Cityscapes Restaurant Guide

Bostonians Best Fried Chicken Ever! – Good Bimbinbap too! (123 Brighton Ave)

Eataly’s restaurants, cafes, and counters (including well-stocked seafood, cheese, wine, and meat markets) provide a smorgasbord from every corner of Italy. Whether it’s the wood-fired grill at Terra or La Pizza & La Pasta (which speaks for itself, of course), there’s something for everyone at Eataly in the Prudential Center. (800 Boylston St.)

Want the quintessential steakhouse experience in a three-decade-plus Boston institution? Originally built to replica an authentic Chicago Steak House. Filets, Rib-eyes, and swordfish steaks are all cooked over wood at Grill 23. Countless business deals have no doubt been inked over a winning drink list including our favorite Death & Taxes: cigar-infused bourbon, peach syrup, lemon juice, and fernet branca. (161 Berkeley St.)

Located right next to our office! Ramen portions are huge here, but luckily, the price point is not, making for an ideal meal for college kids or just about anyone looking for a noodle escape from a frigid day. The biggest hit is the signature tonkotsu broth, simmered with pork bones for 20 hours. (66 Hereford St.)

It’s fitting that Select located on Gloucester Street, with the same name as the city where the freshest of seafood has been plucked from local waters for centuries. Extensive daily oyster selection and is routinely ranked in the top restaurants in America.This bistro-style oyster bar offers a contemporary, international menu with ceviche and French classics like bouillabaisse. (50 Gloucester St.)

A neighborhood institution since the 1930s, Beacon Hill residents rely on this iconic hole-in-the-wall for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. The varied menu is built on comfort food done well, and has a loyal following for everything from its pancakes to nachos. (44 Charles St.)

Cozy spot with a rustic feel serving breakfast, soups, sandwiches & an array of baked treats. Great spot to relax with a book and a coffee. (70 Charles St)

Industrial-chic wood-fired pizzas on one end of the spectrum and small plates like Korean barbecue short ribs on the other. Our favorite oven roasted meatballs A thoughtfully selection of craft beers from around the country. (7 Moulton St.)

Figs has been a Charlestown standby for years, and the proof is in the pizzas. They’re thin-crusted, smothered in toppings, and reasonably priced for their generous size. Fig and Prosciutto a favorite. (67 Main St.)

Views of Boston harbor make Pier 6 a go to summer destination, Its dinner menu reads like a seafood greatest hits list, from Rhode Island-style fried calamari to steamed mussels and lobster rolls. (1 8th St.)

Low on frills and high on quality, this is Boston’s temple of the soup dumpling. The mini pork soup dumpling is to die for. (But the rest of the menu shouldn’t go unordered!) The restaurant is open until 1 a.m. and still almost always has a line out the door, which should tell you everything you need to know. (52 Beach St.)

Wood-grilled steaks and pork chops, fried Brussels sprouts, and “train wreck fries” doused in jack cheese, bacon, and sour cream — Ashmont Grill is American food at its comforting best. Ashmont Grill’s desert of summer peach raspberry crumble with toasted almond butter topping and vanilla bean ice cream. A leafy patio has made it one of the nicest spots in the neighborhood for outdoor dining. (555 Talbot Ave.)

They make a wood oven Neapolitan style pizza. Wood is a great way of baking pizza. It gives a great aromatic to the flavor of the dough. Cooked at 750 degrees. they use all fresh ingredients, our own sausage. The sauce is made daily. While they make authentic pizza, some of the signature toppings are anything but traditional. The Sandy, topped with smoked mozzarella, wild mushrooms, truffle oil, sage and farm fresh eggs. The Spud and Hen is a potato-topped pizza that is a nod to the neighborhood. (789 Adams St)

This no-frills lobster joint on the corner of Northern Avenue and practically everywhere draws a bustling crowd of downtown office peeps and first-time tourists. Don’t make a rookie mistake, though: Skip the regular lobster roll and go for the large. (15-17 Northern Ave.)

In a neighborhood brimming with history, Marliave stands out among the oldest of the city’s restaurants, originally opened by Parisian Henry Marliave in 1885. You’ll find classics like escargot and beef Wellington on the dinner menu, and a faster-service espresso bar also offering paninis, sandwiches, and more during the day. Awesome outdoor dining and daily oyster happy hour. (10 Bosworth St.)

Once a hidden gem located in a Beacon Hill gas station, Villa Mexico has since moved to the heart of the Financial District. What hasn’t changed are the grilled burritos, the crispy tostadas, and the lunchtime favorite Taco Tuesdays, when you can get three fully loaded tacos for the price of two. (121 Water St.)

Once a secret onl;y for locals. But now having been featured many times on Food Networks. The gig is up! Rino’s folksy dining room via plates of VERY generously sized (and priced) ravioli, shrimp scampi, and chicken parmigiana. But this moderately sized, Guy Fieri-anointed Italian-American favorite can be devilishly hard to get into. Reservations are only accepted for parties of six or more — otherwise, prepare to wait. (258 Saratoga St.)

Salty service and inexpensive, delicious cheesy pies mark this East Boston institution. The steak tips are amazing often overlooked for the pzza. Even if you haven’t sat at a well-worn booth within its modest dive bar interior, you’ve likely seen the iconic sign that announces its presence. (111 Chelsea St.)

When you walk into Hojoko inside the retro Verb Hotel, you’re transported to a place that feels like a funky, underground Japanese izakaya — and definitely nowhere near Boston.It was the former Holiday Inn. Thus the name. Try the shrimp toast, with Japanese milk bread, kabayaki, , and the Funky Chicken Ramen, with 48-hour broth, soy egg, and grilled koji chicken. (1271 Boylston St.)

Exceptional! The raw bar list extends far beyond the Duxbury farm that started it all — as does the seafood-filled dinner menu. Lobster sliders are also a favorite This sleek spot books up quickly, so be sure to make a reservation in advance. (500 Commonwealth Ave.)

The original North End location of The Daily Catch has been cooking up simple Sicilian-style seafood dishes with pasta since 1973. The tiny one-room restaurant has an open kitchen and barely enough space for its 20 seats, which can lead to impressive lines on evenings and weekends. The homemade squid ink pasta makes a great starting choice. (323 Hanover St.)

Show up early, and bring cash. This mom-and-pop pizza establishment closes by 2:30 p.m., doesn’t take credit cards, and offers little in the way of ambience.$ menu choices. But the trek is worth it for delicous burnt-enough Sicilian slices, served on paper plates and priced for 90’s. (289 Hanover St.)

The small size, no-reservations policy, and legendary Maine lobster roll make the seats at little Neptune Oyster some of the hardest to snag in the neighborhood. Try to get there early and put your name in, then take in the rest of the neighborhood during the hour or more you’ll likely have to wait. (63 Salem St.)

The founding location of this local pizza chain has been baking thick, gloriously greasy slices since 1926.Currently ranked #1 in US by trip Advisors for best Pizza. The enormous menu covers nearly every topping you could imagine, and a range of inexpensively priced wines and beers provide plenty of options for washing it all down. (11½ Thacher St.)

This year-round waterfront watering hole is a Boston mainstay, with picnic tables, paper napkins, and bibs quite necessary for cracking open a lobster or two. Peel and eat shrimp always a favorite. And you’re bound to make new friends while munching on New England seafood classics — those long communal tables are often shared between parties. (88 Sleeper St.)

This Seaport sib to Nantucket’s popular Lola 41 (each named for its latitudinal location which its menu is confined to) Elegant dining room, sushi bar and patio, plus a bar that’s strong on sake. Lobster Ragoons and the grilled Octopus are few favorites. The kitchen from sashimi to izakaya-style snacks, as well as eclectic global dishes.

At Yankee Lobster, a family-run restaurant and market that opened as Commercial Lobster in 1950, get in line early to grab one of only a few tables and belly up for freshly caught fried clams, fish and chips, a lobster roll, hearty seafood stew, or a blackened tuna sandwich. Guy Fieri prefers the lobster mac ’n’ cheese and cod cakes. (300 Northern Ave.)

A menu focused on rustic Italian fare & modern cocktails in a lively setting with bar seating. Since they’ve open they have won numerous awards, including being named one of the best new restaurants in America by Eater National, Food & Wine, and most recently, USA Today.

Great pizzas and assorted wood fired dishes. Lincoln has been so successful with its brunch program (recently named the best in Boston by Boston magazine) that it offers a brunch menu every day of the week. If you’ve never ordered a Lincoln breakfast pizza on a random weekday, get on it. (425 W. Broadway)

Located directly across from its sister restaurant, B&G Oysters, The Butcher Shop is the carnivore’s idea of a wine bar. The menu is heavy on charcuterie, beef cuts, and hearty dishes like tagliatelle Bolognese. (552 Tremont St.)

Myers + Chang’s freewheeling take on Pan-Asian cuisine means it serves tea-smoked pork ribs next to Indonesian fried rice and pork chive dumplings. The menu format encourages sharing, Favorites are wonton soup and dumplings are always great. (1145 Washington St.)

Dark woods, a long bar, and cushy cognac leather booths and barstools don’t exactly scream the “French rustic” of chef Tony Maws’s menu. Grilled octopus a favorite. Craigie on Main’s prix-fixe menu changes weekly, but burger aficionados know that the time to arrive is 5 p.m. for one of the 18 beef patty options. (853 Main St.)

We helped these restaurateurs locate from China town. The prices, portions, and diversity of menu options win Dumpling House rave reviews from those looking for authentic and fast Chinese food. Besides the dumplings, of course, the wok-fried spicy seafood — along with the casual, group-friendly setting. (950 Massachusetts Ave.)

Short walk from MIT. There are Middle Eastern flavors galore at Oleana, thanks to chef Ana Sortun. Tarator sauce and baharat spice are mouthwatering that you’re unlikely to have tried elsewhere, and the commingling of cuisines and cultures here is a stamp on the restaurant passport that local foodies must check off. The Chicken Baklava dish was insane! (134 Hampshire St.)

Trendy Mediterranean restaurant Alba, which opened in 2001, has witnessed downtown Quincy’s revitalization. Brand newly designed enormous roof deck is a summertime must! A Italian steakhouse of sorts, Alba also serves such items as lobster soup, tuna tartare, organic chicken, Atlantic cod, and Bolognese. (1486 Hancock St., Quincy)

You don’t have to drive to Downeast Maine or Cape Cod to find classic, old seafood joints. The seasonally open Tony’s at Wollaston Beach is known for its fried clams, but the lobster rolls, fish sandwiches, and scallop and shrimp plates are also worth trying. Calm fritters are a must try (861 Quincy Shore Drive, Quincy)