8 Dishes to Try Before You Leave Boston
Ordered by how iconic each is — the dishes that tell the city's story
1
The closest thing to a city dish — big chunks of lobster meat in a buttered, toasted split-top hot dog bun. Two styles: Maine (cold, lightly tossed with mayo) and Connecticut (warm, with melted butter). Both are delicious in different ways — firm, sweet meat from the Atlantic. Prices follow the season; summer lobster is the cheapest and freshest. Try it at Neptune Oyster or a harborside spot.
2
"Chowdah" in the Boston accent — a thick cream soup with clams, potato, onion, and bacon, served hot in a bowl or a hollowed-out sourdough bread bowl. It's New England comfort food eaten year-round. Rich but not heavy, with fresh clams. Every seafood spot has it, but the Union Oyster House (the oldest continuously operating restaurant in America) is the one to try at least once.
3
The Massachusetts and Maine coasts are world-class oyster grounds — Wellfleet and Island Creek are names oyster lovers know. Fresh, with the briny minerality of cold water, eaten raw with lemon, mignonette (shallot vinegar), or cocktail sauce. Raw bars often run happy hours at USD 1–2 an oyster — great value. Neptune Oyster in the North End is the legend: long lines but worth it. Go in the afternoon to skip the evening wait.
4
Called a pie but really a cake — two layers of sponge filled with vanilla custard and topped with chocolate ganache. Invented at Boston's Parker House hotel in 1856 and now the official Massachusetts state dessert. Not too sweet, with smooth custard and rich chocolate. Try the original at the Omni Parker House (where it was created) or at bakeries citywide — a truly Boston way to end a meal.
5
The North End is Boston's Little Italy, and cannoli is the neighborhood dessert — a crisp fried shell filled with sweet, rich ricotta cream, some shops dusting on chocolate chips or pistachio. The trick: the filling is piped fresh to order (not left to sit) so the shell stays crisp. Boston's never-ending debate is "Mike's Pastry or Modern Pastry" — both on the same street. Try both and decide; both have long evening lines.
6
Boston is nicknamed "Beantown" because of these — navy beans slow-baked with molasses and salt pork until tender, sweet, and salty, deep brown in color. A colonial-era dish woven into the city's history. Today you'll find it at traditional American restaurants and as a side with seafood or barbecue. The molasses-forward sweetness is classic New England. Try it as a side in a big meal.
7
A legacy of the North End's Italian community — a long roll stuffed with ham, salami, mortadella, provolone, lettuce, tomato, and onion, dressed with olive oil and vinegar and a sprinkle of oregano, overflowing. Old Italian delis in the neighborhood do it best. A great-value, very filling lunch — different from chain subs thanks to fresh ingredients and a generous fill. Try it with an Italian soda.
Boston is home to Samuel Adams (Boston Beer Co.), a pioneer of American craft beer, and the city is full of small breweries — Boston Beer Co. has a Jamaica Plain brewery with tastings, and Trillium and Harpoon are names beer fans should try. The taprooms are casual, perfect after a full day on the Freedom Trail. Try the classic Boston Lager or a seasonal — it's the drinking culture of this college city.