Food for me tends to be the most memorable thing about a place I travel to. Especially deserts!

I prefer less indulgent food and dishes that aren’t too fatty or too sweet. I’m just as happy eating street food as I am eating at Michelin starred restaurants. I like places where it’s not too stuffy.

After living more than a dozen years in Boston, I’ve compiled this list of my favorite places starting with some tourist tips.

• Eat a lot of seafood, especially lobster.
• Clam chowder is a local speciality
• Go for local beers such as Sam Adams

Drinks

1. Drink: Seaport. This is possibly my favorite cocktail bar in the US. Known for high quality ingredients and not having a menu. The bartender asks you a couple of questions and makes you a drink. Think of your bartender as a shrink. They’re there to help, but they’re not mind readers, so open up to them. Not good for large groups. Must try  the fries here.

2. Envoy hotel: Seaport. Rooftop with a nice view of downtown Boston

3. Deep Ellum: Allston. My favorite casual gastropub. Craft beers. Local feel.

4. Lolita: Newburry St. Halloweenish feel to the decor, but in a cool way. Known to have great mojitos.

5. Margaritas: Chain. Mexican restaurant/bar. It might be a 1000 calories but the margarita here (or 4 of them) is a great way to destress after work. It’s also a great way to end up with a 3 legged wooden dog, but that’s a story for another day.

6. Back Bar: Somerville. Cool tiny bar.

7. Gen Sou En: Brookline. Japanese tea house that quickly became my favorite spot to work and have some match drinks/desserts. Very well designed and spacious.

Dessert

1. Toscanini’s: Cambridge. Gelato heaven. Earl gray and matcha must be tried.

2. Zinnekens: Harvard Sq. Home of Bostons best and most authentic Belgian waffles. Also a food truck near BU. Try the Liege style soft and chewy one.

3. Fomu: Allston. Vegan ice cream. Where else can you have delicious vegan avocado ice cream?

4. Tatte: Cambridge/Brookline/Other locations. My favorite bakery in the city. I like the nut squares but most things are good.

5. Union Sq Donuts: Allston/Union Square. Boston sure loves its donuts, and these are the best.

6. Clear Flour: Brookline. The place to go for French bread and pastries. This isn’t the best bread but simply the best Boston has to offer.

7. South End Buttery: South End. Home of Boston’s best cookie as judged by my cookie lover buddy following a birthday cookie tasting.

8. Lady M: Newburry St. Undeniably overpriced at 8$ a slice but the green tea milles crepes has to be tried at least once. Anyone who knows me knows I’m a matchaholic.

Casual / Not Pricey

1. @Union: Allston. Made from scratch American breakfast/brunch place. Try the lobster benedict and the blueberry banana smoothie. Unfortunately the ingredients aren’t as fresh as they used to be here but it’s still a good deal.

2. El Pelon: Fenway/Chestnut Hill. Mexican. Try the caramelos or fish burrito.

3. Chacarero: Financial district. Chilean sandwich place. Go for the beef and ask them to turn down the salt a little. Only open on weekdays.

4. Rod Dhee: Brookline and Fenway. Thai. Relatively authentic. Tom Kha is my favorite.

5. Parish cafe: Back Bay/South End. Good sandwiches each designed by a popular restaurant chef.

6. Eataly: Back Bay Prudential center. This is as Italian as Boston will get. Huge Italian food court, restaurants, and supermarket with lots of eye candy.

7. Border cafe: Harvard Square. Tex-mex.

8. Shawarma King: Lebanese. Best for Shawarma and (heavy) daily stews.

9. Tasty burger: Back Bay. Sometimes you just want a good cheap local fast food burger joint.

10. Kaju: Allston. Korean Tofu house. Get the tofu soup here. Go spicy or go home.

11. IHOP: Chain. Pancakes. Open 24 hours. Good for late night/morning eating but only because there are few/no other options other than Chinatown. I go for the harvest grain n nut.

12. Cheesecake Factory: Malls everywhere. For non American tourists, this is a good idea of what casual American food is. You will most probably not have room for the cheesecake. You will probably not be able to breath when you walk out 🙂

Midrange to Fine Dining

1. Pasta beach: North End. Italian mid range. My go to for authentic Neapolitan pizza.

2. Neptune Oyster: North end. Seafood. Fav lobster roll in town.prepared to cough up the $$$ for this.

3. Gaslight: South end. Casual French, nice atmosphere, good value, fun deco, good drinks, yummy fresh baguette served, can be a bit too salty, duck and mussels are my two fav dishes here. Also my go to dinner date place 😀

4. Long Island Oyster Creek: Fenway. American Seafood. While I don’t think it wins in any single category, it’s one of the best places in Boston overall when you factor in decor, ambiance, service, value, drinks, and food quality.

5. Oishii: South end. High end sushi. Yum.

6. Oleana:Cambridge. High end Middle Eastern fusion. Cozy, good service. Have a love hate relationship with this place as the menu changes often and it’s hit or miss. Baked Alaska for dessert is popular here.

7. Boston Sail Loft: Seaport district. American seafood. Clam chowder is about as local as it gets in New England. This is a good place to try it. See post pic.

8. Toro: South End. Spanish. Cool vibe.

9. Shiki: Brookline. Go for authentic Japanese dishes. For a more fun environment go to izakays ittoku nearby.

10. Thelonious Monkfish: Cambridge. Japanese/Asian. Good price to quality ratio.

11. Beehive: South End. American/International. Cool place but more for the entertainment and good vibes than the food.

12. Craigie on main: Cambridge. High end french. Ask for the secret burger which isn’t on the menu.

13. Gran Gusto: Cambridge. Italian mid range. Go for the homemade pasta.

14. Brown Sugar: Thai. Reliable and nice.

15. Not Your Average Joe’s: Chain. American mid-range. Yummy bread with garlic/parm/olive oil dip.

16. Barada Cafe: Lebanese. Not great but best overall Lebanese restaurant imo.

17. Windsor: Chinatown. Dim sum.

18. Peach Farm: Chinatown. Chinese seafood. My fav place to eat late night. Lobster tails are good and cheap. Closes at 3am.

19. Jojo Taipei: Allston. Taiwanese. I like the tofu with century egg.

20. UNOs: Chain. Pizza. Known for their deep dish pizza, very indulgent but good.

21. Jerry Remy’s: Seaport. Sports bar with a view, tons of tvs, and great food for a bar.

Healthy / Vegetarian / Vegan / Juice Bars

1. Sweet Greens: My favorite salad place. Grab a rad Thai with double shrimp if you wanna be really healthy.

2. Life Alive: Lots of yummy vegetarian and vegan options.

3. Digg Inn: Healthy fast food sourced from local farms. My regular go to for fresh and fast and healthy.

4. Red Lentil: Watertown. Bit heavier but great vegan food.

5. Yo Jugos: My favorite place to get a juice when I’m in the mood.

Neighbourhood Favorites

Watertown: Strip Ts. New American.

Somerville: Sarma. Middle eastern fusion.

Newton: Chestnut Hill. Sushi bar. Not your average mall sushi.

Belmont: Vicki Lee’s. Bakery/cafe with delicious options both sweet and savory.

West Roxbury: Bay Sweets. Lebanese bakery/supermarket. This is the place to get a manouche in the Boston area.