Stop by The Bristol after a long day and relax in its charming restaurant. Late afternoon tea is a specialty, but dinner is also wonderful. Entrees include everything from an eight ounce Sirloin burger to Lobster Caesar salads. Great views of the Public Garden peek just beyond the eatery’s walls. Perfectly polished surfaces, warm colors, and high ceilings lend an air of elegance to this local favorite.

Casually elegant, Church’s dining room is outfitted with exposed brick and mustard yellow walls and a dark wood bar with pendant lighting. Crowd-pleasing mains like bacon-wrapped pork loin with cheddar cheese grits and seared organic salmon with apple cider potato salad, make the restaurant an even more attractive choice. Approximately 50 varieties of wine are available, with a limited selection sold by the glass. The adjoining nightclub features live music Wed-Sat.

Tasty, creative fare wows diners regularly at this Cambridge kitchen. New American cuisine and an intimate dining area (17 tables) combine for a great meal worthy of a special occasion or celebration. Start with wild mushroom-topped blinis and then consider lavender-glazed duckling, rosemary and black tea-smoked lamb loin with Ukrainian dumplings, or some other aromatic dish. Friendly staff round out the pleasant experience.

A wine bar open to the sidewalk occupies the storefront of this restaurant, where patrons sample grapes by the glass. Upstairs, a formal dining room offers a fantastic view of Boston Common and a lovely menu that pairs appetizers and main courses with complementary wines. Try the braised short rib cannelloni with one of the recommended reds, or poached Maine lobster with a glass of chardonnay. The wine list changes daily and might include labels from South Africa, Italy, France, Germany, Austria, Spain or New Zealand.

The “deal” at Ten Tables is comfortably simplistic: When you leave this warm eatery, it’s the owner Krista Kranyak’s sincerest wish that you do so feeling like you’ve had a great meal at your best friend’s home. Such is the atmosphere Kranyak and crew create at their Jamaica Plain gem and, boy, did they ever get it right! Start off things with an appetizer of roasted mushroom soup. Follow that up with the always delightful pasta-of-the-day or, should you wish, something along the lines of roasted duck braised greens or sage gnocchi with pork ragu. Chances are good you’ll quickly see what all the hoopla is about.

Co-owners and chefs David and Bob Kinkead organize their cuisine around a novel concept – the dual menu. For each main dish featured in Chef David’s selection, Chef Bob offers an appetizer with corresponding ingredients, and vice versa. Fresh, seasonal ingredients enhance the flavor of tantalizing creations, like baked salmon in crisp phyllo with creamed corn, mushrooms, spinach, tomato fondue and lemon butter drizzle. For dessert, splurge for the spiced apple puff vanilla bean custard, with caramel and quince butter. Great wine list. Valet parking available from 5:30 nightly: $16.

Inspired by the cultural heritage of Tibet, this restaurant’s interior features bamboo flooring and striking Buddhist statues and paintings. European and Asian influences are evident in the inventive fare, which include titillating dishes like red snapper with Little Neck clams, white beans, escarole and Chinese sausage; wild striped bass with buttercup squash and madras curry; and roast chicken with rainbow chard and white wine-braised fingerling potatoes. A water wall, steel mesh curtains and video art embellish the lounge, where the edgy clientele sip enchanting aromatherapy cocktails.

A beloved part of the Boston scene since the late 1970s, Atlantic Fish sports an updated atmosphere these days – in other words, the original’s galley look was traded in for a more polished scene of stained wood, pendant lights, coffered ceiling and crisp white linens. The menu, though hasn’t changed all that much over the years (Hey, why mess with a good thing!), and Atlantic’s kitchen continues to serve up timeless raw bar classics like shrimp cocktail, iced Littleneck clams and Blue Point oysters. Patio dining is available.

Established in 1826, this casual establishment is the oldest continuously operating restaurant in the US and consists of a dark, pub-like dining room, oyster bar, restaurant, and drink bar. John F. Kennedy had a favorite booth here while practicing law in his early days, and you can now reserve it for parties of five or six. The place is said to serve the best clam chowder in New England, along with fresh seafood and excellent Bloody Marys. Oysters are delicious, and diners may choose to sit in cozy booths and order from the menu or find a perch at the popular raw bar.

Intimate and old school cool, Neptune sports a pressed-tin ceiling, floor tiles and marble-topped tables. Located as it is on the North End, the restaurant probably doesn’t shock first-timers with its Italian takes on fresh fish and seafood. That’s not to say they don’t leave impressed by Old Country classics like cioppino and more regionalized endeavors such lobster rolls. It’s the raw bar, though, that truly sets this place apart, thanks to seasonal ditties like Ipswich clams (fried, of course) and a dozen or so varieties of oysters.

Nothing preempts a game at Fenway quite like a stopover at the Back Bay edition of the Summer Shack family, where the mood is proverbially light-hearted and the raw bar case never seems to suffer from a shortage of fresh oysters, clams, shrimp and lobsters (heck, it holds somewhere in the neighborhood of 4-K shellfish!) If seafood isn’t your bag, their versatile menu also lists burgers, corn dogs, fried chicken and even meatloaf. Designed to look like a modern version of a roadside shack, the space gets packed, especially during the summer. Priority seating available.

Stylish Oceana capitalizes on its marina-side location by offering outstanding views of the Harbor. Take away the setting, though, and the place would still enjoy wide popular support based on its robust fish and seafood selection that includes regional-themed delicacies like New England bouillbaisse and crab-crusted Georges Bank cod. Even if a sit-down affair isn’t on the slate, Oceana’s raw bar specialties, like Panama Bay Jumbo Shrimp Cocktail and fresh-shucked oysters, are worth checking into.

Devotees of this diminutive Chestnut Hill sushi spot claim it serves the best Japanese food this side of Tokyo.

Beacon Hill restaurant rolls some of downtown’s freshest and most innovative sushi.

A palatable culinary tour of the Far East awaits adventurous diners in the heart of the South End.

Medfield restaurant serves a varied menu that includes modern fare and sushi.

Perched atop the Prudential Tower, this restaurant/lounge offers great nightlife. Come after work to enjoy a drink and a fine meal in elegant surroundings, complete with expert service, linen-covered tables, and the best views in the city. Strains of jazz music provide an excellent backdrop to the lovely scene. The dining room also offers an outstanding prix fixe brunch on Sundays that features open-face enchiladas, cinnamon bread French toast and thyme-crusted chicken breast, as well as sweets ranging from warm chocolate cake to crème brûlée.

A nod to the grandeur of the Ming Dynasty, this Chinese restaurant between Harvard and Porter Squares is an eye-pleaser thanks its sharp, clean lines and temple-inspired elements. Changsho is far more than a pretty scene, though, and its meticulously-prepared regional dishes have bedazzled palates from all over the city. On Sundays, the buffet brunch is not to be missed – if for no other reason than sampling what may just be Cambridge’s most delicious dim sum.

Once a theater, the ornate building that houses this beloved Chinese eatery has seen its share of stars over the years. No doubt, Emperor’s (or Empire’s, depending on to whom you speak) Garden is one of the brightest, thanks to its superb Cantonese dishes. The pre-lunch and Sunday brunch crowds find much to laud about the place’s imperial dim sum.

Located on Washington Street in Brookline, the Sichuan Garden offers Szechuan food that packs a punch. For starters, try the jellyfish topped with scallion pesto or the steamed dumplings, and then order the General Tso’s chicken, Braised Beef with Napa Cabbage, Ma Po Tofu, or smoked duck for your main course. The friendly smiles of the wait staff and the low prices make the food taste even better!

At this delicious restaurant, you’ll feast on food so authentic that you may require help deciphering the menu! Exquisitely fresh seafood is the focus, popularized in such dishes as shrimp and lobster sashimi. Other delicious selections include soft shell crabs, mussels, and steamed fish. You can also have the talented chefs custom-make a dish for you after you’ve selected something from the live tank.

If you crave hot, spicy Szechuan-style cuisine, you’ll be thrilled by Chinatown favorite, New Shanghai. Entrees make the most of fresh seafood and well-seasoned meats, and notable dishes include five-spice beef, Peking duck , Singapore noodles, and a great selection of dim sum. Daily specials highlight the chef’s skills and provide pleasant diversions from the established menu.

This Chinatown restaurant dishes up heaping portions of Hong Kong-style seafood to folks who relish wonderful, well-spiced Asian cuisine. Interesting menu options include sesame-tossed jellyfish, jumbo crab spiced with ginger and scallions, braised chicken hot pot, and salted squid. The knowledgeable, friendly waitstaff contribute to a pleasant experience.

Make no mistake: It’s the food that steals the headlines at this understated gem, hidden away amongst Chinatown’s more high-profile restaurants. Delicious takes on Chinese soups and standards like lo mein share menu space with equally outstanding Vietnamese dishes like lemongrass chicken with vermicelli, beef stew or pho. Always friendly, the waitstaff fully embraces first-timers, hoping they depart with a deeper appreciation for the variety Chinatown offers and a new-found love of noodles. A final word: If you’re on the look out for something different, try the avocado shake.

Got a craving for dim sum? China Pearl offers some of Boston’s best, and the kitchen consistently turns out scores of enticing goodies, like spareribs with black bean sauce, steamed shrimp dumplings, and baked buns with barbecued pork. The menu also offers Cantonese and Hong-Kong style dishes (braised duck, beef with oyster sauce, abalone and black mushrooms) along with a few “American” Chinese standbys. Prices are great, and regulars come back again and again.