Highest-rated fine dining restaurants in the Boston area by diners
Highest-rated fine dining restaurants in the Boston area by diners
Fine dining in the United States isn't what it used to be. Many customers are no longer interested in classic white tablecloths and 16-ounce New York strips; these days, it's all about cutting-edge culinary experiences.
Although steakhouses have defined fine dining in America since the 19th century, that started to change in the mid-1990s. Elite chefs like Thomas Keller and his three-Michelin-starred restaurant, French Laundry, unearthed a whole different kind of tasting experience (with 40 courses), and a new age of fine dining was born. Soon, prix fixe meals—a French style of serving with a set menu—became the norm for fine dining in the U.S.
Between the rise of chefs' tasting menus and consumers' continued desire to have diverse culinary experiences, the restaurants that grace the pages of top-tier restaurant reviewers like Zagat or the Michelin Guide look very different today than they did 30 years ago. Restaurant goers aren't just looking for high-quality food. They want the type of menu that will tell a story. They want creative ingredients they've never tried before. They want to be transported into a whole new world.
With so many innovative menus and restaurant experiences popping up across America, it can be challenging to choose where to go for a special evening. Stacker compiled a list of the highest-rated fine dining restaurants in the Boston area using data from Yelp. Businesses were selected using Yelp's ranking system, which calculates an adjusted rating value that takes into account the number of ratings as well as the rating score itself.
Only businesses with at least five reviews and at least level 2 pricing (i.e., $$ to $$$$) were considered. Also, in an effort to highlight independent businesses and local chains, those with five or more locations nationally (based on Yelp data) were not included. Restaurants in certain lower-cost categories (like "diners," "buffets," and "food trucks") were excluded. Data is as of June 25, 2025.
Read on to find a potential restaurant for your next special meal out!
#29. Alma Gaucha
- Rating: 4.3/5 (182 reviews)
- Price level: $$$$
- Address: 401 D St. Boston Boston, Massachusetts
- Categories: Steakhouses, Desserts, Brazilian
- Read more on Yelp
#28. The Elephant Walk
- Rating: 4.3/5 (340 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1415 Washington St. Boston, Massachusetts
- Categories: Cambodian, French, Cocktail Bars
- Read more on Yelp
#27. Barcelona Wine Bar
- Rating: 4.3/5 (1937 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 1700 Beacon St. Brookline, Massachusetts
- Categories: Tapas/Small Plates, Spanish, Wine Bars
- Read more on Yelp
#26. Bistro 5
- Rating: 4.3/5 (306 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 5 Playstead Road Medford, Massachusetts
- Categories: Italian, Modern European
- Read more on Yelp
#25. Mamma Maria
- Rating: 4.3/5 (1018 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 3 North Sq Boston, Massachusetts
- Categories: Italian
- Read more on Yelp
#24. Oleana Restaurant
- Rating: 4.3/5 (1911 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 134 Hampshire St. Cambridge, Massachusetts
- Categories: Mediterranean
- Read more on Yelp
#23. Pammy's
- Rating: 4.3/5 (498 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 928 Massachusetts Ave. Cambridge, Massachusetts
- Categories: Italian, New American
- Read more on Yelp
#22. Celeste
- Rating: 4.3/5 (286 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 21 Bow St. Somerville, Massachusetts
- Categories: Peruvian, Latin American, Seafood
- Read more on Yelp
#21. Giulia
- Rating: 4.3/5 (615 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 1682 Massachusetts Ave. Cambridge, Massachusetts
- Categories: Italian, Wine Bars, Cocktail Bars
- Read more on Yelp
#20. O Ya
- Rating: 4.4/5 (851 reviews)
- Price level: $$$$
- Address: 9 East St. Place Boston, Massachusetts
- Categories: Japanese
- Read more on Yelp
#19. Ostra
- Rating: 4.4/5 (678 reviews)
- Price level: $$$$
- Address: 1 Charles St. South Boston, Massachusetts
- Categories: Seafood
- Read more on Yelp
#18. Field & Vine
- Rating: 4.4/5 (180 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 9 Sanborn Court Somerville, Massachusetts
- Categories: New American, Bars, Live/Raw Food
- Read more on Yelp
#17. Barcelona Wine Bar South End
- Rating: 4.4/5 (1587 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 525 Tremont St. Boston, Massachusetts
- Categories: Spanish, Wine Bars, Tapas/Small Plates
- Read more on Yelp
#16. JiangNan - Boston
- Rating: 4.4/5 (300 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 177 Tremont St. Boston, Massachusetts
- Categories: Chinese
- Read more on Yelp
#15. SRV Boston
- Rating: 4.4/5 (622 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 569 Columbus Ave. Boston, Massachusetts
- Categories: Italian, Wine Bars
- Read more on Yelp
#14. Ariana Restaurant
- Rating: 4.4/5 (511 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 384 Western Ave. Brighton, Massachusetts
- Categories: Afghan
- Read more on Yelp
#13. Fin Point Oyster Bar & Grill
- Rating: 4.4/5 (593 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 89 Broad St. Boston, Massachusetts
- Categories: Seafood, Breakfast & Brunch, Cocktail Bars
- Read more on Yelp
#12. Sarma
- Rating: 4.4/5 (1339 reviews)
- Price level: $$$$
- Address: 249 Pearl St. Somerville, Massachusetts
- Categories: Middle Eastern, Tapas/Small Plates, Mediterranean
- Read more on Yelp
#11. Mooncusser
- Rating: 4.4/5 (199 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 304 Stuart St. Boston, Massachusetts
- Categories: Seafood
- Read more on Yelp
#10. Moonshine 152
- Rating: 4.4/5 (645 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 152 Dorchester Ave. Boston, Massachusetts
- Categories: New American, Asian Fusion
- Read more on Yelp
#9. Ma Maison
- Rating: 4.5/5 (552 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 272 Cambridge St. Boston, Massachusetts
- Categories: French, Cocktail Bars, Wine Bars
- Read more on Yelp
#8. Fuji at Ink Block
- Rating: 4.5/5 (753 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 352 Harrison Ave. Ste B Boston, Massachusetts
- Categories: Japanese, Sushi Bars, Cocktail Bars
- Read more on Yelp
#7. Isabella Ristorante
- Rating: 4.5/5 (543 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 2 Prince St. Boston, Massachusetts
- Categories: Italian
- Read more on Yelp
#6. Talulla
- Rating: 4.5/5 (118 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 377 Walden St. Cambridge, Massachusetts
- Categories: New American, Seafood
- Read more on Yelp
#5. Matsunori Handroll Bar
- Rating: 4.5/5 (237 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 900 Beacon St. Unit A Boston, Massachusetts
- Categories: Japanese, Seafood, Sushi Bars
- Read more on Yelp
#4. Carmelina's
- Rating: 4.5/5 (4059 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 307 Hanover St. Boston, Massachusetts
- Categories: Italian
- Read more on Yelp
#3. Aqua Pazza
- Rating: 4.6/5 (313 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 135 Richmond St. Boston, Massachusetts
- Categories: Italian, Seafood
- Read more on Yelp
#2. Krasi
- Rating: 4.6/5 (528 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 48 Gloucester St. Boston, Massachusetts
- Categories: Mediterranean, Greek, Wine Bars
- Read more on Yelp
#1. Season to Taste
- Rating: 4.6/5 (293 reviews)
- Price level: $$$$
- Address: 1678 Massachusetts Ave. Cambridge, Massachusetts
- Categories: New American
- Read more on Yelp
This story features data reporting by Wade Zhou and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 319 metros.
