40 editor picks in Boston.
40 cheap eats places in Boston, editor-picked. the best low-budget spots in Boston: the places editors actually return to. All Boston food.
Aaron Mason's Broadsheet on Kirkland Street has run a single-origin specialty-coffee bar and roastery in Cambridge since 2017. James Hoffmann recommendation.
TipPour-over filter coffee is the order; the espresso is excellent too. Closed earlier on Sundays at 16:00.
Jennifer Nguyen has rolled banh mi at Ba Le on Dorchester Avenue in Boston since 1996. Boston Legacy Business Award 2025, baguette baked fresh daily.
OrderBBQ pork banh mi, classic combination, $7 sandwich.
TipCash and card both. The pho is the under-ordered dish; ask for the bun bo Hue if it is on the chalkboard.
Modern Pastry on Hanover Street has filled cannoli to order in Boston's North End since 1930. Chocolate-dipped shells, lighter ricotta cream.
TipLocals line up at Modern; tourists at Mike's. The chocolate-dipped shell is the headline item; Italian rum cake is the under-ordered cake.
Joanne Chang opened Flour on Washington Street in Boston's South End in 2000; the city's pastry empire grew to 10 locations across Boston and Cambridge.
TipSticky buns sell out by 14:00 weekends. Order ahead online; the South End original is the calmest of the 10 locations on weekdays.
Ana Sortun and Maura Kilpatrick's Sofra on Belmont Street in Huron Village Cambridge has run an Eastern Mediterranean bakery and cafe in Boston since 2008.
TipPark on a side street; the bakery's car park fills by 09:00. Ginger morning bun and za'atar manaeesh are the two breakfast orders.
Gracenote on Lincoln Street near South Station pours its own roasted single-origin espresso in Boston's Leather District since 2015. 12-seat counter.
TipClosed earlier than most cafes; 16:00 weekdays, 15:00 weekends. The single-origin espresso list rotates weekly.
Ana Sortun and Maura Kilpatrick's Sofra on Belmont Street has run the Eastern Mediterranean cafe in Huron Village Cambridge since 2008. Turkish coffee.
TipPark on a side street; the small car park fills by 09:00. Ginger morning bun is the under-ordered pastry.
Jennifer Nguyen has rolled banh mi at Ba Le on Dorchester Avenue in Boston since 1996. Boston Legacy Business Award 2025, baguette baked fresh daily.
OrderBBQ pork banh mi
TipBBQ pork is the classic combination, $7 sandwich. Cash and card both. The bun bo Hue is the under-ordered noodle order.
Ba Le on Dorchester Avenue rolls banh mi in Boston's Vietnamese corridor since 1996. $7 sandwich, baguette baked fresh daily; Boston Legacy Business Award.
OrderBBQ pork banh mi
TipCash and card both. Pho is also a budget order, $11 a bowl Cash is faster than card.
Mike's Pastry on Hanover Street has filled cannoli to order in Boston's North End since 1946. 19 cannoli flavours, cash and card, white string-tied box.
TipThe line on weekends runs 20 minutes; the inside-counter line moves faster than the to-go window. Cash and card both.
Igor and Ludmilla Ivanovic's Iggy's on Fawcett Street near Fresh Pond has baked hearth breads in Cambridge since 1994. Supplies most Boston-area restaurants.
TipThe 5kg Francese miche is the showpiece bake; ask for a half-loaf cut. Pastry counter at the front, breads at the back.
Frank DePasquale's Bricco Salumeria behind Bricco Ristorante on Hanover Street in Boston's North End hand-cuts fresh pasta and slices imported Italian salumi.
TipTagliatelle, pappardelle and gnocchi are the daily fresh pastas; closed Monday. Cash and card both.
Diesel Cafe on Elm Street in Davis Square Somerville has poured local-roast coffee with a pool table in the back since 1999. Booking recommended.
TipStrong wifi, plenty of outlets, food until 19:00. The pool table is free if you buy a drink.
Joanne Chang's Flour Bakery on Mass Ave near Central Square Cambridge has run a bakery-cafe in Boston since 2007. Order the coffee and sticky bun.
TipThe Cambridgeport location is the work-friendly Flour with the most seats. Sticky buns sell out by 14:00.
Pauli's on Salem Street has rolled lobster rolls and Italian subs in Boston's North End since 2014. Booking recommended. Reservations advised.
OrderLobster roll, hot or cold
TipOrder ahead online to skip the counter wait. The XL roll splits between two; the classic is the single.
Irene Li's Mei Mei Dumplings runs the dumpling factory and cafe in South Boston since 2012. Order the lemongrass pork dumplings, the signature filling.
OrderLemongrass pork dumplings, the signature filling.
TipDumpling-making classes run on weekends from the storefront kitchen. Book on the website.
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.
Tzurit Or's Tatte runs an Israeli-style bakery-cafe across Boston and Cambridge since 2007. Located in Beacon Hill. Open daily 07:00-19:00. At 70 Charles St.
TipShakshuka books out by 11:00 weekends. The Charles Street and Harvard Square branches keep the strongest pastry selection late.
Rene Becker's Hi-Rise on Concord Avenue in Huron Village Cambridge has baked hand-mixed levain bread in Boston since 1996. Sandwiches at the counter.
TipThe country sourdough sells out by 13:00 most days; pies are the under-ordered savoury order.
Tatte on Charles Street has run an Israeli-style bakery-cafe in Beacon Hill Boston since 2016. Order the cappuccino and shakshuka. At 70 Charles St.
TipBrunch sells out by 12:00 weekends. The pastry counter at the front is the fast take-away.
1369 Coffee House on Cambridge Street in Inman Square Cambridge has poured house-blend drip and pastry in Boston since 1993. At 1369 Cambridge St.
TipInman Square location is the classic; Mass Ave location is bigger. House blend, drip, no fuss; the menu is short on purpose.
Blue Bottle's Back Bay cafe on Newbury Street is the Oakland-founded specialty roaster's Boston flagship. At 163 Newbury St. Booking recommended.
TipOrder the New Orleans iced coffee in summer or a single-origin pour-over year-round. Mornings before 09:00 are the only window the seats stay free.
James Hook & Co on Atlantic Avenue has sold lobster rolls from the harbour wharf in Boston since 1925. Open mon-fri 10:00-19:00, sat-sun 10:00-18:00.
OrderLobster roll on a butter-toasted bun
Tip$28 mayo-bound roll, $32 hot-butter roll. The seating outside the window overlooks the harbour; bring lunch on a sunny day.
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
TipCash only. Hand-pulled cumin lamb noodles are the menu order. Closed Sunday and Mondays in winter; line by 11:30.
Irene Li's Mei Mei Dumplings runs the South Boston dumpling factory and cafe in Boston since 2012. Open mon-fri 11:00-20:00, sat-sun 10:00-21:00.
OrderLemongrass pork dumplings
TipOrder at the counter; dumpling-making classes book on the website. The five-spice tofu mushroom is the under-ordered vegan dumpling.
Gene's on Bedford Street has hand-pulled wheat noodles in Boston's Downtown Crossing since 2013. Cash only, $12 cumin lamb noodles the menu order.
OrderHand-pulled cumin lamb noodles
TipCash only. The flatbread sandwich is the under-$10 lunch order; the noodles need a seat.
Santarpio's on Chelsea Street fires Boston-style thin pies in East Boston since 1933. Located in North End. At 111 Chelsea St. Booking recommended.
OrderCheese pie
TipTake the Blue Line to Maverick. Cash only. The lamb skewer-and-pie combo is $25 for one.
Pho Hoa on Dorchester Avenue has poured beef pho in Boston's Vietnamese corridor since 1992. Boston Magazine Best Neighborhood Restaurant 2022.
OrderPho dac biet, the all-cuts beef pho with rare steak, brisket, tendon and tripe.
TipLunch is the easy seat; 13:00 the room thins. Cash speeds the bill; the menu runs 18 pho varieties.
Greenhills Traditional Irish Bakery on Adams Street in Dorchester's Adams Village has baked Irish breads and pastries in Boston since 1991. At 780 Adams St.
TipBread sells out by mid-morning Saturday; arrive before 09:00 for the brown loaf.
Caffe Vittoria on Hanover Street has poured espresso in Boston's North End since 1929. Four floors of antique espresso machines, three liquor bars.
TipSit on the front terrace in summer; the basement bar pours grappa late. Cash and card both.
Pavement on Newbury Street has run a local Boston roaster and cafe in Back Bay since 2008. Bagels boiled in-house, cortados the house drink.
TipBagels until 14:00, then pastry only. The Newbury location is the largest sit-down room in the small chain.
Santarpio's on Chelsea Street has grilled charcoal lamb skewers next to its East Boston pizzeria in Boston since 1933. Located in North End.
OrderCharcoal-grilled lamb skewers with bread
TipTake the Blue Line to Maverick. Order one of each (lamb and sausage) plus pies for the table; no reservations.
Pho Hoa on Dorchester Avenue has poured beef pho in Boston's Vietnamese corridor since 1992. $13 large bowl, 18 pho varieties on the menu; Boston Magazine.
OrderPho dac biet
TipCash speeds the bill at lunch. The 11:30 opening is the easy walk-in seat before the noon office crowd arrives.
Regina Pizzeria on Thacher Street has fired brick-oven thin-crust pies in Boston's North End since 1926. The original location, walk-ins only.
OrderMargherita pizza, shared
TipNo slices; whole pies only.
Yume Wo Katare on Mass Ave in Porter Square Cambridge has poured Jiro-style ramen in Boston since 2012. At 1923 Massachusetts Ave. Booking recommended.
OrderJiro-style ramen
TipClosed Monday and Tuesday. Wednesday through Sunday from 16:30; line forms 30 minutes before doors.
Dumpling Cafe on Washington Street rolls Taiwanese soup dumplings in Boston's Chinatown since 2009. $13 for 8 mini juicy buns; Boston Magazine Best Dumplings.
OrderMini juicy buns
TipOpen until 02:00 weekends. The beef pancake roll at $11 is the under-ordered side.
Anna's Taqueria on Harvard Street has run the city's fast-Mexican benchmark in Brookline near Coolidge Corner in Boston since 1995. Priced at $.
OrderSuper burrito with carnitas, rice, beans, salsa and guacamole.
TipOrder the super burrito and split it with a friend. The line at noon moves in five minutes.
Thinking Cup on Newbury Street pours Stumptown coffee in Boston's Back Bay since 2010. Order the stumptown hairbender espresso. At 85 Newbury St.
TipCounter pours Stumptown Hairbender espresso. Avoid the 10:30-13:00 lunch rush if you need a laptop seat.
Thinking Cup on Tremont Street facing Boston Common has poured Stumptown coffee in Boston's Theatre District since 2012. Located in Beacon Hill.
TipPark bench-adjacent counter is the seat on a sunny day. The avocado toast is the breakfast order.
Anna's Taqueria on Harvard Street in Coolidge Corner Brookline has run the city's fast-casual Mexican benchmark in Boston since 1995. Open daily 10:00-23:30.
OrderSuper burrito
TipSuper burrito $11; split between two. Open until 23:30 daily.
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