Amuse Bouche at Craigie on Main photo courtesy of Bing on Flickr
Since Italian immigrants first planted roots in Boston’s North End neighborhood, the city has led the charge at the forefront of New England’s culinary scene. Beantown has since exploded with literally thousands of restaurants offering almost every imaginable cuisine from around the world.
While you’ll be hard-pressed to pick a favorite, here are just a few essential stops to get you started:
B&G Oysters
No visit to Boston is complete without a really, really well done seafood experience. There’s no shortage of options for travelers, but downtown’s B&G Oysters consistently hits the mark. They offer an amazing selection of oysters that rotates daily, all served with prosecco mignonette. For the main course, I highly recommend the Jonah Crab Cake Sandwich with rémoulade, bacon and tomato confit or the famous BLT with lobster. The latter is every bit as amazing as it sounds.
Craigie on Main
In nearby Cambridge, Craigie on Main serves up some of the best French-American cuisine in the state. Its rock star chef and restaurateur Tony Maws is notorious for demanding that chefs never compromise and he clearly follows his own advice. Every culinary detail is carefully scrutinized, from the locally-sourced ingredients, to the onsite basement butchering, to the impeccable service and ruthless preparation. Even the restaurant’s tiny bar serves carefully selected, small batch liquors.
Eastern Standard Kitchen & Drinks
For a blend of classic cocktails and cleverly prepared dishes, Eastern Standard Kitchen & Drinks is anything but “standard”. Expert mixologist Jackson Cannon offers a cocktail menu that upgrades many old world favorites with a modern twist. The dinner menu offers a balance of local seafood staples like pan-roasted trout and seared salmon, and hearty, comfort food favorites like grilled cheese and bone-in ribeye.
O Ya
O Ya isn’t easy to find, but Boston locals would prefer it stay that way. With good reason as The New York Times‘ Frank Bruni previously called it one “of the most promising new restaurants around the country.” This small, unassuming restaurant is run almost entirely by owners Tim and Nancy Cushman. She manages the front of house operations — tending to guests and having created an amazing sake list — while he works to prepare dishes which combine his New England roots and professional Japanese culinary training. The result is an innovative menu that changes daily with entrees like warm seared Spanish octopus served in its own ink, Okinawan braised pork, and langoustine tempura.
South End Food and Walking Tour
If you can’t decide on your own, why not take a South End food and walking tour? You’ll find a food to satisfy almost any palate on a visit to one of the city’s most historic and famous restaurant districts.
Your expert guide will blend history and culture with culinary expertise on this three-hour tour. You’ll sample everything from “New England fried clams and Puerto Rican specialties to mouthwatering cookies and gourmet sandwiches”. You’ll even visit Boston’s oldest fish market and taste an exclusive dessert treat from one of the city’s most famous bakeries.
See all that Boston has to offer with these tours!
-Contributed by Mike Richard
Good Eats Boston: Essential Stops for the Traveling Foodie from Boston Things to Do