Portuguese flair meets Bostonian culture. Overlooking Back Bay, Charles River and Cambridge, Chef George Mendes’ signature restaurant is an intimate dining space, featuring softly lit walls and dazzling metal finishes. Here, delectable Portuguese cuisine references Boston’s seafaring culture to achieve a delightful fusion of traditional and modern.
"Enjoy a Thanksgiving feast overlooking Back Bay at glamorous Portuguese fine dining spot Amar. The restaurant is offering a four-course prix fixe menu for $150 that includes dishes such as big eye tuna tartare, wood-grilled shrimp, ember-roasted eggplant, and, of course, turkey and stuffing for the holiday. Wine pairings with each course are $60 per person, and there’s a $75 children’s menu available for those 12 and under. Snag the last handful of reservations here." - Erika Adams
"With a little luck, you can order a pão de ló for dessert at Amar if the dish isn’t sold out for the night (and that’s after you manage to snag reservations). The fluffy Portuguese egg yolk cake is baked to order and served with a sorbet made from sheep’s milk. It technically serves two, but more than likely you’ll want to polish it off yourself." - Nathan Tavares, Erika Adams
"Chef George Mendes’ signature restaurant inside Raffles Boston is a love letter to this city’s Portuguese communities. Seriously: “Amar” comes from the Portuguese verb for “to love,” and is also a play on the word for “sea.” Amar is the first time that Portuguese cuisine has been represented in Boston’s fine dining scene, and Mendes lives up to all expectations and more with a seafood-forward menu replete with authenticity and charm. There are classic favorites such as a generous Arroz de Mariscos for two (a Portuguese take on paella, teeming with local shellfish), and more inventive dishes such crispy bacalhau croquettes fried to perfection. If you’re looking to be impressed–or to impress your date–book a table here." - Todd Plummer, Shannon McMahon
"What were your first impressions when you arrived? If someone still thinks that Boston is all Dunkin' and Marky Mark, take them here. There's a reason that international luxury brand Raffles chose Boston for its debut North America location in 2023. Located just off the 17th story lobby, this glittering, sexy space offers truly epic views of the John Hancock tower and surrounding cityscape. Real estate aside, the opening of Amar is truly a special moment for Boston: it's a homecoming for chef George Mendes, a New England native who earned his Michelin stars after an illustrious career in New York City; and it also represents the first time that Portuguese cooking is represented in Boston's fine dining scene. What’s the crowd like? It's a glamorous crowd filled with jet setters, date nighters, and anyone looking to sample chef Mendes' buzzworthy fare. Tables are generously spaced from each other, so even when the dining room is at capacity, your meal feels like almost like a semi-private experience. What should we be drinking? Cocktail lovers, beer enthusiasts, and oenophiles alike will be pleased. The tight cocktail list integrates Portuguese spirits where possible, such as Amarguinha almond liqueur and Ginjinha berry liqueur. Beers include several locally made craft favorites like Night Shift Brewing and Maine Beer Company. And the robust wine list—which features a number of options by the glass—skews European, and more specifically skews Portuguese. There are also two exquisite cocktails on the menu, as well as a non-alcoholic IPA from Athletic Brewing. Main event: the food. Give us the lowdown—especially what not to miss. Chef Mendes cooks with authenticity, heart, and the kind of obsessive attention to detail that a Raffles-endorsed restaurant would demand. Yes, he cares about sourcing the best Rohan duck and the best grass-fed beef, but he also cares about finding the best olive oils and fleurs de sel that accompany each piece of house-made sourdough. His menu ranges from the inventive (such as Uni Toast with Maine sea urchin, cauliflower and shiso on milk bread), to the just-perfectly-prepared traditional (such as the Arroz de Mariscos for two, a Portuguese take on paella). And how did the front-of-house folks treat you? At a time when so many restaurants everywhere propagate a type of service that's meant to be warm and familiar, it feels refreshing to experience the fine-tuned, carefully-cultivated precision of Amar's service. Waters are refilled in the blink of an eye, and crumbs carefully scraped off the table between courses. You'll be ready to throw down your 20% (maybe more) without hesitation. What’s the real-real on why we’re coming here? The cuisine, the service, and the atmosphere here are pure poetry. In many ways, Amar represents what Boston is all about: that without embracing the past, there would be no way to arrive at such a wondrous—and utterly delicious—present." - Todd Plummer
"Amar is a Portuguese fine dining spot by George Mendes inside luxury Back Bay development Raffles." - Erika Adams
