Restaurants in Weston

Chinatown can be a bit intimidating.  The myriad of streets over lapping each other in a haphazard fashion, all lined with bustling restaurants adorned with colorful awnings decorated with their names, menus in the windows listing their fare in both English as well as Chinese, or Cantonese. But how do you tell which is good and which is better passed by?  Even more so, once you’re seated, how do you know what to order? Some spots make it easy on their clientele.  Gourmet Dumpling House is widely regarded as one of the best places in Chinatown, and here I let the name guide me when ordering - their dumplings are out of this world.  They specialize in a variety of types of dumplings, steamed to pan fried, with vegetarian fillings to meat fillings, however, I have to guide you to the Juicy Dumplings.  Often called Soup Dumplings, these little steamed pockets of perfection contain either crab meat and pork or just pork with a healthy addition of broth.  One does need to take some care when eating these treasures, as the broth can make for a messier experience, but the combination of the dumpling with the filling and the soup makes a perfect bite every time. Perhaps you’re more of a Steamed Pork Bun fan?  A sandwich of sorts with a “bun” so pillowy soft that it feels like a cloud encompassing artfully seasoned pork, sometimes accomplanied by veggies or a spicy mayo, and sometimes served clean, as is.  Mei Sum is the go to spot for these, with very honorable mentions at Chau Chow City and China Pearl. Looking for a good first date spot?  Head to The Q Restaurant for their Mongolian Hot Pot.  Hot Pot allows diners to choose their broths, their vegetables, their meats and create their own unique dinners right at their own table.   Differing a bit from the standard fare, Hot Pot is incredibly interactive, fun for a group or to help smooth out any awkward corners in the dating world. Chinatown is a large section in the city and is comprised of much more than just the restaurants listed here.  It’s streets contain many markets, pharmacies and the like all stocked with imported goods from China, each with their own unique feel.  If you are interested in learning more, there are phenomenal tours offered through Boston Food Tours that will guide you through the neighborhood and offer answers to all those questions you have. No matter what you’re looking for, I urge you to get out and explore the great Chinatown, treasures are sure to be found. Hungry for more? Explore all of our Boston restaurant deals.

Lobster; simply say the word and almost immediately sighs of pleasure are audibly heard.  There is something about the sweet meat of this crustacean that makes us all giddy with excitement.  Served whole with a bib and shell crackers in a seaside village, or just the tail accompanying a perfect steak in the finest restaurant, or, perhaps best of all, casually tossed into a toasted hot dog bun for on the go meals- lobster is a much loved protein.  Of course, lobster isn’t an everyday food.  Lobster is a luxury, however, it wasn’t always that way. In the 18th and 19th centuries lobsters were so plentiful in the New England waters that they would wash ashore and form massive piles on the beaches.  They were known as a poor man’s food, they were used as bait, as fertilizer, and routinely served to prisoners.  It wasn’t until the mid 1800’s that people began to see the greatness of the lobster and began eating it as a delicacy.  By World War II, lobster had become a hot commodity and prices skyrocketed. Today, Lobster prices keep its status as a special treat, however there are no shortages of great spots to indulge in a decadent lobster roll around Boston. We make them in both the traditional style (lobster meat tossed with just drawn butter and served warm) and in the state of Maine’s signature style which uses mayonnaise and chilled meat.  Both varieties are plentiful, and luckily Boston knows how to make an appropriate lobster roll - which means each roll is packed to the gills with fresh lobster meat. Kicking off the Maine-style lobster rolls is James Hook and Co., a lobster and seafood shipping company that opened its doors in 1925.  Primarily a lobster distributer, the Hook ships its lobsters all over the US, both in wholesale and to individuals through their online store.  The real treat of the James Hook, however, lies in its walk-in storefront/counter service restaurant.  Sitting right on the Harborwalk, at the gateway to Boston’s newly redeveloped Seaport district, the unassuming structure is easily missed. However those who find it are treated to bowls of fresh chowder, select entrée options, such as lobster mac and cheese, and, above all else, lobster rolls made to order.  There isn’t anything “fancy” about this roll, a simple top opened hot dog roll, toasted or not (customers preference) and then stuffed full of huge hunks of lobster meat dressed lightly with mayonnaise alone. Take it to go, and enjoy on the gorgeous harborwalk, it’s a perfect Boston meal. Further into the Seaport area there sit two more spots to feast on lobster rolls, the newly opened Row 34, and Yankee Lobster which has been in operation both in wholesale and retail since 1950.  Row 34 is owned by the management team behind Island Creek Oyster Bar in Kenmore Square and Lineage in Brookline.  This means that chef Jeremy Sewall has once again reached out to his cousin, the lobster fisherman, to source fresh lobster every day.  They have a few lobster rolls on the menu, and encompass both the traditional and the Maine style, and both come in the standard top split hot dog roll, lightly buttered and grilled to perfection.  Yankee Lobster creates their roll in the Maine style, chilled lobster meat spilling from the bun, dressed with mayonnaise and then enhanced with just a bit of celery and seasoning.  Yankee Lobster is a very low key restaurant, with their wholesale operation in the back, and their location directly on the water in the seaport district.  Eating here is like taking a step back in time when the area was full of seafood processing facilities, and before the fancy new spots moved in.  It’s no frills approach is often referred to as “real Boston”, and is definitely one for the books. The most talked about lobster roll in Boston however is served at a tiny restaurant in the North End known as Neptune Oyster.  The wait for a table can be quite long, however their roll, served in either variety is well worth it.  My preference here is their warm traditional roll.  This decadent feast can only be eaten with a fork and knife as it is far too large to handle otherwise.  My favorite thing to do, wander in here at an off time in the afternoon, dine on an enormous lobster roll with its accompanying French fries and sip a class of something sparkling.  That is a truly perfect meal. While lobsters may not be as readily available as they once were, no matter your preference for lobster rolls, you won’t be disappointed in Boston.  They are made throughout the city, each in their own signature way, and are sure to satisfy!

The North End is Boston’s Little Italy, an area of sheer bliss for any Italian food lover. This is Boston’s oldest neighborhood, with buildings dating back to the 17th century. In the 1800’s, it was the first stop for many Italian immigrants; generations later, you can still hear Italian spoken in shops and on the streets. Today its narrow and twisty streets are chock-a-block with cafés, restaurants, bakeries, gelato shops, bars and Italian specialty stores. It’s an adventure just to stroll through the neighborhood and read the menus displayed outside the restaurants. But as true aficionados know, “Italian” is too generic a term. Here, you can narrow down what type of food experience you want by region: Napoli, Sicily, Abruzzi, Lombardy, Piedmont and so on. Cozy, romantic, and upscale, Mamma Maria has been serving Northern Italian cuisine in its gorgeous row house setting for more than 40 years. Five dining rooms of differing sizes make the space feel very intimate, and the familial service is always topnotch. Though the menu changes daily, diners can usually count on the delicious and classically-prepared osso buco with saffron risotto, considering its popularity among local eaters. While Mamma Maria feels like a hidden gem, Ristorante Villa Francesca feels like a warm embrace, especially when its full-size windows on the street are wide open, and passersby get to glimpse the tempting Italian seafood on patrons’ plates. The prix fixe seafood dinner is one of the best deals around, offering dishes like lobster ravioli and cioppino (a mixed seafood stew of clams, mussels, calamari, fish and shrimp), plus a dessert for a very reasonable price. Perhaps less upscale, but no less beloved, is Regina Pizzeria, which has been serving up pies since 1926, each one cooked in its brick ovens. For many, the North End simply means a slice at Regina’s, and though there are other branches, the North End outpost is a classic, where nothing but pizza, sbeer and wine) is available. Some restaurants in the North End don’t serve dessert, allowing the numerous pastry shops and cafés to own that course. Mike’s Pastry on Hanover Street is world-renowned for its cannolis, and just one block away, also on Hanover, is Modern Pastry, which can hold its own against Mike’s and usually has much shorter lines. Though, in this part of the city, it’s easy to stumble upon a gelateria, pastry house or low-key Italian joint that serves up superior versions of hearty foods you’ve been eating your whole life. That’s why locals and tourists alike flock to the Italian-centric North End.