Saveur: Our 20 Favorite Boston Restaurants
From hearty Colombian meat platters to lesser-known Greek snacks, there’s more to the historic city’s food scene than meets the eye.
By Madison Trapkin, Megan Zhang
Let’s set the record straight: Contrary to what you may have heard, there’s more to Boston than American Revolution trivia, and its restaurant scene is far from staid. In this brownstone-lined waterfront city, you’ll have to go beyond the tourist-catering seafood spots and take the less-trodden (cobblestone) path to offerings that go far beyond lobster rolls and clam chowder.
Stroll through East Boston, and you’ll find a decades-old Colombian restaurant serving meat-laden bandeja paisa. Visit South End, one of the city’s buzziest dining neighborhoods, and you might chance upon the spicy-sour, tongue-tingling flavors from China’s Yunnan province. And yes, as the salty ocean breeze reminds us, there’s plenty of New England’s freshest catch to enjoy—in the form of a spicy Greek-island fish stew in Back Bay, or as deep-fried sea bass with housemade red curry in Brookline.
With this list of local restaurants to guide your eating exploits in Beantown, we hope you discover that the historic city you thought you knew is a far more vibrant mosaic than meets the eye. Though you might come for the lobster rolls, you’ll end up staying for the moqueca, rambutan salad, and octopus terrine.
Krasi
48 Gloucester Street, Boston (617) 536-0230
Nestled in the heart of Back Bay, you’ll find Krasi, a wine and meze bar where lesser-known Greek dishes take center stage. Curate your own starter board from a selection of cheeses and cured meats you won’t find at your average grocery, like Kalathaki Limnou (a soft goat’s milk cheese from Lemnos island) and salami made with pork raised in the Cyclades islands. Then, dig into regional dishes such as makarounes, a cheesy and creamy Aegean pasta; or bourdeto, a saucy fish dish hailing from Corfu. “Krasi” means wine in Greek, so it’s no surprise that the selection of Greek wines here—from rare vintages to piney retsinas (made with actual resin)—is one of the largest of any U.S. restaurant. If you’re looking to dive deeper into regional Greek cuisine, check out sibling spots Bar Vlaha for Vlach fare and Kaia for all things Aegean.
