Resy’s Definitive Guide to Boston

Myers + Chang is a bit of a South End institution. Helmed by James Beard Award-winning chef Joanne Chang, the creative mind behind the beloved Flour Bakery + Cafe, this indie Asian-inflected diner is where Chang’s Taiwanese heritage shines through. Make a feast of the addicting dim sum, baos, and wok-charred noodles on the menu, and inhale it all.

It’ll be hard to find a restaurant as welcoming and lovely as Celeste. The Union Square spot feels like a party hosted by your very cool artsy friends, who just happen to make the best ceviche in town. Every dish here is tantalizing—throw in pisco-heavy drinks and a psychedelic cumbia playlist, and you’re set for a night to remember.

Middle Eastern meze by way of Turkey is Oleana’s M.O., a Cambridge institution helmed by James Beard Award-winning chef Ana Sortun. The spice-inflected dishes, which weave in influences from Turkey, Lebanon, and Greece, continue to surprise more than fifteen years after Oleana’s opening, with a patio that’s still as coveted as ever.

Jamie Bissonnette’s wild ride of a tapas bar is as busy as ever. The South End gem is known for its boisterous crowd, and that’s in no small part due to the exceptional Barcelona-style tapas the kitchen proffers. Toro has it all—pintxos, tapas frias and calientes—and the libations your small plates will yearn for.

Pasta and Venetian cicchetti (small bites) shine at the stylish SRV, or “Serene Republic of Venice.” Luxurious in décor and flavor, the South End charmer is perpetually buzzing with well-heeled patrons tucking into ravishing squid ink bigoli and glistening risotto. Andiamo.

When it comes to winter-combatting fare, it’s best to look to our northern neighbors. And French-Canadian Café du Pays delivers, firing the kind of soul-warming fare that leans on foraged foods and hearty meats. Retreat to this cozy locale, which is big on charm, for a glass of Armagnac to top it off.

James Beard Award-winner Karen Akunowicz’s stylish new debut is a self-proclaimed Italian neighborhood joint, where soul-satisfying pasta shines. The Myers + Chang vet spent a year in Modena learning the craft, and it shows: you’re in for silky tagliatelle with wild boar Bolognese, chewy trofie slathered in pistachio pesto, and curly mafaldine entertwined with braised duck, olives, and guanciale.

There’s something electric about this Central Square stalwart, where Cambridge techies and neighboring students converge. At PAGU, chef Tracy Chang composes a deeply personal menu where Japanese and Spanish flavors brush up against one another, so bring a friend and order liberally from the colorful pintxos, bao, and Asian noodles on offer.

Spoke may sport one of the best wine lists in town, but the industry gem doesn’t stop there. The Davis Square wine bar doles out expertly shaken cocktails and an array of stellar small plates, all within a warm and convivial setting that’ll have you coming back again and again.

Talulla is the story of husband-and-wife team Conor Dennehy and Danielle Ayer (the restaurant is named for the pair’s daughter), their shared industry experience—him training at critically-acclaimed establishments in San Francisco and Boston, her as a certified sommelier that made it on Zagat’s 30 Under 30 Hottest Up-and-Comers—and the relationships they’ve nurtured with winemakers and farmers. The resulting plates are seasonal, fresh, and oh-so beautiful.

A true gem in Boston’s North End, Prezza executes sophisticated takes on peasant-style Italian fare. Tuck into perennial favorites like the raviolo di uovo and wood-grilled squid and octopus, and let your waiter guide you through the prolific wine list, full of California labels and high-end Barolos.

It doesn’t get any more charming than Vee Vee, a quaint little Jamaica Plain destination that surprises and delights. The rotating seasonal menu breathes new life into comfort food favorites, alongside an ever-briny oyster selection and a stellar craft beer list.

There are only four stools at Parla’s tiny bar, and those are the seats you’ll want to nab. Tucked along the cobblestoned streets of the North End, this cozy little haunt deals in whimsical cocktails and modern Italian plates. Feeling adventurous? Ask for the “Dungeon Master” and let a multi-faced die decide which of the 20 off-menu cocktails you’ll be drinking.

Like a chameleon, Laughing Monk Cafe transforms from day to night. Stop by this Mission Hill eatery for lunch, and you’ll find chef Nick P. slinging fiery Thai dishes that’ll bring tears to your eyes. Come dinnertime, chef Nick K. prepares a masterful sushi omakase that wows, and pays tribute to his training at revered sushi institution O Ya.

Lavishly outfitted in Moroccan drapes, glowing brass lamps, and colorful banquettes, Baraka unifies the vibrant flavors of North Africa with French gastronomy. Fall for fork-tender lamb sprinkled with apricots, chicken laced with almonds and embedded in flaky layers of phyllo dough, and flourless chocolate cake infused with Moroccan and Tunisian spices.

With Sumiao Hunan Kitchen, Kendall Square gets a taste of the hot-and-sour, spicy, and smoky flavors that make up the complex cuisine of Hunan. Gather a sizeable group at this always-bustling and colorful locale, and eat your way through the kitchen’s bold menu of inventive dim sum and sizzling meat plates.

An unpretentious gastropub-meets-bistro right along the Freedom Trail—and within sight of the Bunker Hill monument—the aptly named Monument dishes out wood-fired pizzas, sandwiches, and seafood-leaning entrées, with plenty of wine, cocktails, and beer (make sure to peek at the chalkboard tap list).

A nod to its namesake, The Salty Pig doles out a pork-centric menu that touches on everything, from charcuterie boards to pizza toppings (get the Etruscan, dolloped with ricotta and ground prosciutto). Located right by Back Bay station, this comic strip-lined spot makes for a perfect stop pre- or post-train ride.

With its turquoise walls and whimsical artwork, Burro Bar is a sleek Mexican kitchen and tequila bar—with no less than 100 handpicked bottles—where chef Joe Cassinelli looks to Baja, Oaxaca, Veracruz, and the Yucatán for a taco-heavy menu.

A neighborhood restaurant located in Somerville, Field & Vine knows a thing or two about sourcing. And that’s because the farm-to-table eatery is rooted in sustainability, committing to New England produce for a surprising farmer’s feast of pickled greens, astounding grilled veggies, and mindfully-sourced meats.

There’s a reason why barbecue is worth mentioning in Boston, and that’s thanks to world champion pitmaster Andy Husbands. His Smoke Shop updates the honky-tonk BBQ joint, firing up refined barbecue fare like brisket and ribs, burnt ends, and Texas hot links, alongside an extremely well stocked whiskey cabinet (read: over 200 varieties on offer).

At this Davis Square pizzeria, lots of care, love, and thoughtful sourcing goes into the pizza-making process. Wood-fired to perfection in an Italian oven burning at more than 850 degrees, the pies at Posto utilize flour and tomatoes from the homeland, with house-made mozzarella for good measure.

Humble in appearance—and in appearance only—Coda is a South End favorite that cooks up comfort food like no one else. Tuck into poutine drowning in gravy, satiny chicken liver mousse, and silky tagliatelle, alongside Old World wines and potent cocktails.

Hawaii native Chris Chung didn’t look far for his solo debut. The Uni vet, tapped by Ken Oringer himself, has reimagined the Japanese izakaya through a Hawaiian lens, where hybrid plates are designed with sake, whiskey, and shochu in mind. Teppanyaki loco moco, anyone?

Devlin’s services the Allston and Brighton crowds within an unpretentious and relaxed atmosphere, but that isn’t to say that the kitchen doesn’t impress: the neighborhood favorite executes a stellar brunch (get the corned beef hash), with a patio that begs for al fresco dining, weather permitting.

Somerville isn’t short on hangouts, but The Independent has long been a haven for locals. Affectionately called “The Indo,” this The Union Square tavern has been around for over fifteen years. Now, with a spiffed-up menu, updated look, and the same delectable drinks (some things don’t need to change), The Indo is still serving its community.

The award-winning North Shore burger spot brings its beloved menu steps away from TD Garden. At this sun-drenched and unfussy locale, A&B Burgers fires up its signature burgers, milkshakes, and small plates ranging from Scotch eggs to Korean BBQ wings.