Best of Boston

2012 Best Beacon Hill Restaurant

Grotto

A stone’s throw from the gold-domed capitol, Grotto is a quietly luxurious refuge for well-to-do Beacon Hill residents looking to escape touristy Charles Street for a light lunch or dinner (a prix fixe is offered daily). And when they want something heartier, there are dishes like house-made ;tagliatelle or beef tenderloin over creamy risotto. But the three words that keep Beacon Hillers—and a lucky few hoi polloi—returning time and time again: banana bread pudding.

37 Bowdoin St., Boston, 617-227-3434, grottorestaurant.com