Looking for a more low key vibe for your wedding in Boston? Not a huge fan of the traditional wedding format – ceremony, cocktail hour, dinner and dancing? Consider you and your partner to be big foodies? Then a restaurant wedding may be the perfect choice for you! From seafood in the Seaport to Italian food in the North End and a little bit of everything else in between. Boston is home to an eclectic mix of incredible restaurants. And as a wedding photographer who has worked at and dined all over the city, I want to share with you the best of the best of Boston restaurant wedding venues.
What does a restaurant wedding in Boston cost?
First, you’re probably wondering about how much a wedding reception at a restaurant is going to run you. Different restaurants will have different costs associated with hosting your wedding reception there. Some common pricing structures for restaurant weddings are:
- minimum spend – this means that you usually have your pick off the menu for food and beverage but that you have a minimum dollar amount that you have to reach regardless
- per person flat rate – a flat rate can range roughly from anywhere between $50 – $200 or more per guest depending on the menu selections, number of courses, inclusion of drinks and more. This is a more traditional pricing model but can also be more predictable because it won’t fluctuate based on day-of guest selections, only the final guest count.
- room rental fee/ buyout fee – in addition to your food costs, some restaurants may charge you a room rental fee for a special private room or even have the option of a buyout fee, which means you can pay to have the restaurant entirely to yourselves for the evening.
Pros and Cons of Having a Restaurant Wedding
Before you decide if having your wedding at a restaurant is the right choice for you, it’s important to consider the pros and cons.
Pros
- Built-in catering with professional kitchen staff and established food quality
- Potential for some cost savings since you’re not paying for separate venue and catering services
- Existing decor, furniture, and table settings reduces the needs for additional rentals
- Professional service staff already in place
- Often includes a bar setup with licensed bartenders
- Intimate atmosphere for smaller weddings
- Typically located in accessible areas with parking and hotels nearby
Cons
- Limited capacity compared to traditional wedding venues
- Less flexibility with layout and decor options
- Time constraints due to regular business hours
- Not all restaurants have the space or ability to host a ceremony and/ or dance floor meaning you’ll need to reserve additional venues for these, if you’re keen to
- Limited privacy if the restaurant remains open to other patrons
- Less time for setup and breakdown
- May not be familiar with the flow of weddings/ have a coordinator to assist with timeline planning and such
Asian Restaurant Wedding Venues in Boston
Pagu – Cambridge
This beautiful restaurant in Cambridge has a unique menu with a mix of Spanish and Japanese tapas. And with indoor and outdoor spaces for anywhere from 20 to 150 people for both your ceremony and reception. They’re one of the few restaurant venues in the Boston area with a dedicated weddings page. So they’re experts at hosting unique weddings with intimate vibes.
Ruka Resto Bar – Downtown Boston
From an intimate 10-person chef’s table to full or partial buyouts, Ruka is the perfect place for a unique wedding. Their menu and ambiance celebrates the fusion of Peruvian, Japanese and Chinese cultures. They do this with lots of colorful decor and a mix of sushi, meat and seafood with tons of flavor!
Wusong Road – Cambridge
With quite possibly the most eclectic and fun decor on this list, Wusong Road is one of our favorites! They’re a tiki bar and restaurant that decorate for different holidays with maximalist levels of decor and theming! Asian-Hawaiian bites and tiki beverages will be your menu. And you can opt to hang in a semi-private dining room for up to 18 seated or a full buyout for upwards of 200 guests. Your wedding will be one that your guests talk about for years if you choose Wusong!
Italian Restaurant Wedding Venues in Boston
Fox & the Knife – South Boston
Owned and operated by James Beard Foundation Award Winning Chef, Karen Akunowicz, this Enoteca is the perfect cozy yet modern Italian food restaurant for your Boston wedding reception. With partial and full buyouts available for more than 20 guests, their space will provide the ideal communal dining vibes for your wedding dinner. I’m drooling just thinking about their wild boar bolognese and fresh tagliatelle. And what’s even better? This spot is queer owned!
Gufo – Cambridge
Gufo is a cozy modern Italian restaurant with fresh dishes and a fun cocktail list. And like many of the restaurants on this list, the ambiance is perfect as is. With warm woods and a nod to midcentury modern style, you won’t need much additional decor for your wedding. And they have space for intimate and large guest counts alike with space indoors and outdoors!
SRV Boston – South End
Specializing in Ventian-style Bacaro and wine, this Italian restaurant is known for their small plates and unique blend of modern and traditional vibes. SRV has options for both intimate micro weddings and slightly larger events. Picture this: elegant lighting and open brick walls and seating for up to 45 guests. Or you’ll also have the option to buyout the entire restaurant to seat up to 114 people. They also have a beautiful outdoor deck space surrounded by brick walls, ivy and bistro lighting. This space can also serve as a backdrop for your wedding ceremony!
Tony & Elaine’s – North End
When you think of quaint Italian restaurants in the North End of Boston, Tony & Elaine’s is by far the best. Think classic red and white checkered table cloths, red leather booths, colorful string lights and loads of Italian trinkets and memorabilia. Their intimate downstairs event space delivers on ALL the vibes! And who can go wrong with their famous meatballs and homemade pastas? Keep your guest count small for this one, with limited availability and space for only about 30 guests or fewer! Check out a real wedding at Tony and Elaine’s Boston here!
Mediterranean Restaurant Wedding Venues in Boston
Oleana – Cambridge
This Turkish and Middle Eastern inspired restaurant has the most deliciously vibrant menu. It’s full of meze, fish, meats and even their famous baked Alaska! They have evening buyouts available for up to 65 guests to be served a family-style meal either inside or on their gorgeous outdoor patio. You can even have your ceremony on site here!
Porto – Back Bay
Porto is a fantastically flexible location for your Boston wedding. They have options for 20 or 200 guests indoors or outdoors on their stunning “Amalfi Patio” – complete with a glass greenhouse covering and strands of lemons. Their menu is inspired by the Mediterranean flavors of coastal Italy. It has everything from fresh oysters to handmade pastas – perfect for foodies and picky eaters alike.
Sarma – Somerville
This restaurant draws inspiration from Eastern Mediterranean cuisine for their small plates (meze) menu. Their ambience is so unique with a mix of modern industrial vibes (brick walls and exposed duct work) and splashes of color. And this includes their signature octopus print and fun, Turkish-style lighting fixtures. They request more than 30 days notice for large parties or private dining inquiries. So make sure to reach out as early as you can to have your wedding here!
New American Restaurant Wedding Venues in Boston
Field & Vine – Somerville
Private or semi-private dining for more than 12 guests is available at Field & Vine. They focus on simple dishes with fresh, sustainably sourced ingredients. They have a frequently rotating menu based on what’s available and in season, so you’ll be in for a super unique menu for you and your guests!
Pammy’s – Somerville
Pammy’s combines New American food with cozy, Italian neighborhood vibes for this venue. They have room for hosting up to 65 guests in the main dining space. Frequently listed as one of the best restaurants in Boston across media outlets, their rotating menu and famous homemade pastas are certain to win over your guests’ taste buds for your intimate wedding reception!
Additional Unique Restaurant Wedding Venues in Boston
Comfort Kitchen – Dorchester
Comfort Kitchen is a frequent flyer on “best restaurants in Boston” and “restaurants we’re loving right now” lists. They’re bringing an elevated dining experience of global comfort foods with African, Asian and South American influences to an often overlooked and under appreciated neighborhood in Boston. This Black-owned business supports revitalizing the Upham’s Corner area of Dorchester. They also focus their menu on celebrating the flavors and cultures of formerly enslaved peoples. They have options for full or partial buyouts in their main dining rooms and/ or on one of their two outdoor patios with seating for between 25 and 90 guests.
Juliet – Somerville
Nice, France served as the inspiration for the food and vibes of this restaurant and adorable wine bar combo. Juliet also recently began collaborating with Dearly Studio to offer “Union in Union” ceremonies for up to 30 guests on site before your dinner – with full and partial buyouts available.
La Brasa – Somerville
La Brasa is uniquely positioned to host your ceremony, dinner or both with full or partial buyouts available. They’re one of the few restaurants to have a dedicated “Weddings” section on their website. And their wood-fired small plates with Mexican flair will please your guests with a variety of options for varying palates.
Tips for Planning Your Boston Restaurant Wedding
- Reserve your date early – Most restaurants open up their books weeks or even months in advance for reservations. You’ll want to reach out anywhere from 3-12 months in advance (restaurant depending) if time allows it so that you’ll have your pick of restaurant and wedding date – especially if you are going for a full buyout.
- Customize your menu – One of the beauties of working with a restaurant instead of a caterer is that there is often going to be a lot more room for customization on your menu – especially if you’re opting for a micro wedding (under 50 people). Of course, you’re not going to want to ask for Asian dishes at an Italian restaurant, but once you’ve chosen your restaurant, most often, there will be room to completely customize and tailor your wedding menu to you and your partner’s taste preferences.
- Visit the space – Can you say DATE NIGHT!? Make sure you actually try the food and visit the restaurant before committing to it. If you’ve never been, it will be tough to envision the space and how you and your guests and any decor or even your ceremony might fit into it.
- Coordinate with vendors – Photographers, planners, florists, bakers – you’ll want to make sure that your vendors are comfortable and experienced in working with couples having restaurant weddings. They can oftentimes be darker and tighter and require a bit more finesse when working. Speaking of… we just so happen to be photographers experienced in restaurants weddings if you’re looking! Take a look at our website here, and use our contact form to request a more in-depth experience and pricing breakdown.
Real Boston Restaurant Wedding Inspiration
Photo by Rhode Tripper Photography
Photo by Rhode Tripper Photography
As you can see, there are so many incredible restaurants to choose from for your intimate Boston wedding – each with their own unique charm and insanely good food! So I encourage you to pick a few favorites from this list and go check them out for yourselves. Experience the food, the service, and the ambience. See which one speaks to you the most – the one you can envision being surrounded by your closest family and friends in for your wedding day! Then, once you’ve locked in your Boston restaurant wedding venue, give us a shout. We would absolutely love to photograph your wedding day in our signature documentary style with a vibey flair. Reach out here to set up a consult and book us!
