Best of Boston

Two decades after opening its doors, Hamersley’s turns out the same straightforwardly delicious French bistro food that made it, along with chef-owner Gordon Hamersley, a national sensation. You can play it safe and order the justly celebrated roast chicken, but we think you’ll be equally enchanted by newer standards such as the halibut and clam roast with bacon-braised greens. And while the well-appointed dining room is lovely enough, during the summer the sprawling brick patio—on the most desirable corner in the South End, hands down—is an unbeatable spot to take in a meal.