10 Best Lunch Spots in Boston for an Afternoon Adventure

Getting some lunch with friends and being able to catch up is always an enjoyable time. No matter where you go out to eat, or what the conversations you have may consist of, it’s always nice to get out there and catch up with friends and family over some tasty food. If you live in Boston, or are even just visiting the area, there are a lot of incredible restaurants to check out. Come see what our top seven lunch restaurants in Boston have in store for you today!

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1. Saltie Girl

Seafood dishes are hard to pass up whenever you check out this restaurant!

279 Dartmouth Street | Back Bay | saltiegirl.com

We know that you may be looking for one of the best lunch restaurants in Boston to hit up with your friends and family. If you are struggling to find something new and exciting, make sure to check out Saltie Girl today! Saltie Girl is known for their incredibly fresh seafood, raw bar, and many other goodies that you will fall in love with.

Don’t miss out on Saltie Girl and some of their best seafood dishes, including their lobster rolls, torched salmon belly, fried lobster, snow crab toast, clam chowder, tinned fish, fried clams, sea urchin crudo, and lots more. Check out Saltie Girl in Boston today for a meal you’ll never forget!

“Others had the lobster and waffles, burger, and lobster roll. Everyone left the table more than satisfied!” - Yelp Review 

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2. Parish Cafe & Bar

You can never go wrong with gourmet sandwiches and craft cocktails!

361 Boylston Street | Back Bay | parishcafe.com

Do you love sandwiches? Sometimes there is nothing better than a delicious sandwich filled with flavor, and where can you get one of those? In Boston, there’s no other place like the Parish Cafe & Bar where you can try out a lot of delicious gourmet sandwiches and hamburgers, along with craft cocktails to perfectly complement your meal! 

Make sure to check out Parish Cafe & Bar where you can try out everything from zuni rolls, hot and cold chicken salads, chicken sandwiches, Mexican meatball sandwiches, spicy tuna burgers, meatloaf club sandwiches, and lots more. Don’t miss out on the Parish Cafe & Bar with their tasty sandwiches and cocktails! 

“Parish is unique in that they feature popular sandwiches created by chefs from other restaurants.” - Yelp Review

Buy a gift card for Parish Cafe & Bar 

3. Ma Maison

Do you love the taste of French cuisine? There is no better place to go to than here! 

272 Cambridge Street | Beacon Hill | mamaisonboston.com

If you love trying out new kinds of food or dishes you never thought possible, then you need to come to Ma Maison as soon as possible! Ma Maison is a french restaurant known for their incredibly amazing recipes that are made with the freshest ingredients possible. You can even enjoy some sophisticated dining in a setting perfect if you’re celebrating any special occasion.

Ma Maison has everything you need when it comes to delicious French cuisine, such as foie gras, French onion soup, lobster bisque, veal chops, steak tartare, braised short ribs, frog legs, and so much more. Check out Ma Maison for all of your French cuisine needs right now that are perfect for any lunch date!

“I'd love to come back and try their dinner menu. This is a great place for a casual hangout or a nice date!” - Yelp Review 

Buy a gift card for Ma Maison

4. Mike & Patty’s

A corner cafe for all those who love a nice and cozy environment with great food!

12 Church St | Boston | mikeandpattys.com 

Deciding where to eat can sometimes be a struggle, especially not knowing what’s open or the real problem, what’s gonna be actually good to eat! Well, Mike & Patty’s is here to take all the worries away with their award winning restaurant. Specializing in sandwiches, this popular spot has taken the Boston area by storm and along with their tasty coffee that pairs weirdly well with their sandwiches. 

Mike & Patty’s has a combined “Breakfast & Lunch” menu and just some of the items on their include the “Fancy” which is two fried eggs, bacon, cheddar cheese, avocado, red onions and their house mayo on toasted multigrain bread, the Grilled Crack which consists of a fried egg, double bacon, American, Swiss, cheddar and gruyere cheese on buttered sourdough, and the “Robbie” which has roasted turkey, cheddar, avocado, red onions and the house mayo on toasted multigrain bread!

“Yelp helped me find this neighborhood gem. It was walking distance from my hotel so I went around 8am on a Thursday. I walked right in and was warmly greeted. I went with The Fancy. So much flavor in every bite! If you're near, go visit!” -Yelp Review

5. Blunch

Surprise! Breakfast and lunch is served here alongside their famous chocolate chip cookies!

59 E Springfield St | Boston | eatblunch.com 

Another sandwich centric place here! Since 2008 the aptly named Blunch has been serving the best breakfast and lunch foods out there! Serving not justy savory items but also sweet, Blunch serves satisfyingly good pressed sandwiches, lighter stuff like salads, and a bunch of pastries and other baked goodies to treat yo’ self with!

From the “Big Papi” which is a part of their pressed sandwich section consisting of black forest ham, pickles, swiss cheese, spicy aioli, all on a crusty baguette and “The Meltdown” which is triple pressed mozzarella, cheddar, and swiss cheese, with shop boursin and tomato all on sough dough! And then sweets like brownies, blondes, churros, scones, and their popular triple chocolate chip cookies!

“Great place for a quick bite.  Lots of great options.  The staff is always so friendly and the food comes out quick. Only downside is that there isn't a ton of space to eat but now that the weather is getting nicer, you can try and snag a spot outside!” -Yelp Review

6. North Street Grille

Serving big plates with American fare in a quaint space!

229 North St | Boston | bestbrunchboston.com 

What started as a dream to create a friendly neighborhood restaurant with great food and service soon became a reality in 2004 when North Street Grille first opened its doors in Boston. Now this “go-to” spot has become one of the best places to grab brunch in the city with an experienced team behind in the kitchen working hard to take recipes and make them even better, North Street Grille is here to bring dedication to everyone!

On the “Dine-in Menu” the North Street Grille has a bunch of options for all those looking for good food with good portions. With items like Chicken & Waffle Sliders, Burrito Pancakes (maple ham, scrambled eggs, cheddar cheese, and maple hollandaise), Hand-Made Jalapeño Poppers, BBQ Pulled Pork Sliders, the Spicy Crispy Chicken Wrap, and more, this hot spot has so much to bring you definitely won’t go hungry here!

“This restaurant has possibly perfected brunch. The banana bread french toast is unreal, so delicious. The chicken and waffles, chef's kiss. Corned beef hash, crushing it. And the boozy milkshakes!!! Bless their hearts.” -Yelp Review

7. Row 34

Fish entrees, an entire oyster menu, and craft beer ready to serve is perfect for your lunch outing!

383 Congress St | Boston | row34.com 

Row 34’s love for seafood runs deep, meaning they put the absolute best effort into making sure that everything on their menu is fresh and built from the best ingredients around. They’re here to make seafood, something you’ll want to try, and through their expert chefs and knowledgeable staff, this spot is perfect for all those craving a taste of the sea at lunch time.

Though their lunch menu is relatively simple, that doesn’t take away from the sheer tasty-ness of their food! With dishes like New England Clam Chowder, Pan Fried Crab Cake, Crab Bolognese, Grilled Salmon, Bacon Cheddar Burger, Fish Tacos, and more, you’re sure to make your sea food cravings satisfied!

“EVERYTHING WE ORDERED WAS AMAZING!! 100% recommend if visiting Boston and looking for a light yet perfectly filling meal. The crab cake was the best I've ever had and the warm lobster rolls with butter are prepared perfectly. Amazing.” -Yelp Review

8. Carmelina's

Big portions of classic Italian dishes with a modern twist in a big open concept space!

307 Hanover St | Boston | carmelinasboston.com 

“Traditional Sicilian comfort food with a Mediterranean twist.” That’s what the very popular Carmelina’s Boston is here to provide to all those who walk through their doors. From highly acclaimed chefs Damien DiPaola and di Cucina Michael Hollenkamp, they’ve taken DiPaola’s old family recipes and have turned them into modern adaptations with equal parts pasta and seafood. Aka it’s all so darn yummy!

On the menu is an array of things to take delight in, from wines, craft cocktails, and beer, to sides, salads, appetizers like Fried Calamari and Black Angus Beef Carpaccio. Also on the menu includes pasta dishes like good ol’ Bolognese, Maine Lobster Ravioli, and Gnocchi al Forno, along with Chicken Milanese and Pesce Pistachio as main courses! 

“Stopped in this afternoon for some lunch before heading home to ATL! The meal amd service was Top Notch!  Highly recommend either dish- I should mention the meatballs were DELICIOUS! amd the Rigatoni were absolutely mouth watering!!! I would give 10 stars if I could!” -Yelp Review

9. Miznon

International. Mediterranean. Seafood Market. = Yes.

107 Seaport Blvd | Boston | miznonnyc.com 

First opening up in Tel Aviv and then eventually expanding to Paris, Vienna, Melbourne, Singapore, and now the United States, Miznon is here to bring a different take on Mediterranean Street Food by using seasonal and fresh ingredients to make something a little different than what you might be expecting. 

Their vision is to take what’s in their immediate environment and transform it into foods everyone will love.

On the Boston location's menu you can expect dishes including but not limited to the Falafel Burger, Rotisserie Broken Chicken, Folded Cheeseburger, Ratatouille Pita, and Lavan!  

“Incredible middle eastern food!   The pitas are thick and full of flavor.  We tried many different pita sandwiches.  Loved them all!  Can't wait to eat here again.  It is a casual place.  You order at the counter and they bring the food to your table.” -Yelp Review

10. The Salty Pig

Focusing on American comfort food that’s all things pork!

Buy a Salty Pig gift card

130 Dartmouth St | Boston | thesaltypig.com

Back Bay and South End, famous for being Boston’s most famous neighborhoods, and The Salty Pig is the classic example of being a “neighborhood” staple, with backward foods and a specific emphasis on chauceturie. Mixing and matching house made meats and cheeses, The Salty Pig offers something a little different than your average afternoon lunch adventure.

On the lunch menu you can have the Salty Pig Board which has Prosciutto Cotto, Pork Rillette, Manchego, and Smoked Shallot Marmalade, the Farmstead Board which has Mt. Alice, Swallow Tail Tomme, Tres Bonne Gouda, Almonds, Fresno Pepper Jam, and Honey. Also the Italian Grinder sandwich which consists of Salami, Cotto, Mortadella, Provolone, Cherry Peppers, Red Onion, and Arugula, Rigatoni pasta, Margherita pizza, and more!

“We had a great lunch at the salty pig. The farmhouse board was great to start. All of the cheeses were so interesting and the toppings were amazing. The pizza was also so good. We had a great meal! No complaints here!” -Yelp Review

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That's it for our list of lunch joints in beautiful Boston, MA.

Well there you have it, those are some of the best lunches in Boston! From street foods, to diner foods, classy French and Italian, and more, these spots are perfect for any occasion of a great afternoon lunch out with friends, family, and other loved ones!