50 Best Italian Restaurants near Chestnut Hill

“Five Stars. The food delicious and nice and hot. The service Five Stars, Chuck the manager, servers, Izzy and Ashley Five Stars....professional and accommodating. Terrific restaurant.“

“Had an amazing meal here tonight. Everything was fresh, delicious and imaginative. Alana who served us was an absolute delight and Stefano and Simon had the kitchen operating on all cylinders. Thank you all for making our meal so special! ❤️“

“This place is amazing!! The customer service was top notch!!“

“Perfect place for Mothers Day when Valet is a must!“

“Pazza is AMAZING! Great service and the food is incredible. Highly recommend!“

“I had not been in almost a year and I forgot how amazing Giulia is. The Service was outstanding. the food was phenomenal and the atmosphere was perfect. Oysters/Corn Pasta/Foccacia/.......just perfect right down to the panacotta! Thank you very much TEAM GIULIA!“

“Charming Atmosphere, But Service Left a Sour Note
This is a lovely little restaurant that really transports you to Italy—the ambiance is authentic, and to our surprise, there were even two opera singers performing live, which added a magical touch to the evening.

When ordering, I asked if they had any pasta with white sauce. The waiter said no, so I went ahead and ordered something else, politely requesting, “Easy on the marinara sauce.” What I received was a very large portion, drowning in marinara—exactly the opposite of what I’d asked for.

What puzzled me even more was seeing the table next to us served a pasta dish clearly prepared with white sauce. That left me wondering why we were told otherwise.

We didn’t order any wine (a bold move in an Italian restaurant, I know!), and after that, it felt like the staff lost interest in us completely.

All in all, the place has great potential and a fantastic atmosphere, but the service and inconsistency in communication took away from the overall experience.“

“By far the best, authentic Italian food in the North End. We have dined at several restaurants but the service, ambience and food is the best! They make their own pasta and sauces daily. I cannot recommend Casarecce enough. Delicioso.“

“This resaurant is by the Copley pla e mall. Really nice vibe inside. Staff was super friendly. Love that they come with the bottle of wine and then serve you onbthe spot. Applaud themnfor that. Rhe meatballs with taiasted bread is a great app. But the Margherita & Bianco pizza were amazing. The dough, marinara and chesses were top notch.. Highly recommend their 🍕.“

“We accidentally met Chef Lester earlier in the day; ironically, we already made a reservation for my birthday dinner later that day, before this introduction. He mentioned the Pumpkin Risotto special and said when we returned to ask for him. The food was excellent and he personally came to our table to check on us. He then had our server bring us a beautiful platter of desserts, topping off an outstanding experience and birthday celebration! I will definitely be back!“

“Ciao…I love them so much. Their food never fails to amaze me. Owners are amazing, shout out *Edson and Marvin*. Will be eating here again!!🙌🏽“

“My husband and I had dinner last Sunday night. It was a beautiful experience with impeccable service. I am going to remember my quail dish for a very long time. Highly recommend“

“A quintessential North End Italian experience. Small and intimate without being claustrophobic. Great food. Easily shareable portions. Noise level loudish but expected. Attentive service without being overwhelming. Second floor location gives you a perspective of being hidden. Watch the stair rail — you can get pinched. Would absolutely dine there again.“

“I had an amazing experience and can’t wait to go back🥰“

“Outstanding menu that changes seasonally and with specials. Service is superb! Especially Christina. We love to visit and eat here with goid friends. Never a bad meal. A plus! 10 stars! All quality food! Worth every penny. Love pans cota too!“

“Grilled Clams make it so worthwhile“

“Amazing food and service with authentic Italian hospitality!“

“By far the best food and atmosphere! Cheryl was our server and was simply outstanding! The portions are huge and the food is fresh and inspired!“

“My favorite restaurant we live in Southern NH I will only go there to eat in Boston just there yesterday for Lunch , Food and Service is outstanding we also had our daughters wedding there. Staff and food was amazing service is very professional no other place I rather be while visiting Boston will always come back“

“10/10–same rating I would give Sarma! The mortadella app was fantastic (honestly I didn’t think I liked mortadella but this stuff melted in your mouth!!), and the cappelletti was unlike anything I have had before! The panna cotta was so special (we ordered all three desserts and they all were amazing!)! Everything was great!“

“Porto is very special. I love the varied areas to dine. They have outdoor seating in the warm weather and a covered porch with heat lamps for the cooler days. The dining rooms are cozy. The staff is well trained and very friendly. The food is very creative and delicious.“

“The second we walked in we were met with amazing service. The staff is super pleasant, and helpful. They were able to accommodate a dietary restriction in my party with ease and enthusiasm. Every single dish in the chef’s tasting was fantastic. The food was full of flavor and the portions were a good size. I would come here any time any day, Chef/Owner Jen came to check in on us and chatted with us and was super nice. Love this place. Come here for a great time.“

“Il Capricio is a wonderful restaurant. The food is always delicious and excellently prepared. The service is outstanding. The only problem is that the entrance is on the wrong side of the restaurant. There is no place to park near the entrance and stopping to let out diners can be pretty scary. This restaurant should really consider offering valet parking.“

“Su buen servicio y la comida es deliciosa.“

“Being 100% Italian also the food was amazing! They started us off with real EVOO to dip Our bread in with salt & pepper you can tell the EVOO was straight from Italy. I started with the arancini special which was sausage and saffron sitting in a white creamy sauce that was absolutely delicious. Then it was a toss up on my pasta dish between lobster raviolis and wild mushroom pappardelle I went with the lobster raviolis in a pink sauce. I never finish my food and I ate ever single ravioli. The portion was good enough for me and the proper way to eat a pasta dish so you don’t have left overs or waste. The pink sauce was creamy and delicious (I even dipped my bread in it at the end). Then I went straight for the dessert and ordered affogato (gelato with espresso) wow amazing not too sweet and not too bitter from the espresso perfect blend. Then my friend and I still were not ready to leave so I ordered a espresso martini and again amazing only advice I would give them is shake the martini more to make it foamy And that was my first experience at Gusto’s I give it a 10/10 Oh and the pizza looked really good that will be my next outing.“

“Wow, wow, and wow again! What a treat that my dear friend and I happened upon this GEM! At first glance it doesn’t look like much from the outside, but when you step inside it’s like entering a whole new world. It is elegant and beautiful, a fantastic combination of fine dining with an atmosphere like coming home. Such a quaint spot with the best quality Italian food I have ever had. Cristiano was the kindest server on the planet, so attentive, and so welcoming! As a worker in the food service industry, I was blown away! First off, drinks. To our surprise, Arancini has a BYOB policy (SO COOL! People had brought their own bottles of wine, which Cristiano offered to open and put on ice). Other than that, they offer your typical sodas, some juice, and a variety of sparkling and still water options. Let’s talk food. Right away, they bring fresh, warm, house-made bread, with fantastically seasoned dipping oil. Other than that, we started off with the Caesar salad and the friend mozzarella appetizer. The Caesar salad (despite it being just about the most basic thing that someone can order) was so well put together. It had just the right amount of dressing, and fresh grated, high quality parmesan cheese! The mozzarella app was quite possible the tastiest thing I have ever put in my mouth. Oh my god, it just about dissolved in my mouth. Imagine the best mozzarella sticks you’ve ever had in your life, but the cheese is so high quality and it is freshly battered and friend minutes before it is brought to your table. Never frozen - just made hot and fresh for you to eat. Don’t even get me started on the marinara sauce. Again, clearly house-made and so fresh. I could’ve had it as a soup! For a main meal I had the most delicious fettuccini Alfredo. The sauce was TO DIE FOR. The pasta was perfectly cooked (I didn’t know pasta could even taste like that ). I asked for chicken in the pasta and… oh. my. god. I have no words. I mean I can attempt to describe it but I won’t do it justice. Tender, JUICY, and you KNOW it’s authentic because the chicken was battered in egg. I was drooling before I took a single bite. I also added broccoli and it was SO PERFECT. The whole meal, it was just the best food I have ever had I swear. PLEASE give this place a shot! You’ll probably want a reservation because I don’t think there are more than 10 tables there! It’s small but mighty. Thank you Cristiano for making this experience incredible!“

“Excellent food and service“

“Beautiful interior and food was amazing. The staff and bartenders were very attentive as well.“

“I attended an event yesterday at this amazing Restaurant. The atmosphere is so inviting, the drinks were delicious. Food was absolutely scrumptious. And the staff all so kind and friendly. I highly recommend stopping in for a cocktail or dinner, you won’t be disappointed!!!“

“Wonderful food and great service in an amazing setting!“

“Went here on a friday evening and place was absolutely packed - highly recommend reservations because you'll be lucky to get a table otherwise.

Ambiance was better than expected. You wouldn't be able to tell by looking from the outside but the inside is a classy well lit spot with tons of seating a spacious bar area. Great spot for dates, friends, and family.

Service was so-so. Could tell they were busy and trying their best. Maybe hire more servers?

Food - pizza was alright. Not amazing like others raving on here but it wasn't bad either. One of them was lacking flavor and the other was undercooked.“

“Amazing food and great customer service! Put this place on your To Go list in Boston!“

“Our favorite place. One is met at the door with a smile and a perfect evening begins with kind efficient service and delicious food . They changed what I thought was a perfect dish and elevated the pasta with mushrooms to sublime. Looking forward to our return very soon.“

“Very nice staff and delicious food“

“This is a hidden gem! We stopped here randomly while traveling home from Boston. We got zucchini pillows and beet salad for appetizers. They were fabulous and flavorful! For dinner we got gnocchi and chicken parm. Probably the best we have ever had! Delicious and good size portions. We had tiramisu for dessert. It was excellent! Great meal start to finish. Our waitress, the owner's daughter was personable , sweet, efficient and great to talk to. We will DEFINITELY be back!!!!“

“My husband and I have adored Toscano for over 20 years... We're not sure if it is the amazing food or the kindest and most caring staff that make us feel like family every single time. . Absolutely a must visit if you're in Boston !!“

“Hands down the best in Davis. Don't think twice about going to eat here! 10/10 atmosphere 10/10 staff 10/10 food 10/10 drinks Don't believe me? Go and see for yourselves! :)“

“Had a lovely dinner at Grotto during our time in Boston. We had the chicken parmigiana pasta and the pasta bolognese — both were full of flavor and really satisfying. The atmosphere was warm and welcoming, the service was friendly, and prices felt fair for the quality. A great little spot for a relaxed Italian dinner.“

“Great food and great service! I even got gluten free chicken parm and spaghetti which was excellent! They have a wonderful food and drink menu. Our server Jess was was excellent as well. The manager Nick greeted us when we came in and found us a great table by the window. So the bottom line is, this is a great restaurant and I'm so happy we found this little gem! We will be back!“

“Love coming to gigi’s for italian food in the south end!
Recommend the rigatoni alla vodka & arancini !!
Cannot mix and match dishes, (but i wish you could get the chicken parm with the vodka sauce, the vodka sauce from the rigatoni alla vodka is delicious :) )“

“Another wonderful family lunch today! Thank you Chris and the Carlo’s Cucina family. My second visit in three weeks. We’ll definitely be back! My new favorite dining spot on my visits to Allston, from the Cape. 👍🍽️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Mark N.“

“The quality and presentation of the food was top notch. We were incredibly impressed by the dining room layout and staff. If you are looking for a place to propose to your significant other… this is NOT the appropriate place. As I mentioned the food was the finest I’ve ever had; however, the music was terrible. We felt like we were in a 1990’s discotheque. The music was loud, very heavy beat and not remotely romantic. We did mention to our waitstaff and they attempted to get it turned down to no avail. No coffee or dessert available either. I understand space is limited; however you have two of the finest dessert businesses well within walking distance. Even if you only carry two desserts. I would still go back there for the food with the hopes of different music…even soft jazz would be acceptable.“

“Quality ingredients. A sublime attention to detail. Balance in salty, umami and heat. The broccoli Caesar is a must have along with the homemade ricotta. I sat at Chefs counter and got wonderful attention from everyone. Amazing!“

“My husband & I had a lovely lunch there this afternoon. Our first time there. Will certainly be back. Thank you so much for your hospitality.“

“The best meal- great service- Beautiful atmosphere And warm friendly hostess“

“Wonderful restaurant with friendly prompt service and a wide variety of dishes for different tastes. The prices were also very moderate for the quality and quantity of food received. They also have a number of hard to find dishes: I thought the Stuffed Squash Blossom Flowers were in particular a great find.“

“Enjoyed a delicious brunch here today - they also serve their regular menu all day. Staff was friendly, beautiful space.“

“Do yourself a favor - skip over the Boston restaurants and head straight here. I’ve been coming for years and the food never disappoints. The service is great. And there’s gluten free on Monday - what more could you want!? Fabulous.“

“Amazing day @Novara for lunch !“