The Top 10 Most-Popular Dining Stories of 2024

Top, from left: pita sandwiches from Iris Mezze at the Lineup food hall (photo by Brian Samuels); Baleia (photo by Rachel Leah Blumenthal); dwaeji (pork) bulgogi at Somaek (photo by Rachel Leah Blumenthal). Bottom, from left: Mr. H (photo by Josh Jamison); pizzas at Ciao Somerville (photo by Rachel Leah Blumenthal); Temple Records (photo by Rachel Leah Blumenthal).

From the opening of a giant Medford beer hall to a liquor license forgery, these are our most-read food news stories of 2024. (Got Boston-area restaurant news that should be on our radar in 2025? Drop us a line here.)

10. Baleia Brings Seafood-Filled Portuguese Cuisine to the South End

Baleia’s cataplana, a braised pork and seafood stew. / Photo by Rachel Leah Blumenthal

Coda Restaurant Group—the team behind SRV, Gufo, and the Salty Pig—opened a madeira-soaked date-night spot in March in the former Area Four space, and we shared a sneak peek at dishes such as cataplana (a braised pork and seafood stew) and piri-piri chicken. (The restaurant came in fifth place on our list of the best new restaurants of the year.) Read more >>

9. Soju, Sounds, and Sushi: A Restaurant Trio Opens in Downtown Crossing

A spread of dishes and banchan at Somaek. / Photo by Rachel Leah Blumenthal

Another restaurant opening story—or, in this case, three openings in one. Restaurateur Jamie Bissonnette and the JM Curley crew came together to open a Korean restaurant, Somaek (which took second place in our list of the best new restaurants of 2024); vinyl listening lounge, Temple Records (it was the year of listening lounges!); and subterranean sushi counter, Sushi @ Temple Records. (Busy year for this crew—they later opened Basque-inspired pintxo bar Zurito, too.) Read more >>

8. Boston Hospitality Lawyer Fired after Falsifying Liquor License to Allston/Brighton Food Hall

Getty Images

A former Boston liquor board boss who long held top roles in city government as the executive secretary for the Boston Licensing Board and as general counsel for the Cannabis Board was fired from the prestigious white-shoe law firm Prince Lobel Tye LLP after she was caught delivering a bogus liquor license to a client. The venue, Craft Food Halls, had just opened its Allston/Brighton location two weeks before the issue was discovered and was considered a “victim” of the scheme. It was able to reopen later in the year with a proper license. Read more >>

7. Downtown Boston Gets Another Food Hall

Burgers and fries from Big Grin at the Lineup food hall. / Photo by Brian Samuels

In other food hall news, Downtown Boston got a new one in January, the Lineup, featuring five fast-casual spots all by the same restaurateur (John Fraser, who has businesses in New York, Los Angeles, and beyond, including a handful of Michelin-starred spots). On the roster: Mexi-Cali bowls, pepperoni Negronis, soft serve, and more. Read more >>

6. Ciao Somerville Brings Outstanding Pizza to the New Green Line

Ciao Somerville’s margherita pizza (San Marzano tomato, fresh mozzarella, basil, Parmigiano Reggiano). / Photo by Rachel Leah Blumenthal

Chelsea’s gem of a Neapolitan-style pizzeria expanded to Ball Square early this year, offering a bit more seating and a slightly expanded menu than the tiny original location. (We’re loving the salsiccia pizza with house-made fennel sausage and Calabrian peppers.) Read more >>

5. Mr. H Comes to the Seaport, Dazzling with Dumplings and an Ultra-Glam Space

Mr. H’s bar. / Photo by Josh Jamison

The latest Boston restaurant from the team behind Yvonne’s and Coquette features a Chinese-inspired menu in a stylized movie-set milieu. The restaurant, as gorgeous and vibe-y as its big siblings, landed at seventh place on our best new restaurants list this year. Read more >>

4. Chris Coombs Will Open Four Restaurants at a Giant Pickleball Venue in Natick

Rendering of Bosse. / Courtesy image

The Boston chef—known for Deuxave, Boston Chops, and Dbar—partnered with former tennis pro D.J. Bosse to open Bosse in the former Neiman Marcus space inside the Natick Mall. The massive venue, which debuted in the fall, features an Italian restaurant and several other dining options. Read more >>

3. A Giant New Development Will Bring a Greek Restaurant (and More) to Back Bay

Lyrik Back Bay. / Rendering by Elkus Manfredi Architects

Readers were very invested in the announcement of several restaurants that will be taking up residence at a Back Bay development that includes an elevated plaza above the Mass Pike. Avra Estiatorio, a glitzy Greek restaurant with locations in New York City, Miami, and Los Angeles, is among the venues that’ll open at the intersection of Newbury Street and Massachusetts Avenue sometime in 2025. Read more >>

2. No Reservations: The Trouble with Boston Dining Right Now

Illustration by Zohar Lazar

When every restaurant in town is the “it” spot and you can’t go out to eat on a whim, what happens to the magic of spontaneity? This opinion piece, which also appeared in print in our August 2024 issue, shed light on the state of Boston dining when it comes to the sometimes challenging art of getting a seat. Read more >>

1. An ‘American Take on Oktoberfest’: A Massive Beer Hall Debuts in Medford

Rendering of Great American Beer Hall. / Blue Pixel 3D

Drumroll, please: Our most-read food news story of the year previewed the spacious Great American Beer Hall, which has since opened on Medford’s Mystic Avenue (to much fanfare). With loads of outdoor space, including a roof deck, this is the latest addition to Medford’s growing drinking and dining scene (see also: El Tacuba, the long-awaited Mexican restaurant that debuted in Medford Square in 2023). Read more >>