Whether you live in or are visiting Massachusetts, there is a wealth of culinary experiences awaiting you-regardless if you have a taste for simple fare or appreciate a more cultured culinary experience. No matter if you're in Boston, the Cape, the North Shore or in the western part of the state, Massachusetts features restaurants that are essential to good eating.
Italian fare is second only to seafood in Boston, and at Erbaluce, you'll experience the best the city offers. Centrally located in the Bay Village part of Boston, guests will enjoy Italian fare with a focus on local, seasonal ingredients. Enjoy traditional, comforting Italian dishes with a contemporary spin.
While in Boston, a Tremont Street dining option features a combination of Chinese, Japanese, Thai, and even a few Russian dishes on the menu. Banyan Bar + Refuge offers up Korean fried chicken and sharable New York strip sirloin, complete with scallion pancakes. Before cold weather sets in, enjoy one of their beer slushies!
Just outside of Boston-in Somerville-a Central European and German menu of fine food and drinks draws a steady crowd. Bronwyn features hand-crafted sausages, homemade noodles, schnitzels, and more in an atmosphere akin to that of a European tavern. The beer list is extensive and the Sunday brunch menu is unlike anything in the entire state of Massachusetts.
What's so extraordinary about Grill 23 & Bar in Boston isn't necessarily the choice steaks served there, it's that the other food on the menu is equally delicious, too. That can't be said for many steakhouses. You can feast on pot roast, crab cakes, and chowders rich with lobster and other local seafood while your dining partner enjoys a top sirloin with local mushrooms.
One of Cape Cod's dining treasures is Scargo Café, and lucky for its guests, it's open year round. The upscale atmosphere isn't stuffy, but intimate instead. Prime Sirloin Gorgonzola and Seafood Strudel are among the dinner options. Enjoy a lobster roll or grilled Portobello sandwich for lunch. A flourless chocolate torte on the dessert menu is just one of several delicious gluten free offerings.
Located in the mountains, the Berkshires have long provided the perfect getaway for folks from both Massachusetts and New York. While there, dining at District Kitchen & Bar in Pittsfield has become a favorite for craft beer lovers with a taste for contemporary American cuisine. Local farms often provide fresh staples for specials, with a grilled flatiron steak among the menu's mainstays.
Located on the side of Mt. Tom in Easthampton, Tavern on the Hill offers classic dining with dishes like Pork Chops & Applesauce and Blackened Beef Tips. Lighter fair includes a Mt. Tom Burger, oozing with lots of Swiss cheese, caramelized onions, and sautéed local wild mushrooms. Vanilla bean crème brûlée and bread pudding round out the dessert menu. If you can visit in the fall, the view is spectacular.
Whether your appetite is great or small, fill it with homemade raviolis or hand tossed pizza at Angelina's Italian Restaurant in Tewksbury. The ambience is reminiscent of Italian family dinners, where the talk around the table is as important as the food. Owner Susan Amato believes the wine is just as important, and offers an impressive list to pair perfectly with your meal.
Featuring the best Greek cuisine in New England, another Greater Merrimack Valley restaurant worth its weight in feta-or gold if you prefer-is Athenian Corner Restaurant. Located in Lowell, it's even certified green. Located in the city's historic district, guests dine on stuffed grape leaves, lamb kebabs, and delicacies from the sea like octopus and calamari. Open for both lunch and dinner, there is a special to-go menu as well.
Enjoy some of finest Middle Eastern cuisine north of Boston at the Phoenician Restaurant in Haverhill. Family owned and operated for years, guests dine on lamb on the stick, baked kibbee, and other traditional dishes, along with many selections of American fare, too. The Phoenician's in-house bakery offers up delectable Middle Eastern pastries, and will prepare party trays with prior notice. Customers often leave with a box of treats if they're too full to enjoy dessert.