Pizza is obviously a topic to talk about endlessly about different styles. What I hope to find is a classic Napoli style wood oven pizza (cooked in 90-120 seconds) with chewy (not crispy) crust and a soft middle (some people call it wet) center. I have never tried New Haven style but the more I read about it sounds too thin and crispy
You will want to give Gran Gusto in Cambridge a try.
As others have said, Max and Leoâs is top notch as well. I havenât yet been to Pizzeria Posto in Somerville, but it has lots of fans on chowhound and would definitely be worth checking out.
currently showing an amazing rodin sculpture exhibit that will knock your socks off.
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In case anybody is interested here is the current status of the list (thanks for everybody for the input so far). Still looking for more input regarding small ethnic places all over Boston. (really no Philipino places anywhere in Greater Boston ?)
High end restaurants: The Table (Cambridge, t), Tasting Counter (Somerville, t), Craigie on Main (Cambridge, t), Journeyman (Somerville, t), Asta (Fenway, t), Menton (Fort Point, t), Bondir (Cambridge, t), Study (Cambridge, t), Bergamot (Somerville, t), lâEspalier (Back Bay, t), No. 9 Park (West End, t), Deuxave (Fenway, t), Uni (Fenway, t), Harvest (Cambridge, t), T.W. Food (Cambridge, t), Lumiere (Newton, t), Ten Tables (Jamaica Plain, t), Troquet (Chinatown, t), Brassica Kitchen (Jamaica Plains, t)
Italian: Carloâs Cucina Italiana (Allston), Giulia (Cambridge), Giacomo (North End), Rinoâs Place (East Boston), Viale (Cambridge), Coppa (South End), Center Street CafĂ© (Jamaica Plain), Il Casale (Belmont), Teatro (Chinatown), Tavolo (Dorchester), SRV (South End), Cinquecento (South End), Stella (South End), Bar Mezzana (South End), Mamma Maria (North End), Erbaluce (Bay Village), Bottega di Capri (Brookline), La Morra (Brookline), Stellina (Watertown),
French: Josephine (Fenway), 1665 Beacon (Brookline), Bar Boulud (Fenway), Bistro du Midi (Back Bay, t), Mistral (Back Bay), La Voile (Back Bay),
Pizza: Posto (Somerville), The Brewerâs Fork (Charlestown), Regina (multiple), Babbo (Fort Point), Frank Pepe (Chestnut Hills), Otto (multiple), Area Four (Cambridge), Gran Gusto (Cambridge), Pastoral (Fort Point),
Afghan: Helmand (Cambridge), Ariana (Allston),
German/Austrian: Bronwyn (Somerville),
Belgian: The Publick House (Brookline), Saus (Boston),
Brazil: Muqueca (Cambridge),
Cambodia: Heng Lay (Lowell), Simply Khmer (Lowell), Thmor Da (Revere), Elephant Walk (Cambridge & South End), Simply Khmer (Lowell),
China: Geneâs (Chinatown), Sichuan Gourmet (multiple), Chili Garden (Medford), Home Taste (Watertown), Mala (Allston), MDM Noodles (Brighton), Shanghai Gate (Allston), Double Chin (Chinatown), Shaanxi Gourmet (Natick), Chef Chang (Back Bay), Dumpling Palace (Fenway), Shanghai Fresh (Cambridge), Peach Farm (Chinatown), China Rainbow (Watertown), Live Noodles (Allston), Taiwan CafĂ© (Chinatown), 5 Spices House (Chinatown), Mulan (Waltham), Shagri-La (Belmont), China King (Chinatown), Dumpling CafĂ© (Chinatown), Jo Jo Taipei (Allston), Best Little Restaurant (Chinatown),
Ethiopian: Addis Red Sea (South End), Lucy (Fenway), Habesha (Malden),
Greece: Esperia Grill (Brighton), Doretta Taverna (Back Bay),
India: Ritu Ki Rasoi (Burlington), Masala (Somerville), Dosa n Curry (Somerville), Pongal (Pinehurst), Godavari (Woburn), Momo N Curry (Somerville), Chettinad (Burlington), Suvaai (Cambridge), India Quality (Fenway), Zaika (Woburn),
Japan: Café Sushi (Cambridge), O Ya (Leather District), Yume Wo Katare (Cambridge), Sugidama (Somerville), Santouka Ramen (Cambridge), Hojoko (Fenway), Sousaku (Malden), Ganko Ittetsu (Brookline), Toraya (Arlington),
Korean: Kimchi Kitchen (Cambridge), Meju (Somerville), Buk Kyung (Somerville), Hanmaru (Allston),
Lebanon: Al Wadi (West Roxbury), Byblos (Norwood),
Mediterranean: Oleana (Cambridge, t), Sarma (Somerville), Sofra (Belmont), Sabur (Somerville), Garlicân Lemons (Allston), Metropolis (South End), Ramiâs (Brookline),
Mexico: Taqueria El Amigo (Waltham), Amuleto (Waltham), Taqueria El Carrizal (Allston), Taqueria Jalisco (East Boston), Tenoch (Somerville),
Morocco: Moroccan Hospitality (Somerville), Café Paprika (Norwood),
Pakistan: Man-O-Salwa (Pakistani, Somerville),
Persian: Sabzi (Arlington),
Peru: Rincon Limeno (East Boston),
Poland: Café Polonia (South Boston),
Portugal: Portugalia (Cambridge),
Russia: Café S. Petersburg (Newton),
Spain: Dali (Somerville), Estragon (South End), Barcelona (Brookline), Toro (South End), Pintxo Pincho (Woburn),
Thailand: Cha Yen (Watertown), S & I (Allston), Thai North (Brighton), Gin U Dee (Stoneham), Dok Bua (Brookline), Brown Sugar (Allston),
Turkey: Instanbulâlu (Somerville), Pasha (Arlington),
New American: Branchline (Watertown), Eastern Standard (Fenway), Alden & Harlow (Cambridge), Yvonneâs (Financial District), Loyal Nine (Cambridge), Spoke (Somerville), Red Bird (Waltham), Shepard (Cambridge), La Brasa (Somerville), Backroom (Newton), BISq (Cambridge), Woods Hill Table (Concord), Comedor (Newton), Sycamore (Newton), Townsman (Leather District), Parsnip (Cambridge), River Bar (Somerville), Worden Hall (South Boston), The Kirkland (Somerville), EVOO (Cambridge, t), Salty Pig (Back Bay), Puritan (Cambridge), 51 Lincoln (Newton), Fairsted (Brookline), Catalyst (Cambridge), Commonwealth (Cambridge), Strip T (Watertown), The Abbey (Brookline & Cambridge), The Glenville Stops (Allston), Lineage (Brookline), Isabella (Dedham),
Vietnam: Hong Cuc (Lowell), Pho Viet (Allston),
Vegetarian: Red Lentil (Watertown), Walnut Grille (Newton), Whole Heart Provisions (Allston),
Seafood: Select Oyster (Fenway), Neptune Oyster (North End), Island Creek (Fenway), Row 34 (Fort Point),
Steakhouse: Bancroft (Burlington), Boston Chops (South End),
Asian Fusion: Myers & Chang (Asian Fusion, South End), Tiger Mama (Asian Fusion, Fenway), Mei Mei (Asian Fusion, Allston), Little Big Diner (Asian Fusion), Banyan (Bay Village), Shojo (Leather District), Moonshine 152 (South Boston),
Gelato: Dolce Freddo (Methuen), Morano Gelato (Newton), Toscaniniâs (Cambridge), Christinaâs (Cambridge), Richardsonâs (Somerville),
Cocktailbars: CafĂ© Art Science (Cambridge), The Hawthorne (Fenway), Brick & Mortar (Cambridge), Drink (Fort Point), Backbar (Somerville), Ames Street Deli (Cambridge), Wink & Nod (Bay Village, t), Trinaâs (Somerville),
Anything I missed: Gustazo Cuban (Waltham), Casa B (Carribean, Somerville), The Frogmore (Southern, Brookline), Setaâs CafĂ© (Armenian, Belmont), Vejigantes (Puerto Rico, South End), Teranga (Senegalese, South End), Penang (Malaysia, Chinatown), Mi Tierra (Waltham), Karibu (African, Waltham), La Perle (Haitian, Everett), Orinoco (Venezuela, Cambridge),
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The Table, and The Table at Season to Taste, are not the same place.
The only Regina worth going to is the original, in the North End. You missed Taberna de Haro for Spanish â really good. Lala Rokh on Beacon Hill is another Persian option. I prefer the Lexington location of Il Casale to the Belmont location, YMMV. Erbaluce is a knockout. CafĂ© Sushi is sort of two restaurants in one: the board specials and omakase are amazing, the standard menu nothing special. Different sushi chefs involved. Welcome to MA!
lineage will be closing 9/1.
am not really sure how you cobbled all this together, but places like giacomoâs arenât worth the bother and not in league with coppa or erbaluce by any stretch.
1665, formerly ribelle, is doing pretty basic bistro fare at this point, so not much of a destination anymore.
bar boulud has a celebrity chef name on the door but the food is meh at best. (itâs in back bay, not fenway. lots of your neighborhoods are mixed-up, btw, but you will learn.)
some other thoughts i put on your chowhound thread.
Neighborhoods were mainly based on a 2 second view on Google Maps and many were often between multiple possible parts of Boston
All restaurants are based on postive recommendations from here and CH but not only focusing on the few best in each category
Though Iâve not been, pretty sure Casa B is not lively Caribbean cuisine, but lovely Spanish tapas.
@GretchenS so curious to hear why you prefer Il Casale Lex to Belmont. We are equidistant from both but the Lex spot is preferred since we can bike to it with our spring onion in tow. Our one experience at IC Lex a couple of summers ago was quite bad but if they have improved, Iâd love to hear about it. If youâve already posted about it, please direct meâŠIâm in and out of the (food) loop these days. Thanks.
CasaB is definitely âSpanish Caribbeanâ.
There are some traditional Spanish European elements (Cabrales cheese, for example) but there is a huge Caribbean influence. The owners are from Puerto Rico and coastal Colombia.
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@digga, I went once to the Belmont location and it did not feel welcoming or warm and the price-value ration wasnât there for me but that was 2 or 3 years ago, it may be better now. Il Casale Lexington is near work and has become our preferred place to take out of town colleagues. We have always found the vibe very hospitable and the food reliably delicious. Now granted those dinners are paid for by the company but I have gone there a couple of times with friends as well and while it is not a cheap bite I never feel fleeced as I have always been really happy with the food and service. Maybe Iâve just been lucky but at this point itâs been probably 7 or 8 visits. One thing that exemplifies why we like it for work dinners is the apps (like the meatballs and arrancini) are smilingly sized to bring one for each person, no nonsense about you get 3 to an order, how many orders do you want? And they are happy to swap out the set-ups if the entrĂ©e you want comes with something you donât want.
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The locations definitely need work. No. 9 Park is across from the State House and Boston Common. The âCambridgeâ designations probably wonât be very helpful for planning, since Cambridge is pretty big. E.g. Helmand near Lechmere is a LONG way from Harvest (Harvard Square). Listing âFenwayâ for Island Creek (Kenmore Square) and Select Oyster (Back Bay) is a stretch.
Since I at least hope a lot of different people with different questions and coming from different locations will benefit from all posts here, yes, location is important, for anyone walking, driving, or taking public transportation.
thatâs about everyone. Almost every restaurant listed has a web site, or Facebook, or twitter, and yes, everyone can google for themselves. MBTA.com has a great planning tool to enter from and to addresses, and google as a backup for bus and subway directions is sometimes better. Boston neighborhood names and street naming are legendary for causing confusion. I used to love
the http://www.amazon.com/Boston-Drivers-Handbook-Streets-Almost/dp/0306813262
It seems the OP is going to re locate from San Diego to Watertown. Thatâs a big learning curve in so many ways. Lechmere is a long way from Harvard Square, and I thought that even before I got a few joint replacements. Itâs all relative, and adding looking for mostly not available parking makes it even more complex.
That said, it doesnât help other visitors/re locators to misname neighborhoods. Just get the name of the restaurant correct and others can find it.
But itâs not that this is unique to Boston. People write Santa Monica, Hollywood etc for LA locations or Hillcrest, North Park ect. for SD or Noe Valley etc for SF locations and these are also hugh areas which are not easily accessible by foot or even car/parking. Boston has a much better public transportation system which makes location much less an issue. When I was recently in Boston I had actual traveled from Lechmere to Harvard - very easy. A similar distant in SD, LA or SF would have taken much more time
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itâs not unique to lots of places and google maps or waze can find pretty much anything, however, i donât see the point in tagging with neighborhoods when much of what you have is not right. sorry.
no. 9 is beacon hill as the west end no longer exists; geneâs is downtown crossing; select oyster is back bay; josephine and icob are kenmore , etc.
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Just ignore the neighborhoods as it is mainly helpful for us to know roughly the neighborhoods
sure, sorry, i know it may seem kind of nitpicky, but for people on foot it can make a big difference.
This level of specificity is something you canât appreciate until you live here. I am constantly corrected when I try to âplaceâ things. Often it isnât that Iâm wrong, it is more that Iâm not specific enough.
DangâŠtough crowd. Yâall should be editors. 
As a native New Englander, I didnât catch the âmistakes.â Frankly, I think honkman has provided an excellent round-up, especially as an out-of-towner. (When I am visiting a new place, I confirm places by Googling.)
Honkman strikes me as being quite savvy. Shall we try to be more welcoming? Welcome Honkman and thanks for your contributions already!
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