekend evenings get packed. The long menu includes apps, such as fresh caprese salad and crispy calamari, and entrée favorites, including a buttery-smooth sogliola pescarese (filet of sole dipped in egg and fried with limoncello), pollo marsala, and ammazzafame, a house specialty of penne rigate, porcini mushrooms, sausage, broccoli, sun-dried tomatoes, and capers. If you take to the outdoor patio to dine, don't expect more than a beer and wine selection on Sunday, as the adjacent church grounds forbid serving hard liquor that day.
415 Hanover St., Boston, Massachusetts, 02113, USA
Known For
- Ammazzafame penne specialty
- Lines on weekends
- Outdoor patio
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Mon., Reservations recommended.
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$$$ | North End |
Don't let the clichéd name fool you: Mamma Maria is far from a typical red-sauce joint. From the handmade pappardelle layered with braised rabbit to the authentic sauces and entrées to some of the best desserts in the North End, you can't go wrong here. The view, meanwhile, is lovely; gaze out onto cobblestone-lined North Square as you finish your fork-tender osso buco before a finale of limoncello (an Italian lemon-flavored liquor). It's set in a 19th century row house. Valet parking is available.
3 North Sq., Boston, Massachusetts, 02113, USA
Known For
- White-cloth Italian cuisine
- Charming setting with outdoor patio
- Good service
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No lunch
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$$$ | Government Center |
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.
1 Fanueil Hall Marketplace, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
Known For
- Irish eats
- Live music
- Great location
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$$$ | South End |
Although the entrance to this superb sushi restaurant may elude you, simply follow the crowds of raw-fish fans streaming into the sleek, gray, industrial space, to find edible aquatic enchantment in the form of Tokyo-style soft-shell crab, lobster tempura, and Chilean sea bass. The vibe is stylish and so are the diners. While it's easy to rack up quite a bill, especially ordering endless sushi a la cart, the omakase is a splurge; at $265–$280 its six to nine courses include Wagyu with truffles and sake add-ons.
1166 Washington St., Boston, Massachusetts, 02118, USA
Known For
- High-end Japanese sushi
- Quiet atmosphere
- Minimalist decor
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Mon.
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$$$ | Beacon Hill |
Owner and chef Josh Lewin serves up a sophisticated take on rustic, coastal Mediterranean food, and diners are meant to rest, order slowly, and enjoy a meal in multiple stages. Everything is made from scratch in the kitchen, and although the preparations are Italian-based, there's a nod to New England ingredients and seasonality. Inside the dining room, the vibe is modern, with blues and browns, and a gorgeous wood floor.
170 Charles St., Boston, Massachusetts, 02114, USA
Known For
- Signature family-style Sunday suppers
- Curated wine selection from small vineyards
- All-day dining