A past Boston local first introduced me to Giulia by donning it the only Italian restaurant they’d go to on that side of the water. So there’s that. Not only did they very kindly fit us in on a Friday night, the food and service was absolutely excellent. Top notch food and drink, great vibes. Will absolutely be back. Special shout-out to their incredible co-owner who very kindly sent me my Project Paulie hat I left there by accident. You guys are the truly the best! THANK YOU!
Megan Y.
Came here at the recommendation of a few friends. It was still packed at 8:30 on a Wednesday night! We ordered the focaccia, burrata, nostrale, bucatini allamatriciana, pappardelle, squash agnolotti and pasta e ceci. We really enjoyed the pappardelle and agnolotti, and the pasta e ceci was very unique! Unfortunately the bucatini was far from the rest as far as pasta quality and flavor, as it just tasted like overcooked pasta with bland tomato paste. For dessert we got the panna cotta and cookies--loved the panna cotta but recommend passing on the cookies, not worth it!
Syndra C.
Spent a while trying to get a reservation. I was really underwhelmed by the food. I got the pasta e ceci and it really was not very tasty. Disappointed because I love pasta and was so excited. But Guilia was very expensive and IMO not worth the price
Neha K.
Giulia is always a hit! Although it may be challenging to get a reservation, it is well worth it. First off, highly reccomend the warm semolina cakes - simply *chefs kiss*. I appreciate that they always have around 3 vegetarian pastas on the menu, which are always such a unique blend of flavors that you can't get elsewhere. My only qualm is that the entrees are on the smaller side, so sometimes I don't leave completely full. But, you can make up for it with some of their other apps. Overall, would reccomend!
Alana W.
Amazing! Food was 10/10 for everything. We left feeling full but not too full!! We actually enjoyed our food so much that after dessert we saw food come to another table and contemplated ordering more service was 10/10 we sat at the bar, and the bartender was fantastic. I am pregnant so had a lot of questions about ingredients how everything was prepared and he was super helpful with this. Will def be coming back!
Sandeep yadav
Delicious Panna
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Comptoir
The food is excellent. The wait staff helpful and attentive. The space is warm if a bit cramped. Our only complaint is that the restaurant opened its doors to a long line of walk-ins whom they seated first ahead of people (like us) with reservations. We had a 5:30 reservation and arrived early. The hostess apologized while seating us that there weren't any menus left to give us when we were seated. Then, after our waitress enticed us to order one of the sfizi specials, she came back to tell us that they were already sold out because the walk-ins at the bar had grabbed them all up. Wouldn't it make sense to seat those with reservations first?
Steve S.
I proposed to my now-wife while we sat at the bar here in 2015. It was special to us then and it's special to us now. We returned last night, for the first time in a few years. The semolina cakes and the casarecce alone would have made the trip worthwhile, but the cocktails and the dessert (a chocolate bread pudding) sealed the deal. The place is great for vegetarians like us. It's cozy and homey-feeling: all of us sitting around the bar were chatting about Terry, the former Giulia bartender whom we all remember fondly and who today, it turns out, reads audiobooks for a living. Terry's successor, Cassandra, is charming and friendly and knowledgeable. There's nothing I'd change about Giulia. I hope it sticks around for many years.
Spike
Giulia is our go-to for celebrations. The food is consistently excellent and the service, always top-notch, just keeps getting better. Little touches, like a server noticing that I'd dropped my napkin and offering me a fresh one, stand out. Reservations are a challenge, so consider getting there early for a seat at the bar if you can't get a table.
Meg C.
Lives up to most of the hype - very hard to get a ressie but the pasta and dessert was worth it, and this is coming from someone who isn't crazy about pasta or dessert. Came here to treat a friend for their birthday and they loved it. We got the pink oysters and semolina cakes to start. The oysters were sweet, and the mignotte added a nice zip to contrast. I liked the light airyness of the semolina cake, but I don't think I would order it again. It's different than your traditional starters, but this is not something I would crave esp for the price point from the truffles. Versus the boar papparadelle is definitely something I would crave and get again. The pasta itself was perfectly al dente with lovely texture and thickness, and each bite was delightful with the boar, trumpet mushrooms, juniper and parm. For me the portion size was just right, and left room for the raspberry semi freddo which was really good. Deep raspberry flavor paired magically with the lemon meringue and amaranth. I was surprised how much I loved dessert. Service was generally good, but confused me initially. Our server came over and seemed reserved and had a bit of "I don't want to be here" vibe when we asked about recos. Once he got going he seemed more engaged, but I found it odd we had to draw it out of him at a place like this. Then a much friendlier, more approachable woman took over and service was lovely the rest of the eve. Ambiance was nice - simple, a bit rustic, and warm. Loved the speckled neutral plates. Good acoustics and room design, so it was easy to have a conversation. Would return to try more pasta and desserts!
Reservations are released two weeks in advance at midnight and go almost immediately, so set an alarm. I witnessed a few walk-ins that were seated at the bar, but most got turned away, so I recommend planning ahead. Giulia is on the same street as a lot of other poppin' restaurants, so you should also account for parking when you come (I was lucky to have found a spot nearby, and it was free thanks to the holiday!). Logistics aside, I am happy that I finally got to try this place. The inside was larger than I expected. The vibes were casual but classy, with dim lighting, a bar, and comfortably spaced tables. The plates are on the smaller side, so expect to order more than you usually would. 1.5 pastas were enough to satisfy me, though I could have finished both of the plates that I ordered had I not ordered sfizi. - Chicken liver crostini with green tomato marmellata ($8): The crostini was fresh and crispy, and the chicken liver was thick and savory. The marmellata added a complimentary citrus flavor. Overall, it was a good appetizer to prep the palate, but it was not mind-blowing enough to get again. - Warm semolina cakes ($16): Served warm indeed. The cakes were soft and sat in a bed of thick taleggio that did not taste as strong as the texture implied (more of a mild cheesy flavor). The apples added a nice crunch but weren't sweet. The truffles didn't add much, even though I believe they are the reason this sfizi is overpriced. - Bucatini all'amatriciana with house-cured pancetta ($27): Some of the pancetta was overcooked and too hard as a result, but the pieces that were good were GOOD: crispy, fatty, and salty (a bit too salty for my liking, but I understand that that is one of pancetta's hallmarks as it is meant to replace salt in certain recipes). The bucatini was not al dente but still tasted good and homemade. The sauce was lightly sweetened but a bit boring. - Pappardelle with braised wild boar ($30): Pepper was the dominant flavor, so if you are not a pepper fan, you will not like this dish. The pappardelle was al dente and flavorful. Like the pancetta, some of the boar was overcooked and dry, but most of the pieces were tender. There was a good ratio of pasta to protein. Overall, I enjoyed this more than the bucatini. - Affogato with cinnamon gelato, dark chocolate nemelaka, and crumiri cookie ($14): I'm glad I was able to get the espresso decaf. This dessert was okay; not something I would get again. The star was definitely the nemelaka: silky, intense, and melted-in-your-mouth. - Sicilian pistachio gelato with chocolate pistachio cookies ($12): I added this dessert last minute, and it became my favorite dish of the night, so I highly recommend it! The gelato was refreshing and not overly sweet, and the pistachio crumbs added the perfect crunch. The cookies were crunchy on the outside but chewy on the inside, with a brownie-like texture and taste. The chocolate dominated the pistachio flavor in the cookie, but that was compensated by the pistachio gelato. I liked that my server called out which dishes were staples on the menu so that you could see what the hype was about or prioritize the dishes that are more likely to rotate if you plan on coming back since the staples are more likely to still be around the next time. Overall, I enjoyed my dinner and did not feel like the effort to make the reservation was in vain.
Katie Lee S.
No gluten free pasta. Service was awful! The food was just ok - certainly nothing like it used to be!!
john m.
The food is one thing (And it's the best in the greater, greater Boston area) but the real charm is John at the bar. I've only been once, but I left feeling like he was family. Thanks John!! Can't wait to drive into the city to see you and enjoy the pasta again!
Kevin Tenorio
Reserving a spot here is tough. Like waiting for it to turn midnight 2 weeks prior and racing against others doing the same thing via Open Table app tough —but it is incredibly worth it, and I'd do it again and again.The food here is masterfully crafted and every dish is on lock. These people own the pasta game out here. The papardelle with wild boar is the king of savory and is a MUST have. The roasted squash agnolotti is the marriage of savory & sweet which is my personal favorite.We had to come here for their V-day 5-course pre-fixe menu and it was phenomenal. They had hamachi as an appetizer choice. I've never heard of any Italian restaurant having any kind of sushi and I'm a huge sushi buff —and this was a top shelf omakase level dish.The dark chocolate cake with passion fruit curd and brown butter gelato is the dessert to get. Insane. I will never look at Italian food the same. I'm ruined. I'll be back. Thank you.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Bucatini All'Amatriciana, Warm Semolina Cakes with Fonduta Roasted Mushrooms and Black Perigord Truffles, Pappardelle with Wild Boar, Warm Semolina Cakes with Sweet Corn and Black Truffles
Fion L.
We were able to get reservations here and settled for a Monday evening which was super busy and didn't see any empty tables during our time there. The food was great and had such great flavors. We ordered the warm semolina cakes with the truffles, bucatini all'amatriciana & pappardelle. Although the plating looked small we were full & satisfied after.
A past Boston local first introduced me to Giulia by donning it the only Italian restaurant they’d go to on that side of the water. So there’s that. Not only did they very kindly fit us in on a Friday night, the food and service was absolutely excellent. Top notch food and drink, great vibes. Will absolutely be back. Special shout-out to their incredible co-owner who very kindly sent me my Project Paulie hat I left there by accident. You guys are the truly the best! THANK YOU!
Came here at the recommendation of a few friends. It was still packed at 8:30 on a Wednesday night! We ordered the focaccia, burrata, nostrale, bucatini allamatriciana, pappardelle, squash agnolotti and pasta e ceci. We really enjoyed the pappardelle and agnolotti, and the pasta e ceci was very unique! Unfortunately the bucatini was far from the rest as far as pasta quality and flavor, as it just tasted like overcooked pasta with bland tomato paste. For dessert we got the panna cotta and cookies--loved the panna cotta but recommend passing on the cookies, not worth it!
Spent a while trying to get a reservation. I was really underwhelmed by the food. I got the pasta e ceci and it really was not very tasty. Disappointed because I love pasta and was so excited. But Guilia was very expensive and IMO not worth the price
Giulia is always a hit! Although it may be challenging to get a reservation, it is well worth it. First off, highly reccomend the warm semolina cakes - simply *chefs kiss*. I appreciate that they always have around 3 vegetarian pastas on the menu, which are always such a unique blend of flavors that you can't get elsewhere. My only qualm is that the entrees are on the smaller side, so sometimes I don't leave completely full. But, you can make up for it with some of their other apps. Overall, would reccomend!
Amazing! Food was 10/10 for everything. We left feeling full but not too full!! We actually enjoyed our food so much that after dessert we saw food come to another table and contemplated ordering more service was 10/10 we sat at the bar, and the bartender was fantastic. I am pregnant so had a lot of questions about ingredients how everything was prepared and he was super helpful with this. Will def be coming back!
Delicious Panna
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
The food is excellent. The wait staff helpful and attentive. The space is warm if a bit cramped. Our only complaint is that the restaurant opened its doors to a long line of walk-ins whom they seated first ahead of people (like us) with reservations. We had a 5:30 reservation and arrived early. The hostess apologized while seating us that there weren't any menus left to give us when we were seated. Then, after our waitress enticed us to order one of the sfizi specials, she came back to tell us that they were already sold out because the walk-ins at the bar had grabbed them all up. Wouldn't it make sense to seat those with reservations first?
I proposed to my now-wife while we sat at the bar here in 2015. It was special to us then and it's special to us now. We returned last night, for the first time in a few years. The semolina cakes and the casarecce alone would have made the trip worthwhile, but the cocktails and the dessert (a chocolate bread pudding) sealed the deal. The place is great for vegetarians like us. It's cozy and homey-feeling: all of us sitting around the bar were chatting about Terry, the former Giulia bartender whom we all remember fondly and who today, it turns out, reads audiobooks for a living. Terry's successor, Cassandra, is charming and friendly and knowledgeable. There's nothing I'd change about Giulia. I hope it sticks around for many years.
Giulia is our go-to for celebrations. The food is consistently excellent and the service, always top-notch, just keeps getting better. Little touches, like a server noticing that I'd dropped my napkin and offering me a fresh one, stand out. Reservations are a challenge, so consider getting there early for a seat at the bar if you can't get a table.
Lives up to most of the hype - very hard to get a ressie but the pasta and dessert was worth it, and this is coming from someone who isn't crazy about pasta or dessert. Came here to treat a friend for their birthday and they loved it. We got the pink oysters and semolina cakes to start. The oysters were sweet, and the mignotte added a nice zip to contrast. I liked the light airyness of the semolina cake, but I don't think I would order it again. It's different than your traditional starters, but this is not something I would crave esp for the price point from the truffles. Versus the boar papparadelle is definitely something I would crave and get again. The pasta itself was perfectly al dente with lovely texture and thickness, and each bite was delightful with the boar, trumpet mushrooms, juniper and parm. For me the portion size was just right, and left room for the raspberry semi freddo which was really good. Deep raspberry flavor paired magically with the lemon meringue and amaranth. I was surprised how much I loved dessert. Service was generally good, but confused me initially. Our server came over and seemed reserved and had a bit of "I don't want to be here" vibe when we asked about recos. Once he got going he seemed more engaged, but I found it odd we had to draw it out of him at a place like this. Then a much friendlier, more approachable woman took over and service was lovely the rest of the eve. Ambiance was nice - simple, a bit rustic, and warm. Loved the speckled neutral plates. Good acoustics and room design, so it was easy to have a conversation. Would return to try more pasta and desserts!
Restaurantji Recommends
Reservations are released two weeks in advance at midnight and go almost immediately, so set an alarm. I witnessed a few walk-ins that were seated at the bar, but most got turned away, so I recommend planning ahead. Giulia is on the same street as a lot of other poppin' restaurants, so you should also account for parking when you come (I was lucky to have found a spot nearby, and it was free thanks to the holiday!). Logistics aside, I am happy that I finally got to try this place. The inside was larger than I expected. The vibes were casual but classy, with dim lighting, a bar, and comfortably spaced tables. The plates are on the smaller side, so expect to order more than you usually would. 1.5 pastas were enough to satisfy me, though I could have finished both of the plates that I ordered had I not ordered sfizi. - Chicken liver crostini with green tomato marmellata ($8): The crostini was fresh and crispy, and the chicken liver was thick and savory. The marmellata added a complimentary citrus flavor. Overall, it was a good appetizer to prep the palate, but it was not mind-blowing enough to get again. - Warm semolina cakes ($16): Served warm indeed. The cakes were soft and sat in a bed of thick taleggio that did not taste as strong as the texture implied (more of a mild cheesy flavor). The apples added a nice crunch but weren't sweet. The truffles didn't add much, even though I believe they are the reason this sfizi is overpriced. - Bucatini all'amatriciana with house-cured pancetta ($27): Some of the pancetta was overcooked and too hard as a result, but the pieces that were good were GOOD: crispy, fatty, and salty (a bit too salty for my liking, but I understand that that is one of pancetta's hallmarks as it is meant to replace salt in certain recipes). The bucatini was not al dente but still tasted good and homemade. The sauce was lightly sweetened but a bit boring. - Pappardelle with braised wild boar ($30): Pepper was the dominant flavor, so if you are not a pepper fan, you will not like this dish. The pappardelle was al dente and flavorful. Like the pancetta, some of the boar was overcooked and dry, but most of the pieces were tender. There was a good ratio of pasta to protein. Overall, I enjoyed this more than the bucatini. - Affogato with cinnamon gelato, dark chocolate nemelaka, and crumiri cookie ($14): I'm glad I was able to get the espresso decaf. This dessert was okay; not something I would get again. The star was definitely the nemelaka: silky, intense, and melted-in-your-mouth. - Sicilian pistachio gelato with chocolate pistachio cookies ($12): I added this dessert last minute, and it became my favorite dish of the night, so I highly recommend it! The gelato was refreshing and not overly sweet, and the pistachio crumbs added the perfect crunch. The cookies were crunchy on the outside but chewy on the inside, with a brownie-like texture and taste. The chocolate dominated the pistachio flavor in the cookie, but that was compensated by the pistachio gelato. I liked that my server called out which dishes were staples on the menu so that you could see what the hype was about or prioritize the dishes that are more likely to rotate if you plan on coming back since the staples are more likely to still be around the next time. Overall, I enjoyed my dinner and did not feel like the effort to make the reservation was in vain.
No gluten free pasta. Service was awful! The food was just ok - certainly nothing like it used to be!!
The food is one thing (And it's the best in the greater, greater Boston area) but the real charm is John at the bar. I've only been once, but I left feeling like he was family. Thanks John!! Can't wait to drive into the city to see you and enjoy the pasta again!
Reserving a spot here is tough. Like waiting for it to turn midnight 2 weeks prior and racing against others doing the same thing via Open Table app tough —but it is incredibly worth it, and I'd do it again and again.The food here is masterfully crafted and every dish is on lock. These people own the pasta game out here. The papardelle with wild boar is the king of savory and is a MUST have. The roasted squash agnolotti is the marriage of savory & sweet which is my personal favorite.We had to come here for their V-day 5-course pre-fixe menu and it was phenomenal. They had hamachi as an appetizer choice. I've never heard of any Italian restaurant having any kind of sushi and I'm a huge sushi buff —and this was a top shelf omakase level dish.The dark chocolate cake with passion fruit curd and brown butter gelato is the dessert to get. Insane. I will never look at Italian food the same. I'm ruined. I'll be back. Thank you.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Bucatini All'Amatriciana, Warm Semolina Cakes with Fonduta Roasted Mushrooms and Black Perigord Truffles, Pappardelle with Wild Boar, Warm Semolina Cakes with Sweet Corn and Black Truffles
We were able to get reservations here and settled for a Monday evening which was super busy and didn't see any empty tables during our time there. The food was great and had such great flavors. We ordered the warm semolina cakes with the truffles, bucatini all'amatriciana & pappardelle. Although the plating looked small we were full & satisfied after.