12 best fine dining restaurants in Boston

The dining experience at o ya is luxurious from start to finish. The grand omakase menu incorporates a breathtaking assortment of artfully composed plates prepared by James Beard Award-winning chef Tim Cushman. Sake sommelier Nancy Cushman pairs each dish with selections from a world-class sake list. o ya is one of the most expensive restaurants in town, but scores of critics agree it’s entirely worth it. 

The priciest restaurant in Barbara Lynch’s collection, Menton impresses with its contemporary French- and Italian-inspired cuisine. Guests choose between à la carte options and a “chef’s whim” tasting menu. Dishes feature luxurious ingredients like sea urchin and black truffle, while French linens, Austrian crystal, and attentive service elevate the fine dining experience. The private chef’s table, which provides views of the impressive kitchen, is an excellent option for a special occasion.

No. 9 Park remains the crown jewel of Barbara Lynch’s culinary empire, as well as one of the best fine dining establishments in Boston. Located across from Boston Common, this sophisticated restaurant offers expert service alongside its regionally-inspired Italian and French dishes. The welcoming lounge area offers one of the city’s most decorated wine lists, plus well-made cocktails and a more affordable menu. Dining tables by the windows, with views of the Common, are perfect for a special occasion.

Chefs Ken Oringer and Jamie Bissonnette recently added an Italian-inspired restaurant to their fantastic local line-up (Coppa, Toro, Little Donkey), and we’re so glad they did. The seafood inspired menu utilizes fresh ingredients, including in-season produce from the Copley Square Farmers Market. The spacious Back Bay restaurant serves coastal delights including a half dozen crudos, grilled Scituate lobster and an excellent selection of spritzes.

With waterfront views as the backdrop, this pasture-to-plate eatery is fine dining at its best (hello, caviar service). Chef Charlie Foster impresses with dry aged duck breast, grass fed hanger steak, and seasonal line-caught striped bass, while produce comes fresh from his New Hampshire farm. Homemade pasta dishes like Squish Ink Casarecce might stuff your belly, but the friendly atmosphere is anything but stuffy.

Chef Peter Ungár's culinary talents bring foodies out to a hidden corner of Somerville. Ungár worked in the kitchen of the late, lauded Aujourd'hui, as well as in Paris, and is unafraid to push the envelope across all courses of his tasting menus. Creative dishes are prepped in front of the 20-seat counter, thus the “dining as theater” aspect of the experience.

Leave the jingle of Encore’s slot machines behind for the rare opportunity to dine in an elegant steakhouse with the only authentic beef program of Japanese Wagyu in New England, along with domestic beef from Snake River Farms in Idaho and LaFrieda Meats, locally farmed produce and dairy, and freshly caught seafood. On Sunday, hit the jackpot with the famed Surf & Turf for Two—a 20-oz, dry-aged domestic Wagyu New York strip paired with a broiled, 2 ½-lb Maine lobster. White tablecloths, plated perfection and attentive staff all add to this winning fine dining experience.

With stone floors, high ceilings, enormous windows, and an atmosphere suggestive of Provence, Mistral is both sophisticated and elegantly casual. It’s a sunny fine dining experience marked by an exquisite French-Mediterranean menu and fine wines. Service remains superb, making it a distinctive fine dining experience.

Mamma Maria is a unique restaurant in Boston because it doesn’t feel like it belongs in Boston at all. When you walk into Mamma Maria you get a tingling sensation that you have mistakenly entered someone’s luxuriously historic home. Mamma Maria is one of Boston’s truly fine dining establishments and you will realize why they are a notch above the rest as soon as you take your first bite of fresh pasta. 

Famous city-wide as a steakhouse and fine dining option, Grill 23 has hosted countless business dinners and special occasion gatherings. High ceilings, marble columns, white tablecloths, and white jacket-clad waiters all contribute to the classy atmosphere. The wine program has won national awards, as have the perfectly-prepped steaks.

For a study in sushi-as-fine-dining, head to this pricey South End sushi den, where celebratory couples and business groups come in for over-the-top meals. Rolls are made with lobster tempura, truffles, caviar and wagyu beef, to name but a few outré elements. Steak and potato types might want to stick to the entrée side of the menu, which includes teriyaki ribeye, seafood risotto and a Chilean seabass. Studious, respectful servers maintain a calm atmosphere.

Harvest has celebrated regional ingredients through its elegant, seasonal menus since 1975. Diners can enjoy locally-sourced seafood, meats, and homemade pastas. The menu is sophisticated, and service is meticulous. In warmer weather, Harvest offers outdoor fine dining in a beautiful patio terrace.