These are the best restaurants in Boston of 2026, according to NYT

The New York Times updated its “Where to Eat Right Now” guide to Boston on Tuesday — and seven new restaurants made the cut.

Dalia in Southie, Baleia and Kaia in the South End, La Padrona in Back Bay, Lê Madeline in Quincy, McGonagle’s in Dorchester, and Somaek in downtown Boston are among the 27 restaurants featured in the updated guide.

What’s new on the list?

Dalia, which opened in April, already landed on the Times’ list of 50 favorite restaurants in America for 2026 earlier this month. The South Boston restaurant from chef Nicholas Dixon serves Spanish-inspired dishes in a color-drenched dining room.

In the South End, Baleia earned praise for its Portuguese-inspired cooking. The restaurant, which opened in 2024, serves dishes including salt cod fritters, piri piri chicken, and shrimp Mozambique. The Times called its shrimp Mozambique particularly memorable, praising the garlic-lemon pan sauce served with grilled bread.

Also new to the South End list is Kaia, the latest restaurant from the group behind Bar Vlaha and Krasi. The Times praised chef Junyoung Ma’s approach to Greek cooking, writing that he cooks as if “Greek borders are merely a suggestion.” Among the standouts: hamachi crudo with Greek yogurt, kombu dashi, fish sauce, and honey, and bingsu with watermelon, pistachio, and yogurt.

La Padrona, the Italian restaurant inside Raffles, is another new addition. The restaurant from chef Jody Adams recently ranked No. 2 on USA Today’s 10 best hotel restaurants in the U.S. The Times singled out Adams’ tagliatelle Emilia-Romagna, which combines Parmigiano-Reggiano and aged balsamic vinegar.

In Quincy, Lê Madeline made the list for its modern take on Vietnamese cooking. The restaurant, which serves traditional dishes during the day and a more contemporary menu at night, has also received Boston magazine’s Best Restaurant, South award for 2026. The Times praised executive chef and co-owner Peter Nguyen’s exploration of what he calls “Viet-New England” cooking.

McGonagle’s in Dorchester is also new to the Boston guide, though the restaurant is no stranger to national recognition. The Irish restaurant, which opened in late 2024 on Neponset Avenue, appeared on the Times’ 50 best restaurants in the country last year. The Times highlighted chef Aidan McGee’s efforts to broaden perceptions of Irish food, including his take on the Dublin late-night favorite known as a spice bag.

And in Downtown Crossing, Somaek joins the list. The Korean restaurant from chef Jamie Bissonnette opened in 2024 and focuses on Korean home cooking, with the Times highlighting its “master class” in banchan, including chive-garlic salad, radish kimchi, and pickled perilla leaf.

The updated guide also included several longtime favorites, including Neptune Oyster, Giulia, Sarma, Toro, and Yume Ga Arukara.

NYT 27 Best Boston Restaurants in 2026

1. Baleia: 264 East Berkeley St., South End 
2. Bánh Mì Ba Lẹ: 1052 Dorchester Ave., Dorchester 
3. Bar Vlaha: 1653 Beacon St., Brookline
4. Celeste: 21 Bow St., Somerville
5. Comfort Kitchen: 611 Columbia Rd., Dorchester 
6. Cutty’s: 284 Washington St., Brookline
7. Dalia: 629 West Broadway, South Boston 
8. Field & Vine: 9 Sanborn Court, Somerville
9. Giulia: 1682 Massachusetts Ave., Cambridge
10. Kaia: 370 Harrison Ave., South End 
11. La Padrona: 38 Trinity Place (inside Raffles Hotel), Back Bay
12. Lê Madeline: 409 Hancock St., Quincy
13. Mahaniyom: 236 Washington St., Brookline 
14. McGonagle’s: 367 Neponset Ave., Dorchester 
15. Mooncusser: 304 Stuart St., Back Bay
16. Neptune Oyster: 63 Salem St., North End 
17. Nightshade Noodle Bar: 73 Exchange St., Lynn
18. O Ya: 9 East St., Downtown Boston
19. Pammy’s: 928 Massachusetts Ave., Cambridge
20. Row 34: 383 Congress St., Seaport; multiple locations
21. Sarma: 249 Pearl St., Somerville
22. Somaek: 11 Temple Place, Downtown Boston
23. Sumiao Hunan Kitchen: 270 Third St., Cambridge
24. Tonino: 669A Centre St., Jamaica Plain
25. Toro: 1704 Washington St., South End 
26. Via Cannuccia: 1739 Dorchester Ave., Dorchester 
27. Yume Ga Arukara: 1815 Massachusetts Ave., Cambridge; 70 Pier 4 Boulevard, Ste. 260, Seaport

Emily Turner

Community deputy editor

Emily Turner is the community deputy editor for Boston.com, where she oversees reader engagement.