The 19 Best Restaurants in Boston

Ana Sortun's James Beard Award-winning restaurant is a masterclass in Eastern Mediterranean cooking, drawing on Turkish, Lebanese, and North African flavors with extraordinary finesse. The meze spread and lamb dishes are must-orders, and the outdoor patio is one of the most pleasant dining spaces in the city. Reservations book up weeks in advance, especially for patio seats.

A neighborhood Italian gem that punches well above its weight, Giulia makes exceptional house-made pasta in a warm, intimate room that feels genuinely Roman in spirit. The tagliatelle and any of the braised meat dishes are standouts, and the wine list is thoughtfully curated. It's small and popular, so book ahead or expect a wait.

One of Boston's best Thai restaurants, Mahaniyom serves deeply flavored, regionally specific Thai dishes that go well beyond the usual Americanized standards. The boat noodles, papaya salad, and any of the curry dishes are exceptional, and the kitchen doesn't shy away from heat. It's a small room that fills up quickly, especially on weekends.

A quietly exceptional Japanese restaurant that has been serving some of the most technically precise sushi in greater Boston for decades, without the fanfare of flashier spots. The omakase is the move if budget allows, and the quality of fish sourcing is genuinely impressive. Service is formal and the room is calm — a welcome contrast to louder Cambridge dining rooms.

A cash-only East Boston legend since 1903: bar pizza with a thin, chewy crust and, just as famous, charcoal-grilled lamb and sausage skewers with hot cherry peppers. No frills, no cards, all character. A true Boston institution worth the trek.

Ken Oringer and Jamie Bissonnette's buzzy Barcelona-style tapas bar is one of Boston's most celebrated restaurants, consistently delivering bold, wood-fired Spanish small plates. The grilled corn with aioli and cotija is legendary, and the charcuterie program is exceptional. Reservations are hard to snag and the room gets very loud, so plan accordingly.

Ken Oringer and Jamie Bissonnette's Italian enoteca is a South End favorite for its excellent house-made charcuterie, wood-fired pizzas, and robust Italian wine list in a cozy, rustic setting. The lardo pizza and any of the cured meats are essential orders. It's a small space and gets crowded, so reservations are strongly recommended.

Sister restaurant to Oleana, Sarma is a lively meze bar from Ana Sortun and Maura Kilpatrick serving creative Eastern Mediterranean small plates in a vibrant, convivial setting. The cocktail program is excellent and the food is endlessly snackable — order widely and share everything. Walk-ins are welcomed at the bar, making it a great spontaneous option.

The North End's tiny, top-tier seafood raw bar, famous for its warm-buttered and cold-mayo lobster rolls and pristine oysters. No reservations, long waits, and steep prices, but the quality is genuinely excellent. Come at an off hour and be patient.

Boston's original brick-oven pizzeria, running in the North End since 1926. The Thacher St original (skip the mall clones) turns out blistered, well-seasoned thin-crust pies in a cash-friendly, no-frills room. A real institution, and still very good.

A seasonal Southie institution since 1951, parked by Fort Independence on Castle Island. Cheap hot dogs, fried seafood, and lobster rolls eaten by the water where locals walk and jog. Note: seasonal, typically closed roughly December to late February. Cash-friendly, no-frills, beloved.

The original Kelly's on Revere Beach, birthplace of the North Shore roast beef sandwich (the '3-way') since 1951. A local rite of passage: order beef on an onion roll with James River sauce, eat it looking at the Atlantic. Worth the Blue Line trip.

A gorgeous, warmly lit Italian-American restaurant that manages to feel both special-occasion and genuinely welcoming, with a menu built around seasonal ingredients and excellent pasta. The rigatoni and any of the wood-roasted dishes are highlights, and the bar program is serious. The room fills up fast and the noise level can be high on busy nights.

Michael Scelfo's seafood-forward restaurant near Harvard Square is one of Cambridge's most consistently excellent spots, with a menu that balances creative cooking with genuine comfort. The wood-roasted oysters and any of the pasta dishes are must-tries, and the cocktail list is inventive. The room is handsome and lively but can get loud.

Joanne Chang's pan-Asian restaurant is a South End staple delivering bold, playful takes on Chinese, Taiwanese, and Southeast Asian dishes in a bright, energetic space. The scallion pancakes, dan dan noodles, and wok-fried dishes are perennial favorites. Brunch here is also excellent and draws a long line on weekends.

One of Cambridge's most enduring fine-dining institutions, Harvest has been a pioneer of New England seasonal cooking since 1975 and continues to deliver polished, ingredient-driven American cuisine. The patio is one of the best outdoor dining spots in the city, and the wine list is serious. It can feel slightly formal compared to newer spots but the consistency is admirable.

A refined but approachable New American restaurant in the Hotel Chandler that has earned genuine local respect for its thoughtful seasonal cooking and excellent weekend brunch. The roast chicken and any of the vegetable-forward dishes are highlights, and the room is handsome without being stuffy. It's a reliable choice for a special meal that doesn't require months of advance planning.

A family-run Seaport seafood market and shack near the fish pier, serving big buttery lobster rolls, chowder, and fried seafood at fair prices for the neighborhood. Order at the counter, casual vibe. A solid, unpretentious catch in an otherwise glossy district.

A stunning supper club housed in the former Locke-Ober space, Yvonne's delivers genuinely good globally inspired small plates alongside one of Boston's most theatrical dining room experiences. The lamb flatbread and tuna crudo are perennial hits, and the cocktail program is excellent. It skews toward a see-and-be-seen crowd, but the food holds its own.