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Friends of Eater Pick Best Dining Neighborhoods of 2013

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As is tradition at Eater, our closeout of the year is a survey of friends, industry types, bloggers, and readers. We've already looked at top restaurant standbys, top newcomers, and the one word to sum up 2013. For our next question, friends of Eater pick the best dining neighborhoods of the year. (Here are last year's responses if you'd like to relive 2012 memories as well.) Readers, please add your thoughts to the comments.
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[Photo: A4 Pizza/Rachel Leah Blumenthal]

Q: What were the best dining neighborhoods this year?
MC Slim JB, restaurant critic, The Improper Bostonian: Nobody knocked Allston off its longstanding perch as my favorite concentration of excellent restaurants serving traditional cuisines from around the world at nice prices. But honorable mention goes to Washington Square, Brookline, which was dull for years but suddenly is a dining destination. Somerville isn't just one neighborhood, or I'd cite it, too: it had a banner year across the dining spectrum from fine dining to budget eats.

Marc H., Boston's Hidden Restaurants and Boston Restaurant Talk: East Boston

Luke O'Neil, freelance journalist on cocktails and lots more, all over the internet: Are there even restaurants in Boston anymore? Camberville or die. Inman obviously had some strong newcomers, and Kendall. Don't sleep on Union of course.

Leah Mennies, food editor at Boston Magazine: Washington Square. Thanks to the addition of Ribelle, Fairsted Kitchen, and Barcelona Tapas Bar (plus already great area hangs like Publick House and The Abbey), the small, lovely neighborhood has gained destination-worthy status.

South End blogger BosGuy: I still think the South End offers some of the best dining options, variety of cuisines and best chefs.

Damien S., community manager for Yelp Boston: Such a toughie. With spots like Po Boy, the you-brew/hop-fed charcuterie mecca Hopster's Brew & Boards and the recently opened Craft Beer Cellar, I will give the "Filling The Void" award to... Newton?!

Katie Chudy, Eater Boston contributing writer: Kendall has a great food scene. The pastrami sandwich at Commonwealth is ridiculously good, Hungry Mother is always a favorite, and Belly has a great wine list (and cheese pairings to match).

Drew Starr, Eater Boston contributing writer: Kendall, Fort Point, and Union Square all have strong arguments to make for themselves this year, but the crown has to go to Washington Square in Brookline. Much ink has rightfully been spilled for Tim Maslow's Ribelle, but Fairsted Kitchen is another very strong newcomer. Even Barcelona — a chain restaurant — offers strong food and is seeing success in a formerly cursed spot. Add in places that have been there for a few years or more like The Abbey or Washington Square Tavern (best charcuterie I have had in the Boston area), and I find myself thinking about moving to Brookline.

All that said, I probably spend more time in Chinatown. Dumpling Cafe, Taiwan Cafe, Shojo, China King (though perhaps reclaiming the King Fung name), Peach Farm, East Ocean City, Winsor Cafe, Hei La Moon — all places any food nerd in this town really should be familiar with. And if you go late at night, you're all but guaranteed to run into big names in the restaurant world.

Jacqueline Dole, food writer and photographer: Union Square! Union Square Donuts, Bronwyn, A4 Pizza, backbar, Journeyman...

Dave Levy, We Love Beantown blogger: I'm going to call it more of a moment than an overall year, but the rise to take back Boylston/Back Bay in the last week of April was one of the most stirring sights I've seen while living downtown. People leaving overwhelmingly large tips, smiling a little more at strangers and truly supporting those restaurants was awesome.

Bianca Garcia, Confessions of a Chocoholic blogger: Fort Point! Fort Point! Fort Point!

Leah Klein, Leah's Life: Pearls and Oysters blogger: Kendall in Cambridge

Aaron G., Eater Boston reader: Union Square in Somerville was the best dining neighborhood in 2013. Casa B, Bronwyn, backbar, journeyman, and El Potro, to name a few of the bright spots.

Michele Won, Eater Boston reader: Central Square, Davis Square, and SALEM

Washington Square Tavern

714 Washington Street, , MA 02446 (617) 232-8989 Visit Website

Hei La Moon

88 Beach Street, Boston, MA 02111 617 338 8813

Belly

One Kendall Square, Cambridge, MA 02139 617 494 0968 Visit Website

A4 Pizza

445 Somerville Ave., Somerville, MA 02143

El Potro

61 Union Sq, Somerville, MA 02143 (617) 666-4200 Visit Website

El Potro Mexican Bar & Grill

61 Union Square, , MA 02143 (617) 666-4200 Visit Website

Dumpling Cafe

695 Washington Street, , MA 02111 (617) 338-8859 Visit Website

East Ocean City Restaurant

27 Beach Street, Boston, MA 02111 617 542 2504

Fairsted Kitchen

Beacon St, Brookline, MA (617) 396-8752

Craft Beer Cellar

2801 Magazine Street, , LA 70115 (504) 962-7870 Visit Website

Winsor Dim Sum Cafe

10 Tyler St, Boston, MA 02111 (617) 338-1688 Visit Website

Hungry Mother

233 Cardinal Medeiros Avenue, Cambridge, MA 02141 617 499 0090 Visit Website

Backbar

7 Sanborn Court, , MA 02143 (617) 249-3522 Visit Website

casa b

253 Washington Street, Somerville, MA 02143 617 764 2180 Visit Website

Journeyman

9 Sanborn Court, Somerville, MA 617 718 2333 Visit Website

Peach Farm

4 Tyler Street, , MA 02111 (617) 482-3332 Visit Website

The Publick House

1648 Beacon Street, , MA 02445 (617) 277-2880 Visit Website

Taiwan Cafe

34 Oxford Street, , MA 02111 (617) 426-8181 Visit Website

Barcelona Restaurant and Wine Bar

1700 Beacon St, Brookline, MA 02445 617 264 8900 Visit Website

Union Square Donuts

20 Bow Street, , MA 02143 (617) 209-2257 Visit Website

The Abbey (Brookline)

1657 Beacon St., Brookline, MA 02445 (617) 730-8040 Visit Website

Hopsters (Newton)

292 Centre St, Newton, MA 02459 (617) 584-1492 Visit Website

Ribelle

1665 Beacon St, Brookline, MA 617.232.2322 Visit Website

Shojo

9A Tyler Street, , MA 02111 (617) 482-8887 Visit Website

Bronwyn

255 Washington Street, , MA 02143 (617) 776-9900 Visit Website

The Abbey (Cambridge)

1755 Massachusetts Ave, Cambridge, MA (617) 714-4944 Visit Website

Winsor Dim Sum House & Bar

706 Hancock St., Quincy, MA 02170 (617) 481-5383