Where to Eat in Greater Boston for April 2025
New and exciting restaurants to check out, plus new reasons to visit older spots.
Phat Thaiger’s salmon wasarb crudo: raw salmon with the restaurant’s “wasarb,” a bird’s eye chili, lime, and wasabi dressing. / Photo by Rachel Leah Blumenthal
This month in Greater Boston food and drink: a Thai-Japanese izakaya, a revival of a beloved Italian restaurant, a Turkish bakery, and lots more. Here’s the latest installment of our monthly guide on exciting newcomers to check out and older spots that have recently expanded or changed, plus a peek ahead at imminent openings. (Check out last month’s guide here.)
Jump to:
- New restaurants to try this month: Recent openings—or openings slated for later this month—you’ve got to check out.
- Older restaurants doing new things: Expansions, reopenings, and such—time for a (re)visit.
- Looking ahead: Here are a few spots we’re keeping an eye on, set to open in the next couple months or so.
Also check out our recently published or updated dining guides: Dorchester restaurants | Doughnuts | Fenway restaurants, bars, and more | Irish pubs | Noodles
New Restaurants to Try This Month
Recent openings—or openings slated for later this month—you’ve got to check out.
Bar Lunette
COMING SOON
A French-inspired cocktail bar? Très bien. Even better, this Paris Creperie sibling (awaiting final inspections as of late March) is a loving homage to the late Brother Cleve, the local bar guru and musician extraordinaire who helped launch the Creperie’s now-closed Seaport location.
278A Harvard St., Coolidge Corner, Brookline, barlunette.com.
Black Ruby
NOW OPEN
We’re excited to welcome the latest addition to Greater Boston’s already-killer Thai food scene: a funky fusion spot featuring khao soi burgers, tom yum shrimp linguine, and green-curry crispy chicken sandwiches.
1790 Massachusetts Ave., Porter Square, Cambridge, 617-945-3147, blackrubycambridge.com.
Cafe Reynard at Idle Hands. / Photo by Rachel Leah Blumenthal
Cafe Reynard
NOW OPEN
Only thing better than sipping an ethically sourced flight of excellent cold brew coffee is supporting a brand new “trans-run, worker-owned queer cafe and coffee roaster” while you drink it. Malden brewery Idle Hands Craft Ales plays host to this delightful new option for caffeinated remote work.
89 Commercial St., Malden, cafe-reynard.com, idlehandscraftales.com.
Gary’s Pizza
COMING SOON
Later this month, we’ll find out what happens when the fine-dining team behind Mistral, Sorellina, Ostra, and Mooo gets a little casual. Roman-style pizza will be the specialty here (hello, double pepperoni), plus sandwiches and desserts.
1744 Washington St., South End, Boston, garyspizzaboston.com.
Gourmet Kreyòl. / Photo by Reginald Anis
Gourmet Kreyòl
COMING SOON
Tired of coordinating your schedule to chase after a food truck for a taste of Gourmet Kreyòl’s popular griot-stuffed plantain sandwiches, fried chicken, and more? A fast-casual brick-and-mortar location debuts imminently in Mattapan, with a menu similar to the truck. (But wait, there’s more: A sit-down restaurant with an expanded menu—and alcoholic drinks—is coming to Dorchester later this year.)
1210 Blue Hill Ave., Mattapan, Boston, gourmetkreyol.com.
Iru
COMING SOON
With Michelin Bib Gourmand-honored big siblings in Japan, Korean restaurant Iru arrives in Brookline sometime this month, specializing in the comforting ginseng chicken soup samgyetang. Sounds like the perfect cure for those rainy, chilly April days.
238 Washington St., Brookline, instagram.com/iru_boston.
Little Sage
NOW OPEN
Pasta maven Tony Susi is back with Little Sage, a new version of the 1990s/2000s Italian restaurant where he was executive chef and the second owner. Original owner Jen Matarazzo is involved with this revival, too, which opened in Matarazzo’s former Locale space. It’s the best of both worlds: Locale’s Neapolitan-style pizzas are still available for takeout.
352 Hanover St., North End, Boston, littlesageboston.com.
A spread of vegan and vegetarian dishes that will be on the menu at McCarthy’s, photographed at the Burren prior to McCarthy’s opening: eggplant “pizza,” lentil stew, stuffed sweet potatoes, and a grain bowl. / Photo by Rachel Leah Blumenthal
McCarthy’s (and Toad)
COMING SOON
Greater Boston can never have too many live music-filled Irish pubs. The latest, opening any day now: McCarthy’s (in the old Christopher space) and the revamped Toad live music venue next door. Both will have food (a notably vegetarian- and vegan-friendly menu, plus some meatier Irish classics) and music.
1920 Massachusetts Ave., Porter Square, Cambridge, mccarthystoad.com.
Nowon’s “legendary cheeseburger” with roasted kimchi, kimchi special sauce, American cheese, pickles, and onion. / Photo by Young Skeletons
Nowon
COMING SOON
We can’t wait to try the self-described “legendary” kimchi-spiked cheeseburger at this New York-based Korean-American pocha (gastropub), which is slated to land in the Seaport this month. Another draw: soju flights.
117 Seaport Blvd., Seaport District, Boston, nowonusa.com.
Phat Thaiger’s DIY temaki setup, including A5 wagyu nam tok, unagi foie gras, uni ikura, scallop tom kha, ika salted egg, and more. On the side, two of the restaurant’s nonalcoholic drinks: Momoiro Sparkle, with strawberry puree and soda water, and a matcha latte. / Photo by Rachel Leah Blumenthal
Phat Thaiger
OPENING APRIL 2
Gather up some friends for a feast of DIY Japanese-Thai hand rolls, grilled-at-the-table wagyu, spicy wasabi martinis, and tons of fun at the new izakaya-meets-Isan-Thai-inspired restaurant from the crew behind last year’s upscale Thai hit Thaiger Den.
166 Eastern Ave., Malden, instagram.com/phat.thaiger.izankaya.
Tall Order’s martini and steak tartare with fresh horseradish and smoked carrot remoulade. / Courtesy photo
Tall Order
NOW OPEN
The folks who run the food-hall cocktail bar Daiquiris & Daisies have more room to play at their new spot in the former Thirsty Scholar space. You’ll find intricate libations with a side of modern American cuisine.
70 Beacon St., Somerville, instagram.com/tallorderbar.
Turkish Lazuri Bakery
NOW OPEN
Turkish Lazuri Cafe has completed its four-venue takeover of a stretch of North Beacon Street with the end-of-March debut of the bakery (preceded in recent weeks by Lazuri Chicken ‘n’ Pizza and Lazuri Taqueria). A mini cake version of the Dubai chocolate trend is among the picturesque treats on the menu.
3 North Beacon St., Allston, Boston, 774-678-7940, instagram.com/lazuribakery.
Older Restaurants Doing New Things
Expansions, reopenings, and such—time for a (re)visit.
Bar Enza
Can’t make it over to Scampo? Catch culinary icon Lydia Shire at Bar Enza now, too—she recently began overseeing the kitchen at the Charles Hotel Italian restaurant. Keep an eye on the menu to see what she brings to the table in the coming months.
1 Bennett St. (Charles Hotel), Harvard Square, Cambridge, 617-661-5050, bar-enza.com.
Suya Joint’s beef suya. / Photo by Rachel Leah Blumenthal
Food Trucks on the Greenway
Spring is really here! Food truck season begins April 1 on the Rose Kennedy Greenway, and some newbies—or at least new-to-the-Greenway trucks—are on the schedule this year. On the list: Latin soul fusion from Butter “UR” Biscuit, West African cuisine from Best of Boston winner Suya Joint, and lots more. (Trillium’s beer garden will be opening for the season around mid-April, too.)
Various locations along the Greenway, Downtown Boston, rosekennedygreenway.org.
The Pearl
It’s never too early to dream of warm, beachy days, especially at the shiny new Boston Landing outpost of this Dorchester hot spot, which serves up lobster rolls, lobster bisque, grilled whole lobster, and lobster mac ‘n’ cheese, plus luxurious seafood towers.
67 Guest St., Brighton, Boston, 617-208-8461, thepearlsouthbay.com.
El Barco’s fish tacos. / Courtesy photo
Summer Shack
From April 17 into the summer, the Back Bay location of Summer Shack is temporarily transforming into an outpost of Martha’s Vineyard-based Mexican restaurant El Barco: Think tacos, burritos, and margaritas.
50 Dalton St., Back Bay, Boston, elbarcomv.com.
Looking Ahead
Here are a few spots we’re keeping an eye on, set to open in the next couple months or so. This month’s picks are all in Central Square. See our full guide of anticipated openings—We Can’t Wait for These Greater Boston Restaurant Openings in 2025—for lots more to look forward to.
Acqua & Bocca. / Photo by Humar Miranda
Acqua & Bocca
While we adore the iconic Central Square cocktail bar Brick & Mortar, we’re excited for its new incarnation, inspired by Italian apericena culture, opening later this spring. Think aperitivo hour, but with more food (pasta and al taglio pizza, anyone?).
567 Massachusetts Ave., Central Square, Cambridge.
Darling
Missing Mary Chung’s beloved spicy Sichuan wontons? Word is that Darling, a cocktail bar with dim sum-inspired small plates opening soon in its former space, will unveil its ode to the famous dish.
464 Massachusetts Ave., Central Square, Cambridge, darlingcambridge.com.
Fallow Kin’s smoked cabbage with crispy chicken skin and “New England dashi” (infused with a roasted blend of Maine seaweed, dried foraged mushrooms, and shallots). / Photo by Rachel Leah Blumenthal
Fallow Kin
We’re hoping to ring in Earth Day at this sustainably minded fine-dining destination: The dream collab between the Talulla team and Tasting Counter alum Marcos Sanchez, scheduled to open as soon as this month, aims to eliminate waste on its veggie-forward menu.
853 Main St., Central Square, Cambridge, fallowkin.com.
A version of this guide first appeared in the print edition of the April 2025 issue with the headline, “The Hot List.”
