Destination
Type of Restaurant
Type of Meal
Editors Pick
Read MoreB and G Oysters
A spanking fresh raw bar and casual South End scene make B&G Oysters a good choice for gourmet versions of New England specialties. From fried Ipswich clams to buttery lobster rolls and the to-die-for lobster BLT, the food is fresh,...
Read MoreBarking Crab
Despite the Barking Crab’s fifteen years of operation, a surprising number of Bostonians don’t know it exists. An urban clam shack with incomparable views of the skyline, the restaurant sits on Fort Point Channel across from the financial district and...
Read MoreBin 26
Located on Charles Street in Beacon Hill, Bin 26 is a chic, simple wine bar, a perfect place to cozy up with some friends over a great bottle of vino. Owned by the same family as Lala Rokh, the restaurant...
Read MoreBleacher Bar
Baseball fans should not miss stopping at the Bleacher Bar, a watering hole built inside Fenway Park’s famed Green Monster. Part of the wall has been cut out so that patrons, who enter from Lansdowne Street rather than through the...
Read MoreBricco
Bricco occupies prime real estate on the North End’s main drag, Hanover Street. Lively almost any night of the week, this welcoming trattoria is a popular local meeting spot for dinner and drinks. The menu offerings, which noted food critic...
Read MoreCoppa
Just minutes from artisan market Formaggio’s and The Buttery, Toro’s sister restaurant is arguably one of Boston’s best restaurants since opening in 2009. Helmed by experienced restaurateurs Ken Oringer and Jamie Bissonette (Food & Wine’s Best New Chef in 2011),...
Read MoreCraigie on Main
Craigie is the kind of place visitors don’t generally stumble on. But if you’re staying in the area, it’s an excellent choice. Chef Tony Maws, whom Food & Wine named one of 2008’s best new chefs, daily updates his French-inspired...
Read MoreDrink
In the up-and-coming Fort Point neighborhood is this specialty cocktail spot. Part of Barbara Lynch’s empire that includes No. 9 Park, B&G Oysters and Menton, this venture serves some of the best craft cocktails in the city and has quite...
Read MoreFlour Bakery
This popular bakery makes gourmet sandwiches and mouthwatering bakery items for eat-in and take-out service. Chef Joanne Chang’s empire is growing rapidly, and as of 2013, Flour has four outposts and Chang has two fantastic cookbooks. The sticky-buns are a...
Read MoreGrill 23
Boston has its fair share of steak houses, but none compare to Grill 23. Open since 1983 but housed in a building that dates to 1917, the landmark restaurant feels like a classic gentlemen’s club, thanks to its rich mahogany...
Read MoreLa Voile
The few small steps down to La Voile’s subterranean dining room represent huge leaps for Boston dining. Husband-and-wife owners Stéphane Santos and Stephanie Zuberbuehler opened the Newbury Street bistro in late 2007 after closing their previous venture, La Voile au...
Read MoreLegal Seafoods
Legal Seafoods is a Boston institution, and while there are now many locations (still mostly in Massachusetts) a trip to Boston deserves a trip to Legal Sea Foods. It’s nothing fancy, and diners looking for a fine-dining experience should steer...
Read MoreMamma Maria
The sophisticated Tuscan fare served at Mamma Maria matches that at other lauded North End eateries, but what makes this restaurant noteworthy is its private dining rooms. Although a meal anywhere in this restored 19th-century town house feels special, book...
Read MoreMenton
Part of the esteemed Relais & Chateaux collection, Menton claims the top spot for a special night out in Boston. Barbara Lynch is responsible for the fine dining institution that opened in 2010 and offers diners a choice of two...
Read MoreMr. Bartley’s
Mr. Bartley’s began serving burgers at its Mass. Ave. location in 1960, and a meal here has been a Harvard tradition since. To this day, the line for one of the rickety tables often extends down the block, composed of...
Read MoreMyers + Chang
Joanne Chang has quite an empire in Boston, and it is only growing. Along with this popular Chinese spot, Chang has several Flour outposts in the city and two cookbooks featuring her most popular recipes. Myers + Chang (the Myers...
Read MoreNeptune Oyster
Although Boston’s North End is known for its Italian fare, one of the neighborhood’s most beloved restaurants is the tiny Neptune Oyster, a twenty-six-seat pearl known for Malpeques, not marinaras. Chef Nate Nagy turns out traditional lobster rolls and classic...
Read MoreNo. 9 Park
For an important dinner, discerning Bostonians turn to No. 9 Park, a sophisticated eatery set in an elegant town house in Beacon Hill. Just down the street from the State House, the dining room hosts politicians and businessmen plus a...
Read MoreO Ya
This contemporary Japanese eatery combines inventive cooking with a groovy, speakeasy atmosphere–a blend so seductive that former New York Times food critic Frank Bruni once named it the best new restaurant in the country. Located on a desolate street near...
Read MoreOleana
Many visitors to the Boston area think they’ll find the best food in the city center. But to eat dishes Mimi Sheraton has called inspired and the New York Times has described as deeply inventive, you’ll have to head to...
Read MorePuritan & Company
Opened in late 2012 in the up-and-coming Inman Square, Puritan & Company focuses on and excels at modern American New England cuisine. A semifinalist for the 2013 James Beard award for Best New Restaurant, Puritan & Co. serves local favorites...
Read MoreSarma
This joint venture from Ana Sortun and Cassie Piuma came after a 12-year partnership at longtime-favorite Oleana in late 2013, and delighted from day one. Slightly more casual than it’s fine-dining sister, Sarma serves delightful, flavorful and inventive Turkish/Lebanese meze...
Read MoreShojo
Located in the heart of Boston’s Chinatown, Shojo is a hip gastropub perfect for a laid-back dinner of Asian fusion tapas and craft cocktails. The menu might include such dishes as the “Chicken & Waffles V3.0,” which is made with...
Read MoreSonsie
While its international dishes aren’t the best food to be had on Newbury Street, this restaurant remains a popular spot for lunch, dinner and drinks.
Read MoreStephanie’s on Newbury
This Newbury Street classic boasts one of Back Bay’s largest patios and serves a large selection of salads, pastas and sandwiches to hungry shoppers. It’s also a popular brunch spot.
Read MoreThe Buttery
This little gem in the South End is perfect for grabbing a quick latte and sweet potato brownie while walking around the quietly beautiful Boston neighborhood. The cute spot is super friendly – dogs are greeted at the door with...
Read MoreThe Paramount
For breakfast, lunch and dinner, the Paramount has been a Beacon Hill staple since 1927. Reservations are not accepted, and it is always jammed, so plan to eat early or at odd times. Instructions on how the deli-line-style kitchen works...
Read MoreThinking Cup
Bypass the chain coffeeshops for this temple of java where every cup is well-considered. It’s the only spot in Boston serving the excellent Stumptown coffee from Portland (brought in directly from their roasters in Brooklyn), and the baristas here are...
Photo by Noah FecksRead MoreToro
Ken Oringer, the James Beard award–winning chef who also owns KO Prime and Coppa, eschews trendy small plates and instead serves up classic Spanish dishes made with Spanish ingredients. The jamon Ibérico comes straight from the acorn-fed pigs of the...
Read MoreUnion Oyster House
Situated on the Freedom Trail one block from Faneuil Hall, Union Oyster House claims to be the nation’s oldest restaurant. Whether that’s true or not, the centuries-old tavern definitely has a history. Daniel Webster was reported to have drunk brandy...
