189 Best Restaurants in Boston, Massachusetts

Devotees of this retro-cool basement restaurant with strong cocktails and reasonable prices swear by the no-fuss menu options, such as a truly addictive macaroni and cheese, meat loaf with mashed potatoes, and steak tips. The wine list is compact but varied and has one of the lowest markups in the city. Once the after-work crowd pours in, the room can become a bit loud, which means everyone is having a good time.

Café society blossoms along Newbury Street, particularly at Sonsie, where a well-heeled crowd sips coffee up front or angles for places at the bar. Lunch and dinner dishes veer toward basic bistro fare with an American twist, such as kale Caesar salad with grilled chicken and pan-roasted salmon with potatoes, chard, and beet "ketchup." The restaurant is terrific for weekend brunch, when the light pours through the long windows, and is at its most vibrant in warm weather, when the open doors make for stellar people-watching. A downstairs wine room, meanwhile, offers more intimacy. The late-night pizza and dessert menu (nightly until at least midnight) is perfect for after-hours cravings, including their famous espresso martini.

When you need a break, duck into this hot little bakery for piping hot coffees, teas, and cocoa, or you can take yours chilled to perfection. If you're hungry, dig into one of their well-known bagel or pressed sandwiches, filled croissants, or a freshly made salad with a side of homemade soup du jour. There's outside seating when the weather agrees.

One of the city's most widely awarded chefs, Barbara Lynch serves rustic, hearty Italian food with her team in a casual setting, where diners sit and eat at one long, winding counter. Fare like burrata, lamb meatballs, foccacia, braised rabbit, and bolognese are plentiful and tasty, if on the pricey side of things. To go along with the food, Sportello offers a tantalizing selection of artisanal wines by the glass and the bottle.

SRV, short for Serene Republic of Venice, bills itself as a bacaro, or Italian wine bar, which in the South End translates into a happening cocktail scene. The chic set gathers to sip on aperitifs like Aperol Spritz and negroni bianco before tucking into tantalizing small plates and hand-crafted pastas made from flour the chefs mill themselves from durum wheat berries. Sharing is the way to go and once you've forked up some two-bite pork-beef meatballs and marinated olives it's time for pastas and risottos, like the ricotta gnudi or potato, asiago, and rabbit tortelli.

Here's comfort food at its best—sophisticated enough for adults (lobster pot pie), yet simple enough for kids (burgers and pasta). The attractive space has plenty of booths for spreading out in, and the great patio is a lively spot in summer. It's the perfect people-watching perch as you dine on dishes such as decadent three-cheese macaroni, Stephi's burger, and huge Back Bay chopped salad.

Family-owned and established in 1951, this beach-style dairy bar---affectionately nicknamed Sully's---serves fried seafood, hot dogs, hamburgers, and soft-serve ice cream at Castle Island every spring, summer, and fall. Don't expect frills or indoor seating—there is no need since its surroundings provide sloping lawns, picnic tables, benches, and beach vistas for lunching. Fries don't automatically come as a side with sandwiches, so if you want them, make sure you order them.

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.

Boston uberchef Jasper White's casual New England seafood restaurant is a boisterous, bright, fun eatery next to the Prudential Center (he also has one in Cambridge and at Mohegan Sun in Connecticut), where creamy clam chowder and fried Ipswich clams share menu space with golden crab cakes and cedar-planked, maple-lemon–glazed salmon. In addition to a handful of chicken and meat dishes for those not into seafood, White features some of the most succulent lobsters in the city (he has a patented process for cooking them). Go super local with a traditional New England clam bake, complete with red potatoes, corn, linguica, clams, and mussels served in a net bag.

This local burger joint (there are a few of them, actually) channels a malt shop from the 1950s while serving milkshakes, beer and wine, and soda, the latter in some uncommon flavors like Fresca and Cheerwine. The star of the menu is, of course, the burger, which comes in the most basic version or more daring renditions like a spicy jalapeño or brûléed gorgonzola. Combos and meal deals lower the already inexpensive prices.

Diving head first into dishes like cuttlefish ink spaghetti, rare tuna steak with roasted eggplant, and salmon with pork belly and spring peas, chef Robert Sisca pays homage to New England’s long-standing fishing tradition. While the ocean's bounty is its main theme, he doesn't leave landlubbers stranded; there are a few chicken and turf dishes as well. A first-floor raw bar offers stellar crudo, oyster, and caviar selections. The Banks Lobster Bake is a pricey feast worth every penny, and the Fisherman's Feast is a heaping plate of fried cod, shrimp and clams.

Decked out in cheery colors of yellow, red, and green, this popular, somewhat touristy spot has the feel of a seaside clam shack located smack dab in the middle of Boston. An outdoor patio and lobster tent in summer features stunning views of the Financial District; in winter, dining retreats indoors to a warmhearted version of a waterfront dive, where you'll encounter a classic New England clambake or oysters and littlenecks from the raw bar, followed by meaty, golden crab cakes. Expect big crowds and big prices, especially on warm-weather evenings.

Neighborhood denizens swear by the counter-service whoopie pies, coffee, and buttery biscuits at this daytime destination for snacks, but the biggest buzz is saved for the back-room bistro, which boasts a hefty wine list and down-to-earth dinner options like meatloaf and shrimp fra diavolo. Housemade breakfast sandwiches keep locals returning, as do seasonal soups, gourmet sandwiches, and scratch pastries from their own pastry kitchen.

A carnivore's utopia awaits within the clubby, dark-wood walls of this beloved steak house favored by those on expense accounts. Adjust your starched napkin and tuck into such staples as lobster and crab cakes, a massive shellfish platter, and succulent meats such as the 24-ounce dry-aged porterhouse. The crowd-watching is as tasty as the food: VIPs in striped suits make deals over dessert, and women in Manolo Blahnik heels sip martinis.

With a full menu served until 1:30 am, 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 many bartender awards), so be forewarned that it can get loud and the wait for a table (there are only seven booths and two tables) can be long.

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 bubble-like bulbs, day-time 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.

With three foodie destinations under one roof, The Shed is a dining hat trick right in the middle of Cambridge Crossing's Picnic Grove (a new green area in the heart of the city). The Lexington is chef/owner Will Gilson's shining star of the space, serving up dishes that highlight foods from The Herb Lyceum, a four-acre working farm in Groton operated by his family since the 1800s. Dine high above the city on the restaurant's coveted roof deck. Favorites have included grilled Berkshire chops, rabbit mafadine, mushroom tartine, and spring rigatone. The Shed also is home to sister eateries Cafe Beatrice, an early-morning breakfast spot, and Geppetto, an eatery for all things Italian.

Dig into snack items and meals with global flourishes at this dark-wood and leather-dressed restaurant. You may need to use your phone to light up the menu before ordering—it can get pretty dark inside. Into the evening, as it would at any social hot spot, the convivial din gets louder, especially at the bar.

One look at the neighborhood bar's menu will have you holding back belly laughs, even as it's grumbling with hunger. Plates are interesting and well thought-out, with a flair for Frito corn chips. Extensive whiskey menu. The space, which is long and lean, also boasts a shuffleboard, but you may have to wait in line to play it.

This grab-and-go counter service shop offers up sandwiches heaping with meats and cheeses, as well as salads and wraps, soups, and cookies. The housemade chips are the perfect crunchy side. Favorites include the Market Veggie Cubano, Grafton Village Grilled Cheese, and the Spicy Italian. Grab a beverage from the cooler (Mexican coke, vanilla cream, or a cold brew coffee, to name a few) to wash it all down.

Befitting its name, chef Brian Poe's casual Beacon Hill restaurant focuses on two main things: meat and interesting beers on tap. But, Poe's menu of meat goes beyond steak and chicken staples, and depending on the season and what's readily available from purveyors, dinner entrées may feature bison, camel, ostrich, emu, kangaroo, snake, yak, elk, or antelope. There are plenty of options for the less adventuresome, too. TipTap's vibe is lively, and the bar draws an after-work crowd from Government Center and the State House. The industrial space shows off a wall mural of Boston's past mayors, cedar shingles, and garage doors that open to the street in warmer weather.

Stop here for some ultra-thin-crust slices to go.

Walk into the Upper Crust's first location, and you'll see the staff pulling scratch-made dough in the open kitchen. The Neapolitan-style pizza—you can order by the slice (they're huge) or by the pie—is really tasty, and toppings go creatively beyond a classic cheese or pepperoni. We recommend ordering at the Beacon Hill shop and eating at the few stools there or taking it to-go and heading for Boston Common, which is just a short walk away, rather than utilizing the delivery service.

Across from Boston Common, Thinking Cup caters to a mixed crowd of area professionals and students from nearby Emerson College. Rarely is the coffeehouse not packed with caffeine addicts looking for their next fix of Stumptown coffee, whether it's in the form of a single origin pour-over or a macchiato. Tasty selection of breakfast pastries, sandwiches, and desserts also make Thinking Cup a great place for lunch or a snack.

A food hall curated by the media company known for its magazines and books, Time Out Market Boston features more than a dozen eateries run by some of Boston’s most acclaimed chefs, plus two bars, a demo cooking area, and communal seating. The 25,200-square-foot space is a fun place to sample everything from sweet treats at Union Square Donuts to meatballs at chef Michael Schlow's, by one of the city's most acclaimed chefs. The venue also hosts concerts, talks, and other events. Just outside, there’s a branch of Trillium Brewery, and in winter, an ice rink is set up.

Toscanini's Ice Cream is a well-loved local spot, specializing in all sorts of creative flavors; it has garnered national attention from the likes of the New York Times and People magazine. Also a good place for coffee, the shop frequently has small art exhibits. From the MIT Museum, it's two blocks up Mass Ave. toward Central Square; look for it on the right.

If you're looking for serious ice cream, head to Toscanini's. With flavors such as gingersnap molasses, bourbon, cranberry goat cheese, burnt caramel, and green tea, this MIT establishment has few equals, especially when it comes to their microsundae—a teeny scoop of ice cream topped with excellent homemade hot fudge and real whipped cream—a perfect option for kids and adults eager for a guilt-free splurge (well, almost). Their banana pudding was even chosen as a favorite by Bon Appétit magazine.

Serving locally roasted Barrington Gold Coffee, this coffee shop runs the gamut of grab-and-go java—from cinnamon maple latte to Americano—along with several dine-in options for its 32-seat bar. Sweet snacks include 14 types of mini-doughnuts. Fruity Pebbles and Strawberry Pop Rocks are favorite donut flavors, but heaping sandwiches, piping hot wood-fired pizza, a popular prime short rib and brisket burger, and sharable starters of popcorn chicken, nachos, and steak-and-cheese spring rolls also leave the kitchen.

An intrigue in both meaning and sentiment, this captivating North End trattoria on historic Hanover Street serves up multiregional Italian cuisine through fresh and fine ingredients that fuse together the sights, scents, and tastes of the Old Country. Styled after a Tuscan villa, the dark woods, candles, dim lighting, and marble accents build the perfect surroundings for sipping fine Italian wines from one of the area’s most extensive wine lists. Handmade pastas, Vitello Milanese, Risotto di Capesante (pan-seared sweet sea scallops with brown butter and sage atop seasonal vegetable risotto), Rich's Famous Lasagna Bolognese, and Swordfish Puttanesca all keep mouths watering. Sweet teeth adore the Italian donut holes and chocolate cookie pot pie. A coveted spot is the #77 table (named for co-owner Bruins hockey legend Ray Bourque) for two overlooking busy Hanover Street. It's known as the most romantic table in Boston, so call ahead to beat others to the lovebird’s eye view.