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Mooncusser Fish House
Photograph: Brian SamuelsMooncusser Fish House

The 23 best restaurants in Boston

Try them all

Olivia Vanni
Written by
Olivia Vanni
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Springtime in New England means warmer weather—and a hefty appetite for eating out at the best restaurants in Boston. As our city comes back alive, you, too, may be setting your sights on a night out. Look no further than our list of the finest eateries in town. Whether you grab a seat at one of our stunning waterfront spotsoutdoor dining options or restaurants with a view, there are ample places for you to make the most out of mealtime. Just be sure to make a reservation ahead of time.

RECOMMENDED: Guide to Boston's Michelin-worthy restaurants

Time Out Market Boston

Best restaurants in Boston right now

  • 5 out of 5 stars
  • Restaurants
  • Mediterranean
  • Somerville
  • price 3 of 4
  • Recommended

With more than 40 fresh, flavorful Mediterranean small plates and a wealth of options for vegetarians, Ana Sortun's Sarma shines bright. You’ll want to dine here with each seasonal change to see what new creations appear among the mehayne (bar) snacks, meze, sarma (like dolma) and shish. Dreamy offerings like the pomegranate sticky ribs, black sea cornbread, Swiss chard tabouli, crab and red lentil kibbeh, and feta gnocchi will have you wanting more. Cocktails are a must as well, made with unusual ingredients like prickly pear, Moroccan bitters and chai yogurt.

  • 4 out of 5 stars
  • Bars
  • Wine bars
  • Somerville
  • price 2 of 4
  • Recommended

This beloved, intimate Davis Square spot may be small, but it  is mighty. A menu of small plates showcases local and seasonal ingredients with simple yet inventive preparations (i.e. the grilled bay scallops with fennel and pandan oil). As with their approach to the food, owners work closely with winemakers to offer a diverse and thoughtful wine list whose offerings perfectly complement their dishes. Balanced and nuanced cocktails also change with the seasons here.

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  • 5 out of 5 stars
  • Restaurants
  • Mediterranean
  • South End
  • price 3 of 4
  • Recommended

Any wait is worth it to dine on the Greek delicacies at this intimate tavern. Most of the exceptional ingredients are imported directly from Greece, upping the authenticity of the fare. You can make an entire meal of the simple but superior mezedakia (small plates) including horiatiki (Greek country salad), spanakopita, gigandes beans, and imam (eggplant, tomato, onion, garlic, kasseri cheese). Grilled entrees are a must as well, including lavraki (Mediterranean sea bass) and a mixed grill of lamb, pork, chicken, and Greek sausage. Complete the experience with hard-to-find Greek wines and liquors.

  • Restaurants
  • Greek
  • Back Bay
  • price 3 of 4

Named after the Greek word for wine, Krasi truly delivers with its list of more than 180 natural, organic and biodynamic bottles from Greece(check out their popular “orange” wine Paleokerisio). Its food menu features regional meze (the tzatziki is a must here), as well as heaftier plates—like the rotating selection of fire-roasted souvla—all meant for sharing. The Feast of the Gods is a decadent multi-course dinner for hearty appetites.

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  • Restaurants
  • Mexican
  • Somerville

Barra brings the brightness of Mexico City to Somerville’s Union Square. This eatery may be small on space, but it’s big on acid and is sure to leave patrons’ taste buds tingling— whether it’s with its guacamole piled onto freshly fried chicharrón, its cactus salad or its aguachile. Alongside a selection of top-notch tacos and seasonal tamales, diners can sip on flights of the finest mezcal, refreshing pints of michelada and margaritas rimmed with chapulines for a truly authentic touch.

  • Restaurants
  • Seafood
  • Back Bay
  • price 3 of 4

Mooncusser may have started as a fish house, but nowadays, this Bay Village spot has become so much more. Under the direction of Chef Carl Dooley, this restaurant has undergone a culinary makeover, with a new focus on offering four-course tasting menus. The prix fixe selection, which comes with optional wine pairings, changes every month, allowing guests to always discover new plates and fresh perspectives with each visit.

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  • Restaurants
  • Mediterranean
  • Roxbury
  • price 3 of 4

From the team behind the popular Greek restaurant Kava Neo-Taverna comes another South End spot that focuses on the Eastern Mediterranean. With influences from Lebanon, Israel, Georgia and Turkey, Ilona's menu is like a playground of mezze (the spicy, crispy batata harras and lamb-covered hummus shawarma should not be missed). Larger format options include kebabs of all kinds (go with the yogurt-marinated chicken), and no meal is complete without a warm piece of homemade za'atar manakish.

  • 4 out of 5 stars
  • Restaurants
  • Italian
  • South End
  • price 3 of 4
  • Recommended
Boston’s Venetian-style osteria and wine bar, SRV (“Serene Republic of Venice”) balances its focus between modern interpretations of Venetian cicchetti (small plates) and spectacular pastas. Snack on aperitivo classics like tramezzini (basically Italian tea sandwiches) and baccala mantecato (a salt cod spread) while sipping a spritz. More serious eaters will enjoy any number of the house-made pastas, and the rotating risotto is unmatched—just keep in mind that it takes at least a half-hour to prepare because each dish of creamy arborio is made to order.
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  • Restaurants
  • Italian
  • South Boston

A Southie staple, Bar Volpe specializes in modern interpretations of Southern Italian classics, with a heavy emphasis on homemade pastas. Start off with an aperitivo and some of the satisfying spins on Italian street-food favorites (go with the farro arancini) before you move on to the rest of the meal. While the secondi are sure to impress, the real move here is to slurp your way through a dish of fresh pasta, which you can see being made through the open kitchen as you eat dinner. The amatriciana is always a good idea.

  • 5 out of 5 stars
  • Restaurants
  • Spanish
  • South End
  • price 3 of 4
  • Recommended

For all its dynamism, Toro has remained unchanged in one respect: It blows the roof off of Boston’s South End, even more than a decade after opening. The rustic cubbyhole of a storefront it occupies is as jam-packed and convivial as ever. Day-one staples like the quince-glazed duck drumsticks are still wowing the crowds—and just as much as the now-trendy Basque-style pintxos. When in doubt, order some Jamón Iberico, gambas al ajillo and a glass of Spanish vermouth from their impressive selection. 

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  • Restaurants
  • East Cambridge

Have a craving for Italian classics with a modern twist? Look no further than Geppetto in East Cambridge. Tucked within the Cambridge Crossing complex, this restaurant serves up serious Italian flavors in novel formats, thanks to celebrated chef-owner Will Gilson. Make the most of your visit by starting off with the crunchy, creamy fried mozzarella before digging into some dishes of house-made pastas. The casarecce with sausage and broccoli rabe is a real winner and must be enjoyed with a beautiful glass of Italian red. (That's an order).

  • 5 out of 5 stars
  • Restaurants
  • Inman Sq
  • price 3 of 4
  • Recommended

Ana Sortun’s take on Eastern Mediterranean cuisine has opened many eyes to the region's fragrant flavors and seasonal ingredients since it opened in 2001. The meze menu offers perfectly spiced options for all palates, including the whipped feta, baharat-rubbed quail kebab and lamb and sweet potato moussaka. Save room for homemade ice creams or Künefe, or the pistachio and cardamom baklava.

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  • 5 out of 5 stars
  • Restaurants
  • Italian
  • Harvard Sq
  • price 3 of 4
  • Recommended

Situated between Central and Harvard Squares, this hip trattoria lets you "pick your own adventure" with its completely customizable, three-course prix fixe menu. Globally minded dishes heavily rely on Asian ingredients, often applying them to Italian preparations and creating fantastically flavored fusion food (the renowned lumache with bolognese and gojuchang is a prime example). If you don't want to committ to three courses, head to the bar and lounge to order a la carte and enjoy a draft negroni.

  • Restaurants

Just north of the city in Lynn, you’ll find this intimate, plant-packed oasis serving up refreshing, Vietnamese-inspired cuisine. The tasting menus dazzle with delicate yet decadent dishes that offer playfully unexpected flavor combinations, such as the frothy, vanilla-laced lobster glacé, claypot caramelized foie gras, and grilled coconut sticky rice pops topped with fresh uni and caviar. Reservations can be made for a nine-course, 14-course and 21-course tasting experience (or, if you don't want to go all out, try to snag one of the five-course prix fixe spots available 5-6pm daily). 

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  • Restaurants

This Cambridge kitchen doesn’t mess around when it comes to mezze. Nestled in Inman Square, Moona offers a cozy, tiled bar, indoor dining area and tented patio perfect for sampling its menu filled with Eastern Mediterranean small plates. Guests can graze on a variety of light, little dishes, like the pomegranate fattoush salad and feta fritters. Folks looking for a bigger bite can get their fill from dishes like the chicken tagine or grilled whole fish. Be sure to bring a friend or two, so you can share a whole spread of these amazing morsels.

  • Restaurants
  • Steakhouse
  • Back Bay
  • price 4 of 4

Perhaps the city’s most famous steakhouse, Grill 23 has hosted countless business dinners and special occasions. High ceilings, marble columns, white tablecloths and white-jacket-clad waiters all contribute to the big-ticket atmosphere (as do the lawyers and brokers whooping it up over pricey wines and indulgent steaks). The wine program has won national awards, as have the perfectly prepared cuts of beef. 

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  • Restaurants
  • French
  • Bay Village
  • price 2 of 4

With stone floors, high ceilings, enormous windows, and an atmosphere suggestive of Provence, Mistral is both sophisticated and elegantly casual. It’s a sunny fine dining experience marked by an exquisite French-Mediterranean menu and fine wines. Service remains superb—as do the delicate grilled flatbreads, especially the pizza bianca with hot peppers.

  • Restaurants
  • Mediterranean
  • North End

The North End is inundated with Italian eateries, but amongst them all, one stands out. Occupying an old brick townhome, Mamma Maria has the elegance of a white-tablecloth restaurant, but is still warmly approachable and unstuffy. Tuscan classics like rabbit pasta and wild boar chops are expertly executed. In the warmer months, guests can (and should) enjoy the spacious patio overlooking North Square.

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  • 5 out of 5 stars
  • Restaurants
  • Roxbury
  • price 3 of 4
  • Recommended

MIDA takes its cues from Italian cuisine, prioritizing three things: ingredients, wine and hospitality. Dishes are ideal for sharingfrom the North Shore fritto misto to the handmade smoked short rib lasagna. The wine list tends to favor Northern Italian and French bottles, with an emphasis on lesser known producers. And, of course, this South End joint (and its sister spaces in Newton and East Boston) has a handle on classic Italian cocktails, like the Negroni. 

  • Restaurants
  • Japanese
  • Leather District
  • price 4 of 4

o ya remains at the top. Clear out your bank account and then clear your weekend, because o ya’s singular dining experience is one to be savored. Owners Tim and Nancy Cushman set a new bar for special-event dining with o ya’s opening in 2007; even today the restaurant regularly wins accolades as one of the best restaurants in all of New England. The sushi and omakase menu is a marvel of both flavor and presentation, with every morsel—from the foie gras nigiri to the bluefin tuna and smoked salmon sashimi—a delectable work of art. 

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  • Restaurants
  • American creative
  • Seaport District
  • price 4 of 4

Woods Hill Pier 4 brings farm-to-table dining to the Seaport, on the site where the iconic Anthony’s Pier 4 restaurant once sat. Kristin Canty and the team behind The Farm at Woods Hill create modern, seasonal dishes using ingredients that are organic, non-GMO and come from local area purveyors. All meat comes from The Farm at Woods Hill and other local farms that raise animals ethically and feed from an organic grass-based diet.

  • Restaurants
  • Pan-Asian
  • Chinatown
  • price 3 of 4

Shojo has been a favorite since they opened. The fries— hand cut and cooked in duck fat—and kimchi fried rice have amassed a cult-like following. Not to mention the Shojonator: a part-burger, part-boa creation that's topped with bacon, fried shallots and kimcheese, served in a house-steamed sesame. It's no surprise that Shojo has established itself as a popular late-night institution first in Chinatown and now in Cambridge.

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  • Restaurants
  • Italian
  • Beacon Hill
  • price 3 of 4

Sink below street level in Beacon Hill for a cozy Italian meal surrounded by exposed brick, shelves of wine and locally sourced artwork. The menu is classic Italian with a creative twist. The table for a date is the one tucked in the corner surrounded by candles and bottles of wine—you'll feel like you're the only two people in the whole restaurant. 

Local chefs, restaurants and concepts we love so much that we welcomed them into Time Out Market

  • Restaurants
  • Mediterranean
  • South End
  • price 1 of 4

A colorful mix of Mediterranean and Middle Eastern dishes are served throughout the day, catering to South End residents in search of a quick, healthy meal. Warm, thin flatbreads are used to scoop up flavorful dips and spreads made from local, organic ingredients. A customizable menu ensures customers can combine whichever flavors they like. Salads and grain bowls delight the medical professionals who pop in for a healthy meal.

  • Restaurants
  • Italian
  • price 3 of 4

Alta Strada offers an approachable, accessible option that’s popular with area families and couples. Some choose to nibble on small plates at the antipasti-wine bar, others prefer the casual, open dining room. Chef Michael Schlow’s menu includes influences from various Italian regions—Tuscany, Emilia-Romagna, Piedmont, and the Amalfi coast. Antipasti, fresh pastas, crispy thin-crust pizzas, and a well-chosen wine list round out the experience. For Schlow's inspired takes on pasta and pizza, head to Time Out Market to check out Michael Schlow's and Monti, respectively.

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  • Restaurants
  • American creative
  • Inman Sq
  • price 3 of 4

Recognized in the past by Wine Enthusiast as one of America’s best wine restaurants, BISq boasts a unique, French-focused wine program at its home near Cambridge’s Inman Square. You’ll find small production wines from grower-producers, as well as natural wines, champagnes, and other interesting selections of sherry and madeira by the glass. Chef Alex Sáenz and his culinary team churns out an inviting assortment of small plates, and are behind the BISq eatery—which specializes in creative sandwiches and juicy fried chicken—at Time Out Market.

  • Restaurants
  • Seafood
  • Back Bay
  • price 3 of 4

Mooncusser may have started as a fish house, but nowadays, this Bay Village spot has become so much more. Under the direction of Chef Carl Dooley, this restaurant has undergone a culinary makeover, with a new focus on offering four-course tasting menus. The prix fixe selection, which comes with optional wine pairings, changes every month, allowing guests to always discover new plates and fresh perspectives with each visit.Yes, seafood absolutely still plays a role here, but now fish dishes—like barbecue unagi or potato gnocchi with salt cod—share the spotlights with other, internationally inspired stars, such as Sichuan pork sausage consomme and venison with Hungarian dumplings. Perched above Stuart Street, folks can rest assured that the view from the dining room is just as delicious as the parade of edible delights coming out of the kitchen. Patrons looking for something lighter can visit the Moon Bar, and for those in a hurry, there's Cusser's, a street-level takeaway spot specializing in seafood and roast beef. (Or, to experience the latter eatery's greatest hits in a buzzy culinary-focused environment, stop by the Cussers at Time Out Market Boston).

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  • Restaurants
  • Sandwich shops
  • Back Bay
  • price 2 of 4

Cusser’s is Mooncusser Fish House’s tiny takeout operation, a slightly upscale version of a classic North Shore seafood hut. Roast beef sandwiches and lobster rolls emerge from the street-level takeout window. Other treats on offer may include beer-battered fish and chips, burgers, fish tacos and more. To experience their greatest hits in a buzzy culinary-focused environment, stop by the Cussers at Time Out Market Boston.

  • Restaurants
  • Seafood
  • Back Bay
  • price 3 of 4

Mooncusser may have started as a fish house, but nowadays, this Bay Village spot has become so much more. Under the direction of Chef Carl Dooley, this restaurant has undergone a culinary makeover, with a new focus on offering four-course tasting menus. The prix fixe selection, which comes with optional wine pairings, changes every month, allowing guests to always discover new plates and fresh perspectives with each visit.Yes, seafood absolutely still plays a role here, but now fish dishes—like barbecue unagi or potato gnocchi with salt cod—share the spotlights with other, internationally inspired stars, such as Sichuan pork sausage consomme and venison with Hungarian dumplings. Perched above Stuart Street, folks can rest assured that the view from the dining room is just as delicious as the parade of edible delights coming out of the kitchen. Patrons looking for something lighter can visit the Moon Bar, and for those in a hurry, there's Cusser's, a street-level takeaway spot specializing in seafood and roast beef. (Or, to experience the latter eatery's greatest hits in a buzzy culinary-focused environment, stop by the Cussers at Time Out Market Boston).

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  • Restaurants
  • Bakeries
  • Somerville
  • price 1 of 4

Just follow the crowds and the aroma of fried dough. The uber-popular bakery has made waves from day one, turning out inimitable flavors like maple bacon, berry pistachio and sea salt bourbon caramel. Having grown into a larger space, Union Square Donuts has evolved to serve even more quick-to-sell-out options, including donut holes and vegan versions.

Explore Time Out Market Boston

Best restaurants in Boston by cuisine

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