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Chef Nadsa de Monteiro has shown Bostonians just how sophisticated Cambodian food can be. Served in an airy bamboo-trimmed room.

While EVOO’s cuisine defies categorization, it is unequivocally and uniformly delicious. Think along the lines of cornmeal-fried oysters, arugula (rocket) and plum salad, and mocha-mousse chocolate cake.

A popular spot where local celeb-chef Todd English turns his deft hand to pizza with toppings like artichoke, caramelized leeks, goat’s cheese, and basil oil.

The best-dressed, most buff South Enders patronize this gem of a café for tasty dishes like duck pâté with bits of pistachio and orange or classic French onion soup. Prepare to wait in line at lunch time for the sandwiches or stop by mid-afternoon to savor a large molasses cookie with a cappuccino.

This slice of Tokyo in Boston comes alive after midnight, as bar-goers pile in for the outstanding maki rolls and Japanese hot pots.

Grill 23 harkens back to the days of exclusive, Prohibition-era supper clubs. Prime aged beef with an inventive spin is served in a sumptuously classic interior.

French provincial dishes are both simple and sophisticated, with Gordon Hamersley’s signature lemon-infused chicken as the model (see Hamersley’s Bistro).

Chef-owner Gordon Hamersley presides over this defining South End restaurant. The menu is inspired by French provincial cooking but features the best of mostly local produce (don’t miss the lemon-infused broiled chicken). The bar scene is lively, and the outdoor dining tables provide one of the neighborhood’s prime social settings in summer.

Serving generous portions of classic American fare, the Charles Hotel’s capacious bistro amply rewards hearty appetites.