If you’re looking for a culinary adventure, there’s no better place than Boston! The city is renowned for its historical figures and exceptional sports teams – but don’t forget about the amazing food too. From traditional eats to foreign favorites, Homes by Ador has scoured the area in search of only the most delectable restaurants in Boston.
Check out our list of top 10 must-try restaurants that are sure to please any pallet – it doesn’t matter if you love classic dishes or crave something bold – we’ve got it all covered! Bon Appétit with some of Boston’s finest fine dining houses!
1. Row 34
You’ll find Row 34 in the historic Fort Point region in Boston. The restaurant opened its doors in 2013. Since then, it’s grown to be one of the best places in the city to dine.
Notably, this restaurant stands out in appearance with its stylish brick-and-wood paneled space design. It’s one of the trendiest restaurants Boston has to offer. Row 34 welcomes everyone, from individuals to groups.
What you get at Row 34 is a seafood-focused menu. You’ll love the griddled crab cake, oyster sliders, classic smoked salmon, and lobster rolls. If you think that’s all, you’re mistaken.
The Row 34 menu also features vegetarian options. Dishes like green salad and lettuce cups are available. Furthermore, Row 34 has an on-site bar. You can enjoy appetizing drinks here, including cocktails, wine, spirits, and even coffee.
This seafood restaurant welcomes customers daily from 11:30 AM to 10 PM. Sometimes, the doors stay open till 11 PM. Besides Boston, you’ll also find Row 34 restaurants in Cambridge (Massachusetts), Burlington (New Jersey), and Portsmouth (New Hampshire).
2. Mida
Looking to try Italian food? If yes, Mida is where to be if you’re in the capital of Massachusetts. Mida is a relatively new Italian restaurant Boston residents can visit, commencing operations in 2020. Notably, the chief chef Douglas Williams made the top 10 Best New Chefs in America 2020 by Food & Wine.
Not many Italian restaurants boast a dining room menu like Mida. The food house serves homemade pastas like bucatini all amatriciana. You’ll also find sides like focaccia and shrimp scampi on the menu.
Furthermore, Mida serves brunch bites like biscuits and buttered noodles. But one of the best aspects of the restaurant is their fast service. After placing your order, your meal is swiftly prepared.
Anyone can visit and enjoy the delicious dishes on Mida’s menu. However, the restaurant is best suited for couples thanks to its romantic atmosphere. Also, it features a bar where you can order a few glasses.
3. Union Oyster House
Located in New England, Union Oyster House opened in 1826, making it the oldest restaurant in the “Athens of America.” Hence, some people visit for a taste of history. But if you’re visiting to taste food, don’t worry. Union Oyster House still ranks among the most trendy restaurants in Boston.
As its naming suggests, Union Oyster House is a seafood restaurant. Standout dishes on the restaurant’s menu are the New England clam chowder and basque-style mussels.
Other tasty meals to try when you visit include the homemade lump crab cake, fried oyster roll, fish sandwich, and seared fish tacos. On the sides, you can order the popular Boston baked beans. These meals can go with the in-house chilled shrimp cocktail.
Union Oyster House promises a casual, cozy atmosphere. Anyone visiting this restaurant would find it welcoming. Since there’s usually a wait at the restaurant due to its popularity, booking reservations is recommended.
You can visit this historical restaurant from 11 AM until 9 PM from Sundays to Thursdays. On Fridays and Saturdays, the restaurant serves until 10 PM.
4. Yard House
Yard House is a renowned bar chain in the US, with more than 80 locations across the country. However, besides bar houses, Yard House also runs restaurants. You’ll find one in downtown Boston, just around Fenway Park. It’s one place to be if you love food and drinks.
The Yard House restaurant in Boston boasts an extensive menu. You can order fried chicken tenders, steak frites bowls, spicy beef garlic noodles, beer-battered fish and chips, and spicy jambalaya.
Notably, Yard House is one of the hottest restaurants in Boston for Asian seasonal dishes. On the lunch menu, you’ll find Korean ribeye, Thai grilled pork chop, Maui pineapple chicken, and Korean BBQ cheesesteak, to name a few.
Since Yard House is more famous for drinks, you can’t skip the bar. The bar program focuses on martinis like espresso, lavender drops, dragon fruit cosmo, and black orchids. You can also try the happy hour appetizers, nachos, and pizzas.
A sports setting and casual atmosphere makes the Yard House restaurant relaxing. Accordingly, it’s a popular spot for university students, groups, and tourists visiting Fenway Park. You can walk into the restaurant between 11 AM and 11:30 PM daily.
5. Yvonne’s
Launched in 2015, Yvonne’s is one of the best new restaurants Boston residents can visit. It’s in Winter Place, less than 15 minutes drive from the Encore Boston Harbor. As a result, the eating house is frequented by tourists.
When you visit Yvonne’s, you get a restaurant with multiple dining room areas. The restaurant also has a supper club, which makes it suitable for hosting events. You’ll also fall in love with the restaurant’s interior designs and food.
Yvonne’s offers a seasonal menu with snacks, toasts, stone-fried pitas, and creative small plates. The must-tries on the list include Tunisian chicken, Thai grilled octopus, garlic shrimp, and lamb chops. Besides the food options, Yvonne’s offers excellent desserts, and you can enjoy tasty cocktails at the bar.
Due to the dining room areas and supper club, the restaurant is ideal for late-night food. Consequently, you can only visit from 5 PM in the evening. On Fridays and Saturdays, the doors open earlier, at 4 PM. The weekend is the best time to visit the supper club.
6. Lolita Back Bay
You can’t talk about the best restaurants in Boston without mentioning Back Bay. Back Bay is a prominent location in the Massachusetts capital, with numerous dinner locations and bar houses. One of the best restaurants it houses is Lolita Back Bay.
Lolita Back Bay is an ideal restaurant new Boston residents can visit for Latin American comfort food. Available dishes are mainly Mexican, and the dinner menu features spicy tuna tostadas, tacos, fried chicken, grilled steak, hot churros, and chips & salsa.
Kids also have tasty options at this Back Bay restaurant. They’ll enjoy the hot dog pequeños, mini cheese quesadillas, and mini cheeseburgers.
As you’d expect from a Mexican restaurant, Lolita Back Bay features a wine bar. Tasty cocktails, including bloody maria, Mexican red eye, and mimosa, are available at the bar. Juices are also sold, and available options include grapefruit ginger, mango mint, and green.
At Lolita Back Bay, you get a cozy, casual atmosphere. Some areas have a romantic taste, making the restaurant suitable for dates. Its Gothic interior design is also impressive.
Before visiting the restaurant, you can book a reservation. Regardless, you can walk in from 11:30 AM to 2 AM on weekdays and weekends.
7. Lincoln Tavern & Restaurant
In 2013, Lincoln Tavern & Restaurant was still a new restaurant South Boston residents were getting to know. The restaurant was launched to allow locals to meet and share stories. It has achieved this goal, as is now a top fine dining location in the city.
Notably, Lincoln Tavern & Restaurant is one of the best around the seaport district. It takes less than five minutes to arrive at its location from the South Boston waterfront. You can walk in for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
At the restaurant, you have exclusive options, including French onion soup with garlic croutons and Gruyère cheese. Additionally, Caesar salad, halloumi fries, spicy wings, and the in-house special Lincoln sliders are on the menu.
People who visit Lincoln Tavern & Restaurant usually talk about the small plates and dinner and breakfast sandwiches. The bar, the great cocktails, beer, spirits, and wine also receive accolades.
As you enjoy your meal and drinks, you can have more fun by watching sports. Like most Boston restaurants, free Wi-Fi is available at the Tavern & Restaurant.
8. Bostonia Public House
Here we have another New England restaurant — one located in a historic building. If you stay near the north end region, you can visit Bostonia Public House for a clubby dinner experience. The décor is a perfect blend of traditional and contemporary tastes.
The French onion soup is the highlight on the menu at Bostonia Public House. Other meals include lobster rolls, hot chicken breakfast sandwich, and clam chowder. If you want drinks, visit the raw bar and order a chilled shrimp cocktail and beer.
No doubt Bostonia Public House offers a packed dining room menu. However, there’s more to love at the restaurant besides the food. It’s a great spot for watching sports, so you can catch up with all your favorite games. In addition, live music soothes your ears throughout your stay.
Notably, this restaurant is an everyday dining location. As a matter of fact, it’s one of the best, according to Trip Advisor. On weekdays, you can visit from 11:30 AM until midnight. But on weekends, the restaurant starts receiving orders at 9:30 AM.
9. Lulu’s Allston
Tourists visiting Union Square can satisfy their food cravings at Lulu’s Allston. It may not be as popular as many other Boston restaurants on this list, but it sure has a solid menu lineup. Notably, the restaurant offers small plates and quick bites with relatively fast service.
You can visit Lulu’s Allston near Union Square for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and solo dining. The menu features crispy brussels, avocado toast, Cajun tots, burrata, and breakfast totchos. However, if you visit the restaurant, don’t leave without tasting the special Allston jumbo wings.
Away from the food, you’ll enjoy the relatively warmer weather in Allston when you visit this restaurant. The atmosphere is casual, so everyone is welcome. The raw bar and sports-watching amenities also add to the experience.
10. Toscano Harvard Square
Sometimes, tourists who visit Boston also want to try new restaurants in Cambridge. If that’s you, then add Toscano Harvard Square to your bucket list. All it takes to arrive at this restaurant is a drive across the Longfellow Bridge.
The location is what brings the style, sitting amid varying shops and eateries and confectioners. The result? A bright, lively atmosphere.
Toscano Harvard Square is an Italian restaurant, so it’s a fine dining spot if you enjoy pasta dishes. Besides housemade pastas, antipasto freddo, caldo, and zuppe are available to order. You also cannot skip the wide pizza varieties and corretti dessert menu.
Simply put, you get the best that Italy offers at this restaurant, including wine varieties. The bar menu has native drinks like vino bianco, vino rosso, Tuscan Reds, and Veneto.
Tuscan Harvard Square isn’t a morning restaurant. You can only visit from 12 noon, and the doors stay open until 9:30 PM.
Major Takeaway
The must-try restaurants in Boston listed above offer a variety of dish choices. Additionally, the majority feature a wine bar for you to down your favorite drinks. As a result, you’ll appreciate them, whether you reside in the Massachusetts capital or a regular visitor.
If you’re enchanted by the food and want to move to the Boston area, Homes By Ardor can help. Contact our experts today for the best home price deals. Whether you’re looking to make an outright property purchase or rent an apartment, we’ll point you in the right direction.
FAQs
What Is the Most Famous Restaurant in Boston?
The most famous restaurant in Boston is the Union Oyster House. Why? It’s the oldest in the city, serving customers since its grand opening in 1826.
How Many Restaurants Are There in Boston?
Over 3,000 restaurants exist in Boston. The city boasts this high restaurant number due to its cultural diversity. Accordingly, these spots serve a variety of meals, from American and European to African and Asian dishes.
What Food Is Boston Known for?
Boston is known for its baked beans — Boston baked beans. It’s the top local dish in the city, made specially with molasses which adds richness. Besides this dish, other local Boston delicacies include New England clam chowder, cannoli, and lobster rolls.
Can You Make Reservations at Boston Restaurants?
Yes, many restaurants in Boston allow you to make reservations. Usually, you can do this online via the restaurant’s website or place a call. When you do, make sure you arrive on time to avoid losing your table.
In her 25-year career, Steph Wilkinson has been involved in the acquisition, marketing and sales of over $3 Billion dollars of residential real estate. A number of years ago, Steph transitioned into Brokerage Leadership for National real estate brands and tech start-ups. She has served as a Business Strategist for real estate agents and brokerages alike and is also a real estate coach and trainer. In her new role with the Iconic Team, Steph will be responsible for the growth of the team and will be working with all of our agents to increase their productivity and bottom line.
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