Tiny Urban Kitchen

Exploring Food from Boston to Hong Kong and Beyond

  • About
    • About Me
    • Tiny Urban Kitchen’s Favorite Equipment
    • Press
  • Recipes
    • Recipe Index
    • Asian
      • Chinese
      • Taiwanese
      • Thai
      • Malaysian
      • Japanese
      • Korean
    • Appetizers
    • Soups
    • Salad
    • Pasta
    • Noodles
    • Rice
    • Vegetarian
    • Meat
    • Sweets
      • Baking
      • Ice cream
      • Cookies
    • Misc
    • Kawaii (Cute)
  • Travel / Restaurants
    • United States
      • Boston
        • Jen’s Picks
        • Boston
          • Allston
          • Back Bay
          • Brighton
          • North End
          • South End
        • Cambridge
          • Kendall Square
          • Inman Square
          • Central Square
          • Harvard Square
          • Porter Square
          • North Cambridge
        • Somerville
          • Davis Square
          • Union Square
        • Greater Boston
          • Brookline
          • Arlington
          • Belmont
          • Watertown
          • Newton
          • Lexington
          • Concord
          • Burlington
          • Natick
        • Cape Cod, Martha’s Vineyard, Berkshires
      • Vermont
      • Maine
      • New York
      • Washington DC
      • Philadelphia
      • Orlando
      • Chicago
      • Las Vegas
      • California
        • Los Angeles
        • San Francisco
        • Napa
        • Sonoma
      • Seattle
      • Hawaii
    • Canada
      • Montreal
      • Canadian Rockies
      • Toronto
    • Argentina
    • Europe
      • United Kingdom
        • London
        • Oxford
      • Italy
        • Rome
        • Piedmont
      • France
        • Paris
        • Bordeaux
      • Spain
        • Madrid
        • Barcelona
        • Catalonia / San Sebastian / Girona
      • Germany
      • Belgium
        • Brussels
      • Switzerland
      • Greece
      • Finland
      • Norway
      • Denmark
    • Japan
      • Japan Guide
      • Tokyo
      • Osaka
      • Kyoto
    • China (Mainland)
      • Beijing
      • Chengdu
      • Shanghai
      • Shaanxi
      • Shenzhen
      • Xiamen
      • Yunnan
    • Singapore
    • Hong Kong
    • Malaysia
    • Taiwan
    • Thailand
    • Australia/New Zealand
  • Michelin
    • Formerly had a star
    • Michelin Recommended
    • 1 Star
    • 2 Stars
    • 3 Stars
  • Jen’s Eating Guides!
    • Boston Restaurants
    • Boston Dishes
    • Tokyo
    • Hong Kong
    • Las Vegas
    • Napa / Sonoma
    • Taiwan (night markets)
    • Taiwanese (casual eats)
    • Street Foods of Bangkok (Part I)
    • Street Foods of Bangkok (Part II)
    • Kitchen Equipment
  • Trip Reports
    • All trip reports
    • New England
    • New York
    • Washington DC
    • Las Vegas
    • California
    • Canada
    • Europe
    • Florida
    • Japan
    • China

Updated! Jen’s Top Restaurants in Boston

July 7, 2015 by Jennifer Che 12 Comments

wpid19896-HancockSunset.jpg
 Hi all – Hope you all had a great Independence Day! 
  
I originally wrote this post on April 23, 2013 following the Boston Marathon bombings. It was in honor of my beloved city, which was going through so much grief at the time. I felt compelled to support Boston and share about it, which I did by  wrote a round up of my favorite places that I recommend to friends whenever they visit Boston. It’s been a few years, and the list needs updating, so here’s an updated, 2015 version of my top restaurants in Boston! Currently working on updating this to become the 2017 version . .  .

1. Taste Boston’s Famous Seafood

Boston has fantastic seafood – everything from our dizzying array of raw oysters to the awesome lobster rolls and clam chowder. Try the incredible lobster roll at Neptune Oyster in Boston’s North End. Their hot buttered lobster roll is especially famous, but everything there is really, really good. I personally love their oysters as well as the Johnny cake.
15530454206_07d3ce987d_z
The Johnny Cake from Neptune Oyster

The biggest negative about this place is that they don’t take reservations and the restaurant is tiny. Waits can easily stretch to a couple hours long. Thankfully, you can leave your phone number and they will call you when your table is ready. However, don’t show up too late. We’ve come and been turned away before because the line was so long they wouldn’t be able to seat us that night. The last time we went, we showed up right at 11:15am (about 15 minutes before opening) and got in on the first “wave”. It’s the safest way to ensure a seat, I believe.
12473694924_426bcd48b6_z
A selection of raw oysters from Row 34

If you don’t want to wait at Neptune, Row 34 takes reservations and is one of my favorite oyster bar/seafood restaurant in Boston. On top of their excellent cooked seafood dishes, they have great crudos, an awesome raw bar, as well as a killer beer selection. You can also get the hot lobster roll here, and it’s divine.
Island Creek Oyster Bar (same folks as Row 34), is another excellent alternative that takes reservations, located a stone’s throne from the vibrant area right around Fenway Park. This place has a great selection of local oysters plus lots of tasty seafood options. Of course, it is also very popular, so book early!

Another option would be Select Oyster Bar in Back Bay (opened by Michael Serpa, previously chef at Neptune Oyster), which has been getting insanely good reviews. I’m a huge fan of their crudo (must try the Faroe Island Salmon Crudo!!), and definitely get a platter of local raw oysters.
14246581308_31615b5d94_z
Lobster roll from Lobster Pool in Rockport

If you have time, take a 45-minute drive up to Boston’s North Shore and enjoy famous fried clams from a clam shack (there’s a long standing debate about whether Woodman’s of Essex or J.T. Farnham’s is better. I’ve never been to Woodman’s, but I can say that the views at J.T. Farnham’s are beautifully relaxing and the fried clams are tasty (though personally I think there are equally good ones right in Boston).

If you like lobster and love the ocean view, definitely check out Lobster Pool in Rockport, where you can actually watch the sunset over the ocean (one of the rare places in the East Coast where this happens!). The lobster rolls and lobster quesadillas there are fantastic.

2. Italian Food in Boston’s North End (and some other hidden finds)
Yum! Trying an espresso cannoli @MikesPastry for the first time #harvardsquare
Cannoli from Mike’s Pastry

The North End is a vibrant, food-packed neighborhood that is definitely a must-visit. Though most tourists will line up to eat at Giacamo’s or Pizzeria Regina, we prefer Mamma Maria, a place serving excellent Italian food in a cozy, townhouse-like environment; or the buzzing Prezza, who has one of the best bolognese sauces we’ve ever tried and an awesome lobster fra diavlo (but really, everything is fantastic).  

For more casual, less expensive, but still excellent Italian fare, try Monica’s Trattoria or Antico Forno. I always skips dessert at restaurants in the North End because I love heading over to Modern or Mike’s Pastry for dessert. Don’t miss the awesome lobster tail at Mike’s (my favorite!) or the amazing, filled-to-order cannoli at Modern. Lines can get long on weekends, though you can sometimes avoid the lines if you opt for sit-down service at Mike’s (if there’s an open table). I also love just chilling while sipping on cappuccinos at Cafe Vittoria, an old-school Italian cafe that serves desserts, gelato, and all sorts of coffee drinks.

One great tip about parking is that you can park at the Parcel 7 Garage (address is 136 Blackstone Street but the entrance for the garage is on New Sudbury Road) which only costs $1 for two hours or $3 for three hours if you validate. Many of the North End businesses will validate. Worst case scenario, you can always get a dessert at Mike’s Pastry or gelato at a gelateria, most (if not all) of which validate. Just make sure to finish everything within the three hours to get the discount pricing.
wpid18379-DSC1436.jpg
Giulia’s signature warm semolina cakes with lardo

If you’d rather not fight the crowds in the North End (which, admittedly, is a bit touristy, though totally fun), head over to Erbaluce in Boston for seriously authentic Roman-style cooking, including one of the best carbonara pastas in the city.

Giulia, in Cambridge,  makes all of its pastas in-house daily and executes excellent dishes overall. For special occasions for larger parties, you can even enjoy a special tasting menu at the Pasta Table. We are so lucky to have this popular place right around the corner from our house. We visit it very often (at least once or twice a month!).

You can also visit their more upscale sister restaurant in Harvard Square, Benedetto, which has the same type of fresh pasta but also more “secondi” meat dishes and an expanded wine list. Also in Harvard Square in the Charles Hotel is Rialto from local celebrity chef Jody Adams. Rialto is perfect for business meals and graduations, and has a lovely patio for al fresco dining in the summer.

3. A Splurge One Night?
Although Boston hasn’t been rated by the likes of the Michelin Guide, San Pellegrino Top 50 Best Restaurants list, or other lists that get passed around, we have our own fair share of fantastic fine dining options. Here are my favorites.
Untitled
Watermelon Pearls and Oysters at O Ya 

For a twist on Japanese food (one of my favorite cuisines), head down to O Ya in downtown Boston where James Beard Award winning Tim Cushman will delight you with his creative takes on sushi. Must try dishes include the fried Kumamoto oysters nigiri, grilled chanterelles & shitake mushroom “sashimi”, and the foie gras nigiri for dessert (yes, chocolate sauce and dessert wine). If you’re into sake, Chef Cushman’s wife Nancy Cushman is a certified sake sommelier and can create a great pairing for you.
12167388223_d932b3cffc_z
One of many courses from Uni Sashimi Bar

Ken Oringer is one of the most famous chefs locally, and it’s not hard to see why. His restaurants Clio and Uni Sashimi Bar serve beautiful, creative, and well executed dishes. Clio is more traditional French, while Uni Sashimi Bar, under the direction of Chef Tony Messina, is a creative twist on Japanese cuisine.
wpid19861-1050363.jpg
A Course from The Ultimate Chef’s Tasting at Craigie on Main

For true nose to tail dining, check out the ever popular Craigie on Main across the river in Cambridge for overall excellent food. Chef Tony Maws is fanatical about the quality and the source of all his food, and it really shows. Try the Ultimate Chef’s Tasting to see some of his best work, or try the Pig’s Head for Two and the fried pig’s tails to literally experience “nose to tail”.

His burger is so famous and popular (even at a whopping $18), that it often sells out before 7PM (and you have to know about it to ask for it, since it only appears on the bar menu now). I’ve enjoyed everything from the casual brunch (best bloody Mary I’ve ever tried, by the way) to his “Ultimate Chef’s Tasting.”
_DSC3566
Kirkland Tap & Trotter

His more casual neighborhood restaurant, The Kirkland Tap & Trotter is also excellent. Not only can you get a different take on Chef Maws’s burger, the menu is constantly changing, and everything is fantastic. We’ve gone multiple times for brunch and really enjoy it. This guy’s got true talent, and it’s definitely worth trying one of his restaurants if you have a chance.
wpid19865-1040870.jpg 
 Tasting menu items from Menton

For that refined, sophisticated high-end French experience, Menton is well regarded as the best option in the city. Barbara Lynch set out to even out-do herself (still a great choice) in offering a new level of haute cuisine never seen in Boston. It seems like Chef Lynch has succeeded, even receiving the honor of being Boston’s first ever Relais & Chateaux recognized restaurant. Menton offers various tasting menus inspired by local ingredients and interpreted with French techniques with influences from all different sorts of cuisines. We’ve tried several meals there, and have always been impressed by the food, ambiance, and service.
Cafe ArtScience
The bar at Cafe ArtScience – the most fun place to be

One of my favorite innovative French restaurants in Cambridge right now is Cafe ArtScience,  a restaurant associated with Le Laboratoire in France, the “cultural innovation center partner of Café ArtScience”. The restaurant has one of the most cutting-edge cocktail programs around (thanks to cocktail genius Todd Maul), incorporating all sorts of crazy lab-esque techniques to bring out unique flavors for their cocktails (frankly, it’s one of the few places in Boston where I will actually order a cocktail). Though prices are a bit on the higher side, the quality of the food is worth it, and frankly, the cocktails would be considered a bargain considering how many man-hours goes into each component.
8867041418_2c52bb6424_z
Scampo

Another fun and unique place is Scampo, an excellent Italian-leaning restaurant located in The Liberty Hotel, a former prison. The architecture of this prison makes this building pretty interesting to visit. The food at Scampo, from Boston’s well-known chef Lydia Shire, is also great. Definitely try something from the mozzarella bar (one of my favorite sections). If you’re hankering for something Bostonian, the lobster pizza is awesome.

4. Gastropubs, Farm to Table, and Neighborhood Restaurants
One thing that has spoiled me here is the plethora of really good gastropubs, something I take for granted too often. Just in Cambridge alone, I only need to walk a few minutes to find a really good, reasonably priced place where I can get excellent food and a great selection of craft beers. There are tons of these around, so I’ll just mention a few of my favorites. Keep in mind that I do live in Cambridge, so my choices may be a little skewed towards places that are convenient for me.

_DSC2171
Seared Salmon with Spring Fiddleheads from Bergamot 

One of our favorite go-to neighborhood restaurants is Bergamot, a New American restaurant right on the border of Somerville and Cambridge. Chef Pooler is extremely talented and executes fantastic, flavorful, seasonally-driven dishes on an ever-changing menu (I love the variety – it keeps me coming back). The man grew up in the North Shore and has been cooking seafood since he was a kid. The seafood shines here, and you can’t go wrong ordering it (though honestly, everything is good).
wpid19255-DSC1948.jpg
Umbrian pork liver and bood sausage from BiSq

We also love their other restaurant, BiSq, a small-plates focused restaurant with amazing house-made sausages, charcuterie, and all sorts of globally inspired dishes (I love the Peruvian influence). Both Bergamot and BiSq have different but excellent wine programs, aimed at procuring good-value, lesser known wines.

I love love love what Chef Tracy Chang is doing in the neighborhood with PAGU, an Asian fusion restaurant that’s mostly Japanese and Spanish inspired (from her culinary training), but also with a dose of Taiwanese from her heritage (yay!). Chef Chang has poured her heart and soul into this place, and it shows. The food is fantastic and beautifully presented.

She also does neighborhood events and really invests in the community. Definitely try the famous pop-up ramen Guchi’s Midnight Ramen (my favorite ramen in the city), the cheesy wafflatos, and the squid ink baos. Stop by for breakfast too! They make excellent coffee and phenomenal pastries.
_DSC0861
Bondir Cambridge

One of my favorite cozy, intimate restaurants is Bondir, a serious farm-to-table restaurant that works really hard to stay very seasonal and local as much as possible. Chef Jason Bond’s goal is to cook with vegetables that are picked fresh that day, fish that was caught that morning, and so on. The food is really good, and I love the ambiance, especially in the winter.
8285732967_f960d41213_c
Lamb Chop and Lamb Sausage from Puritan & Co

Another great restaurant in Cambridge is Puritan & Co., helmed by the super talented chef Will Gilson. I’ve always really enjoyed whatever I have ordered on the menu at Puritan. Favorite dishes include the swordfish belly pastrami (which I get almost every single time), anything made with lamb, and his vegetable-focused risottos.

If you’re willing to drive out a bit into the burbs, check out Sycamore in Newton, an all around great New American restaurant from Chef David Punch, who we used to visit all the time when he was the chef at Ten Tables Cambridge. His other Asian-fusion restaurant, Little Big Diner, does great ramen and other Asian-inspired small plates.
12449359223_fa64b48b81_z
Alden & Harlow

Alden & Harlow is something that’s almost too good to be true: a huge restaurant located at a prime location (the heart of Harvard Square) serving fantastic food at very reasonable prices. The constantly changing menu of small plates is inspired by local and seasonal ingredients (love how many cool vegetable offerings there are!). The ever changing “Secret Burger” has won a plethora of national awards and occasionally sells out before 6PM (read: come early). Reservations are sometimes hard to get, but you can usually find walk-in seating if you just show up a bit earlier.
15367753218_10cf250da4_z
Toro’s signature Maíz Asado con Alioli y Queso Cotija – Mexican grilled corn with Cojita cheese

For some of the best Spanish tapas in Boston, head to James Beard award winning chefs Jamie Bissonette’s and Ken Oringer’s Toro in Boston’s South End. This place does not take reservations and always has a long wait, so do what we did – show up right before opening (like 5:15PM), and get seated in the first wave.
wpid15253-DSC9493.jpg
Excellent cured meats at Coppa

Chef Bissonnette and Oringer’s other restaurant, Coppa, focuses on cured meats, house made pastas, and other Italian specialties. Try the Spaghetti Carbonara, which has smoked pancetta, sea urchin AND a farm egg.

5. Craft Beers + Bargain Wines
Boston has an amazing craft beer scene, especially the past five years, with more and more really good breweries popping up. To try a bunch of local beers, check out Cambridge Common (30+ beers plus great food – get the sweet potatoes fries!), Lord Hobo (40+ beers on tap and good food), or Mead Hall (100+ on tap! but ordinary food).
Beer tower
Cambridge Brewing Company

I personally have a soft spot for Cambridge Brewing Company, a microbrewery that’s been around long before the current craft beer craze. They make a lot of fun beers throughout the year – everything from a pumpkin ale during the fall to a fun, smoky spicy hot pepper beer that we recently tried. The food is decent, the ambiance is fun (try the tower of beer!), and sometimes they even have a jazz brunch on weekends, which is fun and relaxing.
Untitled
Enjoy an upscale French meal and great wine while overlooking the park at Troquet

For great wine prices, head either to Troquet or Legal Sea Foods, specifically the Park Square location. Troquet likes to move wines fast, and therefore prices them only slightly above retail. If you’re lucky, you might catch them during one of their “Garage Sale” periods, where they aggressively clear out their cellars by offering many old wines at bargain prices. The food at Troquet is also very good, and being upscale French, works well with a lot of those old wines.
Untitled
Three great wines our table of four enjoyed at Troquet

Legal Park Square has the best wine list out of any of the Legal Sea Foods (and has even won Boston Magazine’s “Best of Boston Wine List” award), influenced largely by the restaurant group’s sommelier, Sandy Block, one of only 300+ sommeliers in the world who have attained  “Master of Wine”.

All Legal Sea Foods have phenomenal prices on wine. It’s part of a larger philosophy of the restaurant to provide value in wine prices. Seriously, we often see bottles selling for prices lower than what you would pay at Costco. It’s a bit crazy, but we love taking full advantage of it. The seafood is fine (nothing particularly creative but everything’s fresh and good quality). But really, we go because of the wine.

6. A Taste of Other Cultures
4357456514_5eba8e3132_o.jpg
My favorite Brazilian restaurant is Muqueca in Inman Square, which offers delicious seafood stews called moquecas. The mariscada is also excellent, and the yucca fries and cashew fruit drinks are just fun to try.
Untitled
Cherbat from Baraka Cafe

My favorite not-so-hidden ethnic gem is Baraka Cafe, a North African Tunisian restaurant right on the edge of Central Square. Service can be a bit slow at this family owned restaurant, but the food is really good and (in my mind) worth the wait. Definitely try the cherbat, their signature Algerian style lemonade made with rose petals and North African spices.

12097170875_9eafcf0e03_z
Octopus from Sarma

For a more unusual, Mediterranean experience with a Turkish emphasis, check out Ana Sortun’s more upscale Oleana, more casual Sarma, or her bakery cafe Sofra. All three are excellent. Chef Sortun’s husband is a farmer (I actually belong to his CSA!). Accordingly, it’s no surprise that the restaurant strongly emphasizes local and seasonal produce.
_DSC5559
Chewy noodles from Pikaichi in Allston

The ramen scene was sparse just a couple years ago, but it’s slowly getting much better. Our favorites are probably Santouka in Harvard Square (Hokkaido-style ramen from Japan) and Pikaichi in Allston, a casual, very authentic-feeling, Japanese restaurant that sources its chewy noodles from Sun Noodle in New York.
wpid16492-DSC0659.jpg
Shio Ramen from Santouka in Harvard Square

For a unique style of rich, pork-bone broth ramen, try Yume Wo Katare in Porter Square, where you can try the unusual “Jiro”-style ramen not found in many parts of the US. The portions are so large, you actually get congratulation if you finish, since most people can’t.
_DSC1117.jpg
Ramen from Yume Wo Katare

It’s super rich and topped with tons of garlic (make sure you like garlic!). Don’t be surprised if you have to wait in line outside to get into this tiny little place, which only accepts cash and makes you use Japanese in the restaurant (they have signs on the wall telling you how to pronounce certain phrases).
14543858090_7a308b70f9_z
A tasting of salmon from Cafe Sushi

For sushi, we typically head to Cafe Sushi in Cambridge. The simple sushi restaurant known for its Sunday “dollar sushi” for decades re-invented itself when Seizi Imura took over the culinary direction of the restaurant from his father.  Chef Imura, who trained in San Francisco, incorporates both local and imported seafood into his artfully plated and creatively composed dishes.
_DSC6900.jpg
Cafe Sushi in Cambridge

Though initially I was sad that dollar sushi was leaving, I am now a much bigger fan of the revamped Cafe Sushi, which has quickly become one of the best, reasonably-priced, sushi restaurants in Boston. Definitely get the specials or the omakase if you can. Skip the ordinary stuff, which is likely still there to keep the original patrons happy.
You Po Mian
#4 – Hand Pulled Noodle from Gene’s Chinese Flatbread Cafe

For hand-pulled noodles made in the style of Xi’an, drive out to the main restaurant in Woburn  or head into the downtown Boston satellite location to get a taste of Gene’s Chinese Flatbread Cafe. Get the liang pi (weekend only), lamb stew, and handmade noodles, but skip the flatbread sandwiches.
8704029606_c75633b007_z
Spicy Fish from Dumpling Cafe

For Chinese food, our favorites in Chinatown are Taiwan Cafe, Gourmet Dumpling House, and  Dumpling Cafe. For Cantonese fare, we also enjoy Peach Farm, Winsor Cafe, and Hei La Moon. In Cambridge, Dumpling House, whose menu is quite similar to Gourmet Dumpling House, is also very good.  In the suburbs, we do love Shangri La in Belmont for Taiwanese/Northern-style dim sum and Golden Garden for its interesting dishes from the dongbei  (Northeastern) region of China. For Sichuan food (and excellent cocktails), Sichuan Garden in Woburn is a great choice.
14155858450_8be89753c2_z
Chiang Mai Noodle Curry from Thai North in Brighton

For Thai food, Thai North in Brighton has an excellent selection of really authentic Northern Thai dishes. Just make sure to order off of the special Northern Thai section of the menu. My personal favorites include the Chiang Mai Sausage, the Chiang Mai Noodle Curry, and any of the larbs.

7. Casual Fare
wpid18758-DSC1659.jpg
Burger aficianados will quickly zone in on local burgers that have attained a cult-like status, like the super limited burger at Craigie on Main in Cambridge (only 18 made per day!) or the ever-changing “Secret Burger” at Alden & Harlow.

One of the most popular, historic, and (admittedly) touristy burgers in the entire city is Bartley’s in Harvard Square, which has been around since 1960. This place is an institution in the Square and often has lines going out the door on nice days. The burgers are named after various celebrities in fun, irreverent ways (often poking fun based on current events).
6618078579_844d45478b_z.jpg
Pizza from Area Four in Cambridge

For a simple lunch, one of my favorite local places for excellent salads and pizzas is Area Four in Cambridge right near MIT. I love the thin crust pizzas that they make, which often come with really creative toppings. Their salads are excellent, and are always made with seasonal ingredients. As for non-pizza items, try the garlic knots or their wines on tap.

Emma’s in East Cambridge also makes great thin crust pizzas. Our favorite is the No. 4, which includes cranberries, potatoes, and bacon. If you don’t mind standing while you are eating, Otto Pizza (originally from Portland, Maine) serves up a fantastic slice from a tiny counter right on the edge of Harvard Square. There’s another location in Allston where you can enjoy your pizza with seating and a beer.

8. Sandwiches, Sweets, and Coffee
wpid19869-Toscaninis2015.jpg
Toscanini’s Ice Cream

Boston is obsessed with ice cream and I really think we have some of the best ice cream in America. My personal favorite is Toscanini’s (or Tosci’s) in Cambridge, which offers an eclectic variety of flavors that is ever-changing.

Rancatore’s in Belmont and Lexington, founded by the brother of Tosci’s owner, also serves similar ice cream, though the flavors are more ordinary. The best part about the Lexington location is that it’s located right off the Minuteman Bike Path, so you can easily bike there, enjoy an ice cream cone, and head back to Cambridge. Other popular local ice cream places include Christina’s and JP Licks, but Tosci’s is my favorite.
Always enjoy our spontaneous lunches @hirisebreadco (and no, those vanilla loaf slices are not both mine!!) @bryanwche
One of my all time favorite bakery items in the entire city of Boston is Hi-Rise Bread Company’s vanilla loaf. I’ve even tried making it (though my version based on their recipe still doesn’t taste quite as good as the real thing, it’s close!). Aside from all the wonderful breads and sweets that they sell, Hi-Rise also makes excellent sandwiches. There are multiple locations in Cambridge, and it’s a fabulous place to have a relaxed lunch (though come early – like before noon – if you want to make sure you get a seat).

I also love Tatte Bakery in Cambridge (or Boston, there are several locations). Try a signature nut box (they’re crazy good), cookie, or stop by for lunch and get a salad or sandwich.

There are so many good coffee places I don’t even know where to start, but places we really enjoy include Simon’s, Voltage (try the Atticus Finch latte!), Thinking Cup, and Barrington Coffee.
8942279672_2ee47aa4c0_z
The most famous bakery in Boston just may be Flour Bakery by Joanne Chang. Her sticky buns are the most famous. They were featured in a throwdown with Bobby Flay and won. Rumor has it that you have to go early otherwise the sticky buns run out, though I’ve seen them at the Central Square location as late as 6PM. The fresh baked bread here is excellent, and it makes the sandwiches especially tasty.
wpid19886-D4C3603.jpg
Red moon rising over Boston the night after the fireworks

9. I’m sure there’s more, but it’s time to go to bed

It is 3AM, so I think I should go to bed.

This is by no means a comprehensive list of all the really great restaurants in Boston. It’s a list of places that I would recommend to my friends if they asked me for advice. I hope you find it helpful, and feel free to comment below or email me with any questions or additional suggestions!

(just for fun, in honor of Boston, here is an animated video I made a couple years ago in the final round of the Project Food Blog Competition with vegetables building themselves into a Boston skyline)

©2009-2015 Tiny Urban Kitchen
All Rights Reserved

Filed Under: Boston, Guide

« My List of Life Aspirations
Sketch London »

Recent Posts

  • Places to Have a Beer in Brussels March 18, 2021
  • Pasta Divina Brussels March 18, 2021
  • La Paix Brussels – Two Michelin Stars March 17, 2021
  • Les Petits Oignons Brussels March 16, 2021
  • In’t Spinnekopke Brussels March 15, 2021
  • Winehouse Osteria Brussels March 14, 2021
  • Belga Queen Brussels Belgium March 13, 2021
  • Nona Authentic Neapolitan Pizza in Brussels March 12, 2021

Latest Chinese recipes!

Comments

  1. Adrienne says

    July 7, 2015 at 4:39 pm

    I loooove that vanilla loaf. Something about it – can’t put my finger on it. Though I generally go Christina’s over Toscanini’s, the rest of the list seems pretty spot on to me. Seems like it’s time for another trip to Cafe Sushi and Alden and Harlow. Once, I did them both in one night!

    Reply
  2. Srini says

    July 9, 2015 at 11:04 am

    Great List!! Thank you for all the recommendations!! I wanted to bring to your attention to this hidden gem I found recently in the Corner Mall food near downtown Boston!! It’s called Yum Yum Noodles.. I accidentally discovered the place about 3 weeks ago and now am on a mission on trying out their entire menu! Nothing has been disappointing so far.. They have really authentic sichuan dishes. One would think that they being in a food court, the food will be very mediocre.. I posted some pics and their menu on their yelp page. Check it out!

    Reply
    • Jennifer Che says

      July 10, 2015 at 1:28 pm

      Thanks for sharing!

      Reply
  3. Christina says

    July 13, 2015 at 11:04 am

    Thanks for reminding me of all the reasons I need to get out of the house! Gosh I am hungry…

    Reply
  4. Sandro says

    August 15, 2015 at 12:05 pm

    Thank you so much for sharing these nice locations.

    My girlfriend & myself can’t wait to test some of these restaurant, since we are visitng the states and boston in particular.

    Reply
  5. Angela says

    September 15, 2016 at 4:45 pm

    I went to school in Boston and ate at a lot of these places but now live in California–almost made me cry, it brought back so much nostalgia :’) Also, great post!

    Reply
    • Jennifer Che says

      September 20, 2016 at 12:09 am

      Thank you!
      Jen

      Reply
  6. Nikhil Dhanwatey says

    October 3, 2017 at 10:54 pm

    Studying in Boston was made interesting thanks to your list!! Keep up the amazing work!

    Reply
  7. john says

    December 18, 2017 at 3:03 pm

    Long time reader! Will be visiting Boston in March for a conference and while we’ll venture out to a few spots on your list, had wanted to get your thoughts on must-tries near the Convention Center.

    Reply
    • Jennifer Che says

      December 19, 2017 at 4:37 am

      Hi John! Thanks for your support over the years. Near the Convention Center I like Row 34 for seafood. Drop by Drink for cocktails and check out the Barbara Lynch restaurants (Sportello for Italian, Menton for high-end French). Rosa Mexicano makes solid Mexican food and Pastoral supposedly makes great pizza (though I haven’t been there myself). Barrington Coffee is my favorite coffee in the area, and definitely check out Buco Trattoria, great value Italian food from the same owners of Cambridge local favorite Basta Pasta.

      Reply

Trackbacks

  1. About Jennifer Che - Tiny Urban Kitchen says:
    May 7, 2016 at 4:27 pm

    […] Jen’s Picks […]

    Reply
  2. Jen's Guide - Best Places to Eat in Hong Kong for Visitors! - Tiny Urban Kitchen says:
    November 27, 2017 at 11:10 am

    […] Jen’s Picks […]

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Welcome to Tiny Urban Kitchen!

JenChe

Hi, my name's Jen and welcome to my cooking, eating, and travel site! I am a Boston to Hong Kong transplant, born and raised in Ohio with parents from Taiwan. Feel free to head on over to the About page if you want to learn more about me, or just explore away, maybe starting with the Recipe Index or one of the travel pages! I hope you enjoy this site!
  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Flickr
  • Google+
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • Pinterest
  • RSS
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Archives

Categories

Awards

Saveur
PFB

BostonGlobe

Most Recent Posts

Moeder Lambic

Places to Have a Beer in Brussels

Pasta Divina Brussels

Pasta Divina Brussels

La Paix Brussels

La Paix Brussels – Two Michelin Stars

Les Petits Oignons

Les Petits Oignons Brussels

In’t Spinnekopke Brussels

Winehouse Osteria Brussels

Winehouse Osteria Brussels

Belga Queen Brussels

Belga Queen Brussels Belgium

Nona Neapolitan Pizza Brussels

Nona Authentic Neapolitan Pizza in Brussels

La Maree Brussels

La Maree Brussels

Café Georgette Brussels

France!

Restaurant Le George Paris
Yam'Tcha Paris
David Toutain Paris
Divellec Paris
Breizh Cafe Paris

Kawaii! (Cute)

Norway!

Food Advertising by logo

Chinese Recipes

Okra with Chicken
Food Advertising by logo

Shop & Support us!

Spain!

Girona Spain
Amelia San Sebastian

Japan!

Bulgari Il Ristorante Luca Fantin
Sukiyaki Imafuku Tokyo
Sushi Ishimaya Tokyo
Disney Sea Tokyo
Tempura Fukamachi Tokyo
Shinjuku Gyoen

Cambridge restaurants

Privacy Policy

Copyright © 2021 · Foodie Pro Theme by Shay Bocks · Built on the Genesis Framework · Powered by WordPress