The best new restaurants

Deuxave, 371 Commonwealth Avenue, Boston, 617-517-5915, http://www.deuxave.com

AKA BISTRO

Lincoln has historic sites, modern art, and pastoral landscapes. But until March of last year, there weren’t any great restaurants. So it was a huge boon when Chris Chung and Christian Touche arrived and set up shop. Chung was previously sashimi chef at Uni in Boston; Touche was the general manager of its sister French restaurant, Clio. At Aka, they bring both elements together with a menu of ethereal raw fish dishes and Gallic classics. Diners take seats at the sleek sashimi bar or elsewhere in the modern dining room. There aren’t many places one can enjoy a meal encompassing spicy salmon tartare, rock shrimp tempura, frisee aux lardons, and duck confit. In Lincoln, there’s exactly one.

Aka Bistro, 145 Lincoln Road, Lincoln, 781-259-9920, http://www.akabistrolincoln.com

BERGAMOT

Sometimes hospitality comes first. At Bergamot in Somerville, general manager and co-owner Servio Garcia greets you at the door with warmth. The staff seems genuinely happy to tell you about the evening’s menu. When dinner arrives, though, it’s clear that food is the real focus at this comfortable neighborhood restaurant. Chef and co-owner Keith Pooler combines Old World and New World flavors and techniques to create dishes both delicious and surprising. Pirogis are filled with lobster. Scallops are paired with black beans, avocado, Vermont ham, and sauce made from the Peruvian chili aji amarillo. The prices are reasonable, the atmosphere relaxed. But Bergamot is a serious restaurant.

Bergamot, 118 Beacon Street, Somerville, 617-576-7700, http://www.bergamotrestaurant.com

BISTRO DU MIDI