11 Best Restaurants in Charlestown, Boston

With the Bunker Hill Monument in your sights, relax with a wood-fired pizza and a pint. Brewer's Fork's list of 30 draft cider and craft beers is impressive (yet approachable) and its wine list massive. Pizzas go beyond the basics with toppings like spicy clam, bacon jam, and smoked chicken, and the pie is served straight out of a gigantic fiery oven, the restaurant's only cooking method. Small plates such as wood-roasted meatballs and Jonah crab dip and piled-high sandwiches like Wagyu burger and super-slow roasted turkey help satisfy hearty appetites. Brunch is lively and fun, featuring frittatas, a pulled pork benny, and morning-friendly pizzas. There's even a mid-day menu of charcuterie and cheese boards and select pizzas between mealtimes. Decor includes pendant bulbs, daily special chalkboards, exposed brick walls, banquettes created from wine corks, and two seasonal patios.

With the dainty twinkle lights sitting against exposed brick elements, this neighborhood spot creates an intimate atmosphere with a lively energy. Chilled seafood starters along with smaller plates like mushroom toast and mussels Mozambique are perfect for lighter snacks, while housemade pastas and entrées, including pork Milanese, bean cassoulet, and Ora King salmon, are hearty additions to the table. The brunch crowd will happily fill up on dishes such as huevos rancheros and fried chicken and waffles. An outdoor brick patio is perfect for seasonal dining. The wine bar aspect is showcased through an impressive "by the glass" or bottle selection, along with craft beers and cocktails (their seasonal rosé sangria is a local favorite).

Emack & Bolio’s has been rocking the Boston frozen treat scene since the 1970s. Diet meets decadence at this smoothie bar/ice-cream parlor that serves in-house microbrewed soda and floats, ice-cream pizzas, and chocolate confections like the chocolate-dipped Twinkie. They offer more than 75 flavors of ice creams, live-culture yogurts, sherbets, and fresh fruit sorbets each year, served in jumbo waffle cones dipped in chocolate and rolled in your choice of Oreos, Rice Krispies, Fruit Loops, Fruity Pebbles, chocolate or rainbow jimmies (sprinkles), crushed nuts, and shaved coconut. Creative takes on the traditional include Grasshopper Pie, Bananas Foster, Beantown Buzz and Cake Batter. The black raspberry chip yogurt is a winner, while the vegan set enjoys six rich flavors of coconut cream.

A “gastropub meets bistro," Monument Restaurant & Tavern is quintessential Charlestown with a brownstone vibe of brick and weathered woods, 16-foot ceilings, and a 40-foot bar. Pizza is the menu's superstar, coming out piping and bubbly from the open kitchen's 900-degree oven, which is also used for wings, crab-artichoke dip, and roasted brick chicken. Hearty entrées for bigger appetites include pan-roasted day boat scallops and seared skirt steak.  Their Smash Burger is a bucket list item, a messy two-hand burger topped with local Grillo's pickles, cheese, special sauce, and all the traditional toppings. The cocktail program gets crafty, with fun names like Back That Razz Up and Fancy Fizz. There's also a late night menu until 1 am.

For a meal on the waterfront, try Pier 6 in the Charlestown Navy Yard just steps from the USS Constitution, where you'll be treated to New England seafood coupled with outstanding harbor views. Plates are piled high with fried calamari, seared octopus, and lobster rolls, and the giant shellfish platter of local oysters, clams, shrimp, and lobster will draw all eyes to your table. Whether you're upstairs on the roof deck, outside on the large patio and bar, or in the dining room with floor-to-ceiling glass sliding doors, there isn't a bad seat in the place. Three seasons of the year, the mahogany bar on outdoor patio is packed during the evenings for cocktails (perhaps a Pier 6 Painkiller or a Chai Cold Brew Martini) with the after-work and singles crowd. Through the night, small pleasure crafts slowly approach the moorings as their captains hop out for a cocktail and a quick bite. Spring and summer brings a complimentary weekend boat shuttle from the ReelHouse in East Boston.

When you need a break, duck into this hot little bakery for piping hot coffees, teas, and cocoa, or you can take yours chilled to perfection. If you're hungry, dig into one of their well-known bagel or pressed sandwiches, filled croissants, or a freshly made salad with a side of homemade soup du jour. There's outside seating when the weather agrees.

This authentic Irish addition to Charlestown focuses on food, offering Scotch eggs wrapped in housemade sausage, pulled pork nachos, loaded potato soup, soda bread, wings, potato boxty, grilled cheese, curry brick chicken, sirloin steak, and more. But don't worry: there will still be plenty of drinking, as the restaurant also offers a big selection of beer, wine, cider, and cocktails (including chilled Irish coffee) for settling into the dark and cozy atmosphere for the night.

This grab-and-go counter service shop offers up sandwiches heaping with meats and cheeses, as well as salads and wraps, soups, and cookies. The housemade chips are the perfect crunchy side. Favorites include the Market Veggie Cubano, Grafton Village Grilled Cheese, and the Spicy Italian. Grab a beverage from the cooler (Mexican coke, vanilla cream, or a cold brew coffee, to name a few) to wash it all down.

Serving locally roasted Barrington Gold Coffee, this coffee shop runs the gamut of grab-and-go java—from cinnamon maple latte to Americano—along with several dine-in options for its 32-seat bar. Sweet snacks include 14 types of mini-doughnuts. Fruity Pebbles and Strawberry Pop Rocks are favorite donut flavors, but heaping sandwiches, piping hot wood-fired pizza, a popular prime short rib and brisket burger, and sharable starters of popcorn chicken, nachos, and steak-and-cheese spring rolls also leave the kitchen.

Built in 1780 and reportedly one of the country's oldest taverns, this restored Colonial neighborhood pub in the quaint and historic gaslight district was once frequented by George Washington and Paul Revere. After a blustery walk through the Navy Yard, grab a seat by the fireplace and warm yourself with hearty chowder, lobster mac, or short rib shepherd's pie and a Sam Adams draft. Named after Dr. Joseph Warren, a physician and one of the revolutionary leaders killed at the Battle of Bunker Hill, the tavern was one of the first buildings reconstructed after the Battle of Bunker Hill, which leveled Charlestown. The building still oozes history, with beamed ceilings made from salvaged Charlestown Navy Yard wood, dark woods, low lighting, and large fireplace reflecting its Colonial roots.

This welcoming locally owned coffee shop has plenty of cozy chairs, local art–filled walls, cheerful purple ceilings, and piping hot mugs of freshly brewed coffee served by friendly baristas. The breakfast and lunch crowds love the grab-and-go sandwiches, such as the house-made burritos and English muffins, but there are also plenty of sweet treats like made-to-order tea cakes, energy bars, brownies, and decorated sugar cookies. The vibe also makes it a great destination for kids in tow.