24 Best Restaurants in Boston
All-American cuisine flourished in Boston's best restaurants for a long time—it is, after all, the birthplace of the American Revolution and a city that takes real pride in its history. But as the thriving education and technology sectors have attracted new cultures from around the globe, diversity now thrives here, too. Lobster rolls, clam chowder, and steakhouses still very much reign supreme here, but lately it feels like Boston is hitting its culinary stride. The city has moved beyond traditional New England classics, offering everything from high-brow omakase tasting counters to street-food inspired eateries and everything in between. In a city known as being a hub for big ideas, the culinary community feels like it’s expanding its horizons more than ever before. Don’t worry, you can still find the lobster rolls–but if you want a more holistic snapshot of how Bostonians are eating these days, here is our rundown of the best restaurants in Boston.
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Every restaurant on this list has been selected independently by Condé Nast Traveler editors and reviewed by a local contributor who has visited that restaurant. Our editors consider both high-end and affordable eateries, and weigh stand-out dishes, location, and service—as well as inclusivity and sustainability credentials. We update this list as new restaurants open and existing ones evolve.
Brandon Barré/Raffles BostonrestaurantAmar
$$$Chef George Mendes’ signature restaurant inside Raffles Boston is a love letter to this city’s Portuguese communities. Seriously: “Amar” comes from the Portuguese verb for “to love,” and is also a play on the word for “sea.” Amar is the first time that Portuguese cuisine has been represented in Boston’s fine dining scene, and Mendes lives up to all expectations and more with a seafood-forward menu replete with authenticity and charm. There are classic favorites such as a generous Arroz de Mariscos for two (a Portuguese take on paella, teeming with local shellfish), and more inventive dishes such crispy bacalhau croquettes fried to perfection. If you’re looking to be impressed–or to impress your date–book a table here.
Morgan Ione YeagerrestaurantSRV
$$More elevated than your typical neighborhood joint, yet more approachable than fine dining, executive chef Michael Lombardi’s SRV has a foot in both worlds. First things first: Make sure to order a few cicchetti, or small snacks, for the table as you strategize about the main courses. The arancini with fennel pollen, artichoke crostini, and salted cod baccala are all divine. From there, the menu combines Italian favorites (like the must-order meatballs) and upscale coastal offerings such as house-made bucatini with shrimp, or a dramatic squid ink risotto topped with aleppo pepper . Can’t make up your mind? Trust the chef with the $65 tasting menu ($45 for vegetarians), one of the best values for a menu of its kind in Boston.
Courtesy Woods Hill Pier 4restaurantWoods Hill Pier 4
$$Come sunset, it's hard to think of a more scenic spot in the Seaport than the main dining room here, which has a panoramic view over Boston Harbor and serves pure farm-to-table poetry. Nearly all the meat is raised by the restaurant's owner Kristin Canty, and a good amount of the produce is grown by her farm, as well. Whatever she can't grow is sourced hyper-locally, and hyper-seasonally—which, thanks to an influx of greenhouse farms in Massachusetts, means that growing season in New England is now a yearlong affair. This obsessive attention to detail comes out tenfold in the food's flavors: The lamb shoulder with labneh and olive tapenade is that much juicier, the housemade bucatini all'amatriciana with guanciale from Woods Hill pigs is that much more delectable, and seemingly simple dishes like charred broccoli simply burst with flavor.
Courtesy Cafe SushirestaurantCafe Sushi Shoten
$$If you’re curious why a takeout and delivery-only sushi shop belongs on a Best Restaurants list, trust us: it’s that good. Café Sushi had been a Cambridge mainstay since opening its modest sushi counter in 1984—it was one of those reliably excellent spots that locals could rely on for consistently excellent sushi. But in 2022, Café Sushi transitioned to Café Sushi Shoten (from the Japanese for “bookstore”), a takeout and delivery-only spot, enriched by a wide assortment of Japanese groceries and sundries like candied yuzu peels and sake. Shoten’s to-go platters still capture the freshness, attention to detail, and authenticity of these hallowed grounds’ prior iteration—and locals still rely on this spot as much as ever for great sushi.
Adam Detour/Bar VlaharestaurantBar Vlaha
$$This city is certainly no virgin to Greek food—but the team behind Krasi has continued to find delicious ways to reinvent the cuisine for Bostonians. Chef Brendan Pelley does so most notably with this down-home Vlach (an Indigenous population of Romanian and Moldovans) cuisine in Brookline's quiet Washington Square. It's far less cold/industrial wine bar, and a lot more lamb-roasts-of-Greek-Orthodox-childhood. A central grill searing meats and vegetables sets the tone; dips and massive slices of traditional phyllo pies (spinach, cheese, meat; you can't go wrong) up that tradition; Metaxa bottles shaped like Evzone soldiers on the bar shelves and portraits of yia yias in folk garb adorning the walls add to the fun. Don't you dare miss the bonkers cocktail list, where you can order an espresso martini in a single-serve briki (the copper Turkish coffee pot), or slip into a divine tzatziki milk punch that simply boggles the mind.
Brian Samuels/CelesterestaurantCeleste
$$Few restaurants in Boston (Somerville, technically) have ever had as meteoric a rise to notoriety as Celeste. This Peruvian spot is the lovechild of creative couple JuanMa Calderón and Maria Rondeau, whose insiders-only pop-up dinner series eventually outgrew their home, so, naturally, led to the opening of a restaurant instead. Celeste captures all the intimacy and atmosphere of a private dinner party (there are just twenty-four seats in the house), and cooks up some of the city’s best Peruvian in the process. Come for the shrimp and mango ceviche and the cilantro lamb stew, and stay for the vibes. In a food scene that often skews towards coastal Italian or all-American concepts, Celeste proves that Boston has an enormous appetite for global flavors.
Brian Samuels/Fox & The KniferestaurantFox & The Knife
$$$Chef Karen Akunowicz faced high stakes when she opened Fox & the Knife in 2021: Not only was she a popular Top Chef contestant in 2015, but she received a James Beard Foundation Award in 2018 for her work at Myers + Chang. Luckily, her cozy, refined Italian restaurant in South Boston is a smash hit. Inspired by her time spent in Modena, Italy, the menu offers subtle takes on classic Emilia Romagna cuisine.
Troy Ali/MahaniyomrestaurantMahaniyom
$$After far too many years of missing out, Boston finally, truly has incredible Thai food, and it's tucked away in this teeny-tiny Brookline Village spot. The fact that restauranteur Chompon Boonnak's place opened in 2020 might be to blame for why it flew under the radar for far too long, but now its bright cocktail offerings and creative dishes inspired by Bangkok's small-plate-style cocktail bars have locals raving and visitors taking the Green Line trolley past Fenway for once. Think (actually) spicy curries, succulent slow-cooked pork cheek and beef shank, and zippy, balanced cocktails to wash it all down. Don't miss the kang puu (a warm crab and coconut milk dip served with vibrant crudite), the beef massaman (slow cooked beef with sweet potato and flaky roti), and whatever single, seasonal dessert is on offer (mango sticky rice, anyone?)
GettyrestaurantYume Wo Katare
$Devout foodies gather from far and wide to worship at this Porter Square altar to ramen–this tiny restaurant’s seats are quite literally all positioned to face the open-air kitchen, almost like a church. Locals often queue for hours just to grab a seat inside this dine-in only restaurant. But brave the line-up and you’ll be treated to some of the richest, most satisfying noodle soup in town. Jiro-style ramen is the name of the game here, so expect enormous portions of steaming broth topped with thick slices of pork and a mound of bean sprouts and sliced cabbage. There are only two items on the menu here: tonkatsu shoyu pork ramen with two slices of pork, or five (there's also a kid's size available). The house's pork bone broth is simmered for 14 hours, lending each bowl a velvety, savory texture.
Kristin TeigrestaurantSarma
An unassuming metal door off of a busy main thoroughfare near Somerville's Union Square gives way to the buzzing, lived-in dining room and cocktail bar of Sarma, a cozy-hip Middle Eastern meze spot with inventive dishes and cocktails as colorful as the Istanbul-sourced ceramics adorning the walls. Chef Cassie Piuma is a Boston-area local who trained at Oleana, of next-door Cambridge's Inman Square, so the plates are a mingling of many Mediterranean crowd favorites, from Greek spanakopita and saganaki to Arab-style kofte sliders and labneh-smeared shawarma. And then there are the harder-to-pin-down creations like octopus skewers, harissa-dotted squash cakes, and a shish kebab menu that includes monkfish, salmon, and heartier options like duck. There's a seasonal vegetable plate (or two, or three) to perfectly compliment every main, and you'd be remiss not to save some space for a flaky pastry dessert, like the pumpkin baklava.
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Brian SamuelsrestaurantNo. 9 Park
$$$For more than 20 years, No. 9 Park has offered some of the city's best surf and turf. It's not uncommon to have a pared-back, deconstructed garden salad topped with perfectly crisp, fried Ipswich clams on top. The red sea bream crudo with strawberry, yuzu and serrano pepper exudes elegance and flavor and the prune-stuffed gnocchi with foie gras is a decadent treat. One of the classics, however, is the grilled Bavette steak, seared to perfection and served with summer beans, French feta, and Marcona almonds.
Courtesy O YarestaurantO Ya
$$$Given the larger-than-life reputation of this cult-classic sushi and omakase restaurant—and not just because it’s Ryan Reynolds and Blake Lively’s favorite date night spot—you would expect it to have a more grandiose address than a 30-seat dining room off an anonymous side street in the Leather District. But that's the magic of O Ya: The food is enough to make it a must-try for any serious sushi enthusiast passing through Boston. The 20+ course omakase menu consists of a mix of both sushi and sashimi ranging from traditional to inventive, then culminates with a few savory courses. Some dishes are deeply traditional, but some throw unexpected flavors into the mix, like foie gras and truffle.
Brian Samuels/Bar MezzanarestaurantBar Mezzana
$$$A breath of fresh air in the Ink Block, a once-forgotten neighborhood between Chinatown and the South End that has become hot with development in recent years, Bar Mezzana has quickly become a favorite for neighborhood locals (and not just those who live in the condos upstairs). Chef Colin Lynch’s coastal Italian cuisine is a natural fit for Boston—expect lots of fresh seafood and classic hearty flavors. The cocktails, though, put it over the top. Try one of the creative spritzes, which may look like a classic Italian aperitivo but certainly don't taste like one.
Emily HagenbarEastern Standard Kitchen & Drinks
$$This bustling, sophisticated brasserie—with soft lighting, wood-paneled walls, sweeping ceilings, and a full dining room from breakfast to late-night—feels like a "neighborhood restaurant," no matter where you reside. Whether they're mixing drinks by the dozens for avid Boston Marathon spectators or serving its cult-classic late-night burgers—the staff make everyone feel welcome. Eastern Standard serves French brasserie standards with just enough seasonality to make each and every dish feel tailor-made. Make sure to consider the nightly specials—the duck l'orange is an indulgent treat, and as are the roasted sweetbreads. You can't go wrong with steak frites and a strong martini, either.
Wusong RoadrestaurantWusong Road
$$Chef-owner Jason Doo’s love letter to American-Chinese cuisine is infectiously fun, ridiculously tasty, and perfectly representative of Boston’s food scene. This is a place that doesn’t take itself too seriously; the restaurant entryway is literally the mouth of a giant carved dragon—but the food is, by every measure, seriously good. Start with sharing the roasted corn rangoons or maple-pork dumplings, then move on to the whole-roasted lacquered duck (just make sure to order yours twenty-four hours in advance). Add a couple of tiki cocktails in the mix and you’ve got a recipe for a perfect Cambridge night.
Courtesy Bistro du MidirestaurantBistro du Midi
$$$It can be difficult to find a true Provençale restaurant in Boston that doesn't veer too closely to heavy-handed brasserie fare, but Bistro du Midi hits the mark—and throws in some coastal New England for good measure. The heirloom beets Lyonnaise with lardons and poached egg are almost too pretty too eat, and the sourdough crusted halibut comes in a heavenly lemongrass emulsion. If you can, spring for the elegant seven-course tasting menu with wine pairings—c'est superbe.
restaurantUni
$$$Located in historic Back Bay, Uni is not any kind of Boston seafood restaurant you've been to before. Stepping into the dining room here is like stepping into a darker, sexier, more fantastic Boston than you thought you knew. Executive chef David Bazirgan combines the exacting techniques of traditional Japanese sushi and izakaya restaurants with a fanciful dose of cosmopolitan global influences. Whatever you end up ordering, be sure to start with the iconic Uni Spoon, a piece of raw sea urchin with quail egg yolk and topped with osetra caviar meant to be devoured in a single bite. It’s one of the most decadent and instantly recognizable starters in the entire city.
Courtesy ShojorestaurantShojo
$$There are plenty of basic, low-key joints in Boston's Chinatown, so to come across a gastropub as refined and fun as Shojo is a rare treat in the neighborhood. Shojo attracts a solid millennial contingent that keeps the place buzzing on weeknights as well as weekends. It's hard to pinpoint the menu precisely, which has a backbone of Asian street food with global influences as well. But you can't go wrong with the grilled kung pao chicken sandwich, made with shaoxing and soy marinade, fried peanut aioli, chilies, and scallions.
Andrea MerrillrestaurantToro
$$It’s a feat for any restaurant to stay open for (nearly) twenty years, and it’s even more of a feat for that restaurant to retain its relevance through and through. That’s how any local would describe Toro, the South End spot which was an early adopter of the chef-driven tapas movement. It’s got all the classics such as croquetas and pan con tomate, as well as some more inventive options like an uni bocadillo sandwich with miso butter and pickled mustard seeds. Whether you’re a seasoned vet who knows your jamón iberico from your jamón serrano, or you’re a first-timer to ordering tapas, Toro makes Spanish cuisine approachable. Pro tip: in the warmer months, the back patio is one of the South End’s best spots to pull up a seat, order some cocktails, and indulge in a parade of small bites. You’ll almost–almost–feel like you’re in Spain.
restaurantBricco
$$When the moon hits your eye, like a big pizza pie: that's Bricco. One of the criticisms you’ll hear about the North End from visitors–and even sometimes locals–is that it can be so difficult to know where to go for dinner. There are simply so many good restaurants, making a selection can feel impossible; yet this Hanover Street icon stands on a level all its own. The Italian-centric wine list offers glasses and bottles for all palates and price points; the housemade pasta and fall-off-the-bone meats capture all the passion and attention to detail that Italian cuisine embodies. There are a few Boston-style winks on the menu, like an abundance of seafood, as well as a Sam Adams-braised pork shank. If you're only in the area for a quick jaunt, hit the alleyway deli for a carry-out sandwich on house-baked bread (the chicken parm and prosciutto options are cult favorites).
Courtesy Saloniki GreekrestaurantSaloniki Greek
$Inspired by the aromatic flavors and street foods of Thessaloniki, Greece, this home-grown, fast-casual Greek concept by star chef Jody Adams has quickly caught on as a local favorite. As with any successful fast-casual concept, the crowd is filled with corporate types dipping out for the lunch hour, students, and anyone and everyone looking to get their hands on souvlaki, salads, or the highly stackable baklava crisps. The menu is steeped in tried-and-true flavors: oregano, honey, creamy feta cheese, slow-roasted meats, and plenty of garlic, all of which is sourced as locally as possible. If you're ordering a wrap, your bread is freshly baked and pressed in front of your eyes in about 90 seconds, resulting in a pillowy pita that's fluffy, warm, fresh and flavorful. From there, you can build your own sandwich or salad, or opt for one of the house specialties. The Herc Pita with braised pork shoulder, spicy slaw, spicy whipped feta, and secret sauce is foolproof, as is The George Pita with spicy lamb meatballs and a charred eggplant sauce. And Saloniki has a leg up on other lunch joints with its small cocktail menu that includes a Saloniki Daiquiri and the dangerously drinkable spiced sangria.
Courtesy James Hook & Co.restaurantJames Hook & Co.
$$Less of a full-fledged restaurant and more of an urban lobster shack, this family-owned institution has brought lobster to downtown Boston since 1925. The menu is an essentials-only selection of lobster rolls, shrimp cocktail, crab cakes, whole-cooked lobsters, and clam chowders—everything here is so good you won't need many more options. This is Bostonian seafood in its purest expression.
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Taquería Jalisco
$A hole in the wall, an unpretentious nook, a seamless part of one of Boston's more diverse neighborhoods; Taquería Jalisco has been serving up authentic Mexican for over twenty years. East Boston isn’t one of those neighborhoods that typically attract out-of-towners; it’s pretty residential and sits across Boston Harbor from the rest of the city, but it also just so happens to be home to a number of hidden food gems. This is the kind of place that invites you to lean in to the fun: let the birria taco consomme drip down your chin, pull a melty string of cheese out of your quesadilla, and warm up from the Boston cold with a giant bowl of flavorful pozole. This city might gain notoriety for its flashy, chef-driven restaurants, but a humble taquería reminds us that sometimes you just need to let good food speak for itself.
© Ana M. ReyesrestaurantNeptune Oyster
$$$A tiny 42-seat bistro, Neptune Oyster Bar has served up one of Boston’s best lobster rolls (cold or hot) on toasted brioche since it opened in 2004. With eight ounces of sweet lobster claw, tail, and knuckle meat piled into a mouthwatering heap, it's a tall order even for a hungry set. Prospective diners—many of them out-of-towners who make this a must-stop may find themselves waiting outside for an hour or more for one of these coveted rolls. (Waits whittle down to about half that time in the winter and are even shorter between lunch and dinner.) Those legendary lines don’t keep Bostonians from coming here on special occasions, though. A word to the wise: Don’t get “Neptuned,” a lighthearted term for zooming in on the lobster roll and missing out on all the other sustainable seafood splendors here.
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