Guides

Where to Eat in Greater Boston for April 2026

New and exciting restaurants to check out, plus good reasons to visit older spots.

By Rachel Leah Blumenthal· 4/3/2026, 7:30 a.m.

A large pan of seafood paella featuring shrimp, mussels, clams, and rice garnished with herbs. The pan has a brass handle and is set on a table with a patterned chair in the background.

Dalia’s Valencia paella, with shellfish, chorizo, and chicken. / Photo by Rachel Leah Blumenthal

As Boston teeters somewhere between Fool’s Spring and Second Winter, swinging wildly from 60-degree days to 35, one thing is constant: There are tons of exciting new restaurants to check out. (Just wear layers.) We’re back with our monthly where-to-eat guide, sharing some of Greater Boston’s newest restaurants, as well as a few good reasons to revisit older spots. On this month’s list: Spanish wood-fired feasts in gorgeous Southie digs; Korean-inspired pasta dishes on Beacon Hill; loaded sandwiches and dirty sodas in a downtown food hall; and lots more. (Check out last month’s guide here.)

Jump to:

New restaurants to try this month: Recent (or imminent) openings you’ve got to check out.
Older restaurants doing new things: Expansions and other changes—time for a (re)visit.
Looking ahead: Intriguing spots coming soon (or not-so-soon).

Also check out our recently published or updated dining guides: Buffalo wings | Fenway restaurants, bars, and cafés | Irish pubs | New Haven restaurants (beyond “apizza” spots) | Omakase restaurants

New Restaurants to Try This Month

Recent (or imminent) openings to check out.

Two foil containers of dumplings are shown, one with pan-fried dumplings arranged around a small bowl of dipping sauce, and the other with steamed dumplings in a creamy orange sauce. Above them is a bowl of salad containing chopped onions, tomatoes, green chilies, and crispy noodles.

Two styles of momo and wai wai sadeko, a crunchy noodle salad, from Aama Lama in Malden. / Photo by Rachel Leah Blumenthal

Aama Lama (Malden)

Juicy momo, best dunked in a tangy tomato-and-chili sauce, are a compelling reason to visit this Nepali newbie. Adding to the appeal? Wai wai sadeko, a crunchy noodle salad upon which we can’t stop snacking.

519 Main St., Malden, 781-321-8800, aamalama.com.

A dining area with a long wooden table surrounded by pink upholstered chairs featuring black zebra patterns. The walls have large botanical murals in muted tones, and three ornate crystal chandeliers hang from the dark ceiling. The floor has a geometric patterned tile, and there are two small wall sconces with warm lighting on the mural wall. A large mirror with floral details is visible on the right side.

Bambola. / Photo by Armani Thao

Bambola and the Girl Next Door (Seaport)

Eat pasta, then party. This duo from the team behind nightlife spots Rock & Rye, the Flamingo, and more includes pasta and such on the restaurant side (Bambola) and more Italian food and night-out vibes on the cocktail bar side (the Girl Next Door). Plus, leopard print and chandeliers as far as the eye can see.

225 Northern Ave., Seaport District, Boston, bambolabos.com.

Cafe Noodo (West End)

A soothing bowl of pre-commute soup full of braised beef and fresh noodles? Yes, please: Boston’s Lanzhou noodle scene keeps heating up, and the latest tempting addition is just steps from North Station.

1 Nashua St., West End, Boston, instagram.com/cafenoodo.

Call Me Honey (East Cambridge)

Curio Coffee’s Liège waffles ruled East Cambridge for a decade. Now, the tiny café enters a new chapter, run by former Curio staffers. We can’t wait to watch the evolution, but we’re psyched the waffles are sticking around.

441 Cambridge St., East Cambridge, instagram.com/honeyscambridge.

CeCarré Pizza & Provisions (Back Bay)

When one pizza door closes, another opens: The owners of the Descendant Detroit Style Pizza franchise at this location did a quick rebrand last month, creating their own restaurant that puts Roman pinsa in the spotlight. The Roman-style pizza features a crispy-outside, airy-inside crust. You can try one topped with gold and caviar if you have money to burn, or more classic options. Also: sandwiches, salads, and sweets.

800 Boylston St. (Prudential Center), Back Bay, Boston, 617-544-0417, cecarre.com.

A table set with a variety of dishes and drinks, including a large pan of seafood paella with shrimp, mussels, and clams, a plate of nachos topped with cured meat and black caviar, a bowl of mixed olives, a bottle of red wine, glasses of red wine, a glass of sangria with fruit slices, and a ceramic pitcher with a green leaf design. The tableware features white plates with blue patterns.

A spread of food and drinks at Dalia, including chips with jamón ibérico and caviar; paella; and red sangria. / Photo by Rachel Leah Blumenthal

Dalia (South Boston)

Yowza, this new Capri and Prima sibling is gorgeous. Wood-fired, Spanish-inspired cuisine stars here—tapas, paella, and more—and you can watch it all come together in the open kitchen, the focal point of a restaurant with admittedly quite a few attention-grabbing details.

429 W. Broadway, South Boston, daliaboston.com.

Outdoor seating area with wooden tables and white canvas chairs facing a waterfront, with a city skyline and partly cloudy sky in the background.

La Tavernetta. / Photo by Rachel Leah Blumenthal

La Tavernetta (East Boston)

Your summer to-do list: Get a seat on the patio at La Tavernetta, opening April 13. Amazing skyline views pair with fun, tavern-like Italian fare (and spritzes aplenty). It’s from the Mida team next door—why not hit both in one night?

45 Lewis St., East Boston, latavernettaeastie.com.

Olivia’s Kitchen (Ball Square)

Fresh pasta fans, this one’s for you. Cozy up in this new Ball Square nook for expertly made ribbons of tagliatelle with hearty Bolognese, plump beef-stuffed tortelli with peas and ham, and other Italian treats.

711 Broadway, Ball Square, Somerville, 781-957-6061, olivias-kitchen.com.

Three green takeout containers with different meals: one with a lobster roll sandwich and French fries garnished with lemon wedges; another with a breaded fried fish fillet on French fries with lemon wedges; and the third with two crab cakes topped with sauce, steamed broccoli and onions, white rice, and lemon wedges.

Roger’s Fish Co. / Photo by Michael Blanchard

Roger’s Fish Co. (East Boston)

After selling the Legal Sea Foods restaurants a few years back, former president and CEO Roger Berkowitz got back in the game with an online fish market. Now he’s dipping his toes back in the restaurant world with a fast-casual spin on that fish market: Roger’s Fish Co. is open at Logan Airport (and possibly future locations elsewhere) with counter-service lobster rolls, clam chowder, and more.

1 Harborside Dr. (Logan Airport), East Boston, rogersfishco.com.

A whole fried fish served on a white rectangular plate, topped with a fresh salad of sliced red onions and tomatoes, accompanied by fried potato pieces and a lime wedge on the side. The plate is set on a textured surface with a green plant partially visible in the foreground.

Rosa y Marigold’s frito pescadito con papa dorada y salsa criolla, deep-fried whole branzino with potatoes and salsa criolla (tomato and onion). / Photo by Rachel Leah Blumenthal

Rosa y Marigold (Back Bay)

This long-awaited sibling to Peruvian favorites Celeste and La Royal finally debuts in April, and we cannot wait to dive into tiradito (a raw fish dish), anticuchos (skewered meats), chifa (Peruvian-Chinese) dishes, sánguches (Peruvian sandwiches), and more. Live music will jazz up the place.

400 Newbury St. (Lyrik Back Bay), Back Bay, Boston, rosaymarigold.com.

A pizza with a golden-brown crust topped with spinach and a sprinkle of nuts or seeds, placed on a wooden table. Next to the pizza is a glass of red wine.

Spinach pizza at Willie’s. / Photo by Rachel Leah Blumenthal

Willie’s (Beacon Hill)

Take a sit-down pizza-and-pasta spot, add some influences from its siblings (Zurito, Basque; Somaek, Korean), and you’ve got Charles Street’s newest hit. Fancy-ham-topped pizza and burrata-topped banchan, anyone?

20 Charles St., Beacon Hill, Boston, williesboston.com.

Older Restaurants Doing New Things

Expansions and other changes—time for a (re)visit.

A wooden table displays a variety of food and drinks, including a rectangular pizza, a plate of French fries with a sandwich, a bowl of salad, a plate of roasted corn, a bowl of chicken wings, and a bowl of popcorn. There are also three drinks: a glass of beer, a cocktail with a lime garnish, and a large wine glass with a pink flower decoration. The background features large black-and-white sports photographs from The Boston Globe, depicting rowing, gymnastics, running, and basketball.

261 at Para Maria. / Courtesy photo

261 at Para Maria (Seaport District)

It’s all about women’s athletics at this pop-up sports bar at Para Maria at the Envoy Hotel, running through the end of April with a packed schedule of viewing parties and more. (The name refers to the bib number of barrier-breaking marathoner Kathrine Switzer.) Dine on bar food—Nashville hot chicken sliders, hot honey pepperoni flatbread, etc.—while taking in the photo exhibit of Boston women’s sports photography, in partnership with the Boston Globe.

70 Sleeper St. (Envoy Hotel), Seaport District, Boston, theenvoyhotel.com.

A white oval plate with three rows of thinly sliced fish carpaccio in different colors: white, orange, and red. Each row is garnished with small greens and seasonings, with a drizzle of olive oil on the white fish. A lemon twist is placed on the right side of the plate. The plate is set on a rustic stone surface.

Avra Estiatorio’s sashimi platter. / Photo by Rachel Leah Blumenthal

Avra Estiatorio (Back Bay)

The Lyrik development is really leveling up this month with the debut of Avra—a fancy-schmancy Greek chain with locations in Beverly Hills, Miami, and beyond—and Rosa y Marigold (see below). Avra is known for its seafood in various preparations, from charcoal-grilled, whole fish to ceviche and sashimi that deviate from the Greek playbook. Also: enormous slices of chocolate cake.

400 Newbury St. (Lyrik Back Bay), Back Bay, Boston, theavragroup.com.

A dish featuring seasoned yellow rice topped with cooked okra, pieces of dark-colored meat, and garnished with purple microgreens, served on a white plate.

Madras curry stewed goat with jollof rice and crispy okra at the Chop Bar pop-up at Oggi, March 2026. / Photo by Rachel Leah Blumenthal

The Chop Bar (Various Locations)

Chef Kwasi Kwaa, who was chef-partner on the opening team of Comfort Kitchen in Dorchester, has thankfully restarted his Afro-Diasporic pop-up series, which deliciously draws inspiration from the roadside restaurants of his Ghanaian childhood. You’re going to want to keep an eye out for future dates: The March event at Oggi in Harvard Square was memorable, with flavor-packed dishes such as warming Madras curry stewed goat with jollof rice and crispy okra.

Various locations, Greater Boston, thechopbar.com.

Grilled lobster split in half on a beige plate, garnished with herbs, accompanied by a charred lemon half and a small cup of creamy herb sauce, placed on a dark wooden surface.

Whole grilled lobster with miso-garlic butter at Common Craft in South Boston. / Photo by Rachel Leah Blumenthal

Common Craft (South Boston)

Perhaps you’ve been to the original Common Craft in Burlington, a drink-focused, multi-bar setup that celebrates craft brews, liquors, and more. The new Southie offshoot is decidedly more food-focused, with James Beard Award-winning chef Tony Messina overseeing a kitchen that—like its suburban sibling—highlights “craft” in its many forms, in part through a rotating menu called “the Current” that might feature, for instance, one local purveyor or one specific cooking method or tool.

85 Damrell St. (ground floor of the South Standard apartment building), South Boston, commoncrafthospitality.com.

Six hot dogs are served on metal trays lined with red and white checkered paper. Each hot dog has different toppings, including shredded cheese, mustard, chopped herbs, potato sticks, and lime wedges. The trays are arranged on a wooden table.

Harpoon Seaport’s Haute Dogs, a collaboration with chef Ken Oringer. / Courtesy photo

Harpoon Seaport (Seaport District)

What goes great with beer? Fun “haute” dogs (like one temptingly topped with street corn) designed in collaboration with James Beard Award-winning chef Ken Oringer at Harpoon’s rebranded don’t-call-it-a-beer-hall-anymore, celebrating its 40th this year.

306 Northern Ave., Seaport District, Boston, 617-456-2322, harpoonbrewery.com.

Four bowls of Asian-style dishes, each served with white rice. The top left bowl contains crispy chicken pieces with broccoli and dried red chilies. The top right bowl has a spicy dish with rice cakes and ground meat garnished with chopped green onions. The bottom left bowl features beef stir-fried with broccoli and onions. The bottom right bowl includes a mix of chicken, peanuts, diced red bell peppers, and celery in a savory sauce. All dishes are presented in round metal bowls on a wooden surface.

Tigerbaby dishes at High Street Place food hall. Clockwise from top left: tiger tangerine chicken, Korean pork tteokbokki, Thai basil chicken, and black pepper beef and broccoli. / Photo by Brian Samuels

High Street Place (Downtown Boston)

Hallelujah! Chef Tiffani Faison’s beloved Southeast Asian-inspired restaurant Tiger Mama is back—well, sort of. Indulge in workday lunches of tangerine chicken and black-pepper beef in fast-casual form at Tigerbaby, now open at the food hall High Street Place. Also new to the bustling downtown food hall: Stack & Schmear, from the team behind High Street’s Wheelhouse and Haley Jane’s, with bagel sandwiches, subs, and dirty sodas.

100 High St., Downtown Boston, highstreetplace.com.

Jumbo Seafood (Boston University)

Forget about squeezing dim sum into your precious weekend mornings: It’s available all day, every day, at this new BU-area offshoot of a 30-year-old Chinatown staple. Better yet, everything is, well, jumbo, from the shrimp to the menu.

1032 Commonwealth Ave., Brookline, 617-858-8168, jumboseafoodboston.com.

Overhead view of a big, braised piece of lamb on the bone atop a yellow-orange puree and a purple salad of shredded radicchio.

Kush by Saba’s coffee-braised lamb shank with potato parsnip puree and wilted radicchio salad, a seasonal special. / Photo by Saba Wahid Duffy

Kush Modern Mediterranean (Union Square)

From food truck to takeout and catering to, finally, a restaurant: Kush Modern Mediterranean, the evolution of Kush by Saba, opens April 28 in a grandly renovated, petite former garage space that previously housed takeout spots Wade BBQ and Littleburg. We’re hoping Kush owner Saba Wahid Duffy, a Chopped champion, keeps the spicy lamb merguez mac and cheese on the menu.

5 Sanborn Ct., Union Square, Somerville, kushbysaba.com.

Lanikai at Love Art Sushi (East Cambridge)

Summer’s not here yet, but we can pretend on this virtual trip to Hawaii. The new Lechmere-adjacent Love Art Sushi location serves poke hand rolls alongside other tasty island-inspired bites when the Lanikai pop-up takes over Thursday through Saturday evenings.

1 Canal Pk., East Cambridge, loveartsushi.com/lanikai.

A modern café counter with a glass display case, wooden countertop, and a sign on the front reading "Third Time Together" in large black letters. The counter has a striped design in pink, purple, and blue near the bottom. Behind the counter, there are kitchen shelves, utensils, and equipment, with some pastries placed on the counter. The setting has a warm, inviting atmosphere with wooden and metal elements.

Third Time Together. / Photo by Siena Griffin

Third Time Together (Kendall Square)

Third Time Together—née Third Time Ice Cream, a Best of Boston winner—has landed a permanent space and evolved into a delightful all-day café with Middle Eastern-inspired dishes and, yes, still ice cream. Supremely creative ice cream, at that. (Even vanilla isn’t just vanilla, amped up with the zing of pink peppercorn.)

399 Binney St., Kendall Square, Cambridge, thirdtimetogether.co.

Looking Ahead

Intriguing spots coming soon (or not-so-soon). Find more to look forward to in our 2026 anticipated openings guide.

Three people stand side by side outdoors in front of a window and brick wall. The person on the left wears a light beige quarter-zip sweater and green pants. The person in the middle wears a red wrap-style top and dark jeans. The person on the right wears glasses, a black buttoned cardigan over a light blue shirt, and dark jeans. All three are smiling.

Coda Restaurant Group partners, from left: Ted Hawkins, managing partner; Deirdre Auld, CEO; and Jim Cochener, founder. / Courtesy photo

Celine (Fort Point)

This in-the-works restaurant from the SRV and Baleia crew promises to be “a vibe,” and yes, it’s a bit of an homage to the diva herself, Céline Dion. French-Canadian inspiration will combine with neighborhood-y American for a hospitable spot with “a heavy bar presence.”

324 A St., Fort Point, Boston, codarestaurantgroup.com.

A table set with a variety of dishes including several plates of sliced steak in cast iron skillets, roasted potatoes, French fries, oysters on the half shell with lemon, grilled shrimp, a baked dish topped with melted cheese, bone marrow, a plate with two stuffed or topped pieces of bread, and a plate with a cooked chicken thigh. There are also drinks, including a glass with a lemon slice and a red beverage. Four people are seated around the table, reaching for food.

A spread of Hawksmoor food. / Courtesy photo

Hawksmoor (Fort Point)

London-based steakhouse chain Hawksmoor is aiming for a fall 2026 debut in Boston, adding to U.S. outposts in New York and Chicago. Setting it apart from Boston’s many other steakhouse chains: acclaimed Sunday roasts and come-as-you-are vibes.

15 Necco St., Fort Point, Boston, thehawksmoor.com/us.

Three people standing indoors in front of large windows with a view of leafless trees outside. The person on the left has medium-length dark hair and is wearing a dark jacket over a dark shirt. The person in the middle has gray hair pulled back, glasses, and is wearing a dark sweater with a gold necklace. The person on the right has dark hair slicked back, a beard, glasses, and is wearing a dark suit with a white shirt and a red pocket square. All three are smiling.

From left: Eric Papachristos, Jody Adams, and Jon Mendez, collectively A Street Hospitality, stand in the under-construction space of their new restaurant, with the Public Garden in view through the windows. / Photo by Rachel Leah Blumenthal

Unnamed A Street Hospitality Project (Back Bay)

The team behind La Padrona, Trade, and more has recently begun construction on a new project in the iconic Bristol Lounge space next to the Public Garden. Expect luxurious classics: caviar and blini, Dover sole, prime rib, lobster bisque, and such, says chef-partner Jody Adams.

A version of this guide first appeared in the print edition of the April 2026 issue with the headline “The Hot List.”