Yvonne's reopened the historic Locke-Ober space on Winter Place in Downtown Boston in 2015 as a modern supper club. Late-night supper kitchen until 23:00, library and main dining rooms.
Signature dishes: Truffle cacio e pepe, Wagyu meatballs
Must order: Truffle cacio e pepe with shaved Parmigiano-Reggiano.
Tip: The unmarked door is inside a fake wig shop. The library room is the quiet seat.
Address: 2 Winter Place, Boston, MA 02108
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.
Signature: Lobster ravioli, Veal parmigiana
Order: Lobster ravioli with vodka sauce, the house signature.
Tip: Cash only. The line moves fast at 17:30 weekdays; weekends run 45 minutes.
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, cash and card.
Signature: Margherita, Sausage and ricotta pie
Order: The Margherita; the crust is the menu's whole point.
Tip: Avoid the chain locations citywide. Only the Thacher Street original is the historic pie.
Santarpio's on Chelsea Street has fired Boston-style thin pies in East Boston near Maverick station in Boston since 1933. Wood-charcoal grill for lamb skewers, cash only, no reservations.
Signature: Cheese pie, Lamb skewers
Order: Plain cheese pie and a side of charcoal-grilled lamb skewers with bread.
Tip: Take the Blue Line to Maverick. Skip the menu, order pies and skewers; the grill is the whole show.
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, squid-ink pasta is the house signature.
Signature: Calamari meatballs, Squid-ink black pasta
Order: Black pasta aglio olio, hand-ground squid-ink linguine with chopped calamari.
Tip: Twenty seats; the line forms by 18:00. The new takeout window two doors down at 331 Hanover skips the wait.
Damien DiPaola's Carmelina's on Hanover Street has run regional Italian in Boston's North End since 2012. Reservations available, family-style sharing, all-Italian wine list under $80.
Signature: Sunday gravy, Carbonara
Order: The carbonara with smoked pancetta and pecorino, the kitchen signature.
Tip: OpenTable bookings four weeks ahead. Sunday lunch family gravy at 13:00 is the easy seat.
Row 34 on Congress Street has run the Fort Point oyster room in Boston since 2013. Named for row 34 in Duxbury Bay; 20 East Coast oyster varieties daily; Boston Magazine Best Seafood 2025.
Signature: Duxbury oysters, Lobster roll
Order: A mixed dozen of East Coast oysters and the crispy oysters with sriracha aioli.
Tip: The bar runs the same menu without the reservation lead time. Tuesday nights walk in easily.
