Where to Eat in Greater Boston for March 2025

Don’t Tell Aunty. / Photo by Rachel Leah Blumenthal

Don’t Tell Aunty

COMING SOON

Opening in early March, this “Indian gastropub” is meant to be fun and casual (but not fast-casual), a rarity for the local Indian food scene, which is mainly either counter-service or high-end without much in the middle, says owner Koushik “Babu” Koganti. Diners will find some classic curries and other familiar dishes on the menu alongside fusion-y small plates like kothu Bolognese and rasam ramen. Read all about it here.

1080 Boylston St., Back Bay/Fenway, Boston, instagram.com/donttellauntyboston.

Extra Dirty Cocktail Club. / Photo by Assembly Design Studio

Extra Dirty Cocktail Club

NOW OPEN

Farmacia’s multicourse cocktail adventures are one of the top experiences in town, but it’s oh-so-hard to get a reservation. Good thing its new sibling, Extra Dirty, is bringing a similar experience to a new location, tucked away inside the swanky Red Fox. If you can get in, the current menu is Italian-themed—you might even drink a martini that tastes like a pesto pasta dish.

326B Commercial St., North End/Waterfront, Boston, extradirtynorthend.com.

A spread of vegan and vegetarian dishes that will be on the menu at McCarthy’s, photographed at the Burren prior to McCarthy’s opening: eggplant “pizza,” lentil stew, stuffed sweet potatoes, and a grain bowl. / Photo by Rachel Leah Blumenthal

McCarthy’s and Toad

COMING SOON

The Burren team has taken over the old Christopher’s and Toad spaces in Porter Square, with Christopher’s about to become a two-story Irish pub called McCarthy’s, complete with a fireplace and snug, not to mention loads of vegetarian and vegan food options. Toad, meanwhile—the cozy little nook of a live music venue—will reopen much the same as it was before. The two are set to debut sometime this month.

1920 Massachusetts Ave., Porter Square, Cambridge, mccarthystoad.com.

Mrs. Murphy’s

NOW OPEN

Bit by bit, Medford Square is getting livelier; we’re still excited about the arrival of Deep Cuts and El Tacuba over the last couple years, not to mention the giant new beer hall outside of the square but not too far down the road. The latest opening? An Irish pub from the team behind Ford Tavern (also in Medford, over by Wegmans). The menu ranges from classic to “Irish-ish,” from shepherd’s pie to corned beef-smothered nachos.

25 Salem St., Medford, instagram.com/mrsmurphyspub.

Nonantum Press Room

OPENING MARCH 4

Panini galore! Chef Jim Donovan—known for making Buff’s Pub in Newton a staple in the Buffalo wing scene—is serving sandwiches, soups, and salads at his new takeout shop. The menu leans Italian, a fitting choice for the neighborhood, with options like a caprese panino, Italian cold cut sandwich, and panzanella.

191 Adams St., Newton, 617-485-7701, nonantumpressroom.com.

Pun mieng—Lao-inspired drinking food—at Phaeng & Phiu’s inaugural pop-up series at Rubato, February 2025. / Photo by Rachel Leah Blumenthal

Phaeng & Phiu

POP-UP DATES COMING UP

This isn’t a restaurant, but we’d be remiss if we didn’t mention this stellar new pop-up from chef Veo Robert, giving Boston a rare taste of Lao-inspired food. An inaugural series of events at Rubato in Quincy last month included pun mieng, or drinking food, an absolute feast of fried whole black bass, fried pork-and-mushroom rolls, and smoked sausage—and that was just one course of five. We can’t wait to see what comes next: Watch Instagram for upcoming event details, including a March 24 pop-up at a yet-to-be-announced location.

Various locations, instagram.com/phaengandphiu.

Phat Thaiger

COMING SOON

Wasabi martinis, anyone? Upscale Thai destination Thaiger Den made a big splash when it debuted last year, so we’re eagerly anticipating the late-winter opening of the team’s new venture, a Thai and Japanese izakaya. Dishes will include, for example: pad thai, but with udon; Hokkaido scallops baked in a Thai hor mok-inspired curry custard; and yakitori-style skewers with Thai marinades and spices.

166 Eastern Ave., Malden.

Vietnamese pink nem rice paper rolls from Saucy Saigon. / Photo by Rachel Leah Blumenthal

Saucy Saigon

NOW OPEN

Another Malden opening: It was a bummer when longtime bubble tea shop Monkey King Tea—an indie in a sea of chains—closed recently, but now a new shop, still serving bubble tea, has taken over the small Highland Avenue space. The Vietnamese café also serves night market-inspired snacks, like the tasty rice paper rolls above, stuffed with nem, Vietnamese cured pork. Saucy Saigon is still in “soft opening” mode with a limited menu and hours; watch for updates on Instagram.

249 Highland Ave., Malden, instagram.com/saucysaigon.

Tall Order’s martini and steak tartare with fresh horseradish and smoked carrot remoulade. / Courtesy photo

Tall Order

NOW OPEN

This neighborhood restaurant and cocktail bar—sibling to Daiquiris & Daisies at the High Street Place food hall downtown—quietly opened at the beginning of the month. Starting March 5, swing by six days a week (closed Tuesdays) for dinner and drinks starting at 5 p.m until late. Located in the old Thirsty Scholar space, Tall Order is serving creative, modern cocktails, plus lots of interesting low-ABV and spirit-free drinks. On the food side: bar snacks like chips with caramelized onion dip; small plates like crispy duck sliders and steak tartare; and bigger entrees like a burger and steak frites.

70 Beacon St., Somerville, instagram.com/tallorderbar.

Harissa-rubbed roast rack of lamb and other Willow & Ivy dishes and cocktails. / Photo by Rachel Leah Blumenthal

Willow & Ivy

COMING SOON

Maine lobster pie—say no more. Okay, a little bit more: This opening, currently slated for March, completes the culinary revamp of the Lenox Hotel that began last year. The menu features globally inspired dishes made with local ingredients—such as an Italian-style focaccia topped with local burrata—and the team is promising an eye-catching space, complete with a giant live tree.

61 Exeter St. (Lenox Hotel), Back Bay, Boston, 617-536-5300, lenoxhotel.com.

Older Restaurants Doing New Things

Expansions, reopenings, and such—time for a (re)visit.

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

Jamaica Mi Hungry

COMING SOON

We can’t get enough of this J.P. staple’s coconut shrimp and jerk chicken—which means we’re extra-thankful that a new location of one of Boston’s best Jamaican restaurants is slated to open near South Station in March, bringing flavorful Caribbean to more of the city.

289 Devonshire St., Downtown Boston, jamaicamihungry.com.

The Pearl

NOW OPEN

Dorchester’s seafood hot spot has expanded to Brighton—now open at Boston Landing. Go kind of casual with a bowl of chowder or a fried hake sandwich; fancy things up with seafood towers and caviar service. Dining with a fun-loving group? Margaritas, sangria, and mojitos are available by the pitcher.

67 Guest St. (Boston Landing), Brighton, Boston, 617-208-8461, thepearlsouthbay.com.

Sally’s Sandwiches

NOW OPEN

There are Blackbird Doughnuts locations, and then there are Blackbird Doughnuts locations that double as Sally’s Sandwiches locations, for when you need dessert but maybe also lunch. There were two of these hybrid spots (Harvard Square, the South End), and now the Brighton Blackbird location is home to Sally’s, too. On the menu: porchetta sandwiches, grilled broccoli melts, chicken Caesar wraps (with fried chicken, the best way), and more. Grabbing a doughnut as well? Here’s what’s up for March flavors.

100 Holton St., Brighton, Boston, 617-482-9000, blackbirddoughnuts.com.

Shy Bird’s fried chicken and egg sammy, pictured without the pepperjack. / Photo by Rachel Leah Blumenthal

Shy Bird

OPENING MARCH 4

Chicken lovers, take note: Location number three of this all-day rotisserie heaven arrives in Fenway on March 4, bolstered by a creative drink list from Eastern Standard beverage director and industry vet Jackson Cannon. This location is bigger than its older siblings in South Boston and Kendall Square, and it features a sizable patio, too.

201 Brookline Ave., Fenway, shybird.com. 

Sloane’s

NOW OPEN

For the entire month of March, Allston comfort-food haven Sloane’s has transformed into the Irish pub-inspired “O’Sloane’s,” complete with live music on Thursdays, plenty of whiskey and Guinness, and a new food menu. Look for dishes like curry cheese chips, shepherd’s pie empanadas, bangers and mash, Irish cream cheesecake, and more.

197 North Harvard St., Allston, Boston, 617-693-8220, sloanesboston.com.

Sullivan’s Castle Island burger. / Courtesy photo

Sullivan’s Castle Island

NOW OPEN

Exciting couple of weeks for the decades-old Southie institution (and hungry seagulls): The casual hot-dog-and-fried-seafood joint just reopened for the season, and it got a coveted James Beard America’s Classics Award. “Every Bostonian has a story about Sully’s,” per the Beard announcement. “Going there has become a rite of passage.” And keeping your ice cream cone safe from dive-bombing seagulls, we would add.

2080 William J. Day Blvd., South Boston, 617-268-5685, sullivanscastleisland.com.

Sweet & Comfy

NOW OPEN

Last year, Louis “Bizzy Genius” Elveus opened a franchise of Day & Night Cereal Bar in Brighton’s Oak Square, serving desserts that incorporate nostalgic cereals. Now, he has rebranded and reopened it as an independent shop, Sweet & Comfy. Still available: ice cream cereal shakes and bowls. But new things are on the way: Coffee options and sweet and savory sandwiches will be rolling out soon.

6 Tremont St., Brighton, Boston, instagram.com/sweetandcomfy_.

Viet Citron’s bánh hỏi with crispy pork belly and an egg roll. / Photo by Rachel Leah Blumenthal

Việt Citron

NOW OPEN

Crispy pork belly alert: The casual favorite for Vietnamese in Burlington has just expanded to Somerville’s Bow Market. It’s a pretty small space, so the menu is a rotating selection of staples from the original location, such as phở, bánh hỏi (vermicelli bundles), and rice bowls, with toppings such as chili lemongrass pork ribs. Owner Tran Lee says that the Somerville location will also serve as a test kitchen and give employees a chance to showcase their ideas.

Bow Market, Union Square, Somerville, vietcitron.com.

Looking Ahead

Here are a few spots we’re keeping an eye on, set to open in the next couple months or so. See also: We Can’t Wait for These Greater Boston Restaurant Openings in 2025.

An example of a Fallow Kin seasonal crudo, shown here with Nantucket bay scallops, blood orange, pomegranate, cranberry, and Maine dulse (a red seaweed). / Photo by Rachel Leah Blumenthal

Fallow Kin

When Fallow Kin opens in the former Craigie on Main space around March or April, diners will find farm-to-table fine dining from the crew behind Talulla in Cambridge, plus chef Marcos Sanchez (Tasting Counter, Gray’s Hall). We’re thrilled to see how the team’s zero-waste aspirations manifest on the menu—and we’re very intrigued by the burger, a wagyu-mycelium blend.

853 Main St., Central Square, Cambridge, fallowkin.com.

Gourmet Kreyòl. / Photo by Reginald Anis

Gourmet Kreyòl

It’s a big year for this Haitian food truck and catering company, which will put down roots with a fast-casual Mattapan restaurant this spring (followed by a full-service Dorchester spot in the summer). Griot-filled fried-plantain sandwiches, we’re ready for you.

1210 Blue Hill Ave., Mattapan, Boston, gourmetkreyol.com.

Kush by Saba’s spicy mac ‘n’ cheese with lamb merguez crumble. / Photo by Rachel Leah Blumenthal

Kush by Saba

The spicy mac ’n’ cheese with lamb-merguez crumble is one of the best things we’ve eaten this winter, and that was just via delivery. We’re excited to see what chef Saba Wahid Duffy can accomplish when she opens the restaurant’s sit-down dining room sometime this spring.

5 Sanborn Ct., Union Square, Somerville, kushbysaba.com.

Little Steve’s Pizza

Flying Lion Hospitality Group (see Don’t Tell Aunty above and Nowon below) is having a very busy start of the year. Among its new projects is a revival of Little Steve’s Pizza near Berklee, opening around mid-April. (Little Steve’s had been open from the 1960s until a few years back.) Under its new ownership, Little Steve’s will have Sicilian- and Detroit-style pizza, says Koushik “Babu” Koganti, the head of Flying Lion Hospitality. Also: a Whole Foods-style self-serve area for easy, customizable breakfast and lunch. Koganti expects that the lunch selection will vary by the day—sometimes Asian, sometimes Indian, sometimes Caribbean, and so on.

1114 Boylston St., Back Bay/Fenway, Boston.

Korean garlic bread (milk buns with cream cheese, garlic, and scallion-shiso herb wash) from Nine Winters. / Photo by Mim on Roseway Photography

Nine Winters

From pork-floss milk bread to gochujang chocolate cookies, this Korean-American bakery surprised and delighted fans in its pop-up days at Somerville’s Bow Market and beyond. This spring, watch for a permanent location in Huron Village, complete with intriguing coffee-based drinks.

292 Concord Ave., Huron Village, Cambridge, ninewinters.com.

Nowon’s “legendary cheeseburger” with roasted kimchi, kimchi special sauce, American cheese, pickles, and onion. / Photo by Young Skeletons

Nowon

The same hospitality group behind Don’t Tell Aunty and the new Little Steve’s Pizza (see both above) is the local owner and operator for a Seaport location of New York City-based Korean-American pocha Nowon, opening in early April. On the menu: dishes such as double-fried chicken buns, a kimchi-topped cheeseburger, and “chopped cheese” rice cakes.

117 Seaport Blvd., Seaport District, Boston, nowonusa.com.