There are only a handful of dishes that instantly cool off the diner and taste like a slice of the sea. (No, I’m not talking about a shrimp cocktail.) Crudo continues to dominate menus across the country, even if it’s a little hard to differentiate the dishes at times. Sure, ripping a tin of sardines at home is always an option. But in Boston, a city known for its abundance of seafood, it seems wrong to spend these “extremely hot days” cooped up inside with the AC cranked. As long as everyone stays hydrated and sups in the shade, a chunk of hamachi or a bit of bluefin shouldn’t hurt. To cool off and stay fresh, try these 12 restaurants serving raw fish done right.
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Where to Eat Crudo in Boston
Hot days, cool fish

Fat Hen
This Somerville restaurant’s menu highlights pasta, but don't ignore the antipasti. There's currently a yellowfin tuna crudo with ginger scallion oil, pickled serrano, and roasted grape.
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Waypoint
Anticipate robust crudo offerings anytime you visit Alden & Harlow’s seafood-focused sibling. There always seems to be something to choose from, whether it be the local striped bass, served with pickled melon oil, torched avocado, and basil, or the bluefin tuna, done up with fried peanut, shaved cucumber, makrut lime, and buttermilk crema — not to mention the raw bar, too.
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Little Donkey
The Little Donkey menu touches on many cuisines and styles to serve fish. At just this one restaurant diners can enjoy a caviar sandwich, a slew of Massachusetts-sourced clams, and, of course, hamachi crudo, fluke crudo, and tuna and salmon belly tartare.
Crudo
While this North End spot focuses mostly on the sushi and sashimi side of the raw seafood spectrum, a few of its dishes — not to mention its name — qualify it for a spot on this map. Try the hamachi crudo with yuzu-kosho, chive, and shallots.
State Street Provisions
The Grafton Group’s first location in Boston proper has fewer raw bar offerings than it once did, but fans can still head over for a chilled lobster tail, shrimp, and a selection of local oysters ($33 for a dozen).
haley.henry
Under the menu heading "Ooh baby I like it Raw," this Downtown Crossing wine bar offers up pickled sardine tails, tuna pate, and plenty of tinned fishes to try.
Yvonne's
Slip into this dark and moody Downtown Crossing destination for excellent cocktails and fun shareable plates, and you might just find a crudo or two. Currently on the menu, there's the "Tico" tuna crudo with jalapeno vinaigrette, pickled mango, and black bean crema.
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Saltie Girl
For a tiny restaurant, Saltie Girl boasts a large menu with many different seafood preparations, from fried to smoked to tinned. And of course, there's crudo. Current selections include raw tuna with taro root, yellowtail with pineapple, salmon with cucumber, and a host of tinned options ranging from octopus to anchovies.
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Select Oyster Bar
Select Oyster Bar offers up truly lovely seafood dishes, including plenty of raw options, from ceviche to crudo. Current selections include Faroe Islands salmon crudo with togarashi, pistachio oil, and lime, and a seasonal ceviche option served with red onion, cilantro, and citrus.
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Porto
Start your meal at the Trade team's Back Bay establishment, Porto, with a raw seafood dish or two. There’s the scallop, for example, with currants, celtuce, caviar, tangerine agrumato, and cilantro, or the tuna tartare, served with a seaweed yogurt.
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Bar Mezzana
This South End restaurant delightfully focuses on two essential areas: crudo and pasta. (It does both equally well, so good luck trying to figure out how to divide your meal.) The ever-changing crudo selection is large and full of options like yellowtail with grapefruit oil and Fresno chiles sea bream with apple, olive, and perilla; and Scottish salmon with a Thai basil pesto and tuna with watermelon, aguachile, cilantro, and cucumber.
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Loco Taqueria & Oyster Bar
It's ceviches galore at this oyster bar in Southie. Current selections include the poached octopus and shrimp ceviche and the haddock crudo, drizzled with Meyer lemon, pomegranate, pistachio, and hot cherry peppers.
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