18 November 2025
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As one of the most historic cities in the United States, Boston is a vibrant culinary hub where tradition meets innovation.
The city is home to a MICHELIN-Starred omakase, alongside affordable neighborhood favorites. Italian cuisine is delicious across Boston, including in South Boston (“Southie”), where chefs like Karen Akunowicz bring fresh perspectives to classic dishes. Across the river in Cambridge, restaurants balance tradition with innovation as seamlessly as nearby universities MIT and Harvard. Chinese restaurants shine here, with some honoring the flavors of Hunan and Xinjiang and others incorporating inventive twists, such as Spanish-influenced menus.
Below, explore the full list of restaurants in the Boston area.
One Star
311 Omakase
Cuisine: American Contemporary
Located on the ground floor of a South End rowhouse, this intimate chef's counter is the vision of Chef Wei Fa Chen. Pale walls and light wood provide a blank canvas to show off the chef's seasonal selection of ceramic platters (from Kyoto and Asheville), custom-made tatami coasters and thoughtfully crafted cuisine. The chef's omakase features impressive nigiri showcasing high-quality product, much of it imported from Japan; and the range of fish could include fluke, striped beakfish and goldeneye snapper. Cooked items precede the sushi and highlight a particular cooking method, such as delicately crunchy fried longtooth grouper with ponzu sauce or a simmered bowlful of amadai and abalone in dashi.
Bib Gourmands
Boston
Bar Volpe
Cuisine: Italian
Say hello to your quintessential neighborhood hangout. Armed with two bars, candles flickering on every surface and a menu committed to southern Italy, Chef Karen Akunowicz’s bigger-boned follow-up to Fox & The Knife gets all the little details just right. A lengthy amaro selection and fine-tuned cocktails set the stage for familiar dishes that deliver on flavor and finesse. Salt cod fritters come cleverly dusted in za’atar. House-made pastas like spaghetti al limone with Jonah crab or squid ink casarecce with lobster and chili are full meals that will leave barely any room for a particularly stunning veal saltimbocca. Dessert is a must, and the tiramisu with amaro-soaked ladyfingers packs all the crunch you didn’t know you needed.
Fox & The Knife
Cuisine: Italian
The roots of Chef Karen Akunowicz’s pasta empire trace back to this welcoming restaurant in South Boston, where she draws inspiration from her time in Italy. Everyone from parents in for a quick meal with their kids to younger couples just getting their evening started take to the lively space fit with a long bar up front and banquettes further back. Meals must begin with warm pieces of focaccia stuffed with taleggio or, for something a bit lighter, gnocco fritto with mortadella. Broccoli Caesar is a classic starter too. Pasta, as expected, is the main attraction. The likes of raviolo carbonara with guanciale, tagliatelle Bolognese with wild boar, and braised beef agnolotti del plin with roasted carrot butter are enormously satisfying.
Brookline
MahaniyomCuisine: Thai
Childhood friends who grew up north of Bangkok end up in Boston for college. It's not the plot of a cinematic hit; it's the story behind Mahaniyom. This Brookline Village spot, with seating for just two dozen, packs a punch with a highly original menu of Thai small plates and creative cocktails (sip the Mahaniyom Sazerac with Thai tea-infused rye). Dishes to consider include yum som-o, or pomelo salad, a seasonal treat featuring grilled tiger prawns arranged with diced citrus segments, roasted cashews and toasted coconut. Kang pu is a decadent bowlful of house-made red curry in rich coconut milk with crabmeat and rice vermicelli, as well as shredded cabbage and bean sprouts for a lovely contrast of freshness and crunch.
Cambridge
JahungerCuisine: Asian
Hailing from China’s Xinjiang region, Uyghurs are largely Muslim, and their cuisine is informed by both Chinese and Arabic cultures. That means you can expect plenty of lamb, spices, color and dishes full of verve and vitality. The specialty is hand-pulled noodles; these deliciously chewy, thick noodles slip down very easily, whether you’d gone for Laghman noodles or Jahunger noodles with Sichuan peppercorns – you can feel them nourishing your body and your soul. Start with dumplings with their own chili oil and end with refreshing homemade yogurt with honey. The original Jahunger opened in Providence in 2017 while this bigger, brighter branch began life in 2024. It’s family owned and comes with an unassuming and appealing honesty.
Pagu
Cuisine: Asian
Chef Tracy Chang’s flagship restaurant has been a Cambridge mainstay since the day it opened in 2017. With a fun menu that takes cues from both Spain as well as countries across Asia, the cooking delivers quality ingredients, bold flavors, and the right amount of care. Think patatas bravas with mojo verde, tempura-fried string beans with Thai chili hot sauce, crab laksa with ramen noodles and poached shrimp, and fluffy baos stuffed with pork belly. For dessert, there must be chocolate cake, a gluten-free, vegan-friendly effort made with tofu that disappears in a flash. From countless community initiatives to cooking classes and whole suckling pig dinners, this is a thoughtful restaurant that doesn’t sit still.
Sumiao Hunan Kitchen
Cuisine: Chinese
This bright spot among Kendall Square's many offerings is one of the few Chinese restaurants specializing in Hunanese cuisine in the area. Sumiao Chen trained as a doctor and scientist but her true passion for food led her to open this local favorite in 2017. There are plenty of Chinese staples but look closely to discover an enticing selection of regional specialties. Spicy, crunchy cucumbers are a flavorful accent to any dish. Chef Zhang's stir-fried rice noodles are a delightful heap strewn with egg, chives, cabbage and bits of pickled green beans, while Grandma's pork features shang gan, or firm tofu seasoned with Chinese five spice. Care is seen throughout — even the General Tso's chicken is tossed in a house-made sauce.
Hero image: ©Matt Li/Pagu
