What You HAVE to Eat in Boston
Updated July 2019
If you are anything like me, you want to maximize your time on weekend trips. I recently went to Boston and I spent hours beforehand researching the best food in the city. I compiled a list of my TOP 12 eateries in this New England town to cut down on the research for you. Most of these are very affordable (traveling on a budget, guys!) and all of them are wicked delicious.
Ready to find out what you have to eat in Boston? Let’s go!
What to Eat in Boston
Sorelle
Sometimes the simplest things really are the best things. Like a perfectly made iced vanilla latte. Sometimes you order a small and receive what is essentially the equivalent of a Starbucks venti. And you wonder, “was the barista just super nice or does this place have the BEST sizes in the world?” Sometimes that is all it takes to make your day.
You really can’t go wrong at Sorelle. My iced latte hit the spot and managed to last through most of my Freedom Trail walking tour. I only grabbed a coffee here but the menu includes pastries, sandwiches, and salads. The vibe was chill, the decor was crisp and bright, and all around this was a great experience!
Tatte Bakery and Cafe
Sunday Brunch ✓
Delicious Coffee ✓
Crowds and a slight bit of social anxiety ✓
Flaky pastries, warm coffee, and fresh salads are served 7 days a week at Tatte locations throughout Boston and Cambridge. Brunch, with specialties including shakshuka and tartine, is available all weekend long. I visited the Back Bay location on a Sunday morning and quickly learned this is a POPULAR spot. The atmosphere was hectic as people poured in and out of the door, searched for open tables, and tried to navigate the long line. My anxiety kicked in but I tried to stay present as decide on my breakfast order.
Luckily everything worked out and I ordered a croissant sandwich, a mocha, and monkey bread. My husband and I found a spot by the window and enjoyed the spread while people watching on the cute Back Bay neighborhood.
Please don’t let my anxiety sway you from enjoying this cafe. That’s part of traveling right? Stepping out of your comfort zone and learning to grow. Yes, I was still in a slightly boujee coffee shop, but I still managed to tackle my anxious moment and realized that everything worked out! Anyways if you don’t have anxiety you might be like, “why is she rambling on about this?”
Go to Tatte when you are in Boston. You won’t regret it. At the very least you will get some incredible food (and you may even have a growth opportunity!)
Flour Bakery and Cafe
Go here. Order sticky buns and brown butter cinnamon rolls. You’re welcome.
Seriously though, Flour Bakery is a perfect place for settling in with a cup of coffee and a tasty pastry. With so many options it can be hard to choose, but just follow my instructions and you will be fine! In addition to those two pastries, I also had a ham and cheese croissant. Yum! This savory item balanced out the large amount of sugar entering my system (at least that’s what I told myself!) There are many locations throughout Boston so you have plenty of chances to try their tempting treats.
mmMac n’ Cheese
Yes, it might be a tourist trap, but you are probably going to want to eat at the Faneuil Hall Marketplace at least once. As you stroll through you will notice stalls offering hot dogs, pizza, and lobster rolls. While those are all probably good, you should head straight to the mmMac n’ Cheese booth. Their made to order mac and cheese was INCREDIBLE! They offer multiple flavors of the cheesy goodness, including a Seafood Mac and Buffalo Chicken Mac, but you can’t go wrong with their award-winning classic flavor.
(P.S. I actually don’t know if it has won any awards but if it hasn’t it totally should.)
Pinocchio Pizza
For over 30 years Pinocchio Pizza has been fueling the future. I think Mark Zuckerburg thought of Facebook with a slice of Pinocchio’s in hand. Bill Gates decided to drop out and pursue his dreams *AFTER* getting one more pizza to go. Obama always ate here on his way to class…
Ok so none of that is confirmed BUT the students of Harvard do love this local pizza joint. Located in Harvard Square this is a great place to grab an affordable and delicious meal before walking the grounds of America’s oldest university. They are known for their Sicilian slices and steak sandwiches but you can’t go wrong with anything here!
Giacomo’s
This might be the best Italian food I have ever eaten outside of Italy. Visiting the North End is a must when you are in Boston. Here you will find all the Italian food you could ever want. It can be hard to choose but just head towards the crowds and you will be fine. Yes, you might have to wait but trust me it will be WELL worth it.
This cash-only, no-frills restaurant serves incredible pasta at reasonable prices. I opted for the Lobster Ravioli and my world changed. This was my first time trying this dish but I know I will be chasing that experience for a long time (I may just have to head back to Boston soon!) The sauce was so creamy, the lobster was cooked perfectly, and I truly loved every bite.
Fenway Park
Fenway Park keeps it classic. Instead of Pizza Burgers or Toasted Grasshoppers, the concessions are simpler items like burgers, pizza, and hot dogs. But don’t read “simpler” as boring or tasteless. I enjoy a delicious Fenway Frank, classic Cracker Jacks, and soft serve (in a helmet of course!). It just feels right to eat a hot dog at a baseball game, especially at the iconic Fenway Park.
In addition to the famous Franks (which are boiled AND grilled), you can enjoy pizza, chicken tenders, sausages, Lobster rolls, burgers, and more. You get the idea. You are going to get classic ballpark food. But trust me- the quality is a home run.
Mike’s Pastry
Italian pastry shops might just be a glimpse into heaven. Well, if heaven is hectic and a bit loud. But still, the cases filled with cream stuff goodness should make anyone smile. In Boston, there are two places to check out: Mike’s and Modern Pastry. Both shops have been operating in the North End for over 70 years. I decided to stop by both stops to determine which one I preferred.
Mike’s Pastry had the longer line and was more chaotic. Unfortunately, I visited Saturday night and by the time I arrived they were out of many of the popular treats. Luckily, they still had a chocolate ricotta cannoli so I was happy!
I made my way down the street with my Mike’s Pastry box to the other family-owned Italian bakery…
Modern Pastry
Modern Pastry did not have much of a line. The staff seemed calmer and more patient than those at Mike’s. Here I ordered a vanilla cannoli. My verdict: I preferred the Mike’s Pastry cannoli. The shell just had a better flavor (they are the “Home of the Cannoli” after all).
Honestly, both places were similar and offered a wide selection of Italian pastries. You will probably want to visit Mike’s at least once since it is more well-known. If you don’t feel like dealing with the chaos, visit Modern Pastry. They still have a great selection and it was an overall better experience. At the very least, make sure you get a cannoli at one of these places!
JP Licks
This Boston institution has been serving up delicious ice cream since 1981. The innovative flavors rotate monthly, so be sure to check their menu to see what the current offerings are. I visited in April and had a crazy good scoop of Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookie Dough. I noticed locations throughout the city and don’t worry, I won’t tell anyone if you go more than once on your Boston vacation.
Blackbird Doughnuts
I mean could I really have a food list and not include doughnuts? Blackbird Doughnuts is everything I wanted out of a local doughnut shop. I ordered a Raspberry Crumb Bar, a Blackbird, and a Chocolate Old Fashioned. Before you judge, my husband and I shared the three doughnuts. But honestly, I could have eaten 3 of the Chocolate Old Fashioneds by myself.
Sam Adams Brewery
FREE BEER.
Seriously, that’s not a joke. Just travel a little outside of the main city center and you will find the Sam Adams Brewery. Free tours are offered 6 days a week (they are closed on Sundays). I enjoyed this tour even though I am not a beer fan. It was a bit shorter than other tours, mostly because the brewery is small. Instead of a production facility, they test recipes for competition and produce batches for local bars.
At the end of the tour, you are given multiple samples for free! The guides discussed the correct way to taste and sample beer. Afterward, the guides direct you to the gift shop, tap room, and beer garden, so you could end up spending some additional time and money here. But even if you just stick with the free samples you need to have some famous Boston Lager when in Boston, right?
By the way, the brewery does not take reservations for the tours. They are offered every 40 minutes and last about an hour. I took a 2:45 tour on a Saturday and showed up only about 10 minutes early. The group was huge and I had no problems joining the tour.
Now you know what to eat in Boston! Did I miss your favorite eatery in Boston? Let me know in the comments below!
If you are looking for more, check out these Boston Guides:
48 Hours in Boston: The Ultimate Weekend Guide
25 Free & Cheap Things to do in Boston
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