Boston’s Favorite Restaurant Repeats in 2022

To wrap up the year, Eater Boston polled both local journalists and readers of this site to get their thoughts on the past year in dining: the good, the bad, and the most exciting things still to come in 2023. The results have been collected in the following series of posts. (Check out the full archive here.)

Below, we ask: What restaurant did you visit most often in 2022?

Marc Hurwitz, founder of Boston’s Hidden Restaurants and Boston Restaurant Talk, food/travel writer for Dig Boston and NBC Boston/NECN:

“Probably BoonNoon Market in East Arlington, as their Thai street food is amazing and the prices are very reasonable so I’m able to go on an almost weekly basis.”

Valerie Li Stack, Eater Boston contributor:

“Spoke Wine Bar: I keep on coming back to this cozy spot, partly for its ever-changing cocktail and wine menu that’s never short on delightful surprises, and partly for its sunchoke doughnuts, which are so good that this dish reminds me of a childhood snack I enjoyed noshing on. As an adult, I think the best dishes are the ones that bring you nostalgia.”

James Bennett II, WGBH arts and culture reporter:

“There was a point last winter where I actually thought about instituting Fox & the Knife Fridays, but then my wallet gave me a stern talking-to. Still, I spent a lot of time there, reading at the bar more than dining at the tables. And yes, there was plenty of focaccia and exploration of their thoughtfully curated amari program.”

Matt Shearer, reporter for WBZ NewsRadio:

“The Buckley in Framingham. It has a nice little patio that gets plenty of shade in the summer, good food, good drinks (from what I hear... I just get the ginger ale), and good crayons (that last one is according to my 3-year-old daughter. She’s never tried the drinks).”

MC Slim JB, restaurant critic for Boston Magazine:

“I found myself at Alcove near TD Garden many times this year for pre-Celts, pre-Bruins, pre-concerts, and weekend patio brunches. It’s one of those rare four-quadrant places, serving arena-bound fans, neighbors, cocktail nerds, and food geeks equally well — the latter especially now that Charles Draghi (of the legendary, much-missed Erbaluce) helms the kitchen. Fantastic seafood, a first-rate burger, and a nothing-but-net-trey of a spaghetti carbonara. It’s such a versatile, crowd-pleasing spot.”

Devra First, restaurant critic for the Boston Globe:

“By far and away: Mahaniyom in Brookline. Stunning Thai food (the beef massaman! the crab curry! the whole fried fish!), a convenient location for Cambridge/Somerville and JP/Roslindale folks to meet, open and quiet enough for conversation at lunch, and dark and rollicking at dinner. For me, it all adds up.”

Rachel Leah Blumenthal, food editor for Boston Magazine:

“Writing about food for a living means I have to devote most of my dining out to places I haven’t been before; I’m almost always in research mode, so I don’t have the time and budget to make a lot of repeat visits. Add to that the logistical challenges of having an almost-two-year-old, and I don’t manage to get to my old favorites very often these days. That said, I think I hit Branch Line in Watertown a big handful of times this year. I’ve always found it to be very kid-friendly (especially on the spacious year-round patio) and group-friendly — the hospitality is just excellent all around — and the menu is a crowd-pleaser. Almost anyone will love a simple rotisserie chicken and some solid sides, but there are deeper cuts for the food nerds, too. And, of course, the sugar snap pea salad, one of my all-time favorite Greater Boston restaurant dishes.”

Reader responses

Nearly 100 people took part in Eater Boston’s dining survey this year (thank you, all!). Below, find the top ten reader responses for the restaurants that you all had on repeat this year.

• Blossom Bar
• Gustazo
• Shy Bird
• Cicada Coffee Bar
• Sarma
• The Haven
• Vinal Bakery
• Mida
• Lone Star Taco Bar
• Santouka

These answers have been lightly condensed and edited for clarity.