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A dining room with white tablecloth tables and chairs and library bookshelves lining the walls.
Yvonne’s.
Richard Cadan/Yvonne’s

12 Restaurants to Try in Downtown Crossing

Whether you’re looking for a working lunch or a nice cocktail

by Erika Adams and Dana Hatic Updated
View as Map
Yvonne’s.
| Richard Cadan/Yvonne’s
by Erika Adams and Dana Hatic Updated

One of Boston’s most compact neighborhoods, Downtown Crossing is nestled between the Common and the Financial District, coming close to the Theater District, Leather District, and Chinatown as well. A hub for commuters and shoppers, the neighborhood really does have a little bit of everything: places for after-work drinks, fine dining, grab-and-go lunches, and more casual options. These 12 excellent restaurants provide a mix of all of the above.

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Haley.Henry

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This cozy wine bar is tucked into the base of an unassuming building, like many restaurants in this neighborhood, but walk inside and you’ll feel like you’ve stepped into a nautical oasis. Let the staff help you select any of the bar’s rotating natural wine selections, and tuck into some tinned fish while you’re at it.

45 Province St, Boston, MA 02108
(617) 208-6000
(617) 208-6000

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Silvertone Bar & Grill

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This longtime Downtown Crossing hangout has been a reliable spot for over 20 years for good, fairly inexpensive cocktails, burgers, steak tips, and the like. (Try the mac and cheese.)

69 Bromfield St, Boston, MA 02108
(617) 338-7887
(617) 338-7887
A vintage cigarette poster hangs on a red wall, across a corner from a blue neon sign that reads Silvertone.
Silvertone Bar & Grill.
Rachel Leah Blumenthal/Eater Boston

Also featured in:

Sam LaGrassa's

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This is the go-to option for huge sandwiches in Downtown Crossing. Sam LaGrassa’s serves loaded hoagies and sandwiches with pickles, with an array of classic options like pastrami on rye and chicken cutlet parmigiana.

44 Province St, Boston, MA 02108
(617) 357-6861
(617) 357-6861
A sesame-studded bun loaded with chicken parmesan cut diagonally
Chicken parm from Sam LaGrassa’s.
Rachel Leah Blumenthal/Eater Boston

Also featured in:

The Merchant

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The Merchant has a pretty-far reaching dinner menu, which includes raw bar items and entrees like pork chops and roasted half chicken. It also serves lunch, and it offers a nice selection of beer, wine, and cocktails.

60 Franklin St, Boston, MA 02110
(617) 482-6060
(617) 482-6060
Interior of a brightly lit restaurant with yellow walls and shiny red booths
The Merchant’s dining room.
Katie Chudy/Eater Boston

Also featured in:

Yvonne's

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Looking for a dressy night out? Yvonne’s, which bills itself as a modern-day supper club, is a great option. This swanky spot is worth visiting for the decor alone, but it has some fine snacks and cocktails, as well as large-format dishes and drinks to share with friends.

2 Winter Pl, Boston, MA 02108
(617) 267-0047
(617) 267-0047
Two long dining tables are visible with extravagant chandeliers and plush yellow banquettes in the back of the room.
Inside Yvonne’s swanky space.
Richard Cadan/Yvonne’s

Also featured in:

JM Curley

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A classic Downtown Crossing pub, JM Curley is the place to go for comfort food and a beer. Get the mac and cheese or a big burger with fries. Or, stay awhile and explore the premises: There’s a tiny steakhouse hidden downstairs, as well as a cheeky cocktail bar called the Wig Shop.

21 Temple Pl, Boston, MA 02111
(617) 338-5333
(617) 338-5333

Also featured in:

Democracy Brewing

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Relatively new to the neighborhood, Democracy Brewing has a nice selection of its own beers, plus some pretty sturdy snacks, like flatbreads and burgers. Open for lunch and dinner, Democracy is a great place to escape the rain or cold, and the interior has some fascinating design features. As an added bonus, the business is employee-owned.

35 Temple Pl, Boston, MA 02111
(857) 263-8604
(857) 263-8604
A wooden bar with an illuminated brick wall in the rear and two half barrels hanging overhead. A logo painted on the wall reads “democracy brewing”
Democracy Brewing.
Sarah Storrer/Eater Boston

Boston Chops

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A second edition of the popular South End steakhouse, which reopened recently with a big refresh after a pandemic hiatus, Boston Chops is among the fine dining options in Downtown Crossing. The restaurant offers classic steakhouse fare, plus seafood towers, multiple preparations of potatoes, cocktails, and more, all in a leather-and-marble filled space.

52 Temple Pl, Boston, MA 02111
(617) 982-7130
(617) 982-7130

Also featured in:

Chacarero

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The namesake item at Downtown Crossing mainstay Chacarero — a casual shop that does bustling weekday lunch business — is a Chilean sandwich made with beef or chicken (or both), Muenster cheese, tomatoes, steamed green beans, avocado spread, and hot sauce. Chacarero got its start as a pushcart before moving into a permanent storefront back in 2005.

101 Arch St, Boston, MA 02110
(617) 542-0392
(617) 542-0392

Also featured in:

Estella

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A relative newcomer to the neighborhood, Estella is quickly establishing itself as the place to go for good vibes on Saturday night and an equally solid brunch on Sunday morning. Lamb chops, lobster mac and cheese, and several different steaks are on deck for dinner, while the decadent brunch menu is stacked with shrimp and grits, honey chicken and waffle breakfast sandwiches, and lobster egg and cheese croissants.

49 Temple Pl, Boston, MA 02111
(617) 855-9869
(617) 855-9869

Fete

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Fete is the latest project from chefs Eddie George and Joy Phoubaykham, a local duo known for their take on Haitian-Laotian comfort food at Neighborhood Kitchen in Medford. At Fete, the menu includes a wagyu burger with shoestring fries, a Caribbean fish sandwich with red snapper tucked into a brioche bun, and a plate of jerk lamb chops that George says has been flying out of the kitchen since Fete’s opening days.

25 Kingston St, Boston, MA 02111
(617) 936-4151
(617) 936-4151
A plate of lollipop lamb chops is set next to fries and a sandwich on a dark table.
Fete’s popular jerk lamb chops.
Fete

Gene's Chinese Flatbread Cafe

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On the bottom end of the neighborhood, Gene’s Chinese Flatbread Cafe is a great lunch spot and source for hand-pulled noodles. Get the standard noodles (#4 on the menu) seasoned with so much chile and garlic, and add a skewer or two of lamb — and perhaps a tea egg — on the side.

86 Bedford St, Boston, MA 02111
(617) 482-1888
(617) 482-1888
A black plastic bowl of thick hand-pulled noodles, heavily dusted with chile powder and topped with greens and a generous dollop of garlic. A wooden skewer of lamb pieces sits across the rim of the bowl, which is on a Chinese Zodiac placemat on a red tray.
Hand-pulled noodles at Gene’s Chinese Flatbread Cafe
Rachel Leah Blumenthal/Eater

Also featured in:

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Haley.Henry

45 Province St, Boston, MA 02108

This cozy wine bar is tucked into the base of an unassuming building, like many restaurants in this neighborhood, but walk inside and you’ll feel like you’ve stepped into a nautical oasis. Let the staff help you select any of the bar’s rotating natural wine selections, and tuck into some tinned fish while you’re at it.

45 Province St, Boston, MA 02108
(617) 208-6000
(617) 208-6000

Silvertone Bar & Grill

69 Bromfield St, Boston, MA 02108

This longtime Downtown Crossing hangout has been a reliable spot for over 20 years for good, fairly inexpensive cocktails, burgers, steak tips, and the like. (Try the mac and cheese.)

69 Bromfield St, Boston, MA 02108
(617) 338-7887
(617) 338-7887
A vintage cigarette poster hangs on a red wall, across a corner from a blue neon sign that reads Silvertone.
Silvertone Bar & Grill.
Rachel Leah Blumenthal/Eater Boston

Sam LaGrassa's

44 Province St, Boston, MA 02108

This is the go-to option for huge sandwiches in Downtown Crossing. Sam LaGrassa’s serves loaded hoagies and sandwiches with pickles, with an array of classic options like pastrami on rye and chicken cutlet parmigiana.

44 Province St, Boston, MA 02108
(617) 357-6861
(617) 357-6861
A sesame-studded bun loaded with chicken parmesan cut diagonally
Chicken parm from Sam LaGrassa’s.
Rachel Leah Blumenthal/Eater Boston

The Merchant

60 Franklin St, Boston, MA 02110

The Merchant has a pretty-far reaching dinner menu, which includes raw bar items and entrees like pork chops and roasted half chicken. It also serves lunch, and it offers a nice selection of beer, wine, and cocktails.

60 Franklin St, Boston, MA 02110
(617) 482-6060
(617) 482-6060
Interior of a brightly lit restaurant with yellow walls and shiny red booths
The Merchant’s dining room.
Katie Chudy/Eater Boston

Yvonne's

2 Winter Pl, Boston, MA 02108

Looking for a dressy night out? Yvonne’s, which bills itself as a modern-day supper club, is a great option. This swanky spot is worth visiting for the decor alone, but it has some fine snacks and cocktails, as well as large-format dishes and drinks to share with friends.

2 Winter Pl, Boston, MA 02108
(617) 267-0047
(617) 267-0047
Two long dining tables are visible with extravagant chandeliers and plush yellow banquettes in the back of the room.
Inside Yvonne’s swanky space.
Richard Cadan/Yvonne’s

JM Curley

21 Temple Pl, Boston, MA 02111

A classic Downtown Crossing pub, JM Curley is the place to go for comfort food and a beer. Get the mac and cheese or a big burger with fries. Or, stay awhile and explore the premises: There’s a tiny steakhouse hidden downstairs, as well as a cheeky cocktail bar called the Wig Shop.

21 Temple Pl, Boston, MA 02111
(617) 338-5333
(617) 338-5333

Democracy Brewing

35 Temple Pl, Boston, MA 02111

Relatively new to the neighborhood, Democracy Brewing has a nice selection of its own beers, plus some pretty sturdy snacks, like flatbreads and burgers. Open for lunch and dinner, Democracy is a great place to escape the rain or cold, and the interior has some fascinating design features. As an added bonus, the business is employee-owned.

35 Temple Pl, Boston, MA 02111
(857) 263-8604
(857) 263-8604
A wooden bar with an illuminated brick wall in the rear and two half barrels hanging overhead. A logo painted on the wall reads “democracy brewing”
Democracy Brewing.
Sarah Storrer/Eater Boston

Boston Chops

52 Temple Pl, Boston, MA 02111

A second edition of the popular South End steakhouse, which reopened recently with a big refresh after a pandemic hiatus, Boston Chops is among the fine dining options in Downtown Crossing. The restaurant offers classic steakhouse fare, plus seafood towers, multiple preparations of potatoes, cocktails, and more, all in a leather-and-marble filled space.

52 Temple Pl, Boston, MA 02111
(617) 982-7130
(617) 982-7130

Chacarero

101 Arch St, Boston, MA 02110

The namesake item at Downtown Crossing mainstay Chacarero — a casual shop that does bustling weekday lunch business — is a Chilean sandwich made with beef or chicken (or both), Muenster cheese, tomatoes, steamed green beans, avocado spread, and hot sauce. Chacarero got its start as a pushcart before moving into a permanent storefront back in 2005.

101 Arch St, Boston, MA 02110
(617) 542-0392
(617) 542-0392

Estella

49 Temple Pl, Boston, MA 02111

A relative newcomer to the neighborhood, Estella is quickly establishing itself as the place to go for good vibes on Saturday night and an equally solid brunch on Sunday morning. Lamb chops, lobster mac and cheese, and several different steaks are on deck for dinner, while the decadent brunch menu is stacked with shrimp and grits, honey chicken and waffle breakfast sandwiches, and lobster egg and cheese croissants.

49 Temple Pl, Boston, MA 02111
(617) 855-9869
(617) 855-9869

Fete

25 Kingston St, Boston, MA 02111

Fete is the latest project from chefs Eddie George and Joy Phoubaykham, a local duo known for their take on Haitian-Laotian comfort food at Neighborhood Kitchen in Medford. At Fete, the menu includes a wagyu burger with shoestring fries, a Caribbean fish sandwich with red snapper tucked into a brioche bun, and a plate of jerk lamb chops that George says has been flying out of the kitchen since Fete’s opening days.

25 Kingston St, Boston, MA 02111
(617) 936-4151
(617) 936-4151
A plate of lollipop lamb chops is set next to fries and a sandwich on a dark table.
Fete’s popular jerk lamb chops.
Fete

Gene's Chinese Flatbread Cafe

86 Bedford St, Boston, MA 02111

On the bottom end of the neighborhood, Gene’s Chinese Flatbread Cafe is a great lunch spot and source for hand-pulled noodles. Get the standard noodles (#4 on the menu) seasoned with so much chile and garlic, and add a skewer or two of lamb — and perhaps a tea egg — on the side.

86 Bedford St, Boston, MA 02111
(617) 482-1888
(617) 482-1888
A black plastic bowl of thick hand-pulled noodles, heavily dusted with chile powder and topped with greens and a generous dollop of garlic. A wooden skewer of lamb pieces sits across the rim of the bowl, which is on a Chinese Zodiac placemat on a red tray.
Hand-pulled noodles at Gene’s Chinese Flatbread Cafe
Rachel Leah Blumenthal/Eater

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