The Tastiest Italian in Boston

Giacomo's Ristorante - Boston

★★★★☆ 4.2 (4299) • $$

"What a wonderful dining experience at Giacomo's in Boston's North End! There are so many amazing restaurants in the North End, but the reviews for Giacomo's were so high that I had to give it a try. I initially tried to visit during the long Labor Day weekend, but the line went down the block, so I decided to come back another day. I'm glad I did! I only ended up waiting a few minutes before being seated.I ordered 1 of the specials lobster and shrimp in a scampi sauce over their homemade fusilli pasta, and it was absolutely delicious. Giacomo's is a cash-only establishment, but there's an ATM within the restaurant, which is very convenient. It a fantastic, homemade pasta and sauces that are worth the wait."

La Famiglia Giorgio's

★★★★☆ 4 (1890) • $$

"My knowledge of the North End isn't worth squat, so I asked a true Bostonian what restaurant he recommended for unpicky tourists like Jamie W and me. He said pretty much any place is really good. He may be right because we completely lucked out with this popular spot run by the Giorgio family. They've obviously figured it out since they've been in the same Salem Street brownstone for almost three decades.There was an hour wait for a table, so we figured we'd wait in an even more ridiculous line at Mike's Pastry to stock up on after-dinner cannolis. Our timing proved fortuitous because our table was ready just as the cannolis got packed in twine. We could tell this was the kind of Mamma Mia-style place where portions were elephantine and pasta sauces, meatballs, and sausages tasted like they came directly from her kitchen.We toyed with starting healthy with salads, but who were we kidding? We were facing a basket overflowing with rustic Italian bread (photo: https://yelp.to/YhuhZuawGZ) accompanied by a plate covered in a pool of olive oil saturated with melted butter, minced garlic, and peperoncini (photo: https://yelp.to/MJMf6Yjmui). Jamie was in the mood for pure comfort and ordered a $6.99 crock of Pasta Fagioli, a housemade tomato-based soup.It was earthy hearty with pancetta, cannellini beans, and pasta (photo: https://yelp.to/sOdQLrKq8_). I went for the $12.99 Stuffed Mushrooms, a tasty quartet of caps stuffed with their signature mushroom breadcrumb stuffing (photo: https://yelp.to/9elIc2QCwk). Our gigantic pasta plates came next. They offer 21 different sauces, so they were serious about their pasta. It's unusual to see puttanesca on a menu, so Jamie seized the opportunity.He ordered the $26.99 Linguini in Puttanesca Sauce with one of the biggest Meatballs I'd ever seen (photo: https://yelp.to/rBoNyvlPUf). The puttanesca was a spicy marinara sauce with sautéed anchovies, garlic, olive oil, capers, onions and black olives. The meatball had a nice consistency that was almost melty. I went for the $26.99 Penne in Bolognese Sauce with a whole Italian Sausage (photo: https://yelp.to/Ags4GAVG_Y).The Bolognese was a hearty, meaty sauce made with ground beef, pork, and veal simmered for hours in a combination of red wine and cream and combined with San Marzano tomatoes. Really delicious and it took the heft of the penne to absorb the sauce. We had massive amounts of leftovers to take back to the hotel. I should mention the $2.99 Diet Cokes were also gigantic, 32-oz fountain drinks (photo: https://yelp.to/MKWITB1zo1). Whew, we was stuffed.FOOD - 5 stars...big plates of Italian loveAMBIANCE - 4 stars...a bit squeezed at our table but not too loudSERVICE - 4.5 stars...our server was great, the front staff not so muchTOTAL - 5 stars...now I know a North End restaurant I can recommend unequivocallyRELATED - Exploring Boston? Here's my collection of places I've patronized and reviewed: https://bit.ly/3XtfnFc"

Ciao! Pizza & Pasta

★★★★★ 4.8 (1143) • $$

"Awesome. I drove by this location hundreds of times and never stopped in until I read the "Yelp Best In.."designation and saw the award recognization outside. Since that time I'm in at least once a month and I live part time in Las Vegas. The plain cheese pizza is certainly one of the best I've had in the country. It's light, crispy and very flavorful. It's cooked in an old school Neapolitan wood fire oven. I've also had each of the topping options - all excellent.I don't have a favorite because each of my go to dishes is exceptionally awesome. The Prima Vera is popping and exploding with fresh flavor. The SPAGHETTI CARBONARA comes with the raw egg on top. The Black Truffle pasta is rich and lip smacking good. Seating is limited but I've never had a problem. Outside sidewalk seating is available in the summer."

Al Dente Restaurant

★★★★☆ 4.1 (1553) • $$

"4 stars for the food and an extra star for the service.Made a reservation earlier in the day, arrived in time and got seated by the great host right away.Small cosy, traditional, a little noisy but awesome little local Italian in a great part of North End.Food was super fresh, quick and tasty. Puttanesca was nice and tasty, as was the Veal special. The sauces could maybe use just a little more flavor, salt, pepper etc, but with the home made pasta all was very tasty as was the caprese salad.Lots to choose from on the menu.The service from Joanna made the night awesome. Super friendly, attentive, and homely Boston service.Definitely recommend if you don't feel like lining up at the other couple hyped restaurants."

Picco Pizza & Ice Cream

★★★★☆ 4.2 (1364) • $$

"Went to Boston's famous "Southie" neighborhood to check out a pizza place that is a local favorite. Picco Pizza is a restaurant that has a small menu, limited space and a ton of heart. The brick oven style pie we ordered was absolutely terrific and I could not find a single thing wrong with it. The crust is so light yet chewy it reminded me of sourdough bread. Prior to that we started with an amazing salad that had mangos, peanuts and avocado with chili peppers. We could not leave without trying their famous homemade ice cream and I was not disappointed in it either. I chose chocolate malt and passion fruit ice cream with whipped cream. Heaven!!!"

Bricco

★★★★☆ 4 (1455) • $$$

"This is an espresso martini only review, because that is why I come here.I travel to Boston for work on occasion. There are many places I like to stop for a meal but only one that I come to for an espresso martini - right here. It is actually made with espresso (you would be surprised to see what some other places do) and offers killer flavor.We prefer to go straight to a corner of the bar and make our order. It comes quickly, and then we get to just sip and relax. Sure sometimes there is a bit of hustle and bustle but nothing gets in the way of espresso martini nirvana. The menu says the martini is famous. I do not know if that is true but it should be!"

Panza

★★★★☆ 3.8 (1511) • $$

"Came here for reservations with 3 of my friends. I came a little later than the rest so they were already seated by the windows as well as a handful of other tables.For appetizers we shared their bruschetta, mussels, and fried calamari. The tomato and basil mixture was light and bright on the well toasted hearty bread. Mussels were plump and flavorful in the white wine sauce. Pretty standard fried calamari with slices of banana peppers too. Since we ordered so many appetizers for 4 people, we opted for only 3 entrees to share including the seafood risotto, linguine carbonara, and braised beef short rib dinner. The seafood risotto had a considerable portion of clams, shrimp, and veggies. It was perfectly cooked with an ideal texture. The carbonara was creamy and decadent. Even the short rib was jam packed with flavor with the soft wedges of polenta. Overall, my friends and I had a wonderful time from the delicious food to the wonderful service. We walked out super full and incredibly happy. Would love to come again and recommend others to check them out too!"

Antico Forno

★★★★☆ 3.8 (1476) • $$

"Service: Top notch and attentive, no complaints there. I went right near 5 pm, so dodged the dinner rush that came in as I got my food.Ambiance: cozy place, medium amount of seating. I got my own two person high table so plenty of room. I get why restaurants do low lighting but ki d of wish they didn't lol felt basement like, but kind of goes with the brick oven vibe.Food: Veal Parm was great, came out hot with sides still bubbling. Spaghetti was nice and soft, but not overcooked, definitely tasted fresh. Definitely on the top list of North End places."

Trattoria Il Panino

★★★★☆ 3.9 (1383) • $$

"Trattoria II Panino is worth the hype! I usually avoid going to the North End because parking is pretty horrendous. I really wanted to try this place out though, as I had heard many great things. There was plenty of seating available at 9:30pm on a Sunday night (thank goodness!) and we were seated immediately. We started off with the calamari fritti & each got our own individual pastas: spaghetti carbonara with chicken, spaghetti alle vongole macchiato, and trombetta al pesto!The calamari fritti came nice and hot. It tasted super fresh & I was super glad we ordered it. The pastas were all served in a pan, just so cute like come on. All of the pastas we ordered and tried had good flavor + pasta was cooked to perfection. Topping off the pastas with some parm is a must! SO GOOD. We all thought that portion sizes were actually quite generous for the price. Their homemade pastas were all under $30 each. Also, their espresso martinis are no joke. You just have to try it when you come. Definitely would come here again ;)"

Rino's Place

★★★★☆ 4.2 (1117) • $$

"Happy to see that the quantity and quality have remained unchanged (aside from the price increases due to inflation)!!Items we ordered as of 9/2023:- Lobster Ravioli - $41: In my opinion still one of the best entrees here! Plump raviolis (8 total) packed full of delicious lobster! The sauce is also a huge highlight with the perfect creaminess to bring everything together.- Frutti de Mare - $41: if you like seafood this is also a great entree to have. The amount provided is huge so be prepared to take leftovers home!- Fried Calamari - $17: Really fresh and the quantity is fantastic. No sauce accompanies this unfortunately.- Scallop Limoncello - $10 (for a half size): Great presentation and flavor. The buttery spinach pairs well with the perfectly prepared scallops. Unfortunately the sauce was on the salty side.Overall happy to be back!"

Mamma Maria

★★★★☆ 4.3 (951) • $$$

"The environment is amazing. Service was spectacular.Margarita with grapefruit was boring.Meatballs were good.Gnocchi with lamb very good.Ossobuco was ok.Meat with carbonara was very good.I missed a good/different dessert to finish this meal."

Coppa Enoteca

★★★★☆ 4 (1055) • $$$

"Attentive service, romantic ambiance, and dinner reservations weren't too hard to get on a weeknight. Best dishes of the night:- Spaghetti Carbonara (Pancetta, Maine uni, egg yolk, black pepper, parmesan)- Beef Heart Pastrami- Coppa di Testa (Crispy braised pigshead croqueta, apricot mostarda, golden beets, grain mustard, cress) Good but not the faves: - Zeppole (Ricotta donuts, raspberries, yogurt, vanilla milk crumble)- Cavatelli (Chicken sausage, tomato broccoli sugo, fennel pollen, parmesan)They also make a delicious negroni and their lavender soda is very refreshing. Would absolutely come back to Coppa for more beef heart pastrami and carbonara!! One of the best meals of my visit to Boston."

Piattini

★★★★☆ 3.9 (1106) • $$

"Came on a Sunday night for a party of 3 and there was no wait. Service was friendly and quick. Our server, Christian, was knowledgeable and gave several recommendations based on what we were looking for.The bread for the table was a simple rustic bread with fluffy chewy interior and hard crust. They will ask if you want bread. Two of us shared the Boscaiola which was rich but because it is vegetable based, filling but light. I really enjoyed the creamy mushroom flavor and the peas were a sweet addition.We also shared the Burrata Raviola. I am not very familiar with burrata, but is like a creamier version of mozzarella cheese. There is just the right amount of truffle flavor in the dish.A cute, casual spot for an informal date night or girl's night out."

Limoncello Ristorante

★★★★☆ 4 (1020)

"There were many restaurants in the area to enjoy from but this one caught my eye the most due to the reviews and the fact that they had a patio in the back to enjoy the nice weather. We were seated fairly quickly and our server came over to take our order and explained the specials of the day. She was super friendly and charismatic. We ordered the meatballs since she said that's what the restaurant was known for as our appetizer and I ordered a limoncello spritz since they only had spritz, wine and beer as options. It was very tasty but a bit too strong. The meatballs were absolutely delicious, they were moist inside as soon as you cut your fork through them and the marina sauce they came in wasn't overpowering. I ordered their white clam pasta as my entree and also tasted my sisters plate which was a huge variety of seafood in a red broth. My pasta dish was light and the clams were cooked to perfection; I probably would have liked a bit more garlic and white sauce in the pasta since it seemed a bit dry but overall fantastic flavor. My sister's dish was absolutely delicious; the lobster dipped in the broth was perfection and it just came with a huge amount of seafood. The broth was definitely the star in that meal, at one point all I was doing was sipping on the broth. Highly recommend !"

Eataly Boston

★★★★☆ 3.5 (1302) • $$

"When I first walked in, I was amazed by all the sights and smells. The place is a grocery, restaurant, gelato shop, and coffee shop, all in one. There were stands with paninis, desserts, meats, and cheese. One of the restaurants in there, you pick a table, scan a barcode, order food/drinks, and they bring it out to you. When I think of Italy, this place shows me a snapshot of it (never been to Italy). Now why did I give it three stars? The woman at the counter that helped us get out paninis was not pleasant; she was impatient, rude, and not customer service friendly. The panini I ordered was the premade mortadella and cheese; it just was okay. The products in the stores overall seems quality. They had self checkouts and security. In conclusion, a nice place but seems that some of their employees may need customer service training."

Theo's Cozy Corner

★★★★★ 4.5 (779)

"This is what an authentic small Italian breakfast location in Boston's north end should be! The restaurant is true to its name: a cozy corner, seating about twenty people. The service was great, and the breakfast (eggs, bacon, toast) was perfect. It is hard to mess up this type of food, but the uniqueness of the location and family-owned business makes it something very special. Please enjoy!"

Carlo's Cucina Italiana

★★★★☆ 4.4 (808) • $$

"The food was delicious and the portions are huge! It's a very nondescript restaurant. The location is very ideal for anyone who lives in Allston and for college students. It seems to be a popular place in the area. We ordered the antipasti, Caprese, veal pasta and seafood Arrabiata linguine was delicious. The Tiramisu was good too. My only criticism is that they should've told us the price of the linguine Arabiata since it was $44 a plate as a special! The ambience is casual. The service was friendly and casual."

Galleria Umberto

★★★★☆ 4.4 (801)

"WOW! Absolutely blown away by this pizza. Heard great things going in but I was truly so impressed. First of all, $2 slices are insane. And for a good sized slice! The pizza is Sicilian, so square and thick. The tomato sauce was exquisite. By far the best part. The pizza had so much flavor even though it was just cheese and sauce. They must season the sauce really well. They only offer the one flavor but that's all you need.I also got one of the panzerotti. This is a mozzarella stick surrounded by mashed potatoes and fried. Very good and reminded me of a McDonald's hash brown with the flavor of the crust a bit. It was around $2.5. Would DEFINITELY return and HIGHLY recommend."

Grotto

★★★★☆ 4 (925) • $$$

"Last night, my fiancé and I ventured into the world of Italian cuisine to celebrate her birthday at Grotto, and boy, did it leave us in a food coma worth every bite! The journey began with navigating parking options, which included street parking and parking lots. But to save yourself from the parking puzzle, I'd recommend hitching a ride with Uber and cruising right up to the door.Upon entering Grotto, we were greeted by a cozy, intimate space adorned with charming brick walls. The noise level occasionally spiked, thanks to some enthusiastic patrons who couldn't contain their love for Italian food (or perhaps they were shouting for joy over their dishes). Pro tip: a louder music volume might keep the chatterboxes in check.The service was swift, and we dove right into the Primi, Secondi, and Dolce menu at $46 per person. Here's a glimpse of our gastronomic extravaganza:My Order:* Garlic Soup (Black Truffle, Parmesan, Bread crumbs): like a warm hug from Nonna on a cold day* Carne (Grilled tenderloin, Parmesan Risotto, Asparagus, Red wine sauce): a symphony of tenderness, cheesiness, and deliciousness* Budino (Banana bread pudding, Spiced Walnuts and caramel, Salted Caramel ice cream): dessert heaven, need I say more?My Fiancé's Order:* Cavatelle (House prepared ricotta pasta, Sausage, Peas, Mushroom, Pancetta, Cream): Nana-approved goodness in every bite* Pesce (Seared farm-raised salmon in a creamy lemon and butter sauce, Grilled broccolini & spinach): cooked to fin-tastic perfection* Tiramisu (Ladyfingers, Mascarpone, Espresso, Cocoa, Whipped Cream): espresso-lly delightful, finger-lickin' good!Our taste buds were treated to a rollercoaster ride of flavors and textures, each dish an ode to the chef's mastery of Italian cuisine. The Carne's tender steak and heavenly Parmesan Risotto left me questioning if I'd stumbled into a dream, while my fiancé - an Italian food connoisseur - raved about the authenticity of her Cavatelle and the succulent salmon.As we reached the grand finale of our meal, the decadent Tiramisu and Banana Bread Pudding left us floating on a cloud of dessert bliss. Kudos to the chef for their excellent timing and attention to detail!And now, the cherry on top: the price. For all the food we ordered, plus 2 drinks each and a 20% gratuity, our total was a jaw-dropping $137.16. Talk about a steal for such an exquisite dining experience!In conclusion, Grotto has won us over with its humorously noisy charm, mouthwatering dishes, and wallet-friendly prices. If you're in the mood for Italian cuisine that will make you laugh, cry (tears of joy, of course), and come back for more, Grotto is the place to be. Buon appetito!"

No. 9 Park

★★★★☆ 4.1 (768) • $$$$

"Blessed to have a spot here for a special occasion, I came here with some rather high expectations. The restaurant hit on most things and is worth it if you want a special occasion to be memorable. Sometimes you fear that a tasting menu will still leave you hungry. I was afraid I'd have to go up the hill to Fill-A-Buster for a kabab plate afterward, just like when I used to work around here (albeit it's closed during dinner hours). However, the portions are quite robust and you get a good tasting of everything.The crudo is a nice start, with a delicate European sea bass and a slightly sharp turnip that combined nicely. The only thing I might have critique is that there are a lot of elements that might hide the fish, but everything is a bit compartmentalized.The halibut with cannellini beans and broccolini might not be flashy, but it's satisfying and familiar, while still being quite upper-scale. The halibut is seared nicely and the broccolini and cannellini made you feel better with all the rich stuff you're going to eat.Chicken tortellini was a bit of a surprise, as I was pretty skeptical. While the tortellini was okay (the pasta was a little thick), it was really the wild mushroom sauce that elevated the dish. Yeah, black truffle does that too. The prune-filled gnocchi, not part of the tasting menu, was also a surprise. Fruit-filled potato pasta? Didn't sound promising but I decided to try it since it's Barbara Lynch's "signature". I thought it was interesting and thought the prune filling was smooth and not too sweet. The foie gras "bits" makes everything nice. The squab might have been my favorite dish of the tasting. The squab isn't gamey, but clean flavor. It was a more tender and delicate chicken. The risotto and vegetables gave the dish a comfortable feeling.The wagyu is seared nicely and had great texture, as it should. The root vegetables were not too raw or overcooked. If you don't want to splurge for the wagyu and want to stick to the venison instead...that was the one weakness of the dinner. It's seared with a "rosemary ash". Both the venison and ash were not good. The venison is more gamey that my previous experiences with venison and it's quite off-putting...as was the ash.The chocolate soufflé with ice cream was executed well, though it's not a mind-blowing dessert. The winter squash pavlova is a more interesting dessert.Service was fairly attentive throughout. The server made a few visits. I sat at the front by the window. Some might like the back part of the restaurant but this was fine with me."

Figs by Todd English

★★★★☆ 3.7 (941) • $$

"Pizza was great! Ordered spicy chicken pizza and split it with the eggplant pizza. Both were deliciously made but the eggplant pizza could've used some more toppings. They were both made to order it came out in a timely manner. I personally wasn't a big fan of the spicy broccoli appetizer. It just tasted like pickled broccoli with peppers and nothing more."

Cantina Italiana

★★★★☆ 3.9 (802)

"We came here for dinner in a week night and were able to get a table without a wait. This restaurant is nice with AC inside and booths and tables throughout the restaurant. The ambiance is also more than casual, since there's dim lighting. The hostess and staff were all great and welcoming. There was even a violinist who came by our table to serenade us with a love song (for a tip). We ordered the eggplant parmesan, veal saltimbocca with pasta in vodka sauce on the side, bruschetta, a couple of drinks, and also had some bread. The complementary bread was dry and not warm, probably the worst part of the meal. The pasta sauce, including the vodka sauce and the sauce with the pasta that came with the eggplant parmesan, was just ok, since we found them a bit muted. But the food otherwise was very good, the eggplant was moist and soft, and my partner enjoyed his veal as well."

BenCotto - Boston

★★★★☆ 4.1 (715) • $$

"We come to Boston every year and honestly I found one place that we always frequent. So I was a little hesitant to venture out to a new (to me) place in the North End, when I already had my go to.It's a quaint restaurant just like so many. They were able to accommodate our table of 6 the morning of a Saturday night. Once we go there it was only a 5 minute wait and the shuffled us off downstairs to the basement. Wow was it cool though. Live the history of these restaurants.Our server was Adriana and she was incredible! She checked on us frequently and so friendly, but never imposing. We started with the pumpkin ravioli and it was out of this world amazing! How could anybody top that. Then my dinner came. I had ordered the sausage carbonara. If it tasted nearly as good as it smelled...then I would be happy. Words can't even explain how amazing it tasted! Fresh and savory but that sausage was unbelievably good. I now have a new favorite! Can't wait to come back next year."

Benevento's

★★★★☆ 4 (750) • $$

"There is not a shortage of outstanding food options on the north end. People often flock to the fan boi favorites. This spot right here is a straight contender. They are accommodating from the outside in. No reservation on a busy Saturday evening, no problem! I highly recommend the outdoor seating in the back. Italian music in the air, a light breeze, and all shade, yes please. The food, fuhgeddaboudit! Sauces were flavorville. PRO TIP--save the bread and get the sautéed calamari. Dip the bread in the sauce. You're welcome ;) Seafood, as fresh as it gets. Pizza, Portnoy would blush. All around home run! I love the North End and this place is one of the reasons why!"

Terramia Ristorante

★★★★☆ 4.2 (669) • $$

"We met family here while in town for a regatta. We had a reservation which is a must as this is a very small place.First impressions - Terramia is charming!I began with an Aperol Spritz that was just what I needed. It was refreshing and lightly sweet.While we perused the menu bread was delivered to our table. I was pleasantly surprised by the dip that accompanied the bread. It was a purée of seasoned beans and spicy oil. So good!For my main I chose the lamb osso bucco. It was tender and so flavorful. Along side were generous servings of delicious, creamy polenta and fresh spinach. For dessert I had the flourless cake. Lovely ending to the meal. I wished they served coffee or hot tea, because either would have been a nice compliment."

Nico Ristorante

★★★★☆ 4 (722)

SRV Boston

★★★★☆ 4.4 (586) • $$$

"Really fun and tasty dinner! I sat at the row of moving bar stools which were a unique and comfortable place to sit, but while I was there I observed one person fall off a stool and a second person almost fell! So be careful on the moving bar stools or get a table if anyone in your group may be unsteady on a chair without a back!The arancini and the baccala mantecato were perfect small bites for two and the pasta dishes were well seasoned and so delicious! The negroni had a tasty apple flavor and the Venetian Spritz cocktail was also tasty, not as sweet as I would usually expect for an Aperol spritz."

Dino's Cafe

★★★★☆ 4.3 (585)

"The most underrated retaurant in the north end perhaps because of its image as a sub shop and it is so much more. Not to say it doesn't have the best sandwiches in town just think when waitstaff from other restaurants in the area want a change for lunch or whatever they order sandwiches from here. They also make salads and pasta dishes that are deliciously prepared and an amazing value to boot. Go find out what I mean and let me know what you thought."

Davio's

★★★★☆ 3.9 (711) • $$$

"Davio's offers, upscale Italian dining, in the heart of Boston proper, it's affluent Back Bay. It's close enough to the theater district to catch a meal before your show.Sadly, on the day we came for lunch, the service was very, very, very slow... Even though the place was empty. It took a half an hour for us to get our check, after we asked for it, and my friend was late for her doctors appointment. My friend dines there often, and claims this was atypical. I can only review my experience.I ordered the gluten-free pizza, and was pleasantly surprised to find it was pretty good. Keep your expectations realistic. The crust is gluten-free, and not gonna taste like Italian bread. But, it did taste like a chewy pastry bread. THE DEAL: if you're looking for some of the best gluten-free pizza in Boston, it might be at Davio's!"

Lucia Ristorante

★★★★☆ 3.6 (817) • $$

"Rant: Some of the reviews for Lucia are mind-boggling to me. I get that service can really derail a meal, but the blatent blasting of the quality of the food makes me question what kind of food these people actually enjoy. The one thing that I was able to correlate was the complaints were primarily lumped in 2 major categories: service and lunch (sometimes BOTH). /rantLucia lived up to it's roots - a 1970s mafia-capo-approved restaurant. It blends traditional with modern touches in the space and makes you feel like you are in a true trattatoria in Rome, Florence, or even Venice (minus the smell) when they have the windows and doors open. The food is perfection: pasta with a firm texture, calamari dredged and fried to perfection, meatballs that my Italian wife approves (not many places get that approval), and the sauce that accompanied my buccatini and my wife's gnocci tasted as if it was simmered from the day before. The price is inline with the North End, but one of the few places I don't actually mind paying the price for this type of quality. The menu boasts house specialties FROM Italy, not bastardized American versions of Italian classics. We shared 6 different dishes that were paired with perfect Italian wine selections (super Tuscans and montepulciano wine d'abruzzo, which makes sense since the theme of the place is the d'abruzzo region). While the service was not necessarily superb, it didn't leave us walking away begrudging the experience like a lot of the lower ratings ranted about. Could it improve? Sure. Enough to draw away from the amazing food and ambiance? No, not at all. Lucia moves at the pace that things do in Italy, it's a bit slow and not overbearing. The entire feel of the place transported me from Boston to Italy in an instant. While it may not be for everyone, there is nothing negative I have to say about Lucia - but that's because Italy is one of, if not my favorite places in the world. It's not America, it's not rude and fast-paced, but that's WHAT I love about Italy AND Lucia."

Al's State Street Cafe

★★★★☆ 4.3 (562) • $

"Very solid sub shop. Generous portions, more than fair prices, fast staff, and plenty of them to ensure there's no wait. Very tasty."

Bob's Italian

★★★★☆ 4.2 (573) • $$

"The Italian subs here are legit. They do not skimp on the ingredients - the mortadella, the prosciutto, the salami, the buff mozz, and on and on. The quality just shows out. On to the other items: the mozzi sticks are on the salty side, but they hit the spot. The fries are coated in some sort of batter; they taste alright (who cares when the subs are so delish?). Pastas were fine - the kids liked the bolognese, even though it was just marinara with some flecks of meat tossed in. Desserts were a bit of a meh; cheesecake was passable - the carrot cake and chocolate cake were sweet Crisco-bakery duds. Bottom line: stick with the sandwiches, which are fan-f-ing-tastic."

Toscano Restaurant

★★★★☆ 4.1 (601)

"We showed up to the restaurant without having a reservation but were greeted by the host kindly. We stood outside for about 15 minutes before they were open but they let us in early. Most of us got the restaurant week menu and it's a very good deal.The bread was good and idk what that balsamic vinegar and olive oil was but it's soooo good.I got the smoked salmon: it was good and the olive was interesting but quite salty as the olives are.Rigatoni truffle was pretty good , not too heavy. You get a good whiff of the truffle.Pana cotta was yummy but I was too full!We had a great time. The service was attentive and the place look really nice and classy.Great vibes to catch up with old friends.Definitely take advantage of the restaurant week menu when you can."

Locale

★★★★☆ 4.4 (519) • $$

"On a cold and rainy Sunday, the Red Sox game we were at got rained out in the 7th inning. We were craving some hot pizza and decided to trek all the way to the North End to get it. It took us one hour to get there, but we made it!It was late in the afternoon, so not quite dinner yet. There were only 3 other tables occupied when we walked in, so we were seated right away. I love that Locale is tucked away in the back of Hanover, so it's way less busy than the front part by Mike's. Our server came over right away and took our order since we were starving. We ordered the caesar salad, the cacio e pepe pizza, and the meatball pizza. Holy cow, it was amazing! To start, my husband and I both agreed that the salad was probably the best caesar we've ever had. The romaine was so fresh and crunchy, and the dressing wasn't too heavy. We ate the whole thing. My cacio e pepe pizza was phenomenal. I loved the freshly cracked pepper on top and all the cheese. I thought I'd have a slice or 2 left to take back to our hotel room....but I was wrong since I ate it all lol. My husband loved his meatball pizza too.Service was fast and friendly, but since it was mostly empty they just left us to hang out and take our time which we appreciated. We agreed we will 100% be coming back the next time we're in Boston!"

Tresca

★★★★☆ 4.1 (591) • $$$

"To this day, Tresca is still one of my favorite restaurants in the North End! Every time I have dined here, I never leave disappointed. I have been coming here since I was 12 & celebrated a couple birthdays here. My favorite dishes to get from here include: linguini alle vongole, seafood fra diavolo, and spaghetti carbonara. Also, you have to try their antipasti arancini or farm raised Maine mussels OR BOTH... just amazinggg! Calamari fritta here is also chef's kiss! For non-pasta dishes, I enjoy their swordfish puttanesca & filetto (filet mignon with mushroom stuffed w/ lobster!). If you can't tell yet, I like just about everything they have on their menu.For desserts, you really cannot go wrong with any of them. I personally love tiramisu & their tiramisu hits the spot for me every time. Even when I am super stuffed at the end of the meal, I will always want dessert when at Tresca's. Parking: Parking in the North End is always atrocious haha. Either parking garage, valet, or try your luck with street parking. NOTE: They validate parking if you park at the Haymarket Garage, $3 for 3 hours ;)Definitely a must try if you're looking for a spot that serves incredible & authentic Italian food."