Despite being part of the popular Ken Oringer restaurant club, this tiny sashimi bar in the Eliot Hotel still feels like a secret. Read more.
Duxbury’s Island Creek Oysters are so ubiquitous locally, we’ve come to consider them the gold standard. (Sorry, Wellfleets.) Read on for ordering tips. Read more.
This Kenmore Square stalwart is a lot of things to a lot of people. It excels on all fronts — which is why we can’t stay away for very long. Don't miss the steak frites. Read more.
Ken Oringer is a tinkerer—one of just a handful of local chefs to toy with techniques like spherification—which makes for some intriguing plates. Great for date nights and business meetings. Read more.
The raw bar here is one of the city’s best, the drink list superb. Perfect spot for cocktails and group gatherings. Read more.
Our testers are constantly on the lookout for signs they’ve been noticed—too many “gifts” from the chef; a suspiciously good table. At L’Espalier, though, we can never tell. Read on for why. Read more.
When a restaurant’s culinary substance matches its style, as Jamie Mammano’s eatery manages, that’s a beautiful thing. Read more.
Like most steakhouses, Grill 23 is full of mahogany, martinis, and expensive suits. Unlike at most steakhouses, the food is actually worth the ridiculous prices. Read more.
When chef Barbara Lynch opened this South End boîte, she proved that slabs of fat-streaked, air-cured meats and stylish Bostonians make an excellent, if unlikely, pairing. Check the stellar wine list. Read more.
Harvest has a problem. We can never decide when to go: enjoy the dinner? Sunday brunch? If only every conundrum were this tasty… Read more.
If newer spots are like overdyed designer denim, Hamersley’s is the classic pair of jeans you cannot do without. Great for date nights. Read more.
Salts has an atmosphere of such genuine warmth that it’s the destination for special-occasion dinners. Ultracool platings make for dishes that delight you even before they hit your lips. Read more.
Peter McCarthy was doing farm-to-table before practically anyone else, and his “Home Grown” menu, annotated with a list of the producers, is still an example of local sourcing done right. Read more.
Shrimp and grits. Boiled peanuts. The menu might sound like it’ll more warm your soul than blow your mind. But blow your mind, it will. Read more.
Drinks are the focus at The Hawthorne. Bites such as deviled eggs with crisp prosciutto and grilled cheese are available, but they play second fiddle to perfectly made Aviations and Hanky Pankies. Read more.
Tiffani Faison’s new Boston project serves barbecue on metal trays and beverages in Mason jars. Top Chef alum offers up pulled pork, brisket, beans, coleslaw, and more with the music blasting. Read more.
Decorated with Buddhas and populated by scantily clad cocktail waitresses, Red Lantern has a night-life vibe. But tasty snacks, sushi, and steaks make it more than just a scene. Read more.
Jody Adams changed the game on Boston’s waterfront with the casual, globally influenced Trade, which gives downtowners an affordable range of dishes served all day. Read more.
You’ll find raw bar and barbecue in the eclectic mix, which also includes the likes of Gouda fries, persimmon-beet salad, green curry duck, and baked shells and cheese. Read more.
The most impressive item is the simplest: flour tortillas, made in-house using the owner's father’s recipe. Also try Shrimp al chipotle, flour tortillas, carne asada al carbon. Read more.
In the midst of this year’s tequila and tacos boom, the upscale Tico, from Michael Schlow of Radius, Via Matta, and Alta Strada, offered an instant party. Read more.
When this charcuterie funhouse opened over the summer, it gave South End and Back Bay residents a spacious and much-needed beer garden. Read more.
