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Splurge On French Cuisine At These Top Rated Boston Restaurants

BOSTON (Hoodline) - Looking for a delicious French meal near you?

Hoodline crunched the numbers to find the best high-end French restaurants around Boston, using both Yelp data and our own secret sauce to produce a ranked list of where to venture next time you're on the hunt.

1. Mistral

Photo: Jim F./Yelp

Topping the list is Mistral. Part of the Columbus Hospitality Group (Bar Lyon, Sorellina), the decor at Mistral is sophisticated and dramatic, with artistic touches reminiscent of Southern France. Located at 223 Columbus Ave. in Back Bay, it is the highest-rated upscale French restaurant in Boston, boasting four stars out of 894 reviews on Yelp.

The Mediterranean-inspired seasonal dishes represent classic French dishes and modern updates. Entrees include pan-roasted sirloin with tomatoes and Gorgonzola, and roasted duck with wild mushroom risotto.

2. L'Espalier

Photo: Silly S./Yelp

Next up is Back Bay's L'Espalier, situated next to the Mandarin Oriental Hotel at 774 Boylston St. The focus is on French cuisine inspired by New England ingredients. Chef Frank McClelland offers a daily tasting menu, or order a la carte.

Starters include yellow fin tuna with mushroom-stuffed cannelloni, and mussels with new potatoes, mustard seeds, lime gel, radishes and spicy bone marrow. For entrees, look for roasted beef sirloin with lime sesame vinaigrette or roasted chicken breast with beets, sour cherries, pistachio butter and black olives. With four stars out of 804 reviews on Yelp, the restaurant has proven to be a local favorite.

3. No. 9 Park

Photo: William Y./Yelp

Beacon Hill's No. 9 Park, from James Beard Award-winner Barbara Lynch, is located at 9 Park St. Yelpers give it four stars out of 604 reviews.

The unfussy dining room, which overlooks Boston Common, sees diners tucking into a mix of French and Italian dishes. Swordfish with sauce Provençal, summer squash and tournée potato shares space on the menu with eggplant agnolotti, for example. The drinks program features boutique wines and signature cocktails.

4. Menton

Photo: Jiaqi X./Yelp

Menton in South Boston is another pricey go-to from Barbara Lynch, with four stars out of 426 Yelp reviews. The interior is "a marriage of luxury, whimsy, elegance, comfort, and surprise," as described by the restaurant's website.

As at No. 9 Park, the menu includes examples of both French and Italian cuisines. Expect seared foie gras, veal ravioli, East Coast halibut with a shellfish vinaigrette and a roasted suckling pig with grilled plum, mustard greens and fennel. Head over to 354 Congress St. to see for yourself.

5. Troquet on South

Photo: Troquet on South/Yelp

Finally, over in the Leather District, check out Troquet on South, which has earned 4.5 stars out of 30 reviews on Yelp. Having relocated from its original spot on Boylston Street in 2017, the modern French restaurant offers a large space that includes the dining room, a bar area and a private back room for special events.

The dinner menu includes roasted sea scallops served with sweet brown rice and ginger pork sausage. Or consider scialatielli pasta with lobster, caviar and smoked paprika butter. There are typically some 50 wines by the glass and many more bottles. Treat yourself by heading over to 107 S St.

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