The 12 Best Restaurants in Allston


Deep Ellum salmon

Deep Ellum serves more than just beer and bar snacks, such as this salmon special. / Photo by Rebeccah Marsters

Robust student and immigrant populations help to make Allston one of the most vibrant dining districts in all of Boston. Really! Contrary to certain undergrad associations, it’s not all dive bars—though those are great here, too. (Shoutout to the Sil!) Whether you’re looking for a quick meal before a rock show, a backyard brunch spot, or authentic Korean and Chinese restaurants, here’s where to eat in the diverse neighborhood.

Last updated December 2023.

Burgers and beers at the Avenue

Burgers and beers at the Avenue. / Photo by Mallory C. via Yelp

The Avenue

A dark bar at all hours, this isn’t necessarily a place to take your parents for dinner—it’s where to go for second dinner. The kitchen is open later than most T lines (1:45 a.m.), so you may not be able to get home but you will be able to chow down on a selection of burgers, tacos, and wings No matter what time you arrive, there will be cold beer on draft. Psst…. order something from their secret menu and score a gift card to Mission Dispensaries.

1249 Commonwealth Ave., Allston, 617-903-3110, avenuebar.com.

Carlo’s Cucina Italiana

This Brighton Ave. spot has been a friendly, fresh, family favorite for more than 40 years thanks to homestyle fare like calamari Veneziana (sautéed with roasted red peppers, artichoke hearts, cherry peppers, and olives and smothered in a sweet tomato sauce), and house-made fusili with garlicky broccoli rabe.

131 Brighton Ave., Allston, 617-254-9759, carloscucinaitaliana.com.

Kimchi Fritas at Coreanos

Kimchi fritas at Coreanos. / Photo courtesy of Coreanos

Coreanos

The indie music playing inside this tiny counter-service spot is always on point, making it a perfect stop ahead of a show at nearby Brighton Music Hall. The spread might include traditional Korean dishes like spicy tteokbokki, but don’t overlook fun fusion fare from one of the area’s first restaurants doing Los Angeles—style Korean-Mexican cuisine. That includes things like bulgogi tacos, and kimchi fritas topped with house-fermented kimchi, cheese, and a runny egg.

172 Brighton Ave., Allston, 617-208-8822, coreanosallston.com.

Photo courtesy of Dumpling Kingdom

Dumpling Kingdom

Among ample Asian cuisine options in Allston is one branch of the soup-filled empire of chef Peter Wang, who’s also behind Chinatown mainstays Dumpling Café and Taiwan Café, as well as Dumpling Palace in the Symphony area. Wang’s “mini juicy buns,” or xiao long bao (soup dumplings) are always steaming hot and flavorful, and there are a ton more dumpling options and Taiwanese dishes to choose from. The Kingdom is another music venue-adjacent go-to that serves nightly ’til 2 a.m.

137 Harvard Ave., Allston, 617-562-8888, dumplingkingdomallston.com.

chicken tostadas at Hopewell, the best gastropub in Allston

Expect globe-spanning gastropub specials like chipotle chicken tostadas at Hopewell. / Photo courtesy of Hopewell

Hopewell Bar & Kitchen

With $2 oysters every Tuesday, a wide selection of draft beers, 16 draft beers (and even more whiskeys), and gastropub fare like grilled pizzas, pork ragu gnocchi, and fried chicken sandwiches, this is a nice spot for dinner and drinks. But it’s a bar that knows its audience: Young folks flock here to play arcade games and shuffleboard—and to try out creative, seasonal cocktails.

1277 Commonwealth Ave., Allston, 617-208-8925, hopewellboston.com.

Sliced duck with a glossy reddish-brown crispy skin is spread across a decorative tropical leaf on a white plate.

Little Tao’s smoky tea-flavored duck. / Photo by Rachel Leah Blumenthal

Little Tao

For authentic Sichuan food look no further than Little Tao. Chef Tao Liu brings his years of Sichuan-style cooking all the way from China to this Allston space, open seven days a week. Don’t miss the smoky tea-flavored half duck or the Tao Tao noodles with minced pork, chickpeas, and chili sauce.   

1153 Commonwealth Ave., Boston, 617-207-2781, mylittletao.com.

Lone Star Taco Bar

With a sister spot in Cambridge, this taqueria shares familial traits like daily brunch and late-night options (and abundant Topo Chico). But it also serves some of Boston’s best tacos, filled with the likes of Dallas-style spicy beef, house-made chorizo, and beer-battered white fish with sweet-and-spicy mango-habanero aioli.

479 Cambridge St., Allston, 617-782-8226, lonestar-boston.com.

The patio behind Lulu's in Allston opens this summer

The patio behind Lulu’s in Allston. / Photo courtesy of Lulu’s

Lulu’s Allston

One of the neighborhood’s favorite places for brunch, this spot specializes in comfort food like loaded French toast, spiced tots, fried chicken, and the Village Smash Burger with two patties and all the toppings. It also has a great bar scene—hello, 50 well-curated beers on draft—and a glorious backyard, complete with its own bar.

421 Cambridge St., Allston, 617-787-1117, lulusallston.com.

Oppa Sushi

This small, eclectic, basement dining spot continuously exceeds expectations in terms of service and value. When in need of affordable, fresh sushi in Allston, pop in for impressive rolls like the Fire Bruins Maki, a shrimp tempura roll tucked in an aluminum foil boat and served flaming hot—literally.

185 Harvard Ave., Allston, 617-202-3808, facebook.com.

Seoul Soulongtang

The signature beef-bone soup (seollongtang) is the reason to put this spot on your list of Korean go-tos, thanks to its subtle broth of rich marrow. But bring friends to sample more of the family-style menu—and make good use of the generous banchan, including fresh kimchi and sweet-and-sour radishes.

1245 Commonwealth Ave., Allston, 617-505-6771, seoulsoulongtang.com.

Shabu-Zen hot pot photo by Marlana Y. via Yelp

Shabu-Zen

Head here for the city’s best hot pot, served in a large and lively dining room by friendly staff. Soup selections include Thai and Japanese flavors, but we suggest the spicy Mongolian-style broth, which gets even more complex as your table-mates dip in all the fresh and tasty ingredients.

80 Brighton Ave., Allston, 617-782-8888, shabuzen.com.

Two cheese and onion burgers are stacked on top of each other.

Oklahoma onion burgers at Sloane’s. / Photo by Earl Studios

Sloane’s

We may have lost Our Fathers, but chef Sarah Wade (of Chopped fame) has thankfully filled that open space with her second restaurant, Sloane’s. You can expect brunch options from classic blueberry pancakes to the more unexpected shrimp burger with a homemade patty, feta cheese, tomato-caper relish, and cajun aioli on a griddle potato roll. The comfort-food classics spill into dinner with pot roast mac ’n’ cheese and lamb meatloaf with za’atar ketchup. Just make sure to save room for a scoop of homemade ice cream for dessert.

197 N Harvard St., Allston, sloanesboston.com.