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A sun-lit upscale restaurant interior features a massive Renaissance mural painted on the ceiling above the bar. — A massive mural above the bar at Coquette.

The 15 Most Romantic Restaurants Around Boston

From white-tablecloth classics to eclectic hideaways

by Rachel Leah Blumenthal and Valerie Li Stack Updated Jan 27, 2023, 9:21am EST

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A massive mural above the bar at Coquette.

| Rachel Leah Blumenthal/Eater Boston

by Rachel Leah Blumenthal and Valerie Li Stack Updated Jan 27, 2023, 9:21am EST

Whether it’s Valentine’s Day or just a memorable dinner to share with your significant other, when you’re looking to book a nice night out, you may Google “something romantic” and hope for the best result. But the definition means a little something different to everyone: Some picture a classic white-tablecloth restaurant for the ultimate romantic dining destination; others prefer an intimate hideaway with eclectic decor. Highlighting 15 restaurants in and around Boston, this map aims to cover a variety of vibes, neighborhoods, and price points that guarantee a romantic night out.

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Spoke Wine Bar

Gorgeous small plates come out of Spoke’s tiny kitchen; one might find a dish such as sunchoke doughnuts with XO gouda and powdered leeks on the compact menu, or perhaps chocolate-beet torte with pistachio and fennel shortbread. Nestle in with a glass of wine you’ve never tried, and get to know your date over a Wagyu beef cheeks or crudo.

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89 Holland St, Somerville, MA 02144

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Interior view of a small restaurant and bar. A wall made of horizontal wood slats is in the foreground on the left, and the angle of the photo peers toward the sunlit front window. There’s a long bar on the left and a row of high-top tables on the right. — Spoke Wine Bar in Somerville’s Davis Square.

Field & Vine

Sitting inside Field & Vine is like being inside a woodland fairytale thanks to its plant accents and dangling vines. The ever-changing menu emphasizes all things local, especially vegetables; while there’s some seafood and meat on the menu, gorgeous seasonal produce takes center stage. Round out the night with an excellent cocktail next door at Backbar after dinner.

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9 Sanborn Ct, Somerville, MA 02143

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Sunlight streams through a large restaurant window that is mostly obscured by potted plants. There’s a rustic wooden wall, bench, chairs, and tables inside. — Field & Vine in Somerville’s Union Square.

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Dali

As one might hope from a restaurant called Dali, the interior is a fever dream of colors, art, and Spanish decorations: Look one way to find a clothesline full of lingerie; find a beaded curtain in another direction. A couple of secluded window tables are particularly cozy for a date. Open since 1989, the Somerville mainstay has been offering traditional tapas from all over Spain at an affordable price. Don’t miss the albondigas de cordero (lamb meatballs) or costillas de vaca (beef rib).

415 Washington St, Somerville, MA 02143

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An intricately decorated restaurant bar features blue and yellow Spanish tiling and lots of decorative dried flowers hanging above. — Dali’s bar.

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Zuzu's Petals

This little nook in Inman Square features the best desserts around by co-owner Alexandra Whisnant, the master chocolatier behind Gâté Comme Des Filles — think ultra-rich chocolate mousse, made-from-scratch tiramisu, and more. It’s positioned as a wine and dessert bar, so don’t feel weird about going just for dessert, but there are also cheese and charcuterie boards available. Romantic bonus: This is a cell-phone-free zone.

204 Hampshire St, Cambridge, MA 02139

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Interior of a dimly lit small restaurant with light wooden floor, gray walls with purple trim near the ceiling, string lights, and tables with bright blue tops. — There are no cell phones allowed in this cozy wine and dessert bar in Cambridge.

Also featured in:

Where to Eat and Drink in Inman Square

Pammy's

Beautiful space, hospitable staff, impeccable food — Pammy’s is a great fit for a wide variety of occasions, including date night. The gochujang-spiked lumache Bolognese is a must at this self-described new American trattoria.

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928 Massachusetts Ave, Cambridge, MA 02139

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A restaurant interior is not too fancy, not too casual, with pink roses in vases and a huge mirror in an elaborate gold frame. — Pammy’s, photographed in pre-pandemic days.

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Cicada

There’s something magical about Cambridge’s Cicada, an artsy little Vietnamese cafe by day that turns the lights down low at night and serves a flavor-packed dinner menu alongside delicious natural wines. The chef and co-owner behind the innovative menu, Vinh Le, was recently named a semifinalist for a prestigious James Beard Award. Diners will feel right at home in the cozy space, which is filled with lush greenery. If it’s outdoor dining season, try to get a seat in the hidden back garden, one of Central Square’s best secret spots.

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106 Prospect St, Cambridge, MA 02139

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Angled view of a wooden table with a white wall and plants in the background. The table is covered with plates of Vietnamese spring rolls and colorful coffee and tea drinks. — A spread of dishes from Cicada.

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Mamma Maria

Pasta is for lovers, and this North End classic boasts plenty of pasta and plenty of romantic vibes. It features a variety of rooms, each with a different personality, great for private event bookings small and large, but it’s just as nice for a regular date night. The restaurant follows Italian cuisine’s ethos in terms of local sourcing, showcasing New England ingredients in traditional Italian dishes that lean northern in the fall and winter and southern in the spring and summer.

3 N Square, Boston, MA 02113

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Sunlight streams in through the windows of an upscale restaurant dining room, featuring white tablecloths and upholstered chairs. — One of the dining rooms at Mamma Maria.

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Mooo

Sure, the name is a little silly, but Beacon Hill destination Mooo is a serious steakhouse, the perfect choice for the type of date where one wants to dress up in a reasonably fancy outfit and drop a lot of money on a perfectly seared porterhouse steak. You’ll want to fill up on the complimentary Parker House rolls, but don’t miss the wagyu beef dumplings. It has two new locations, one in Seaport and one in Burlington.

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15 Beacon St, Boston, MA 02108

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No. 9 Park

You can’t beat a classic: Barbara Lynch’s No. 9 Park has been a Beacon Hill staple for over two decades, serving upscale fare that draws inspiration from French and Italian cuisines. Head here for a classy special occasion, and go all-in on a chef’s tasting menu or choose among a la carte options like the prune-stuffed gnocchi, which has been on the menu since day one.

9 Park St Pl, Boston, MA 02108

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Also featured in:

O Ya

For those who seek out high-end omakase, O Ya is one of the best options around, and the small, quiet space lends a romantic ambiance to the hours-long, many-course meal. Be sure to reserve a table several weeks in advance.

9 East St, Boston, MA 02111

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A wooden restaurant table is embellished with a potted white orchid and a small lamp with a red shade. — O Ya.

Also featured in:

Krasi

This relative newcomer to Back Bay serves some of the best Greek food in town — and features a deep Greek wine list — but it also serves up some major sensual vibes. Snuggle into a corner booth and share some DIY tzatziki; fried dough with thyme honey; and a hearty entree, like giouvetsi, a traditional Greek dish made with lamb osso buco and pasta.

48 Gloucester St, Boston, MA 02115

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A spread of Greek food on a clear glass table that’s set over a platform of greenery. The table includes breads, dips, a glass of red wine, and more. — Dig in at Krasi.

Also featured in:

Coquette

Really, any restaurant from COJE Management Group is suitable for a romantic date; they’re all gorgeous and intricately designed in their own ways. For something brighter and frillier, try the group’s Seaport brasserie Coquette, which offers coastal French fare that includes shellfish towers, a raw bar, and an assortment of hearty dishes such as joues de boeuf (beef cheeks) and lamb meatballs.

450 Summer Street, Boston, MA 02210

Visit Website

An upscale restaurant interior has light brick archways, red Murano chandeliers, and a light geometric ceiling design layered over black. — Coquette’s dining room.

Also featured in:

13 Restaurants Around Boston That Are Great for Groups

Fox & The Knife

The North End isn’t the only place in Boston for pasta and romance. At the Fox & the Knife in South Boston — tagline “stay foxy” — settle in with an amaro flight, share some cheese-stuffed focaccia with a date, and enjoy dishes inspired by Italy’s Emilia-Romagna region.

28 W Broadway, Boston, MA 02127

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Ten Tables

For years, Ten Tables — named for its size — has deftly straddled that line between special occasion destination and comfortable neighborhood spot. Time your visit to coincide with a wine dinner for the ultimate date night: a three-course menu for two, with a bottle of wine, is $75, and the menu is always changing.

597 Centre St, Jamaica Plain, MA 02130

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A pile of seafood and bright vegetables is arranged on a black plate with large yellow chips for scooping off to the left side of the plate. — A ceviche from Ten Tables.

Also featured in:

Tonino

This Jamaica Plain newcomer is extremely buzzy right now — for good reason. This cozy, neighborhood restaurant serves Sicilian-style pizzas and housemade pasta like cappelletti and chitarra with clams, a dish that pays homage to longstanding Naples restaurant Osteria da Tonino, on which Boston’s Tonino based its name.

669a Centre St, Boston, MA 02130

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An overhead image of five white plate-bowls, filled with different pasta dishes, on a white tablecloth, along with a couple glasses of wine and a couple candles. — Plates of pasta from Tonino.

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Spoke Wine Bar

89 Holland St, Somerville, MA 02144

Gorgeous small plates come out of Spoke’s tiny kitchen; one might find a dish such as sunchoke doughnuts with XO gouda and powdered leeks on the compact menu, or perhaps chocolate-beet torte with pistachio and fennel shortbread. Nestle in with a glass of wine you’ve never tried, and get to know your date over a Wagyu beef cheeks or crudo.

Open in Google Maps

89 Holland St, Somerville, MA 02144

Visit Website

Interior view of a small restaurant and bar. A wall made of horizontal wood slats is in the foreground on the left, and the angle of the photo peers toward the sunlit front window. There’s a long bar on the left and a row of high-top tables on the right. — Spoke Wine Bar in Somerville’s Davis Square.

Field & Vine

9 Sanborn Ct, Somerville, MA 02143

Sitting inside Field & Vine is like being inside a woodland fairytale thanks to its plant accents and dangling vines. The ever-changing menu emphasizes all things local, especially vegetables; while there’s some seafood and meat on the menu, gorgeous seasonal produce takes center stage. Round out the night with an excellent cocktail next door at Backbar after dinner.

Open in Google Maps

9 Sanborn Ct, Somerville, MA 02143

Visit Website

Sunlight streams through a large restaurant window that is mostly obscured by potted plants. There’s a rustic wooden wall, bench, chairs, and tables inside. — Field & Vine in Somerville’s Union Square.

Dali

415 Washington St, Somerville, MA 02143

As one might hope from a restaurant called Dali, the interior is a fever dream of colors, art, and Spanish decorations: Look one way to find a clothesline full of lingerie; find a beaded curtain in another direction. A couple of secluded window tables are particularly cozy for a date. Open since 1989, the Somerville mainstay has been offering traditional tapas from all over Spain at an affordable price. Don’t miss the albondigas de cordero (lamb meatballs) or costillas de vaca (beef rib).

415 Washington St, Somerville, MA 02143

Visit Website

An intricately decorated restaurant bar features blue and yellow Spanish tiling and lots of decorative dried flowers hanging above. — Dali’s bar.

Zuzu's Petals

204 Hampshire St, Cambridge, MA 02139

This little nook in Inman Square features the best desserts around by co-owner Alexandra Whisnant, the master chocolatier behind Gâté Comme Des Filles — think ultra-rich chocolate mousse, made-from-scratch tiramisu, and more. It’s positioned as a wine and dessert bar, so don’t feel weird about going just for dessert, but there are also cheese and charcuterie boards available. Romantic bonus: This is a cell-phone-free zone.

204 Hampshire St, Cambridge, MA 02139

Visit Website

Interior of a dimly lit small restaurant with light wooden floor, gray walls with purple trim near the ceiling, string lights, and tables with bright blue tops. — There are no cell phones allowed in this cozy wine and dessert bar in Cambridge.

Pammy's

928 Massachusetts Ave, Cambridge, MA 02139

Beautiful space, hospitable staff, impeccable food — Pammy’s is a great fit for a wide variety of occasions, including date night. The gochujang-spiked lumache Bolognese is a must at this self-described new American trattoria.

Open in Google Maps

928 Massachusetts Ave, Cambridge, MA 02139

Visit Website

A restaurant interior is not too fancy, not too casual, with pink roses in vases and a huge mirror in an elaborate gold frame. — Pammy’s, photographed in pre-pandemic days.

Cicada

106 Prospect St, Cambridge, MA 02139

There’s something magical about Cambridge’s Cicada, an artsy little Vietnamese cafe by day that turns the lights down low at night and serves a flavor-packed dinner menu alongside delicious natural wines. The chef and co-owner behind the innovative menu, Vinh Le, was recently named a semifinalist for a prestigious James Beard Award. Diners will feel right at home in the cozy space, which is filled with lush greenery. If it’s outdoor dining season, try to get a seat in the hidden back garden, one of Central Square’s best secret spots.

Open in Google Maps

106 Prospect St, Cambridge, MA 02139

Visit Website

Angled view of a wooden table with a white wall and plants in the background. The table is covered with plates of Vietnamese spring rolls and colorful coffee and tea drinks. — A spread of dishes from Cicada.

Mamma Maria

3 N Square, Boston, MA 02113

Pasta is for lovers, and this North End classic boasts plenty of pasta and plenty of romantic vibes. It features a variety of rooms, each with a different personality, great for private event bookings small and large, but it’s just as nice for a regular date night. The restaurant follows Italian cuisine’s ethos in terms of local sourcing, showcasing New England ingredients in traditional Italian dishes that lean northern in the fall and winter and southern in the spring and summer.

3 N Square, Boston, MA 02113

Visit Website

Sunlight streams in through the windows of an upscale restaurant dining room, featuring white tablecloths and upholstered chairs. — One of the dining rooms at Mamma Maria.

Mooo

15 Beacon St, Boston, MA 02108

Sure, the name is a little silly, but Beacon Hill destination Mooo is a serious steakhouse, the perfect choice for the type of date where one wants to dress up in a reasonably fancy outfit and drop a lot of money on a perfectly seared porterhouse steak. You’ll want to fill up on the complimentary Parker House rolls, but don’t miss the wagyu beef dumplings. It has two new locations, one in Seaport and one in Burlington.

Open in Google Maps

15 Beacon St, Boston, MA 02108

Visit Website

No. 9 Park

9 Park St Pl, Boston, MA 02108

You can’t beat a classic: Barbara Lynch’s No. 9 Park has been a Beacon Hill staple for over two decades, serving upscale fare that draws inspiration from French and Italian cuisines. Head here for a classy special occasion, and go all-in on a chef’s tasting menu or choose among a la carte options like the prune-stuffed gnocchi, which has been on the menu since day one.

9 Park St Pl, Boston, MA 02108

Visit Website

O Ya

9 East St, Boston, MA 02111

For those who seek out high-end omakase, O Ya is one of the best options around, and the small, quiet space lends a romantic ambiance to the hours-long, many-course meal. Be sure to reserve a table several weeks in advance.

9 East St, Boston, MA 02111

Visit Website

A wooden restaurant table is embellished with a potted white orchid and a small lamp with a red shade. — O Ya.

Krasi

48 Gloucester St, Boston, MA 02115

This relative newcomer to Back Bay serves some of the best Greek food in town — and features a deep Greek wine list — but it also serves up some major sensual vibes. Snuggle into a corner booth and share some DIY tzatziki; fried dough with thyme honey; and a hearty entree, like giouvetsi, a traditional Greek dish made with lamb osso buco and pasta.

48 Gloucester St, Boston, MA 02115

Visit Website

A spread of Greek food on a clear glass table that’s set over a platform of greenery. The table includes breads, dips, a glass of red wine, and more. — Dig in at Krasi.

Coquette

450 Summer Street, Boston, MA 02210

Really, any restaurant from COJE Management Group is suitable for a romantic date; they’re all gorgeous and intricately designed in their own ways. For something brighter and frillier, try the group’s Seaport brasserie Coquette, which offers coastal French fare that includes shellfish towers, a raw bar, and an assortment of hearty dishes such as joues de boeuf (beef cheeks) and lamb meatballs.

450 Summer Street, Boston, MA 02210

Visit Website

An upscale restaurant interior has light brick archways, red Murano chandeliers, and a light geometric ceiling design layered over black. — Coquette’s dining room.

Fox & The Knife

28 W Broadway, Boston, MA 02127

The North End isn’t the only place in Boston for pasta and romance. At the Fox & the Knife in South Boston — tagline “stay foxy” — settle in with an amaro flight, share some cheese-stuffed focaccia with a date, and enjoy dishes inspired by Italy’s Emilia-Romagna region.

28 W Broadway, Boston, MA 02127

Visit Website

Ten Tables

597 Centre St, Jamaica Plain, MA 02130

For years, Ten Tables — named for its size — has deftly straddled that line between special occasion destination and comfortable neighborhood spot. Time your visit to coincide with a wine dinner for the ultimate date night: a three-course menu for two, with a bottle of wine, is $75, and the menu is always changing.

597 Centre St, Jamaica Plain, MA 02130

Visit Website

A pile of seafood and bright vegetables is arranged on a black plate with large yellow chips for scooping off to the left side of the plate. — A ceviche from Ten Tables.

Tonino

669a Centre St, Boston, MA 02130

This Jamaica Plain newcomer is extremely buzzy right now — for good reason. This cozy, neighborhood restaurant serves Sicilian-style pizzas and housemade pasta like cappelletti and chitarra with clams, a dish that pays homage to longstanding Naples restaurant Osteria da Tonino, on which Boston’s Tonino based its name.

669a Centre St, Boston, MA 02130

Visit Website

An overhead image of five white plate-bowls, filled with different pasta dishes, on a white tablecloth, along with a couple glasses of wine and a couple candles. — Plates of pasta from Tonino.

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