Boston
Craigie on Main
www.craigieonmain.com853 Main Street
Cambridge, MA 02139
(617) 497-5511
A casual environment with truly exquisite food. Chef Tony Maws changes his menu every single day depending on what’s inspiring and seasonal at the moment. He only cooks roughly a dozen of his memorable burgers each night, so get there early and put your order in.
Photo courtesy of Michael Piazza for Craige on Main
Mistral
www.mistralbistro.com223 Columbus Avenue
Boston, MA 02116
(617) 867-9300
Mistral is eternally popular for dinner, but we like coming for brunch when the light floods through the floor-to-ceiling windows — and makes for great people watching. Order the lemon poppyseed pancakes with berries and ricotta.
Photo courtesy of Mistral
Hamersley’s Bistro
www.hamersleysbistro.com553 Tremont Street
Boston, MA 02116
(617) 423-2700
The mood at this bistro is very South of France — with yellow walls, topiaries,
and wood-beamed ceilings — but the food is pure New England. Think traditional seafood dishes with an unexpected twist, like spicy halibut with clam roast and cider-braised pork with nutmeg.
Photo courtesy of Cal Bingham
O Ya
www.oyarestaurantboston.com9 East Street
Boston, MA 02111
(617) 654-9900
A husband and wife duo create a harmonious yin and yang with their creative Japanese cuisine, like soft-boiled egg (yin) with caviar and gold leaf flakes (yang).
Photo courtesy of Antoinette Bruno for www.starchefs.com
Posto
www.pizzeriaposto.com187 Elm Street
Somerville, MA 02144
(617) 625-0600
Just 10 minutes from downtown Boston, Posto is a great spot for family dinner. Come hungry for the rosemary and sea salt bread (you may want seconds) and bubbly-crust wood-fired pizza.
Photo courtesy of Posto
Sorellina
www.sorellinaboston.com1 Huntington Avenue
Boston, MA 02116
(617) 412-4600
Elegant cuisine in an elegant space. Even their take on meatballs is sophisticated (and mouthwatering) — Kobe beef in a flavorful Barolo sauce.
Photo courtesy of Antoinette Bruno for www.starchefs.com
Neptune Oyster
www.neptuneoyster.com63 Salem Street
Boston, MA 02110
(617) 742-3474
In a town known for seafood, this is the go-to spot for the ultimate gourmet Lobster Roll. We like ours in a warm brioche bun with melted butter, but you can also order it sans roll (we’re looking at you, gluten-free friends).
Photo courtesy of Alice and Jared Zhao, Zhao Photography
J.P. Licks
www.jplicks.com150 Charles Street
Boston, MA 02115
(857) 233-2771
With its cold New England winters you might not expect Boston to be an ice cream city, but on the contrary it has some of the best creameries anywhere. We love J.P. Licks for its grab-bag of flavors, from classic Oreos and cream to combinations you’ve never even dreamed of like tomato basil and cream stout (as in beer).
Photo courtesy of Meredith Smith for Serious Eats
Flour Bakery
www.flourbakery.com1595 Washington Street
Boston, MA 02118
(617) 267-4300
There’s only one thing you need to know: order the sticky sticky bun, a pastry so extraordinarily gooey that it had to repeat itself.
Photo courtesy of Elizabeth Bomze for Serious Eats
No. 9 Park
www.no9park.com9 Park Street
Boston, MA 02108
(617) 742-9991
Of the three dining rooms at Barbara Lynch’s Italian-French restaurant, we prefer the casual café and bar where you get more face time with the knowledgeable servers. Make sure to ask about your wine pairing — the bartenders are like sommeliers.
Photo courtesy of Cal Bingham