Once upon a time Boston was known for its baked beans, cream pie and Fenway Franks. But, now, with restaurants opening from renowned chefs like Todd English, Jody Adams and Bill Bradley, the city is transforming itself into a culinary hub. The Red Sox may not have won a World Series since 1918, but you'll score big with your love if you dine at one of these romantic restaurants. Each is as unique and charming as your special relationship.
MERITAGE--THE RESTAURANT 70 Rowes Wharf, Boston, MA 02110 (617) 439-3995 Hours: (Tue-Thur) 5:30-10 p.m.; (Fri&Sat) 5:30-11 p.m.; (Sunday brunch) 10:30 a.m.-2 p.m. Chef Daniel Bruce lovingly pairs wine flavors with unforgettable culinary delights, served up in a burgundy-dashed decor. Wine-friendly specialties include Kobe beef, Vermont pheasant, and Nantucket scallops, ready to be matched with the ever-changing wine list, which is built on the traditions of the Boston Wine Festival. Full-bodied white wines complement the wood-grilled Atlantic halibut and charred onion crème; the proscuitto wrapped venison loin and a bottle of spicy red is a marriage made in heaven. Enjoy spectacular views of the Boston Harbor, as you enjoy a very happy ending: a white fruit tasting plate comprised of winesap apple sorbet, comice pear pandowdy and quince brioche crisp.
Estimated cost per person for dinner = $51-$70
Holiday Schedule: New Years Day-Open, Valentines Day-Open, Easter-Open, Thanksgiving-Open, Christmas Eve-Closed, Christmas Day-Closed, New Years Eve-Open
UPSTAIRS AT THE SQUARE 91 Winthrop St., Cambridge, MA 02138 (617) 864-1933 Hours: Open every day, 11 a.m.-1 a.m.; lunch served 11:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m.; dinner served 5-11 p.m.; Sunday brunch served 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Celebrate this Harvard Square institution by cozying up and holding hands while looking out at Winthrop Park in the heart of the Square. You’ll feel like you stepped into Lewis Carroll rabbit hole, swirling into a whimsical land of leopard-print carpets and handpainted walls. Admire your reflection in the gilded mirror, then dive into a salad of heirloom tomatoes, topped off with young goat cheese, spicy radishes and vanilla. The wood-charcoaled lamb sirloin is to die for. Can’t decide what to order? Choose from the five-or-seven course Victorian tasting menu.
Estimated cost per person for dinner = $62-$86
Holiday Schedule: New Years Day-Open, Valentines Day-Open, Easter-Open, Thanksgiving-Open, Christmas Eve-Closed, Christmas Day-Closed, New Years Eve-Open
DALI RESTAURANT AND TAPAS BAR 415 Washington St., Somerville, MA 02143 (617 ) 661-3254 Open daily, 5:30-11 p.m. Bar open until 12:30 a.m. This restaurant has been a fixture in town since 1989, with lines of patrons patiently waiting in the dusky foyer or bar. With over 40 tapas and five entrees, you can nibble to your heart’s content. Try the marinated mushrooms, baked goat cheese, and of course, paella. Toast your date with Sangria or Spanish Sherries, and end your meal with flan or fruit crepe. The tables are packed together, but that adds to the intimate ambiance.
Estimated cost per person for dinner = $35 - $45
Holiday Schedule: New Years Day-Open, Valentines Day-Open, Easter-Open, Thanksgiving-Open, Christmas Eve-Closed, Christmas Day-Closed, New Years Eve-Open
BRICCO 241 Hanover Street, Boston, MA 02113 (617) 248-6800 Hours: (Mon-Thur & Sun) 5 pm-12 am; (Fri & Sat) 5 pm-1 am Voted Best New Restaurant 1999 by Bon Appetit. Adventurous Italian lovers should bring their appetites to this contemporary Italian restaurant located in the heart of Boston's North End. Its sleek and sophisticated upstairs dining room is the ideal setting for quiet conversation. From sea bass to grilled calamari you'll experience a wide variety of appetizers prepared "tapas-style" and an eclectic mix of entrées. The wine bar features an ambitious collection from some of the best lesser-known vineyards in Italy and California. In the summer, the floor-to-ceiling casement windows are open for al fresco dining.
Estimated cost per person for dinner = $35 - $45
Holiday Schedule: New Years Day-Open, Valentines Day-Open, Easter-Open, Thanksgiving-Open, Christmas Eve-Closed, Christmas Day-Closed, New Years Eve-Open
JIMMY'S HARBORSIDE RESTAURANT 242 Northern Avenue, Boston, MA 02210 (617) 423-1000 Hours: (Mon-Thur) 12 pm-9:30 pm; (Fri & Sat) 12 pm-10 pm; (Sun) 4 pm-9 pm This old Boston favorite has been serving seafood on the waterfront for 75 years. Located on city's historic fish pier, Jimmy's is in its third generation of Doulos family ownership, Jimmy's proves there is something to be said about longevity. With its nautical decor and three-tiered dining room, Jimmy's offers the city's most spectacular view of the harbor. If you're not into seafood, the prime rib melts in your mouth.
Estimated cost per person for dinner = $30 - $40
Holiday Schedule: New Years Day-Open, Valentines Day-Open, Easter-Open, Thanksgiving-Open, Christmas Eve-Open, Christmas Day-Closed, New Years Eve-Open
LES ZYGOMATES 129 South Street, Boston, MA 02111 (617) 542-5108 Hours: (Mon-Fri) 11:30 am-1 am; (Sat) 6 pm-1 am; (Sun) Closed Named for the muscles that make you smile, Les Zygomates is a French bistro that transports you to right to the Left Bank. With its sexy wine list, recognized nationally by Wine Spectator, Gourmet and The Wine Enthusiast, and unusual, tasty dishes, Zygomates captures the essence of a genuine French bistro. The restaurant's Jazz Side is unique in Boston, showcasing the area's most talented jazz artist nightly. It's hard to miss the true sense of amour here.
Estimated cost per person for dinner = $25 - $35
Holiday Schedule: New Years Day-Open, Valentines Day-Open, Easter-Open, Thanksgiving-Closed, Christmas Eve-Open, Christmas Day-Closed, New Years Eve-Open
LIBRARY GRILL AT THE HAMPSHIRE HOUSE 84 Beacon Street, Boston, MA 02108 (617) 227-9600 Hours: (Mon-Sun) 5:30 pm-10 pm; (Sun) 10:30 am-2:30 pm This elegant turn-of-the-century mansion on Beacon Hill is the ideal setting to wine, dine and dance the night away to live clarinet, bass and piano while overlooking Boston's Public Garden. The beautiful fireplaces, mahogany bookcases and portraits recreate the feeling of high society Boston circa 1900s. Order the shrimp martini and Maine lobster for a delicious New England treat. After dinner, come back to present day with a visit to Cheers for a cold Sam Adams, located downstairs (just like on television!)
Estimated cost per person for dinner = $45 - $55
Holiday Schedule: New Years Day-Open, Valentines Day-Open, Easter-Open, Thanksgiving-Closed, Christmas Eve-Open, Christmas Day-Closed, New Years Eve-Open
RADIUS 8 High Street, Boston, MA 02110 (617) 426-1234 Hours: (Mon-Fri) 11:30 am-2:30 pm; (Mon-Thur) 5:30 pm-10 pm; (Fri & Sat) 5:30 pm-11 pm; (Sun) Closed Chef Michael Schlow serves modern French cuisine at his trendy 192-seat restaurant. Couples can enjoy a special occasion meal in the main dining room while the bar bustles with the after-work movers and shakers. With its platinum and metallic decor, Radius exudes sexual energy and the sultry food looks almost too pretty to eat.
Estimated cost per person for dinner = $50 - $60
Holiday schedule: New Years Day-Closed, Valentines Day-Open, Easter-Open, Thanksgiving-Closed, Christmas Eve-Closed, Christmas Day-Closed, New Years Eve-Open
TOP OF THE HUB 800 Boylston Street, Boston, MA 02199 (617) 536-1775 Hours: (Mon-Thur) 11:30 am-2:30 pm/5:30 pm-10 pm; (Fri & Sat) till 11 pm; (Sun) 10 am-2:30 pm/5 pm-10 pm; (Sun-Thur) Lounge till 12:45 am/(Fri & Sat) Lounge till 1:45 am No romantic evening is disappointing if spent at the Top of the Hub. Located on the 52nd floor of the Prudential Tower, it is as close to heaven as you can get in Boston. You'll dine under the stars while indulging in a bird's-eye view of the city. The menu is loaded with graceful and elegant New American cuisine and there is also a late-night lounge menu. Different jazz groups entertain each night providing a sultry backdrop for romance.
Estimated cost per person for dinner = $40 - $50
Holiday Schedule: New Years Day-Closed, Valentines Day-Open, Easter-Open, Thanksgiving-Open, Christmas Eve-Open, Christmas Day-Closed, New Years Eve-Open
RISTORANTE FIORE 250 Hanover St. Boston, MA 02113 617-371-1176 Hours: Sun-Thur 11:30 am to 10:30 pm; Fri- Sat 11:30 am to 11 pm Nothing says "I Love You" like wining and dining your sweetheart at a romantic spot in the North End - Boston's Italian neighborhood. Last summer my boyfriend and I were strolling around the North End and we got a table for two on the rooftop with no waiting. In the winter the rooftop is closed but the fireplaces in the main dining room create a special warmth as you fill yourself with southern Italian comfort food. My Italian boyfriend called the food traditional and tasty - that's a huge compliment from a guy named Domenico who knows a little something about Italian food. He said the atmosphere took him right back to his small town in southern Italy. Chef/Owner Fiore Colella, also the owner of the very popular Cantina Italiana in the North End creates seasonal specials and a menu that is quickly stealing the hearts of many locals. Ristorante Fiore is warm and comfortable and the homemade pastas, veals, chicken and seafood entrees are the stars of the menu. The specials are usually drawn from what's in-season and there's one appetizer and entree offered nightly. Over the summer we got a tender veal in a wine sauce with pasta and this winter Fiore offered a broiled salmon in a mustard sauce and a seafood sausage with orange basil for an appetizer. I've also had the chicken, broccoli and penne, which was served with chunks of tender chicken perfectly seasoned in a garlic and butter sauce.
Estimated Cost Per Person: $20-$30
Holiday Schedule: New Year's Day - Closed, Valentines Day - Open, Easter - Open, Thanksgiving - Closed, Christmas Eve - Closed, Christmas Day, Closed, New Year's Eve - Open
Estimated cost per person for dinner is based upon one entrée, one beverage, and 20% gratuity.
The Top List of Romantic Restaurants - Boston, MA