Lists of this type pop up now and again. Very few are worth individual threads, so I thought an umbrella one was in order. Here’s a new one:
It has so many subcategories that if you’re not on it in some capacity you have to ask what you’re doing wrong.
Interesting point. Though I could quibble with a lot of their choices and rationales (Row 34 does not exactly “leave the competition in its wake”, it’s debateable whether Neptune really produces the singular “best” lobster roll, Szechuan Mountain House is not really frequented by people in the neighborhood), it certainly features worthy contenders across the board.
I broadly agree with your point. My particular quibble had to do with their raving comment on Iggy’s croissant.
It says Abe & Louie’s is 60 years old. That doesn’t sound right. I thought it opened in the '90s. Perhaps it was in a smaller location, and moved to its current spot on Boyston in the '90s. Does anyone know? I’m still never going back, because it’s a stupid restaurant, but I’m curious.
Prior to Abe & Louie’s it was Hillary’s beginning in the mid ‘70s. Before then, I believe there was an Italian restaurant. Name started with ‘B’ and could have been there in 1965. But, A & L certainly wasn’t.
Meant to add that I don’t know of a prior location for Abe & Louie’s. Only the one on Boylston St.
Definitely not 60 years old. The space is the same as when it was JC Hillarys though, just with a lot of wood paneling slapped up to make it look fancy. Hillary’s did have some good oil dip for the bread though.
A&L is a Tavistock restaurant now, so I think the copywriter for Tavistock either generously played with the facts, or was just lazy and did not realize that while BBRG did start up 60 years ago, A&L did not. And the writer at Boston Magazine is too young to know the difference.
Unbelievable. No one at Boston Magazine caught this error, and in the new Top 50 list in the November 2025 issue, they are still saying A&L is 60 years old. (Never mind that A&L shouldn’t even be on the list.)
This list has strayed so far from any semblance of reality that is familiar to me that it’s hard for me to get worked up about it anymore.
I agree! This reads like pay to play. I got turned off Boston Magazine long ago, though I still look at it while waiting in grocery store iens.
Reading list-icles is a guilty pleasure of mine. I like wallowing in reading about the things that I’m missing out on, even if they are bad.
Same. I actually didn’t think the list was that bad. Yes there were a few that got in there probably because of their PR firm, but it is Boston magazine after all. But I am mildly annoyed that no one bothered to correct the A&L age error.
Maybe a PR firm is exercising some muscle to propagate the A&L myth of being around forever?
I love this interesting speculation!
Or, perhaps simply not asking for a correction when the error is in the client’s favor. 
