The Best of Authentic Food in Boston

Moving to an entirely new place not only means stepping out of your comfort zone but adjusting to a new way of life. A big part of this new adjustment is the food that you will eat.

While exploring new cuisines is alway exciting at first, you can soon start to miss the food you’ve grown up eating and that can make you feel homesick. Eating well equals living well and we’re here to assure you that there’s no need to forego the comfort of a meal that reminds you of home, no matter where home is!

On that note, we outlined the wide range of cuisine options available in and around Boston — right from convenient grocery store food options to an authentic dine-in experience. To best explain the options that are available to you, we’ve categorized them into three categories:

• Convenience Food 🍲
• Ingredients for Home-cooking 🥫
• Dine-in Restaurant Options 🥘

Option 1 ➟🏪🏪Convenience Food🏪🏪

If you lean more towards meals that are easy, quick and hassle-free to whip together, you can still get the authentic taste of home at a local grocery store!

• Whole Foods Market 🥬

Head over the frozen section to find a range of microwave-friendly meals. Here are two examples:

1. Indian meals: Brands like Amy’s and Sukhi’s offer a variety of frozen meals with several other brands to choose from as well.
2. Thai meals: Saffron road is a popular brand. You have frozen red currency, cup noodles, spring rolls, yellow thai curry sauce and much more.

• Trader Joes 🍞

This is our favorite store for quick meals and it has some great variety. Some of the options you will find at TJ’s are more cost efficient than cooking a meal yourself!

Some examples are ⟱

1. Indian: Ready-to-eat microwaveable tadka dal, tikka vegetables and more for just $1.99, we vouch for the tastiness! Frozen options such as samosas, vegetable biryani, parathas and fish curry!
2. Chinese: Frozen dumplings, Siu Mai and Buns.
3. Thai: Jackfruit curry, green curry simmer sauce.

Whole Foods and Trader Joe’s have several outlets in and around Boston so you’ll definitely find one close by no matter where you live.

Pro tip: Chinese ingredients by the brand Lee Kum Kee are available in most local supermarkets!

In addition, here’s a handy list of other stores for frozen ready meals in Boston that usually just a short drive away ⤵

• H Mart in Cambridge 👌

Great for frozen ready-to-eat Korean and Japanese food.

1. Ready-to-eat Korean food: Bibimbap, Toppokki, Gimbap, Kimchi, Gyoza 🢖
2. Ready-to-eat Japanese food: Gyoza, Mochi Ice-cream, Ramen, Yakizoba 🢖

• 88 Supermarket in Brighton 👌

Another great supermarket for ready-to-eat Korean food, Japanese food and Thai frozen dessert.

Examples of Thai frozen deserts are Sago Black Bean Coconut, Taro Pearl Coconut, Sticky Rice in Bamboo etc. They are also available at Sunrise market in Allston!

Option 2 ➟🍳🍳Ingredients for Home-cooking🍳🍳

Whether you prefer freshly cooked meals or just feel like cooking up a meal for a change, you can find the ingredients you need at select stores in and around Boston. Here’s a list that we came up with, although we’re sure there are plenty more stores out there:

• 🚩Indian ingredients ⤵

1. Patel Brothers for all things Indian — dosa batter, spices, incense you name it — they deliver!orted products
2. Waltham India Market: It may be a little out of the way for the Boston natives, but for those who don’t live in the city we know you can find the famous Blue Lays at this spot!
3. Little India: An Indian grocery store in a large brick warehouse showcasing imported products.

• 🚩Mexican Ingredients ⤵

1. La International Food Corporation in Somerville, MA is a well-known store for authentic Mexican and Peruvian ingredients.
2. La Favorita Market in Allston
3. Star Market has some pocket-friendly Mexican ingredients.

• 🚩Pakistani and Indian Ingredients⤵

1. Cheema Supermarket: A Pakistani and Indian grocery store with imported spices and a butcher counter for halal meats

• 🚩Japanese Ingredients ⤵

1. Maruichi in Brookline, MA
2. Ebisuya in Medford, MA

• 🚩Asian Ingredients (Thai, Korean, Japanese, Chinese, to name a few) ⤵

1. Hong Kong 88 Supermarket — Brighton, MA;
2. HMart — Cambridge, MA
3. Sunrise Market — Allston, MA

Option 3 ➟ 🥘🥘 Dining Out 🥘🥘

Boston has a wonderfully diverse range of dining options, right from Italian to Middle Eastern all the way to Indian cuisine. If you have cravings for an authentic restaurant experience, don’t be surprised if you’re spoiled for choice. 🠇

• Italian Dining 🍜

There is simply nothing that can beat a trip down to the North End to satisfy that Italian food craving you have. The ambience in the North End will make you feel as if you are on the streets in Italy dining in a cafe with coffee and cannoli in hand. Our recommendations for the best spots to dine in are…

1. Rinos: 258 Saratoga St, Boston, MA 02128
2. Eataly Boston: Prudential Center, 800 Boylston St, Boston, MA 02199
3. SRV: 569 Columbus Ave, Boston, MA 02118
4. Sportello: 348 Congress St, Boston, MA 02210
5. Giacomo’s: 431 Columbus Ave, Boston, MA 02116
6. Mamma Maria: 3 N Square, Boston, MA 02113
7. Coppa Enoteca: 253 Shawmut Ave, Boston, MA 02118
8. Pomodoro: 351 Hanover St, Boston, MA 02113

• Italian Dessert 🍨

You must visit the North End if you are looking to end your night with a cannoli and cafe.

1. Mike’s Pastry: Go early because there is always a line at this door, but the cannolis are to die for!
2. Modern Pastry: Our go to when Mike’s line is too long, with an interesting take on Boston Creme Pie!
3. Caffe Paradiso: They have all your pastry needs and gelato comes in 9 different flavors including tiramisu and a homemade creation.
4. Dolce: This gelato shop has its very own cannoli factory!

• Steak Houses 🥩

In order from the most wallet busting to the least!

1. Del Frisco’s Double Eagle Steakhouse: 888 Boylston St Suite 053, Boston, MA 02199
2. The Capital Grille: Hynes Convention Center, 900 Boylston St, Boston, MA 02115
3. Grill 23 & Bar: 161 Berkeley St, Boston, MA 02116
4. STRIP by Strega: 64 Arlington St, Boston, MA 02116
5. Boston Chops South End: 1375 Washington St, Boston, MA 02118
6. Davio’s Northern Italian Steakhouse: 75 Arlington St, Boston, MA 02116
7. Smith & Wollensky: Atlantic Wharf, 294 Congress St, Boston, MA 02110

• Indian Cuisine 🍛

Experience authentic dishes from both north and south India at these places.

1. Honest Restaurant: 21 Wood St, Lowell, MA 01851 (Best Pav-bhaji!)
2. Dosa-N-Curry: 447 Somerville Ave, Somerville, MA 02143 (Great weekend value-for money buffet)
3. Tanjore: 18 Eliot St, Cambridge, MA 02138
4. Vaisakhi Indian Restaurant: 157 Sutherland Rd, Boston, MA 02135
5. Mehak Halal Cuisine: 329 Summer St, Boston, MA 02128
6. Punjab Palace: 109 Brighton Ave, Boston, MA 02134
7. Mumbai Spice: 251 Massachusetts Ave, Boston, MA 02115
8. Masala Art: 990 Great Plain Ave, Needham, MA 02492

• Middle Eastern Dining 🍲

1. Dates and Olives: 160 Chestnut Hill Ave, Boston, MA 02135
2. Ali Baba Restaurant Boston: 145 E Berkeley St, Boston, MA 02118
3. Sarma Restaurant: 249 Pearl St, Somerville, MA 02145

• Mexican Cuisine 🥗

1. El Centro Mexican Restaurant: 472 Shawmut Ave, Boston, MA 02118
2. Loco Taqueria & Oyster Bar: 412 W Broadway, Boston, MA 02127
3. Casa Romero: 30 Gloucester St, Boston, MA 02115
4. Lolita Back Bay: 271 Dartmouth St, Boston, MA 02116

• Japanese 🥣

1. Yume Wo Katare (Ramen) — 1923, Massachusetts Ave, Cambirdge, MA 02140
2. Gyu-Kaku (BBQ) — Harvard Square 16, 18, Eliot St, Cambridge, MA 02138
3. Hokkaido Ramen Santouka Harvard Square (Ramen) — 1 Bow St, Cambridge, MA
4. Cafe Sushi (Sushi) — 1105 Massachusetts Ave, Cambridge MA 02138

• Thai 🍚

1. S&I To Go- 168A Brighton Ave, Boston, MA 02134
2. Thai Place — 184 Brighton Ave, Boston, MA 02134

All-in-all, we know that this isn’t an all-encompassing list and by no means does it cover food from every place but these are first-hand recommendations by dear friends from around the world who have tried, tasted and recommended these food options in Boston!

We hope this blog helps you cook up a storm and makes you feel right at home in Boston. Hoamsy is an all-in-one platform that guides students and young professionals on their move. Find the location, apartment and roommate that fits you best — at Hoamsy 🙂

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