A newcomer in 2022, Tonino became a fave on day one with house-made pasta, sheet-pan pizza, and an incredibly thoughtful beverage program. With dishes such as Lumache with wild mushrooms and a show-stopping Tiramisu, the neighborhood spot has an Italian bent. But the menu isn’t confined to any one tradition—see: the signature House Spritz, made with a splash of bright yuzu sake along with Aperitivo Cappelletti and Prosecco. Puffed-up pan pizzas dusted with cheese take cues from the Philly-style slices that chef Luke Fetbroth grew up loving; and sake is highlighted because of co-owner Claire Makley’s expertise from past experience at O Ya, Hojoko, and The Koji Club. Dishes like Roasted Squid with brown-butter pickles and gigante beans; and spaghetti-like Chitarra and Clams celebrate simple, often local ingredients. All together, Tonino is an instant JP classic.

Dining at Vee Vee is like going over to your friend’s house who collects local art and has the best-stocked beer fridge. The intimate restaurant has a small bar with just four tap lines, but the offerings are always fresh and never the usual suspects (think Trillium IPAs or an Honest Weight stout). Beyond its beer cred, Vee Vee is a longtime neighborhood favorite with a reliable seasonal menu of apps, entrees, and desserts. We love the Crispy Shiitake Mushrooms and marinated Statler chicken with ricotta gnocchi. The husband-and-wife owners are JP locals who opened the place in 2008 and have employed a familiar team of friendly faces ever since. In recent years, they debuted an awesome outdoor dining area off of Eliot Street with an outdoor bar and plenty of shade.

Boston’s only Scottish restaurant is in Jamaica Plain. After a decade in Hyde Square, The Haven is now open at the Brewery Complex on Amory Street, next door to the Sam Adams Brewery. All of our favorites made the move, from the Scotch Egg, The Haven Burger, and Fish Supper to the Deep-Fried Mars Bar. The larger, fancier pub also expands on the offerings with new-to-The-Haven pizzas and vegetarian dishes, plus a larger selection of local and imported craft beer, cider, and cocktails. The Haven is Boston’s authority on single-malt Scotch, with a huge selection behind the mid-century modern bar and weekly tastings on Thursdays. Other eclectic events populate the calendar, from Premier League brunches to live comedy and music performances. 

The lively Hyde Square area of Jamaica Plain boasts a few enticing cuisines from around the world, including Ethiopian restaurant Blue Nile. The spot itself is as bright and welcoming as the comfort food on the menu: Lemon and lime-painted walls are decorated with art, photography, and instruments from the Haile family’s homeland. Ethiopian food features lots of legumes, making it very vegetarian- and even vegan-friendly, and it’s meant to be shared and savored. Fragrant stews and braises like Misir Wat (spiced red lentils) and Gomen Wat (chopped collard greens) are served and sopped up with tangy injera flatbread. Order a colorful combo plate to try scoops of four or six options (and this hearty cuisine makes great leftovers). Blue Nile has a seasonal patio and also offers takeout.

This authentic Irish pub is the type of neighborhood bar we always want to live near. It’s seemingly open all the time, cash-only, and pouring a rotating selection of craft beer along with other dive-bar essentials, like few-ingredient cocktails. The Behan doesn’t serve food besides chips, but takeout is welcome and the pub is close by to JP staples like Blue Nile and places to pick up tacos and Cuban sandwiches. The Behan has a seasonal streetside patio and wide-open front windows, plus a covered, heated backyard that feels like the best-kept secret in JP. Pull up a bar stool or cozy up with friends around a table for a live Irish music session.

Founder Meg Crowley named her bakery for a scenic South Shore spot, but luckily for us city folks, she rooted it in Jamaica Plain. Third Cliff Bakery, which started as a pop-up with a tricycle that Crowley would pedal to farmers markets, is located between Green Street and Forest Hills on Washington Street, where its crispy, crackly croissants in flavors like Kimchi Cheddar and Guava Cream Cheese have a cult following. Coconut Cold Brew iced coffee and fluffy loaves of Milk Bread are other reasons to love this bakery. Orange-cardamom Cardi Bs (buns) and savory slices of focaccia make an apt substitution if the “croix” are ever sold out when you visit; you can follow Third Cliff on social media for frequent availability updates (and to get familiar with the cute brand’s lingo).