29 Best Restaurants in The Seaport, South Boston, and East Boston, Boston

Colorful and airy, this East Boston Mexican restaurant reflects the culture of many living in the neighborhood, and its eponymous cook re-creates dishes from her native Puebla. Locals love it for its authenticity and extensive selection of small, snacky plates (mmm, queso fundido) and hearty main courses (chilaquiles, mole poblano). It's definitely worth the trip from downtown.

People come to Boston for certain things—colleges, Irish pubs, Fenway Park—and Polish food isn't usually one of them. But, if you do land here, this authentic Polish restaurant in Southie is a must-stop. The menu is rife with an Eastern European culinary heritage in plates like pierogi, beet soup, stuffed cabbage and kielbasa, and there are some tasty Polish beers. You'll be glad you ventured to Andrew Square.

At the far eastern end of the city and tucked into the Innovation and Design Building, Chickadee is a restaurant you'd wish to stumble over. Make the trek on the Silver Line or simply walk to sample chef-owner John daSilva's curated seasonal menu, rife with unique preparations and locally sourced ingredients. The idea is to order a selection of smaller sized plates and share amongst the table, and, after a look at the Mediterranean-inspired offerings, you'll want to. As for cocktails, they're intentional, well-crafted, and laced with unique ingredients. 

This new addition to the Seaport District has personality in spades, with pastel purple and bright red chandeliers, plumes of feathers in floral arrangements, and pink napkins on the table. The menu, too, is inspired, featuring French cuisine informed by global flavors meant to be ordered in abundance—two to three plates per diner. The hummus, which takes four days to make, is a must, as is the merde dé can (yes, that does translate to "dog shit") spinach dumplings, which beat Bobby Flay. Cocktails are gorgeous and delicious, and if you win over your server, they may just bring over the gratis Stinger digestif service (coconut butter–washed cognac with crème de menthe, absinthe, and verjus blanc) to end your meal. 

Chef-owner Karen Akunowicz steps up with hearty, traditional Italian food inspired by her time as a chef and pasta maker in Italy. Locals love it so much that in order to score a table, especially on the weekends, you have to book a reservation about a month or so out. But once you get in, you'll realize it was worth the wait to dig into this James Beard Award–winner's carb-heavy fare, like warm focaccia, handmade pasta, pork Milanese, braised lamb, or whole fish. Plates are on the smaller side, so make sure to order with abandon, although your wallet won't thank you for it. At the bar, order the flight of Amaro varieties. 

Emphasizing oysters and local craft beers, this contemporary seafood restaurant has a boisterous energy contained only by its soaring ceilings. A neighborhood crowd comes for the excellent menu devoted to raw things, fried seafood, a variety of "rolls," and fish-based entrées. With 24 taps, beer plays a big role in the experience, enticing regulars to work their way through European-inspired American craft beers; there are also more than 50 by the bottle, ranging from ciders to sours and more.

This upscale bakery and café takes pastries to the next level. From tea cakes to the Jerusalem bagel, expect hearty baked goods with an air of elegance and influenced by the owner's Israeli heritage. Fantastic coffee drinks, including the house's signature halva latte. A breakfast, lunch and brunch menu features hearty plates all day, from breakfast sandwiches to salads, bowls, and shakshuka (an egg dish with tomatoes and peppers). The café's vibe welcomes those who appreciate attention to detail in both the food and the bright, lively atmosphere—so expect to wait in line. Tatte started as a single location in 2008; today it has expanded with locations across Boston.

Featuring floor-to-ceiling windows and sweeping 270-degree views of the Boston Harbor waterfront, this sophisticated and lively restaurant serves up midsized plates that are meant to be shared—two to three per person. The well-curated menu features meat and produce from the owner's 360-acre New Hampshire farm, as well as handmade pasta and sustainably sourced seafood. Diners with specialized diets can choose from many gluten-free, dairy-free, and/or vegan dishes. 

There's nothing fresher than eating fish the same day it's caught, and that's what you get at this family-owned seafood shack. Open since 1950, the local favorite serves fresh oysters, crab cakes, fried oysters and clams, steamers, and lobster. Tasty sandwiches speak of New England; fish platters come fried, grilled, or baked; and there's a whole section of the menu devoted to lobster preparations. If you forget that this is a take-out joint, look around; the no-frills, character-heavy decor will remind you.

Bon Me's moniker is a whimsical take on Vietnam's signature sandwich, the banh mi, and the versions that this local fast-casual restaurant serves are authentic to its spirit, if not with traditional ingredients. Diners can create their own bowls (salad, noodle, or rice), selecting from a variety of proteins, veggies, and sauces. The menu also boasts a number of chef creations ranging from ramen to pho. House drinks include a heady Vietnamese iced coffee and citrus ade.

Weekend brunch is a national sport at this popular restaurant known for its modern and inspired take on Greek cuisine and killer cocktails, but it's also open daily for dinner. Come and share meze plates with your dining companions, or, if you've really got a big appetite, dig into one of the "feasts," which may include a selection of grilled meats or a whole fish. The atmosphere is casual and just as lively as the food. 

On this once industrial stretch of the Boston Harbor waterfront sits this gastropub, fittingly at the former site of the Cunard Steamship Company and Wharf. From within a contemporary and lively environment, peruse a Southern-inspired menu, regional craft beer, and wide windows that open onto the street. Nautical-themed embellishments harken back to local maritime history. In season, the roof deck opens, serving cocktails and great views.

This popular Boston-born restaurant splits its focus between grilled all-natural steaks and chops and hearty, Italian-inspired dishes. Diners can't get enough of Davio's signature spring rolls, stuffed with Philly cheesesteak or chicken parm, and pasta is made in-house. The kitchen offers special menus, including healthy eating and gluten-free. While this location isn't Davio's first in the city, it is its newest, and it has beautiful real estate right on Boston Harbor, which the dining room makes a point to showcase through floor-to-ceiling windows.

As far as options for fast-casual meals along Seaport Boulevard go, this is one place you should stop. You'll get modern, Greek street food here, in the form of pita sandwiches, salads, and build-your-own meals, dressed with sauces, like house-made spicy feta and lemon yogurt, that are so good you'll be licking it off your fingers. Don't miss the signature zucchini chips with tzatziki, or, for a sweet taste, the loukoumas Greek-style doughnut holes.

You won't get many frills at this traditional Italian-style bakery that's tucked a bit off the main drag, but you will get loads of sweets in the form of cream puffs, eclairs, pastry twists, Italian cookies, and loaves of scali bread (braided and coated in sesame seeds). There's also a deli that serves sandwiches to go.

With a roof deck, patio, balcony, and floor-to-ceiling windows, Legal Sea Foods' flagship restaurant features abundant space for diners to take in panoramic views of Boston Harbor no matter the season or the weather, and this view certainly draws a crowd. The menu is classic seafood: from raw bar and sushi offerings to grilled fish, fried fish, and sandwiches, there is plenty to eat here—unless you're a landlubber.

Young professionals living in the area will tell you that this place is a South Boston institution, and they flock here regularly, especially for brunch served every day of the week. Don't expect a quiet meal; the atmosphere here is loud and lively at all hours, and there's often a line at the door to get in.

Come for the tacos and margaritas; stay for the nightlife scene and at this lively Mexican joint on the water. In the moody dining room painted with murals and adorned with red chandeliers or on the bright waterfront patio, you'll start off with a granita palate cleanser, then dive into guacamole and a few sharing plates as you imbibe with the trendy, young Boston crowd.

Barbara Lynch's luxurious, France-meets-Italy-inspired eatery is arguably the best restaurant in town (and also Boston's only Relais & Châteaux–awarded property, a prestigious honor). Named for a French town near Italy's border, Menton features just two multicourse menu options: prix-fixe or chef's tasting (with wine pairings if you so choose). Think caviar, Wagyu beef, and black truffle, although dishes may change daily. You can also up the ante by reserving the 12-seat chef's table in the kitchen, an enclosed area with a glass wall offering a sneak peak into the restaurant's inner culinary sanctum.

Diners who appreciate flavor and spice will adore chef-owner Asia Mei's creative kitchen endeavors, which often mix up elements of American, Chinese, Mexican, Vietnamese, Thai, and Spanish cuisines. A lively local crowd comes for dinner and to get their hands on such crave-worthy dishes as the tofu-mushroom burger and various street tacos, but the menu does change frequently. The staff cares what you think, and this shows in the impeccable, friendly service and the fact that the chef doesn't just stay in the kitchen—she's often serving dishes herself and asking diners' opinions.

Satisfy your pizza craving with a crispy, wood-fired, thin-crust pie from this Fort Point neighborhood joint. A dozen and a half options run from the traditional margherita to more inventive options; note that the pies are smaller in size, so order a few. The menu also includes house-made pastas, antipasti, and a few types of wood-fired pocket-bread sandwiches. Near as it is to the Boston Children's Museum, Pastoral is a great spot for a family meal.

Authentic Peruvian food is beautifully presented in a wonderfully warm and inviting space. Sip a much-talked-about pisco sour while perusing the menu, which includes traditionally prepared dishes, seafood and ceviche, and smaller plates called piqueos.

This casual but upscale neighborhood bar and restaurant doesn't attract too much of a crowd, even though it should. The kitchen serves hearty American comfort food made with fresh ingredients. Don't expect the usual fryolator suspects, but do expect a focus on what bartenders are pulling from the taps—that's lots of craft and international beer. 

Stepping into this family-owned East Boston pizza joint is like stepping into the 1980s, even though it first opened way back in 1903. Every table is full on a Saturday night at 7 pm, and don't be surprised to see a line that runs out the cramped front doorway. This local favorite serves well-done and crispy, traditional style pies topped with veggies, ’chovies, garlic, and meat; the only other menu items are lamb, steak and chicken tips, and grilled sausages cooked over open hot coals in the corner.

One of the city's most widely awarded chefs, Barbara Lynch serves rustic, hearty Italian food with her team in a casual setting, where diners sit and eat at one long, winding counter. Fare like burrata, lamb meatballs, foccacia, braised rabbit, and bolognese are plentiful and tasty, if on the pricey side of things. To go along with the food, Sportello offers a tantalizing selection of artisanal wines by the glass and the bottle.

Family-owned and established in 1951, this beach-style dairy bar---affectionately nicknamed Sully's---serves fried seafood, hot dogs, hamburgers, and soft-serve ice cream at Castle Island every spring, summer, and fall. Don't expect frills or indoor seating—there is no need since its surroundings provide sloping lawns, picnic tables, benches, and beach vistas for lunching. Fries don't automatically come as a side with sandwiches, so if you want them, make sure you order them.

Decked out in cheery colors of yellow, red, and green, this popular, somewhat touristy spot has the feel of a seaside clam shack located smack dab in the middle of Boston. An outdoor patio and lobster tent in summer features stunning views of the Financial District; in winter, dining retreats indoors to a warmhearted version of a waterfront dive, where you'll encounter a classic New England clambake or oysters and littlenecks from the raw bar, followed by meaty, golden crab cakes. Expect big crowds and big prices, especially on warm-weather evenings.

One look at the neighborhood bar's menu will have you holding back belly laughs, even as it's grumbling with hunger. Plates are interesting and well thought-out, with a flair for Frito corn chips. Extensive whiskey menu. The space, which is long and lean, also boasts a shuffleboard, but you may have to wait in line to play it.

When it comes to craft beer, a lot of Bostonians get excited about Trillium, so do as the locals do and quench your thirst in the ever-crowded ground-level tap room or sit for a quieter meal upstairs to enjoy a small menu of American fare that's meant to keep you reaching for more. The tap rotates with seasonal and standard Trillium beers, including ciders, sours, and IPAs.