6 Popular Places You Have To Absolutely Eat at During Your Stay In Boston

Find the best and most popular places to eat at in Boston with these 6 recommendations: 3 restaurants, 2 pastries, and 1 bar. 

With almost 400 years of history, Boston has definitely had a leg up in perfecting their seasoning, bringing their best sea-life specialties, and welcoming a diversity of cultural dishes. 

Boston without a doubt is a place for foodies. And it can back it up, with an honorary award recognizing them as the #2 Best Food City in the U.S. in 2023 by Travel Eats. 

Much of its well-known food revolves around seafood: lobster rolls, oysters, and clam chowders.

Oh and a sweet debate on the best cannolis (more on that).  

And please don’t be afraid of all the calories. Boston is often referred to as “America’s Walking City.” So you’ll burn off everything you eat before and after. 

It’s called Balance. 

Savory Dishes

Luke’s Lobster Downtown Crossing

Location: Downtown (290 Washington St, Boston, MA 02108)

Reviews: 1,166 people voted this place 4.4 stars

Conveniently located in the Financial District, this downtown location serves amazing Maine-style lobster, shrimp, and crab rolls. They’re served in a New England-style bun with mayo, lemon butter, and their secret seasoning. 

This is a great small chain shop to try for lunch before you start your day in the downtown area. They have a small seating area and bathrooms available. 

My recommendation: try them all. Not full size though! Unless you’re wearing the right stretchy pants, give ‘Luke’s Trio’’ a try. That’s what I did.  It’s a flight of 2 oz lobster roll, 2 oz crab roll, and 2 oz shrimp roll.

All of their meat is fresh and sourced from Maine. 

Fun fact: They actually source their meat directly from fishermen and can be delivered across the U.S.

Legal Sea Foods – Long Wharf

Location: Waterfront (255 State St, Boston, MA 02109 (There are multiple locations)

Reviews: 5,597 voted this place 4.4 stars

With close to 6k reviews Legal Sea Foods is one of the popular places in Boston you have to eat at.

Located in the Waterfront area and a minute walk from the New England Aquarium, this place will help you fuel your day correctly. Stop here before (or after) visiting the New England Aquarium, during your freedom trail walk, or whale-watching excursion. 

Enjoy ocean views outside your window and open kitchen views inside. 

Neptune Oyster

Location: North End (63 Salem St # 1, Boston, MA 02113)

Reviews: 4,149 people voted this place 4.4 stars

This small gem is definitely one of the popular places to eat at; it will have you waiting in line outside to try one of the best lobster rolls Boston has to offer along with its pristine oysters.

Inspired by the Parisian oyster bars, this cozy restaurant only has 37 seats (including the bar seats). And given its popularity, reservations are not allowed.

Be prepared to wait more than an hour in line before getting a seat in this coveted elegant space. Expect longer waits on the weekends and during dinner time. And if you plan on stopping by in the evening, plan accordingly as it closes at 9:30 PM from Monday – Thursday and 10:30 PM on Friday-Saturday. 

The popular lobster roll will price at about $38 and the oysters will vary from $3-$4. There are like 20 oyster options to choose from, so we just tried a few. When you order oysters, you check off whatever you want to order and hand it over to the bartender (if you’re sitting in the bar). 

Bar

The Beehive

Location: South End

Reviews: 3,112 voted this place 4.4 stars

Good food, good drinks, and good vibes all under one roof. No wonder this place is a popular spot in Boston. The Beehive is the perfect spot to grab dinner and then find live entertainment downstairs. Check out their Jazz calendar for more event information. 

I visited here for drinks only (they priced at about $10 for beers to $18 for cocktails) and stayed in the bar area. There is a lot of seating available and it’s just very cozy. And the live jazz music adds to the perfect night out with friends or a date. Literally, the best-most-minimal-effort date you could plan.

Sweets

Mikes Pastry

Location: North End (1 of 3 locations)

Reviews: 5,472 voted this place 4.4 stars

Going to Mike’s is a MUST-a tradition, if you will. Because everything about these cannolis is special. This is one of the popular places your friends will absolutely recommend you to eat at in Boston.

I mean they have been around since 1946. That’s a lot of time to perfect a cannoli. And that’s why they’re so good. Imagine. Up to 6,000 cannolis are made every day.

I visited the original location (North End on Hanover Street) and it was so packed. About 6-8 lines form inside. There is so much staff helping and they are so quick that although there are long lines, it moves relatively quickly. 

There are so many flavored cannoli options. You will see espresso, amaretto, hazelnut, limoncello, and Oreo cannoli, among many more. (Tell me your mouth doesn’t water at the thought of these flavors.) Luckily, a picture of the cannolis and their names are plastered on the walls, giving you enough time to look at the menu while you wait. 

Although Mike’s is known for its cannolis, they also sell cheesecake, cake slices, and more Italian pastries. Be prepared to leave with a box full of pastries. Especially if you have a sweet tooth like me.

I wanted to try as many flavors as possible, so I bought a few different cannolis to fly back with me. But the cannolis must have sat for too long because they were just soggy by the time we got home. So if you’re planning to fly back with them, ask the employees for tips on how to keep the consistency.

Dairy-free options are also available. No seating is available.

*Please note this is a CASH ONLY establishment.

Modern pastry 

Location: North End

Reviews: 2,151 voted this place 4.5 stars

A bakery gem nestled in Little Italy: Modern Pastry. A Boston favorite, this bakery has been serving locals and tourists with delicious pastries for over 80 years. 

Directly across the street from its competitors (Mike’s), they also serve one of Boston’s best cannolis. Compared to Mike’s, which already has premade cannolis, you can customize your cannolis. As you wait in line, you will see menus taped on the glass. You will get to choose the shell, the filling, and the toppings. 

The establishment, itself, has a cozy, more modern vibe to it. There are a couple of tables (maybe 10 seats) set up but not enough for everyone to sit. A bar, a different establishment, is located downstairs, where bathrooms will also be available.  

Although the cannolis are the stars of the show, they also sell other Italian and French pastry items. Similar to Mike’s Pastry, they only take cash. So if you’re planning on shopping at both, take out enough money. Don’t let money limit your tastebuds. 

Both of these establishments will have lines forming outside their bakeries, so dress appropriately.

Let me know what cannoli flavor(s) you try. And if you get to try both, let me know which one is your favorite. I know I have mine.

For more recommendations, check out my guides in the West Coast and South.