We've hosted more than 2,341 speed dating events across Boston since 2007, with a very British sensibility and more than a few cheeky accents behind the host stand. So forgive us for being a bit giddy this autumn. London has turned up in Boston all at once: a world-famous steakhouse in Fort Point, a Riviera dining room by way of Mayfair in Back Bay, and a proper alehouse about to open on Charles Street.

Here's where each one fits in the dating calendar, from first drink to "we should do this again."

1. Hawksmoor — Fort Point

15 Necco St, Boston, MA 02210 · About a 10-minute walk from South Station

Hawksmoor started as a single London restaurant twenty years ago. It opened its Boston outpost on September 8 as the group's fifteenth location, on the ground floor of 15 Necco with a big terrace over the Fort Point Channel. It's regularly ranked among the best steakhouses in the world, but the room is the opposite of stuffy. There are no tablecloths and no black-tie waiters, and dressing down is actively encouraged, all of which matters more on a date than the dry-aging.

What to order: The Sub-Zero Martini and a Sour Cherry Negroni, both signatures of a bar program that earned a James Beard semifinalist nod. Skip the steak on a first meeting and split the Sticky Toffee Pudding. For a local wink, the kitchen created a Fluffernutter Sundae and a Sky Bar tribute, a nod to the NECCO candy factory that once stood down the street.

The Sunday move: Hawksmoor's Sunday roast has won awards back in the UK, and it's served every Sunday in Boston too. A long Sunday lunch is one of the most underrated second dates there is. It's daytime and unhurried, with the Harborwalk right outside if you want to keep going.

Verdict: Not a first date. It's too much of an occasion, and as we covered in our cost-of-dating breakdown, a full steak dinner will blow straight past the $189 national average. It is the perfect third date, or the "this is going somewhere" dinner. A martini at the bar is the budget version.

2. LPM Restaurant & Bar — Back Bay

Four Seasons Hotel One Dalton Street, 1 Dalton St, Boston, MA 02115 · Near Hynes Convention Center and Prudential on the Green Line

LPM was born in London in 2007 and has since spread from Dubai to Hong Kong to Miami. It opened this week in the sunlit oval dining room on the Four Seasons' second floor, its first restaurant in the Northeast. The food is French Riviera, but the DNA is pure London dining scene: art on the walls, Belle Époque touches, and service that's relaxed rather than reverential.

What to order: The warm prawns in olive oil and lemon, the lobster risotto, and the tomatini, LPM's tomato-forward signature cocktail. The menu is built for sharing, which is exactly why small plates work on dates: every new dish is a fresh reason to talk. If one of you isn't drinking, the house non-alcoholic signature is the Black Lemonade.

The underrated option: LPM serves breakfast from 7 to 11am. A weekday breakfast date is low-stakes, has a natural end point, and nobody has to navigate a Friday night reservation.

Verdict: The best second-date room in the city right now for anyone who needs a bit of Mediterranean sunshine once it starts getting dark before 6pm. Just leave extra time if you're taking the Green Line. You know why.

3. Harry Hare's — Beacon Hill (Opening Soon)

149 Charles St, Boston, MA 02114 · A short walk from Charles/MGH on the Red Line

This is the one we're most excited about, and it isn't open yet. Veteran restaurateur Patrick Lyons, the man behind Harvard Gardens and Scampo at the Liberty Hotel, is turning the old Beacon Hill Pub into an English-style alehouse named after his late father-in-law, a devoted fan of the English ale house. If you remember the old pub, you'll appreciate the upgrade. Lyons told the licensing board the space had spent close to fifty years as "a bucket of blood."

The plan is proper pub comfort food: fish and chips, chicken pot pie and steaks, alongside the Indian dishes that have become part of Britain's culinary furniture, from tandoori-charred naan to chicken tikka masala. The design previews show rich woodwork, antique furniture and whimsical wallpaper, which is to say, booths you'll want to stay in.

Verdict: Once it opens, this could be Boston's ideal first-date pub: quiet enough to talk, cozy enough to linger, and no North End line on the sidewalk. We'll update this post when the doors open.

Can't Wait? Charles Street Already Has a Proper Pub

Sevens Ale House at 77 Charles St has been pouring pints since 1933. It's small, it doesn't take reservations, and as we've said before, a no-reservations spot is a gamble for a first dinner. As a second stop after coffee at Tatte a few doors away, though, it's hard to beat.

What Nineteen Years of Hosting Taught Us About the British Approach to Dating

The best London restaurants and the best first dates run on the same principle: take the thing seriously and yourself lightly. Great food, no stiffness, a room where you can actually hear each other. It's the same thinking behind every event we've hosted since 2007, low-key and well-hosted, with nobody putting on a production. We'd like to think we were ahead of the curve. Hawksmoor would probably say the same.

Frequently Asked Questions

What British restaurants have opened in Boston in 2026? Hawksmoor, the London steakhouse, opened in Fort Point on September 8. LPM Restaurant & Bar, founded in London in 2007, opened this week at the Four Seasons One Dalton in Back Bay. Harry Hare's, an English-style alehouse, is set to open this fall on Charles Street in Beacon Hill.

Is Hawksmoor Boston good for a first date? It's better for a second or third date. The room is relaxed, but a full steak dinner is a big commitment for a first meeting. For a first date, a cocktail at the bar or the Sunday roast is the lower-pressure option.

Does Hawksmoor Boston serve a Sunday roast? Yes. Hawksmoor serves its award-winning Sunday roast every Sunday at every location, Boston included.

When does Harry Hare's open? It's slated for this fall at the former Beacon Hill Pub on Charles Street. We'll update this post with the opening date.

What's the best British-style date spot in Boston right now? For a special occasion, Hawksmoor. For something brighter and more shareable, LPM. For a classic pub date, Sevens Ale House on Charles Street until Harry Hare's opens.

Rather meet someone before booking the table? See our upcoming Boston speed dating events, hosted with a British accent since 2007, or explore Curated Introductions.

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