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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.
This may be one of the oldest U.S. buildings you'll ever eat in; John Hancock—yes, that John Hancock—called this place his counting house back in the mid-18th century. Today, it's a contemporary seafood restaurant perched on Long Wharf right over Boston Harbor, offering grilled, baked, or blackened fish, prepared seafood dishes, and yes, steaks too.
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 fusilli alla vodka, chicken parm, and Sunday lasagne 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).
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 400 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.
We'd call the atmosphere here casual yet lively, convivial in a way that only a modern Greek restaurant can be. Share vegetable, seafood, and meat 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. Weekend brunch is a national sport and so popular that you'll need a reservation.
While the sweeping Back Bay views and neoclassical–meets–art deco decor are something to behold, the menu is just as captivating at this new crown jewel atop the luxurious hotel The Newbury. Fanciful dishes such as melt-in-your-mouth squash carpaccio, spicy lobster capellini, and a signature 40-ounce dry-aged bistecca fiorentina are as dazzling as the crowd, a blend of well-heeled locals, city socialites, and trend-seeking singles (mostly at the buzzy bar). Designed like a conservatory with a glass roof and retractable panels for open air dining, this is one of the few year-round rooftops in Boston.
A small enoteca with a whole lot of personality, Coppa is the definition of a neighborhood staple. James Beard award–winning chef Ken Oringer has made this the South End spot to share Italian plates, charcuterie, and a spritz on the outdoor patio.
Named after the art of the tea ceremony, the new-age feel to this spacious outpost starts with organic teas and coffee (displayed in canisters behind the counter) and extends to hearty meal options such as hot noodle soup, cold noodle salads, multigrain rice bowls, bibimbap, wraps, and smoothies. Linger over free Wi-Fi.
This popular Boston-born restaurant splits its focus between grilled all-natural steaks and chops and hearty, Italian-inspired dishes. Diners can't get enough of Davio's signature spring rolls, stuffed with Philly cheesesteak or chicken parm. The kitchen offers special menus, including healthy eating and gluten-free. While this isn't Davio's only location in the city, it does have beautiful real estate on Boston Harbor, which the dining room makes a point to showcase through floor-to-ceiling windows.
On weekday mornings and afternoons, locally operated food trucks congregate at Dewey Square plaza on the Rose Kennedy Greenway, ready to serve Financial District professionals an eat-it-while-you-walk or picnic meal. Typically, four to five different options offer variety from curry to Korean. Surrounded by organic gardens, public art, and Fort Point Channel, the setting creates atmosphere for a cheap and tasty lunch.
Known as Somerville's "refueling station," this bright, window-y spot just got a new look but still boasts a retro vibe, bold local artwork, and spacious tables that draw in Davis Square hipsters, Tufts students, and LGBTQ+ sets. Be part of the rebel crowd over veggie-friendly fare, crafted salads, soups, wraps, house-made pastries, and gourmet coffee with tasty house-made syrups in flavors like pumpkin, caramel, and vanilla. Shoot pool, chill out, or take selfies in a photo booth.
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 Leyla's focaccia and carne cruda are perfect for lighter snacks, while house-made pastas and entrées, including mustardy pork Milanese and roasted red snapper, are hearty additions to the table. The brunch crowd fills up on dishes such as almond paste brioche toast 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).
The newest addition to Boston’s Irish fare features chef Aidan McGee's (of Ireland’s County Donegal) full traditional Irish menu that includes dishes like Scotch eggs, beef-and-Guinness pie, and hearty stews. Live Irish music fills the air Saturday and Sunday at 3 pm, and a 2 am closing time is perfect for keeping everyone's eyes smiling.
An epicenter for all things Italian, this powerhouse is all about one word: mangia. There are four restaurants, a marketplace, wine shop, cooking school, 10 to-go counters, and a cannoli cart, so you can find anything you want to eat or drink here, and maybe discover a few things you didn't know you needed (perhaps a snack size of Piave Stravecchio DOP, a hard cheese from the Belluno province in northeastern Italy). Of note is the gorgeous outdoor rooftop extension of the greenhouse-inspired third-floor restaurant, Terra, which is perfect for grabbing a glass of vino or an Aperol Spritz, some food, and some conversation.
Chef--co-owner Allan Rodriguez's version of Mexico to Boston comes complete with real family recipes, spiced sangrias, house-made tortillas, and authentic micheladas (a unique drink made with beer that resembles a Bloody Mary). The newly renovated, cozy, exposed-brick, South End space is lively and bright, pulling double duty as a sit-down spot as well as takeout joint. The food is straightforward and crowd-pleasing, with favorites including freshly made guac (topped with chorizo, if you please), chimichangas, chicken mole, and more than 10 different tacos. There's a second location in Dedham.
This casual seafood spot, where you order at the counter, is an outpost of the famous Portland, Maine, restaurant of the same name. Offering reasonable prices for excellent fare, this is a fun option in Fenway without a lot of fuss. It's known for the brown butter lobster roll and plenty of seafood, but everything from wings, burgers, and grilled cheese sandwiches are available.
A tropical paradise meets an urban aesthetic on the face of this South Boston food stop. Everything about it is fun, contemporary, and whimsical, including the food, like dumplings and bao buns, noodle and rice bowls, sushi and sashimi, and poke. A bar vibe that can get loud invades later on in the evenings—be sure to try the innovative cocktails, especially, of course, the scorpion bowl.
Cafés abound on Brattle Street, but Felipe's is a good bet for fresh ingredients and authentic recipes that build out a quick hit menu of Mexican grab-and-go dishes and bottle opener--required Mexican sodas. Start off with their salsa fresca, queso, or guac, then fill up on heaping Super Burritos, Baja-style tacos, and nachos. Finish off with flan, churro, or a brownie.
Seafood lovers staying in the Downtown area will definitely want to stop by this lively restaurant. A gorgeous raw bar features everything from Cape Cod oysters to lobster tail; starters and entrées lean heavily into the freshest catch like the hot seafood tower piled high with shellfish and tomato broth, but there are a few options for landlubbers. Stop by for breakfast on the weekend only.
With a full menu served until 1:30 am and an industry-heavy clientele, the Franklin has jumped to the head of the class by keeping things simple yet effective, from the well-crafted cocktails to the homey cuisine: think skillet-smoked mussels, lasagna, and steak frites. The vibe tends to feel more like a bar than a restaurant (hence the copious bartender awards), so be forewarned that it can get loud, and the wait for a table (there aren't very many of them) can be long.
Tucked in next to the Opera House, the French Quarter's marquee signage fits right in. This ode to Louisiana features a menu of popcorn shrimp, fried okra, sticky chicken, and crab-crusted catfish, and toasts the Southern experience with a Vieux Carré and much more. On a nice evening, sit by the front windows—they open.
This Chinatown newcomer pairs art deco decor (the lights! the columns! the floor!) with fresh, scratch-made Shanghainese food in a comfortable environment. No menus here—order straight from your phone at any time during your stay. Menu standouts include the rainbow soup dumplings delivered to your table in a bird cage, Peking duck deconstructed with pancakes, and the sweet and sour pork ribs; everything is ordered via your smartphone. Patrons include young adults from the Chinatown community and nearby Emerson and Suffolk University grad students.
The name in Japanese means "house of elegance," and the gracious and efficient service hits the mark at this flagship location, along with the interior's tatami mats, rice-paper partitions, and wooden ships circling a moat around the sushi bar. The extensive menu is both elegant and novel, with thick slabs of superfresh sashimi, inventive maki rolls, and plenty of cooked items, like beef fried rice or chicken curry, for those not into seafood or raw fish.
This snow-white shop in Union Square makes microbatches of ice cream daily and serves it, if you wish, in a torched marshmallow-cream–lined cone. There are six All the Time Flavors (chocolate, sweet cream, black raspberry chip, mint chip, cookies and cream, salty whiskey) and five Sometimes Flavors. The often-crazy flavors have included the likes of Fruity Pebbles (the cereal), black sesame and honey, and Gronk Mash (peanut butter ice cream with potato chips, pretzels, Kit Kat pieces, peanuts, and chocolate chips). One dairy-free sorbet option is always available, too. There's contactless ordering online or via the app.
In a building originally designed by historic architect Charles Bulfinch in 1816, this place has a lively atmosphere day or night, with the sounds of revelry bouncing off its exposed brick walls and wooden beams. The kitchen serves up decent comfort food and a solid weekend brunch.
Just before you reach the Chinatown Gate, this bakery offers you red bean buns, milk cake, fruit puffs, custard tarts, and fresh dessert cakes, among other sweet and savory baked goods. There's also a dim sum menu, rice soup, woks, and Hong Kong--style noodles, and a few places to sit. The prices are a bargain.
This Beacon Hill legend was the first bar in the city to get its liquor license after the repeal of Prohibition—and it's almost 100 years old. Patrons sit at the dark-wood bar and high-tops to watch a Celtics game and dig into a menu of tasty burgers, salads, and pizzas. The place is often packed with doctors and nurses from nearby Mass General enjoying post-shift drinks.
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, 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. Purchase a stuffed Henrietta pig in the small gift shop. 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.
This dimly lit, nautically inspired spot pays homage to the ocean in not only decor but tasty fare. Against a backdrop of sailing ships and vessels, antiqued mirrors, and chandelier bubblelike bulbs, daytime appetites fill up on beer-battered fish-and-chips, po'boys, and lobster rolls, while the dinner crowd enjoys entrées like bucatini frutti di mare, seared scallops, swordfish tacos, and an oyster bar that features dozens of the bivalve beauties, as well as a massive chilled grand seafood tower. Even the cocktail list gives a nod to life at sea, with names like the tequila-based Oyster Shooter, an Irish whiskey concoction known as Fool's Gold, and the Bow & Arrow rum drink.
Attached to TD Garden and North Station, this unique food hall serves up more than a dozen and a half mouthwatering food and drink outposts operated by local chefs and restaurants. Try barbecue at the Smoke Shop or Italian desserts at Mike's Pastry. While quick service is the name of the game, one thing is for sure: If you don't like crowds, avoid this place when there is an event at the Garden.
Since 1981, J.P. Licks has been serving up delicious homemade ice cream and frozen yogurt, later adding its own roasted coffee and baked goods, in a fun, funky atmosphere. This is the original shop, but outposts can be found all over the city, all with the same great flavors and service. You can pop in for a latte and scone in the morning and return in the afternoon for a scoop or a frappe. In warm weather, the outdoor patio is packed with ice cream lovers.
