From fiery Thai in Everett to North Shore beef worth the wait in Danvers, head to the ‘burbs for some of the best Greater Boston dining.
For the Great Suburban Restaurant Hunt, the cover story of our August 2026 issue, we passed by our usual stomping grounds just beyond Boston (Cambridge, Somerville) to dive deeply into the restaurant scenes of other communities in the vicinity. With a border of I-495, here are 25 top-notch suburban spots we love north of Boston—hand-pulled noodles in Woburn, genre-defying tasting menus in Lynn, wood-fired pizzas in Gloucester, and more.
25 Must-Try Restaurants West of Boston (coming soon)25 Must-Try Restaurants South of Boston (coming soon)
A Tavola
It’s dinner and a show at this Italian stalwart, where those lucky enough to snag a chef’s-counter seat are treated to a front-row view of the crispy cacio e pepe arancini and whole roasted branzino flying out of the open kitchen. On Wednesdays, those coveted seats become the spot for a five-course feast highlighting seasonal pasta dishes: always changing, never to be missed…