Food News
The restaurant “remains an essential Boston restaurant: still a party in a town that knows how it’s done,” according to Eater.
A South End restaurant, which features Spanish-style tapas, a curated wine list and cocktails, was recently named one of Eater’s most essential and influential restaurants in America over the past 20 years.
Toro has been a Boston staple since it opened 20 years ago but the list further cements its status as one of the best restaurants in the country.
“Toro remains an essential Boston restaurant: still a party in a town that knows how it’s done,” Eater’s staff wrote.
The restaurant was also featured in The New York Times’ list of the top 25 places to eat in Boston in 2025. The small, rustic establishment is nestled in a storefront in the South End. Stand-out dishes include its anchovy-topped pan con tomate, maíz asado and two signature paellas.
Chef-owner Ken Oringer, a James Beard Award winner and founder of JK Food Group, called the acknowledgement “an incredible honor” in a Sept. 24 Instagram post.
“In December 2005 a lot of people thought I was crazy for trying to bring everything I love about Spain—its food, its culture, its spirit—to the South End of Boston,” he wrote. “To be listed alongside so many legends is beyond anything I could have imagined.”
Oringer has worked on several other restaurants in the area including; Uni in Back Bay, Coppa and Little Donkey in Central Square, Faccia a Faccia on Newbury Street, and Verveine Bakery & Cafe in Cambridge.
“Oringer and [Chef Jamie] Bissonnette were such good ambassadors and evangelists for their city,” wrote Eater’s staff.
Toro; 1704 Washington St., Boston; Monday-Thursday from 5 p.m.-10 p.m., Friday and Saturday 5 p.m.-11 p.m., Sunday 11 a.m.-3p.m., 5 p.m.-10 p.m.
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