390 Best Restaurants in Massachusetts, USA

This tiny bar and dining room on the ground floor of the Whitney Hotel is no typical lobby restaurant. It serves up a sophisticated take on rustic, coastal Mediterranean-inspired food with a nod to New England ingredients and seasonality. Diners are meant to rest, order slowly, and enjoy a scratch-made meal in multiple stages. The vibe is modern, with blues and browns, and a gorgeous wood floor.

Inside the snazzy Crowne Pointe Inn, this intimate, casually handsome restaurant occupies the parlor and sunroom of a grand sea captain's mansion and serves finely crafted, healthful, modern American food with specials focused on local ingredients. There's a substantial wine list, with more than 125 selections to choose from, as well as a large martini menu.

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, mainly hot sandwiches and apps. The space, which is long and lean, also boasts a shuffleboard, but you may have to wait in line to play it. Sunday nights are especially popular.

Emphasizing oysters and local craft beers, this contemporary seafood restaurant has a boisterous energy contained only by its soaring ceilings. A neighborhood crowd comes for the excellent menu devoted to raw things, fried seafood, a variety of "rolls," and fish-based entrées. With 24 taps, beer plays a big role in the experience, enticing regulars to work their way through European-inspired American craft beers; there are also more than 50 by the bottle, ranging from ciders to sours and more.

Sophisticated and pristine yet unpretentious, this restaurant pairs nautical flair with the freshest Atlantic seafood, fitting for its setting overlooking Boston Harbor. The menu favors Asian flavors, but there's at least something for almost every dietary restriction, and the well-curated wine-by-the-glass list and craft cocktails ensure you won't leave thirsty.

If you've never heard of chifa cuisine (yeah, it's a real thing), you'll wonder why you haven't after having a meal at this South American--style place, where the kitchen creates dishes from Cantonese-Peruvian and Japanese culinary traditions. Dig into makimono (sushi rolls), wok-prepared dishes, and cold and hot plates. Presentation is a big part of both the decor and Ruka's creative cocktails, sake, and tea service. 

Step into this Back Bay raw bar specializing in snappy cocktails and luscious preparations of all things seafood and you'll fall hook, line, and sinker for everything on the menu, including platters of fresh-shucked oysters on crushed ice, torched salmon belly with charred avocado, smoked fish that would make a New York deli owner proud, seafood-topped toasts, and a butter-drenched warm lobster roll overflowing with fresh meat. Rounding out the menu are tins of domestic and imported gourmet shellfish and fish (including a full caviar menu) served in all their oily goodness with bread, butter, smoked salt, lemon, and sweet pepper jam. The patio is amazing when in season.

Stepping into this family-owned East Boston pizza joint is like stepping into the 1980s, even though it first opened way back in 1903. Every table is full on a Saturday night at 7 pm, and don't be surprised to see a line that runs out the cramped front doorway. This local favorite serves well-done and crispy, traditional style pies topped with veggies, ’chovies, garlic, and meat; the only other menu items are lamb, steak and chicken tips, and grilled sausages cooked over open hot coals in the corner.

The small meze plates at this locally loved Mediterranean joint are so good you might not want to share. Pair dishes like sole katayif (stuffed pancakes) and eggplant schnitzel with their expertly crafted cocktails or wine, and soak up the social atmosphere.

Escape into chef--owner Lydia Shire's delectable, homey take on Italian-American cuisine where everything is made from scratch, down to her famous naan bread and the crust of her infamous lobster pizza. Entrées are heavy on meat and fish and stretch beyond standard items to lamb T-bone, duck, Kurobuta pork, and Scottish salmon; try house-made spaghetti more than half a dozen ways. The creative menu is complemented by a sleek orange bar, curved white-leather booths, and one of the city's most connected crowds. Gluten-free menus are available.

High ceilings, exposed beams, and a beautiful stone fireplace make for a warm and light-filled meal. The menu takes advantage of delightfully prepared local and organic products, creating memorable dishes. Everything is made from scratch, with many ingredients culled from their own herb, fruit, and vegetable gardens.

This loft-like restaurant with a harborside deck has enjoyed legendary status since the mid-1970s; these days, the focus is on re-interpreting summer classics that highlight local produce and fresh seafood. The two-course dinner menu ($85), served in the dining room, features such delectables as iced Nantucket oysters, perhaps followed by slow-poached salmon with fingerling sweet potatoes and miso aioli. The bar grill offers a short, well-curated a la carte menu. (Moroccan-spiced eggplant "parm" is a favorite.) Hurricane lamps lend a soft glow to well-spaced tables; the vibe is best described as barefoot-chic. (But do wear shoes!)

Impressive beer-stein and corkscrew collections at the bar and dark-wood paneling lend this restaurant the feel of a convivial hunting lodge, which the antlers and stained-glass windows in the side dining room accentuate. The menu is decidedly meat-centric—beef, chicken, veal, lamb, pork, and delectable homemade sausages—focused on German dishes with some must-have sauerkraut.

Red Sox fans, foodies, and Fenway residents flock to this meat-lover's mecca, where Texas-style barbecue is the name of the game. Hefty slabs of dry-rubbed heritage pork, great northern beef brisket, and plump chickens cook low and slow in a jumbo black smoker, then come to the table heaped on a tray lined with butcher paper, along with homemade sweet pickles, shaved onion, and your choice of "hot scoops" (collard greens, mac and cheese) or "cold scoops" (coleslaw, potato salad). Owner Tiffany Faison tromped all over the Texas barbecue belt to get her recipes finger-licking right, including the baseball-size biscuits served with honey butter. Sweet tea and cocktails arrive in mason jars, while house-made barbecue sauces (ranging from mild to skull-splittingly hot) sit on the table, along with a tin can of flatware and napkins. (You'll need lots of the latter; with food this good, it's going to get messy.)

This upscale bakery and café takes pastries to the next level. From tea cakes to the Jerusalem bagel, expect hearty baked goods with an air of elegance and influenced by the owner's Israeli heritage. Fantastic coffee drinks include the house's signature halva latte. A breakfast, lunch, and brunch menu features hearty plates all day, from breakfast sandwiches to salads, bowls, and shakshuka (an egg dish with tomatoes and peppers). The café's vibe welcomes those who appreciate attention to detail in both the food and the bright, lively atmosphere—so expect to wait in line.

From tea cakes to Jerusalem bagels, this upscale bakery and café takes pastries to the next level. Expect fantastic coffee drinks, including the house's signature halva latte, and hearty baked goods with an air of elegance all influenced by the owner's Israeli heritage. A heartier all-day menu features sandwiches, salads, and shakshuka (egg dish). The café's vibe welcomes those who appreciate attention to detail in both the food and the bright, lively atmosphere, but visitors should expect to wait in line, especially at this location that's short on space. There are numerous locations throughout the city including Back Bay, Charlestown, and Fenway.

Chef Ken Oringer's tapas joint is a lively, popular spot where the Barcelona-inspired small plates, such as the jamon and queso, salt cod croquettes, and grilled corn with cotija cheese, are hefty enough to make a meal out of a few. The traditional or vegetarian paella is also perfect for sharing with a hungry crowd. A predominantly Spanish wine list complements the plates. Crowds have been known to wait it out for more than an hour for dinner without a reservation. Also of note: there's a 3% Fair Wage + Wellness Provision fee added to all bills.

Trade celebrates the culinary heritage of the Mediterranean region, and more specifically, Greece, with a curated menu by James Beard award–winning chef-owner Jody Adams. Think perfectly charred flatbreads and pita that fly out of the open-hearth oven, eggplant- and feta-inspired dishes, lamb meatballs, and whole-roasted branzino. Don't miss the olive oil cake, house cocktails with a Greek twist, or special selection of Greek brandy, ouzo, and wine—you can order them per flight, too.

Tres Gatos not only serves delicious Spanish tapas, pinchos (appetizers), and paella; it also has a cool record and bookstore in the back. Olives, stuffed dates, and tortilla Española are great starters, but the paella, made with shrimp, clams, chorizo, and rabbit is the star—there’s also a vegetarian version. Don’t miss the small gem of the shop for the latest vinyl or bestselling book. On the first and third Wednesdays of every month, there is live entertainment at 9 pm.

According to local legend, this is where Lawrence "Chubby" Woodman invented the first fried clam back in 1916. Today this sprawling wooden shack with indoor booths and outdoor picnic tables is the place for seafood in the rough; though it's in Essex, it's a quick drive from Gloucester and worth getting a to-go order to take to the beach. For fun, you can get into a lively discussion with a local over whether clam bellies or strips are the better choice.

Featuring floor-to-ceiling windows and sweeping 270-degree views of the Boston Harbor waterfront, this sophisticated and lively restaurant serves up midsized plates that are meant to be shared—two to three per person. The well-curated menu features meat and produce from the owner's 360-acre New Hampshire farm, as well as handmade pasta and sustainably sourced seafood. Diners with specialized diets can choose from many gluten-free, dairy-free, and/or vegan dishes. 

There's nothing fresher than eating fish the same day it's caught, and that's what you get at this family-owned seafood shack. Open since 1950, the local favorite serves fresh oysters, crab cakes, fried oysters and clams, steamers, and lobster. Tasty sandwiches speak of New England; fish platters come fried, grilled, or baked; and there's a whole section of the menu devoted to lobster preparations. If you forget that this is a take-out joint, look around; the no-frills, character-heavy decor will remind you.

Let your nose lead you here on a Saturday night, but expect to wait in a massive line of foodies looking to get their hands on one of four award-winning niku udon noodle dishes (cold or hot, and spicy versions of each) topped with sweet and savory beef. The restaurant itself is absolutely tiny, but its local reputation is huge. For a scratch-made quick bite that's truly unique, this is a must-stop. 

Silver service, crystal chandeliers, a roaring fireplace, book-lined shelves, and a gilded bar area set the tone at this brassy, classic reimagined supper club. You'll want to start with an ice-cold martini or cava by the glass, and then move on to a bounty of food options, including snacks, stone-fired pitas, toasts, sharing plates, and bigger "feasts" for two-plus people. This is so much more than a restaurant—it's an experience. 

Relying on local, sustainable, seasonal ingredients, the frequently changing menu features such delights as steak tartare with all the fixings, Maine scallops wtih curried grapefruit beurre blanc, roast half chicken, and lobster-rich seafood stew. Stellar cocktails, excellent desserts, and professional, friendly service make it easy to understand why the accolades and diners continue to pour into this elegant New England–style bistro.

Enjoy earthy, market-fresh dishes at this cozy, brick-walled former butcher shop, where foodies, families, and folks from the neighborhood and beyond can't get enough of dream-team chefs David Punch and Lydia Reichert's culinary homage to New England. Begin with a cocktail from the excellent bar and end with a satisfied smile—made even bigger because area parking is plentiful and mainly free.

Nothing says 'summer on the island' like slurping local oysters outdoors on a patio, and head chef Joe Monteiro will make sure you have a shucking good time. They aim for a true oyster bar—something the Vineyard was lacking—and they nail it, right down to the reclaimed wood and industrial accents. While glistening oysters are the star of the show, other fresh seafood dishes (that ceviche!), even duck, pack plenty of flavor.

This cozy neighborhood gem features New England charm and a speakeasy-inspired atmosphere, serving up shrimp cocktail, lobster bisque, deviled eggs, and stuffed veal chop alongside antique-chic decor that celebrates Boston's history. Drinks are on point; beer is a well-edited mix of local and national offerings.

This fine-dining restaurant, located in the Concord Depot, offers new American cuisine, with much of the food on the plate coming from nearby local farms. Friendly and knowledgeable servers can help you navigate the menu, which changes with the seasons and availability.

Sourcing ingredients from small, family farms is the main goal of this chef-owned and -operated, comfortable restaurant, where hungry diners clamor for loads of tasty small plates, bowls and burgers, and Detroit-style pizza. With its proximity to the TD Garden, it can and does get busy on game days.