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Welcome, students and visitors! Whether it's your first semester in town or your last, or you're just here for a quick trip, the Boston area is full of restaurants to explore, new and old. Eater is here to guide you to the right spot for every situation, whether you need a reliable late-night slice of pizza, a swanky place to impress a date, the perfect restaurant for your parents' next visit, or a single blockbuster meal while you're in town.Originally published September 3, 2015. Date of the most recent update appears above.
Table Of Contents (all h2's added automatically)
The Essentials
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Sarma, a Somerville restaurant, is on the current Eater 38./Rachel Leah Blumenthal for Eater
First things first, let's talk basics — these are Eater's signature maps and guides, updated regularly to highlight the best of the best and the newest of the new.
- Eater Boston 38 — Updated every quarter, this map features exactly 38 of the most essential restaurants in and around Boston, spanning multiple neighborhoods, cuisines, and price points.
- Eater Boston Heatmap — Updated monthly, this map features 12 of the hottest new destinations in town.
- Eater Boston Cocktail Heatmap — For the 21+ crowd, this map tracks the hottest new bars and restaurants that feature strong cocktail programs.
- Eater Boston Brunch Heatmap — You're deep in brunch territory. This map will guide you to the newest spots. Need more? Head to The Boston Breakfast and Brunch Guide for every bit of morning food information you'll need.
- The Boston Outdoor Dining Guide — Everything you need to know about dining al fresco, from the best rooftops and patios to the essential fried-clam-and-ice-cream day trips.
- Where to Eat at Boston Logan International Airport (BOS) — For when you're coming or going.
- What to Eat at Fenway Park, Home of the Boston Red Sox — Going to a game?
- Where to Eat Vegetarian and Vegan Food in Boston — Some of the best dedicated vegetarian and vegan restaurants in town, as well as restaurants that do serve meat but offer substantial veg-friendly options.
Specific Foods
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The "secret" burger at Alden & Harlow in Cambridge./Rachel Leah Blumenthal for Eater
What are you craving? Let these maps show you the way.
Meat
24 Hot Dogs to Eat Around Boston
Burgers: Essential, over-the-top, non-traditional, veggie, breakfast, sliders, new (See also: a quiz that will tell you which burger to eat right now.)
Get Your Offal on With These 15 Boston-Area Dishes
A Handy Map of Boston-Area Barbecue Joints (and find more barbecue maps and stories right here)
27 Essential Fried Chicken Options Around Boston
Seafood
Eight Essential Boston Sushi Restaurants
The Ultimate $1 Oyster Guide (and, more specifically, Eat Dollar Oysters on These Patios)
The Coolest New Crudo Options in Boston
Dessert
A Baker's Dozen Boston-Area Doughnuts That Expand Waistlines, Not Debt
The Coolest New Boston Ice Cream Shops
Meat Sweets: Foie Gras and Bacon for Dessert
The Ubiquitous Boston Cream Pie
Yeah, You Want a Lobster Roll
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[Photo: Rachel Leah Blumenthal for Eater]
One of the most common questions from people new to Boston is where to get the best lobster roll. Everyone will give you a different answer, but here are a few solid options to start off your search:
- The splurges: Neptune Oyster in the North End (pictured above), B&G Oysters in the South End, Row 34 in Fort Point
- Cheaper classics: James Hook & Co. on the Waterfront, Yankee Lobster Co. in the Seaport, Alive & Kicking Lobsters (a lobster "sandwich," not a roll) in Cambridge
- Newbies: Luke's Lobster in Back Bay, Select Oyster in Back Bay (a sandwich, not a roll, only available at lunch)
Hot Beverages
25 Essential Boston Coffee Shops
You Should Drink Hot Chocolate Today
Nightlife & Adult Beverages
- Essential Boston Late-Night Food, According to Bartenders
- The Boston Boozy Milkshake Guide
- Buzzed: 44 Cocktails for Coffee & Tea Lovers
- These Giant Cocktails Are Meant for Sharing
- The Heat Is ON: 30 Spicy Cocktails to Set Your Heart Aflame
- Sing Your Heart Out Every Night at Boston's Karaoke Bars
Miscellaneous
Where to Dine Gluten-Free in Boston
14 Soups to Eat When It Snows in Boston
Bring on the Bao: Eight Places to Get Your Fix
Eat These 25 Classic Boston Dishes Before You Leave the City
The Most Reliable Cheap Pizza Slices in Boston
Treat Yourself to One of These Big, Fat Breakfasts
You Need These Seven Soup Dumplings (XLB) in Your Life
Where to Watch College Football and NFL in Boston
Cheap Eats
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Super 88 in Allston./Jackie Cain for Eater
Looking to eat well without without spending too much? Consult the Eater Boston Cheap Eats Week archive, or jump right to these maps and guides:
- Boston Chefs' Favorite Cheap Eats
- Boston's Essential Cheap Eats
- Dining Specials for Every Day of the Week
- The Newest Boston Cheap Eats
- Super 88 Food Court Is a Cheap Destination for Heaping Helpings of Asian Fare
Neighborhoods
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Hojoko, a restaurant in Boston's Fenway neighborhood./Rachel Leah Blumenthal for Eater
Interested in news close to home? All of Eater Boston's stories and maps are categorized by neighborhood, so you can easily focus on specific parts of Boston, Cambridge, Somerville, and beyond. Here's the full neighborhood directory, or try skipping right to one of these student-friendly areas:
- Davis Square, Somerville
- Fenway, Boston
- Harvard Square, Cambridge
- Kendall Square, Cambridge
- Kenmore Square, Boston
Follow the News
Eater Boston is updated multiple times every weekday with breaking news stories (restaurant openings, closings, etc.), features, and more. Here are a few ways to stay in the loop:
- Keep an eye on the Eater Boston homepage. New stories will always show up near the top and flow down toward the bottom of the page as they get older, while important recent stories will stay pinned right at the top. Also, check out our big sister, Eater.com, for national and international food news.
- Subscribe to our newsletter, which goes out every weekday evening and includes links to the day's top stories.
- Like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter and Instagram for updates on new stories and more throughout the day.
- Interested in upcoming restaurant openings? Here's our summer 2016 openings primer, updated regularly throughout the season.
Get in Touch
Have questions not answered here? Want to send in a tip or a complaint or just say hello? Here are some ways to get in touch with the Eater Boston staff:
- Email us at boston@eater.com.
- Send us a tip, which can be anonymous if you choose, at our tipline.
- Interact with us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. (On Instagram, tag your best Boston food shots #eaterboston — we regram some of our favorites.)
- Post publicly in the Eater Boston forum. You can respond to existing threads or start your own. Feel free to ask questions, share rants and raves about the Boston dining scene, show us your food photos, and more. We'll promote interesting threads to our homepage and social media channels.
Main image: Shutterstock/Richard Cavalleri
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