You’ll find glamour, cheek, and inventive Italian-American at Orfano
Boston has plenty of celebratory Italian-American restaurants designed for something more special than a pleasant, casual dinner of meatballs, spaghetti, and a nice Chianti. They feature cosseting service, big wine lists, and amenities like reservations, cocktails, and dessert: no line on the sidewalk or check dropped with the entrees. But the atmo...
Bartolo is one of Connecticut’s best Italian restaurants
Living in Connecticut it is often easy to take for granted how we have the best Italian restaurants this side of Italy. Give thanks to the Italian forebears who immigrated here generations back. A while back I was in Rome, visiting friends, shopping and, of course, eating. I forget the name of the place but it was a very famous pizzeria. Not a tour...
Meet Mimmo's: New Italian-American restaurant opens on Shelburne Road in South Burlington
A restaurant that’s been a hit in Franklin County for a generation and also has a location in Essex is making its next big move in a new spot on Shelburne Road. What is the place? Mimmo’s Pizzeria & Restaurant opened in St. Albans in 1995 and remains a fixture in the Franklin County city. Owner Domenico "Mimmo" Spano — it's pronounced mee-mo, by th...
Come Together at Presto Craft Kitchen
The term “comfort food” means different things to different people. But if you’re the type who believes feeding the soul along with the body is best accomplished with deep bowls of carb goodness covered in savory sauces (and maybe some cheese), then Presto Craft Kitchen on Manchester’s West Side is your new go-to spot. Not only is the food deliciou...
Ritacco's Market celebrates 50 years on Oak Street
Maria Ritacco set a plate full of sharp provolone cheese and homemade crackers in the center of the table in the back room of her Oak Street store Tuesday afternoon, then sat down with a smile and a small sigh. Across the long oval table, covered with a waterproof tablecloth, sat her only daughter, Melisa, and her middle son, Robert. Her oldest son...
Pazza on Porter will open in East Boston with bolognese and an Aperol Spritz cart
A local restaurateur and co-founder of the Boston Pizza Festival is channeling his love of red sauce into a new restaurant in East Boston. Raffaele Scalzi teamed up with Caffe Dello Sport’s Mivan Spencer to create Pazza on Porter, an Italian-American restaurant and bar set to officially open on Friday, with limited reservations available starting o...
Dining on a Dime: Mimmo's Pizzeria & Restaurant
I thought about bringing my own crosswalk to Mimmo’s Pizzeria & Restaurant, the new restaurant in our South End neighborhood, but I remembered the city frowns upon DIY safety measures. Instead, I ran across Shelburne Road — praying mid-dash there was no car on the far side of the Jeep Cherokee I couldn’t see past. I made it.I was surprised to find...
Mike’s Pastry, other Boston classics join new West End food hall
A new West End food hall set to open this winter near TD Garden will feature 18 vendors, including Boston classics Mike’s Pastry, Monica’s Mercato and Sullivan’s Castle Island, according to a press release by Patina Restaurant Group, which is managing the project. The new food hall, called Hub Hall, will be located in The Hub on Causeway, a new dev...
Taste of Italy returns to Springfield’s South End
Teresa E. Regina likes to attend the Taste of Italy festival at Our Lady of Mount Carmel Parish in Springfield because she sees many friends from years ago, and while they enjoy “wonderful food” they share stories of what has occurred in their lives since they last met. Wonderful food? Individuals and businesses will provide the more than 40 favori...
5 Top Spots For Italian Food In Cambridge (MA)
Looking for a tasty Italian meal? Hoodline crunched the numbers to find the top Italian spots around Cambridge, using both Yelp data and our own secret sauce to produce a ranked list of where to venture next time you’re on the hunt. 1. Giulia Topping the list is Giulia. Located at 1682 Massachusetts Ave., the Italian spot is the highest-rated Itali...
Pasquale’s Osteria : A fine eatery, and a place to call home
Laura Mastroianni has been enjoying fine food at Pasquale's Osteria a few times a week for more than 20 years and likens the experience to being home. The Norwalk native said the cuisine tops all area options. Everything is made when you order it; it's like being in my kitchen; it's like being in my backyard," she said. "This is like being home." A...
The Italian way
Frank Pendola cooks with his soul. He has no fancy training or culinary school behind his enterprises, which include the supper club Nostrano tucked into the basement of his Town Hill home and Frankie’s BBQ at the Hollywood Casino Raceway in Bangor. But, Pendola grew up in one of the best environments for cooks: an Italian neighborhood. The Niagara...