Myers+Chang
Myers+Chang is a Asian-American restaurant located in the South End neighborhood of Boston, Massachusetts, known for its approach to Asian cooking that draws from Chinese, Taiwanese, Japanese, Thai, and other regional culinary traditions, interpreted through an American lens. Founded by restaurateur Christopher Myers and chef Joanne Chang, the restaurant has become one of the more recognized dining establishments in Boston's competitive culinary landscape, occupying a prominent place in conversations about modern Asian cooking in New England. Since its opening, Myers+Chang has attracted both local diners and food critics, earning a reputation for dishes that blend traditional Asian flavors with contemporary American technique and sensibility.
History
Myers+Chang opened its doors in 2007 in the South End neighborhood of Boston, a district long associated with a diverse and evolving restaurant scene. The restaurant was founded by Christopher Myers, a Boston hospitality entrepreneur, and Joanne Chang, who had already established herself in the city's dining world through her celebrated bakery concept Flour Bakery + Café. The partnership between Myers and Chang brought together two distinct areas of expertise — front-of-house hospitality and pastry and culinary skill — to create a dining experience that sought to offer something different from the Chinese-American restaurants that had historically defined Asian cuisine for many Boston diners.
The concept behind Myers+Chang was rooted in the idea of presenting Asian food in a setting and format more consistent with American dining culture, including a full bar program, a lively atmosphere, and small-plate formats that encouraged sharing. The restaurant's founders drew on Chang's family background — her parents immigrated from Taiwan — as well as broader pan-Asian culinary traditions to develop a menu that evolved over the years while retaining its core identity. Over time, Myers+Chang expanded its culinary team and continued to refine its menu, responding to shifting tastes and a growing national conversation about the nature of Asian-American cooking. The restaurant weathered the challenges faced by many Boston dining establishments during the COVID-19 pandemic, adapting its service model while continuing to serve its community.[1]
Culture
Myers+Chang occupies a distinct cultural position within Boston's restaurant community. The restaurant has contributed to broader discussions about Asian-American identity and food, particularly as national conversations around representation in the culinary arts have grown more prominent. In a city where Chinese-American restaurants have historically been concentrated in Boston's Chinatown neighborhood, Myers+Chang represented a different kind of presence — a South End venue that presented Asian flavors in the context of a full-service, cocktail-forward restaurant catering to a wide demographic.
The restaurant's cultural significance is also connected to the profile of its co-founder Joanne Chang, who has become one of the more prominent figures in Boston's food community. Chang has been involved in various civic and culinary initiatives in the city, and her work across both Myers+Chang and Flour Bakery has made her a recognizable figure in discussions about Boston's dining identity. The restaurant itself has served as a venue for community events, special dinners, and collaborations with other chefs, reinforcing its role not just as a place to eat but as a gathering point within the South End's social and cultural fabric. The South End, a neighborhood with a rich history of artistic and cultural activity, provides an appropriate context for a restaurant that sees itself as part of a larger conversation about food, identity, and community.[2]
Attractions
The menu at Myers+Chang is one of the restaurant's primary draws, structured around small plates and larger dishes designed for sharing. The kitchen has offered a range of items drawing from multiple Asian culinary traditions, including dumplings, noodle dishes, stir-fries, rice preparations, and items influenced by the flavors of Southeast Asia as well as East Asia. The menu changes seasonally and has evolved significantly since the restaurant's founding, reflecting both the culinary growth of the kitchen team and broader trends in American dining. Signature dishes have varied over the years, but the restaurant has consistently emphasized bold flavors, quality ingredients, and careful technique.
Beyond the food itself, Myers+Chang is known for its bar program, which features cocktails designed to complement the Asian-inflected menu. The drinks program has incorporated ingredients such as sake, shochu, and Asian spirits alongside more traditional cocktail components, creating pairings that reinforce the restaurant's overall concept. The physical space of Myers+Chang — situated in a lively part of the South End — contributes to its appeal, with a design that balances energy and comfort. The restaurant has maintained a walk-in policy alongside reservations, making it accessible to both planned diners and those exploring the neighborhood on foot. The combination of food, drinks, atmosphere, and location has made Myers+Chang a destination for visitors to Boston as well as a regular haunt for South End residents.
Economy
Myers+Chang operates within Boston's broader restaurant economy, a sector that contributes significantly to the city's employment and cultural vitality. The South End, where the restaurant is located, has developed over recent decades into one of Boston's most economically active dining corridors, with restaurants, cafes, and bars drawing foot traffic and supporting surrounding retail and residential property values. Myers+Chang is part of the portfolio of establishments associated with Christopher Myers and Joanne Chang, which also includes the multiple locations of Flour Bakery + Café across the greater Boston area.
The restaurant employs kitchen staff, service workers, and management, contributing to the local labor market in the hospitality sector. Like many independent restaurants in Boston, Myers+Chang has navigated economic pressures including rising food costs, labor market challenges, and the disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, which severely impacted the restaurant industry across Massachusetts and the United States. The restaurant's ability to maintain its presence in the South End over more than a decade and a half reflects the ongoing demand for its particular offering in Boston's competitive dining market. The city of Boston and the Commonwealth of Massachusetts have, at various points, provided resources and frameworks to support small businesses and restaurants, including through programs administered during and after the pandemic period.[3]
Neighborhoods
Myers+Chang is situated in the South End, one of Boston's most historically layered and architecturally distinctive neighborhoods. The South End is characterized by its Victorian-era brick rowhouses, tree-lined streets, and a population that has shifted significantly over the decades from working-class and immigrant communities to a more affluent and mixed demographic. The neighborhood is recognized for having one of the largest concentrations of Victorian rowhouse architecture in the United States, and it has been designated as a local historic district within the city of Boston.
The South End's restaurant scene is among the most dense and varied in Boston, with dining options spanning a wide range of cuisines, price points, and formats. The neighborhood's main commercial corridors, including Tremont Street and Washington Street, are lined with restaurants, wine bars, specialty food shops, and cafes. Myers+Chang is located on Washington Street, placing it in the heart of this activity. The proximity to other notable restaurants and nightlife establishments makes the South End a destination for dining in Boston, and Myers+Chang benefits from and contributes to the neighborhood's overall culinary identity. The South End also borders other significant Boston neighborhoods including Back Bay, Roxbury, and Chinatown, making it a crossroads of sorts within the city's geography.[4]
Getting There
Myers+Chang is accessible by several modes of transportation consistent with Boston's urban transit infrastructure. The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA), which operates the public transit system serving Boston and the surrounding region, provides service near the restaurant through multiple lines. The Orange Line, which runs through the South End, offers nearby access, as does the Silver Line bus rapid transit service on Washington Street, which runs directly along the corridor where the restaurant is located. These transit options make Myers+Chang reachable from many parts of the city without the need for a personal vehicle.
For those traveling by car, parking in the South End can be competitive, particularly during peak dining hours on evenings and weekends, a condition common to most of Boston's urban neighborhoods. Street parking is available in the surrounding blocks, and paid parking garages are accessible within reasonable walking distance. The restaurant is also reachable by bicycle, and the South End is served by the Bluebikes bike-share network, which provides stations throughout the neighborhood. Given the restaurant's urban location and the walkability of the South End, many diners choose to arrive on foot from nearby neighborhoods including Back Bay and the Theater District, or after arriving via commuter rail or subway at Back Bay Station, which is a short walk from Washington Street.[5]