Chef Michael Serpa’s first Back Bay restaurant is one of the best raw seafood destinations in the city: Crudo helps define the fresh, colorful ethos at Select Oyster Bar. While tasty specials are offered frequently, it’s hard to skip the menu-favorite Faroe Islands Salmon Crudo. This simple delight begins with beautifully marbled fish that’s dressed simply with lime, togarashi, and pistachio oil. The familiar flavors of salmon with a nut-buttery accent make this a great gateway crudo for the uninitiated. (If you really love it, like we do, try making Serpa’s recipe at home: It’s included in our digital cookbook, Dining In Boston.)

Crudo is held in high esteem at Saltie Girl, a popular restaurant whose focus on tinned and raw seafood has made it a favorite among the sea of Back Bay restaurants. The large menu includes  four dressed-up crudo, from caviar-gilded Day Boat Scallops with lime and avocado, to Yellowtail with grapes, pickled kohlrabi, pomelo, and shiso. Brought a friend who’s still iffy on the raw stuff? Give them a nudge in the right direction by ordering up a luxurious plate of King Salmon dusted with pistachios, drizzled in avocado oil, and accented with the bright crunch of cucumber. It’s a study in balance with a firm, flavorful fish that dives right into what crudo should be.

Most folks who find themselves at the North End’s pint-sized Neptune Oyster are probably there for lobster rolls. We support that—but would also advise anybody to not overlook the daily selection of raw seafood offerings. Depending on the season, there might be petite and sweet Nantucket Bay Scallops simply dressed with fleur de sel and coins of Persian cucumber; or bright-red Bluefin Tuna with fiery piri piri pepitas and buttery slices of Castelvetrano olive. Creatively composed crudo is part of the magic of this iconic Boston restaurant—and certainly partially why you’ll want to plan ahead and put your name in early to get seats at this no-reservations spot.

On the raw bar menu at Row 34, there’s a section dedicated to seasonal and signature crudo. All of the choices are winners, but we particularly enjoy the Tuna Crudo with black garlic and avocado—the luscious, fatty vegetable serves as the perfect foil to the rich fish and bracing sauce. This must-try Row 34 dish is on the menus at all three locations, and counting—Fort Point, Burlington, Portsmouth, N.H., and a Cambridge branch coming in fall 2022—while other crudo presentations vary from kitchen to kitchen. Whether there’s Salmon Crudo decorated with apple, lime, and a ginger mezcal-agua or a dash of miso, jalapeño, and scallion, you can expect fresh fish expertly sliced by this team of seafood pros.