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The 7 best new Boston restaurants of 2023

A photo of Red logo
by Valerie Li Stack
Updated 18 December 2023

Old guards staging comebacks; newer arrivals championing underrepresented flavors: Boston is no stranger to ambitious chefs setting up shops, and many next-level restaurant openings made it an especially exciting food city in 2023.

From a New York Times-recognized Dorchester star that serves food from the African diaspora to a soulful Greek spot in Brookline by a James Beard Award-winning team, these standout restaurants prove that the competition is as fierce—and delicious—as ever in Boston. Read on for a guide to the city’s best restaurant debuts of 2023.

A photo of Eastern Standard restaurant
4.5
4.5 (741)
$31 to $50
American
Fenway–Kenmore
About the restaurant

After a three-year hiatus, James Beard Award-nominated restaurateur Garrett Harker and co. launched a rebooted version of their beloved French-American brasserie in a swanky new spot in October. The menu carries over nostalgic hits like salt cod fritters, skinny French fries, and butterscotch bread pudding, and the marble-clad dining room channels a timeless aesthetic. What’s brand-new is the neighboring Art Deco-inspired cocktail bar, Equal Measure (owned by the same team), which diners can get to from Eastern Standard itself. Most prime-time reservations for October were snapped up just days after the restaurant reopened, underscoring its undeniable local-favorite status.


Top review
robertvip
Dined 6 days ago
A great, varied menu to suit everyone and all occasions. We love Eastern Standard!
A photo of Bar Vlaha restaurant
4.9
4.9 (742)
$30 and under
Greek
Brookline
About the restaurant

Bar Vlaha is led by the James Beard Award-winning team behind Mediterranean wine bar Krasi and all about lesser-seen Greek specialities. Its name is an ode to northern Greece’s nomadic Vlach community, which explains its earthy menu, heavy on grilled lamb, goat and sheep milk cheeses, plus a deep wine list featuring many Greek imports. Boston magazine dubbed Vlaha “Brookline’s hottest restaurant” just a few months after it opened its doors in March, and the restaurant’s super niche approach continues to earn it local cred. Bar Vlaha is now also open for brunch and draws weekend crowds for comforting, mountain-inspired food like lamb souvla with fried eggs and pork and fennel sausage in puff pastry.


Top review
Beth
Dined 4 days ago
Food was amazing and service was superlative. Great drinks, great ambiance. A local gem.
A photo of Comfort Kitchen restaurant
4.7
4.7 (611)
$31 to $50
Global, International
Dorchester
About the restaurant

Comfort Kitchen was one of Boston’s first—and hottest—new openings of 2023, confirmed by its place on The New York Times’s annual best restaurant list and recent Boston magazine award. The cafe-restaurant stands out for its eclectic African diaspora-inspired menu—the jerk-roasted duck leg with rice and Haitian pickled vegetable relish and yassa chicken with cassava dumplings are must-orders. Owners Biplaw Rai and Kwasi Kwaa, who come from Nepal and Ghana respectively, are determined to show that food is the ultimate connector, and that global, noble mission makes Comfort Kitchen one of the most sought-after reservations in the city right now.


Top review
Paulvip
Dined 3 days ago
So at the heart of it, it’s really all about the food and the food here is Wonder Full. Yeah my partner, and I often talk about the seasonings, but in this case, it was so much more it was the subtle layers or the blending together like a ballet of flavors, components, and cooking methods. We weren’t sure if it would be as good as all the hype, but it is the room is very small and it’s hard not to be somewhere in the room where it’s tight. But the service which was connected, efficient and caring was impressive. We signed up for the New Year’s Eve dinner on the spot. So glad to have these people who own and run this restaurant in such a community and caring manner close by and a neighborhood which is generally overlooked for restaurants of any quality. BRAVO!
A photo of Silver Dove Afternoon Tea restaurant
4.8
4.8 (490)
$31 to $50
Afternoon Tea
Faneuil Hall
About the restaurant

Boston’s chicest new tearoom launched in early March and comes from Drink alums Patrick Brewster and Lee Morgan. Its intricately decorated storefront stands out in Faneuil Hall—but rest assured, it’s not just for tourists, judging from some recent Boston Globe love. Silver Dove is locally adored for its fit-for-a-king coronation chicken, cucumber sandwiches, and 30 kinds of loose-leaf tea, which include rare blends from Kyoto and London. Add luscious interiors, made up of brocade wallpaper, rich emerald fabrics, and gold accents for days, and you’ve got one of the most regal escapes in town.


Top review
Carolvip
Dined 1 day ago
Everything was fantastic. Our server made some great tea recommendations. If you go and they have the pistachio stuffed dates wrapped in prosciutto, you have to get them. They were absolutely delicious!! We're so glad we decided to try it. We really enjoyed it and will most definitely be back. We went after seeing A Christmas Carol. Definitely gave the holiday vibes.
A photo of Marseille restaurant
4.1
4.1 (416)
$31 to $50
French
South End
About the restaurant

This brasserie landed in the former Gaslight Brasserie du Coin (RIP) space in April and traded its predecessor’s red curtains and dark interiors for an airier, minimalist vibe. Marseille is also responsible for revitalizing Harrison Avenue’s otherwise sleepy dining scene. The sexy new addition was dreamt up by Loic Le Garrec of Petit Robert Bistro and Batifol fame and aces the French seafood test via its namesake city’s most famous dish, bouillabaisse. Not to mention over-the-top pastis cocktails and luxe add-ons like caviar.


Top review
NeusaS
Dined on 8 Dec 2024
Love love the experience will come back very soon. Became one of my favorite breakfast place.
A photo of Row 34 - Cambridge restaurant
4.7
4.7 (310)
$31 to $50
Seafood
Cambridge
About the restaurant

The third edition of one of Boston’s best seafood spots opened its Cambridge location in April, bringing pitch-perfect New England classics to a sprawling bi-level space in Kendall Square. Row 34 is led by renowned chef Jeremy Sewall, who is on a quest to serve regional delicacies that haven’t received much attention, like monkfish and jonah crab. The restaurant is one of the neighborhood’s most high-profile spots, turning heads for its roomy outdoor patio and gorgeous aquatic art installations by award-winning muralist Silvia Lopez Chavez.


Top review
Lee
Dined 2 days ago
Excellent food - great atmosphere. Conveniently located .
A photo of Prima restaurant
4.8
4.8 (743)
$31 to $50
Italian
Charlestown
About the restaurant

Taking over one of Boston’s most storied restaurant spaces—one that belonged to chef Todd English’s Mediterranean icon, Olives—is no easy feat. But this glamorous Italian steakhouse stepped up to the challenge. Prima is a velvety, sceney celebration spot and has been perpetually packed since it opened in June. Though the group behind it is best known for neighborhood gems like Waverly Kitchen and Bar and Lincoln Tavern and Restaurant, it stepped away from its comfort zone for this see-and-be-seen restaurant where highlights include a mozzarella bar and parchment paper-wrapped hake with shrimps and clams.


Top review
Jill
Dined 5 days ago
Top notch food, selection, staff and ambiance. Andrew the manager is attentive to customers. Great experience!
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