Where to Eat in Greater Boston in April 2024

Seamark’s lobster frites. / Photo by Paolo Verzani for Seamark Seafood & Cocktails

April is here; spring is…maybe here? Lately, some days have us ready for rooftop dining season and others have us pulling the winter boots back out, but whatever the weather, we’re eating well, whether we’re checking out exciting new spots or revisiting old favorites. Here’s the latest installment of our monthly guide on where to eat around Greater Boston—a mix of new restaurants, old restaurants doing new things, a few particularly great meals we’ve enjoyed lately, and a peek ahead at imminent openings. (Check out last month’s guide here.)

Jump to:

• New restaurants to try this month
• Older restaurants doing new things
• Staff recommendations
• Looking ahead

Also check out our recently updated dining guides: Date-night ideas | Edibles | Fish and chips | Irish pubs | Restaurants, cafés, and bars near Fenway Park

New Restaurants to Try This Month

Recent openings you’ve got to check out.

Dotty’s Kitchen & Raw Bar

Oysters and lobster rolls, anyone? Tasty cocktails pair perfectly with the freshest seafood at this neighborhood-y Quincy newbie, which is a reimagining of the longtime Townshend space (from the same team). Tinned fish options—such as spiced sardines in tomato sauce or scallops in Galician sauce—are also early winners.

1250 Hancock St., Quincy, 617-481-9694, dottyskitchen.com. 

Fish Taco’s crispy calamari on a squid ink flour tortilla. / Courtesy photo

Fish Taco

The folks behind Cambodian sandwich shop Suasday have converted its tiny North End space into Fish Taco, a “New England seafood shack meets street tacos,” as the team describes it. April 20 is the grand opening; watch social media for details (there’ll be free tacos involved). Primarily a takeout joint—but there are a handful of seats if you want to eat onsite—Fish Taco makes its flour tortillas and salsas from scratch and features rotating seafood options based on what’s available at the market, plus chicken, chorizo, and other fillings.

227 Hanover St., North End, Boston, 857-829-1299, fishtacotaco.com.

Fox & Flight

Fans of chef Karen Akunowicz’s Fox & the Knife, this one’s for you—as long as you have a ticket for a flight to or from Logan. Now open post-security at the airport, Akunowicz’s latest venture is a northern Italian-inspired getaway with comforting classics to prepare you for travel: black truffle arancini, rigatoni Bolognese, pork Milanese, and more—not to mention Campari margaritas and espresso martinis.

Boston Logan International Airport (Terminal A Satellite Concourse), East Boston, instagram.com/foxandflight.

Fuchunju

If you’ve ever dreamed of (carefully) slurping from an enormous soup dumpling with a straw, this newcomer will oblige—it’s one of the only spots in town to serve the dish. (See also: Malden’s Chinese mainstay District Kitchen.) There are normal-sized soup dumplings, too, served in an array of rainbow colors, and more—with a focus on Shanghainese dishes—from the crew behind swanky Jiang Nan nearby.

55 Beach St., Chinatown, Boston, 857-300-7449.

Kenzoku Mazesoba

Feeling hungry near Fenway? (Red Sox opening day is right around the corner, after all.) Kenzoku Mazesoba is now open and ready to oblige with a delicious carb feast: mazesoba (brothless ramen). When you finish your noodles, which are made fresh daily, you can order rice to mix in with the remaining sauce. Find Kenzoku right next door to another noodle-focused spot, Futago Udon. Noodle crawl!

506 Park Dr., Audubon Circle/Fenway, Boston, 617-608-3572, instagram.com/kenzoku.mazesoba.

Seamark’s lobster bisque. / Photo by Paolo Verzani for Seamark Seafood & Cocktails

Seamark Seafood & Cocktails

Hello, old friend: Chef Michael Schlow’s famous Radius burger will be resurrected at this glitzy seafood spot, where Schlow is chef-partner, when the restaurant makes its April 12 debut at Encore. Also on the menu: seafood towers, lobster rolls, and other quintessentially New England dishes featuring the bounty of our local waters. And don’t forget to explore the hidden cocktail bar, Old Wives’ Tale, within the restaurant, for nautical vibes and creative drinks nodding to various ports of call around the world.

1 Broadway (Encore Boston Harbor), Everett, seamarkencore.com.

Dwaeji (pork) bulgogi with peppers, soy, and gochujang at Somaek. / Photo by Rachel Leah Blumenthal

Somaek, Temple Records, and Sushi @ Temple Records

Jamie Bissonnette is back! After leaving the restaurant group he founded with Ken Oringer in 2023, the chef’s next act includes a Korean restaurant, a listening lounge, and a subterranean sushi counter in partnership with JM Curley owners Andy Cartin and Babak Bina. (JM Curley and its siblings Bogie’s Place and the Wig Shop are just a couple doors down the street from the new trio.) Head to Somaek for homestyle Korean cooking inspired by Bissonnette’s mother-in-law, Soon Han, who is credited as consulting chef on the project. Temple Records—a dark, narrow cocktail bar with great acoustics—features Bissonnette’s personal record collection, and the sushi spot downstairs keeps things minimalist with simply garnished nigiri and maki.

11-17 Temple Pl., Downtown Crossing, Boston, somaek.com, instagram.com/templerecordsbar, instagram.com/sushiattemplerecords.

Older Restaurants Doing New Things

Interesting menu changes, special events, new chefs, seasonal reopenings. 

Cisco Brewers Seaport

Back for its seventh season, this seasonal pop-up brings the popular Nantucket brewery to the heart of Boston’s Seaport District for an always-packed beer garden, open daily as of April 11 and lasting through mid-October. In addition to beer, Nantucket Vineyard wines and cocktails made with Triple Eight Distillery spirits will be available, and food options will include wood-fired pizza, tacos, and clam shack fare. Plus, there’ll be live music every day.

100 Seaport Blvd. (find an accessible entrance on the corner of Pier 4 Boulevard and Seaport Boulevard), Seaport District, Boston, ciscobrewers.com.

Committee

We’re excited to revisit this buzzy Greek restaurant and bar now that it has a new executive chef, Luis Figueroa—who was actually on the restaurant’s opening team nearly a decade ago. This means a menu revamp—think a made-for-sharing feast of grilled meats or whole grilled branzino—and the relaunch of lunch, which features sandwiches, customizable bowls, and such.

50 Northern Ave., Seaport District, Boston, 617-737-5051, committeeboston.com.

Greenway Food Truck Program

April 1 marked the official start of food truck season along the Rose Kennedy Greenway, featuring a rotating schedule of 25 trucks serving up street eats of all kinds through the warmer months. Consult the schedule online, or just stroll the Greenway to see who’s parked at Dewey Square, the Greenway Carousel, and Rowes Wharf Plaza. You’ll find everything from burgers to dumplings to tacos to bundt cakes.

Multiple locations along the Rose Kennedy Greenway, Downtown Boston, rosekennedygreenway.org/food.

Pickleball Social Club at Harpoon. / Courtesy photo

Harpoon Brewery’s Pickleball Social Club

Beer and pickleball combine to form a fun warm-weather destination in the Seaport: Harpoon’s outdoor pickleball and shuffleboard courts, a partnership with Hub Sports Boston, are back for year two; there are plenty of cornhole boards, too. (Find pickleball league info here, with options for beginners and experts alike.) The massive space fits 400 people, and there’s plenty of beer on tap, plus food from Harpoon Kitchen.

306 Northern Ave., Seaport District, Boston, 617-456-2322, harpoonbrewery.com.

Lê Madeline’s tôm hùm rang me: fried lobster roll on warm buttered brioche with tamarind, tobiko, and potato chips. / Photo by Rachel Leah Blumenthal

Lê Madeline

Come for the tobiko-topped fried lobster roll and creative cocktails; stay for the destination-worthy take on modern Vietnamese at this awesome revamp of the decade-old noodle shop Pho Linh. (Longtime fans need not worry: Pho Linh’s classics live on via Lê Madeline’s lunch service; you’ll find the new menu at dinner.)

409 Hancock St., Quincy, lemadeline.com.

Long Bar & Terrace

One of the dining options at the new-ish Raffles Boston, Long Bar has been around for a little bit already—perhaps you’ve already tried the decadent burger?—but new to the offerings is afternoon tea, available daily from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. Featuring teas by Palais Des Thés, the menu is packed with savory and sweet treats, from smoked salmon and dill pickle bites to pastel de nata (Portuguese egg tarts). Tea-based cocktails, wines, and Champagne are available.

40 Trinity Pl. (Raffles Boston), Back Bay, Boston, 617-351-8888, raffles.com.

The lox sandwich at Mamaleh’s. / Courtesy photo

Mamaleh’s

The Jewish deli with locations in Boston, Brookline, and Cambridge is about to expand again, taking over the Cambridge space of its recently closed sibling Vincent’s. Dubbed Mamaleh’s Kibitz Corner, this new location will function as an experimental test kitchen, weekend lunch counter, private event space, and more. Expect a spring opening, so: very soon.

233 Cardinal Medeiros Ave., Cambridge, mamalehs.com.

Staff Recommendations

Just a few places we’ve enjoyed recently that we think you’ll love too.

Jhol momo at Himalayan Kitchen. / Photo by Rachel Leah Blumenthal

Himalayan Kitchen

For those nights when you need a hearty helping of momo, a lassi-inspired cocktail, and some mozzarella sticks for your picky toddler, this Union Square mainstay is the place to go—especially since its late 2022 renovation, which made it cozier for dining in and added a full bar. The hefty menu includes Nepalese and Indian cuisine, as well as American sub shop classics, and in some cases, they fuse together: Take the palak paneer pizza, for example. We love the momo best, particularly the jhol momo (steamed dumplings in a spicy broth), with a side of conversation with lively co-owner Jay Lockett.

40 Bow St., Union Square, Somerville, 617-623-9068, himalayankitchenma.com.

Coconut shrimp, beef ribs, and various sides at Jamaica Mi Hungry. / Photo by Rachel Leah Blumenthal

Jamaica Mi Hungry

The first time I visited Jamaica Mi Hungry’s permanent Jamaica Plain location was takeout in the early days of COVID—a masked, subdued dual birthday celebration on the porch of a close friend who lives in the neighborhood and has a birthday just a few days later than mine. Times were weird, but the food was outstanding, and the restaurant’s coconut-crusted shrimp with spicy-sweet dipping sauce has been on my mind since then. I finally had occasion to order it again this week, and it was as satisfying as I remembered, complemented by hearty sides of sweet plantain and mac and cheese. You really can’t go wrong with anything on this menu, sides included; my husband ordered a chickpea-packed curry vegetable stew to accompany his beef ribs, and it impressed us both (a feat, since I’m usually less than enthusiastic about all things chickpea). Tip: There’s a free parking lot around the back of the building with spaces for customers of the restaurant and the other neighboring retail spaces.

225 Centre St., Jamaica Plain, Boston, 617-708-0465, jamaicamihungry.com.

Buttermilk flapjacks at Palace Diner in Biddeford, Maine. / Photo by Rachel Leah Blumenthal

Palace Diner

You must eat these pancakes. Let me back up: Sorry, this one’s an hour and a half away, but it’s absolutely worth the drive (and the inevitable wait for one of just 15 seats), especially with warmer weather and road-trip-friendly weekends on the horizon. If you’re in tune with New England travel and food news, you’ve probably been hearing the buzz about Biddeford, Maine’s budding culinary scene for a while now, and the tiny Palace Diner in particular has earned itself a ton of local and national press. It’s no tourist trap, though; it’s legit, and the buttermilk flapjacks—always available before noon, sometimes after—are the best I’ve had: impossibly fluffy, brightened with the zing of citrus and enriched by the dollop of butter melting rapidly over the top. Go ahead and add a drizzle of maple syrup—it’s the real deal, as our server announced with a smile.

18 Franklin St., Biddeford, Maine, palacedinerme.com.

Looking Ahead

We’ve got an eye out for these soon-to-open spots. (Find our full list of 2024 anticipated openings here.)

Citrus & Salt’s grilled street corn with Flamin’ Hot Cheetos crumbs, smoked mayonnaise, and cotija. / Courtesy photo

Citrus & Salt

Been missing the Flamin’ Hot Cheetos street corn since this fun spot from chef Jason Santos closed in the Back Bay? Not to worry; it’s slated to reopen in a larger Fort Point space later this spring that includes a big patio and a private dining room. Dole Whips for everyone! (And blue crab empanadas, and albondigas quesadillas, and soft serve in salted pretzel cones…) The beach-y design, by local firm Assembly Design Studio, pays homage to the Baja coast of the 1970s, per a press release—expect plenty of social-media-friendly photo moments full of painted flamingos and sugar skulls.

319 A St., Fort Point, Boston, citrusandsaltboston.com.

Mimi’s Chūka Diner’s hanami bento. / Photo by Ted Woo for Mimi’s Chūka Diner

Mimi’s Chūka Diner

Coming to the former Tasting Counter space inside Aeronaut later this spring or early in the summer, dumplings-and-more pop-up Mimi’s Chūka Diner will put down roots. The permanent space will allow founders Ted Woo and Jon Awerman to fully embrace the blend of concepts they’ve had in mind all along: chūka cuisine (Japanese-style Chinese food) meets American diner/luncheonette fare. In addition to sit-down dining, the space will allow for a small tachinomi bar—think Japanese small plates and drinks—and a robust takeout program.

14 Tyler St. (inside Aeronaut Brewing Company), Somerville, mimischukadiner.com.

Mr. H

In other dumpling news, COJE Management Group (behind Yvonne’s, Mariel, Coquette, and more) will open a modern Chinese restaurant and Shanghai-inspired cocktail lounge in the Seaport this spring in the old Legal Test Kitchen space. A teaser video promises an emphasis on dumplings.

225 Northern Ave., Seaport District, Boston, mrhchinese.com.

Draft rendering of the bar area at SJ’s. / Baker Design Group

SJ’s

Typically known for her over-the-top comfort food, chef and restaurateur Sarah Wade (a Chopped champion) is fancying things up with her third restaurant, SJ’s, opening downtown this fall. The neighborhood bistro will offer elevated, eclectic fare, she says, and lots of house-made pasta. Also in the plans: “Old-school silver dessert trays” and generously poured wine and martinis.

745 Atlantic Ave., Downtown Boston (Leather District), instagram.com/bostonsjs.

A version of this guide first appeared in the print edition of the April 2024 issue with the headline, “Hot List.”