C Salt Wine Bar & Grille
In the land of beach bars and clam shacks, C Salt is a breath of fresh (salt) air. This tiny house looks more like a ski chalet than an oyster bar, but the locals who pack the dining room don't let that distract them. From an open kitchen, chef Jonathan Philips turns out root-beer-braised short ribs and a spicy tuna tartar tostada with avocado-cilantro aioli worth bottling. The clincher: the coldest, stiffest martini we've ever enjoyed. 75 Davis Straits, Falmouth, MA 02540, csaltfalmouth.com.
Grill 23
If Boston’s love affair with all things techy and new ever wears you down, remember: Practice makes perfect, and few steakhouses have fed us for as long or as flawlessly as Grill 23. In the clubby dining room, staffers ferry platters of oysters on ice followed by darkly crusted, tickle-me-pink cuts of salty meat. No gimmicks, no trends. As at any great steakhouse, seafood and sides satisfy—but better to simply order the 100-day dry-aged rib-eye, lean back, and enjoy the timeless atmosphere. 161_Berkeley St., Boston, MA 02116, grill23.com.
The Institute of Contemporary Art
Where else can you spend date night dancing to live DJs, eating oysters on the harbor, and checking out a Shepard Fairey original? With some of the best waterfront views in town, the museum itself is a sleek architectural masterpiece—a place to see world-class contemporary art and be seen at the institute’s rocking First Fridays events, which feature live outdoor performances. Armed with 20 recently donated works from philanthropist Barbara Lee, the 80-year-old museum is getting fresher every day. 25 Harbor Shore Dr., Boston, MA 02210, icaboston.org.
KingFish Hall
Unless your mother has the culinary savoir-faire of Todd English, you likely did not grow up on "chowdah" that tasted anything like what you'll find at KingFish Hall. Hence, the house's smartly dubbed "Not the Clam Chowder Your Mother Made," a perfect blend of cream, clams, and potatoes, served with homemade oyster crackers. Should you get bored with the original concoction, there's always the lobster and corn chowder, or the mouthwatering gumbo and bisque. 188 South Market Building, Faneuil Hall Marketplace, Boston, MA .
Marliave
This romantic hideaway is just far enough from Washington Street so you don't feel trapped in the Downtown Crossing mosh pit. Bonus—dollar oysters and clams are offered from 4 to 6 p.m., and 9 to 10 p.m., daily. What to Order: The pan-roasted chicken with risotto; mussels with roasted tomatoes. 10 Bosworth St., Boston, MA marliave.com.
Upstairs on the Square
Amid pastel-colored walls (so charming!), fireplaces (so cozy!), and food like Wellfleet oysters on the half shell with yuzu ice (so flirtatious!), what makes this the Hub's most romantic option is the space. Specifically, that there's lots of it. Amorous ambiance is so often ruined by patrons who are positioned a little too close and talking a little too loudly. At UpStairs on the Square, it's private enough to murmur juicy tidbits and sweet nothings with abandon. 91 Winthrop St., Cambridge, MA 2138, upstairsonthesquare.com.
East Coast Grill
You can concoct your own cocktail at the bloody mary bar, but why bother when these master mixologists can whip up delicacies like the oyster shooter—a tender bivalve nestled in a bloody mary shot? Even the entrées are a twist on the norm: The cornbread-crusted French toast comes with tropical fruit, and the Mexican omelet is loaded with avocado, beans, cheese, and salsa. 1271 Cambridge St., Cambridge, MA eastcoastgrill.net.
Oishii
Faithful followers suggest that perennial Best of Boston winner Oishii serves the best sushi in New England. Rare (and delectably dangerous) options such as blowfish hold court with traditional rolls and sashimi creations. Don't miss the toro tata, Kumamoto oyster sushi, and hamachi torched maki topped with caviar. Note to claustrophobes: The Chestnut Hill location is tiny. 612 Hammond St., Chestnut Hill, MA oishiiboston.com.
Alpha Omega Fine Jewelry and Watches
Decide to update from your Timex Indigo or last year's candy-colored Swatch? Alpha Omega has watches for people who have arrived (on time, of course). No need to settle for cliché—even Rolex offers a modern classic, the Cellini line, as well as the venerable Oyster. Each maker seems to display a singular character along with the hour: genteel Baume & Mercier, brazen Bulgari, obsessive Tissot, and precious Ulysse Nardin. 57 JFK St., Cambridge, MA .
The Tall Ship Boston
What do you do with a massive dilapidated pier jutting out into the harbor? If you’re the Navy Yard Hospitality Group, you turn it into the hottest waterfront party spot in town. On the deck of a refurbished tall ship turned oyster bar and an adjacent pier, hundreds of well-dressed revelers play lawn games, sip vodka-crans, and groove to live music in the summer sun — all on what used to be a weed-strewn slab. Quite the makeover, indeed. 1 E Pier Dr., East Boston, MA 02128, tallshipboston.com.
Eventide Fenway
Neither rain, nor heat, nor pandemic will keep a Bostonian from a great lobster roll. Given the zealous following for this fast-casual clam shack moderne’s distinctive iteration—served on a fluffy steamed bao—it only makes sense that it would be a centerpiece of Eventide’s takeout game, a comprehensive program that also includes unshucked oysters and the heavenly fried-fish sandwich. 1321 Boylston St., Boston, MA 02215, eventideoysterco.com.
Les Zygomates
Gleaming, deep-cup Island Creek oysters. Salty-sweet Wellfleets. Fleshy shrimp and crab so tender, they go down in one gulp. This is the ocean's bounty as originally interpreted by way of French brasseries: an icy onslaught of shellfish that is mostly raw (of course), but occasionally cooked (as with the Jonah crab claws). Everything is so fresh, the sauces and mignonettes ought to be superfluous—and yet they're so damn tasty, you can't leave them alone. 129 South St., Boston, MA 2111, winebar.com.
Catch
It's safe to say Chris Parsons has a love affair with New England seafood. The menus at his diminutive Winchester restaurant read like a roll call of the Atlantic's tastiest yield: salt-roasted Wellfleet clams with chorizo; fried Island Creek oysters with snap peas and baby basil; Maine lobster with bacon and chanterelles. Add in Parsons's strong commitment to produce from local, sustainable farms, and Catch is, well, an excellent catch. 34 Church St., Winchester, MA 1890, catchrestaurant.com.
The Net Result
Can a place that rolls sushi really be considered a clam shack? For the Net Result, we'll bend the rules. The legendary Vineyard Haven fish market deals in only the freshest catch—its suppliers drop off their hauls several times a day—including shrimp, sea and bay scallops, king crab, squid, and scrod. The takeout counter hawks overstuffed lobster rolls and heaping plates of crispy clam bellies, oysters, and assorted other crustaceans and bivalves. And, yes, the sushi's pretty damn good, too. 79 Beach Rd., Vineyard Haven, MA 2568, .
Riva
Italian food means many things to many people. At Riva it means a lusty love of fresh flavors, simple preparations, and family-friendly but still serious—and seriously good—dishes. Gather by the fireplaces over grilled oyster ;spiedini, or dig into gemelli with spicy sausage and broccoli rabe outside on the patio for a taste of Italy that doesn't require a transatlantic plane ride. 116 Front St., Scituate Harbor, MA 2066, rivarestaurant.net.