Thistle & Leek

“Orchestrated by a top-notch chef, Thistle & Leek presents some of the best dishes you can find in the Boston area. The dishes are carefully and thoughtfully composed, and the ingredients come together to create joyful, well-balanced flavors that clearly reflect the caliber of the chef. I loved that they are tapa style so we could try many of them. This is a truly great restaurant with no exorbitant tab, and we can’t wait to return soon to explore more of the menu.”

“Excellent restaurant. Transparent to show the kitchen to the guests. Staff are super friendly and helpful. I liked the carrot veggie and potato snack. The popular lamb meatballs were incredibly soft and tasty with some Indian touch. They are also kid friendly, and also offer pasta to kids. The one downside was the apple baklava - I hope they come to up something better. Also, hazelnut ice cream may be a good pairing to the rice pudding or some other dessert.”

“Enjoyed this restaurant in newton! Came here to try something different and were pleased to find an eccletic selection of dishes that is ordered tapas style - 2-3 / person as the team recommended. In terms of dishes, the carrots, paté, and lamb were highlights. The carrots had a beet sauce that was perfect accompaniment, while the lamb reminded me of a South Asian style lamb curry. The chicken, focaccia, and salmon were good, just a bit plain in terms of flavor. Drinks were incredible. The banana rum drink was exceptional and by itself, was delicious. The bartenders have their own place in the restaurant dedicated just to drinks, and that attention shows in the quality and creativity of cocktails served. Service though was timely. We loved being able to see the kitchen and the way the team took their time to prepare their dishes elegantly. The price does reflect the area, and was a bit on the higher side given the food. However, would definitely recommend this place for a meal and drinks. Look forward to coming by again soon!”

“My feelings about the place are mixed. The restaurant is very popular, and most of the dishes are tasty. The concept is “small portions,” and they really are small. If you want to leave full and not just snack, the bill can get quite high. For example, the pork schnitzel costs $23 and is about half the size of what you get in many Italian restaurants in the city. The steak tartare had a lot of fibers and was disappointing. One dish deserves a special note: the potato rösti. It’s very tasty and extremely crispy. However, people who care about health should know that this dish is likely high in acrylamide, a substance suspected of being carcinogenic. The darker and more burnt potatoes or bread are, the more acrylamide they contain. This rösti, with its deep brown color, is delicious but not healthy. The ice cream is excellent and highly recommended. Summary: Food: 4 Loud music: 2 Service: 5 Value for money: 3”

“Food was very, very good - tartare relied on the salt from the chips to lift it, and was a little flat but The lamb meat balls and broccoli rabe pasta showed range and were outstanding. The pork schnitzel also looked excellent and the carrots smelled fantastic (we sat at the chef counter which was cool). The serving was amateur - sorry I don’t have a better term. Timing is everything with small plates and they missed massively. It seemed they really wanted to get us out of there - and they did. 6 plates in less than 45 min? That’s not Michelin service. Let me enjoy my meal.”