24 best Boston restaurants right now

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. 

In stark contrast to O Ya, Yume Wo Katare is comfort food done well. Huge bowls of ramen feature thick, house-made noodles, and your only choice is whether you want two pieces of pork or five. If you manage to finish your bowl, you’ll be congratulated with a “We have a perfect!” The restaurant’s name means “talk about your dreams,” so go ahead and chat with strangers and the communal tables, and you may even be asked to share your dreams and goals out loud with everyone...

Chefs Ken Oringer and Jamie Bissonnette recently added an Italian-inspired restaurant to their fantastic local line-up (Coppa, Toro, Little Donkey), and we’re so glad they did. The seafood inspired menu utilizes fresh ingredients, including in-season produce from the Copley Square Farmers Market. The spacious Back Bay restaurant serves coastal delights including a half dozen crudos, grilled Scituate lobster and an excellent selection of spritzes. Faccia Brutta is the hottest opening in Boston proper this summer.

The seasonal menu at this Seaport hotspot—named after the Massachusetts state bird—is Mediterranean-influenced, but features ingredients from local farms, markets, and producers. Starters such as kohlrabi tzatziki combine the best of both worlds. The lunch menu focuses on pitas—check out the fried hake with pickled peppers and zhoug. Dinner offers more to explore; pasta dishes are a highlight, dishes might include littleneck clams with green harissa or gnocchi with smoked chestnut. Innovative cocktails incorporate fresh ingredients, too—snap peas, roasted red peppers, and jasmine, to name a few.

Yvonne’s has saved what matters: the 19th-century mahogany bar and the same clubby ambiance. But the new supper club—named for what used to be Locke Ober’s members-only club downstairs—otherwise sports a decidedly au courant vibe. Creative small plates include crispy tater cubes, chicken quinoa meatballs, baked oysters and popcorn brulee. Large-scale (i.e. scorpion bowl-sized) cocktails like the Moscow Mule are lovingly crafted and best enjoyed in the separate Library Bar, a tome-tiered respite that invites you to imbibe like a Brahmin. While there are lots of newcomers to the "speakeasy" theme, Yvonne's is still the best all rounder, and the best part is that is it is actually located Downtown. 

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 Cusser’s at Time Out Market Boston).

There are so many wonderful spots to visit in the North End. But if you are looking for fine dining and the best patio, Mamma Maria tops them all. Enjoy the spacious North Square patio while summer is still here. But no matter what add Mamma Maria to your list. 

The South has come to Southie, thanks to the neighborhood's latest eatery, Hunter’s. As the newest venture from Broadway Restaurant Group’s family of South Boston spots, Hunter’s Kitchen + Bar joins its siblings Lincoln, Loco, Capo and Fat Baby. The wood-paneled space stays true to its name; there's hunting lodge decor galore, including toile wallpaper, buffalo plaid curtains, majestic portraits of bird dogs and a ton of forest green touches. (We can see it serving as a cozy little oasis where resident yuppies can curl up once those cold New England temperatures inevitably come our way). Amongst the Southern-inspired dishes coming out of the kitchen: Crispy pieces of fried chicken served atop cheddar waffles and drizzled with a generous drip of habanero lavender honey; succulent brisket and biscuit sliders smothered in bourbon barbecue sauce; shrimp and smoky grits finished with chili de arbol butter; as well as a rotating seasonal pie (i.e. a peanut butter banana pie). Pair all of that down-home fare with a craft cocktail from its whisky-heavy list of libations and you’ll be ready to camo up and chase that buck fever feeling.

The gorgeously appointed restaurant enjoys one of the city's most enviable addresses, across the street from the Public Garden. Francophiles enjoy various authentic touches, especially when it comes to the well-stocked wine cellar that includes some amazing finds from Burgundy and Bordeaux. Given the thousands of residential units and hotel rooms within walking distance, the restaurant caters to every need, from from a light snack to a seven-course tasting menu. The street-level bistro space offers its own menu of inviting, French-accented fare, while the upstairs dining room pulls out all the stops with a varied assortment of splurge-worthy dishes.

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.

Abe and Louie’s is another Boston institution that locals often take for granted—at least until the next sirloin craving hits. As one of the Back Bay’s most popular special occasion restaurants, it understands the allure of the classic chophouse and delivers on every level: red banquette booths, dark wood paneling, and prime Midwestern steaks aged at least 30 days on the bone. Each cut comes accompanied by throwback sides like creamed spinach and a massive baked potato; you can choose between wood-fired or skillet-blackened. 

The team behind GreCo and Committee have also given us this Greek meze and wine bar. Named after the Greek word for wine, Krasi is located in the former Café Jaffa space, in the heart of the Back Bay. The menu of regional Greek meze is complimented by a Greek wine list of more than 180 all natural, organic and biodynamic selections. 

Hecate is the coolest new bar that has opened in Boston proper in the past few years. Owned and operated by the same team behind Krasi, this underground speakeasy feels as if it belongs in New York City, rather than Boston in the best way. As you enter, your eyes slowly adjust to the darkness and the bartenders, who are referred to as your “spirit guides” whip up the stylish drinks in the background as you wonder who else has managed to snag a table at the coolest spot in town.

The fine dining jewel in Barbara Lynch’s collection of restaurants, Menton takes its name from the Côte d’Azur town near the Italian border. The contemporary, French- and Italian-inspired cuisine, offered in both a la carte and a "chef's whim" tasting menu, features luxurious ingredients such as sea urchin and black truffle. Plush details—from French linens to Austrian crystal—and attentive service ensures guests feel utterly pampered. For a unique special occasion option, Menton offers a private chef’s table with a glass wall providing views of the impressive kitchen. As one of the few Grand Dame restaurants left in Boston, Menton will always deserve a spot on this list. 

The glamorous, chandelier-lit dining room creates a special occasion-feel, but there isn’t a hint of stuffiness thanks to the friendly vibe at this Back Bay eatery, which enjoys a regal perch at the intersection of Mass and Commonwealth Aves. The contemporary French fare is complemented by a voluminous wine list with more than 20 options by the glass. Chef/co-owner Chris Coombs’s talent for hospitality and sumptuous dishes translates to a sophisticated yet relaxed tryst with champagne and caviar, spiced duck breast, and French onion soup that simmers for many hours.

Since 1975, this refined Harvard Square stalwart has led the local farm-to-table charge, celebrating regional ingredients with an elegant, seasonal menu. The kitchen personifies a sophisticated approach to New England dining; locally-sourced seafood and meats, plus homemade pastas, are all meticulously and imaginatively prepared. The two-or three-course business lunch provides one of the area's best fine dining deals. Come summer, a seat on the garden terrace is one of the most coveted in the Square.

Located inside the Four Seasons Hotel One Dalton Street, the Boston outpost of the globe-spanning Japanese izakaya serves sophisticated plays on sushi, robata skewers and tempura. Enjoy pristine nigiri and top-shelf sake in classy environs. Boston needs more places like Zuma, i.e. where dressing to impress is not looked down upon, but rather encouraged. 

Located a short stroll from Union Square, Celeste provides Somerville and Cambridge residents with fine Peruvian fare. Grab a seat at the bar and watch the open kitchen work its magic. Diners fill the small space to nosh on Peruvian standards—ceviche, causa, lomo saltado—done in style. The bar program focuses on mezcal- and pisco-based cocktails.

Owner-chef Robert Harris has changed up the Season to Taste experience, introducing a more casual, accessible approach with comforting dishes such as chicken wings, buttermilk biscuits, lobster rolls and housemade pastas. Enjoy their patio while the weather is still nice, but no matter what expect seasonal, delicious fare. 

Duck into this subterranean hideaway—the former site of Casablanca, a Harvard Square institution—and discover a bustling multi-room dining and drinking destination that balances a rustic laid-back vibe with an industrial edge. The reclaimed wood and brick walls add warmth to the sprawling space, as do the honey-colored glass lanterns that hang over the bar. There’s a small atrium dining room, high-top tables in the bar area, and a main dining room where guests can glimpse the open kitchen through metal shelving stacked with cookbooks. 

From the team behind the popular Greek restaurant Kava Neo-Taverna comes another South End spot, this time focusing on the Eastern Mediterranean. (Think influences from Lebanon, Israel, Georgia and Turkey along with Greece.) As with Kava’s menu, there are standards like halloumi, octopus, and several eggplant options. But Ilona also features heavier dishes such as imeruli khachapuri (Georgian cheese-stuffed bread), shish barak (phyllo stuffed with lamb and onions) and a cigeri hummus with chicken livers. Ilona is brightly-decorated, drawing lively crowds.

What started as a supper club is now a charmingly tiny restaurant located just a short stroll from Somerville’s Davis Square. As chef-owner Erin Miller puts it, this place strives to be “whimsy and unpretentious”—a feat that it easily accomplishes with its elevated New American fare and casually chic space. Enter this intimate eatery—which immediately feels more like someone’s apartment rather than a restaurant—and you’ll find a weekly menu of hyper-local food prepared with purpose and a keen eye for balance. With a slightly European approach, the kitchen here (which is literally in the dining room) takes its time and places an emphasis on savoring the experience, so don’t expect a mad dash of a meal.

Here’s a rare opportunity to dine on real, certified Kobe. This waterfront restaurant within the Encore Boston Harbor boasts the only authentic beef program of Japanese Wagyu that can be found throughout New England, along with domestic beef from Snake River Farms in Idaho and LaFrieda Meats, locally farmed produce and dairy, and freshly caught seafood. Insider side dish tip: Get the loaded baked potato, a glorious two-pounder topped with sour cream, cheese and smoky bacon. On Sunday, double up with the famed Surf & Turf for Two—a 20-oz, dry-aged domestic Wagyu New York strip paired with a broiled, 2 ½-pound Maine lobster.

Situated between Central and Harvard Squares, this hip trattoria has a slightly retro feel thanks to the amber glow of its globe lights and double-sided fireplace. The globally minded menu heavily relies on Asian ingredients, often applying them to Italian preparations and creating fantastically flavored fusion food. Nosh on handmade pastas, like its renowned lumache with bolognese and gojuchang, and strike up a conversation with your dining neighbors at the vintage communal table. Sexy cocktails, including its draft aperitivi, are not to be missed.

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.

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.

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.

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 Cusser’s at Time Out Market Boston).

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 Cusser’s at Time Out Market Boston.

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 Cusser’s at Time Out Market Boston).

Revolution Health Kitchen is one of Boston’s most popular options for healthy types looking to follow a whole food, plant-based diet. Friendly staffers help customers navigate the lengthy menu of nutritious, plant-based foods and beverages. Local moms and office workers pop in for made-to-order juices, smoothies, bowls, and toasts, along with healthful grab-and-go treats. Customers fully committed to following Revolution's diet approach can follow cleanse programs, meal plans, and customized packages. 

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.

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If we had a dollar for every time we wished that there were a restaurant solely dedicated to charcuterie, we would take them and spend them all at Kured. This Beacon Hill spot, which opened its doors on Charles Street earlier this summer, specializes in locally sourced cured meats, artisanal cheeses and traditional accompaniments, like house-made pickles. Kured is kind of like Sweetgreen—only it lets guests come in and customize their own charcuterie cones and boxes instead of silly salads. Folks who are too indecisive to choose their own snacking adventures fear not; this place also sells a selection of pre-curated offerings.