Where to Eat in Greater Boston for October 2024

Pork dumplings at Mr. H. / Photo by Josh Jamison

The chill of early autumn is in the air, and we’re finding comfort in dumplings by the dozen, noodle soups, shepherd’s pie, and lots more. Here’s the latest installment of our monthly guide on where to eat around Greater Boston—new openings and a handful of older favorites we’ve revisited lately, plus a peek ahead at imminent openings. (Check out last month’s guide here.)

Jump to:

• New restaurants to try this month
• Older restaurants doing new things
• Staff recommendations
• Looking ahead

Also check out our recently updated dining guides: Coffee shops | Cider doughnuts at farms and orchards | Doughnuts | East Bayside, Portland, Maine dining and drinking | Guy Fieri-approved picks from Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives | New Haven apizza/pizza | New Haven restaurants (beyond pizza) | Portuguese food in Boston and beyond

New Restaurants to Try This Month

Recent openings you’ve got to check out.

9 Dragons at the Brook. / Courtesy photo

9 Dragons

Rte. 1’s legendary Kowloon now has a sibling inside a New Hampshire casino. Hit up 9 Dragons for Kowloon classics (crab rangoon, scorpion bowls) as well as new dishes (ginger scallion lobster with garlic noodles). DJs and live music amp things up at the 1970s Hong Kong-inspired space.

319 New Zealand Rd. (The Brook), Seabrook, New Hampshire, 603-474-3065, livefreeandplay.com.

Dani’s Queer Bar

This highly anticipated nightlife venue debuted in September, Boston’s first dedicated lesbian bar in many years. Watch for events like the Sapphic Nights Boston series and more, or just drop by anytime for comfort food (wings, burgers, etc.), drinks, and a party.

909 Boylston St., Back Bay, Boston, danisqueerbar.com.

Flake Bakery

A new bakery almost entirely devoted to pastéis de nata (Portuguese egg custard tarts), from a Lisbon native? We’re here for it. (There are also some other Portuguese pastries available, plus coffee and tea.)

1298 Beacon St., Coolidge Corner, Brookline, flakebakery.com.

Gạo Vietnamese Kitchen

This Dorchester newbie opened back in June, but with temperatures plummeting, this is the perfect time to slurp steaming bowls of soup. Our fave? The brothy and beautiful pork spare rib soup with rice noodles, dried garlic, and veggies. And don’t miss the restaurant’s signature chicken feet dishes, such as the fried, salt-and-pepper version.

1035 Dorchester Ave., Dorchester, Boston, 857-999-9889, ordergaovietnamesekitchen.com.

Kush by Saba’s oven-roasted salmon with fennel seed, tomato ragu, and pistachio olive salsa. / Photo by Saba Wahid Duffy

Kush by Saba

We’ve been eagerly awaiting the opening of Kush by Saba’s brick-and-mortar location; the modern Mediterranean food truck is taking over a quirky little nook of a space in Somerville’s Union Square. Now it’s here, albeit with limited operations to start. As of October 3, Kush by Saba is open for takeout only, just on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday nights—with delivery, dine-in, and expanded hours coming later. We’re eyeing the spicy mac and cheese with lamb merguez crumble on the opening menu.

5 Sanborn Ct., Union Square, Somerville, 774-623-4131, kushbysaba.com.

Margeaux Supper Parlor

Food fight! Wait, no—food flight. Trios of thematically connected dishes star here, where you’re encouraged to order, say, a “Fork & Knife” collection of beef Wellington, steak tips, and ribeye, or a “Field & Farm” collection of seared duck breast, lamb lollipops, and smoked pork chop. The inspirations come from New Orleans, New Hampshire, and beyond.

1924 Massachusetts Ave., Porter Square, Cambridge, margeauxsupperparlor.com.

Mr. H’s tangerine tuna. / Photo by Josh Jamison

Mr. H

Dumplings and glamour combine at the newest venue from the team behind eye-catching spots Yvonne’s, Mariel, Coquette, and more. The stunning space serves up dishes inspired by dim sum, night markets, and more, with particular attention paid to all things doughy, from soup dumplings to scallion pancakes.

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

The Munchie Station

Another recent Dorchester addition perfect for those breezy early fall days: There’s comfort food galore at Munchie Station, where you’ll find loaded fries, burgers, and fried chicken-topped Belgian waffles. All-day breakfast sandwiches? Don’t mind if we do.

996 Dorchester Ave., Dorchester, Boston, 857-222-2861, themunchiestation.shop.

A Sanctuary Café

Just in time for black-cat season, this new café/micro bookstore offers a chance for patrons to pop in for pastries (sourced from Needham’s French Press) and watch the resident felines hang out via windows into the “cat lounge.” (Coming soon: reservations to hang out with the cats. But for now, as they acclimate to the space, it’s observation-only.)

80 Charles St., Beacon Hill, Boston, asanctuarycafe.com.

Scobie’s Café & Bar

All-day Irish dining, plus three nights of traditional Irish music a week, make this one of the coziest new spots in town, courtesy of the team behind South Boston’s Shamrock Pub. Scobie’s opens early—7 a.m. Tuesday through Friday, 9 a.m. weekends—with a full Irish breakfast and other hearty options, before transitioning over to lunch and dinner offerings of shepherd’s pie, the roast of the day, and more.

782 Adams St., Dorchester, Boston, 617-765-8075, scobiesboston.com.

The Shawmut Inn

No, it’s not a boutique hotel. Rather, this new restaurant enchants with bistro vibes and globetrotting ingredients and inspirations on its gastropubby menu—Calabrian chili here, tempura there, plus a dash of Thai green curry. Owner Matt Sullivan is also behind Sullivan’s Public House in Charlestown.

477 Shawmut Ave., South End, Boston, shawmutinn.com.

Spy Bar

Ooh, mysterious: Venture into this secretive new listening lounge—part of Boston’s ongoing trend of bars that focus on high-quality audio—at the Revolution Hotel. The Beehive and Cósmica sibling offers small bites (tuna tartare, tempura artichokes) and intriguing cocktails (such as a pisco-based drink with jasmine honey, pear liqueur, and elderflower), plus a genre-hopping playlist.

40 Berkeley St. (The Revolution Hotel), South End, Boston, spybar.com.

Older Restaurants Doing New Things

Seasonal reopenings, rebrands, relocations, anniversaries, and more—time for a revisit.

The Banks Seafood and Steak

The seafood-focused sibling of Back Bay steakhouse Grill 23 & Bar, formerly known as the Banks Fish House, has recently rebranded to the Banks Seafood and Steak, bringing some of that steak-y Grill 23 magic to the mix. New to the menu: 100-day dry aged ribeye, prime bavette, prime NY strip, and more, all from California’s Brandt Beef, with which Grill 23 has a longstanding relationship.

406 Stuart St., Back Bay, Boston, 617-399-0015, thebanksboston.com.

Cha Yen Thai Cookery

This longtime Watertown favorite is moving into a larger space across the street, reopening October 5 with nearly three times as many seats and a full bar. Don’t forget to save room for ice cream: It’s a highlight here, with house-made flavors such as Thai tea, jasmine Thai basil, and spicy chocolate rotating in and out of availability.

620 Mt. Auburn Ave., Watertown, chayenthaicookery.com.

The Dark Bar

Embrace the dwindling daylight hours at this recently rebranded bar—formerly the Rowes Wharf Bar—within the Boston Harbor Hotel. With leather seating, wood tones, and moody lighting, the offerings of caviar, wagyu steak burgers, and rare cognacs—including one for $12,500 a pour—skew luxe. Put a little bit less of a dent in your wallet with the bar’s beer collab with South Shore-based Untold Brewing, an eponymous Dark Bar hazy IPA.

70 Rowes Wharf (Boston Harbor Hotel), Downtown Boston/Waterfront, 617-439-7000, bostonharborhotel.com.

Deck 12

Forget a winter of Netflix date nights—Après, the cold-season rooftop experience at Yotel’s Deck 12, is returning for its third year in late fall. We can taste the fondue already. Stay tuned for a start date, and get excited for heated gondolas, hot cocoa, and more.

65 Seaport Blvd. (Yotel), Seaport District, Boston, 617-377-4747, deck12bos.com.

Grasshopper

Following this vegan mainstay’s closure in Allston after nearly 30 years, it has been reborn as a counter-service restaurant within the Super 88 food court. That beloved “No Name” dish (sweet-and-sour battered gluten) and other old favorites are still available.

1 Brighton Ave. (Super 88), Allston, Boston, 617-254-8883.

King Arthur Baking

Vermont’s baking stalwart is popping up on Newbury Street from October 3 through the end of the year for your holiday-season retail needs. You’ll find plenty of flours and other ingredients, plus tools and appliances, at the temporary shop. Open daily from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., except for Thanksgiving and Christmas.

172 Newbury St., Back Bay, Boston, kingarthurbaking.com.

Mass Hole Donuts doughnut holes. / Courtesy photo

Mass Hole Donuts

It’s cider doughnut season! But what’s better than eating one apple cider doughnut in the fall? Eating about a dozen bite-size beauties from this doughnut-hole purveyor. Mass Hole’s take on the New England classic is less cider, more straight-up apple, and named Johnny Appleseed “after Leominster’s most famous son“: a spiced apple doughnut hole with chunks of apple, tossed in cinnamon sugar. The menu rotates; you’ll catch this one from October 3 through 13—but no guarantees beyond that.

1157 Broadway, Somerville, 617-718-0271, massholedonuts.com.

Orange wine at Nathálie. / Photo by Haley Fortier / Photo provided by Haley Fortier

Nathálie

It’s hard to believe this Best of Boston–winning wine bar just celebrated its sixth birthday (they grow up so fast). All the more reason to visit again, especially on a Tuesday to enjoy the Two’sday Night Dinner Date series, when $65 gets you a multi-course feast for two. Another bit of fun this month: Orange October. Drink orange wine; win prizes.

186 Brookline Ave., Fenway, Boston, 857-317-3884, nathaliebar.com.

A spread of the Vermilion Club’s brunch dishes. / Photo by Nitzan Keynan

The Vermilion Club

This swanky steakhouse, which opened earlier in the year, has recently added weekday lunches (including two- and three-course “express” prix fixe menus) and weekend brunches to the mix. Decadent brunch options include king crab-topped avocado toast and Boston cream pie pancakes, while lunch highlights dishes such as a prime rib French dip and a spicy steak salad.

115 Federal St., Downtown Boston, 617-546-5123, vermilion-club.com.

Staff Recommendations

Just a few places we’ve enjoyed recently that we think you’ll love too.

Bab Al-Yemen. / Photo by Rachel Leah Blumenthal

Bab Al-Yemen

From the slow-roasted lamb and chicken dishes over flavorful rice to the enormous rounds of clay-oven bread, not to mention the welcoming staff, everything here feels so homey. Don’t forget to try the house hot sauce, sahawek, on everything, but start with just a little: The burn creeps up on you. Cool down with the Yemeni cocktail, a (nonalcoholic) smoothie of mango, banana, dates, strawberry, and Vimto, a fruity soft drink.

468 Commonwealth Ave., Fenway/Kenmore, Boston, babalyemenboston.com.

Depth N Green’s aloo frankie. / Photo by Rachel Leah Blumenthal

Depth N Green

Adding this to my delivery rotation: Depth N Green, a recently opened Indian café in Kendall Square, has a small menu, but everything feels very from-the-heart, and there’s an emphasis on careful ingredient sourcing. (The mango lassi smoothie, for instance, is made with Bulgarian A2 grass-fed organic yogurt.) The aloo frankie is a current favorite: a paratha wrap with egg, potatoes sauteed with olive and mustard oil and spices, red onion, and mint cilantro sauce. Add a bottle of Gussa, a sweet and spicy sauce, to your order to squeeze on the wrap and keep in your pantry. (Pro-tip: It also serves as the perfect dipping sauce for dino nuggets.)

7 Broad Canal Way, Kendal Square, Cambridge, depthngreen.com.

Oleana’s kataif ice cream cake. / Photo by Rachel Leah Blumenthal

Oleana

Ah, what a good day: Not only did I get to spend a few minutes on an impromptu photoshoot with my toddler’s Marty the Robot plushes for this fun story, but I got to end the day with a long-overdue return to the lovely-as-ever Oleana. I can still smell the sizzling feta kataifi, topped with an end-of-summer mix of sweet corn, peach, and summer squash, and I’m so glad my server swayed me from the baked Alaska. It’s iconic, it’s delicious, but why not try something different now and then? The kataif ice cream cake is reminiscent of spumoni (but so, so much better) with its trio of ice creams: mixed berry, kaymak (similar to clotted cream), and chocolate cardamom, sitting in a pool of a pistachio-based sauce.

134 Hampshire St., Cambridge, 617-661-0505, oleanarestaurant.com.

Umami owner Gary Lei torches some fish. / Photo by Rachel Leah Blumenthal

Umami Omakase

Figured some actual fire was a welcome inclusion on the Hot List this month! Torched or not, every bite of sushi—and more—is memorable at this Cambridge omakase spot. Favorites from my most recent visit include torched Hokkaido scallop with a citrus-y/spicy zing of yuzu kosho and smoky duck breast with mushroom confit (presented dramatically with the lift of a tiny glass cloche letting the smoke dissipate).

2372 Massachusetts Ave., North Cambridge, 617-868-2121, umamiomakase.com.

Looking Ahead

Here are a few spots we’re keeping an eye on, set to open in the next month or so.

Tacos, drinks, and guac with blue corn tortilla chips at Taco Azul. / Photo by Rachel Leah Blumenthal

• Taco Azul on Beacon Hill, opening imminently: full-service tacos and margaritas; more here.
• Pig Beach BBQ at PKL in South Boston, opening later in October: barbecue (from a New York-based restaurant group) plus pickleball; more here.
• Nouvelle Maison in Winchester, opening October 23: French provisions, bakery and café fare (with notable pastry chef Giselle Miller onboard), charcuterie, and the like; more here.
• Kaia in the South End, opening late October: Aegean-inspired coastal Greek from the Bar Vlaha, Krasi, etc. team; more here.
• Bernadette in Salem, opening in November: creative French bistro fare from the team behind Settler, also in Salem; more here.
• McGonagle’s Pub & Restaurant in Dorchester, opening in November: modern Irish from the Dubliner team; more here.

With additional reporting by Nathan Tavares.

A version of this guide first appeared in the print edition of the October 2024 issue with the headline, “Hot List.”