Where To Find The Famous Boston Gumbo That Beat Bobby Flay's

It's pretty hard to beat Bobby Flay. The French-trained chef has built an impressive portfolio of restaurants over the years, all while releasing over a dozen cookbooks and starring in Emmy-award winning TV shows. But every so often, a lesser-known chef will come around and really challenge the star, like Lambert Givens of Hunter's Kitchen and Bar in Boston.

Givens, the executive chef at the Southie eatery, appeared on The Food Network show "Beat Bobby Flay" back in 2022, facing off against the titular host in a gumbo-making competition. Givens managed to blow the judges away using his grandmother's recipe, becoming part of the minority of contestants who have beaten Flay on the show. His winning dish, which gets its signature taste from a homemade Dungeness crab stock, has been on the menu since Hunter's opened, and it's still a customer favorite today.

The sausage and seafood gumbo recipe at Hunter's is loaded with fresh shrimp, crab, and andouille sausage, which are all slow-cooked for over four hours to ensure the best results. The magic comes from a secret seasoning blend, as well as a hearty amount of butter, all served with aromatic Charleston rice. It's a rich, umami-spiked stew that lets the natural flavors of the seafood shine — and you can get your hands on a cup or crock full of it anytime at Hunter's Kitchen and Bar.

Hunter's Kitchen and Bar opened in South Boston in 2021. The Southern-inspired restaurant is part of the Broadway Restaurant Group, where Givens got his start and eventually worked his way up the ladder. Hunter's is all about comfort-food classics with a twist. Think fluffy Southern biscuits with Vermont honey butter, bourbon bbq brisket, duck fat hushpuppies, and fried chicken with cheddar liege waffles and habanero lavender honey.

But Lambo's gumbo is the star. One Yelp user says in a review, "Absolutely recommend getting the gumbo. Best I've had outside of Louisiana (and probably better than some places there too)." Another describes it as, "Pure elegance meshed with fragrance and finesse. Great presentation, heavenly aromas, and a combination of sublime flavors." A customer who traveled to South Boston especially to try the dish even brought her leftovers home on a flight. She writes on Yelp, "Let me tell you, the hype is real. Spoiler: I made it through TSA with leftovers. That's how good it was."

People also love the friendly service at Hunter's Kitchen and Bar, as well as the cozy, rustic interior. Apart from the gumbo, the mac and cheese comes highly recommended, with one TikTok reviewer calling it a "game changer" and the best in the city. Hunter's Kitchen does a great brunch, too, and the craft cocktails are a must. Givens has also appeared on "Chopped" since his Flay face-off, so maybe we'll even get to see him on our screens again soon.