Highest-rated Italian restaurants in Boston by diners
Highest-rated Italian restaurants in Boston by diners
Italian food is the most popular cuisine in the world, according to a 2023 study by The Picky Eater that tallied up Instagram tags. It's no wonder why so many people love it. Just thinking about dishes like chicken parmesan and spaghetti and meatballs is enough to get your mouth watering—even though many of these world-famous dishes are actually Italian American creations more so than true Italian fare. Traditional Italian food embraces an assortment of sumptuous recipes that aren't dependent on fried breadcrumbs and red sauce—think frittatas and focaccia, or carpaccio and panna cotta.
Italian immigrants have been weaving their cuisine into the fabric of the American food landscape for generations since they arrived in the United States nearly 150 years ago. And the cuisine, like the culture it hails from, tends to give off warm and fuzzy "family" feels. For many people, the quintessential local Italian American restaurant—complete with its red-and-white checkered tablecloths, pour bottles of olive oil, parmesan cheese shakers, cute little jars of red pepper flakes, and wicker baskets of oven-fresh bread—brings back memories of special life moments, like first dates and milestone birthdays.
Luckily, today you don't need to be in a major metropolis like New York or Los Angeles or an area with a large Italian or Italian American community to score top-notch buon cibo. You can find excellent Italian offerings in almost every city from coast to coast. To celebrate all things mozzarella and marinara, Stacker compiled a list of the highest-rated Italian restaurants in Boston based on diners' reviews on Yelp as of January 2024.
Read on to see if your favorite is among the top-rated or to find a new spot in your neighborhood.
Note: The photos in this article are stock images and do not necessarily depict the specific restaurants listed or the dishes they serve.
#30. Mamma Maria
- Rating: 4.0/5 (861 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 3 North Sq Boston, Massachusetts
- Categories: Italian
- Read more on Yelp
#29. Cini's
- Rating: 4.0/5 (50 reviews)
- Address: 252 Friend St. Boston, Massachusetts
- Categories: Pizza, Italian
- Read more on Yelp
#28. Bar Volpe
- Rating: 4.0/5 (100 reviews)
- Address: 170 West Broadway Boston, Massachusetts
- Categories: Italian, Desserts, Bars
- Read more on Yelp
#27. Tony & Elaine's
- Rating: 4.0/5 (283 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 111 North Washington St. Boston, Massachusetts
- Categories: Italian
- Read more on Yelp
#26. MIDA
- Rating: 4.5/5 (564 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 782 Tremont St. Boston, Massachusetts
- Categories: Italian, Wine Bars, Noodles
- Read more on Yelp
#25. Forcella
- Rating: 4.5/5 (88 reviews)
- Address: 33 North Sq Boston, Massachusetts
- Categories: Italian
- Read more on Yelp
#24. Dino's Cafe
- Rating: 4.5/5 (539 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 141 Salem St. Boston, Massachusetts
- Categories: Italian
- Read more on Yelp
#23. Casarecce
- Rating: 4.5/5 (299 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 285 Hanover St. Boston, Massachusetts
- Categories: Italian, Seafood, Wine Bars
- Read more on Yelp
#22. Fox And The Knife
- Rating: 4.5/5 (408 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 28 West Broadway Boston, Massachusetts
- Categories: Wine Bars, Italian
- Read more on Yelp
#21. Cafe Quattro
- Rating: 4.5/5 (97 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 817 Harrison Ave. Boston, Massachusetts
- Categories: Pizza, Italian
- Read more on Yelp
#20. Gigi
- Rating: 4.5/5 (81 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 431 Columbus Ave. Boston, Massachusetts
- Categories: Italian, Cocktail Bars
- Read more on Yelp
#19. Al's State Street Cafe
- Rating: 4.5/5 (541 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 114 State St. Boston, Massachusetts
- Categories: Salad, Italian, Chicken Shop
- Read more on Yelp
#18. Luna's Restaurant Italian and Latin Cuisine
- Rating: 4.5/5 (136 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 945 Saratoga St. Boston, Massachusetts
- Categories: Italian, Latin American, Bars
- Read more on Yelp
#17. Monica's Mercato
- Rating: 4.5/5 (639 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 130 Salem St. Boston, Massachusetts
- Categories: Specialty Food, Italian, Pizza
- Read more on Yelp
#16. Mangia Mangia
- Rating: 4.5/5 (57 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 147 Endicott St. Boston, Massachusetts
- Categories: Italian, Burgers
- Read more on Yelp
#15. SRV Boston
- Rating: 4.5/5 (554 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 569 Columbus Ave. Boston, Massachusetts
- Categories: Italian, Wine Bars
- Read more on Yelp
#14. Galleria Umberto
- Rating: 4.5/5 (773 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 289 Hanover St. Boston, Massachusetts
- Categories: Pizza, Italian
- Read more on Yelp
#13. Cafe Amaro
- Rating: 4.5/5 (19 reviews)
- Address: 319 Hanover St. Boston, Massachusetts
- Categories: Italian, Wine Bars, Pizza
- Read more on Yelp
#12. Theo's Cozy Corner
- Rating: 4.5/5 (729 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 162 Salem St. Boston, Massachusetts
- Categories: Breakfast & Brunch, Italian
- Read more on Yelp
#11. Casa Razdora
- Rating: 4.5/5 (351 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 115 Water St. Boston, Massachusetts
- Categories: Italian, Pizza, Wraps
- Read more on Yelp
#10. Mida - East Boston
- Rating: 4.5/5 (25 reviews)
- Address: 65 Lewis St. Boston, Massachusetts
- Categories: Pizza, Italian, Wine Bars
- Read more on Yelp
#9. Carmelina's
- Rating: 4.5/5 (3488 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 307 Hanover St. Boston, Massachusetts
- Categories: Italian
- Read more on Yelp
#8. TreMonte Restaurant & Bar
- Rating: 4.5/5 (158 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 76 Salem St. Boston, Massachusetts
- Categories: Italian, Cocktail Bars, Pizza
- Read more on Yelp
#7. Isabella's
- Rating: 4.5/5 (338 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 2 Prince St. Boston, Massachusetts
- Categories: Italian
- Read more on Yelp
#6. Mario's Restaurant
- Rating: 4.5/5 (215 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 347 Chelsea St. Boston, Massachusetts
- Categories: Italian
- Read more on Yelp
#5. Florina Pizzeria & Paninoteca
- Rating: 4.5/5 (185 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 16 Derne St. Boston, Massachusetts
- Categories: Pizza, Italian, Salad
- Read more on Yelp
#4. Paisani
- Rating: 4.5/5 (5 reviews)
- Address: Boston, Massachusetts
- Categories: Italian, Food Trucks, Sandwiches
- Read more on Yelp
#3. Aqua Pazza
- Rating: 4.5/5 (271 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 135 Richmond St. Boston, Massachusetts
- Categories: Italian, Seafood
- Read more on Yelp
#2. Via Cannuccia
- Rating: 4.5/5 (70 reviews)
- Address: 1739 Dorchester Ave. Boston, Massachusetts
- Categories: Breakfast & Brunch, Italian, Desserts
- Read more on Yelp
#1. Rita's Fresh Pasta
- Rating: 5.0/5 (14 reviews)
- Address: 32 Cambridge St. Boston, Massachusetts
- Categories: Italian
- Read more on Yelp
This story features data reporting by Karim Noorani, writing by Jennifer Huizen, and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 312 metros.
