158 Best Restaurants in Massachusetts, USA

Don't let the no-frills decor fool you; what this family-owned restaurant lacks in style it more than makes up for in bold flavors, especially at dinner. Enjoy a menu of fresh and flavorful Peruvian favorites ranging from ceviche to plantains, and don't forget to grab a caramel custard for dessert.

This Mexican restaurant reflects the culture of many of the people living in the neighborhood, and its eponymous cook re-creates dishes from her native Puebla. Locals love it for its authenticity and extensive selection of small plates (mmm, queso fundido) and hearty main courses (chilaquiles, mole poblano). It's definitely worth the trip from downtown, or if you're staying by Logan Airport.

Many of the menu choices here come from the eponymous wood-burning brick oven, which turns out surprisingly delicate thin-crust pizzas simply topped with tomato and buffalo mozzarella or complicated combos like pistachio pesto, fresh mozzarella, and sausage. While the name, which translates to "old oven," gives the pizzas top billing, Antico excels at a variety of Italian country dishes that harken back to the Old Country, like veal parmigiana, osso buco with pork shank, chicken saltimbocca, and handmade pastas; the specialty, gnocchi, is rich and creamy but light. The joint is cramped and noisy, but also homey and comfortable—which means that your meal will resemble a raucous dinner with an adopted Italian family. Its rustic decor of large tiles, huge rectangular bar, and imposing brick archway add even more authenticity as you fill your belly.

You could walk right past this tucked-away café on the ground floor of Beacon Hill Books, but you shouldn't. Stop in for a coffee, a glass of wine, or afternoon tea (Sunday only), or stay a bit to lunch on scratch-made soup, quiche, and salad. After your meal, browse through four floors of books. Note: You enter through an alleyway, into a hidden outdoor courtyard, and then through the door to a narrow space lined with tiny tables for two and a few counter seats.

People come to Boston for certain things—colleges, Irish pubs, Fenway Park—and Polish food isn't usually one of them. But, if you do land here, this authentic Polish restaurant in Southie is a must-stop. The menu is rife with an Eastern European culinary heritage in plates like pierogi, beet soup, stuffed cabbage, and kielbasa, and there are some tasty Polish beers. You'll be glad you ventured to Andrew Square.

Shaped like a giant fried-clam box, this small roadside stand is the best place in the region to sample Ipswich's famous bivalves. Since 1935 locals and tourists have been lining up in droves for clams, oysters, scallops, and onion rings.

The best Mexican food in the Berkshires can be found at this unassuming spot where traditional cuisine meets local ingredients. The menu is small but every item is done well, and often served with side dishes in cute little tortilla cups.

You've just got to love this newly renovated shoebox-size place—for the noise, the intimacy, the complete absence of pretense, and, above all, the Sicilian-style seafood, which proved so popular, it spawned two other locations (one in Brookline and another in Boston's Seaport area). With garlic and olive oil forming the foundation for almost every dish, this cheerful, bustling spot specializes in calamari, black squid-ink pastas, and linguine with clam sauce, all served in the skillets in which they were cooked, hot from the stove. Check the chalkboard, which is always loaded with freshly caught specials, but consider the Lobster fra Diavolo for two—lobster chunks, shrimp, calamari, littlenecks, mussels in a "spicy" seafood tomato sauce served over linguine. Compact and brightly lighted, this storefront restaurant has been a local staple for over 50 years and for good reason.

Delicious food and good wine keep this small restaurant packed most nights. This gem can almost be missed just off busy North Street, but couples looking for an intimate date night or professionals grabbing after-work drinks have made it a hot spot.

Chef-owner Karen Akunowicz steps up with hearty, traditional Italian food inspired by her time as a chef and pasta maker in Italy. Locals love it so much that in order to score a table, especially on the weekends, you have to book a reservation about a month or so out. But once you get in, you'll realize it is worth the wait to dig into this carb-heavy fare, like warm focaccia, handmade pasta, pork Milanese, braised lamb, or whole fish. Plates are on the smaller side, so make sure to order with abandon, although your wallet won't thank you for it. At the bar, order the flight of Amaro varieties. 

If you like savoring a cup of premium java while people-watching, head to this fancier-than-mainstream coffee shop with origins in Massachusetts. It's always busy, so much so the line often snakes into the adjoining Godfrey Hotel. Original, fair-trade roasts are used to make all types of drip coffee and espresso drinks. There's also a small selection of sandwiches, avocado toast, and baked goods.

With exposed-brick walls and soft lighting, the heart and soul of this charming Italian restaurant is its communal pasta table at which chef Michael Pagliarini spends hours hand-rolling superlative pastas for dishes like buckwheat pizzoccheri and pasta alla Bolognese. Plates such as house-made lamb sausage, monkfish piccata, warm semolina cakes, grilled barramundi, and Sardinian flatbread are original, generous, and, of course, delicious. Known for its romantic nature, it's the perfect place for lovers to linger over a chocolate terrine and cappuccino.

With art deco airs and crystal chandeliers, "majesty" and "grandeur" are two words we'd use to describe Grana's dining room so make sure you dress for the occasion. The family-style menu offers Italian fare for breakfast and lunch, as well as brunch on the weekends.

The ambience at this cozy Southie wine bar is artful and welcoming. Small-producer and unique natural wines are available by the glass or bottle and are meant to be paired with a well-edited menu of small plates and snacks that highlight ingredients from the New England region.

Options are endless at this food hall, so if you can't agree among your traveling partners what to eat where, this is your place. Every single one of the 20 vendors hails from the Boston area—Tenderoni's Pizza, Mamaleh's Delicatessen, and Pennypacker's are just a few of the options. Our favorite, though, remains Bubble Bath, a champagne bar that pairs bubbly (including a Moét & Chandon champagne vending machine) with gourmet hot dogs.

This sweet little white-washed taverna serves authentic Greek cuisine, with many ingredients imported directly from the Mediterranean, such as the feta, fish, and octopus. Order some crisp white wine off the hard-to-find Greek wines and liquors list to sip with a parade of home-style dishes, from tasty meze plates to entrées like grilled lamb chops. The tables may be tight and the wait a bit long without a reservation, but you'll forget about these tiny inconveniences once dinner arrives.

Basically a retail fish store, Larsen's has a raw take-out counter and will also boil lobsters for you. They also offer stuffed quahogs, crab cakes, steamers, and mussels, cooked to order. Dig into a plate of fresh littlenecks or cherrystones; oysters are not a bad alternative. There's also seafood chowder and a variety of smoked fish and dips. Bring your own bottle of wine or beer, buy your dinner here, and then set up on the rocks, the docks, or the beach: there's no finer alfresco rustic dining on the island. Sunset-watching is wildly popular here; call ahead or expect to wait a bit.

From the street, you wouldn't even know what kind of place you're passing by—there's literally just a door—but inside, this multiroom, Havana-inspired nightspot is an absolute jaw-dropper, mixing murals, muted brickwork, tropical plants, massive art deco chandeliers, and rattan seating. Meals are meant to be shared, with the menu offering delicious snacks, small plates, and street pizza. Mojitos and daiquiris are the stars of the craft cocktail menu, and everything on it can be made without alcohol. For dancing and live music, hit Mariel Underground until 2 am.

Pink and orange dragon decals cover the windows of this all-day Chinese café, where Joanne Chang (of Flour bakery fame) taps her familial cooking roots to create shareable platters of creative dumplings, wok-charred udon noodles, and stir-fries brimming with fresh ingredients and plenty of hot chili peppers, garlic, fresh herbs, crushed peanuts, and lime. The staff is young and fun, and the crowd generally follows suit. On Monday through Wednesday nights from 4 to 9 pm, the Great Date Night prix fixe menu for two is a bargain. Weekends are packed for the Dim Sum brunch menu.

Diners searching for Shanghainese soup dumplings should head to this place, the cousin of New York City's Michelin-recommended Nan Xiang Xiao Long Bao restaurant. Now one of a small chain, this fast-casual modern Chinatown newcomer boasts hearty food served in to-go containers that you can eat in-house—if you can find an open seat. Try the myriad dumpling flavors and styles, fried udon noodles, and other belly filling dishes. 

More than just a tap room, this place satisfies a variety of different needs, although beer is at the forefront—there are more than two dozen beers on tap as well as a couple hard seltzers and some nonalcoholic varieties. Food focuses on Detroit-style pizza, with sandwiches and shareable plates, too. Children are welcome.

With two restaurants (including Sofra in Cambridge), a James Beard award, and two cookbooks to her name, chef--owner Ana Sortun continues to bewitch area diners with her intricately spiced eastern Mediterranean mezes (small plates) made with fresh-picked produce from her husband's nearby Siena Farms. Oleana's menu changes often, but look for the hot, crispy-fried mussels starter and Sultan's Delight (tamarind-glazed beef with smoky eggplant puree) along with large plates of Iskender lamb kebab and lemon chicken. The Chef's choice is a delightful vegetable meze, complete with a rich dessert. When the weather is inviting, the cozy atmosphere of this tucked-away spot spills out into a peaceful back patio garden. Of note: a 5% kitchen appreciation fee and 1% administrative fee are added to all checks.

Don't miss this red clapboard, Pan–Latin American restaurant located down an alleyway in Harvard Square. Owner Andres Branger's dream to bring bountiful plates of superfresh family fare from his home country of Venezuela to Cambridge (as well as Brookline Village) rewards diners with delectable, palm-size arepas (crispy, hot, corn-flour pockets stuffed with beans, cheese, chicken, or pork), pabellon criollo (moist shredded beef with stewed beans, rice, and plantains), and red chili adobo–marinated, charred pollo (chicken). Empanadas, hearty salads, and stuffed French-bread sandwiches at lunch, along with a small selection of wine and beer, round out the very affordable menu at this casual eatery. When weather permits, ask for a seat on the back patio, a quiet flower-and-fountain-filled oasis that makes the rest of the world feel very far away.

Once a clam shack, this bistro has found new life and won legions of fans in this seaside town selling just-baked bread and succulent pastries—by early morning (even in off-season) the line snakes into the parking lot. They also offer prepared gourmet foods to go, and a well-curated menu of sandwiches (on excellent bread, of course!), plus there's outdoor and indoor seating, and they stay open all year (hours vary come wintertime). 

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.

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. 

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.

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.