Boston restaurants offer up memorable food as varied as the city's rich history.
Looking for lobster dinners and fresh seafood? The best Italian cuisine outside of Italy? Historic taverns where the Sons of Liberty plotted the American Revolution? Fun sports bars?
You can find all of that and a lot more in Boston. With about 3,000 restaurants, including many small chef-owned bistros you won't find anywhere else, you'll find lots to love here: fresh local and New England ingredients, flavors from around the world, and warm welcomes.
Featuring the best local and New England ingredients and a mix of flavors from around the world, our talented chefs serve up something for every taste and budget.
So where should you dine and drink, especially if you're a visitor to Boston and not familiar with all the options?
Every neighborhood offers fantastic choices, from casual to swanky, affordable to break-the-bank - with so many choices, figuring out what's on offer and where to go can be tough.
To make deciding where to go easier, we've put together this guide to Boston's lively dining and drinking scene, with choices organized by location, by cuisine, and experiences such as historic taverns, outdoor dining, sports bars, wine bars, and cheap eats.
We hope you'll love the huge variety of Boston's lively dining and drinking scene as much as we do!
Top photo: Outdoor dining along Newbury Street in the Back Bay neighborhood, (c) Boston Discovery Guide
Boston Discovery Guide is a reader-supported publication. When you buy through our links, we may earn a commission at no additional cost for you. Learn more
Boston Neighborhood Restaurant Guides
5 Chinatown restaurants where you'll love the food as well as the fun ambiance
Indulge in Irish cuisine, Guinness, and cheer in these corners of Ireland in Boston, with Irish football on the big screens and maybe a live trad session
Our top picks for rollicking sports bars, dance clubs, & Irish pubs near the Garden
Enjoy big screens, a bit of Ireland, live music, and plenty of fun at these bars near Fenway Park . . . More
Want information about Boston neighborhoods and districts where these restaurants are located? Check out our Boston Neighborhood Guide.
Fun Boston Tours
Follow in the footsteps of history when you raise your glass in these favorite Revolutionary War-era watering holes
More about Dining in Boston
- Where to Eat in Chinatown and the Theatre District - Recommendations for First Night/New Year's Eve
- Boston Wine Tasting Events - Plus wine bars and more
- Dine Out Boston - Winter Event - Find dates and participating restaurants for Restaurant Week in March
- Dine Out Boston - Summer Event - Find dates and participating restaurants for Restaurant Week in August
Photo credits: stock.adobe.com/Olga Lyubkin (lobster roll); iStock.com/grafvision (lobster); iStock.com/AlexRaths (turkey)
More Articles about Boston Attractions
- Hop On Hop Off Trolleys - These sightseeing trolleys give you a great way to see Fenway, hop off to explore on your own
- Boston Red Sox schedule - Watch Boston favorite team play at Fenway Park
- Fenway Park - Find out about America's oldest ballpark
- More Boston Neighborhoods - Find more neighborhoods to explore
Need a Boston Hotel or Apartment?
Use this handy map from Booking.com to find the perfect place to stay. Just enter your dates to find what's available, see the best rates, and make your reservations.
Booking.com
