Dining on the second floor of a private home overlooking the Arno River with views of the Goldsmith lined wood shuttered shops that line the 14th century Ponte Vecchio bridge may make it a wee bit difficult to focus on the food.

Seasonal Italian regional dishes (many inspired by nonnas and their second to none home cooking), a superb wine list, and its Harvard Square location make this fine dining experience irresistible.

Steirereck’s signature dish, freshwater arctic char cooked table side in molten beeswax, highlights Reitbauer’s creativity. Of course, each plate may be washed down with a selection from the restaurant’s 35,000 bottle wine cellar.

The location is a conundrum. When GPS navigates to a parking lot of an apartment building, just go with it—you have arrived. The quirky location is only one of many surprises at this boutique eatery featuring a stone mill for grinding heritage grains and a wood fired oven.

The charming and intimate setting pairs a bohemian but cozy décor with a cosmopolitan flair, making it a romantic’s dream destination. The Italian-based menu evolved from the chef’s own Italian family recipes that fused over the years with Mediterranean, Middle Eastern, and exotic flavors that enchant the palate.

The Select Oyster Bar gives new meaning to dining al fresco in the Back Bay. The open air porch, completely shielded from the elements, is designed with aquarium style viewing: three huge painted tiles hang on the brick wall of the building across the alleyway and provide a bright, marine colored backdrop for a unique under the sea dining atmosphere.

At Salt, an early horse and buggy mortuary turned hip cuisine establishment, Chef Bradford Heap’s mantra to “eat, cook, and source as close to the earth as possible” shapes its thoughtful, seasonally-inspired menu.

Since man began playing with fire sometime during the Paleolithic era, a hearth has provided a place for socializing & preparing food. The Charter Oak showcases the elegance and depth of flavor created when cooking over the most primitive form of cooking equipment.