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Eat Peacefully at These Quiet Boston Restaurants

No shouting necessary

by Emily Phares
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by Emily Phares
1 comment / new
Shutterstock

Are you tired of shouting at your dining companions, or perhaps you'd just like to enjoy some great food in a peaceful environment? You've come to the right place.

Loud restaurants abound, thanks in part to the popularity of "industrial chic" design — which tends to utilize slick surfaces that don't absorb sound well. These restaurants may be easy on the eyes but not so much on the ears. And while some amount of "buzz" adds to a restaurant's ambiance, a high-decibel dinner can distract from the food and the overall experience, leaving diners with headaches and ringing ears.


So what should you do if you want delicious food and audible conversation? For starters, look for acoustic panels. Astute restaurant designers incorporate them so that sound gets absorbed instead of bouncing around the room. Or just skip straight to this map. Here's our list of the area's best quiet restaurants where you can drink and dine, no shouting necessary.

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Puritan & Co.

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On a busy Saturday night, you can sidle up to Puritan & Co.'s bar, order a drink, and converse with relative ease. Though the space is lively, the restaurant clearly paid attention to sound design — allowing patrons to have comfortable conversations with minimal strain.

1166 Cambridge St., Cambridge, MA 02139
(617) 615-6195
(617) 615-6195
Rachel Leah Blumenthal for Eater

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Craigie on Main

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Craigie's busy bar could have easily become a headache — but it's just the opposite. A small space that's surprisingly intimate, it offers up excellent food, carefully crafted cocktails, and zero clamor distracting from the dining experience.

853 Main St, Cambridge, MA 02139
(617) 497-5511
(617) 497-5511
Cal Bingham for Eater

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No. 9 Park

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While many fine-dining restaurants are quiet in a stodgy way, No. 9 deftly toes the line between vibrant and calm. The service is top-notch and the food is consistently delicious, and even at the bar, the noise levels are surprisingly low.

9 Park St, Boston, MA 02108
(617) 742-9991
(617) 742-9991
Susie Cushner for No. 9 Park

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La Voile

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You have a few options at La Voile: Sit in the peaceful main dining room while sipping your French onion soup, grab a glass of wine at the tiny bar, or — in nice weather — opt for a patio table on Newbury Street. Whichever option you choose, you'll get a convivial atmosphere with no sound overload.

261 Newbury St, Boston, MA 02116
(617) 587-4200
(617) 587-4200
Arturo Martinez for La Voile

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Piccolo Nido

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The North End is boisterous in the best of ways, but if you're looking for a break from the packed pastry shops, steal away to quiet Piccolo Nido. A little off the beaten path — but not too much — this charming spot serves solid Italian food in a low-key atmosphere.

257 North St, Boston, MA 02113
(617) 742-4272
(617) 742-4272
Linda M./Yelp

Deuxave

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Definitely do Deuxave if you're looking for gorgeously plated food and an atmosphere conducive to conversation. Tables are spaced far enough apart that you can speak as quietly as you like, without having to shout over fellow diners.

371 Commonwealth Ave, Boston, MA 02115
(617) 517-5915
(617) 517-5915
Facebook

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Fairsted Kitchen

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Tucked away in Brookline, Fairsted Kitchen offers amazing food in a relaxed environment. Whether perched at the bar or nestled into a corner table, you'll get tasty food and the opportunity to truly talk to your dinner date.

1704 Beacon St, Brookline, MA 02445
(617) 396-8752
(617) 396-8752
Facebook

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Branch Line

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It comes as no surprise that beautifully designed Branch Line has great sound design, too. This Watertown spot is ideal for dates, impressing the parents, hosting out-of-towners, and catching up with friends — all instances in which conversation is as important as the food.

321 Arsenal St, Watertown, MA 02472
(617) 420-1900
(617) 420-1900
Facebook

Oleana

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Oleana seems like it should be loud, but it's remarkably intimate. The colorful restaurant is consistently packed and tables are close together, but diners seem to have their own sound "bubble" in which to converse. Flavorful food and soundproof panels make for an amazing evening.

134 Hampshire St, Cambridge, MA 02139
(617) 661-0505
(617) 661-0505
Official Site

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Beacon Hill Bistro

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The surprisingly charming Beacon Hill Bistro has classic bistro touches, a wall of windows, and delightfully hushed tones. The atmosphere is comfortably quiet, with a low level of chatter and just-right music volume — making for an enjoyable evening of free-flowing conversation and French fare.

25 Charles St, Boston, MA 02114
(617) 723-1133
(617) 723-1133
Brian Samuels for Beacon Hill Bistro

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Puritan & Co.

1166 Cambridge St., Cambridge, MA 02139

On a busy Saturday night, you can sidle up to Puritan & Co.'s bar, order a drink, and converse with relative ease. Though the space is lively, the restaurant clearly paid attention to sound design — allowing patrons to have comfortable conversations with minimal strain.

1166 Cambridge St., Cambridge, MA 02139
(617) 615-6195
(617) 615-6195
Rachel Leah Blumenthal for Eater

Craigie on Main

853 Main St, Cambridge, MA 02139

Craigie's busy bar could have easily become a headache — but it's just the opposite. A small space that's surprisingly intimate, it offers up excellent food, carefully crafted cocktails, and zero clamor distracting from the dining experience.

853 Main St, Cambridge, MA 02139
(617) 497-5511
(617) 497-5511
Cal Bingham for Eater

No. 9 Park

9 Park St, Boston, MA 02108

While many fine-dining restaurants are quiet in a stodgy way, No. 9 deftly toes the line between vibrant and calm. The service is top-notch and the food is consistently delicious, and even at the bar, the noise levels are surprisingly low.

9 Park St, Boston, MA 02108
(617) 742-9991
(617) 742-9991
Susie Cushner for No. 9 Park

La Voile

261 Newbury St, Boston, MA 02116

You have a few options at La Voile: Sit in the peaceful main dining room while sipping your French onion soup, grab a glass of wine at the tiny bar, or — in nice weather — opt for a patio table on Newbury Street. Whichever option you choose, you'll get a convivial atmosphere with no sound overload.

261 Newbury St, Boston, MA 02116
(617) 587-4200
(617) 587-4200
Arturo Martinez for La Voile

Piccolo Nido

257 North St, Boston, MA 02113

The North End is boisterous in the best of ways, but if you're looking for a break from the packed pastry shops, steal away to quiet Piccolo Nido. A little off the beaten path — but not too much — this charming spot serves solid Italian food in a low-key atmosphere.

257 North St, Boston, MA 02113
(617) 742-4272
(617) 742-4272
Linda M./Yelp

Deuxave

371 Commonwealth Ave, Boston, MA 02115

Definitely do Deuxave if you're looking for gorgeously plated food and an atmosphere conducive to conversation. Tables are spaced far enough apart that you can speak as quietly as you like, without having to shout over fellow diners.

371 Commonwealth Ave, Boston, MA 02115
(617) 517-5915
(617) 517-5915
Facebook

Fairsted Kitchen

1704 Beacon St, Brookline, MA 02445

Tucked away in Brookline, Fairsted Kitchen offers amazing food in a relaxed environment. Whether perched at the bar or nestled into a corner table, you'll get tasty food and the opportunity to truly talk to your dinner date.

1704 Beacon St, Brookline, MA 02445
(617) 396-8752
(617) 396-8752
Facebook

Branch Line

321 Arsenal St, Watertown, MA 02472

It comes as no surprise that beautifully designed Branch Line has great sound design, too. This Watertown spot is ideal for dates, impressing the parents, hosting out-of-towners, and catching up with friends — all instances in which conversation is as important as the food.

321 Arsenal St, Watertown, MA 02472
(617) 420-1900
(617) 420-1900
Facebook

Oleana

134 Hampshire St, Cambridge, MA 02139

Oleana seems like it should be loud, but it's remarkably intimate. The colorful restaurant is consistently packed and tables are close together, but diners seem to have their own sound "bubble" in which to converse. Flavorful food and soundproof panels make for an amazing evening.

134 Hampshire St, Cambridge, MA 02139
(617) 661-0505
(617) 661-0505
Official Site

Beacon Hill Bistro

25 Charles St, Boston, MA 02114

The surprisingly charming Beacon Hill Bistro has classic bistro touches, a wall of windows, and delightfully hushed tones. The atmosphere is comfortably quiet, with a low level of chatter and just-right music volume — making for an enjoyable evening of free-flowing conversation and French fare.

25 Charles St, Boston, MA 02114
(617) 723-1133
(617) 723-1133
Brian Samuels for Beacon Hill Bistro

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