18 oldest restaurants in Boston

The Warren Tavern has been in its current location on Pleasant Street in Charlestown (near the Bunker Hill Monument) since 1780. It is named for Dr. Joseph Warren, a patriot killed at the Battle of Bunker Hill in 1775. This historic building—with the low ceilings to prove its age—may have hosted the likes of Paul Revere, Benjamin Franklin and President George Washington. Today, it’s a local favorite. Take a walk around historic Charlestown, then head to this relaxing pub with dishes ranging from traditional breadcrumb-topped baked New England haddock to spicy salmon tacos.

Originally opened as the Atwood and Bacon Oyster House in 1826, the Union Oyster House near Faneuil Hall has endured the Gilded Age, the Roaring Twenties, the Depression and two World Wars. The building itself dates to 1714, predating both the Revolutionary and Civil Wars, yet it wasn’t placed on the Historic Register until 2003. Its claim as one of America’s oldest restaurants and its quaint 18th century design make it a tourist must-do, but locals enjoy the freshly shucked oysters and of course, baked beans.

The restaurant at the Omni Parker House is steeped in history and has hosted many famous guests. It’s claimed that John F. Kennedy proposed to Jackie in the dining room in the early 1960s, and even the kitchen staff has seen its share of notorious figures from history (Malcolm X worked there). The Boston cream pie was reportedly created here around the turn of the century, along with the restaurant’s famous Parker House rolls. Currently open for breakfast and lunch, this slightly faded beauty is the oldest continuously operating hotel in the United States, but the decor dates back to a renovation in 1927.

Set on a quiet courtyard off Downtown Crossing’s busy Winter Street, this speakeasy-style restaurant is located in a building that dates to 1832. It's the former home of the legendary Locke-Ober restaurant, which opened in 1875 and closed in 2012, and was the fourth oldest restaurant in Boston prior to its closing. In its heyday, Locke-Ober had a reputation as a clubby “men only” spot that was rumored to be frequented by “working girls” like Yvonne, a supposed lady of the night whose portrait hangs in the main dining room of thoroughly modern Yvonne’s. Original fixtures and features are paired with whimsical touches, and the lights are low for a suitably debauched atmosphere matched with exquisite cocktails and shareable plates.

Amrheins is the oldest restaurant in South Boston and claims lineage back to 1890. This once grand, red-brick Victorian building on West Broadway is edged with copper facing and black paintwork. The wood-lined interior, including an antique carved wood bar, is well worn by a devoted local clientele who enjoy classic New England dining and strong cocktails. Amrheins also claims the first draft beer pump in Boston. As with any older spot in town, whether or not the building will be demolished and turned into more condos is still very up in the air, so get there while you can.

Opened in 1909, this old-school haunt has held its ground on East Berkeley Street for well over a century. Perfect for burgers and a ballgame on a weekday afternoon, this family-owned Irish pub gets packed on weekend nights. The site where Boston’s first police union was formed and once the local watering hole for the Boston Herald staff, back when the newspaper was headquartered in the South End, Foley’s has witnessed a lot of local history. Take a look around inside at the old political posters that decorate the walls—after enjoying some curry chips and a cup of chowder.

Relatively recent renovations have completely changed dining room and bar at the Fairmont Copley Plaza for the better, but a restaurant has occupied this space overlooking Copley Square since the hotel opened in 1912. First, it was the Copley Café. In 1934, it became the Merry-Go-Round Bar—complete with a miniature merry-go-round, whose tracks are still visible. By 1978, it was The Plaza Bar and Dining Room, and in 1996, it became The Oak Room. To celebrate the hotel’s centennial, the grand, high-ceilinged room was gutted and reassembled as a gleaming fin de siècle-inspired beauty. Today's OAK Long Bar is just as lavish as ever, with seasonal cuisine for breakfast, lunch and dinner plus creative cocktails.

This North Shore icon dates back to 1914 when “Chubby” and Bessie Woodman opened their roadside clam shack on the causeway in Essex. A couple years later, Chubby debuted what the restaurant claims are the first-ever fried clams. Coated with cornmeal and deep-fried in a kettle, legend has it these crispy bivavles made a splash during that year's Fourth of July parade. More than 100 years later and family-run for five generations, Woodman’s is still making excellent New England seafood that attracts visitors from all over.

The S&S’s mid-century modern design belies its early-20th century roots. This Inman Square icon actually opened in 1919 and it’s fondly called the S&S Deli by many locals. Its proper title, however, is in fact the S&S Restaurant. The Cambridge favorite just happens to have a delicatessen, in addition to a full kitchen. The name derives from its original matriarch, Mrs. Edelstein, who would encourage all with “Esn, esn,” which is Yiddish for “eat, eat.” Note: This is a place for earlybirds. The last seating of the day is at 6:45pm.

Regina lays claim as Boston's oldest pizzeria, and their brick-oven, thin-crust pizza is legendary. Opened in 1926 by Luigi D'Auria, this Thacher Street spot has been run by the Polcari family since 1956, and now has several outposts in New England. Its original location in the North End is still in operation, and eating here is a restaurant rite of passage for pizza lovers, who swear that the freshly made dough makes for the best pie north of New Haven.

Opened in 1929, this is Boston’s oldest Italian café and sits atop a supposedly haunted basement-turned-cigar bar. Ghosts or no ghosts, the ground level of this Rococo-inspired gem offers expertly brewed espressos and cappuccinos, as well as a remarkably good hot chocolate. Want something stronger? ThThe pastries include cannoli, limoncello cake and tiramisu equal to any dessert in this Italian neighborhood. The gelato—around 20 flavors—and sorbetto make for a classic afternoon pick-me-up, a tradition straight from the old country.

The building that houses Santarpio's Pizza in East Boston opened as a bakery in 1903, but owner Frank Santarpio didn’t start making pizza there until the 1930s. In addition to serving as a local landmark, the family-run Santarpio makes a pretty amazing pizza that garners regular praise from locals and tourists alike. Here, the toppings go underneath the sauce, supposedly baking more flavor into the dough. But that’s about as innovative as it gets at this no-frills joint—and that seems to be just fine for its numerous fans and visiting pizza lovers.

South Street Diner has retro-cool cred. Though it’s only operated under this name for 24 years, the downtown diner goes back several decades and is one of the Worcester Dining Company’s original no-frills dining cars. This one dates back to 1947, first opening as the Blue Diner. It is the last true dining car in Boston proper, making it a local landmark. Food-wise, this place will let you carb up on American comfort food and cool down on milk shakes. Stop by anytime because it’s open 24/7.

In 1925, the Hook family started their business by bringing lobster from Maine and other points north to the Boston waterfront. Still open on Atlantic Ave—and still family-owned—this spot offers both a seafood market and casual dining (think picnic tables). The menu, of course, features New England seafood favorites, like lobster rolls, clam chowder and whole cooked lobsters. The atmosphere is laid back, and you can almost picture old fishing boats pulling up to the dock full of fresh catch back in the day.

There is often some confusion between the two J.J. Foley’s, located just a couple of neighborhoods away from each other. This one is the younger sibling situated on Kingston Street, Downtown Crossing, which opened in 1959 by a descendant of the same Foley family as the South End pub. Because of this location's proximity to the Financial District and loads of office buildings, it attracts the after-work crowd throughout the week, as well as students from nearby colleges on the weekends. The menu is suitably rudimentary for folks who'd rather concentrate on drinks: burgers, hot dawgs (as they put it) and sandwiches—which is just the way traditionalists and blue-collar bar preservationists would want it.

Creeping up on 100 years in operation, this spot opened in 1931, making it one of the oldest continually running restaurants in the North End. Like many restaurants in the area, it’s classic New England meets Italian, serving American-Italian staples like fettuccine alla carbonara and chicken parmigiana. It's stood the test of time with a friendly, welcoming atmosphere, big plates of pasta and fresh seafood.

This Newton family favorite has been scooping ice cream since 1969. It feels a little older, probably because it's styled like a classic 1950s diner and ice cream parlor. The real emphasis here is on ice cream, which is dressed up and transformed into tasty sundaes and floats. There are around 70 different flavors being scooped, with dozens of toppings to choose from. On the non-frozen food front, Cabot’s also serves breakfast all day, in addition lunch and dinner. Still, the unwritten rule here is to save room for dessert, which has to be ice cream.

Opened in 1975, Harvest lays claim to being the training ground for many celebrated chefs, including Eric Brennan, Scott Bryan, Barbara Lynch, Lydia Shire and Sara Moulton. Tucked away down an alley off Brattle and Mount Auburn Streets in Harvard Square, Harvest remains one of the top dining destinations not only in Cambridge, but also the greater Boston metro area. Its interior courtyard is a favorite for al fresco eating, while its fireplace is perfect for cozying up during the cooler months—making it a New American go-to the entire year round.