lemiThe land of the free—for good reason! Home to some of the world’s most famous landscapes, cityscapes, and great escapes
A Sea of Bostonian Eats
Boston, Cambridge, South Boston
From 18th-century food cart vendors to 21st-century seafood meccas, Boston has come a long way in putting fresh catches of the day on people’s plates. Lucky for you, we’ve rounded up the city’s best seafood joints so you can savor New England’s famous aquatic fares! Armed with a craving for water meat, an adventurous palate, and some gartered pants, voyage through a hole-in-the-wall shoe-box, a heaping plate of the ocean’s population, and an upscale Mediterranean joint for a scrumptious feast from the sea!
Crowds cluster outside the intimate Neptune Oyster for a fresh seafood feast! Peer through the large glass window to see the day's catch, including clams, shrimp, octopus, and crab claws. Try their Oyster "Piggybacks," a helping of hot, crispy oysters piled high on toast topped with barbecue pulled pork, pistachio aioli, and golden raisin jam. The restaurant comes equipped with a well-curated wine selection to pair with your gastronomic meal!
- +1 617 742 3474
63 Salem Street, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- https://www.neptuneoyster.com/
Row 34 is a powerhouse in the Fort Point Area famous for its well-stocked bars of fresh seafood and craft beer. Choose from dozens of bivalves, and ask the friendly staff for the best brew pairing (or else drown in the restaurant’s vast list of beverages—up to you). For off-the-raw-bar options, start with the Lettuce Cups, filled with oysters and pickled vegetables, and move onto the Jonah Crab Cake (crab meat, black eyed peas, and jalapeño) and the Grilled Salmon.
- +1 617 553 5900
383 Congress Street, Fort Point, Massachusetts, USA
- https://row34.com/
After a Red Sox win, Bostonians head to Island Creek Oyster Bar right around the corner from Fenway Park for a celebratory blowout (so maybe steer clear during game days)! The chic food destination boasts of a diverse assortment of impeccable seafood options, a lighthearted cocktail menu, and an impressive wine list—you’ll want to have everything! Must-eats at Island Creek Oyster Bar include the Crispy Oyster Slider (oysters and chili lime aioli on Brioche rolls), followed by the life-changing Lobster Roe Noodles (pasta dish made of grilled lobster, braised short rib, oyster mushrooms, topped with Pecorino cheese).
- +1 617 532 5300
Hotel Commonwealth, 500 Commonwealth Avenue, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- https://www.islandcreekoysterbar.com/
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For an upscale seafood dining experience, book a table at Ostra in downtown Boston. The sophisticated joint serves Mediterranean cuisine-inspired dishes that aim to highlight the distinct flavors of their pristine medley of fresh aquatic fare. Delight in Ostra’s stand-outs, such as Paella “Valenciana Style,” Broiled Maine Lobster, and Grilled Sea Bream in Trevisano Leaf, as you are serenaded by a piano player tickling the ivories. Spend the big bucks and indulge in Ostra’s Osetra (Spanish for “oyster”) Caviar Selection, particularly the nutty and creamy Israeli roe.
- +1 617 421 1200
1 Charles Street South, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
Nestled in a red-brick townhouse in Back Bay, Select Oyster Bar is the first solo venture of Neptune Oysters’ wunderkind Chef Michael Serpa. Rally an empty-stomached pack of friends (4 to 8 people should suffice) to gorge on The Hemingway, a feast of 24 oysters, 12 shrimp cocktails, dayboat scallop ceviche, Peekytoe crab salad, dressed Maine lobster, salmon crudo, Yellowfin Tuna tartare, six avocado toasts, Spanish octopus, sauteed petite clams, PEI mussels, and blue prawns—now that’s what we call seafood heaven! Service is poor, but once you slurp on the joint's scrumptious oysters, you may just be tempted to let it slide.
- +1 857 239 8064
50 Gloucester Street, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- https://www.selectboston.com/
Atlantic Fish Company keeps it simple with classic New England dishes—the traditional kind you feed your visiting friends with to introduce them to the allure of coastal cuisine. Pick from their exquisitely fresh daily catches and choose to have them either broiled, fried, sauteed, or blackened. Favorites from their flavorful menu include Bacon-Wrapped Scallops, Lobster Ravioli, and Super-Lump Crab Cakes. Come summertime, join the locals who flock to Atlantic Fish Company for a hearty helping of their one-pot-boiled dinners.
- +1 617 267 4000
761 Boylston Street, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- https://www.atlanticfish.com/
In a crustacean-mad city, Barbara Lynch—famous restaurateur and one of Time Magazine’s Top 100 Most Influential People—expertly sets herself apart with creative spins on classic Bostonian lobster fares. Still, the Maine Lobster Roll remains a force on the menu, but take a chance on the BLT with Lobster; we promise, it exceeds expectations! B&G Oysters is lauded for its bountiful raw bar, which includes oysters from all six coastal states. Check off your seafood feast with a glass of Prosecco as you enjoy the sweet breeze at the outdoor patio.
- +1 617 423 0550
550 Tremont Street, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- https://bandgoysters.com/
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Saltie Girl amazes with an all-day modern-concept menu—we’re talking Fried Lobster & Waffles, Fried Ipswich Clams, and Sea Urchin Crudo that’s available even for brunch. While many come for their unique selection of tinned seafood, we come for the best Lobster Rolls in town! Buttery Brioche buns sandwich a generous serving of fresh flavorful meat, bursting with flavor as it touches your tongue.
- +1 617 267 0691
281 Dartmouth Street, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- https://www.saltiegirl.com/
For those hankering for Italian flare, The Daily Catch is the place to be! The best in Boston for seafood pasta combos, the family-run business started in 1973—in the same tiny hole-in-the wall shoebox it’s in today—selling fresh seafood on one side and serving raw clams and fried fish on the other. Grab a seat (quickly, because there are only 20 available!) at the counter for a plate of The Daily Catch’s famous Black Pasta Aglio Olio, which is handmade linguine in squid ink topped with ground calamari. An ode to the dish that rose the restaurant to stardom, the Calamari Platter contains a bevy of specialty fried squid.
- +1 617 523 8567
323 Hanover Street, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- https://thedailycatch.com/
Sometimes, we just want fresh seafood—minus the theatrics, devoid of any fusions, and especially without the hefty price tag. Luckily, Yankee Lobster Company delivers just that. The favorite Seaport District joint has satisfied Bostonian stomachs since the 1950’s, when it started out as a wholesale fish supplier. Crack open a cold one as you dig into reliable helpings of clam chowder, crab cakes, and lobster rolls. Go all out and throw in a bucket of crabs (cracked and de-shelled at the table) or a basket of fried scallops, just for the heck of it!
- +1 617 345 9799
300 Northern Avenue, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- http://www.yankeelobstercompany.com
Hidden in the Clio Lounge of The Eliot Hotel, Uni Sashimi Bar serves small plates of street-food inspired fares topped with excellent seafood that’s either locally sourced or flown in from Tokyo. The small fish bar’s menu varies daily to reflect the day’s fresh catches, but you’ll always find East Coast’s aquatic delicacies artfully married into selections of sashimi, sushi, and nigiri.
- +1 617 536 7200
The Eliot Hotel, 370 Commonwealth Avenue, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- https://uni-boston.com/
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