The 10 best restaurants in Lexington, MA
Many of the restaurants in Lexington are in Lexington Center, along Massachusetts Avenue, Waltham Street and Meriam Street, a short walk from the Battle Green. This list covers ten places to eat inside the town, from a counter-service deli to a six-seat omakase bar. It is written for residents, for visitors spending a day at the Revolutionary War sites, and for anyone planning a dinner in the northwest suburbs.
The picks lean toward independent and locally run restaurants with a current menu and a confirmed address. Costs vary widely. Appetizers at the Thai restaurant on the list start at $10, a half Peking duck is $38, steakhouse cuts run past $60 and the omakase is $180 a person.
How we chose
The list is alphabetical, not ranked. Every restaurant is inside Lexington and was confirmed open in November 2026 through the restaurant’s own website, a current reservation page or the town’s visitor guide. Selection weighed longevity, coverage in local press and the town’s July 2026 dining guide, and a menu that could be checked. Independent places were favored over national chains.
Hours and prices below come from each business and change without notice. Call ahead if you are making a special trip.
Akame Nigiri & Sake
Six seats at a counter make up the whole omakase room at Akame Nigiri & Sake, which the restaurant describes as hidden on Edison Way, off Massachusetts Avenue. The chef-owned restaurant serves one 15-course menu built on seafood imported from Tokyo’s Toyosu fish market, prepared in what the restaurant calls a non-traditional style. The OpenTable listing prices the meal at $180 a person and shows seatings Thursday through Saturday evenings. A sake pairing is available, along with a short wine list. Reservations go through OpenTable, and with so few seats it pays to book well ahead.
Hours: Check current hours before you go.
Address: 1707 Massachusetts Avenue, #2, Lexington, MA 02420
Why they made the list
- The town’s visitor bureau named Akame in a January 2026 roundup of Lexington dinner spots.
- Private dinners for up to 18 guests can be arranged with a custom menu, according to the restaurant.
- OpenTable lists Michael Monaco as executive chef.
Avenue Deli
Lunch between museum stops is the job Avenue Deli does, from a storefront at 1806 Massachusetts Avenue in Lexington Center. The sandwich board includes a club with cracked pepper turkey, ham, avocado and bacon on a braided roll, a spicy chicken cutlet sandwich with chipotle mayo and cheddar, and a tuna wrap on white, wheat or spinach. Chicken noodle soup and clam chowder are listed as soups of the day. The deli also advertises gluten-free sandwiches. Doors close at 5 p.m. on weekdays and 4 p.m. on Saturday, so this is a daytime stop.
Hours: Monday to Friday, 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Saturday, 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.; closed Sunday.
Address: 1806 Massachusetts Avenue, Lexington, MA 02420
Why they made the list
- Lexington’s July 2026 visitor dining guide points to Avenue Deli for sandwiches, subs and wraps in the center.
- Delivery runs through DoorDash, and online ordering is on the deli’s website.
- Catering is listed on the deli’s website alongside the regular menu.
See the full directory listing
Beijing Chinese Dining
Peking duck is the order at Beijing Chinese Dining, a sit-down restaurant with a bar at 1709 Massachusetts Avenue. The online menu lists a half duck with six pancakes at $38 and a whole duck with 12 pancakes at $69. Northern-style small plates fill the appetizer page: pan-fried Beijing ravioli at $12.50, shrimp and chive pies at $13.50, scallion pancake at $11.50 and a cold five-spice pot-roast beef at $14.50. Chicken dishes run about $19 to $21. The town’s visitor guide notes weekday lunch specials, and the restaurant delivers.
Hours: Monday to Thursday, 11:30 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Friday and Saturday, 11:30 a.m. to 10 p.m.; Sunday, 11:30 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Address: 1709 Massachusetts Avenue, Lexington, MA 02420
Why they made the list
- Soup sizes go up to a large that the menu says feeds six to eight, priced around $20.
- The website and menu are published in both English and Chinese.
- Hot and sour soup for one is $4.95, the lowest price on the menu.
Daikanyama
Named for a Tokyo neighborhood, Daikanyama is a Japanese restaurant on Waltham Street with a long menu that runs well past sushi. From the kitchen come miso-marinated black cod, grilled pork belly, nabeyaki udon and a stir-fried vegetable ramen with truffle oil. The sushi bar sends out chirashi, a nigiri dinner and a mixed platter of sushi, sashimi and maki chosen by the chef, each served with soup and salad. The restaurant describes the cooking as Japanese with French and Chinese influences. Tables can be reserved online, and a second Daikanyama operates in Chestnut Hill.
Hours: Monday to Saturday, 11:30 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Sunday, noon to 9 p.m.
Address: 43 Waltham Street, Lexington, MA 02421
Why they made the list
- A separate lunch menu is posted alongside the main menu.
- Kitchen entrees come with soup, salad and rice, and brown rice is a $1 substitution.
- The Lexington location takes party and catering bookings through the website.
See the full directory listing
Il Casale Cucina Campana
Brothers Dante, Damian and Filippo deMagistris opened the Lexington branch of Il Casale in 2014, five years after the Belmont original, by the restaurant group’s account. The menu is southern Italian: porcini arancini with a truffle-honey glaze, Nonna’s meatballs in tomato ragu, and tagliatelle Bolognese made with a nine-hour ragu of beef, pork, veal and chicken. Main courses include chicken Marsala, a 10-ounce New York strip and grilled hake. The kitchen is open for dinner every night, and Sunday adds a brunch with live jazz from noon to 2:30 p.m. There is a patio, plus takeout and delivery.
Hours: Dinner daily, 4:30 to 9 p.m., with the bar open until 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday; Sunday brunch, noon to 2:30 p.m.
Address: 1727 Massachusetts Avenue, Lexington, MA 02420
Why they made the list
- A vegan spaghetti with green garlic scape sauce is on the dinner menu, with a gluten-free version available.
- The children’s menu has pasta with a choice of Bolognese, tomato or cheese and butter sauce.
- Draft beer includes Mighty Squirrel from Waltham and Lord Hobo from Woburn.
See the full directory listing
Love at First Bite Thai Kitchen & Bar
Thai cooking with a cocktail bar is the draw at Love at First Bite, on Massachusetts Avenue in Lexington Center. The restaurant’s recommended dishes include khao soi with grilled salmon in a northern Thai curry at $22, crispy duck with sweet chili sauce and basil at $30, and pan-seared branzino in green curry at $27. Starters such as Maine crab rangoon and fried vegetarian rolls are $10. A lunch special menu is posted, and Monday through Friday the dining room closes between 2:45 and 4:30 p.m. The website warns that some prices are being updated, so confirm when ordering.
Hours: Monday to Thursday, 11:15 a.m. to 2:45 p.m. and 4:30 to 9 p.m.; Friday, 11:15 a.m. to 2:45 p.m. and 4:30 to 9:30 p.m.; Saturday, 11:15 a.m. to 9:30 p.m.; Sunday, 11:15 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Address: 1710 Massachusetts Avenue, Lexington, MA 02420
Why they made the list
- The menu has a separate section of vegetarian dishes and marks gluten-free and spicy items.
- Kra tong thong, crispy pastry cups filled with curried chicken and vegetables, costs $12.
- Takeout and delivery are available every day, and private dinners can be booked.
See the full directory listing
Mario’s Italian Restaurant
Red-sauce Italian is the specialty at Mario’s, a casual dining room at 1733 Massachusetts Avenue. The menu covers pasta dishes, calzones and pizza, with salads, a children’s menu and party platters for takeout. The regional restaurant guide Hidden Boston describes a room with checkered tablecloths, quick service, and Italian-American standards such as baked ziti, chicken and veal parmigiana, spaghetti with meatballs and a ricotta-heavy lasagna. The same guide says diners add their names to a notebook by the door when there is a wait. Lexington’s July 2026 visitor dining guide notes weekday lunch specials. The kitchen opens at 11 a.m. every day.
Hours: Monday to Thursday, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Friday and Saturday, 11 a.m. to 9:30 p.m.; Sunday, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Address: 1733 Massachusetts Avenue, Lexington, MA 02420
Why they made the list
- Hidden Boston reports that Mario’s has operated for several decades with little change to the dining room.
- Wine and beer are sold, a change from the restaurant’s earlier bring-your-own policy, according to the same guide.
- The town visitor bureau describes Mario’s as a casual, family-friendly choice for pizza, chicken parm and ravioli.
Post 1917
Lexington Center got a steakhouse in July 2025 when chef and owner Jason Carron opened a second Post 1917 on Waltham Street, the Lexington Observer reported. The name comes from the first location, a 1917 post office building in Reading. At opening, the Observer listed a 10-ounce filet at $66, a 16-ounce strip at $68 and a 32-ounce long bone at $110, with sides such as street corn at $16 ordered separately. Steaks come from Brandt Beef in California, per the same report. Dinner is the sole meal, and no Monday hours are posted. Book through the restaurant’s website.
Hours: Kitchen: Tuesday and Wednesday, 5 to 9 p.m.; Thursday, 5 to 10 p.m.; Friday and Saturday, 4 to 10 p.m.; Sunday, 3 to 9 p.m.
Address: 27 Waltham Street, Lexington, MA 02421
Why they made the list
- The bar has 39 stools and stays open later than the kitchen, according to the Lexington Observer and the posted hours.
- Carron worked for Del Frisco’s and Fleming’s before opening his own steakhouse, the Observer reported.
- The space previously held the Korean barbecue restaurant Bulpan.
Royal India Bistro
On Meriam Street in Lexington Center, Royal India Bistro is a family-owned Indian restaurant and bar, by the owners’ description. The menu mixes traditional and contemporary dishes, tandoori and lamb among them, and each can be ordered anywhere from mild to spicy. The restaurant says vegetarian and vegan diners get particular attention and that gluten-free dishes are available where possible. Lunch specials are served, and delivery and online ordering run through the website. Monday through Thursday the dining room closes between lunch and dinner, so plan a midafternoon visit for Friday, Saturday or Sunday.
Hours: Monday to Thursday, 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. and 5 to 8:30 p.m.; Friday and Saturday, 11:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m.; Sunday, 11:30 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Address: 7 Meriam Street, Lexington, MA 02420
Why they made the list
- The restaurant is open seven days a week.
- Last seating for dine-in is 9 p.m. on Friday and Saturday and 8:30 p.m. on Sunday.
- Royal India Bistro has a page in the town’s official visitor directory of restaurants.
Town Meeting Bistro
The dining room of the Inn at Hastings Park, Town Meeting Bistro serves New England bistro cooking at 2027 Massachusetts Avenue. The dinner menu dated September 28, 2026, lists clam chowder with applewood bacon at $18, arctic char at $34, Georges Bank swordfish at $43 and an 18-ounce prime bone-in New York strip at $65. Suppliers named on the menu include Wilson Farm in Lexington and Codman Community Farm in Lincoln. Saturday high tea starts at $65 a person, and the Sunday champagne brunch buffet is $65 for adults. Reservations are encouraged for both.
Hours: Breakfast: Monday to Saturday, 7 to 10 a.m.; Sunday, 7:30 to 10 a.m. Lunch: Monday to Friday, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Dinner: Monday to Saturday, 5 to 9 p.m. High tea: Saturday, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Brunch buffet: Sunday, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Address: 2027 Massachusetts Avenue, Lexington, MA 02421
Why they made the list
- A vegan cauliflower steak with beet hummus and chimichurri is on the dinner menu at $32.
- Children ages 4 to 12 pay $35 for high tea and $40 for the Sunday brunch buffet.
- Lunch and dinner can be ordered to go by phone.
- In winter the inn seats diners in heated outdoor igloos with a Town Meeting Bistro menu, according to the town visitor bureau.
See the full directory listing
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