Gastronomic Delights

Hotel gastronomy, the Boston way

Hotel dining used to be where food went to be forgettable. Boston flipped that: some of the city's most interesting kitchens now operate inside hotels, drawing locals as much as guests, and the bar programmes have followed. Add a seafood tradition running from oyster houses to the harbour's daily catch, and food becomes a legitimate reason to pick one property over another.

This category reviews hotel restaurants and bars, follows chef moves and seasonal menus, and looks at how New England produce, harbours and immigrant food cultures shape what lands on the plate. No stars are handed out; we describe what a table is actually like and let you decide.

Eat your way through a stay

The full map of tables worth a detour lives in the 50 hotels that define Boston and their dining companions. To sleep near the eating, hotels by neighbourhood shows which districts put the best kitchens on your doorstep, and build your own Boston itinerary around reservations rather than squeezing them in. Budgeting for a serious food trip? Estimate the cost of your Boston trip first.