Boston has more to offer than cod and baked beans, thank goodness. In recent years, there has been an explosion of new Boston restaurants with serious chops; however, there are some mainstays worth checking out too. Several Boston chefs made their names here and have become familiar faces on the Food Network. Many, such as Todd English and Barbara Lynch, even have mini-food dynasties here, with several restaurants under their toques.
It’s worth noting that Boston is not a late-night dining town. Many spots stop serving around 10 p.m. and bars start closing at 1 a.m., if not earlier. At popular restaurants, waits can be ferocious, so if you can make a reservation in advance, be sure to do so.
Best of the Classics
The Union Oyster House opened in 1826, making it America’s oldest restaurant and a National Historic Landmark. It is located steps from Faneuil Hall. As its name indicates, it’s a seafood restaurant and you can’t go wrong with any of its classics, such as broiled scrod and the hot oyster house platter. The clubby atmosphere, low ceilings, and “olde worlde” décor shouldn’t deceive you into thinking food isn’t taken seriously here. The clam chowder is among the best in the city. The Kennedy clan has long been coming here, and John F. Kennedy’s favorite booth has a plaque dedicated to him upstairs.
41 Union St., tel. 617-227-2750. www.unionoysterhouse.com. Average entrée is $25.
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Union Oyster House, the oldest restaurant in the country, has seen Boston grow during its nearly two centuries of business.
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No. 9 Park, owned by the James Beard award-winning chef Barbara Lynch is an elegant and swanky spot in a townhouse on Beacon Hill. The menu is a blend of French and Italian influences. A three-course pre-fixe menu or the chef’s seven-course tasting menu is a great way to experience Lynch’s range. Reservations are a good idea at least a couple weeks in advance, but you can walk into the bar and get served from the full menu.
9 Park St., tel. 617-742-9991. www.no9park.com. Average entrée is $39.
Many locals credit superstar chef Todd English and his Olives restaurant for bringing Boston into the national spotlight for fine dining. The Charlestown restaurant, 20 years after opening, still delivers fantastic Mediterranean food, even if its chef is off checking on one of his many other ventures. Reservations a week in advance are advised.
10 City Square, Charlestown; tel 617-242-1999. www.toddenglish.com. Average entrée is about $30.
Courtesy of L’Espalier
L’Espalier in the Back Bay is many people’s go-to spot for a special occasion, and reservations are definitely recommended a couple weeks in advance. Chef Frank McClelland, among other honors, was named James Beard Best Northeast Chef in 2007. The menu reflects seasonal New England ingredients with a French spin, which changes daily depending on what looks good to the chef. Whatever you order, finish with the signature cheese plate, which the restaurant is famous for.
774 Boylston St., tel. 617-262-3023. www.lespalier.com. Three-course pre-fixe menu is $82.
For another French menu, head to the Brasserie Jo bistro at the Colonnade Hotel near Copley Square. Complete with tile floors and Art Deco French posters on the walls, the restaurant serves up classics such as steak frites with style.
120 Huntington Ave., tel. 617-425-3240. www.brasseriejoboston.com. Average entrée is $20.
New England Clam Chowder
Everyone has their favorite chowder house, but to get a good idea of what the masses think see the winners of Boston’s Annual Chowderfest. More than 11,000 people sample and vote at this event held during Harborfest in July. Parker’s Restaurant at the Omni Parker House won second place last year (first went to a Maynard restaurant).
The Union Oyster House is also known for its chowder, and a Boston Magazine favorite is Great Bay restaurant in the Hotel Commonwealth.
No matter which spot is your favorite, if you order clam chowder and it comes with tomatoes, send it back! That’s Manhattan chowder, something no self-respecting Bostonian would order.
Jasper White’s Summer Shack is the perfect spot to chow down on some serious seafood in a not-so-serious manner. Picnic tables, lobster bibs, and great food make for a fun, hands-on dining experience.
50 Dalton St., tel. 617-867-9955. www.summershackrestaurant.com. Average entrée is $22.
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