17 Incredible Restaurants in Somerville, MA You Need to Try
Somerville is a dense, walkable city just northwest of Boston, and its restaurants gather around its squares. Union Square, where Washington Street meets Somerville Avenue, has the biggest cluster, with Peruvian ceviche, a German beer garden and a French-inspired neighborhood restaurant within a few blocks. Davis Square, on the Red Line, has its own run of places along Elm Street. Broadway ties together Ball Square’s breakfast spots and East Somerville’s older pubs, while Winter Hill and Spring Hill add a few destination dining rooms.
This guide covers 17 places, from a roast beef pub that opened in 1935 and a Spanish tapas bar from 1989 to a vegan Egyptian kitchen, a Chinese-Japanese diner inside a brewery and a Portuguese breakfast room that takes only cash. Along the way you will find Turkish-style small plates, Peruvian ceviche, kosher dairy tavern food, German sausages and Southern gumbo, plus three breakfast and bakery spots. Ratings and review counts come from each restaurant’s Google listing in October 2026.
Sarma
Sarma is a lively small-plates restaurant on Pearl Street in Somerville’s Winter Hill neighborhood. It opened in 2013 and takes its cues from the meyhanes, the neighborhood taverns of Istanbul, where friends share many dishes over drinks. Co-owner Ana Sortun and chef Cassie Piuma lead the kitchen, and the menu is built around nearly 40 meze, from small snacks to larger grilled plates. The dining room is colorful and can feel tight when it is full.
Rated 4.6 stars from more than 2,800 Google reviews, Sarma is one of the busiest reservations in town. The warm gyro bread is the usual first order. After that, look for the harissa barbecue duck, baked feta, cauliflower fatteh (a layered dish of crisp bread, yogurt and spices) and the Tunisian brik tacos. The menu changes with the seasons, so ask what is new, and order several plates to share.
Book on Resy, which takes parties of up to six and releases new dates each morning about a month ahead. The bar keeps its seats for walk-ins, first come, first served, which is the best bet for a last-minute visit. Groups of seven or more book through the private events form and order a set menu. The kitchen does not modify dishes, so read the allergy notes on the website before you go.
Address: 249 Pearl St, Somerville, MA 02145
Website: sarmarestaurant.com
Celeste
Celeste is a tiny Peruvian restaurant at 21 Bow Street in Union Square, named for the sky blue floor in a space that was once an acupuncture clinic. Chef JuanMa Calderón and Maria Rondeau opened it in 2018, after running a closed-door home restaurant called Kriollo Real. The room holds roughly 20 to 25 seats, including six at a bar facing the kitchen, and a street-side patio adds seating in summer.
With 4.6 stars from more than 900 Google reviews, Celeste is built around ceviche and slow-cooked stews. The shrimp and mango ceviche with passion fruit and the mixed blue cod, squid and shrimp ceviche are both good first orders. Follow with tacu tacu a lo macho, a rice and bean dish topped with mussels, shrimp and squid in a light tomato cream sauce, or the lamb stew. Finish with a pisco sour and the lúcuma (a Peruvian fruit) mousse.
The room is small, so book ahead through OpenTable and expect a busy, noisy evening. The six bar seats give a view of the kitchen, and the drinks list leans heavily on pisco and mezcal. Ceviche portions are generous, so share them. The same team also runs La Royal in Cambridge. Hours vary by day, so check before you go.
Address: 21 Bow St, Somerville, MA 02143
Website: celesteunionsquare.com
Dali
Dali is a Spanish tapas restaurant at 415 Washington Street, near the Cambridge line and Inman Square. It opened in 1989 and lays claim to being the Boston area’s first major tapas restaurant. The purple storefront has flower boxes out front, and inside you find low ceilings, a Spanish tile bar and a fountain with cherubs. It is loud, crowded with decorations and cheerfully old school.
Dali’s 4.6-star rating across more than 1,600 Google reviews makes it a neighborhood institution. Order tapas and share them: gambas al ajillo (shrimp in garlicky olive oil), Catalan spinach with pine nuts and raisins, patatas bravas (fried potatoes with a spicy sauce) and tortilla española (a thick potato omelet). Sangria is the signature drink, and flan, crema catalana or churros with chocolate close the meal.
Book ahead on OpenTable, because the room fills up most nights and Wednesdays and Saturdays have long been especially packed. The wine and sherry list is long, and the website notes vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free options. Birthdays here are a production, with lights off and a strobe, so come ready for noise rather than a quiet date. Check hours before you go.
Address: 415 Washington St, Somerville, MA 02143
Website: dalirestaurant.com
Mount Vernon Restaurant & Pub
The Mount Vernon Restaurant & Pub has stood at 14 Broadway, at the Sullivan Square end of East Somerville, since 1935. John Henry started it as a small bar serving roast beef sandwiches, and his family still runs it. A local saying holds that Somerville begins at the Mount Vernon. Inside are a pub with a central bar and booths, a front room with a fireplace and a back dining room, and the place can seat hundreds.
With 4.4 stars from more than 1,100 Google reviews, it is best known for the twin lobster special and the lobster casserole, which piles two or three tails under buttery breadcrumbs. The sliced roast beef sandwich has been on the menu since the 1930s, and meals come with a popover. Prime rib, haddock and a baked New England sampler of oysters Rockefeller, clams casino and bacon-wrapped scallops are also on offer.
The lobster dishes are the pricier orders, while the pub side is casual, with Keno and plenty of TVs. The kitchen closes earlier than at most dinner restaurants, so check hours on the website before you go. Specials come and go, so ask what is running. Private function rooms are available for larger groups, and catering is offered.
Address: 14 Broadway, Somerville, MA 02145
Website: mtvernonsomerville.com
Juliet
Juliet is a neighborhood restaurant at 263 Washington Street in Union Square, inspired by Nice and centered in New England. Katrina Jazayeri and Josh Lewin opened it on Leap Day in 2016 as a 14-seat restaurant, and it has since moved to its current home. Its own site cites an Eater Boston Restaurant of the Year title and a spot on Bon Appétit’s best new restaurants list. It serves breakfast, lunch, weekend brunch and dinner.
Juliet holds 4.3 stars from more than 600 Google reviews, a little below some picks here, but its awards and range earn it a place. At dinner the Niçoise influence shows in pissaladière (a caramelized onion and anchovy flatbread), Catalan tomato bread, mussels and fries, steak frites and French onion soup. The herb omelette is the daytime classic, and the Earl Grey chocolate scone is worth a look.
Reserve on Resy for dinner and weekend brunch. The menu suggests starting with a snack or two for the table, then choosing one dish from each side of the menu per person. Parties of six or more pay an automatic 20 percent gratuity. The restaurant is closed Tuesdays, and it also hosts ticketed dinners and events, so check the website calendar before you book.
Address: 263 Washington St, Somerville, MA 02143
Website: julietsomerville.com
Field & Vine
Field & Vine sits on Sanborn Court, an alley off Union Square, in the space that used to be Journeyman. Sara Markey and Andrew Brady opened it in September 2017 after running the pop-up Company Picnic. The room has about 40 seats, including a counter around the open kitchen, and a woodsy patio on the court in warm weather. Boston Magazine named it the best farm-to-table restaurant in its 2024 Best of Boston issue.
With 4.7 stars from more than 600 Google reviews, it is one of the best-rated restaurants in this guide. The menu is built for sharing and changes often. A recent sample menu lists oysters, yellowfin tuna tostadas, striped bass aguachile (raw fish in a lime and chile broth), smoked fish croquettes, cheddar scallion cornbread and a honey-brined pork chop. The kitchen cooks with a wood-fired grill, so look for grilled fish and vegetables.
Reserve on Resy, especially for weekends and for the counter seats, which suit solo diners and anyone who wants to watch the cooks. Order a few plates at a time and let the meal unfold. A 20 percent gratuity has been built into the bill. Wine, beer and cider are the focus. The same owners run June Bug, a wood-fired restaurant nearby, if you cannot get a table.
Address: 9 Sanborn Ct, Somerville, MA 02143
Website: fieldandvinesomerville.com
Bronwyn
Bronwyn serves the food of Germany and Central and Eastern Europe at 255 Washington Street in Union Square. Chef Tim Wiechmann opened it more than a decade ago, and it is known for housemade sausages, schnitzel and a long list of German beers. The inside is dark and woody, and in warm months an adjacent biergarten looks out over the square. It grew out of Wiechmann’s Cambridge restaurant, T.W. Food.
With 4.5 stars from more than 1,200 Google reviews, Bronwyn is a good place to share. Start with a giant pretzel, potato pancakes or pierogi, then move on to spätzle (Swabian egg noodles) with cheddar and spinach, schnitzel, sauerbraten (marinated braised beef) or a wurst plate. The Königsteller, a two-pound bone-in pork shank with sausage, sauerkraut and potatoes, is built for two. Apfelstrudel is the dessert to pick.
Book on Resy for indoor or outdoor tables. The restaurant is closed Mondays, and the hours shift with its fall Oktoberfest schedule, so check the website first. Parties of six or more pay a 20 percent service charge and are asked to keep their visit to about two hours. The beer list leans German and Austrian, with wines from the same regions.
Address: 255 Washington St, Somerville, MA 02143
Website: bronwynrestaurant.com
Highland Kitchen
Highland Kitchen has been serving Somerville since 2007 from 150 Highland Avenue, on the Spring Hill side of town. The menu has a Southern and bayou lean, with gumbo, jambalaya, goat stew and fried chicken as its backbone, and the drinks list includes rum and tiki cocktails. It is a relaxed neighborhood room with a bar that stays open late.
Rated 4.7 stars from more than 1,500 Google reviews, it is one of the highest-rated places in this guide. The blackened catfish po’boy is the dish most often singled out. Also look for the andouille and chicken gumbo, spicy jambalaya with duck confit, shrimp and tasso ham, the coconut curried goat stew and the fried chicken sandwich, which comes plain, buffalo or Nashville hot. For a drink, try the Mai Tai Dragon.
Highland Kitchen does not take reservations, so just show up and expect a wait at busy times. Dinner service starts in the early evening, and the bar stays open later than the kitchen, so check the website for hours. The Nashville hot sandwich is described as very spicy. There is a veggie jambalaya and a black bean burger, and takeout is available through Toast.
Address: 150 Highland Ave, Somerville, MA 02143
Website: highlandkitchen.com
Lehrhaus
Lehrhaus calls itself a Jewish tavern and house of learning, and it is both a restaurant and a gathering place at 425 Washington Street. Rabbi Charlie Schwartz and author Josh Foer opened it in March 2023 in the former Tap & Trotter space. A library room in the back holds thousands of books, and classes and events happen alongside dinner service. It is certified kosher and serves no meat or poultry.
Lehrhaus has 4.7 stars from more than 400 Google reviews, and its menu of Jewish diaspora flavors is the draw. Start with the Not Chopped Liver, a savory spread of eggplant and nuts served with pita, and the herring tartine. Other dishes to look for include the beet pastrami Reuben, mac and cheese kugel (a baked noodle casserole) and fish and chips with Old Bay fries. The menu changes with the seasons and the Jewish holidays.
The restaurant is closed Fridays and Saturdays for Shabbat, so plan on Sunday through Thursday evenings. Walk-ins are welcome, and online reservations are available for groups of up to eight. Larger parties use the private events form. The space also hosts classes and talks, so check the website for events before you go.
Address: 425 Washington St, Somerville, MA 02143
Website: lehr.haus
Machu Picchu
Machu Picchu is a Peruvian restaurant at 307 Somerville Avenue in Union Square, founded by Peruvian-born restaurateurs. Boston Magazine has called it chef Rosy Cerna’s first restaurant, and it built its reputation here years before Celeste opened nearby. Colorful murals, textiles and Peruvian art cover the walls. Lunch and dinner are served daily.
Machu Picchu has 4.4 stars from more than 1,200 Google reviews and a long menu, so start with the classics. Ceviche de pescado (fish cured in lime juice) and the mixed seafood ceviche are the usual openers, followed by lomo saltado (stir-fried beef with onions, tomatoes and fries) or tallarines verdes, green spaghetti in a basil and spinach sauce served with steak or chicken. Tamales, seafood soup and aji de gallina (shredded chicken in a creamy chile sauce) are also worth a look.
Reserve through OpenTable or by phone, particularly on weekends. Prices are moderate. Live Andean music plays on select Thursday evenings, so call ahead if you want to catch it. Takeout and catering are also offered. Machu Picchu and Celeste are a short walk apart, so you can compare two very different Peruvian rooms in one trip.
Address: 307 Somerville Ave, Somerville, MA 02143
Website: machupicchuboston.com
Mimi’s Chūka Diner
Mimi’s Chūka Diner is a small retro diner in the back of Aeronaut Brewing at 14 Tyler Street. Chūka is Chinese food as it is cooked in Japan, and chefs Ted Woo and Jon Awerman pair it with the feel of a New York luncheonette. It began as a pop-up in 2020, won a Best of Boston award, and moved into the brewery in 2024. The room has chrome, red booths and roughly 30 seats.
With 4.6 stars from more than 130 Google reviews, Mimi’s is one of the newer places in this guide. Order the chicken karaage with chūka potato salad, the garlic noodles, the ebi chili (shrimp in a sweet chili sauce) and the mabo dofu (a spicy tofu dish). Gyoza are a core item, with shrimp and chive and Utsunomiya versions on the menu, and there is a chūka burger with fries.
Reserve on Resy for dinner or weekend brunch. The diner sits inside a working brewery, so you can pair the food with Aeronaut beer, sake or a cocktail. Takeout is available daily through Toast, and the menu includes vegetarian dumplings and tofu dishes. Hours differ by day and the brunch menu is separate, so check the website before you go.
Address: 14 Tyler St Ste 102, Somerville, MA 02143
Website: mimischukadiner.com
Koshari Mama
Koshari Mama is a mother-and-daughter Egyptian restaurant at 585 Somerville Avenue in Spring Hill, and the whole menu is vegan. Sahar Ahmed, who was born in Cairo, runs it with her daughter Dina, a trained chef, in honor of Sahar’s late mother. The family started with pop-ups, including one at Bow Market in Union Square, before taking over a homey storefront that was once Razzy’s Cafe.
Rated 4.6 stars from more than 500 Google reviews, it is the place to learn koshari, Egypt’s national dish of rice, lentils, pasta and chickpeas topped with tomato sauce and crispy fried onions. Also try the taameya (Egyptian falafel made with fava beans and greens), the mushroom shawerma, the mezze platter and torli, a baked vegetable dish. Om ali, a flaky pastry bread pudding, and konafa are the desserts.
Dine-in is open most days, with online ordering for pickup or delivery, and the website recommends booking ahead. Hours vary by day, and the site has listed a week-long break in early July, so check before you go. Many dishes are marked gluten-free, and a fully vegan menu makes it an easy choice for mixed groups. Lunch and dinner menus have differed, so ask what is available.
Address: 585 Somerville Ave, Somerville, MA 02143
Website: kosharimama.com
Trina’s Starlite Lounge
Trina’s Starlite Lounge is a retro bar and restaurant at 3 Beacon Street, beside Inman Square on the Somerville side. It opened in 2009 in the old Abbey Lounge, a longtime dive bar, and the decor nods to the 1940s and 1950s. Its tagline promises hot dogs, High Lifes (the beer) and hugs, and it has kept to that since opening.
Its 4.7-star rating across more than 1,000 Google reviews rests on comfort food. The hot dog is the signature: the Starlite Style dog comes with cheese, fries, coleslaw and house aioli, and a new dog of the day appears daily. Other favorites are the chili with cornbread, fried chicken with hot pepper syrup, mac and cheese topped with Ritz crackers and corn fritters. At Sunday brunch, look for chicken and waffles or biscuits and gravy.
There are no reservations, and the site says seating is first come, first served. Sunday brunch runs from late morning to mid-afternoon, and the dinner kitchen stays open late, with the bar open later still. The dark room is best for a drink at the bar. Weekday specials include spaghetti and meatballs on Tuesdays and sloppy joes on Wednesdays, so check the menu before you go.
Address: 3 Beacon St, Somerville, MA 02143
Website: trinastarlite.com
Five Horses Tavern
Five Horses Tavern is a spacious craft beer tavern at 400 Highland Avenue in Davis Square, a short walk from the Red Line stop. The room has a fireplace, and the front windows open up in warm weather. The kitchen cooks locally sourced modern American food with many vegetarian choices, and the bar pours a long rotating draft list plus whiskey and cocktails. A second, smaller location is in Boston’s South End.
Five Horses holds 4.4 stars from more than 1,800 Google reviews and is a Davis Square regular for brunch as well as dinner. Brunch favorites include chicken and waffles, the O.D.B. (beer-braised pulled pork with poached eggs, a biscuit and hollandaise) and strawberry cheesecake French toast. At any hour, the cast iron cornbread, wings, tavern burger and mac and cheese are good bets. Pitchers of sangria are popular when the windows are open.
Reserve through the website or OpenTable, which helps on weekend mornings and for groups. The tavern serves brunch on weekends and stays open late most nights, so check hours before you go. The draft list is organized by style, with pitchers available for some beers, and there are non-alcoholic options too. Menu pages list vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free choices.
Address: 400 Highland Ave #2, Somerville, MA 02144
Website: fivehorsestavern.com
The Neighborhood Restaurant & Bakery
The Neighborhood Restaurant & Bakery is a family-run Portuguese American breakfast and lunch spot at 25 Bow Street in Union Square. Portuguese immigrants started it in 1983, and the Borges family still runs it. The room is plain and homey, with a vine-covered patio that fills up on warm weekends. The kitchen bakes its own Portuguese rolls and sweet bread and makes its own jam.
Rated 4.6 stars from more than 1,600 Google reviews, it is the place for big, affordable plates. The cream of wheat, dusted with cinnamon, is the dish locals recommend most. Order the Newark Portagee, an egg sandwich with a chorizo patty, peppers and onions on a Portuguese roll, or the sweet bread French toast. At lunch, try the cod sandwich, porco à alentejana (pork with clams) or the Portuguese plate of shrimp, cod and crab.
Bring cash, since this is a cash-only restaurant, and plan for a wait on weekend mornings, when you sign in on a clipboard and get free coffee while you wait. Weekday mornings around 10 are usually calmer. It serves breakfast and lunch daily and closes in the afternoon, and it is closed on Thanksgiving and Christmas. Parking around Union Square is tricky, so walk or take transit if you can.
Address: 25 Bow St, Somerville, MA 02143
Website: theneighborhoodrestaurant.com
3 Little Figs
3 Little Figs is a small, family-run bakery and café at 278 Highland Avenue, near Powder House Square. Owner and head baker Katie Rooney opened it around 2011 after selling muffins at farmers’ markets and cafés, and the 3 in the name nods to three generations of bakers in her Greek family. Inside are a white counter, antique touches and a pastry case of treats on mismatched plates.
Its 4.7-star rating across more than 1,100 Google reviews is backed by a 2025 Yelp Elite Squad ranking that named it the best brunch spot in Massachusetts. Order the black pepper biscuit with scrambled eggs and cheddar, or the Market sandwich of prosciutto, goat cheese, fig jam and arugula on housemade focaccia. Ricotta toast, a BLT and Greek-inspired items such as spinach pie are also on the menu, with scones and muffins that change by season.
Go early, because pastries can run out later in the morning and a line forms at busy times. There are no reservations, no Wi-Fi, and the website asks guests not to use laptops, so it suits a short visit more than a work session. Coffee comes from rotating guest roasters. Check the website for current hours, which have changed over the years.
Address: 278 Highland Ave, Somerville, MA 02143
Website: 3littlefigs.com
Ball Square Cafe
Ball Square Cafe serves breakfast and lunch at 708 Broadway, and a sign on its website says it was established in 2009. The menu is large and served all day, covering omelets, Benedicts, pancakes, waffles, burgers and sandwiches. The cafe also does catering and is pet friendly. It is one of two neighboring breakfast spots in Ball Square.
Its 4.5-star rating across more than 1,300 Google reviews makes Ball Square Cafe a local standby for weekend brunch. The house specialty French toast is the Famous Coconut Macaroon. Other good orders include Moroccan eggs, corned beef hash with eggs, a Benedict (smoked salmon, Florentine and corned beef hash versions), and fried chicken and waffles. Gluten-free pancakes, waffles and French toast are available.
The cafe is open Monday and Thursday through Sunday, and closed Tuesdays and Wednesdays, so plan around that. Breakfast and lunch are served all day, and the kitchen closes in the mid-afternoon. Go early on weekends. Sound Bites, a similar breakfast spot, is next door, so a long wait at one is a reason to try the other. Takeout and delivery are available.
Address: 708 Broadway, Somerville, MA 02144
Website: ballsquarecafe.com
Final Thoughts
Somerville’s most popular tables fill up, so book Sarma, Celeste, Dali, Field & Vine and Bronwyn ahead, and save Highland Kitchen and Trina’s, which take walk-ins only, for nights when you are flexible. Union Square, Davis Square and Ball Square are each easy to explore on foot, but parking is tight, so walk, bike or use transit when you can, and remember that Davis Square is on the Red Line. Breakfast spots are busiest on weekends, so go early or on a weekday morning. Several places close one or two days a week, including Lehrhaus on Fridays and Saturdays, Juliet on Tuesdays, Bronwyn on Mondays and Ball Square Cafe on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, so check hours before you set out.
Planning the rest of your trip? See our guide to the best things to do in Somerville, MA.
Main photo, from left: Bon Vivant, Josh Olalde and ian dooley / Unsplash
