Boston is one of those cities where food is half the reason to visit. Sure, the Freedom Trail is cool and Fenway has history, but for me? The North End cannolis, the lobster rolls that redefine lobster rolls, the hidden ramen shops, and even the pizza that celebrities swear by — that’s the Boston magic.
Here’s my countdown of the 10 best restaurants in Boston, complete with exactly what to order, the quirks that make each place special, and why they’re worth squeezing into your trip.
You don’t come to Boston without eating at Regina. The original North End location has been around since 1926, serving pizzas from its century-old brick oven. TripAdvisor once ranked it the #1 pizzeria in the entire United States, and celebrities like Jay Leno and Ben Affleck back that claim as regulars.
What to order: Keep it simple with a plain cheese to let the sauce-and-crust combo shine. Or, if you’re feeling bold, try the Giambotta, a loaded pie that could feed a small army.
On Newbury Street, this tiny ramen shop doesn’t look like much, but it might just serve the best ramen in the city. Be warned: the kitchen is painfully slow, the restaurant is tiny, and you’ll probably wait outside in line before even getting a table. But when that steaming bowl of broth and noodles finally arrives, you forget the wait ever happened.
What to order: The Shio ramen (salt-based broth) or Tonkotsu ramen (pork broth). Add extra pork belly.
Lolita is not subtle. It’s loud, it’s dark, and it’s part-Mexican restaurant, part-club. Think red lighting, pulsing music, and servers who toss around cheeky energy along with the chips and salsa. The vibe won’t be for everyone, but I personally loved the “club meets Mexican food” atmosphere — and the food holds up.
What to order: Start with the dip sampler (the queso is my go-to) and the crispy pork carnitas. Pair it with one of their mocktails or margaritas, depending on your mood.
Tucked away in the South End, Metropolis is the definition of cozy bistro. The kind of spot you stumble into on a rainy evening and end up staying longer than planned. The kitchen is tiny but the flavors are big, and it has a romantic, date-night vibe. Reservations are smart here because the dining room is small.
What to order: The cucumber & melon salad (refreshing and bright) and the chicken & mushroom truffle risotto.
Carmelina’s is one of those places in the North End where getting a reservation feels like winning the lottery. Some people book six months out. If you luck into a table, the atmosphere is intimate and the food is classic Italian comfort turned up a notch.
What to order: Their meatballs are legendary. Pair them with a pasta of your choice and you’ll leave happy.
Limoncello is pure North End charm. They serve their signature rosette lasagna, which looks like pasta ribbons curled into flower petals and baked into gooey perfection. They also use bread from Iggy’s in Cambridge, which locals argue is the best in the city.
What to order: Start with the bread (it’s worth noting) and order the rosette lasagna.
This is the Italian sub shop in Boston. At Monica’s, they slice the meats ultra-thin to order, pile them onto a fresh baguette, and drizzle on olive oil and balsamic for the perfect finish. They even bring in cheese fresh from Connecticut. The line is always long, and you’ll definitely start eating half the sandwich on the sidewalk before you even get home.
What to order: The Italian sub “with everything.”
Asta is Boston’s fine-dining flex — a restaurant that feels straight out of New York or Paris. The menu is tasting-only, which means you hand yourself over to the chefs for the night. Plates come out looking like little works of art, with foams, sauces, and presentation so pretty you almost don’t want to touch them. Almost.
What to order: Whatever the tasting menu is that night. The whole point is to trust the kitchen and be surprised.
Part dinner, part theater, Table is a 7-course set-menu experience in the North End that won “Best of Boston.” Everyone in the room is served at the same time, which makes it feel communal and a little festive. It’s not just a dinner — it’s a whole food journey.
What to order: You don’t choose. Just sit back, relax, and let the chefs lead you through all seven courses.
Bonus: Don’t miss Table Mercato next door, their sandwich shop. It won “Best of Boston” for meatballs, and yes, it deserves that title.
If you’re hungry for more food ideas, my Where to Eat in Boston (Outside the North End) rounds up more local favorites.
If there’s one Boston restaurant you can’t leave without visiting, it’s Neptune Oyster. GQ called it one of the “foods you can’t live without,” and I have to agree. The line starts around 10:30 a.m., and by the time the doors open, there’s a crowd ready for the same thing: a lobster roll. Neptune does it better than anyone else, and that’s saying something in Boston.
What to order: The hot buttered lobster roll is iconic. Pair it with a bowl of their creamy clam chowder and thank me later. If lobster isn’t your thing, their raw bar is top-tier.
Boston is one of my favorite food cities because it covers the whole spectrum. You can eat a James Beard Award–winning Sicilian pizza at Galleria Umberto at lunch, and by dinner you’re twirling rosette lasagna in the North End or sitting down to a Michelin-level tasting menu at Asta.
This list mixes the old-school classics (Regina, Monica’s, Limoncello) with the modern heavy hitters (Asta, Table) and tops it off with the seafood shrine that is Neptune Oyster. Whatever you’re craving — pizza, pasta, ramen, carnitas, or lobster — Boston will feed you well.
Booked my fall cabin before September even started, and I’m not sorry about it. 🍂
These are the stays that make you actually want the cold to hurry up fireplaces, mountain views, the kind of porch you don’t leave. Not every one of these is going to fit every trip, but if a cozy fall getaway is on your radar, this is the roundup to start with.
One of my favorite travel seasons is almost here, and I have zero chill about it. 🍁✈️
There’s just something about fall trips cooler air, apple orchards, that first flannel of the season, food that actually makes sense with the weather again. I’m already mentally packing for it before September even starts.
If fall is your favorite time to travel too, tell me where you’re headed... I’m taking notes for the list.
Pack your bags... ✈️🧳My hiking and road trip gear shop just got a refresh, and this is everything that actually earns a spot in my bag. The dry bag pulls double duty for beach days and trail days, the Osprey backpack is the one I grab for anything motorcycle or day-hike related, and the GoPro comes with me literally everywhere at this point.
Nothing on this list is filler it’s all stuff I’ve used, packed, and repacked more times than I can count. Full shop linked in my bio if you want to build out your own kit before your next trip.
Filing this one under “go now before it gets cold.” Bonneville Hot Springs is one of those trips where fall access is honestly the sweet spot the campground road is open, the hike in is short, and you skip the snow-and-gate situation we dealt with when we went in March.
September and early fall mean clearer trails, easier parking, and pools that are just as good without the extra mile of hiking to earn them. Fewer than 10 people out there when we visited, a rustic changing booth, zero amenities, and pools that range from “relax” to “actually scalding” until you move some rocks around and mix in river water. Small waterfalls feeding in, mountains in every direction, not polished, and that’s exactly the point.
Full breakdown on parking, what to pack, and timing it right is linked in my bio.
Summer’s not even over and I already have the itch. Fall hiking season is calling and I am answering.
Save this if you feel the itch too.🍁
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