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The Best Boston Restaurant

AngAcq

By AngAcq
in New England: Dining

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AngAcq

AngAcq

Posted
Posted

Hello! My husband and I will be traveling to Boston soon and would like to know what is considered the BEST restaurant. We'll be staying in the backbay area, however as long as it is easily accessible we can get around to other areas. Price is no object, we're looking for the best food (no preference on cuisine).

Thanks.

bigwino

bigwino

Posted
Posted

Grill 23 is very good, for a steakhouse. Go to any excellent steakhouse in any city and you've got the same thing (I think).

I would second No. 9 Park (though I would NOT recommend the tasting menu). I would also strongly recommend Radius.

The tasting menu at No. 9 was a disappointment for my wife and me. Very expensive, not well done and the wine pairings were questionable. It is also very expensive for what you get. I returned another time and had an a la carte meal and was very impressed.

Just one man's opinion.....

bigwino

bigwino

Posted
Posted

I haven't had the gnocchi yet. They weren't part of the tasting menu and on my return trip something else got my attention over the gnocchi.

I've heard they're pretty incredible. Next time....

kechefs

kechefs

Posted
Posted

We very much enjoy Hammersleys Bistro every time we are in Boston.Mistral is also very good, Radius is wonderful as is Julien at the Langham.

"What some call health, if purchased by perpetual anxiety about diet, isn't much better than tedious disease"

George Dennison Prentice

Wilson

Wilson

Posted
Posted

Of the steakhouses in Boston, I'd say Grill 23 is the most generic of the bunch. If that's what you want, I'd recommend either the Oak Room or Locke-Ober. In the case of Locke-Ober, the place isn't a steakhouse but they have a wonderful chateaubriand for 2 on the menu.

My favorites in Boston are Locke-Ober, L'Espalier and Le Soir.

- Locke-Ober. Ancient institution. Was fading badly before being rescued by Lydia Shire, a noted local restauranteur. She kept what needed to be kept and changed what needed to be changed, and now it sparkles again. Besides the chateaubriand, I recommend the beef stroganoff and JFK's lobster stew.

- L'Espalier. French haute cuisine in the Back Bay. Get the tasting menu with the wine accompaniment. Perfectly paired, and the service is just outstanding.

- Le Soir is in the nearby (10 miles) suburb of Newton. Reachable by the Mass Pike (I-90) or the Green Line (Newton Highlands stop and a three-block walk). French bistro with wonderful food, warm and personal service. The only negative is that the room is noisier than I'd like. But that's common in Boston.

I'm not high on Radius. It's a love it or hate it kind of place, and I'm afraid I'm more in the hate-it crowd. The food's never done much for me, and the attitude is a bit much. The space is uninspiring. I'd also avoid Rialto, a vastly over-praised place in the Charles Hotel in Cambridge. They have a celebrity chef of some sort, hence a bunch of fawning reviews. I thought it was pedestrian.

Special favorites, more moderately priced:

- Stellina's, an Italian bistro in Watertown, a nearby suburb (8 miles) reachable via the Mass Pike. One of the best Italian restaurants I've been to outside of Italy. Authenic cuisine, and a warm tomato salad to die for.

- Evoo, a New American bistro on the Cambridge-Somerville border. Good food, great value. "Evoo" stands for "extra virgin olive oil." Very Cambridge.

I haven't been to #9 Park. Hamerley's Bistro is a good, solid New American sort of place. Varies from very good to excellent, depending on the evening.

jo-mel

jo-mel

Posted
Posted

Locke-Ober! Lydia Shire has captured the flavor of Lobster Savannah that I remember from the early 50s. I usually like my lobster steamed and eaten outdoors ----with the exception of Lobster Savannah!!

bigwino

bigwino

Posted
Posted

I'm going to Craigie Street tomorrow night! First time, so I don't have any comments yet, but I will report back.

Sorry, no pics will be forthcoming. I can't imagine taking pics through my meal...

GordonCooks

GordonCooks

Posted
Posted (edited)

Clio, The Federalist, & Radius are tops in my book. No 9 Park is starting to fade a little. More gets you less lately.

edit sp

Edited by GordonCooks (log)
  • 3 weeks later...
BJL

BJL

Posted
Posted

Heading to Boston from NY and need a suggestion for one exceptional meal, but nothing too pretentious.

Based on this and other boards I was thinking about Radius or Locke-Ober. I had initially thought of Upstairs on the Square. But now Clio and the Federalist catch my attention. Any thoughts on which direction to go? Priority is excellent food, money not an issue.

We are staying near Fanueil Hall, but are pretty adept at navigating public transp. in Boston. Thanks

pattimw

pattimw

Posted
Posted
Heading to Boston from NY and need a suggestion for one exceptional meal, but nothing too pretentious.

Based on this and other boards I was thinking about Radius or Locke-Ober. I had initially thought of Upstairs on the Square. But now Clio and the Federalist catch my attention. Any thoughts on which direction to go? Priority is excellent food, money not an issue.

We are staying near Fanueil Hall, but are pretty adept at navigating public transp. in Boston. Thanks

I think if you were going for non-pretentious, I would stay away from Locke-Ober and Radius, while these are excellent restaurants, they are a bit stuffy: ie, they know how good they are.

I think Clio or Upstairs on the Square are more the direction you would want to go. I would also check out Hamersley's Bistro, Trocquet, oleana, Icarus, Pigalle, Le Mistral, Meritage.

Good luck - hope you enjoy your stay!

little ms foodie

little ms foodie

Posted
Posted

If you are staying near F Hall you should try out Kingfish Hall for great seafood. Not in the same category as the restaurants you are discussing here but my husband and I had a wonderful meal sitting outside a few years back. Mmmm, I like Todd English's flavor combinations and the way presentations are done. It's pretty casual and they are open for lunch also I believe.

Wendy aka little ms foodie

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pattimw

pattimw

Posted
Posted
If you are staying near F Hall you should try out Kingfish Hall for great seafood. Not in the same category as the restaurants you are discussing here but my husband and I had a wonderful meal sitting outside a few years back. Mmmm, I like Todd English's flavor combinations and the way presentations are done. It's pretty casual and they are open for lunch also I believe.

I agree with you on that one. I was very impressed - I took my husband there for a birthday lunch. I was thinking that Todd English was stretching himself too thin, but this was a pleasant surprise.

alithea

alithea

Posted
Posted

I used to live in the North End and when Italian got irritating we'd always head for Kingfish Hall. It was a very good and dependable place, much better than it had to be for its touristy location. But it's not a temple of haute cuisine.

I have mixed feelings about most of the places mentioned -- No. 9 Park, Radius, the Federalist, L'Espalier, Rialto, and Upstairs on the Square. I think Clio is pretty fantastic though. If you were in Kenmore Square for any reason, you might keep Great Bay (run by the same people who run Radius) in mind as well.

morda

morda

Posted
Posted

I went to Radius and the food and service were very good, but that was about 5 years ago so I'm glad to hear it's still doing well, at least by some accounts.

Are you looking specifically for an upscale restaurant? To be honest, if I were heading up to Boston, I would:

1) go to Chinatown and have some dim sum. Then stop at a bakery and get egg tarts, the sticky rice cake, wife cakes, moon cakes, bbq pork buns, whatever else looks good, to go. I can't give specific recommendations for places anymore, but I'm sure that there are others who can.

2) rent a car, drive about 20 miles out of the city and go to this little hole-in-the-wall South Indian restaurant in Ashland.

3) hit as many brew pubs as possible and try their house-made beers. This is something I really I missed when I lived in DC and now when I live in SC. Does beer count as food?

But maybe I'm weird.

morda

marezion

marezion

Posted
Posted

I just found this thread, which has been dead for a while, it seems. I'm going to Boston this weekend and have reservations at 75 Chestnut.

Does anyone have any recommendations?

:rolleyes:

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