The Best Restaurants In Beacon Hill

Things don’t change a lot in Beacon Hill, and while that’s not necessarily a bad thing, a hot new restaurant like Zurito is a welcome upgrade. Walk through the cherry red door and you’ll find a packed bar stocked not only with excellent wine, but legs of jamon, dangling like wind chimes over the bottles. Hang up your coat and join the party. The food and wine are inspired by Spain’s Basque region, and served tapas style. Start at the top of the menu with lots of small bites (order everything with anchovy), relax over a board of ham and cheese, and take a spin around the Spanish wine list—the tempranillo is a bargain at $8 a glass.

We’re suckers for a perma-packed, high-energy Italian/Mediterranean restaurant with a busy bar and open kitchen. Scampo ticks all those boxes and more. Located in the basement of the Liberty Hotel (formerly the Charles Street jail), the restaurant has a large orange and wood-covered space, and an energetic staff that feels like they might break into a song and dance routine at any moment. It's a great spot for a group dinner where you can order shareable plates of crispy soft shell crab risotto and duck with celery root gnocchi. Or, just sit at the bar and get an appetizer and lobster pizza for under $60.

The atmosphere at this American restaurant in Beacon Hill reminds us of a Gatsby party—one where everyone eats kobe beef pigs in a blanket instead of baked ham and roast turkeys. We always start with a plate of Thai coconut shrimp with pineapple sauce and a Mount Vernon spritz with lemongrass rice wine. The rotating mains are richer than the people who live on this block, so expect to eat something like a veal chop stuffed with prosciutto and shiitake mushrooms or a lobster tortellini the size of golf balls.

No. 9 is an absolute classic and holds a special place in our hearts. Over the years, we’ve had plenty of celebrations over tasting menus packed with things like black cod with spring onions and prune-stuffed gnocchi. The lighting is moody, but still bright enough for you to read the drinks list, and a six-course tasting menu with, naturally, the option to add wagyu. They have one of the best wine lists in town, where you can order a $7k bottle of Burgundy or choose from a bunch of great under-$100 options.

We almost don’t want to tell anybody about this incredible French restaurant. But, alas, that’s our job. The homey corner bistro with white linen on the tables serves classics like escargot, chicken coq au vin, and duck magret with cherries. While the food is fancy, the room stays pretty casual—you can roll up in jeans (but maybe leave the Bruins jersey at home), sit under a ceiling fan, and relax while Grand Marnier is poured onto the souffle you’re about to make disappear.

This is the place to stop when the only thing missing from your life is a beer and a plate of wings. Sitting on the edge of Beacon Hill in the shadow of the Statehouse, 21st Amendment is dark, with a fireplace, low ceilings, and the sort of historical lore other Boston bars would kill for. The building it’s in was built in 1899, and legend has it that JFK, who had an apartment nearby, wrote speeches in the space. The menu is short and simple, with excellent pub classics like IPA-battered fish and chips that crunch just right, juicy little sliders with an impressive stack of onion rings, and just-spicy-enough buffalo tenders that will help put the workday in the rearview.

75 Chestnut is located on a brick-covered block that John Kerry probably lives on. It’s a little worn—and the decor is a little dated—but it still nails New England staples. After a long day of showing out-of-towners around the Common, head to this cozy spot for seafood stew brimming with shrimp and swordfish, plus a charcuterie platter made up of meats and cheeses from around New England. And, of course, tenderloin tips. 75 Chestnut’s version is marinated in chimichurri and comes with a whole mess of fries. The martinis are cold and the wines by the glass are solid—get a glass of Broadside cab to go with that steak.

Eating at The Grotto feels like dining inside of a candlelit cubby—you’ll snack on good Italian, French, and American dishes in a room that’s too dark for photos. Come on a rainy weekday with someone you want to make out with, order the rucola salad with arugula and melty prosciutto, some good brick chicken, a plate of spaghetti, and fruity panna cotta for dessert. The garlic soup is also creamy and decadent, just make sure it doesn’t get in the way of that makeout. 

Toscano has been open for over 40 years, and having dinner at this Italian restaurant is a Beacon Hill right of passage (and a much better one than tripping over all the uneven sidewalks). Like most spots in the neighborhood, there’s wood, bricks, and leather everywhere. The menu leans Tuscan with great charcoal-grilled dishes like crispy brick-pressed cornish hen, along with great classics like caesar salad, linguine with pesto, and pepper-crusted tenderloin. We also love the Neapolitan-style pizzas—the speck and quattro formaggi bianco in particular are both slam dunks. Always start or end your meal with the four Italian cheese tasting with truffle honey.

This classic spot is essentially a really good diner with a liquor license, which means you can pair your grilled steak and eggs with an espresso martini. The Paramount is typically packed on weekends, but if you’re lucky enough to have a schedule that allows for a weekday brunch they serve it seven days a week. This is a great spot to fuel up before (or after) a morning stroll through the Public Garden, or window shopping posh townhouses. The quick service delivers basics like two eggs with a choice of meat and customizable breakfast sandwiches (alway add avocado), but decadent dishes like the caramel banana french toast and Nutella waffle with whipped cream are where it’s at.

Beacon Hill has some of the best pubs in Boston (looking at you, Sevens and 21st), but Roxanne’s is a nicer cocktail spot for a sexy night next to some palm fronds and a giant portrait of Debbie Harry. We like their rum cocktails best, but they're pretty great across the board. The food menu is substantial enough, with good options like nutty parmesan fries, baked falafel with hummus, and a nice little smashburger with chipotle mayo.

Mooo is the textbook example of a Beacon Hill steakhouse. It’s in a historic hotel that George Washington might’ve slept in, and the menu features a $190 Japanese A5 Wagyu sirloin with a bone marrow add-on. While this place is caviar-fancy, the bar area stays a little looser. You can’t go wrong either way, but we often find ourselves at the bar, especially if, say, our best friend needs a little post-breakup consolation over cocktails and slabs of meat.

This sun-drenched, tile-floored Mediterranean spot serves vaguely Sicilian and Sardinian food. It's especially good for a low-key brunch on the weekend, or a networking breakfast with food you probably won’t get all over your shirt. Go with the overnight oats with cherries, or if you want something heartier, sandwiches like the Sardinian with jamon and pomodoro baked eggs are also good.