390 Best Restaurants in Massachusetts, USA

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.

Feel the ice cream love at this café, where the creamy frozen joy is available in vegan, non-dairy, and sugar-free forms, in addition to their usual premium homemade ice cream. The flavors are dreamy—think brownie batter swirl, chocolate-chili pepper, and Red Velvet cake—and the made-to-order ice cream sandwiches have ice cream stuffed between decadent thick cookies from nearby Cottage Street Bakery. Swoon.

The recipe of the swoon-worthy hot fudge served at Ice Cream Smuggler is one of the best-kept secrets on Cape Cod. Their hot fudge sundae was featured on the Food Network's "The Best Thing I Ever Ate," and it is legendary in these parts, but you won't go wrong with a cone filled with, say, Raspberry Truffle, Salty Oreo, Apple Pie, or Peanut Butter Cookie Dough. 

This cozy, festive tavern, a favorite for more than 50 years, is a great place for a romantic meal or dinner with the kids. At lunchtime, the menu offers burgers and sandwiches, as well as more-substantial fare. It's always packed, and there's not a ton of seating, so reserve on weekends.

With puns on the menu and the staff's shirts, this sushi and noodle bar serves up fun in addition to ramen, bao, and a wide variety of sushi. The atmosphere is upscale casual and would be even more pleasant if it weren't always busy, but that's the price you pay for good food.

Vince Petryk started this Boston ice cream institution back in 1981, and today, there are 17 locations in and around Boston, including another Somerville spot in Assembly Row. With all their ice cream made in-house and kosher, J.P. Licks is most well-known for inventive flavors, such as Birthday Cake with pieces of yellow cake and rainbow sprinkles and Oatmeal Butterscotch Cookie Batter. For traditional taste buds, creative blends like salted caramel cookies and cream and several other iterations of classics are also available. You can also peep local artwork inside the shops through their respected and revolving Artists in Residence program.

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.

Simple but sublime cones have made many addicted to the fun and funky likes of J.P. Licks, which serves a traditional stable of ice cream flavors, like peanut butter cookies 'n' cream and mint chip, along with hard and soft frozen yogurt offerings, best smothered with the shop's superb hot fudge sauce and any of the wet (whipped cream, marshmallow sauce) and dry (M&M's, Heath Bar) toppings. Dairy-free coconut-based "ice creams" exist, along with sorbets and sherbets.

Not much has changed at this hole-in-the-wall including its single lunch counter lined with a small row of stools and its cash-only policy. Locals head here for inexpensive wieners and hamburgers, plain or topped with chili, cheese, or both, but don't expect to find a seat during lunch hour.

This Waterfront seafood shanty leaves all its frills for its lobster-loaded rolls; they're served with mayo or with butter, in a bun, and wrapped with foil so you can sit for a minute or eat it on the go. Other specialties include lobster mac and cheese, whole cooked lobster, stuffed clams, and the shrimp-and-corn chowder. And for the kids, there are hot dogs. In nice weather, you can also grab a beer and enjoy the water views from out back.

Fried clams are crisp and fresh at this basic seafood joint right on Falmouth Harbor; the meaty lobster roll and the fish-and-chips platter are good choices, too. Place your order at the counter, and then take your tray to the picnic tables on the roof deck for the best views.

The signature Curley Burger is what originally brought in crowds when this place opened years ago, and it's still very much a staple of the menu, but there's way more American comfort food to pick from. If you're looking for a nosh after 11 pm, you can order up snacks like corn dogs and chicken wings until 1:30 am—a rarity in Boston. Less well known is Bogie's Place, a secret-ish room that serves up steaks and caviar service from behind a curtain. 

This is a solid spot for great burgers, pizzas, and brews, though a full bar and a few pasta and main dishes, such as chicken marsala and mac and cheese, are also on offer. Somewhat rare for the neighborhood, the restaurant is open daily for breakfast/brunch with an extensive menu of classics, like eggs Benedict, Belgian waffles, and pancakes.

Fresh and ample portions of fried seafood take center stage at this casual joint, which is very popular with families. Place your order at the counter and sit inside or out: be sure to save room for ice cream.

Making small batch ice cream and pastries in-house daily, Katie's has a huge following for its delicious flavors, like the popular Cape Cod Mud, a concoction of coffee ice cream, chocolate, house-made fudge, roasted almonds, and chopped chocolate sandwich cookies. Try to figure out the secret recipe of the Cape Cod Sand ice cream, a hit since 2002, when it was developed by Katie’s younger brother Gene, but don't expect anyone to give it away. Cookies and other sweet treats are also available.

The huge, juicy roast-beef sandwiches served at Kelly's Roast Beef, a local institution since 1951, are the sole reason some Bostonians make the trek to Revere. Other menu favorites include the fried clams and hand-breaded onion rings. It's open from 5 am to 2:30 am Sunday through Thursday, and until 3 am Friday and Saturday.

Bomboloni and focaccia beckon to passersby, but it's the sandwiches and shareable custom charcuterie boxes that will keep customers coming back. Select from cheeses, meats, fruits, jams, and crackers—there are even options for vegetarians—when creating a charcuterie box, or opt for a loaded sandwich or bagel (weekends only). Prepare to take your meal to go; the tiny shop lacks tables and chairs. There is also a nice selection of imported sodas, sauces, and sweets.

Michael Brisson has been at the helm of this creative French kitchen since the mid-1980s, yet his dedication to fresh, exquisitely prepared local food remains as fervent as ever. Changing with what's seasonally available, his menu features fresh fish and game; for lighter fare (and less intimidating prices) or to indulge in a fancy martini, head to the stunning copper bar with its sleek leather-backed chairs or the lovely terrace for alfresco dining. No children under age six, please.

This charming artisanal chocolatier is a staple for locals and tourists alike, who come for its famously adorable signature chocolate mice, chocolate bonbons, and chocolate bars. The elegant, life-changing hot cocoa may be just the thing to restore flagging spirits or weary feet with variations on the classic milk chocolate, including dark, spicy, and white. Served in giant cup and saucer (or a to-go cup if needed), the drink is dusted with cocoa powder and a dollop of cream. There's also a location in Boston's Back Bay. Take a few bags of drinking chocolate home with you for DIY treats.

Springfield's South End is home to a lively Little Italy, including this full bakery that has doled out a wide variety of heavenly pastries (and coffee) since the 1940s.

The open kitchen looks almost like a lunch counter at this no-frills corner restaurant known for good, honest Colombian food, where it's hard to go wrong unless you're a vegetarian. Served with chimichurri and plantains, all the meats are delicious, from the thin, perfectly seasoned chicken to the pork rind that bacon aspires to be.

The newest endeavor by James Beard award--winning chef Jody Adams, this Italian eatery inside the luxury Raffles Boston hotel lavishes diners with dishes created from ingredients sourced both locally and direct from Italy. The menu has house-made pasta and local seafood, with a menu taking a tour of the regions—think paccheri (looks like rigatoni) and clams, lobster and uni risotto, slow-roasted porchetta, and desserts like a brioche gelato sandwich and funnel cakes. The two-level 8,600-square-foot space greets you with a lounge and bar that offers shared bites and drinks, then continues up a grand staircase to deliver you to the sexy second-floor dining area with its elegant "Golden Era of Cinema" decor reveal.

Tried-and-true tavern fare—fish-and-chips and pastrami sandwiches are popular choices—is the rule at Orleans's flagship local restaurant. The scene is usually fun and boisterous; dozens of homemade wooden signs heralding local businesses hang from the rafters above the red-checker tablecloths.

Decorated in nautical blues and whites, this pleasant restaurant sits right on Marblehead harbor, with a deck that's nearly in the water. The restaurant offers classic New England fare like clam chowder and broiled scrod, and serves brunch on Sunday. The pub area has a lighter menu and a local feel.

The Vietnamese noodle soup pho is the name of the game in this quick and casual eatery (it's set inside The Garage, a small mall in Harvard Square); at $11, it's a meal unto itself with chicken, shrimp, or beef, steaming hot in a big bowl. Fresh salads, rice plates, steamed vermicelli, seafood entrées, and stir-fries are offered, as well as crispy spring rolls, summer rolls, and Chinese chicken wings. It's all notably fresh fare, and, even better, it's healthy, without gloppy sauces, and many of the dishes are steamed. Those approaching from JFK Street can access the restaurant through the main Garage entrance; just head all the way through toward the Dunster Street side at the back.

Housed in a 200-year-old building that was once a bank—Ledger takes its name from the massive amount of banking ledgers found in the building—today diners enjoy a modern-day spin on traditional 19th-century dishes, especially live-fire cooking. Grab a cocktail while checking out the multitude of original features incorporated into the restaurant, including deposit boxes and a huge safe that serves as the restaurant’s walk-in refrigerator. Start with something from the raw bar, then dig into hearty dishes like wood-grilled half-chicken or pasta. Brunch offers classics like eggs Benedict and chicken and waffles.

What began as a tiny restaurant adjacent to a Cambridge fish market has acquired regional status, with more than 25 locations around the country. The hallmark is the freshest possible seafood, whether you have it wood-grilled, in New England chowder, or doused in an Asian-style sauce. The jumbo lump crab cakes are divine (no fillers) and the clam chowder has been served 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.

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. 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.

Massachusetts's only restaurant on Esquire magazine's Best New list in 2023, this tavern serves Jewish cuisine in a welcoming environ to all. With a name that means “house of learning” in German, the space is half restaurant, half library, and also hosts cooking classes, book events, and live music and classes. The meatless and kosher menu has dishes such as beet "pastrami" reuben, herring tartine, house-smoked fish paté, and a Chopped Not-Liver made with eggplant and nuts.