1. Union Oyster House
City: Boston, MA
Category: Restaurants
Telephone: (617) 227-2750
Address: 41 Union St.
Insider Pick:
Description: The cozy, low-ceiling warren of rooms dates from 1716 and reeks of history. Operating as a restaurant since 1826, the Union Oyster House was a favorite haunt of both Daniel Webster and John F. Kennedy, so it is probably good enough for you. Some guidance? Wait for a seat at the ancient soapstone and oak raw bar in the front window for freshly shucked oysters to have along with a Sam Adams Colonial Ale (brewed exclusively for the Union Oyster House). The thick and creamy clam chowder, arguably one of the best in Boston, is another solid choice.
2. Gourmet Dumpling House
City: Boston, MA
Category: Restaurants
Telephone: (617) 338-6223
Address: 52 Beach St.
Description: All sorts of Beijing-style soup dumplings, fried dumplings, and pillowy steamed buns are the main draw at this Chinatown favorite. Be sure to order the scallion pancakes, too—they are exceptional, both crispy and chewy at the same time. The menu has a host of classic Chinese entrees to try—not just the Kung Pao chicken–type stuff, but more authentic dishes like shredded pork with bitter melon and a super-spicy Szechuan-style whole fish soup. By Chinatown standards, Gourmet Dumpling House is a medium-size restaurant, and a line is always to be expected. Order well and you’ll be glad you went.
3. Saus
City: Boston, MA
Category: Restaurants
Telephone: (617) 248-8835
Address: 33 Union St.
Description: Around the corner from Faneuil Hall, Saus is a sandwich shop/cafe that has it all: fantastic Belgian-style (thick, house-cut) french fries with your choice of a dozen homemade mayonnaise- and ketchup-based sauces along with an impressive menu of northern European street food: Dutch frikandellenn (a kind of hot dog/sausage), chicken sate pockets, Liege-style waffles with Nutella or lemon cream. Add a terrific beer list for one of Boston’s most unique and fun (and relatively inexpensive) dining experiences.
4. Deuxave
City: Boston, MA
Category: Restaurants
Telephone: (617) 517-5915
Address: 371 Commonwealth Ave.
Description: Sitting at the intersection of Comm and Mass Ave., Deuxave (pronounced “Dooh-aaahve”) is a contemporary restaurant located in a Back Bay brownstone where Chef-Owner Chris Coombs’s kitchen turns out elegant plates of well-priced French-inspired fare made with local ingredients. For the main course consider Deuxave’s defining dish, the spiced Long Island duck breast accompanied by lentils and prunes stuffed with foie gras. This is not the place to beg off dessert—the menu is small but wonderfully creative with dishes like PB & J, a salted peanut butter mousse with Concord grape jam and sorbet. There’s a savvy wine list and the staff is meticulously trained.
5. Gaslight Brasserie
City: Boston, MA
Category: Restaurants
Telephone: (617) 422-0224
Address: 560 Harrison Ave.
Description: Nearly every night of the week, this bustling brasserie in the heart of the hip South End is full of joie de vivre from neighborhood regulars and couples on dates. It’s a handsome space with an old-fashioned feel (etched glass, subway tiles, rustic wood beams) to enjoy the flavors of Paris in classic dishes like steak frites with béarnaise sauce, duck confit with cherries, and pan-roasted bass with ratatouille. There’s an outstanding wine list, too, with unique by-the-glass opportunities. The weekend prix-fixe brunch is stellar—choice of several entrees, coffee, and juice, available for a pittance (currently $9.95) all day Saturday and before noon on Sunday.
City: Boston, MA
Category: Restaurants
Address: 659 Centre St.
7. Pizzeria Regina
City: Boston, MA
Category: Restaurants
Telephone: (617) 227-0765
Address: 11 1⁄2 Thacher St.
Description: The setting is totally no-frills and the service is often rushed, but Pizzeria Regina gets props because it captures so well the essence of the bygone North End era. Established in 1926, this is the chain’s flagship and original location. The pies that come out of the ancient brick oven are some of the best thin-crust pizza Boston has to offer. Pizza-lovers have been known to grow misty-eyed as they describe the experience of eating the pizza Margherita, while the sausage cacciatore pizza has its own share of fans and is equally delicious. The place is always filled to capacity, so if you know what’s good for you, don’t come on a weekend night or just before or after a Garden event.
City: Boston, MA
Category: Restaurants
Address: 270 Northern Ave.
9. Yankee Lobster Company
City: Boston, MA
Category: Restaurants
Telephone: (617) 345-9799
Address: 300 Northern Ave.
Description: You’re practically as close to the source as you can be without getting wet at this no-fuss (think picnic tables and paper plates) lobster wholesaler a block from the waterfront. The menu is mostly New England–style seafood simply prepared—either broiled or fried—at bargain prices. Order a boiled lobster dinner if you want to wrestle the beast. Or go for the lobster roll, straightforward lobster goodness: a quarter pound of fresh claw and knuckle meat, with a touch of mayonnaise, piled high in a lightly toasted roll.