Best of Boston

2007 Best Restaurant for People Watching

Toro

What’s as rich as Toro’s cheese plate, has as much flavor as its olive oil-roasted Brussels sprouts, and is as undeniably saucy as its patatas bravas? The neighborhood designers and artists, in-the-know real estate movers and shakers, and local restaurateurs who—without fail, seven nights a week—flock to chef-owner Ken Oringer’s no-reservations hot spot from happy hour till closing time. Rubbing elbows with such characters over cava at the raucous bar makes waiting for a table seem like a perk, not a burden.

1704 Washington St., Boston, 617-536-4300,