40 Best Restaurants in Boston, MA – Best Places to Eat
Boston, Massachusetts, a city steeped in history and renowned for its vibrant culinary scene, boasts an array of exceptional restaurants that will delight even the most discerning food enthusiasts.
From upscale fine dining establishments to cozy neighborhood gems, Boston offers a diverse range of culinary experiences that celebrate both local flavors and international cuisines. In this article, we invite you to embark on a mouthwatering journey as we unveil the 40 best restaurants in Boston, MA.
40 Best Restaurants in Boston, MA (2024)
1. O Ya
Looking for where to have a good meal in Boston, look no further than O Ya. The Japanese restaurant offers a nightly omakase dinner, a chef’s choice menu of 20 courses featuring sashimi, nigiri, and cooked dishes.
Located in the Leather District, this tiny spot has accumulated numerous awards, including a James Beard for chef and co-owner Tim Cushman. O Ya has also received high praise from The New York Times.
Location | 9 East St, Boston, MA 02111
Telephone | (617) 654-9900
2. Asta
One of the best places to have a high-end tasting menu is Asta. The fancy Copenhagen restaurant offers some of the best meals you could think of. Their menu is constantly changing to highlight the best seasonal fare.
Location | 47 Massachusetts Ave., Boston
Telephone | 617-585-9575
3. Mooncusser
Looking for where to take a taste of delicious seafood, then Mooncusser is the place. Since its opening in 2017, Mooncusser under head chef Carl Dooley has been showcasing some of the local seafood and has been awarded top seafood honors by Boston Magazine and other local publications.
Located on the 3rd floor of the building at the corner of Stuart St. and Columbus Ave. The restaurant offers a great view of Castel and Park Square.
Location | 304 Stuart St, Boston, MA
Telephone | (617) 917-5193
4. Krasi
Named after the Greek word for wine, Krasi offers an incredibly deep Greek wine list of more than 180 all-natural, organic, and biodynamic selections. Krasi is operated by the team behind GreCo and Committee. Located in the former Café Jaffa space, in the heart of the Back Bay, Krasi is one of the best places to eat in Boston.
Location | 48 Gloucester St, Boston, MA
Telephone | (617) 536-0230
5. UNI
Looking for where to have a taste of delicious Japanese delicacies, then look no further than UNI. UNI is a lively, contemporary izakaya and one of Bolton’s flashiest restaurants and offers some great sushi and sashimi for a great meal.
Location | 370A Commonwealth Avenue, Boston, MA
Telephone | (617) 536-7200
6. Villa México Café
Looking for where to get homemade Mexican food in Boston, look no further than Villa México Café. Founded by Julie King, Villa México Café offers delicious homemade Mexican foods and culture to the people of New England.
Location | 121 Water St, Boston, MA
Telephone | (617) 957-0725
7. Yunnan Kitchen
Yunnan Kitchen is one of the best restaurants in Boston, MA. The Chinese restaurant has received numerous awards including from Boston Magazine. Yunnan Kitchen cuisine leans heavily on ancient cooking methods and ingredients.
Location | 1721B Washington St. Boston, MA
Telephone | 617-936-4123
8. Lenox Sophia
Owned by chef Shi Mei, Lenox Sophia is one of the best places in Boston where you can have a tasty and delicious meal. This cool spot turns out incredibly tasting menus. All menus are available for omnivores and vegetarians.
Location | 87 A St, Boston, MA
Telephone | (617) 597-2170
9. Select Oyster Bar
Opened in 2015 by chef-owner Michael Serpa, Select Oyster Bar is a one-stop restaurant for tourist and locals who wants to have a taste of delicious seafood. The restaurant offers numerous seafood dishes like bouillabaisse and swordfish.
Location | 50 Gloucester St, Boston, MA
Telephone | (857) 239-8064
10. Bar Mezzana
Looking for where to have a sumptuous Italian delicacy, look no further than Bar Mezzana. Bar Mezzana is one of the best places for tourists and locals alike to have a taste of coastal Italian cuisine. The restaurant offers lots of fresh seafood and classic hearty flavors.
Location | 360 Harrison Ave, Boston, MA
Telephone | (617) 530-1770
11. Sweet Cheeks Q
Opened in 2011 by Chef and Restaurateur Tiffani Faison, Sweet Cheeks Q offers some lovely Southern barbecue. The restaurant offers numerous barbecue recipes including Heritage Pulled Pork, Brisket, Buttermilk Fried Chicken, and Biscuits with HoneyButter.
Location | 1381 Boylston St, Boston, MA
Telephone | (617) 266-1300
12. Grill 23 & Bar
When it comes to steakhouses, Grill 23 is one of the best. The restaurant offers cozy interiors, mouth-watering dishes, and a big glass of red wine. Grill 23 also offers incredible prime steaks, pristine local seafood and aw-bar selections, birdbath-size cocktails, and a trophy-heavy wine list.
Location | 161 Berkeley St, Boston, MA
Telephone | (617) 542-2255
13. El Oriental de Cuba
El Oriental de Cuba is a one-stop restaurant for tourists and locals alike to have a taste of authentic Cuban food and fresh tropical fruit drinks. They also offer savory empanadas, pork, ham, and cheese Cuban sandwiches.
Location | 416 Centre St, Boston, MA
Telephone | (617) 524-6464
14. Sportello
Sportello is an Italian restaurant and one of the best places to have true Italian-inspired cuisine in Boston, Massachusetts. As a tourist or local, you can have a taste of their fresh pasta, creamy polenta, and soups with an artisanal wine list to wash it down.
Location | 348 Congress Street, Boston, Massachusetts
Telephone | (617) 737-1234
15. Hue
Located in the Copley Square Hotel, Hue restaurant offers one of the best delicacies that you could get in Boston. In addition to their American-styled cuisine, they also have an impressive wine list.
Location | 90 Exeter St, Boston, MA
Telephone | (857) 991-1710
16. Cobble
Nested on the second floor of the Coolidge Corner Arcade, Cobble offers an exquisite dining experience to tourists and locals alike. With Cobble’s dinner party experience, you will get five vegetable-forward Italian-inspired courses. They also offer house-made cocktail mixers along with your menu.
17. Contessa
This beautiful Italian restaurant offers one of the best homemade Italian foods in Boston. Their menu is inspired by the elegance of the Trattoria’s of Northern Italy. Contessa’s menu ranges from imported salumi, and homemade fresh paste, to dry-aged Chianina Beef
Location | 3 Newbury St Rooftop, 1 Newbury St, Boston, MA
Telephone | (617) 741-3404
18. Mida
Owned by Chef Douglass Williams, the Italian restaurant offers a wide range of delicious Italian-styled cuisines. Among their menu include pasta, pizza, arancini among others.
Location | 782 Tremont St, Boston, MA
Telephone | (617) 936-3490
19. Faccia a Faccia
Formerly known as Faccia Brutta, Faccia a Faccia is an Italian-inspired restaurant known for its coastal Italian cuisine. Faccia a Faccia’s seafood-inspired menu utilizes fresh ingredients, including in-season produce from the Copley Square Farmers Market. Their menu also features a whole bunch of crudo, burrata, grilled octopus, homemade pasta, and Chicken Milanese.
Location | 278 Newbury St, Boston, MA
Telephone | (857) 991-1080
20. Menton
Opened in 2010 by Chef Barbara Lynch, Menton offers contemporary French and Italian-inspired cuisine. Their tasty menu features luxurious ingredients such as urchin and black truffle. Additionally, Menton also offers an unparalleled wine program.
Location | 354 Congress St, Boston, MA
Telephone | (617) 737-0099
21. Shojo
Looking for where to have modern Asian cuisine, look no further than Shojo. Since its inception, the restaurant has been a favorite to many tourists and locals. Their duck fat hand-cut fries, kimchi fried rice and Shojonator burger are one of the best in Chinatown.
Location | 9A Tyler St, Boston, MA9A Tyler St, Boston, MA
Telephone | (617) 482-8887
22. Dumpling Café
Dumpling Café offers some of the best Asian foods in Chinatown. The Taiwanese- and Chinese-styled restaurant offers satisfying cuisines. Tourists and locals can connect with the mini juicy buns with pork and the spicy-sweet Taiwanese-styled eggplant.
Location | 695 Washington St, Boston, MA
Telephone | (617) 338-8859
23. The Dubliner
One of the best restaurants in Boston to have a meal is the Irish pub, The Dubliner. Owned by chef Aidan McGee, an Irish native, the restaurant serves traditional Irish food. Primarily, you will find Lamb Shepherd’s Pie, Fish & Chips, Irish Stew, and House-Smoked Salmon.
Location | 2 Center Plz, Boston, MA
Telephone | (857) 317-2695
24. Pescador
Located in the heart of Boston’s Kenmore Square, Pescador is one of the best restaurants in Boston for tourists and locals alike. Inspired by a variety of international coastal cuisines, Pescador’s menu features a wide variety of fresh seafood, roasted Corn Robs, and Octopus & Chorizo. Their menus also come with distinct beverages featuring over 70 mezcals and tequilas.
Location | 498 Commonwealth Ave, Boston, MA
Telephone | (617) 532-1050
25. Mei Mei
Co-founded by award-winning chef Irene Li with her two older siblings, Mei Mei is one of the best dumplings in Boston. The Asian-American restaurant offers unique homemade dumplings. They offer dumpling varieties like Lemongrass Pork, Five Spice Tofu, and the aptly named Double Awesome (egg and scallion pancake sandwich).
Location | 58 Old Colony Ave, Boston, MA 02127
Telephone | (857) 250-4959
26. Yunnan Kitchen
Looking for where to have a taste of delicious Chinese cuisine in Boston, look no further than Yunnan Kitchen. Yunnan Kitchen cuisine leans heavily on ancient cooking methods and ingredients. On their menu, you will find Fried Pea Jelly, Sizzling Braised Chicken in a Clay Pot, Boiled Fish Filet in Chili Oil, and Stir-Fried Udon Noodles.
Location | 1721 Washington St #B, Boston, MA 02118
Telephone |(617) 936-4123
27. Josephine
Founded by Michael Scelfo, Josephine offers some of the best Italian Pizza in Boston. Josephine offers a classic Italian menu of pizzas, wedge salads, pasta, and hearty entrees like Veal Tonnato alongside a potent bar program laden with Negronis and Martinis.
Location | 468 Commonwealth Ave, Boston, MA 02215
Telephone | (617) 375-0699
28. Alcove
Looking for a beautiful waterfront restaurant in Boston, look no further than Alcove. Located next to TD Garden and North Station in Boston’s West End, Alcove offers a thrilling dining experience to tourists and locals alike. Alcove’s menu is made up of seafood, fresh vegetables, and locally sourced meats.
Location | 50 Lovejoy Wharf, Boston, MA 02114
Telephone | (617) 248-0050
29. Deuxave
Situated at the prestigious corner of Commonwealth and Massachusetts Avenues, Deuxave is one of the best restaurants in Boston for tourists and locals. Deuxave offers modern French cuisine served in an elegant dining room and an exquisite wine program.
Location | 371 Commonwealth Ave, Boston, MA 02115
Telephone | (617) 517-5915
30. Ilona
Looking for where to eat Eastern European food in Boston, look no further than Ilona. This popular South End restaurant offers some of the best Eastern Mediterranean cuisines in Boston. Ilona’s menu is comprised of superb flatbreads, vegetable dips, kebabs, shish barak, grilled seafood, and a cigeri hummus with chicken livers.
Location | 783 Tremont St, Boston, MA 02118
Telephone | (617) 207-7742
31. Terramia
Terramia is rated as one of the best Italian restaurants in Boston with a classic dining experience. Their menu is comprised more of Italian foods than red sauce. Terramia’s modern Italian menus are made up of sweet lobster fritters with tangy balsamic honey gaze, homemade pasta, and ravioli with shrimp, scallops, and zucchini in a lobster mascarpone sauce.
Location | 98 Salem St, Boston, MA 02113
Telephone | (617) 523-3112
32. Davio’s
Davio’s is rated as one of the best restaurants in Boston, MA. The Northern Italian restaurant is one of the best places to eat for tourists and locals alike. Davio’s menu is comprised of modern Italian cuisines like pizza, homemade pasta, scallops, and shrimp.
Location | 75 Arlington St, Boston, MA 02116
Telephone | (617) 357-4810
33. No. 9 Park
Situated in Boston’s historic Beacon Hill, No. 9 Park is one of the best restaurants in Boston, MA. Owned by Chef Barbara Lynch, the restaurant’s menu is a blend of Italian and French dishes. The menu also includes a number of old-world wines from boutique vintners.
Location | 9 Park St Pl, Boston, MA 02108
Telephone | (617) 742-9991
34. Merengue Restaurant
Looking for where to eat Dominican food in Boston, look no further than Merengue Restaurant. Located on Blue Hill Avenue, Merengue offers an excellent cocktail list including frozen daiquiris, as well as a variety of margaritas and mojitos. Their menu is comprised of grilled chicken with chimichurri sauce, stuffed shrimp tostones, fried pork chops and grilled steak with peppers and onions.
Location | 160 Blue Hill Avenue, Roxbury, MA 02119
Telephone | (617) 445-5403
35. Blue Nile
Blue Nile is one of the best restaurants in Boston where you can have a taste of Ethiopian and East African food. The restaurant’s menu is a blend of specialties ranging from tender land to spicy red lentil dish misir wet.
Location | 389 Centre St, Jamaica Plain, MA 02130
Telephone | (617) 522-6453
36. Suya Joint
Owned and operated by Nigerian chef Cecelia Lizotte, Suya Joint is one of the best African restaurants in Boston. Suya Joint offers a taste of homemade African dishes with an exotic and flavoring dining experience. Suya Joint’s menu is comprised of Suya kabobs, made of thinly sliced beef or chicken seasoned with Nigerian herbs and spices.
Location | 185 Dudley St, Boston, MA 02119
Telephone | (617) 708-0245
37. Taiwan Cafe
Taiwan Cafe offers some of the best Taiwanese dishes to tourists and locals alike. Their menu is comprised of modern Asian cuisine as well as a bit of Sichuan cuisine.
Location | 34 Oxford St, Boston MA, 02111
Telephone | (617) 426-8181
38. Peach Farm
Peach Farm is one of the best Chinese restaurants in Boston, MA. The restaurant offers a rich menu of modern Chinese delicacies including special scallops, beef with Chinese parsley, seaweed with shrimp, deep-fried flounder, and sliced fish with vegetables.
Location | 4 Tyler St, Boston, MA 0211
Telephone | (617) 482-3332
39. Fox & the Knife
Owned by chef Karen Akunowicz, Fox & the Knife is one of the best restaurants in Boston, MA. Located in South Boston, Fox & the Knife offers a rich menu of traditional Italian food and drink with a modern sensibility, focusing on handmade pasta, bright antipasti dishes, and Apertivi and Amaro programs.
Location | 28 W Broadway, Boston, MA 02127
Telephone | (617) 766-8630
40. Toro
Owned by chefs Ken Oringer and Jamie Bissonnette, Toro is one of the best restaurants in Boston where you can eat. The Spanish tapas restaurant has been in operation since 2005. Toro’s menu is comprised of modern and traditional Spanish tapas ranging from grilled corn to pairing seafood and charcuterie with rich, bold flavors.
Location | 1704 Washington St, Boston, MA 02118
Telephone | (617) 536-4300
