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The 15 Hidden Gems In Boston's Flourishing Restaurant Scene

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Full of adventurous, creative chefs who have elevated local cuisine, Boston has shed its culinary reputation as a city to go to mainly for its clam chowder, scrod, baked beans and Boston cream pie. Many top restaurants now have lines out their doors, but you can often avoid the waits by dining at one of the area’s hidden gems.

The gems are often tucked away in quiet neighborhoods unfamiliar to business travelers and tourists. Marc Hurwitz, a writer/editor who runs a website, Boston’s Hidden Restaurants, can help you find them. 

Hurwitz, who also blogs at Boston Restaurant Talk, recommends 15 local eateries with "decent food and drink" that "are generally difficult to find but well worth seeking out."

Jessica Rinaldo/Getty

The following are his picks:

Boston, Bricco Panetteria and Bricco Salumeria;

Boston, Lucky’s Lounge;

Brookline, Ganko Ittetsu Ramen;

Cambridge, Tampopo;

Charlestown, Brewer's Fork;

Chelsea, NewBridge Cafe;

Dorchester, McKenna's Cafe;

East Boston, KO Pies at the Shipyard;

Hyde Park, The Fairmount Grille;

Medford, Tasty Café  on the Hill;

Norwood, Taso's Euro-Café;

Randolph, Hoey's Pizza;

Somerville, Pescatore;

Wayland, Dudley Chateau;

Winthrop, Winthrop Arms.

John Mandracchia

Hurwitz explains why each restaurant is a favorite.

Bricco Panetteria and Bricco Salumeria. "Boston’s North End is one of the busiest parts of the city with countless Italian restaurants beckoning visitors and locals, but few tourists will find these two real-deal Italian shops. They sit at the end of an alleyway that's so narrow you have to walk single file. The panetteria is a spartan basement bakery where you order old-world breads, including an extraordinary olive bread, while the salumeria has everything from sausage to cheese to olive oil and one of the best Italian subs in the city."

Lucky’s Lounge. "Fort Point is a fascinating part of Boston with old factories, warehouses and other historic buildings that are home to Lucky's and a good number of restaurants. Lucky’s is very easy to miss, because it is a subterranean spot that has the feel of a speakeasy. The entrance gives no indication where it leads, and the interior has vinyl booths, sofas, dim lights and a small fireplace. Elevated comfort food is the name of the game here with steak tips, beef stew, mac and cheese and more on the menu."

Ganko Ittetsu Ramen. "Ramen is hot these days. It’s no longer something that only college kids eat after a long night of clubbing, and some terrific ramen shops, including Ganko, can be found in the Boston area. Ganko is a tiny eatery hidden away in a historic arcade building in Coolidge Corner. It offers great takes on miso ramen, shoyu ramen and tan tan ramen, a creamy, savory masterpiece that never fails to impress."

Tampopo. "One of the region’s best Japanese restaurants can’t be seen from the road. Tampopo is tucked away in an Asian food court deep inside a former Sears, Roebuck space that is now known as both the Porter Exchange Building and University Hall. Street food is front and center at this closet-sized eatery with excellent tempura, curry, shumai, croquettes, katsu and other options, including many under $10."

Brewer's Fork. "You always hear about Regina’s and Santarpio’s when it comes to great pizza in Boston, but this bustling spot in an out-of-the-way section of the city is right up there as well. Brewer’s Fork is one of those industry faves where chefs and restaurant owners go for sublime wood-fired pizza and hard-to-find regional beers. When the weather is decent, the beer garden/patio off to the side is really tough to beat."

NewBridge Cafe. "This may not be a hidden spot among those who live just north of the city or those who love steak tips, but this timeworn watering hole is certainly under the radar to visitors. With longtime servers who call everyone 'honey' and nearly life-changing steak tips (and turkey and pork tips) made with a marinade that's as secret as they come, the NewBridge is one of those old-school neighborhood joints that every community should have."

McKenna's Cafe. "Brunch seems to be a catch-all term these days, and it seems every other hotspot is now offering it. But if you just want to grab a good, cheap breakfast at a neighborhood spot, McKenna’s is about as good as you’ll find. Situated just above the busy Southeast Expressway on a mostly residential street, there is no exit off the highway. So it remains mostly a local fave, offering everything from pancakes and waffles to omelets and breakfast sandwiches, and the lunches are pretty solid."

KO Pies at the Shipyard. "Your first time at this Australian meat pie place might have you wondering, 'Where exactly am I going?' You drive to the end of a side street along the water and then approach a guard booth where you may or may not need to explain where you’re going. Once past the booth, you’ll find this funky little spot in the middle of a shipyard, complete with an outdoor patio where you can enjoy savory pies along with some top regional beers."

The Fairmount Grille. "Hyde Park may not be the best Boston neighborhood for dining, but there are some real gems in this suburban-feeling section of the city miles from downtown. One such spot is this casual, upscale two-floor eating and drinking establishment that exudes tons of charm with a large fireplace, an enormous old-fashioned clock that dominates the space and a cozy little bar off to the side. The Fairmount offers a mix of classic and modern American fare with such highlights as a true New England fave, calamari with hot peppers; chicken parm, and meatloaf."

Tasty Café on the Hill. Students at Tufts University frequent this unassuming little café in part for its cheap eats, while some students and more than a few serious foodies also go to this little-known spot for another reason: a sandwich that’s nearly impossible to find anywhere else in the country. This oddball item is called a francesinha, a Portuguese sandwich with steak, bacon, ham, linguica, a hot dog, American cheese and a fried egg stuffed into two pieces of bread soaked with a reddish-orange tomato- and beer-based sauce. It might not be everyone’s cup of tea, but it’s a sandwich you won’t soon forget."

Taso's Euro-Cafe. Airport restaurants often leave something to be desired, but those in the know are aware some excellent Greek food awaits at a tiny airport southwest of Boston. Residing in a truly odd location at Gate 1 of Norwood Memorial Airport, Taso’s is a family-run restaurant that offers scratch-made classics such as pastichio, moussaka, baked lamb and stuffed peppers. The pizza is much, much better than most of the Greek pies you might get at your standard neighborhood house of pizza."

Hoey's Pizza. "In an unlikely location — an AMVETS post on a dead-end street in a suburb south of Boston — this little pizzeria serves some of the best bar pizzas in Eastern Massachusetts. Patrons can go into the dining/drinking area with members of the post or sit in their cars, or take home, these deliciously greasy pies."

Pescatore. "Boston Avenue, which is also home to Tasty Café on the Hill, is a main thoroughfare in Medford and part of Somerville, but the street peters out after crossing Broadway in Somerville’s Ball Square, briefly becoming a lightly-trafficked side street. This is where this marvelous Italian seafood restaurant resides, and, from the outside, it looks a bit like a sub shop. It’s actually a rather romantic spot perfect for a date-night meal. Highlights include fettuccine with smoked salmon, linguine with clams and a lobster ravioli that will make your knees weak."

Dudley Chateau. "The greater Boston area has a lot of dive bars, but perhaps none are in more obscure locations than the 'Chat.' It's in a former fishing lodge on Dudley Pond in a wooded residential section of Wayland, a quiet western suburb. Housed in a rickety old structure that has a classic roadhouse feel, this watering hole can get a bit wild at times, but it’s mainly just a spot to get away from it all with a burger, wings or other pub food while hoisting a beer or two."

Winthrop Arms. "Hidden on a little peninsula extending from a larger peninsula where the town of Winthrop sits, the Winthrop Arms is a restaurant in a historic hotel by the same name that you’ll never find unless you know it’s there. This spacious dining spot features American classics such as chicken cordon bleu, pork chops and one of the best mac and cheeses in the region. From the porch-like patio, you can catch glimpses of the sea far below."

 

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