50 Best Italian Restaurants near Lexington

“I have been coming here for fifty years even when I have lived far away. High quality food, reasonable prices, friendly staff. It is a vestige of the Lexington of my childhood.“

“Stopped on a whim on the way home from the airport with a family member. Ordered the garlic bread, chicken broccoli alfredo, eggplant parm w/ alfredo sauce and tiramisu. The food was amazing! I can’t remember having a better tiramisu anywhere else. I wish I lived closer I would definitely be there on a regular basis. Set up is not typical, you order at the counter and they bring you the food. But you get your own drink from a cooler or iced water, silverware, napkins and bus your own dishes. So I was a little off put that I tipped 20% to do all the service myself. Staff was friendly and did give us to-go boxes when we asked for them. Would definitely recommend!“

“nice place, good meal and quick service“

“Nick’s Place on Massachusetts Avenue in Lexington, Massachusetts, offers some of the best comfort takeout food around. I love picking up a couple of meals here for me and my wife when neither one of has the time or energy to pull together dinner after an exhausting work day. Enjoy - Robert.“

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

“I guess we would be considered regulars. The food is exceptional and it is matched by the service we receive.
Jason was a server last night and he was friendly attentive and patient since one of our group members did not make it.
Rick has put together a team that is cohesive, efficient and friendly.
Thank you for the total dining experience!“

“The hype around this restaurant was insane. After weeks of trying, I was able to snag a reservation 30 days out and as the date got closer, I was sure I was in for a hell of a let down.

It was actually quite the opposite. We had a reservation for 2 at 8:30 pm and were seated within 10 minutes of our arrival (we arrived 15 minutes early). The restaurant does a great job of staggering their seating so the kitchen can properly flow and doesn't get backed up.

The atmosphere was really nice, warm and enjoyable. My wife and I were able to talk the whole time. The waitress was very kind and friendly. She kept us entertained and ensured our anniversary dinner was special. The drinks were really good and the food was ridiculous. Everything we had was amazing and I would be hard pressed to identify a dish I would consider not ordering to be able to taste something different.

This place is definitely worth the hype and am hoping I can snag another reservation in the months to come.“

“My husband and I went to Il Ponte in Woburn for the first time tonight. Let’s just say it will not be the last. From the moment we walked in right up until we walked out the door it was an incredible experience. We both had cocktails: a Cabernet and falling for you and both were amazing. The bread/focaccia with garlic and oil was a fantastic start to the meal. We got the octopus and a bruschetta to start and they were flavorful and cooked perfectly. My husband had the braised short rib over saffron risotto and he said it was delicious and fork tender. He said the flavor was like nothing he’s ever had and the saffron risotto was incredible and cooked perfectly. I got the special which was a crusted swordfish with asparagus risotto and it was, hands down, the best swordfish I have ever eaten. It was crusted so lightly and the swordfish was cooked to perfection. The portion was so big that I took half home. We don’t usually order dessert but when the server said “pistachio gelato” they reeled me in. My husband got bomboloni and couldn’t stop making all the faces and sounds…it was to die for. Before we finished the owner was making rounds at the tables thanking everyone and making sure we enjoyed our meals. I would give Il Ponte a 20/10 rating. We will absolutely be back again. If you get the opportunity….do not sleep on Il Ponte.“

“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!“

“Marybeth was the sweetest!! Went in to use my birthday meal before it expired and she went above and beyond to make it still feel so special weeks later!! It was our first time at this location and we are definitely coming back. Loved loved loved the lavender blueberry cosmo, brussel sprouts, chicken parm & citrus honey torta!!“

“We had dinner here for two on a Saturday evening. The vibes inside are warm and lovely. The staff were all very pleasant and our waiter was very knowledgable on the menu.

We got a couple of the pastas for entrees that were good, but weren't too impressive. The real standout for us was the mussels toast appetizer. The flavors were well balanced and complex. Overall a great dining experience.“

“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.“

“One of my favorite restaurants in the area for a night out with friends, especially when we are meeting partway between Boston and western suburbs. The food is really delicious, the drinks are great, and the service is attentive. It can get a little loud, but you can definitely still have a conversation. Don’t miss the focaccia and ricotta, but the pizza and pasta are also always outstanding. So are the salads. This place is just really solid.“

“DELICIOUS food & wine, good service“

“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.“

“The delivery is always speedy and the steak tips NEVER disappoint. So good🤤🤤🤤“

“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!“

“Molto bene! The decor was bright & cheerful, with yellows and whites. The owner’s daughter was friendly, fun, upbeat and managed a very busy & very loud restaurant with grace and patience. She was our server. The food was exceptional. I got meatballs (homemade) and spaghetti. I’m a homemade meatball chef at home and these were delicious! My husband’s braised beef and mashed was delicious, too. Looking forward to coming again!“

“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! :)“

“Spiga is our absolute favorite restaurant!! We've come a dozen times and it is always the best meal! This particular time, I made a reservation for Father's Day but I accidentally booked it for a week prior - the manager was so incredible and could hear the desperation in my voice, so squeezed us in and made it work by his own kindness, even though the restaurant was fully booked. Our waiter was amazing - the service was incredible from beginning to end and our meal was absolutely delicious and so freshly homemade as always! We cannot wait to come back, thank you Spiga!!“

“The woman who waited on me and my family was incredibly kind. We have a wheelchair bound daughter and I just hope the know how come the made us feel plus the food was amazing. Save room for a cappuccino and tiramisu!“

“Great atmosphere. Excellent service. Delicious tiramisu & raspberry cheesecake. Very tasty watermelon strawberry sangria. & the absolute BEST chicken limone with fresh pasta!“

“We’ve been trying to book for dinner a few Saturdays now but always the place was booked, finally we booked few weeks in advance and made it.
The atmosphere and interior is amazing, white/gold tones with chandeliers and floral decor.
The service was amazing, our helper was Alejandro, he didn’t rush us at all and was very attentive and on top of things.
The cocktails and appetizers were awesome and the food was delicious.
Overall it was a great experience, Alejandro made it a very pleasant experience.“

“Su buen servicio y la comida es deliciosa.“

“Great place, great staff and amazing food. Their pizza is as good as it gets.. But it’s tough to decide with so many great offerings.“

“Food and service were both spectacular.

Pizza was shared as an appetizer and was extraordinary. Totally fresh ingredients and flawless crust.

Clams and spaghetti was another great choice. Chocked full of clams, light lemon flavor, and great portion size.

Desserts were also top notch

Guillermo proved incredible service from the initial greet and all the way through payment. Fantastic server.“

“Best Italian pasta I ever tried!!!“

“Excellent high end meal in Waltham. The mushroom souffle is a signature dish with great sauce. The Tuscan kale ceasar salad is likely the best kale salad I have ever had. The chicken schnitzel main is a bomb of flavor. Strong, attentive service from the staff.“

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

“Thank you for a nice chicken parm dinner. It was very good and a nice portion. I'll be back!“

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

“One of our favorites! Delicious authentic Italian dishes! Awesome mixed cocktails!“

“One of my favorite local Italian restaurants! Their homemade pasta is delicious. Their service is fast and their portions are gigantic!“

“This was our first visit. The restaurant has plenty of natural light, space and free parking in back. Our meals were delicious and the portions are very generous! I especially enjoyed the peach panzanela salad and chicken marsala. The service was on point. We will be back!“

“excellent friendly service, delicious food, awesome date place.“

“always excellent food and service!“

“It was our first time at Mario’s on Saturday and you all did not disappoint! From the moment we walked in, the place was warm and festive. Christmas music was playing. Our appetizers were so good. The wedding soup was perfect! My husband had the meatballs with pasta and he loved it. The cannoli’s were delicious. Our server, David, was personable and fun. He knew the menu very well. We definitely will be back!“

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

“I lived in Italy and did culinary school there. I've eaten at hundreds of authentic Italian restaurants. No restaurant in USA has really ever scratched the itch of those places like Trattoria Nina. I last ate here 6 years ago and I'm happy to report this place still scratches that itch. It really feels like you've been invited into someones home off the street in Firenze or Bologna and you're eating nonna's cooking.
The music was charming and it's such a great vibe. Excited to come back soon.

ʕ⁠ ⁠ꈍ⁠ᴥ⁠ꈍ⁠ʔ“

“Just ordered some yummy chicken bowl AMAZING! Hands down the best food I’ve had in a while!“

“Excellent food and cocktails! Service was wonderful. The bartender, Bernie, is wonderful! She makes the best Old Fashion I have ever had. It’s a small neighborhood “hole in the wall” vibe. Definitely worth trying.“

“Was there for the first time for Valentine's Day. Food was delicious and our waitress was very attentive. We look forward to returning again soon!“

“Local family owned gem. Great service, Amazing food.“

“I had a great meal at BE Pasta today for lunch, Chef Fernando was very helpful and friendly and the caprese salad with chicken cutlet that he made me was delicious. It's always nice to find a casual place with great service. Thank you Fernando!“

“Absolutely amazing experience! This is a must try for all.“

“The food here is the best. Huge options for even the toughest critic. Also have take home & make options. Prices are really good for the amount & quality of the food. I live near some very expensive Italian restaurants & their menus iare skimpy comoared to the choices at Strombolis. The iwner is always friendly, showing his appreciation to his customers. Like in any restaurants even in top notch sometimes an order is wrong but open your mouth & the owner will make it right. Been coming here for years. Atmosphere is like a pizza joint but dont let it fool you. The atmosphere keeps the prices reasonable“

“Superb restaurant, one of my Top Three Favorites.“

“Just had the most tastiest cheesesteak pizza from here. The dough was superb. Ingredients are definitely fresh! Will go back and try again.“

“My family and I were looking for places to eat before a family friend’s play in Belmont. We decided to stop in and nothing short of amazing! The staff welcomes you when you walk in, super friendly and were very generous. Place was busy which is a good sign and ton of people doing pick up orders. The pizza was very authentic and probably the best I have had in a long time. The hot honey tenders were delicious. I wish we had one close to me, I would be a loyal customer!“

“Good and service is wonderful!!!!“