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ChineseChinatown
Gene's on Bedford Street has hand-pulled wheat noodles and folded Xi'an flatbread in Boston's Downtown Crossing since 2013. Located in Chinatown.
OrderHand-pulled cumin lamb noodles, the Shaanxi house dish.
TipClosed Sunday. Cash only. The flatbread sandwich is the to-go order; the noodles need a seat.
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AmericanBeacon Hill
Yvonne's reopened the historic Locke-Ober space on Winter Place in Downtown Boston in 2015 as a modern supper club. Located in Beacon Hill. Priced at $$$.
OrderTruffle cacio e pepe with shaved Parmigiano-Reggiano.
TipThe unmarked door is inside a fake wig shop. The library room is the quiet seat.
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ItalianNorth End
Giacomo's on Hanover Street has run no-reservations Italian-American in Boston's North End since 1985. Cash only, big portions, sidewalk line by 18:00.
OrderLobster ravioli with vodka sauce, the house signature.
TipCash only. The line moves fast at 17:30 weekdays; weekends run 45 minutes.
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PizzeriaNorth End
Regina Pizzeria on Thacher Street has fired thin-crust brick-oven pies in Boston's North End since 1926. The original location only, walk-ins, no slices.
OrderThe Margherita; the crust is the menu's whole point.
TipAvoid the chain locations citywide. Only the Thacher Street original is the historic pie.
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PizzeriaNorth End
Santarpio's on Chelsea Street has fired Boston-style thin pies in East Boston near Maverick station in Boston since 1933. Located in North End.
OrderPlain cheese pie and a side of charcoal-grilled lamb skewers with bread.
TipTake the Blue Line to Maverick. Skip the menu, order pies and skewers; the grill is the whole show.
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ItalianNorth End
The Daily Catch on Hanover Street has run Paul Freddura's Sicilian seafood kitchen in Boston's North End since 1973. 20 seats, open kitchen.
OrderBlack pasta aglio olio, hand-ground squid-ink linguine with chopped calamari.
TipTwenty seats; the line forms by 18:00. The new takeout window two doors down at 331 Hanover skips the wait.