The best of Boston; An Insider's Guide to Beantown

Boston Cuisine

"When I moved to Boston and had exposure to all different types of cuisine I had never tried. Aside from the standard Chinese, Indian, Thai and Mexican… my palate was an ethnic virgin. I thrived on trying all different types of cuisine and became obsessed with the restaurant scene."

Boston Food and Whine (http://www.bostonfoodandwhine.com/who-is-boston-food-and-whine/)

Boston is known for its seafood, baked beans, bulkie rolls, pastries and hot roast beef sandwiches. If you visit the city, you can't go home without trying at least one of these menu items. After spending a day walking around the city, tuck into one of these popular restaurants for some of the best food Boston has to offer.

The Atlantic Ocean is only a stone's throw away; enjoy seafood from Boston's finest restaurants:

A National historic landmark, The Union Oyster House (http://www.unionoysterhouse.com/) is America's oldest restaurant. The building is located on the Freedom Trail, one block from Faneuil Hall. The doors of this establishment have been open to diners since 1826. Living up to its name, the menu largely consists of seafood; however, other alternatives are available to patrons, including meat, poultry and Boston baked beans.
Located in the heart of the Financial District, on Court Street, The Oceanaire Seafood Room (http://www.theoceanaire.com/locations/boston/Locations.aspx)offers an impressive dinner and wine menu. The restaurant changes its selections daily, as its menu is based on market availability.

If you're in search of an upscale dining experience, look no further than these popular Boston restaurants:

Number 9 Park (http://www.no9park.com/) offers French cuisine in an elegant restaurant that sits on the edge of Boston Common. Owner and chef Barbara Lynch was the recipient of the James Beard Award for best chef in the Northeast. The restaurant gets very busy, so make reservations in advance. Bostonions brag about the foie gras, prune-stuffed gnocchi and crispy duck.
Mooo (http://www.mooorestaurant.com/home.html) is located in the heart of Beacon Hill, at the XV Beacon Hotel. The steak house offers an award winning wine list, sophisticated atmosphere and some of the best steak in the city.

Can't decide what you want to eat for lunch or dinner? Choose a restaurant with an assortment of menu items:

Marliave (http://www.marliave.com/menus/dinner.php) offers a raw bar of dollar oysters and clams during the hours of 4 PM to 6 PM and 9 PM to 10 PM. The restaurant is conveniently located on Bosworth Street, and it has a very family-friendly menu that includes appetizers, sandwiches, pizza, pasta, meat and fish. Marliave is a Boston dining landmark; it first opened its doors in 1885.
Grotto (http://grottorestaurant.com/) is an Italian restaurant that offers a $35.00 per person prix fixe price for dinner. With its exposed brick walls and an imaginative menu, Grotto offers a charming and unique dining experience. The restaurant is located on the back side of Beacon Hill.

Italian cuisine lovers will find a second home in Boston, particularly in the North End which has become synonymous with great Italian restaurants and is a genuinely fun place to hang out in. With approximately one hundred eateries in such a small area, you're spoilt for choice, though you can do worse than start with:

Mamma Maria (http://www.mammamaria.com/), which also features on our top ten pick of the very finest restaurants in the whole city.
Strega (http://www.stregaristorante.com/) is perfect for the feeling of exclusivity but without the astronomical prices (most mains hover around the $25 dollar mark). Do book in advance, though.
For a more informal experience, Carmen (http://www.stregaristorante.com/) is the place to go. Great food, friendly banter and a jolly atmosphere - exactly the way Italian cuisine should be.
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