ESCAPE
The Cradle of Liberty is now a cradle of
EPICUREAN INGENUITY
Boston’s Foodie Revolution
QUICK TRIPS
By Paul RubioNew England’s largest city has
solidified a starring role in the
global gastronomic movement
thanks to a surge in chef- and
personality-driven restaurants
helmed by both established and rising talent.
Here, we present an eclectic handful of restau-
rants leading the race in Boston’s foodie mara-
thon and throwing a Red Sox–worthy curveball
into the once predictable culinary scene.HOJOKO
Boston native Tim Cushman placed his home-
town on the culinary map in 2008 when his
freshman endeavor, the haute sushi restaurant
O Ya, garnered nearly every accolade imag-
inable, including coveted spots on The New
York Times’ and Food & Wine’s best restaurant
lists and later landing a James Beard Award in- Since then, Cushman has expanded to
New York City and returned to Boston with
another Japanese eatery, the funky and casual
tavern-style Hojoko. Serious food lovers can’t
get enough of the innovative sushi rolls and
teppanyaki creations, while Boston’s cool kids
go wild over the anime overtones, the kitschy
sake cups, and the party-heavy hipster atmo-
sphere. (hojokoboston.com)SHORE LEAVE
This subterranean tiki bar and restaurant is a
multisensory journey through Oceania and the
Pacific Rim. Grab a seat in one of the seaweed-
green tufted booths or along the bamboo-
textured bar. Then ogle and order from the
hyper-original cocktail menu, beginning with
the namesake Shore Leave cocktail—a blend
of rums, passionfruit, lime, and bitters served
in a coconut-shaped mug—and ending withClockwise from left: Tiki cocktails and small
bites, including scallion pancakes and a
cucumber and seaweed salad, at Shore Leave;
prune-stuffed gnocchi with foie gras at No.
9 Park; Shore Leave interior; grilled skewers,
sushi, and playful Japanese dishes at Hojoko.BRIANSAMUELSBRIANSAMUELSBRIANSAMUELS50 NAPLES ILLUSTRATED