25 best Italian restaurants in Boston

Mamma Maria is a unique restaurant in Boston because it doesn’t feel like it belongs in Boston at all. When you walk into Mamma Maria you get a tingling sensation that you have mistakenly entered someone’s luxuriously historic home—and funny enough this is the exact feeling that I get every time I arrive at a restaurant of similar size in Mayfair in London, perhaps that is why I love Mamma Maria so much. Mamma Maria is one of Boston’s truly fine dining establishments and you will realize why they are a notch above the rest as soon as you take your first bite. Everything is made from scratch and the menu changes with the seasons as it should.

This dark, suave neighborhood pioneer of alta cucina remains one of the North End’s see-and-be-seen spots—especially when it comes to those coveted, front window seats overlooking Hanover Street. The varied menu is a crowd-pleaser, featuring scores of familiar Italian American comfort food as well as more creative, seasonal plates. Also, they have our favorite Espresso Martinis in town. We recommend ordering at least a few during any visit. 

Have a craving for Italian classics with a modern twist? Look no further than Geppetto in East Cambridge. Tucked within the Cambridge Crossing complex, this restaurant serves up serious Italian flavors in novel formats, thanks to celebrated chef-owner Will Gilson. Make the most of your visit by starting off with one of the eatery’s incredible crudos, like the chili-drizzled tuna topped with fresh slices of pear and lardo (a buttery, melt-in-your mouth Italian salumi that makes each bite absolutely luxurious), before digging into some dishes of house-made pastas. Guests looking to go big can indulge in the larger scale shareable feasts, like the swordfish kebabs, which are lightly smoked for added depth and topped with multi-herbed pesto. The beverages here are just as impressive as the plates; Choose from a deliberately curated wine list that includes lesser-known Italian varietals, or opt for one of the cocktails on tap, including a negroni and the now ubiquitous espresso martini.

Chefs Ken Oringer and Jamie Bissonnette recently added an Italian-inspired restaurant to their fantastic local line-up (Coppa, Toro, Little Donkey), and we’re so glad they did. The seafood inspired menu utilizes fresh ingredients, including in-season produce from the Copley Square Farmers Market. The spacious Back Bay restaurant serves coastal delights including a half dozen crudos, grilled Scituate lobster and an excellent selection of spritzes. This is one of those spots where a long, lingering meal is truly a delight. 

Chef-owner Michael Pagliarini and his staff pamper their guests with friendly, professional service and killer pastas, which are prepared daily. Brick walls and candlelight keep this Cambridge restaurant's vibe romantic and rustic. The all-Italian wine list pairs well with the menu, much of which has been inspired by the chef’s travels to Italy. Take a seat at Giulia's communal table for a truly European dining experience.

Quattro, located in Boston's North End, effortlessly merges traditional Italian flavors with a buzzing ambiance. Under the expert guidance of a third-generation pizza maker from Naples, the kitchen at Quattro boasts an unparalleled expertise in crafting pizzas that will have you coming back again and again. From the moment you step inside, the warm and inviting atmosphere sets the stage for a night out to remember. Each bite of the crispy, yet delightfully chewy crust, topped with the freshest ingredients and classic combinations, transports you to the streets of Naples in the heart of Boston.

Chef Michael Scelfo, known for Alden & Harlow, The Longfellow Bar and Waypoint, opened his newest restaurant, Josephine, in Somerville's Cambria Hotel this Spring. A new comer to this list, Josephine is worth a visit because the menu pays homage to Scelfo's Sicilian grandmother, Josephine, who served as his earliest inspiration in the kitchen. Combining classic dishes with contemporary interpretations, the chef has crafted the menu to include things like: Jo's Classic Deep Dish Pizza with butter crust, mozzarella, and Linny Ray's Sauce and the innovative Rosemary's Baby pizza featuring roasted chicken, potato, fontina, and caramelized onion. The bar program is a delightful array of Negronis, martinis, Italian and American wines and beers, offering an approachable, summer drinks menu.

Fans of modern, coastal Italian cuisine have been making the trek to this hot spot tucked within South End’s Ink Block complex. There’s a menu of delicate crudo that changes daily, and an assortment of crostini and antipasti makes for fun, shareable dining amongst groups. Fresh, house-made pastas may include decadent dishes like duck egg raviolo or lobster paccheri. Whenever the weather allows, tables on the sunny sidewalk patio prove popular.

Situated between Central and Harvard Squares, this hip trattoria has a slightly retro feel thanks to the amber glow of its globe lights and double-sided fireplace. The globally minded menu heavily relies on Asian ingredients, often applying them to Italian preparations and creating fantastically flavored fusion food. Nosh on handmade pastas, like its renowned lumache with bolognese and gojuchang, and strike up a conversation with your dining neighbors at the vintage communal table. Sexy cocktails, including its draft aperitivi, are not to be missed.

Chef Karen Akunowicz, inspired by her time living and working in Modena, is the powerhouse behind Fox & the Knife. This modern enoteca is as much on a mission to foster a sense of community in South Boston as it is to create innovative, Italian-influenced food. All of the eatery's pasta is rolled fresh onsite, just like Akunowicz learned in Emilia-Romanga. We strongly suggest you get the celebrated pepe e cacio, a reinterpretation of the Roman classic cacio e pepe that the Foxes sprinkle with pink peppercorns and goat butter.

Boston’s first Venetian-style osteria and wine bar, SRV (“Serene Republic of Venice”) balances its focus between modern interpretations of cicchetti and spectacular pastas. Creative small plates feature fresh ingredients, with flavors that pop thanks to microgreens and garnishes grown nearby. Meanwhile, its rich pasta dishes—not to mention its risi e bisi—keep regulars coming back for more. An exclusively Italian wine list complements the menu, and guests looking for something stronger can opt for a number of classic Italian aperitivi. 

Tuscan Kitchen’s Seaport location offers an authentic rustic Italian dining experience with handmade pastas and raviolis, fresh baked breads, and house-made salumi. The open kitchen offers a glimpse of the action—sit at the kitchen bar for the best view. For real enthusiasts, grab a seat by the in-house aged salumi or the hand-stretched mozzarella stations to ogle the artistry before you eat it. The extensive wine list makes for perfect pairings, and house-made gelato offers a sweet end to a meal.

The latest from James Beard Award and Top Chef winner Karen Akunowicz, Volpe is the follow-up to Fox & the Knife, and focuses on southern Italian cuisine. The South Boston spot gives Akunowicz a chance to serve dishes that don’t fit into the Fox & the Knife concept, and she’s able to create and sell fresh pasta in the larger space. Grab a seat at the gorgeous bar and tuck into cheeses from the mozzarella bar, Sardinian culurgiones and of course, a cool negroni.

Prezza combines the urbane sophistication of a downtown steakhouse with the intimacy of the trattorias that surround it—which is exactly why you’ll likely find as many back-slapping businessmen at the bar as you will couples canoodling in the booths. Expertly wood-grilled proteins compete for attention with delicate, hand-made pastas, and a refined wine list ensures that there’s a fitting vintage to pair with every dish.

Brought to us by local culinary powerhouses Ken Oringer and Jamie Bissonnette, this little nook in the South End constantly attracts crowds with its casually elegant Italian fare. Expect to sit elbow-to-elbow with your neighbor inside its tiny dining room, or snag a seat on its slightly bigger but still packed sidewalk patio for prime people watching. Fortunately, Coppa's wood-fired pizzas, robust pastas and small-plate bar snacks make it well worth the tight squeeze. Italian-only wines and craft beers keep the atmosphere festive.

Perched above Congress Street in Fort Point, Barbara Lynch’s sleek and modern rendition of a classic diner offers up supremely tasty, trattoria-inspired Italian cuisine. Post up at the large communal counter for a front row seat to all of the kitchen action, or grab a bite to-go and find a bench along the channel for a waterside picnic. In any case, don't miss out on Lynch’s signature tagliatelle bolognese and be sure to close your meal with the creamy, hot-and-cold musings of a traditional affogato. 

Striking with its black-and-white striped interior motif, the oh-so stylish Sorellina could double as a modern design showroom. This Back Bay establishment (and sister restaurant to Mistral) is home to one of the city’s priciest Italian menus. Its array of offerings matches the decor as far as pure glamor goes, with luxurious ingredients decking out nearly every dish (Maine lobster gnocchi and prime beef meatballs included). The varied wine list is equally splurge-worthy, perfect for those expense account-powered dinners meant to woo potential clients.

Aqua Pazza is yet another solid Italian offering from Frank DePasquale's North End empire (Mare, Bricco, Trattoria il Panino) and is focused on fresh, simple and straightforward Italian cuisine reminiscent of the fare you might find on the Amalfi Coast. Amongst its menu of 30+ dishes, you'll see tempting and tasty seasonal options like goat cheese-stuffed zucchini flowers drizzled with lemon and honey, as well as a whole roasted fish that's artfully carved tableside. The romantic dining room is filled with wine bottles and crates, and gold curtains frame floor-to-ceiling windows that provide ample opportunity for people-watching.

Located atop The Newbury Boston, this elegant eatery serves more than just comforting Northern Italian fare—it also serves looks in a major way. The inside of this glass-enclosed, rooftop sanctuary seems like it’s a lush garden patio situated on a Tuscan hillside. But if you’re able to pry your eyes away from the beautiful interior for a minute, you’ll also see that this restaurant offers unreal views of the surrounding Back Bay. Take a seat on one of Contessa’s plush chairs, order yourself a selection of salumi and a plate of fresh pasta, and raise your negroni to the cityscape before you. 

You might think that an Italian restaurant in the North End would just blend into the neighborhood’s relatively one-note food scene, but that’s not at all the case with Table. The Hanover Street eatery truly stands out from the crowd, thanks to its unique, family-style dining experiences. Guests here all sit down together at communal tables and share a feast of Italian-American favorites—reminiscent of those marathon Sunday dinners at nonna’s house. All of the meals are prix fixe, taking you through seven courses of fantastic food, courtesy of chef-owner Jen Royle. Homestyle dishes, combined with a warm and friendly atmosphere, will make you feel like you're amongst newfound family and friends.

MIDA takes its cues from Italian cuisine, with chef-owner Douglass Williams prioritizing three things: ingredients, wine and hospitality. Dishes are ideal for sharing—from the North Shore fritto misto and Waygu beef bresaola, to the handmade ricotta gnocchi cacio e pepe and smoked short rib lasagna. The wine list tends to favor Northern Italian and French bottles, with an emphasis on lesser known producers. And, of course, this South End joint (and its sister space in Newton) expertly executes classic Italian cocktails, like the Negroni. 

Situated right at the start of the Longwood neighborhood, Bar ’Cino serves thin-crust, grilled pizzas that are theatrically cut tableside with scissors (life hack, right?). Hailing from Newport, RI, this eatery—which is part of the employee-owned Newport Restaurant Group—features a large, social bar that's perfect for enjoying highly shareable, Italian-accented plates. Other menu must-eats include farro risotto, spaghetti cacio y pepe with Rhode Island clams, and a whole roasted lemon-scented chicken.

The name of this little Italian restaurant—Grotto—suits it perfectly. Tucked away in Beacon Hill, this underground eatery is the epitome of intimate. Its small, moody dining room is surrounded by exposed brick and shelves of wine, with locally sourced artwork and crystal chandeliers bringing brightness to the otherwise dark space. The menu is focused on classic Italian cuisine—but with a creative twist. Ask the friendly, knowledgeable staff for suggested wine pairings.

Opened in 2008 by award winning chef and trailblazer Lydia Shire, Scampo continues to be one of the liveliest, most fun restaurants in Boston. Located in the former Charles Street jail, now the Liberty Hotel, the contemporary Italian-ish cuisine isn’t your Nonna’s ravioli. You’ll find fresh baked naan, pizzas (the lamb is an underrated gem), housemade ravioli, brick chicken and dumplings are still on the menu, and of course, there’s a dover sole special on Friday night.

As a Northern Italian-inspired steakhouse, Davio’s offers a selection of the finest steaks alongside popular house specialties, like tagliatelle bolognese and penne with applewood-smoked chicken. Its flagship location resides on a busy corner in the Back Bay, but it's newer sibling in the Seaport is just as bustling with people looking to get a taste of its waterfront views. Added bonus: Davio's also an on-site bakery, where desserts, pastries, ice cream and breads are all prepared fresh daily.