Diners' Choice: Neighborhood gem restaurants in Greater Boston

OpenTable

Updated January 05, 2025

Looking for the best restaurants that are the best neighborhood gems in Greater Boston? You’re in the right place. Each month, OpenTable analyzes nearly 2 million global diner reviews from the past four months. We sort the results by location and category to help you discover new favorite restaurants. It's a great partnership: you reserve, eat, and review. We listen...and deliver the results for all to benefit. Enjoy!

Piccolo Nido

4.9

4.9 (313)

$31 to $50

Italian

North End

About the restaurant

Piccolo Nido in Boston is an Italian restaurant with a family atmosphere, owned and operated by chef Pino Irano from Napoli. Piccolo Nido’s dinner menu includes a daily soup option, as well as classic antipasto and pasta dishes. Enjoy an espresso or cappuccino with dessert, and enjoy getting to know Pino when he steps out of the kitchen to greet the patrons.

Entrees at Piccolo Nido include favorites such as spaghetti and gnocchi, but also has options for lovers of true Italian flavors, such as veal and trout. The fresh catch of the day is also available for the freshest seafood around, and diners can also enjoy tiramisu or a dessert of the day.

Top review

BrookeVIP

Dined on Jan 10, 2025

Had a wonderful experience! Shared the bruschetta with the table and it was fresh and tasty. I recommend the veal parmigiana, delicious! The owner was extremely welcoming and made me feel at home. A great place to celebrate an event such as a birthday.

Nirvana: The Taste of India

4.9

4.9 (182)

$30 and under

Indian

West Cambridge

About the restaurant

Nirvana, an epicurean Indian restaurant in Cambridge presents traditional Indian cuisine with a contemporary flair. We boast a lunch buffet, outdoor seating during the warmer months and a full-service bar with craft cocktails that flatter our flavor rich dishes.
Our head chef Paramjit Singh hails from Punjab, India where the tandoor method of cooking originated. He brings over 20 years of experience to our kitchen and combines traditional cooking methods with novel ingredients to create innovative meals for our guests. As an 80-seat restaurant on historic Massachusetts Avenue, Nirvana endeavors to promote a transcendent experience through food, drink and great company.

Top review

MarkVIP

Dined 5 days ago

We had a phenomenal lunch today. Food prepared perfectly. Excellent service. Great value for the $$. Can’t wait to go back!

Dotty's Kitchen & Raw Bar

4.9

4.9 (24)

$31 to $50

Seafood

Quincy

About the restaurant

Coming Soon!

Top review

SusanVIP

Dined 2 days ago

The Dotty’s team always takes such good care of us. We feel so at home. We have gotten to know Shelly over the years and it’s always a great experience at her table. Tonight the specials were exceptionally good. We will be back! Thanks everyone!

Alta Strada- Wellesley

4.8

4.8 (2375)

$30 and under

Italian

Wellesley

About the restaurant

Whether nibbling on small plates at the antipasti-wine bar, sipping an espresso, or having a meal in the open dining room, Alta Strada will always be approachable and accessible to anyone and everyone. With a true smile and the genuine desire to take care of you while you’re “in our house”, Alta Strada will focus on the foods of Tuscany, Emilia-Romagna, Piedmont, and the Amalfi coast, while attempting to fill the much needed gap in Italian restaurants in America. Simply put, Alta Strada will be the place where you’ll find a perfectly made bowl of pasta, crispy thin pizza, gorgeous and abundant antipasti, and fantastic wines, all at a reasonable price, in a setting that could be found on a stylish via in Milan or Rome.

Top review

ZoherVIP

Dined 3 days ago

Alta Strada is one of the best restaurants in the Boston metro area. Consistently excellent food, service, and ambience!!

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Popular dish

Arugula Salad

Paradiso Ristorante

4.8

4.8 (501)

$30 and under

Italian

Swampscott

About the restaurant

Paradiso Ristorante is a family-friendly restaurant located across from the Swampscott train station. Small kitchen with big flavors.
Executive Chef Benedetto Carenza from Avellino, Italy prepares Italian cuisine that will make you want to lick your plate. All menu items are cooked to order. Quality is our number one priority. Enjoy the ambiance of our “soon” newly renovated lounge and dining room. The casual atmosphere of our lounge offers 6 flat screen TVs, along with our dining room, outdoor heated patio and outdoor tent.

Top review

Michael

Dined 2 days ago

I liked this restaurant. The food, service, everything was very good! I’ll return to try other menu items. As the restaurant got more crowded the excellent service dropped off a bit…longish wait for our bill. Parking near the train station can be a challenge.

Brassica Kitchen

4.8

4.8 (1685)

$31 to $50

French American

Jamaica Plain

About the restaurant

YOUR J.P. NEIGHBORHOOD JOINT

We are currently offer dinner Weds-Sat, starting at 5 PM, with last seating at 9:15
& brunch Saturdays from 10AM to 1:30 PM and Sundays from 10AM to 2PM!

At brunch, we offer exciting breakfast plates and sandwiches, espresso drinks, a crushable cocktail list, and full wine & beer menus. At dinner, our menu of vibrant and eclectic small plates focuses heavily on fermentation and exploring cuisines from all over the world. We also offer a super fun pre-fixe menu, a.k.a The Ride, alongside our a la carte menu. Our beverage program mirrors the values of the kitchen, focusing on eliminating waste, upcycling ingredients, and natural fermentation. The vibe is always fast paced, energetic, and tons of fun! Come hang with us! It just might be your thing!

Please note: While we no longer require masks or vaccine cards, we appreciate your help in keeping our community safe by not coming to dinner if you are feeling unwell.

Top review

Melissa

Dined 2 days ago

Georgia,Evan, Nazia and Brenna are the best at what they do it was great. I love Brassica will always go back.

Daedalus

4.8

4.8 (489)

$30 and under

American

West Cambridge

About the restaurant

Tucked in a converted greenhouse, Daedalus is a casual restaurant that serves New American cuisine and drinks in spacious surrounds. The restaurant's menu changes to reflect the season. Diners rave about the crab cake sandwich, the buffalo tenders and the Daedalus burger.

A neighborhood favorite, Daedalus boasts a roof deck that delivers a lovely view of Harvard square. It also hosts two bars (one located on each floor)

Top review

ToniVIP

Dined 2 days ago

I’ve been there twice ordered something different each time and both were delicious. I have such a hard time deciding because everything looks amazing. Service great. It’s my favorite place.

Monument Restaurant & Tavern

4.8

4.8 (153)

$30 and under

American

Charlestown

About the restaurant

Welcome to Monument
Monument Restaurant & Tavern, a Charlestown staple, is a lively home base for guests to enjoy creative comfort food, rotating craft beer, a thoughtful wine list, and inventive, refreshing cocktails. As Charlestown’s neighborhood spot, Monument boasts a warm, rustic dining room and bar, a seasonal sidewalk patio, and takeout and delivery options seven days a week.

The rustic yet chic interior complements their menu of the same caliber. Wood-fired pizza, lemon-rosemary chicken wings, kung pao Brussels sprouts, and gnocchi bolognese are just a few of the favorite options. Not to mention, our weekend brunch is a hit with Bostonians near and far, with featuring lemon and poppyseed buttermilk pancakes and our signature "Cinnamon Toast Brunch" cocktail.

Monument serves brunch, lunch, dinner and is open late and has a lengthy draught beer, cocktail and wine menu.

Top review

ArleneVIP

Dined 1 day ago

Great brunch! Food and service were excellent. Menu had variety of choices to please everyone’s taste.

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Elia Taverna Marblehead

4.8

4.8 (68)

$31 to $50

Greek

Marblehead

About the restaurant

Family owned local Greek cuisine. Serving delicious food with homemade recipes, in a small cozy atmosphere. Hard to find amazing Greek wines that will surprise you. Shrimp Santorini, Mediterranean Grill, grilled octopus, are just some of the amazing dishes we server. Voted 2nd must try restaurant in the Marblehead, Salem, Swampscott area. "Neighborhood Gem"

Top review

John

Dined on Dec 25, 2024

Absolutely delicious! A small restaurant run by family where everything is in order. You won’t be disappointed.

Bellino's Trattoria

4.8

4.8 (93)

$31 to $50

Italian

Winthrop

About the restaurant

We are a family-owned business dedicated to bringing our guests the best dining experience. Our goal is to share our passion for Italian food by providing you with the best quality products and best customer service. Bellino’s is a vibrant and welcoming place where the conversation flows, and you are made to feel at home. Get a taste of our take on Italian food!

Top review

PaulaVIP

Dined on Jan 11, 2025

Amazing food .... Great ambiance. Felt a little rushed by the server but otherwise service was excellent too!

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