Best Restaurants for Spicy Food in Cambridge

Price

$$
$$$
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Cuisine

AmericanItalianSteakhouseSeafoodFrenchIndian

Regions

BostonBoston Metro North

Neighborhoods

AllstonArlingtonBack BayBeacon HillBrightonBrookline

Top Rated

CharmingFancyGood for business mealsGood for groupsGood for special occasionsGreat for brunch

Dining Options

All dining options

Delivery only

Takeout only

Seating Options

BarCounterStandardHigh TopOutdoor

Accessibility

Wheelchair access

261 restaurants available nearby

How are Featured results ranked

A photo of Oyster Bar by Puritan & Co. restaurant

1. Oyster Bar by Puritan & Co.

4.8

Exceptional(105)

$$$$Price: Expensive

• Oyster Bar • Cambridge

Booked 6 times today

Chef Will Gilson and the team behind Puritan & Company are thrilled to introduce you to Puritan Oyster Bar! We offer limited reservations, but always hold space for walk-ins! The space is a bit more casual than our sister restaurant, with a focus on fresh seafood and an incredible cocktail program.

2. Olé

4.3

Awesome(988)

$$$$Price: Moderate

• Mexican • Cambridge

Booked 16 times today

We are very excited to present Olé's renovated space and updated bar menus to the neighborhood. Olé has been in Inman Sq for 15 years, bringing traditional as well as innovative Mexican cuisine to Cambridge. Our 6 seat bar served us well over the years, but we always wanted a little more. Now we have it!Please join us in our new space name with new cocktails, wines and new bar dishes.More about the Restaurant: In eclectic Inman Sq. lies a distinctive restaurant - Olé, where Chef David Tapia creates authentic Mexican delicacies from Veracruz, Oaxaca, amongst others. Popular for table side-award winning Guacamole it's the perfect destination for an outstanding evening.

3. Pammy's

4.7

Exceptional(2331)

$$$$Price: Very Expensive

• American • Cambridge

Booked 47 times today

Pammy’s is a New American restaurant inspired by the feel of an Italian neighborhood trattoria. Perched between Cambridge’s Central and Harvard Squares, Pammy’s is a cozy yet sophisticated neighborhood destination. For husband and wife team Chris and Pam Willis (who live right up the street), Pammy’s is an extension of their living room. They’ve brought together their love of great food, easy hospitality and chic vibes to create a lively space that is welcoming to all looking for a memorable meal. With dishes that lean heavily on Italian flavors but are not restricted by any rules of the cuisine, the food is unpretentious and delicious. A fireplace wrapped in white ceramic, an oversized salvaged communal table designed for side-by-side dining and rich leather banquets are just some of the design elements that make up Pammy’s charm.We're currently serving a Prix Fixe menu for all reservations. A la carte dining is available for walk-in guests at our bar and in our lounge.

4. Bricco

4.6

Exceptional(6166)

$$$$Price: Expensive

• Italian • North End

Booked 127 times today

Bricco’s star has been rising steadily since restaurateur Frank DePasquale revamped the menu to feature modern interpretations of regional Italian dishes. Bricco has garnished superlative reviews from food writers in Boston and around the country – Best Guaranteed Meal in the North End and Best Pasta in Boston just two of the most recent accolades. The talented kitchen team creates “boutique” Italian food, so-called because it is unique, personal and created for a select and sophisticated diner. The food is complemented by an enoteca (wine bar) with an exceptional selection of all-Italian wines. Bricco also offers a sophisticated late night scene. The chic and energetic bar serves up great one of a kind cocktails as well as brick oven pizza with gourmet toppings such as prosciutto and fresh mozzarella from Italy in addition with appetizer selections.

5. Toro

4.7

Exceptional(138)

$$$$Price: Expensive

• Tapas / Small Plates • South End

Booked 63 times today

Toro, in Boston, helmed by James Beard Award-winning chef, Ken Oringer, serves delectable Spanish tapas dishes in its contemporary and charming restaurant. The tortilla Española with a kale, egg, potato and onion omelet and the Boquerón's white anchovies in vinegar and olive oil make excellent pintxos starters. Some of Toro's most vibrant and delectable tapas plates include the chicken empanada de pollo with charred tomato salsa, the salt cod fritter croquettes de Bacalao with tempura lemon rings and the asado de huesos roasted bone marrow with oxtail marmalade. Equally inventive cocktails, such as the morning star with spicy gin, dark rum, citrus and ginger beer and the tinto de verano with red wine mixed with lemon-lime soda.Toro's weekend brunch plates include the salchicha y huevos jalapeno maple sausage, fried eggs and crispy potatoes and along with other plates, make it a prime brunch spot.

6. Josephine

4.6

Exceptional(372)

$$$$Price: Moderate

• Italian • Somerville

Booked 58 times today

An homage to the variety in Italian food with a focus on wood fired pizza...Josephine is the latest concept from James Beard nominated Chef Michael Scelfo of smash hits Alden & Harlow, Waypoint, and The Longfellow Bar. Josephine is a celebration of family and food, focused on Italian favorites and simple pleasures.Josephine features deep dish & thin wood fired pizzas and whimsical riffs on classic Italian foods, all set in a lively space. A massive marble bar with craft cocktails, ice cold martinis on tap, and a huge out door space that's dog friendly with an outdoor bar and fire pit will bring you back again and again.

7. Uni

4.6

Exceptional(2313)

$$$$Price: Very Expensive

• Contemporary Asian • Back Bay

Booked 33 times today

Serving inventive Japanese cuisine using the freshest seafood from Tokyo’s famed Tsukiji market and local New England fishermen, and borrowing influence from the streets of Tokyo, Shanghai, Singapore, Bangkok and Bangladesh, Uni is the evolution of Ken Oringer’s intimate sashimi bar of the same name, which expanded into the former Clio space in 2016. UNI is currently helmed by Executive Chef David Bazirgan.

8. Beehive

4.6

Exceptional(7208)

$$$$Price: Expensive

• American • South End

Booked 71 times today

The Beehive is an underground Bohemian eatery and bar featuring fabulous cuisine, libations, artwork and world class live music. Nestled below the Boston Center for the Art’s historic Cyclorama in Boston’s South End, we are conveniently located to local theaters, the Calderwood Pavilion as well as Boston's Theater district. The Beehive serves the eclectic fare of Chef Ryan Skeen - rustic comfort food infused with American and Mediterranean influences. Join us for dinner, weekend brunch, patio dining, great cocktails at our bars and next level live music. If you like the Beehive you'll love our sister restaurant Cosmica Mexican Food & Bar for elevated Mexican cuisine and cocktails located two blocks away.

9. Contessa - Boston

4.7

Exceptional(133)

$$$$Price: Expensive

• Italian • Back Bay

Booked 80 times today

Perched atop The Newbury Hotel like a crown jewel, Contessa is a grand destination. Guests are welcomed from morning till night to a sunlit, rooftop restaurant with Art Deco references and mid-century modern detailing, offering sweeping views of Back Bay and the Boston Public Garden. The menu offers a wide variety of delicious options, from feasts of antipasti, carpaccios and pizzas, to pastas and large steaks. A vast wine list, classic cocktails and a selection of dolci punctuate a beautiful meal.

10. Little Donkey

4.7

Exceptional(2161)

$$$$Price: Expensive

• Tapas / Small Plates • Cambridge

Booked 36 times today

We’ve only got one rule: there are no rules. Our menu is an eclectic mix of global flavors, inspired by our chefs’ travels around the world. From Istanbul meat ravioli to ramen cacio e pepe, our menu is always unique and forever evolving. With a full raw bar, vegan, vegetarian and gluten-free options, we’ve truly got something for everyone. Owned and operated by James Beard Award Winning Chef Ken Oringer, Little Donkey has been serving global tapas in Central Square since 2016

See what locals rave about

From verified diners like you

K
KennethVIP
Greater Boston •7 reviews
5.0
Dined 1 day ago
A fun place to dine. Service was exceptional with a very attractive staff.
More info
Strega North EndPrice: Expensive• Italian• North End
•
4.5
L
LarryVIP
Washington, D.C. Area •79 reviews
5.0
Dined 4 days ago
You have to have a lobster roll and fried clam strips while visiting Boston — but you won’t find them here. Instead you will find fascinatingly prepared seafood with exquisite attention to detail and attentive service. (Very thorough descriptions of food and drink items and which could be adjusted for dietary needs.) Reservations pretty much required
More info
MoecaPrice: Expensive• Seafood• Cambridge
•
4.8
G
Gary
Cleveland / Akron / Canton •5 reviews
5.0
Dined 7 days ago
Excellent food -- I had noodle soup dish with short rib. Reasonably priced
More info
Wagamama - Prudential CenterPrice: Expensive• Asian• Back Bay
•
4.5
E
ErnestoVIP
Miami - Dade •7 reviews
4.0
Dined on Apr 19, 2025
We had a good time last night at Rosa Mexicano. Overall experience was good and we will come back the only thing good took over 45min and all what we ordered was appetizers.
More info
Rosa Mexicano - BostonPrice: Moderate• Mexican• Seaport
•
4.1
OT
OpenTable Diner
Philadelphia County •1 review
5.0
Dined on Mar 18, 2025
Amazing people amazing food!! Phenomenal dishes!!
More info
Nirvana: The Taste of IndiaPrice: Moderate• Indian• Cambridge
•
4.4

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