40 Absolute Best Restaurants In Boston

If we made this restaurant list even just 10 years ago, the bulk of it would be upscale American spots, a good deal of classic seafood/oyster bars, and a handful of red sauce Italian joints. And they would mostly be located in the central neighborhoods of the city. While there's nothing wrong with those old-school stalwarts, Boston's restaurant scene has grown leaps and bounds, year after year. It's a testament to the city's ever-expanding palate.

Now, the hot spots include everything from Middle Eastern tapas restaurants (that are almost as hard to score a table at as NYC's notorious Carbone) to a pint-sized Peruvian spot with the freshest ceviche you'll taste (a nice nod to the city's tradition for top-notch seafood, we think). We're also seeing long-standing hidden gems — old and new — getting the recognition they deserve. And at least a third of the Boston area's must-try places to eat are just outside the official city limits in Cambridge and Somerville — well worth the ride on the T. Numerous celebrity chefs have put down culinary roots here and a slew of local favorites have James Beard Awards and nominations under their apron strings. Though there are many more worth visiting, read on for our list of Boston's best restaurants.

South End or Santorini? You won't know which one you're in once you step inside Kava. The skinny, shoebox-sized interior is swathed in sea blues and whites, with subtle nautical touches. Take your time here and order a few rounds of small plates like lemon roasted potatoes, bright horiatiki salad, lightly battered and fried zucchini medallions, and souvlaki skewers that are great alone or smothered in tangy tzatziki. And don't forget the buckets (yes, literal buckets) of complementary crusty bread and olive oil. In classic Greek fashion, the restaurant stays open pretty late for the neighborhood. The warm staff won't rush you and — if you're lucky — offer you a shot of ouzo if you're one of the last diners in the place on a weeknight. Opa!

Oleana is ideal for a birthday, anniversary, or graduation, but book a seat anyway at this oasis for Mediterranean and Middle Eastern fare even if there's nothing to celebrate. The vibe is warm, relaxed, and quietly elegant — think dinner party at the cozy home of two well-traveled college professors. And the menu is unmatched, from juicy za'atar chicken to a rolled take on a traditional cheese borek. Don't forget a stellar dessert, either (try the baked Alaska). Grab a seat on the patio (more like in-house secret garden) to dine amidst climbing vines, wild blooms, and trees adorned with hanging orbs that glisten in the twinkle of string lights.

The love child of local wine experts, this darling spot summons creative types with small-production bottles and house-cured seafood. Curiosity is encouraged, so ask the warm, whip-smart sommeliers behind the counter for suggestions (they get it right every time). Settle in at the communal table and watch the room grow dim as evening approaches — you'll sip by the light of colorful taper candles casting a kaleidoscope glow across the tabletop as they shine through colored glass vases filled with seasonal blooms. A deck of tarot cards sits on the table, too, though you won't need them to know another visit to this sweet bar is in your future.

Would you believe us if we told you the best pizza in Boston is in ... Cambridge? It's true, though, between the sourdough crust and the bright tomato sauce, these loosely Neapolitan-style pies are wood-fired to perfection every time. The classic margherita is always the right choice, but opt for the mushroom-fontina 'za if you're not in a tomato mood (it's made with a delectable mushroom sauce instead). Don't forget a basket of garlic knots and the aforementioned amazing marinara or the shaved Brussels salad for some welcome ruffage.

We're all at the point of rolling our eyes when we see kale salad on the menu, but trust us, this one is worth adding to your order. The combo of raw and crispy, shredded lacinato kale is the perfect textural balance; add in u-shaped fennel slices and a creamy honey pistachio dressing and you've found salad nirvana. Other stand-outs from the subterranean Cambridge spot situated a stone's throw from Harvard: pickled corn pancakes, the basil pasta with carrot Bolognese, and the buttery "secret" burger (if you can get your hands on it fast enough).

Boston's Newbury Street is lined with quite a few restaurants, but the shining star is Faccia a Faccia — a coastal Italian mecca that beckons passersby in with a wisteria-covered archway and killer patio. Start off your meal with the "grandma bread," a roasty tomato-topped Sicilian pie, and the ever-changing farmer's market salad, which can be made for the table, but features a generous portion for one. Next up: housemade pasta and superb seafood, including artichoke cappelletti and local lobster drenched in chili butter. We don't know what's better: the fact that you can swap in house-made gluten-free pasta into any dish or the subterranean speakeasy wine bar downstairs.

We know what you're thinking: How could a restaurant that just opened this spring already make it onto a "best" list? Well, a flawlessly executed dinner al fresco and longstanding culinary roots in the city is the answer. Owned by Loic Le Garrec, the chef behind the city's iconic Petit Robert Bistro, Marseille officially grand-opened mid-May to smashing success. The restaurant focuses on coastal French cuisine, offering up a delicate smoked salmon toast and flawless roast chicken preparation.

Bostonians close their eyes and dream of Sofra's pastries and savory specialties (for this writer, it's always the cheese borek). And even if you wake up immediately after said dream and head over to Sofra bright and early, you'll probably still have to wait an hour or so for your fix. From pistachio rosewater croissants and bittersweet chocolate tahini tarts to lentil soup, shawarma sandos, and rhubarb-adorned baked feta, this bakery and lunch restaurant is so beloved, folks will brave the February cold just to eat their treats on the curb outside. And yes, we know technically a bakery is not a restaurant, but if it's good enough for the New York Times Best Restaurants list, it's good enough for us.

Chef Joanne Chang is a local legend, partly for the incredible sticky buns at her bakery, Flour, and also for this flavor bomb of a restaurant she co-owns with husband Christopher Myers that tackles the specialties of China, Taiwan, Thailand, and Vietnam. Delectable tangles of noodles, a duo of tuna poke, bao of all kinds, and the famous Mama Chang's pork and chive dumplings all play together to form a menu that's best enjoyed to share — too many things to try!

You know those chic-cozy restaurants that instantly make you jealous of everyone eating there when you spot them canoodling over (in this case) noodles under dim lighting? That's MIDA. Helmed by James Beard Award-nominated chef Douglas Williams, the South End Italian spot offers a trendier, more elevated take on the classic carby delights. The short rib lasagna is a must, as is the cacio e pepe gnocchi. Don't forget the cloud-like focaccia to kick things off, either.

It's New England-meets-Mediterranean over at Chickadee, which is known for approachable, yet inventive dishes like horseradish-y smoked sea trout spread that's a dip for rye chips or some not-your-nonna's spaghetti and clams, complete with razor clams and green garlic. It's perched right on the fringes of the ever-expanding Seaport district, but it's worth the hype (and the relative hike) since there are alums from the lauded No. 9 Park and Spoke Wine bar at the helm. Fly over there ASAP.

Pammy's feels like the restaurant manifestation of a love letter, between the sparkling globular lights overhead, the fresh blooms and flickering candles bedecking the tables, and the gilded Rococo-like mirror anchoring the dining room. And there's nothing more romantic than cozying up with your date at the central communal table or near the tiled fireplace at this Cambridge Italian-American trattoria revival. The food stuns with its simplicity and nuanced elevated touches. Rustic lumache is spiked with gochujang, while a classic beet salad gets a kiss of jalapeno.

Yes, we know Toro opened back in 2005 (and the landscape of Washington Street has grown and gentrified since), but it's still an Olympic sport to snag a table there on weekends. It's worth the wait, though. The cozy Spanish tapas spot feels unabashedly European, with its rustic beams and super cozy tables for you to cozy up next to your date or play a game of footsie. We welcome the close quarters — all the better to be in reach of the patatas bravas and eggy Spanish tortilla.

The whole farmer's market is on the menu over at Field & Vine, an oasis of a restaurant located in Somerville's Union Square. Every plate is local, hyper-seasonal, and makes veggies the star (it's not a vegetarian spot, though, so carnivores shouldn't skip out on the reservation). Sample sweet farm onions layered with parsley and Spanish anchovies, grilled sweet potatoes with mint labneh, and a spinach and green garlic cloaked cavatelli accented with egg yolk "bottarga." Between bites, don't forget to admire the stunning vines and greenery that snake around the loft-like ceilings.

Featured on our list of Boston's best restaurants to visit in 2023, Comfort Kitchen is still technically a newcomer to the restaurant scene but has already established itself as among the best the city has to offer. The dishes are flavored with turmeric, cardamon, black pepper, and other spices that have traveled across the globe through the international spice trade, cementing themselves as parts of myriad culinary canons along the way. The result? A menu highlighting stick-to-your-ribs dishes from Asia and the African Diaspora.

There's fresh seafood abound at this trendy, pint-sized Peruvian spot in Somerville's Union Square and, with just 24 seats, it feels more like you're at a dinner party hosted by your well-traveled friend who has just jetted back from South America than a restaurant. Really, a meal here feels like a party, which is why it secured a spot on Esquire's Best New Restaurants in America list back during its debut year in 2018. The gorgeous fresh ceviche is the star here as well as anything else spiked with aji amarillo and a generous squeeze of lime.

This funky Mexican spot has an eye-catching interior, between the neon signs and the tufted turquoise banquettes, and the decor is a preview of all the bold and unexpected flavor combinations you'll find in their tacos. Think: Tecate-beer-battered fish, scallops spiked with prickly pear molasses, steak dolloped with bacon-onion jam, and mushrooms and onions playing well with pecans. The best thing to wash it all down with? A coconut margarita — they're not too sweet and have rims cloaked in shredded coconut.

Don't be misled by the name. Yes, Gene's has some good flatbread sandwiches, but the thing to order is the hand-pulled noodles. They're wide, slurpy, and packed with so much garlic flavor. You can enjoy them in a soup or alone, seasoned liberally with crushed cayenne, scallions, and fresh herbs. Blink and you'll miss the storefront — it's tiny and tucked away in the Financial District — but you'll know you're in the right place when you see the cook stretching dough in the back kitchen.

The big Boston's-best-slice debate is typically a grudge match between Regina's and Santarpio's, but if you're trying to settle the score yourself, you should also drop into this unassuming North End pizza shop. Cash-only Galleria Umberto slings Sicilian-style slices and fluffy arancini every day but Sunday from 10:45 a.m. until 2:30 p.m., but you should aim to swing by before noon or so (everything's handmade, so they sell out quickly). You can sit inside, but these square slices with perfectly blistered cheese are best enjoyed on the go while exploring the city's oldest neighborhood.

Nina Festekjian isn't a professionally trained chef (she learned through experience cooking for her three sons), but you wouldn't suspect it after tasting her food. At anoush'ella, which she co-owns with husband Raffi, Nina serves Lebanese-Armenian dishes that pay homage to her childhood in Lebanon in a sleek, fast-casual space. The shining stars are the wraps, where paper-thin m'anoush — cooked to order on a convex saj griddle — hugs the most flavorful fillings: think tender pulls of za'atar-cloaked chicken, herbaceous salads, and silken hummus. But don't sleep on the sweet-and-savory labneh bar, either.