When you dine with Al Dente, you feel like you belong, like you are family. They have the best servers, and the food is amazing!

Food is delicious, love the small size ambiance. The service is always great. Our go to spot in the north end.

So if you're a New Yorker and they say "go here for good traditional mom and pop Italian food" you have high expectations, so we set the bar somewhat high. The food was good - notably the bruschetta and homemade fusilli pasta. But honestly, it's so cramped (tables one on top of the other) and LOUD as hell, so in order to overcome those aspects, the food needs to be outstanding, which honestly, it's not. Service was good Would try somewhere different in the North End next time. read more

Showed up early for lunch on a weekday. We were about 15 minutes early, before they opened so the young lady sitting next to the door instructed us to come back when they opened. So, we did. We were the only ones there while we ate our lunch. Anyway, the server taking care of us was friendly, informative, personable and professional. The food was a good read more

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Had a reservation on the Friday after Christmas, might not have been necessary. I'm unsure if it was the holiday or cold temps that kept people at home. Space is limited so I'd recommend on a typical weekend/weeknight. Service was very good, they were quick and friendly, everything we ordered was fresh and servings were generous. Bread was served at the table, followed a Caesar for one (split), side of meatball, followed by the main entree which the seafood saffron risotto along with a side of eggplant rollatini. Delicious! Salad was fresh, meatballs were tender, seafood was cooked to perfection and the eggplant rollatini was probably my favorite (forgot a photo). read more

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My wife and I stopped in here after walking around the North End. I will say that it isn't the most inviting place from the outside but the reviews seemed solid so we went in. So glad we did, the food, which was what we were focused on, was delicious. We split a house salad and the dressing was notably good. Then we had the eggplant with chicken and my wife had it with veal. I'm a bit of a sauce snob. This sauce was right up my alley. Light, not acidic, with a touch of spice - so mild you don't notice it unless you're like me. I could have just eaten the sauce. Portions for lunch are hefty and the pasta was cooked okay, not overcooked, but I like mine a little bit more al dente (no pun intended). We will go back. read more

Nice spot in the north end. There are fancier places but this place tastes good and is warm and friendly. Our group enjoyed it. Large portions Started with large House Salad - Spring mix of baby greens, tomato and onio We had these dishes. Amatriciana - A mixture of pancetta (Italian bacon), onion, pecorino romano cheese, red wine and tomato sauce. Another had the seasonal Pumpkin Ravioli - Finished with a butter sage sauce, honey, brown sugar and sprinkled Romano Cheese And the Chicken Milanese - Boneless breast tender lightly dipped in egg batter, pan-fried and sautéed in white wine lemon butter sauce. The egg batter was very good and very, very fluffy. Chicken was very tender. It was over fettuccine but you can pick whatever kind of pasta you want. Fettuccine is very hard to twirl so I think next time I wouldn't order the fettuccine and just get spaghetti or something else, but it still tasted good. We all had leftovers. I ate my chicken dish over two lunches. read more

Al Dente Restaurant - Chicken Milanese over fettuccini - Italian Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

Wow! Staff was friendly, and the ambiance was cute and quaint! As we walked to Al dente, I noticed a few restaurants around it were open but weren't busy, complete opposite of Al dente... that told me we picked a good one! We ordered calamari to start... that was delicious, the tentacles weren't chewy and had a good amount of breading/ coating on them! we ordered the lobster ravioli, veal saltimbocca, vodka penne pasta and Alfredo. All of the dishes were huge and delicious (I would tackle this as family style or split it with someone next time). I would easily come back! read more

Al Dente Restaurant - Italian Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

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Service very welcoming. Ambiance makes you feel like you're in Italy! Food was very tasty and large portion sizes. I got the bolognese with angel hair pasta. Was very good. If you're looking for parking the area is a bit tight but there is a parking garage near by where you can park and walk it's a short 3 minute walk. read more

Al Dente Restaurant - Italian Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

4.5 stars - outstanding. Obviously you have dozens of choices in the North End, but this one really was excellent. The menu is pretty similar to other places up and down the street but the staff was super friendly and very accommodating, and they took great care of us. I have two very minor complaints that result in losing that last half star - the bread could have been a focaccia or ciabatta instead of a white loaf, and the cocktail and beer list wasn't huge, so just focus on the wine instead. But if that sounds like nitpicking, it's because it was - the food was superb and our waitress Annette brought me small tastes of the two wines I was considering, and then she even topped us off without charging us for a second drink later in the evening. My frutti di mare was among the very best I've had anywhere, and I've had it damn near everywhere. Get the fresh pasta on whatever dish you order, it's worth it. Stellar place, very much recommended. read more

Al Dente is a family owned Italian restaurant in the North End of Boston. This restaurant was recommended to us by a few people that visited, so my friends and I decided to try it. We went during a snow storm, so the restaurant was pretty empty. The service was quick and the staff were super attentive. The ambiance inside is cozy and dimly lit. It made for a good date spot or after work dinner. The menu has a wide variety of pastas that can be ordered handmade. The food was high quality, but definitely expensive. We started by sharing a bottle of wine, which they let us try before pouring full glasses. The red complemented the dishes we ordered well. For one of our entrees, we got the pumpkin ravioli, which was seasoned nicely and paired great with the butter sage sauce on top. We also got the spinach crepes which were unique. I liked the flavor of the sauce paired with the crepes, the crunch of the almonds on top, and the cheese filling inside the crepes. My favorite dish, however, was the pesto with gnocchi. It was fresh and flavorful. Overall, the food was decent, but the portions were small for the price. It is high end dining though, so to be expected. Would recommend this place for a nice work dinner or high quality pasta while in the North End. It's also walkable to all the popular cannoli shops (Mike's, Bova's and Modern) in the area. read more

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I cannot express how much I recommend you stop here for lunch or dinner! From the cozy ambiance, the excellent hospitality, the personable sweetheart of a waitress, the price to portion ratio and finally to the FOOD. I have never had a better experience in the North End! We arrived with a party of 8. Our waitress, Annette I believe, welcomed us and was entirely unfazed by some of our louder party members. She was the definition of welcoming and intuitive! The food, oh my god. We got a variety of dishes from gnocchi to the tenderloin to an Al fresco dish. I personally ordered the shrimp and calamari fra diavolo and it was simply incredible! The freshest calamari I have ever had, the flavors were a delight on the tongue, and it paired so well with the Malbec I had also ordered. After dinner our waitress brought us house made limoncello shots? Just because?? The level of hospitality is unmatched and you can bet that the local members of our party will happily return as soon as we can. I highly recommend this place, please consider a visit! read more

Al Dente Restaurant - Shrimp & Calamari Fra Diavalo - Italian Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

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Recently came back and had a great meal. Had a Friday night reservation and was seated right away. The drinks and food came out so quickly. Would still highly recommend the lobster ravioli! read more

Al Dente Restaurant - Italian Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

Everything on the menu is amazing. Pasta, chicken, veal and seafood dishes are amazing. Highly recommend the Al Dente Tenderloin special! Service is great! Authentic food and people. Terrific ambiance. read more

Amazing food- veal parm, chicken parm, seafood dishes. Smaller place, but not crowded. Friendly service. Prices not too bad

Absolutely excellent. Entrees included lobster ravioli, veal osso buco and linguine bolognese. Large portions.

The North End is always such a stunner for Italian food! Came here with friends and family a few times - ordered eggplant parm, chicken parm, pesto pasta, calamari, etc - all has been great! Only tip -- get a reservation, but try not to go too early in the day. I found that when I swung by during lunch instead of dinner, the tomato sauce was a bit on the thinner/waterier side. Dinner's tomato sauce was thicker and extra flavorful - might take some time for the sauce to reduce!! read more

Al Dente Restaurant - Italian Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

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Cute! Just as delicious if not more than other restaurants around the area. Not as fancy or special feeling as other restaurants, but felt more authentic Italian. read more

This restaurant is listed as having happy hour special or early bird specials. I retained photos to post. Two lady servers were seated. The one who greeted me at the door, to whom I asked if they had specials, was polite. The seated ladies were rude and harshly told me they didn't offer specials as if I were asking for a handout. read more

Al Dente Restaurant - Posted search bar and result for happy hour specials. Four other listed restaurants do have meals specials at 4pm. - Italian Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

I was in town looking for a cosy (not white table cloths), family Italian restaurant and this hit the nail on the head. I had the eggplant parmesan at the recommendation of our server and it was out of this world flavorful. Best part was that all of our portions were giant--enough for leftovers the next day! read more

Al Dente Restaurant - Eggplant parmesan - Italian Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

This is a small cute Italian restaurant! We got the grilled calamari and it was super fresh and delicious! I got the lobster ravioli and my dad got the veal Valdostana, which we both really liked! The food came out fast and the portions were large. Waiter was nice and attentive. This was an authentic Italian restaurant! read more

Al Dente Restaurant - Lobster Ravioli - Italian Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

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This was such a great find. My husband and I were visiting from out of town and I was looking for a place that made homemade pasta. We were able to make a reservation and I knew it was going to be good when we walked in and you could smell the aromas of the food. We ordered the lobster ravioli appetizer for starter. It was so good I was using my spoon to get the extra sauce. I got the shrimp scampi and my husband got the chicken piccata. The scampi was made with homemade noodles and a light lemon sauce. It was amazing. By far the best part of the experience was when our waitress asked if we wanted cheese on our pasta. Of course we want cheese! She comes back to hand grate the cheese and when I tell her I'm good she says you're done when I say you're done . I loved that! She reminded me of the quintessential Italian moms I grew up with on Long Island. Great meal, highly recommend. We were even served limoncello shots for dessert. read more

Absolutely amazing experience! From the moment we walked in, the atmosphere felt warm and cozy. The food was incredible -- fresh ingredients, perfectly cooked pasta, and rich, flavorful sauces that tasted homemade. services were great. I will go back again. read more

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The servers were very nice. It's a cozy restaurants, one of the smaller ones in the north end. The pasta sizes are pretty big and perfect for leftovers. They have gf penne and gnocchi options which is always exciting! read more

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Our go to restaurant in the North End!! Excellent food, service and atmosphere!! Consistently great, never had a bad experience. Great fun and the BEST doorman in all of Boston, our guy Mike!! read more

Don't let the small atmosphere fool ya. This is the real deal Italian food. Scallops and shrimp pasta with lentil soup amazing. read more

Al Dente Restaurant - Shrimp and scallops pasta! Home made btw - Italian Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

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This was a great little spot in the North End, and when I say little, it's definitely cozy which is part of the charm. Our server was very personable and accommodating to our requests and spaced the meal out well between drinks, appetizers, and mains. Tge red sangria was as delicious and wished had ordered a pitcher instead of by the glass. The bread brought out was warm and soft. For starters we got a caprese salad, bruschetta, and pumpkin ravioli. The tomatoes in the salad were sliced thick and had big slices of mozzarella in between with some very tasty balsamic and oil. The bruschetta was piled high with tomatoes as well. I believe there was four or five ravioli with an excellent brown butter sage sauce. For mains our table had two pasta dishes, a risotto dish, and the vegetable medley that is normally an appetizers but our vegetarian at the table ordered as their entree. These were very generous portions but I wouldn't say overly large as we all mostly completed them (like 90-100%). I had the veal saltimbocca on linguine and thought it was quite good, maybe needed a little more salt but that may just be personal preference. I didn't taste the other dishes but there was certainly no complaints from anyone else and the risotto was as noted to be especially cheesy (which was a good thing in the diner's opinion). We didn't order dessert. Overall would highly recommend. read more

Scrumptious! The sautéed calamari--amazing. Make sure to get it spicy. The frutti di mare--red sauce--gluten free pasta, absolutely to die for. Lastly the vodka sauce w scallops and shrimp--amazing read more

Al dente is a cozy but lively restaurant in the north end with very personable servers/staff that makes you feel like you're in Italy! I found the pesto fettuccine was flavorful and delicious but hard to eat much as it was rather heavy and oily - but on the bright side I had lots of leftovers. The menu has lots of different combination options and is averaged price for Italian in the north end. Would go back again and try something new! read more

Al Dente Restaurant - Ravioli (top), pesto fettuccine (bottom) - Italian Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

Nice Mello spot Nice menu with plenty of options... But I order the same as why I visit.... The veal parm with grated parm Go for the veal pearl, fresh pasta Always stop here for the veal They always have fresh French bread , butter No complaints here read more

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Food was outstanding! I had the pumpkin ravioli in brown sugar butter sage sauce! Highly recommend. Joe is a super fun owner/manager. We made reservations a week in advance. So much food! read more

i've never seen a restaurant with better service. we were in line for beneventos and they wouldn't have been able to seat us for around 30 more minutes so the hostess said we may be able to seat you at our other location Al Dente which was very kind and she did not have to do that. i asked if they were still able to make the build your own pizza because we had a friend who was allergic to tomatoes and she said that they'll make it work for us. once we were in al dente's our waitress was wonderful and polite and the food was excellent! thank you so much read more

I still just love this place. Their prices are reasonable, and their food is delicious. Service is pretty fast. Small place with maybe 20 tables, so I like to think they want to get you in and out. Obviously one of many in the north end, but it's the one I keep coming back to. read more

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Solid restaurant in the North End! Some specifics and highlights: - menu is good with many options for pasta - mainly combinations of different sauces and proteins, usually seafood - taste of dishes was quite good - calamari appetizer was tasty with spicy peppers that comes with it - pasta dishes were great with good pasta texture. The shrimp and scallops A la vodka were great, better than the bolognese. I wasn't completely blown away by the flavor and sauces but everything was solid - there is validated parking at a nearby garage which would have been good to know - service wasn't exceptional although the waiters were nice, we had to ask several times for Parmesan cheese, more water, etc, but we did come at a busy evening read more

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Love love love this restaurant, it's food and it's staff! The chicken cacciatore is out if this world!!! We love the eggplant rolatoni, spinach crepe, the eggplant parm and the meatballs. Everything is a comfort classic. It makes me feel like my grandma is in the kitchen making my favorites. The staff makes you feel like you're family and it's such a cozy restaurant. I don't want to go anywhere else in the north end for italian (although I do save room for dessert at Mike's Pastrys) read more

This is one if not the best Italian restaurant I've ever dined in outside Italy. Never disappoints. There are other great Italian restaurants in the North End, of course, but this is my favorite. This time around I had the Artichoke Alla Fritto as an appetizer and the Scallop Puttanesca as the main. Delicious! read more

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I came for dinner and I highly recommend making reservations. The restaurant is fairly small and gets very busy. I had gnocchi al dente which is with gnocchi and tomato sauce and I liked it a lot. The dish was very flavorful. You can add protein to the dish. They serve complimentary bread and butter which was perfect for my saucy dish. Everyone was pleasant to deal with. I would love to come back and try their other dishes. read more

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First thing I'll have to say is that this place is amazing! We were visiting Boston and wasn't sure which Italian restaurant to try out because there was so many to choose from but we picked Al Dente and we're so glad we tried them out. The food was amazing. As we were taking our first bites into the different dishes, all we can say is wow because it was so good. For we'll be stopping by here again next time we're in Boston read more

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We were absolutely starving after a 4 hrs walking tour in windy Boston. I was craving carbonara w/ fresh pasta. I stumbled across this restaurant due to high reviews about carbonara and it didn't disappoint. This one runs on the runny side with the cream. Portions are generous, the service was excellent, very homy feeling. Got a very generous wine pour and complimentary lemoncello shots. Didn't have a reservation but we got lucky and they were able to get us a table for 2 right away. read more

Al Dente Restaurant - Carbonara fresh fusilli - Italian Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

hands down my all time favorite Italian restaurant in the north end. the fusilli pasta with vodka sauce is my #1!!!! it's a cute & small restaurant with a warm vibe. i have had multiple dishes from here, i've been here a hundred times & they are all absolutely delicious. the service is great, my favorite waitress is angela- although i'm not sure she works here anymore. 10/10 place, i have no notes. read more