What is your favorite restaurant in Boston, or very close to it? (Meet the criteria to try to grab 10 points.)

Question

I see questions asking for recommendations on where to eat that get generic answers: "North End, South End". I know of many places in both, that I wouldn't touch with a 10 foot pole.

So to help new visitors/travelers, toss up some recommendations and grab a few points. If you have more than one that is okay. Try to keep it under five suggestions.


Criteria:
• Name of restaurant. (**Required**)
• Where is it? (General Location needs to be Boston or close. Max distance is the 128 belt area. Accessible by T or *very* close to it. City and/or street names encouraged. More credit if you have both. Bus and commuter rail access inside of the belt is also acceptable.)
• Cost/Price Range (Ballpark for an average plate per person. I won't accept "expensive" or "cheap" or anything like that. Cheap to someone who makes 100k/yr usually is not cheap to someone who makes 30k.)
• Type of food. (Seafood, Italian, Chinese, etc..)
• Why? (Keep it brief, but good.)

Best will get 10 points.

Also if you know that your place will do delivery, toss that in there too. ;D

Also just an FYI.
There is no "correct" answer.

Purely General Encouragement:
If you can add in a local and lesser known spot, I'll also consider that as a bonus to your answer. Nothing wrong with the staple posts, but lets see some variety in here.

I also encourage you to go through other answers and positively rate what you think are the best places and/or answers. Sometimes people do look at the thumbs up/down count. So this isn't just my call. ;D

Be fair: Only thumbs down it if you have been to the place (or majority of places listed) and it was completely unacceptable.

*Your* opinions count here too.

You know this city and surrounding areas. Where would you take friends and family that is one of *your* places? ;)

Hank,

Question was: What is your favorite place? Avoid being generic. Give basic info. If you do, you will be considered for best answer and +10 points. It's really not that big of a deal. No one is going to be outcast, shunned, lynched, or stoned to death for not meeting criteria. They just won't get the best answer points.

If you don't like the question to the point of protest; my advice would be next time you come across a question like that then simply don't answer. You clearly have better things to do with your time than call people out on, and answer what you think are, "silly" questions.

I don't care if someone answers how they like instead. Anyone can feel free to do so. :)

The first three answers were prefectly fine. Short, sweet, to the point and met criteria.

Answer 1

www.chowhound.com is the best place to get this type of information. The real Boston foodies hang out on the Boston board. If I want a restaurant recommendation anywhere in the world - chowhound.com is the place to go. They will also tell you if a place is going downhill, changed chefs etc.. they are completely on top of the dining world there.

Yahoo answers mostly has yahoo's looking for the answers to homework questions they are to lazy to look up in google - that being said:

Best of the North End:

Hands down Giacomo's as someone else already said. Giacomo's is located 355 Hanover Street. Giacomo's provides the quintessential north end experience. Long wait to get in regardless of weather. Tiny tiny dining room where folks are literally elbow to elbow. Waitresses who couldn't be bothered to get to know you, not because they are rude but because they are trying move people through as fast as possible. Prices are in the $15-$25 range, limited wine list. Very very fresh ingredients, Italian.

North End Honorable mention - Daily Catch (a.k.a. Mange Calamari). Even smaller than Giacomo's. They have absolutely the freshest seafood in Boston. The best fried calamari - period. Dishes are Italian seafood (i.e. linguine w/clams) served in the pan it was cooked in. Entrées are huge. Located on Hanover street across from Mikes Pastry. Prices $15-$30, depending on what you order. Limited liquor choices.

Best Italian Pastry shop: Not even debatable - Modern Pasty. Best cannoli in North America. Also have excellent biscoti. Price - cheap as in $1 or so per item. Located 257 Hanover street. Mike's pastry is a tourist trap.

Ethnic food: Tangierino - see URL. Located in Charlestown. Best described as exotic if not erotic. Moroccan food, full of interesting flavor combinations, sitting on pillows/couches in semi private setting - semi transparent cloth curtains separate the customers. Belly dancer(s), hookah bar - it's just fun. Prices for entrées range from sub $15 to over $30.

Best High end: Clio - prices - plan on $100/person. 370 Commonwealth Ave. Small intimate dining room, white linen elegance. Fresh ever changing menu. Make use of seasonal ingredients and semi exotic foods such as venison. If you want over the top food with top notch service - Clio would be it.

My go to restaurant - Davio's - 75 Arlington. Plan on $50-$75 per person (apps/salad/entrée/cocktails or wine). Although they claim to be an Italian Steakhouse the menu doesn't really seem Italian. The seafood dishes are awesome, the bar is great fun (I eat at the bar). Very popular, including with Boston's celebrities - TV & sports stars. Ideal location for dinner before or after a show in the theater district.

Best Chinese - Sichuan Gourmet - 502 Boston Road Billerica, MA. This is the real deal, to read the full review of the sister restaurant located in Framingham to chowhound.com and read the road tour blog - http://www.chow.com/tour/1533 - when they say hot on the menu - they mean hot. Any Chinese restaurant where the patrons are 80% Chinese is a good sign. All dishes are in the sub $10 range. The food is outstanding, the ambiance is sterile.

Answer 2

Giacomo's in the North End, on Hanover Street. (They have a second location in the South End, I believe on Columbus Ave., but I've not been to that location). The one in the North End is about a 10 minute walk from the T (Haymarket stop is closest; Government Center is a little further but still close). It's Italian food, and the best in the North End - which is saying a lot because it's near impossible to get a bad meal at any of the restaurants there. The reason I think they're so good is because they focus on just a few things - pasta and seafood especially - and do it well. Their pasta and all their sauces are homemade and the best ever. And very reasonable for what you get as well - most meals are $15-20 or less, for a HUGE portion. There are a couple of things to keep in mind about Giacomo's: They don't take credit cards. The one on Hanover Street doesn't take reservations (it's worth the wait though). And they don't serve dessert or coffee, BUT you can always go across the street to Mike's Pastry, which is also the best in Boston for that category. They have the best cannoli (I believe it's still $2.50 for a HUGE cannoli - they have tons of other pastries for $3 or less). And great espresso as well.

Answer 3

Cafe Belo In Alliston *****
I'm giving this place 5 stars. It's a Brazilian buffet that you pay by the pounhd at. They have such a vast choise of yum yums!
The food is really good, the selection of items are vast and the waitstaff really friendly. Maybe I'm used to paying for lunch in the Back Bay area because I found the prices CHEAP! $3 for a bottled beer, luv it! A full plate of delish Brazilian food for under $6, awesome.
The majority of the choices were definitely mostly meat but there were at least 1-2 fish dishes, and a few veggies as well. Cafe Belo is quite awesome -- the quality of meat varies, but it only varies from excellent, to super-stellar -- the pork sausage rules all, and the chicken wrapped with bacon is superb along with the roast beef and roast pork.
The place is usally packed with people chowing down, drinking a few beers and getting ready to watch futbol. The groups consisted of all men, families and a few single folks walking in and out. .
Oh yeah, the waitstaff are all super friendly to the gringas sitting amongst the Brazilians (that was me and a friend). They were very cool.
http://www.cafebelo.com/comentarios.php

Answer 4

Name Of Restaurant: D'Parma Ristorante
Type: Italian
Location: 467 Shirley Street, Winthrop, MA 02152
Phone: [phone]
Price range: $7 - $10 average

A little out of the way but WELL worth it.
on street parking and not much of it.
A Short Bus ride from The T, Orient Heights Blue Line, Take Winthrop Bus.
Cab from T station is around $5 (617-846-6000 Viking Taxi) and the Cab office is across the street from D'Parma.

D'Parma is one of the best Italian restaurants in the area, with a small cozy dining room.
You can smell the Garlic from down the street! Mouth watering!
D'Parma does NOT serve wine or Beer but you can bring your own.
My taste buds are crying out for D'Parma's Veal parm, just thinking about it I'm getting hungry!

Answer 5

• Name of restaurant. Grille 23
• Where is it? Back Bay- Berkeley and Stuart St
• Cost/Price Range Expensive, $45 steaks and such, $20 apps but so so worth it
• Type of food. Steakhouse, with some seafood options
• Why? Excellent Service, Strong cocktails, Good Wine List, Good way to impress a date

• Name of restaurant.Toro
• Where is it? South End, Washington and Mass Ave
• Cost/Price Range- Small Plates so you can tweak the price to your taste but Tapas range from $6-15
• Type of food. Authentic Spanish Tapas, the Brussel Sprouts are delish, and I HATED them before I went here, so are the short ribs
• Why? Tapas let you try a bunch of things, the atmosphere is super lively, interesting drinks and you get to drink Cava

• Name of restaurant. Tempo
• Where is it? Moody St in Waltham right off exit 26 on 128
• Cost/Price Range Entrees run from $18-40
• Type of food. American food with Italian influences and lots of Seafood
• Why? A little less crowded than Boston but great food, moderately priced wine list and its super comfy

Answer 6

- Dali
- Beacon St, Somerville.
- They have tapas which are about $6-9 each, but you're supposed to order at least 2 per person. With sangria and tip it's usually $25-30 per person depending how decadent you are.
- Spanish food.
- The food and atmosphere are completely amazing. They also have a location on Newbury St in Boston called Tapeo which has the same menu and quality of food, although the atmosphere is slightly less festive.

btw most of this information is available and easily searchable on yelp.com

Answer 7

Your favorite animes are: 1) Ichigo 100% 2) Naruto/Shippuuden 3) DB/Z/GT 4) Bleach 5) Death Note 6) Love Hina 7) Azu Manga Daioh 8) Busou Renkin 9) Haruhi Suzumiya 10) FLCL Mine are Naruto and Pokemon.

Answer 8

My favorite restaurant in Boston, bar none, is Il Panino at 11 Parmenter Street in the North End. If I have only one night in town, Il Panino is where I go.

At first, you'll think I've steered you to a mere sandwich shop, because that's what this is on the first floor. But downstairs, it's a cozy, bustling trattoria that will transport you to the heart of Rome. I was turned on to it ten years ago by a friend from Florence, and he wouldn't eat anywhere else in the city. It's exceptional, real food here, and you won't pay through the nose for it. Expect dinner for two with tax, tip and drinks to be well under $100.

There are plenty of fancy-schmancy restaurants in Boston; I've eaten at most of them, and the majority are quite good. But Il Panino stole my heart years ago . . . and they never gave it back.

Enjoy your trip, and happy dining!

Kango Traveler

Answer 9

restaurant - The Fours (sports illustrated rated it the best sports bar in America- I agree completely)

location- Canal St. (100 yds from TD Banknorth Garden) -T to North Station (Orange line, Green line, Commuter Rail) and cross the street.

cost/price range- on average, between 10 and 20 per person. best bet is to order off of the "Hall of Famers" menu (between 5.95 and 8.95 for lunch and a little more for dinner)-includes homemade baked beans(best in the city), a pickle, and steak fries or pasta salad.

type of food- they have a little bit of everything, but are most famous for their hall of famers menu. They do welcome kids, and the chicken fingers are very good-kids will love. here's a link to the menu: http://www.thefours.com/

why- the place is wall to wall Boston sports memorabilia. It breathes Boston sports- the doorknob is a brass baseball bat- and the food is very very good. comfortable laid back atmosphere with 2 levels of seating, friendly staff, and it's just a fun place to go.

Answer 10

Legal Seafood. Right in downtown boston in the mall in there. accessable through the green and orange line. Back bay area I think
It is pretty expensive, plus 25 dollars per plate. IT is seafood. Wonderful food and great atmosphere.
Delicious dessert too!!!