Best Clam Chowder in Boston and Cambridge
Boston is famous for clam chowder for a reason – it’s the city you can get chowder in a bread bowl on the banks of the Charles every October during the largest rowing event in the world, the Head of the Charles. You can also get top notch fresh chowder bowls at any of the vast numbers of seafood restaurants we have around town! See our list below for our favorite spots.
Legal Sea Foods (Various Locations, MA)
We grew up sipping the Legal Sea Foods clam chowder all of our lives. In our college dining hall, they actually served free Legal’s clam chowder with the oyster crackers on Fridays. So it’s hard for us to really think about other fish stews. To us, this really is the gold standard.
Row 34 (Boston, MA)
A solid clam chowder that pairs so nicely with their yummy lobster roll. We recently discovered that they make their own crackers, which makes it taste all the more clean and delicious. Learn more about our favorite restaurants on our award-winning food tours of Boston.
Boston Sail Loft (Boston, MA)
So the one little non-traditional part of their clam chowder is the fact they use dried dill inside it. We don’t mind it at all especially since it’s not soap, I mean, cilantro! Order the fries and dip them in the chowder for a savory sensation. And if you miss it, they actually ship their chowder on Goldbelly nation-wide!
Courthouse Seafood (Cambridge, MA)
Our food and chocolate tours in Cambridge, MA are amazing — and did you know we have great New England Clam Chowder in Cambridge, too? In East Cambridge, we have a seafood spot that serves delicious homemade chowder right on Cambridge Street. Go out and try it!
Belle Island Seafood (Winthrop, MA)
For years, we would only go here for yummy fries and fried onion rings and to visit friends nearby. But recently we tried their yummy clam chowder and were pleasantly surprised! Don’t forget that they’re cash only.
Galway House (Jamaica Plain, Boston, MA)
We love a good pub, and we love Jamaica Plain of course. There’s a lot to love at the Galway House, but their 16 oz clam chowder is one of our favorites. And it’s good to know they serve fresh fish, never frozen.
Alive and Kicking Lobsters (Harvard Square, Cambridge, MA)
We’ve been frequenting this spot for decades — it’s right outside of Harvard Square where we offer a food tour, donut tour, and chocolate tour! You can eat yummy clam chowder from there as well as their delicious lobster bisque. Some may say this is the most hidden gem lobster spot in the whole state!
And of course, don’t forget to visit Maine for more delicious chowdah. Yum!
Lizzie and Sam
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