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Best Restaurants in Boston: US Foods® Customers Shaping the City's Dining Scene
Boston-based Crack’d Kitchen & Coffee pairs a compact service model with scratch-made food and full-service hospitality.
“The food scene here has really evolved, and I think it just keeps getting better,” Chef Jason Santos, owner of Buttermilk & Bourbon, says about his city of Boston. “Younger chefs are coming up, which is great. And there’s a little bit of everything. I have a love of Asian food, and it’s really starting to kick in more here, which I’m psyched to see.”
Check out these US Foods customers making it work in the “hub of New England.”
Established Boston Restaurants Worth Visiting
Buttermilk & Bourbon
160 Commonwealth Ave.
“Hell’s Kitchen” celebrity chef Jason Santos opened his flagship Buttermilk & Bourbon restaurant in 2017, serving creative takes on Southern cuisine with a strong New Orleans influence. Santos opened a second Buttermilk & Bourbon location in Watertown in 2021. He also debuted Citrus & Salt in 2017, a vibrant coastal Mexican concept known for dishes like Flamin’ Hot Cheeto street corn and birria tacos. A second Citrus & Salt location is slated to open in Burlington in 2026.
Menu Faves: Buttermilk Fried Chicken, Signature Warm Honey Glazed Biscuits
Crazy Good Kitchen
268 Newbury St.
Known for its stacked burgers, indulgent sandwiches and chef-driven comfort food, Crazy Good Kitchen has grown from a local favorite into a small but expanding restaurant group, with locations in Massachusetts and Florida. The family-owned company, led by CEO Bernardo Miranda, operates restaurants in Malden and Salem, Mass., along with a location in Miami.
Menu Faves: Double Trouble Burger, Oklahoma-Style Burger, Buffalo Chicken Fries
Tavern in the Square
(multiple locations)
Founded in 2004 in Boston’s Allston neighborhood, Tavern in the Square has grown into a popular multi-unit concept, with more than a dozen locations throughout Massachusetts and neighboring states. Known for its lively atmosphere, expansive patios, craft beer selection and crowd-pleasing menu, the concept blends elevated tavern fare with approachable American classics.
Menu Faves: Bang Bang Wings, Steak and Cheese Crunch Melt, Fish + Chips
Crack’d Kitchen & Coffee
(multiple locations)
Crack’d Kitchen & Coffee is an Andover-based breakfast and lunch restaurant co-founded by Alan Frati and Danny Azzarello in 2019. The fast-casual concept serving egg and crispy chicken sandwiches, breakfast burritos and grain bowls, has since expanded beyond Massachusetts, with locations in New Hampshire and Florida.
The Boston Sail Loft
80 Atlantic Ave.
The Boston Sail Loft was founded in 1984 along the historic waterfront near Long Wharf. This institution’s known for its laid-back atmosphere, harbor views and classic New England seafood dishes like award-winning clam chowder, lobster rolls, fried seafood and local fish. Learn more about The Boston Sail in this podcast produced by US Foods partner Restaurant Unstoppable.
LaRosa’s Italian Cafe & Bar
7 Barnard St., Andover
What began as a family-owned Italian café in downtown Andover in 2009 has grown into one of the North Shore’s most successful restaurant groups. LaRosa’s Italian Café & Bar, founded by cousins Paul LaRosa and Michael Cammarata, whose parents were first-generation Italian immigrants, LaRosa’s is known for its Sicilian-inspired hospitality, pastas, sandwiches and other Italian specialties. The group expanded with the opening of La Fina Steakhouse and Privé Lounge in 2019, followed by The Autograph Tavern in 2023 serving wings, burgers, pizza and other American tavern fare. A second LaRosa’s location opened in Newburyport in May 2025.
The Buttery
314 Shawmut Ave.
With its original location in Boston’s South End and an offshoot in the Clarendon Street neighborhood, The Buttery has become a beloved all-day café, bakery and neighborhood gathering place known for its housemade artisan breads, pastries and cupcakes, specialty coffee, seasonal sandwiches, prepared foods and chef-driven comfort fare. This summer, The Buttery launches The Tea Room in an adjacent private event space, a concept spearheaded by Director of Operations Juan Pedrosa, featuring a prix fixe menu of teas, scones, sandwiches and Prosecco.
Blue Square Pizza
30 Main St., Hopkinton
Tony Sproul, a former director of training, manager and operator for a Papa John’s franchise, founded this popular pizza concept, now with three locations in the Boston area, offering Detroit-, Chicago Tavern- and New York round-style pies made with natural sourdough.
Kouzina
576 Boston Post Road, Sudbury
Owned by restaurateur Penny Christopher, Kouzina brings the flavors and hospitality of Greece to MetroWest Boston with a menu of authentic Mediterranean favorites, from gyros and souvlaki to fresh seafood, salads and traditional Greek specialties like Chicken Souvlaki. Christopher also owns nearby Gyro City in Brighton and Full Circle Kitchen in Brighton.
New Boston Restaurants to Watch
Bravo By the Sea
40 Beach St., Manchester
Opened in 2024, Bravo By the Sea is the newest addition to restaurateur Nick Panagos’ growing North Shore restaurant group, which also includes Bravo Gloucester and Bravo Squared. Located on Gloucester’s scenic waterfront, the restaurant showcases wood-fired pizzas, sandwiches, fresh local seafood and pasta dishes.
Ghost Light Tavern
253 Tremont St.
Opened in late 2025, Chef Jason Santos’ newest concept is a two-story “high dive bar” serving elevated comfort food, including smash burgers, tacos, empanadas and Nashville hot mozzarella sticks, alongside nightlife and live entertainment.
ButterBird
112 Bond Square, Watertown
Santos’ fast-casual concept, which opened in 2024, spins the fried chicken from Buttermilk & Bourbon into sandwiches, tenders and breakfast items. The menu also features house-made breakfast burritos, wings and other comfort food favorites with a New Orleans-inspired twist.
Aatma at Widowmaker
220 Wood Road, Braintree
Aatma brings bold Indian flavors to Boston's South Shore through a unique residency inside the popular Widowmaker Brewing. Founded by Chef Keith Sarasin, the concept blends traditional Indian techniques with modern presentations, offering dishes such as tandoori specialties, curries, kebabs and creative small plates designed for sharing.
Travel with us! Check out these other Road Trip stories featuring US Foods customers making it work in their cities: Washington, D.C Seattle Charlotte, N.C
Learn more about Crack'd Kitchen, Buttermilk & Bourbon Group and The Boston Sail Loft in this podcast produced by US Foods partner Restaurant Unstoppable.