Antonio's Cucina Italiana

288 Cambridge St, Boston, MA 02114 617-367-3310

Description: BEACON HILL. Located near Massachusetts General Hospital, Antonio's is a secret most local folks hope won't get out. Basic in decor, this Italian restaurant serves authentic northern and southern Italian cuisine, including hearty servings of fusilli and other homemade pastas. When you've tackled them, wrap up with a sweet canoli and a steaming cup of cappuccino, and you'll walk away a satisfied customer. Italian music plays in the background, adding a pleasant touch.
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Bin 26 Enoteca

26 Charles St, Beacon Hill, MA 02114 617-723-5939

Description: BEACON HILL. Choose from among 50 wines sold by the glass and savory, Italian-inspired shared plates at this casually elegant Beacon Hill café.
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Carlo's Cucina Italiana

131 Brighton Ave, Allston, MA 02134 617-254-9759

Description: BRIGHTON. This Allston trattoria pleases guests with their made from scratch pastas and other Southern Italian homemade goodies. Try the savory chicken marsala or the veal alla saltimboca (veal layered with proscuitto and fontina cheese and covered with a cream sauce). If you're looking for ambiance and a snazzy decor, you might want to bypass Carlo's because here it's all about the food, which they do quite well! This spot is very popular, so be prepared to wait.
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Ciao Bella

240-A Newbury St, Boston, MA 02116 617-536-2626

Description: BACK BAY. [Closed for renovations. Will re-open late Spring 2010.] Loyal followers of this Back Bay Italian claim it's Boston's best alternative for upscale, authentic Italian cuisine. The restaurant is most proud of its signature chops ­ swordfish, veal, and baby lamb, in particular. The menu also offers appetizers, pastas, and seafood and chicken selections. The pleasant interior is distinguished by mustard-colored walls and bright blue accents.
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Figs ­ Beacon Hill

42 Charles St, Boston, MA 02114 617-742-3447

Description: BEACON HILL. Boston's renowned chef Todd English created Figs to showcase his thin-crust gourmet pizzas. Topped with terrific ingredients like fresh arugula, tomatoes, fontina cheese, figs, asparagus, and ham, they're savory treats and perfect light fare. Other menu items include sandwiches and salads ­ try warm bacon and spinach salad or cobb salad. Draft beers and sodas make up the drink menu.
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Grotto

37 Bowdoin St, Beacon Hill, Boston, MA 02114 617-227-3434

Description: BEACON HILL. Friendly service and hearty Northern Italian courses set diners at ease in this charming underground dining room. Start off with a classic Piedmont-style fondue with grilled steak tips and mushrooms. Satiating pastas, like the tagliatelle with fresh peas, roasted tomatoes and lobster Bolognese sauce, are available in both half and full portions. For your main dish, try the grilled proscuitto wrapped beef tenderloin with Reggianno risotto, grilled asparagus and red wine sauce. Prix-fixe, 3-course dinner menu available. Wine list features affordable options available by the glass or the bottle.
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Ivy Restaurant

49 Temple Pl, Boston, MA 02111 617-451-1416

Description: DOWNTOWN. Exposed brick walls, stylish chandeliers, white linens and sleek red chairs adorn this charming multi-level restaurant and bar. The kitchen specializes in Italian-inspired small plates such as macaroni and cheese with black truffle and gorgonzola, gnocchi Sorrentina, and seared scallops and pancetta. Most wines are available by the bottle or in 6- or 12-oz quartinos. At the end of the meal, diners receive a free mini-cone of gelato.
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Lucca Back Bay

116 Huntington Ave, at W Newton St, Boston, MA 02116 617-247-2400

Description: BACK BAY. This contemporary Italian restaurant, overlooks Copley Place and features a dining room decorated with columns, cherry wood wine bins, and well-spaced, smartly-appointed tables. Among the savory main courses are olive-crusted scallops with beluga lentils, braised beef short ribs with root vegetables and roasted rack of venison with mostarda fruit glaze. If cocktails are in order, give their lounge a try; there, the skilled bartenders pour everything from grappas and amaros to Kaffir Lime Gimlets and Parisian martinis.
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Neptune Oyster

63 Salem St, Boston, MA 02110 617-742-3474

Description: NORTH END. Intimate and old school cool, Neptune sports a pressed-tin ceiling, floor tiles and marble-topped tables. Located as it is on the North End, the restaurant probably doesn't shock first-timers with its Italian takes on fresh fish and seafood. That's not to say they don't leave impressed by Old Country classics like cioppino and more regionalized endeavors such lobster rolls. It's the raw bar, though, that truly sets this place apart, thanks to seasonal ditties like Ipswich clams (fried, of course) and a dozen or so varieties of oysters.
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Panificio

144 Charles St, Boston, MA 02114 617-227-4340

Description: BEACON HILL. Delicate pastries and tasty Italian sandwiches, pastas and pizzas make this cafe a desirable spot to fuel up any time of day.
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Paolo's Trattoria

251 Main St, Charlestown, MA 02129 617-242-7229

Description: CHARLESTOWN. Northern Italian cooking is at its best at this Charlestown eatery, which also offers dishes with a Mediterranean twist. The menu emphasizes crisp, wood-fired pizzas and traditional treats like risotto, antipasto, and pork tenderloin. Desserts don't disappoint either, as you'll see with the rich chocolate mousse. Paolo's waitstaff are helpful and cheery, making dining a pleasurable experience.
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Regina Pizzeria

11 Thacher St, Boston, MA 02113 617-227-0765

Description: NORTH END. For well over 70 years, North Enders have enjoyed the tasty brick oven pies served at the original Pizzeria Regina, which may just serve the best pizzas in Boston. Go for the classic thin crust pie and adorn it with everything from roasted eggplant, ricotta cheese and sun-dried tomatoes to prosciutto, jalapeños and crushed garlic. You will not be disappointed. Not in the mood for pizza? Then you definitely want to sample one of their homemade calzones.
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Rialto

1 Bennett St, Charles Hotel, Cambridge, MA 02138 617-661-5050

Description: CAMBRIDGE. Rialto, set in the handsome Charles Hotel, is an eclectic restaurant whose menu focuses on regional Italian specialties prepared with the freshest a New England influence. Representative third courses include braised short rib with gorgonzola-potato fritter, pan-roasted ray with pine nuts and citrus butter, and halibut in lobster broth with fennel, mussels and squid. This romantic spot also dazzles palates with dessert offerings ranging from bombolini with tangerine mascarpone to honey-lemon pine nut tart with gelato.
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Ristorante Toscano

41 Charles St, Boston, MA 02114 617-723-4090

Description: BEACON HILL. This Charles Street restaurant welcomes diners with a burgeoning menu of homemade Northern Italian dishes. Among the options are entrees based on lamb, pork, chicken, pasta, and veal. The decor, with exposed brick walls and old maps, has a rustic, upscale feel, and patrons at this Beacon Hill trattoria are often some of Boston's who's who. The large, varied wine list accommodates most tastes. Smart casual to dressy attire. Valet parking available.
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Sorellina

1 Huntington Ave, Boston, MA 02116 617-412-4600

Description: BACK BAY. It's not unusual to spot celebs at this trendy Italian dining room, where the sophisticated bunch comes to see and be seen. The food, while pricey, is superb. Ornate Mediterannean style starters, specialty pastas and exquisite meat and fish dishes make quite a lasting impression, as does the wine list, with 24 varieties available by the glass.
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Terramia

98 Salem St, Boston, MA 02113 617-523-3112

Description: NORTH END. Come to this local favorite and feast on goodies such as risotto, gnocchi, homemade Abruzzi style spaghetti, wild mushroom ravioli, and other Italian specialties. The wine list is well-selected and holds a good number of white and red wines. The mustard colored walls, soft lighting and linen-covered tables make for an inviting interior. As the restaurant seats only 39 at a time, reservations are suggested.
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The Butcher Shop

552 Tremont St, Boston, MA 02118 617-423-4800

Description: SOUTH END. In addition to the store, the Butcher Shop features a wine bar offering over 100 labels and a limited menu of French and Italian-inspired dishes, highlighted by an authentic charcuterie plate.
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Trattoria Pulcinella

147 Huron Ave, Cambridge, MA 02138 617-491-6336

Description: CAMBRIDGE. This whimsical Italian eatery boasts a menu packed with homemade goodies, including pastas, breads, shellfish, game, pizzas, and other Southern Italian comfort foods. The ambience at Trattoria Pulcinella is casual, and patrons easily sense the welcoming attitude and romantic possibilities within. Don't forget to indulge in a bit of tiramisu for dessert. Outdoor dining is available.
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Via Matta

79 Park Plz, Boston, MA 02116 617-422-0008

Description: BACK BAY. This downtown Italian eatery is Boston's new sweetheart and offers Italian eats made from the freshest ingredients available with the menu changing regularly. Homemade goodies include traditional fare like spaghetti and veal, along with more exotic dishes like rabbit and octopus. Well-selected Italian wines satisfy aficionados and novices alike.
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Woody's Grill And Tap

58 Hemenway St, Boston, MA 02115 617-375-9663

Description: FENWAY DISTRICT. Woody's serves as both an ideal lunch spot and a great nightlife option. This bar makes a mean thin-crust pizza that's cooked to perfection on a wood-fired oven. In fact, these pizzas have become legendary with local baseball regulars and symphony goers. Order toppings that run the gamut, from goat cheese to arugula and jerk chicken. Full bar provides a variety of options with approximately 18 beers on tap. The interior is pleasant, featuring yellow walls, blue accents, and lovely wood trim.
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