78 Best Restaurants in Massachusetts, USA

Airy and classic in atmosphere, this modern restaurant focuses on two things: food and local history (it is, after all, situated in a historic 1902 building). The menu features elevated takes on comfort food; at lunch expect more sandwiches. Who wouldn't want to dive into a tater tot poutine or a bowl of house-made onion dip with potato chips, while chatting up your dining partners and enjoying the occasional live music? Social describes the vibe on most nights, more so later into the evening.  Bostonia gets busy, so it's a good idea to make a reservation.

At this all-you-can-eat churrascaria, waiters continually circulate through the dining room offering more than a dozen grilled meats—beef, pork, chicken, sausage, and the beloved Brazilian chicken hearts—on large, swordlike skewers. The massive buffet is laden with soups, salads, and side dishes, including plantains, rice, and beans; vegetarians could happily eat from the buffet, but the smell of grilling meat does permeate the restaurant.

This romantic roadhouse near the Chatham border, adorned with tiny white lights, wine bottles, and warm-hue walls, might just transport you to Italy—and if it doesn't, the fantastic food certainly will. There are always excellent specials added to the menu; in the fall and winter, look for value-priced entrées, and in summer, their hot dog cart (in the parking lot) serves the best wieners on the Cape.

Set in a 19th-century sea captain's home, this chef-owned gem with distant sea views uses what's locally available as the inspiration for an ever-changing and creative menu. There are also generous wine, martini, and drink lists.

A dark, intimate wine bar and restaurant with hardwood floors and richly colored banquette seating, Détente serves more than a dozen wines by the glass as well as numerous half bottles. Even if you're not much of an oenophile, it's worth a trip just for the innovative food, much of it from local farms and seafood purveyors. Owned by a husband and wife, the menu reflects their travels; think of it as Europe-meets-New England on a plate.

At the corner of two avenues (Commonwealth and Massachusetts), which is how this restaurant got its name (deux is French for "two"), you'll find this snazzy, dark-wood enclave serving sophisticated dishes like spice-crusted ahi tuna and braised pork belly, pan-seared Atlantic halibut, and organic chicken with parsnip and foie gras agnolotti. Make sure to pair your meal with a bottle from the thoughtfully crafted and surprisingly affordable wine list served by an attentive staff.

The area's first Afghan restaurant, named after the country's most important river, welcomes you into its cozy Kendall Square confines with Afghan rugs, a wood-burning oven, and exotic yet extremely approachable food that reflects the motherland's location halfway between the Middle East and India. Standouts, beyond the chewy warm bread, include magical names from a faraway land like aushak (leek-stuffed ravioli over yogurt with beef ragù and mint), chapendaz (marinated grilled beef tenderloin served with cumin-spiced hot pepper–tomato puree), and a vegetarian baked pumpkin platter. The warm atmosphere, courtesy of a small fireplace and a wood-burning oven that provides heat for the restaurant's famous flatbread, gives off the comforts of home while maintaining a world's-away vibe.

Yuji Watanabe, chef--owner of the Cape's best Japanese restaurant, makes early-morning journeys to Boston's fish markets to shop for the freshest local catch, and the resulting selection of sushi and sashimi is vast and artful. The serene and simple Japanese garden out back has a traditional koi pond.

Northern Italian and Mediterranean cooking distinguish this upscale, popular place. Make sure to come hungry—portions of classic favorites here are huge. Live music adds to the festive vibe on Sunday afternoons year-round. An excellent wine list pairs perfectly with the food.

Provincetown's Lobster Pot, a mainstay for more than 40 years, is fit to do battle with all the lobster shanties anywhere (and everywhere) else on the Cape; although it's often jammed with tourists, the crowds reflect the generally high quality, and the water views can't be beat. The hardworking kitchen turns out classic New England cooking: lobsters, generous and filling seafood platters, and some of the best chowder around.

This perennial favorite with magnificent harbor views focuses on local seafood and organic meat and produce with a cross-cultural flair (there's also a lighter bistro menu for smaller appetites). The view of the bay from the bar is nearly perfect, and the gentle lighting makes this a romantic spot to have a drink. This is one of the relatively few restaurants open year-round in town. Check out the who's who of previous diners on its website, including Elizabeth Taylor and Billie Jean King.

More than 1,000 oysters are eaten here on an average summer weekend, a good deal of them procured almost daily from the restaurant's own oyster farm in Barnstable Harbor. There are close to two dozen raw and "dressed" oyster dishes, but there's also a nice range of non-oyster entrées, salads, and appetizers. Outdoor bistro tables offer good people-watching while guests slurp their oysters.

Watch the oyster shuckers deftly undo handfuls of more than a dozen different kinds of bivalves, and other raw-bar items piled over ice, that you can order from the slip of paper they pass out listing each day's crustacean options. Dishes change seasonally, but a couple of year-round favorites include the spicy North End Cioppino (fish stew) and the signature Maine lobster roll that, hot or cold, overflows with meat, and you can add caviar, if desired. Service is prompt even when it gets busy (as it is most of the time). Go early to avoid a long wait.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Alchemy aims for a European-chic bistro-style scene and menu, missing only the patina of age—and French working-folks' prices—but you can expect quality and imagination. On balmy evenings, the half-dozen outdoor tables on the candlelit brick patio are highly coveted.

New England seafood and lots of interesting vegetable dishes describes the menu at this West End restaurant. Meals prepared by a longtime local chef here are comfortable, with coastal vibes and spectacular views of Boston Harbor and the Zakim Bridge.

You can't miss this hot spot on the side of Route 6: look for the riot of colorful flowers lining the road and the folks waiting in long lines for fried seafood and other fixings. Unusual for a clam shack like this is the full bar, offering beer, wine, mixed drinks, and the house specialty: margaritas. You can also play a round of minigolf.

This game-day favorite offers a rowdy, not rarified, atmosphere and big platters of smoked meats suitable for sharing. But, don't let the casual vibe fool you, as they pay great attention to the food, offering gluten-free versions of all side dishes (except cornbread), great mac and cheese, perfectly cooked meats, and their own delicious sauces. Indoors, TVs tuned to games draw sports fans; outdoor tables are snug against folks queuing up for the ferry on Straight Wharf. 

While diving right into the monumental cheese and charcuterie menu seems like a solid starter bet, save some room for the outstanding tapas at this lively wine bar. Favorites on repeat with its young, sophisticated diners include blistered shishitos, patatas bravas, chorizo with figs, spicy empanadas, and sautéed mussels. The animated crowd's chatter rarely lowers below a dull roar, and with a lengthy list of mostly Spanish wines, happy glass clinking can also be heard throughout the night. The locations in Brookline and Cambridge are equally as popular (read: packed).

Decked out in cheery colors of yellow, red, and green, this 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 feature 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.

With its ample windows looking out to the serene lagoon, lofted ceilings, and mellow globe lighting held aloft by sturdy ropes, the decor aptly reflects the kitchen's "sea-to-table" theme for its seasonally inspired and locally sourced offerings. Everything is scratch-made, including the baked goods, and the massive bar is a popular spot for dining and cocktails.