Last Updated on May 23, 2026 by Brian Kachejian
If you’re on vacation for the holidays, have you thought about traveling to Boston? It doesn’t matter which holiday you begin your travels with because each holiday brings something special to the City of Boston. You can see the fireworks light up the city skyline, with the buildings in the background, or you can travel during Thanksgiving and watch the trees change color to signal fall. Christmas is also a popular time to travel, so you can go ice skating on the Frog Pond on the Boston Common. You will need to stop and eat on whichever holiday you travel. Below are the Best Italian restaurants in Boston, most recommended by travelers like you.
# 10 – Mario’s Restaurant
Mario’s restaurant is a casual environment where you can attend lunch or dinner while you’re out and about. The brick walls create a slightly classy atmosphere as well. The checkered tablecloths and the red chairs match the restaurant’s color combination. The employees offer great customer service, and the customers love the food. They also offer vegetarian and gluten-free options for customers who are on strict diets.
While you wait for your food, you can have your waiter or waitress put in one of their delicious appetizers for you to munch on. One of their appetizers is the gamberi. This dish features shrimp grilled on both sides, served with grilled asparagus. Once the shrimp has been grilled, it’s tossed in balsamic glaze for extra flavor. There are several more dishes to choose from, such as the ravioli aragosta. The ravioli is stuffed with lobster and cooked in a vodka tomato sauce.
Address: 347 Chelsea St, Boston, MA 02128
Website: www.marioseastboston.com
# 9 – Mamma Maria
If you’re traveling, you may be using a navigation system to locate this restaurant. When you arrive, you will notice that this restaurant is located in the middle of other restaurants and shopping areas. There is a patio where you can bring your food if you choose to eat outside. When you walk into the restaurant, you will notice something unique about it. It’s a two-story restaurant. There are a few private dining areas to choose from when you call ahead to reserve. You can choose the Rossini, Piccolo, Verde, or the Terrace rooms. The neutral colors and white curtains create an elegant dining environment.
If you’re looking for a mix of seafood and Italian food, you’re in the right place. The lobster agnolotti pasta is a great dish. The lobster comes from Maine, and it is chopped up so it’s mixed in with the pasta. The pasta is Venetian-style, and it has three different colors. This dish is served with wild mushrooms, grilled asparagus, and crumbled guanciale. Another great dish that is a must-try is the summertime ravioli. The ravioli is made with sweet corn and stuffed with homemade spinach filling. It’s topped with mushrooms and peppers to add a colorful mix to your plate. It’s served with beans and arugula sautéed in a pan. Fresh sage is sprinkled over the dish as an added flavor.
Address: 3 North Square, Boston, MA 02113
Website: www.mammamaria.com
# 8 – SRV Restaurant
If you’re doing some sightseeing at the Museum of Fine Arts, stop by this restaurant on your way back to your hotel. It’s only about half a mile away from the museum. This restaurant is large and has a mixture of casual and classy. You will notice the bar on the right side of the restaurant when you walk in, and it’s large, with plenty of seating for customers to enjoy a glass of wine. One of the most popular wine choices is Montefalco Sagrantino, a red wine. After dark, the brick walls light up, creating an elegant vibe. Many customers choose to eat outside on their patio to enjoy some fresh air.
If you’re in the mood for something a little healthier, you should try their arugula salad. The arugula salad is topped with fresh oysters and chives. It’s served with a side of some Italian bread called focaccia. The lobster risotto is another good choice. Risotto is similar to rice, except it’s creamier. You will see some tomatoes and lobster on top of the risotto, and it’s seasoned with tarragon and chili powder for an extra kick of spice.
Address: 569 Columbus Ave, Boston, MA 02118
Website: www.srvboston.com
# 7 – Galleria Umberto
This restaurant is a casual restaurant, and the first thing that will catch your eye is the large map of Italy on the walls. You can point out landmarks, and if you have ever traveled to Italy, you may be familiar with a few details on the map. Over the dining area, you will notice a large flower pot hanging from the ceiling, which conveys a positive and welcoming atmosphere. On the wall, you will notice their menu, so you can take a look at it before you sit down at your table. There’s also a counter of fresh, hot bread that’s near the cash register. One thing you should be aware of before dining at this restaurant is that they only accept cash.
Their pizza is freshly made and cut into squares. The most popular kind is cheese pizza, since it’s usually a family favorite. Their calzones are also delicious, and there are a few different ones to choose from. The most popular one is the spinach-and-cheese calzone. When you take a bite, you will be hooked. Both of these entrees have Italian seasonings to enhance their flavor profiles.
Address: 289 Hanover St, Boston, MA 02113
# 6 – Carmelina’s
The brick walls inside this restaurant create a calming and elegant environment. As you sit down, you can gaze at the pictures on the walls while you wait for your food. It’s a great conversation starter for the wait staff. Ask them who those people are and whether they are the ones who started the restaurant. If the restaurant is too crowded, you may want to relax on the outdoor patio. The patio is close to the parking lot, but that shouldn’t worry you if you have your kids with you, since it’s fenced in. Their patio is a pleasant extension of the restaurant, designed for customers to enjoy a relaxing meal on a nice day.
If you love spicy foods, you should try the spicy shrimp at this restaurant. The shrimp is marinated in a spicy tomato-and-vodka sauce. The shrimp is mixed into the spaghetti and topped with basil and capers for the finishing touch. If you’re a vegetarian, this restaurant also has a vegetarian section on its menu. The Aglio Olio is a popular dish for vegetarian customers. The spaghetti is cooked in garlic and oil once the water from the pot has been drained. There are also some tomatoes covering the spaghetti.
Address: 307 Hanover St, Boston, MA 02113
Website: www.carmelinasboston.com
# 5 – Sorellina
This restaurant is not your typical Italian restaurant, and that’s a good thing. The light colors and the beige pillars promote an elegant environment. The chairs and booths are comfortable, and the tables are already laid out for you. They have white tablecloths, silverware, and wine glasses. After dark, you’ll notice a change in the atmosphere. The lights are dimmed, and there are candles at each table. New customers like to admire the restaurant and how beautiful it looks before they sit down for the wait staff to take their order.
This restaurant is only open for dinner, and there are several options. One popular choice is halibut. Their halibut is seasoned with thyme brodo, and it’s served with mushrooms and corn. Another popular dish is everyone’s favorite: chicken. You will be served two types of chicken: game hen and leg confit. With the chicken, you will have a summer vegetable medley and mashed potatoes.
Address: 1 Huntington Ave, Boston, MA 02116
Website: www.sorellinaboston.com
# 4 – Rino’s Place
The restaurant is designed uniquely. You will notice that the restaurant has a comforting atmosphere. It almost makes you feel like you’re eating in a cabin. When you eat outside on their patio, you get a comfortable experience. Many customers dine here every day, and they love how the staff makes them feel welcome, as if they have known them forever. The customers can’t stop talking about how great the food is. If you’re passing through this area, you should take your family here.
One of the best Italian dishes in this restaurant is the gnocchi. If you’ve never had gnocchi or you don’t know what it is, it is made from potatoes. These homemade dumplings are sauteed in a pan and cooked with tomato sauce. Fresh mozzarella is sprinkled over the gnocchi. Once it is cooked, the dish will go in the oven long enough for the mozzarella cheese to melt over it. If you’re looking for something simple, you should try the ravioli. The ravioli is stuffed with homemade cheese. It’s cooked in tomato sauce before it is placed on your plate and brought to you.
Address: 258 Saratoga St, Boston, MA 02128
Website: www.rinosplace.com
# 3 – La Summa Cucina Italiana
If you arrive after dark, you may see a string of Christmas lights on the front of the restaurant, brightening the place a little and helping it stand out from other dining establishments in the area. If you’re planning to dine at lunch or early lunch, you will be greeted by potted plants on the restaurant’s windowsill. This restaurant has special seating arrangements for large groups or an event. The restaurant has a casual atmosphere during the day and an elegant atmosphere when the sun goes down. Before dinner service, the staff will prepare the tables and place a candle on each for an intimate experience.
Baked manicotti may be an Italian dish you’ve never tried before. Since you’re on vacation, why not? In the manicotti, you will taste the spinach and ricotta cheese rolled up into two pasta crepes. It’s covered in a marinara sauce before it is placed in the oven. Baked ziti is another popular choice. Chicken and broccoli are chopped and mixed with the ziti pasta, and you can choose whether you want scampi or Alfredo sauce poured on top before it is placed in the oven.
Address: 30 Fleet St, Boston, MA 02113
Website: www.lasumma.com
# 2 – Davio’s Northern Italian Steakhouse
The high ceilings in this restaurant suggest you will be dining in elegance, almost as if you are eating in a ballroom. It’s recommended that you call ahead to make a reservation because you will want the best seat in the house at the chef’s table. You can watch the chefs cook while you’re enjoying your meal. It’s almost like you’re dining with entertainment because you can see how the chefs communicate with each other and how they prepare your food. This restaurant also has a large bar with seating for people to enjoy food or a glass of wine. One of their popular wine choices is Chardonnay, a white wine.
One of the dinner options is the cold tower. The cold tower is a mix of your favorite seafood options. You will find lobster imported from Maine, crab, shrimp, oysters, clams, tuna, and salmon. If you have plans from late afternoon through the evening, stop by for a quick bite during lunch. Their paninis are amazing. Everyone loves turkey. You can order their turkey club with roasted turkey and bacon in the panini. Also in the panini are tomatoes and aioli with a side of fresh bread.
Address: 75 Arlington St, Boston, MA 02116
Website: www.davios.com/bos
# 1 – Prezza
Closing out our Boston article is a fabulous restaurant called Prezza. This restaurant is on the same street as the previous one mentioned, and it’s also one of the best dining options. For an intimate evening, you will dine by candlelight, adding an elegant touch to every customer who walks through the door. Like many of the other restaurants mentioned, this establishment has private dining areas, too. Whether you have a large family or are celebrating, you will feel like your party is the only one that matters. The customer service in this restaurant is excellent, and the food is just as good.
Seafood and lobster make a great comparison. The Lobster Fra Diavolo is an excellent choice if you love seafood and pasta. The lobster is mixed in with the spaghetti. The sauce is made out of lobster stock and tomatoes. It’s topped with fennel. If you are in the mood for a good piece of meat, try the 8 oz filet. The filet is put on the grill. While the onions are being grilled, the chef will glaze them with balsamic. The meat and onions are also served with potatoes to complete the dish.
Address: 24 Fleet St, Boston, MA 02113
Boston’s Italian restaurant scene reflects the city itself, traditional in some places, modern in others, and filled with neighborhoods where food still feels deeply connected to family and history. Whether you are looking for elegant fine dining, old school pasta houses, seafood-driven Italian cooking, or casual pizza spots packed with locals, Boston delivers an impressive range of Italian restaurants throughout the city. What stands out most is how many of these restaurants continue to balance comfort-food classics with fresh ingredients and polished presentation. For travelers visiting Boston during the holidays or any other season of the year, these restaurants offer some of the city’s most memorable dining experiences.
Boston’s food scene stretches far beyond Italian restaurants. If you are planning more dining stops around the city, be sure to also explore our guides to the Best Seafood Restaurants in Boston and the Best Pizza in Boston.
