The great city of Boston prides itself on many things—history, patriotism and sports, to name a few. And over the past few decades, Boston has become quite the gastronome’s paradise, moving beyond New England clam chowder and watering holes where everybody knows your name.

“Boston was described as ‘extremely provincial’ when I got here 25 years ago,” says Cat Silirie, executive wine director of Barbara Lynch’s BLGruppo. “And now our city is growing in leaps and bounds.” Silirie, who hails from Boca Raton, Florida, has been with the restaurant group for nearly 20 years and handles the wine program for seven establishments. “People love wine the way they love dining—dining has become this national form of entertainment, and I think wine is following suit.” 

Massachusetts-native Lauren Daddona, wine director of Harvard Square’s Les Sablons, returned to the area after a brief stint in New York City in 2005. The connoisseur was sorely disappointed in the wine scene. “It was so hard to get a good glass of wine. The by-the-glass program was domestically-leaning and average at best,” Daddona recalls. “And I thought, ‘I can’t stand this town, this is terrible!’ Then Eastern Standard opened—it was such a cool place and what was really needed at the time. I knew we were going to be okay.” Daddona has developed wine lists at several top Boston-area restaurants including Chiara Bistro and L’Espalier.