Best of Boston

2003 Best Irish Restaurant

Matt Murphy’s Pub

For a city with an Irish bar on every block, Boston is decidedly short on palatable Irish fare. The exception is this enclave of green cuisine in Brookline Village, which serves up traditional Gaelic dishes with a modern twist. Rabbit pie comes tender in a soda bread crust; fish and chips are wrapped in newspaper to seal in the steam. Meals go down even easier with the help of a hefty board of farmers’ cheeses and some chunky, well-spiced homemade ketchup (not to mention the obligatory pints of Guinness). Service and consistency here have fallen off of late, but Murphy’s is still a shillelagh above the competition.

14 Harvard St., Brookline, 617-232-0188, mattmurphyspub.com