I had lunch at D'Parma in Winthrop. The eggplant Parmesan was great. I liked D'Parma but prefer Polcari's in Saugus.

LEGAL BYOB AT D'PARMA IN WINTHROP To make a long story short, I'm going to give D'Parma 2 Stars for their food plus 1 star extra for being one of those rare, almost mythical creatures, a LEGAL BYOB in Massachusetts. If you know me, then you know that I appreciate a great wine list. And the very best wine list of all is the one that I have at home! So if a restaurant will let me BYOB my own wine for dinner, then they immediately shoot to the top in my book. The only problem is that BYOB is ILLEGAL in ***most*** of Massachusetts. Grrrr, yes, we are still living in the 19th Century in MA! But wait, why did I say "most?" Well here is where, in typical MA fashion, it gets a bit complicated: 1) Massachusetts law states that BYOB is illegal in any restaurant that has a liquor license. 2) If a restaurant doesn't have a liquor license, then the legality of BYOB depends on the laws of the city or town in which the restaurant operates. 3) But only some towns permit BYOB for restaurants without liquor licenses. To the best of my knowledge, these include: Brookline, Lowell, Needham, Watertown (requires a BYOB license), Wellesley, Winthrop, and Worcester. Arlington and Belmont may also be in this category, but I'm still researching that. If you know of any others, please let me know! 4) However, thanks to a newly passed law in Boston, BYOB is only legal for restaurants without liquor licenses in some but not all Boston neighborhoods, namely: Allston-Brighton, Charlestown, Dorchester, East Boston, Hyde Park, Jamaica Plain, Mattapan, Mission Hill, Roslindale, Roxbury and West Roxbury. Such restaurants must be sit-down with waiter service and 30 or fewer seats, and they must have a BYOB license (which only Seven Star Bistro in Rosindale does as of April 2017). 5) By the way, many restaurants will let you BYOB under the table if you ask them (with or without a corkage fee). However, it is definitely poor form to post about this online since we don't want to get them in trouble for doing us a favor (which occasionally happens, although rarely in my experience). OK, with that background out of the way, you will have noticed that Winthrop is one of those towns that permits legal BYOB. And from perusing Yelp, I was able to find 3 restaurants in Winthrop that do not have liquor licenses and allow BYOB (all Italian). None of which are very well known, so I decided to do some reconnoitering first before I invited my somewhat snobby wine group (don't tell them I said that)... First up was D'Parma, mostly because it was the only one that is open on Mondays. I should also note that their second location in East Boston has a liquor license and is therefore not a BYOB. Inside, D'Parma is a surprisingly attractive, wood paneled, two room space. It was perhaps half-full on a Monday evening, and not terribly loud. Service was prompt and generally friendly. However, as I noted above, I'm only giving them a mediocre 2 stars for their food. Why? I and my two dining companions ordered 3 appetizers to share, and then since we were drinking California cabernets, steaks. D'Parmis is not really "red sauce", but it's not fancy fine Italian dining either. The appetizers were the best part of the meal. They were good sized and generally tasty, but a bit sloppily presented and not actually very exciting. But I would eat them again. Unfortunately, the steaks were a disappointment. 8 oz sirloins (not stated on the menu), 1/2 inch thick. I ordered mine medium rare, but it came out medium to medium-well. Certainly a OK piece of meat, but not steakhouse quality. However, the real sin was the accompanying mushroom risotto, which was a disaster. In fact, I wouldn't call the huge pile of rice with mushrooms and onions a risotto. Short grain rather than risotto rice, and not at all creamy. No detectable Parmigiano flavor. The large slices of portabella mushrooms were in fact the only good part and I did finish those. The worst "risotto" I've ever had. However, despite the average food, this still is a legal BYOB and so gets an extra star from me for that reason alone. Wine glasses were serviceable, but of the typical style found in "red sauce" restaurants, so I would recommend bringing your own if you care about this. We opened and poured our own wines, which we prefer (although no one offered to do it for us). Parking is fairly easy at a city lot located a block further down Shirley St (free after 5PM). Otherwise be careful about parking on the streets without a permit, and do not park in the lot next to the front door of D'Parma or you will be towed. [Update: according to owner's reply below, parking is now permitted next door.] Would I come back? Maybe I'll give them a second shot and try more of their pastas and bring a few more casual bottles of pasta-friendly wine (no more serious cabernets!). But it's not the sort of place I'm going to rush to invite my wine group to drink SQNs! read more

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I will never be going back! This place made my friend cry and made her have breakdown while in the restaurant, the employees yelled at her for it! Our sever was nice but the rest of the people were horrible. When we left the place my friend forgot something so we went back in to get it, they refused to give it back and when my friend needed to get something from it to resolve a issue they went through it and got it for her! THEY WENT THROUGH IT! My family and her family will never go back here! Horrible experience and it's a shame because the food was decent read more

Mediocre food that lacked flavor. The trout was over cooked. I asked for no olives - my dish was loaded with olives. More importantly, the service was TERRIBLE. We sat outside and had to go inside to get the servers. When another server eventually came outside we would ask her to please go get our server. There was little activity outside ... there was no reason our server was too busy for us, plus when I went inside the servers were all sitting around chatting doing nothing. Beyond disappointing ~ awful experience read more

D'Parma prides itself on using fresh, organic ingredients, and while many other Italian restaurants make this claim, the freshness of the meals here really stands out. From the porcini ravioli to the chicken risotto, the meals at D'Parma make one wonder if this is how the food tastes in Italy. Indeed, this is about as far from "Americanized" Italian food as you can get. One note: D'Parma is BYOB, so if you want wine or beer, bring it with you! If the food isn't enough to lure you to D'Parma, consider the atmosphere; the two rooms are dark and cozy, and would not be out of place at a trattoria in the Italian countryside. While the tables are a bit close together (effectively squelching quiet conversation), it is precisely this kind of atmosphere that gives D'Parma a comfortable communal feel. Adding to this is the fact that most people who come here seem to be from the local neighborhood; everyone does seem to know everyone else at D'Parma. Winthrop is not an easy place to get to (something that it has in common with Logan Airport), but the new Ted Williams tunnel has made it a bit less out of the way. Whether you find yourself leaving the airport with hunger pangs or just feel like taking a drive to a forgotten little section of the Boston area, it would definitely be worth your while to head over to D'Parma. Thanks to Nancy K who found this hidden BYOB gem. See my BYOB list for more BYOB establishments. read more

First, this place is adorable. I was a sad depressed mess when I walked in there with a friend and I had no desire to eat anything. It was a Monday and there was a special for Chicken Parm & Ziti, so I ordered that. Bread came out and there's oil on the table and everything you need to make a more than satisfactory dip (shakey cheese, salt & pepper, crushed red pepper), so upon seeing my friend do this I managed a piece of bread. The Chicken Parm came out and it was so well done and easy to eat I ate it all. The chicken was well pounded and lightly breaded, the cheese was just right and the tomato sauce was fresh and robust. This says a LOT given the last few days I've been barely able to keep down a cup of steamed broccoli and even today I can't eat. It's like D'Parma is the one meal I could manage and I think it was because it was good. The salad that came out before was boring and I didn't really touched that, though, and I tasted my friend's Chicken Picatta and I though it was leaving a lot to be desired. Also, it's BYOB, which is pretty cool, given the liquor store just across the street. You could definitely have a good hearty meal with with your own wine and not break the bank. read more

So portions are great. Staff is friendly, didn't have answers so question about some of items on menu. No specials because they ran out yesterday. Funny because I thought specials were daily. Sad because this is supposed to be one of the best places in Winthrop. Now for the food. The steak had no flavor and the outside was burnt. The risotto and absolutely no flavor. What happened to rich and cream risotto? It seem be to leaking in Winthrop. read more

Eat here often. Love this place for take out. Chicken spinach ziti my favorite old standby. They have nice subs to the dparma special chicken and prosciutto. Keep it solid and consistent. The dishes do change slightly depending on who is cooking but they are all close and delicious. read more

It's been a long while since I'd been to D'Parma. They are as a good as I'd remember...maybe slightly better. The BYOB policy is definitely a plus. Between the two of us, we ordered the following: App - Shrimp and Portobello mushroom ravioli (special) Trout Putanesca sauce Eggplant and Chicken parm Seafood Risotto (shared as a side) Though generous portions.... every dish was pretty much wiped clean. Carbolicious overload. All reasonably priced. read more

D'Parma Restaurant - Shrimp & porcini ravioli app, eggplant & chick parm, trout putscana, fruitte de mare risotto - Italian Near Me - Winthrop, Massachusetts

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D'Parma's is a nice find in a town like Winthrop. It's a little out of the way if you don't live in town, but it's worth the trip. No parking lot, but this is Winthrop so you shouldn't have to drive far to find a spot. The restaurant it self consists of two rooms, the front room where the kitchen and the take out counter are, and the back room which is about the same size as the front room, but there is a little more space. Tons of baskets hang from the ceiling, some plants scattered around and it can be quite dark inside at night. D'Parma's is BYOB. There is a small Package (liquor) Store across the street called Thompson's. They are ok for Beer, but their wine list is lacking. Now the best part: The Food. The food is outstanding! The Chicken Saltimbocca is amazing. One of my favorite meals hands down. They also serve it with Veal if you so are inclined. The Stuffed Mushrooms as appetizers should not be missed. Whatever is the sauce they pour over the Mushrooms is mouthwatering, it complements the fresh basel so well. Their salad dressing is made in house and is a nice surprise. Ask for it when you get a salad. D'Parma's is worth the trip, and when the check comes I think you will be mildly surprised at how much food you ate and how good it was, for how little you spent. read more

D'Parma Restaurant - D'Parma's - Italian Near Me - Winthrop, Massachusetts

This quaint restaurant is very good. We have eaten in several times and have also enjoyed our meals. I really their gnocchi. They are BYOB which is pretty cool. Their staff is very friendly and prompt. This visit I ordered takeout. I tried the D'Parma Salad with grilled chicken. Unfortunately the salad was just average and the chicken was very try. I didn't let this sway my rating considering most people aren't going for the salad. The entrees are very good and I would definitely go back. read more

Hung over and craving Italian food my hubs and I went directly to D'parmas. If you're craving carbs this is the place to come. Fresh olive oil with specks of Italian hot seasoning is on the table waiting for your fresh bread to be dipped into. You can also bring your own wine or beer here to this restaurant which is always fun. My Hunny devoured his D'parma special sub in seconds. This sub is amazing for any carnivore lover-- fresh sub roll, crispy chicken cutlet, prosciutto, mozzarella, topped with fresh peppers, basil and olive oil. Go here! And wear your spandex pants because you'll leave fat and happy! read more

D'Parma Restaurant - Salmon special in a tomatoe based vodka sauce. - Italian Near Me - Winthrop, Massachusetts

This is one of my family's favorite restaurants in the area. Always consistent, ALWAYS delicious. Whether it's sitting down in the dining room or ordering takeout, we can't get enough of D'Parma's fantastic food. Whether you want a sandwich, chicken parm or risotto, this is the place to go. So much to choose from you can't go wrong. read more

Definitely one of my favorite Italian spots in the neighborhood. The staff is always friendly and the food is consistently great. The Dparma special is a sub to write home about and every pasta dish I've had is spot on. Great desert selection as well. read more

D'Parma was for many years, a quick & delicious go to for our family since they are right around the corner from our home. Recently however I have to say the pasta is ridiculously over cooked in every dish we order, no reason for that. That's just basic cooking. My daughter literally had to eat it with a spoon, it was that over cooked & falling apart. And the gravy (sauce, marinara...) tasted over cooked. The chicken is beyond chewy, my D'Parma chicken special was so bad I quit halfway through and tossed it. My 11 year old who loved the D'Parma salad, handed it back to me barely eaten and said the chicken cutlet is just "gross". Raise your standards back to what you had before. There are way too many other local places that can do Italian so much better.... read more

A now FORMER favorite. Been regular customers there for years. Ate there last evening. I have been ordering their trout scampi for years. For years they did a great job. Last night's version did not have any scampi flavor. I have no idea what they used to create the sauce, but it was awful. I asked to substitute broccoli rabe for the past and instead a received a huge serving of broccoli in a dark nasty sauce (for $6). The service was slow, even after requesting water, we had to wait fifteen minutes for the server to return to offer us "more" water. It took an unreasonable time for our order to be served. I never received my salad. The server told us that they had a problem in the kitchen. One night can be an exception, but the last time we ate here the trout scampi also was not good. So for now, we are done with this restaurant. read more

Mmmmm. One of my favorite places ever. Right around the corner from my parents home there is a warm and cozy italian restaurant. The specials are always good. anything you u get from the menu is absolutly delicious. staff is great. we've been coming for years and we've never had a bad service. For birthdays they staff gets together and puts a birthday song. Very cute! Desserts are yummy! Recommended for a date night or dinner with the family or girlfriends. MUST GO! read more

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This was most certainly a great find! As someone who's just visiting the area, this is the type of place I look for when picking a place to eat. The food is very fresh and very delicious. The portion sizes were pretty much perfect, and you can even bring your own bottle of wine. There are tons of options on the menu that made ordering very difficult, which is certainly not a bad thing. Even the atmosphere was very cozy with tons of conversation pieces. So why the 4 stars? The seating there felt very confined. The boy seated behind me was having a very vulgar conversation that I could hear perfectly that certainly had a negative impact on my appetite. On the other hand, our server tried to seat us at a table that was practically connected with another couples table. While I have no problem socializing with strangers from time to time, I really would rather avoid sitting with strangers for dinner. Then there was the fact that I felt like our servers were annoyed about us being there. They seemed perfectly friendly with the locals who were there, and quite short with us directly. Other than those few things the place is great and I'd definitely recommend to anyone visiting the area. read more

D'Parma Restaurant - Linguine Frutti d'Mare - Italian Near Me - Winthrop, Massachusetts

During COVID time, the chicken, ziti, broccoli fish was good. The caprese was delicious too. Nice waitstaff too. Closed at 9pm on the early side if you wanted to sit in. -June timeframe. read more

- Good Italian food. Warm bread and oil to start, with baby octopus as an appetizer and carbonara for a main entree. All of my food was delicious, however my boyfriend ordered veal parm which was just ok. You can get better veal parm in the north end to be honest. - BYOB! We did not know this prior to arrival and wish we had. Next time I will be bringing a bottle of wine! - Good atmosphere with good decor, but it is LOUD. I had to speak quite loudly for my boyfriend to hear me. It may have been louder for our table because we were seated right near the cooking area with lots of staff walking back and forth to bring meals out. If you get there earlier and can sit by the windows you will have a better view and possibly not so much noise - Reservations are only for parties of 4+, so get there earlier on a weekend if you are a party of 2 if you want to be sat right away. read more

This is a hidden gem in Winthrop! The food and service are both great! My husband and I went here on our first date and got engaged here as well! Its a beautiful small place, with a cozy feel. I do recommend changing up some menu items, just to give a bit more variety :) read more

Great customer service! I work at the liquor store across the street and they always take great care of us!!! Food is AMAZING read more

D'Parma Restaurant - David at Deparma's makes me the best salads!! - Italian Near Me - Winthrop, Massachusetts

Had high hope for this place, wanted to go out and get an alcoholic beverage and some pasta but wasn't all that impressed, they dont sell any drinks. You can get water but in a plastic cup. If my wife and I knew that it was bring your own drinks we would of but since we're not from the area we had no idea. A 10 year old kid could make a better meal I feel. I think the restaurant was mostly filled with regulars which is cool but they still should put out some good food for having a good rating on Yelp. Overall wasnt impressed but my experience could be the one that wasn't so good. read more

Went to D'Parma because of the good reviews, not worth it. I would have rather went to Olive Garden. We waited 15 min for a waitress to even realize we were there, they brought out bread and we waited another 15 min to order. Raspberry vinaigrette on their salad was awful, tasted like straight vinegar. My husband ordered the Fettuccine Alfredo with broccoli and chicken, the alfredo sauce was like soup. read more

When you read this, you will understand the 1 star. Had reservations tonight, 7 people, birthday dinner, arrived and was seated earlier than planned. Ok, cool. Been here too many times to count, we love the food. The waitresses sweet and helpful. We put in our food order, it was 6pm, We were sitting in front room and noticed the line coming thru the front door to the counter. 630, 645,7p, ni food, Our nice waitress noticed us looking around and came to tell us that it would not be much longer. Now people who have come in after us, ate and left, 730 no food. I get it was a party of 7, but pasta, really? Oh, and my fav go to grilled swordfish over veggies with a side of risotto, Asked to speak to manager, "manager" Stephen came over, none to happy judging by body language, hands on hips, baseball cap, dirty apron. We explained the situation and wondering when to expect our dinner. It was his response to my mother that got D'P the 1 star. He said it was a busy hour and that the "take out line and take out customers come first" Seriously? He was told how long we waited, and then said there was nothing he could do, very curt and rude and walked away, I hope this really wasn't a manager, Poor customer service for sure. 8pm we got our food, 2 orders were wrong, and as for my fav go to (that I always post a beautiful pic of) , was so disappointing, it didn't even resemble swordfish. Thin, burnt, very dry, and the veggies looked like they were swimming in oil that was sitting on a grilltop. And they forgot one side order as well. Plus my sword was cold, literally. Nobody spoke through dinner, it was sad and such a bummer, I wanted to say something but I didn't want to speak to the "manager" again, cuz when I looked he was nowhere to be found, 830 finally we left. I just want to say that even though people go to school for certain training, like chefs, (which one of us at the table was), one shouldn't need to learn human kindness or compassion. You should already have it in you, This was definite lack of professionalism as well. This left the literal bad taste in our mouths. Time to move on and seek a new place. read more

Somehow, this place was completely off of my radar until my recent visit. I absolutely loved everything about D'Parma. Great food, amazing service, terrific value. Not sure what else anyone could be looking for. This will absolutely be my new "go-to" for Italian food in the area; it is one of those places where even on your first visit you are immediately made to feel at home, and treated as a long-time regular customer. I'll be back, many times - and will bring others. read more

On a busy Saturday night we were seated quickly but the service was a bit slow. It took a while for someone to even come and offer water and the complimentary bread and salad. Once we ordered the food came in a timely manner though. I'd say the service is really mediocre here but the food made up for it. Stuffed mushroom appetizer with prosciutto, delicious!! Especially the sauce!! Definitely recommended. Shrimp ravioli, which actually just has jumbo shrimps on the side was really good too! One of the best ravioli dishes I've had and I'm not normally a ravioli fan. I think it's all in the sauce which was very flavorful and the fact that the raviolis were cooked al dente too. Shrimp cooked perfectly as well. Fruti de mare risotto was very tasty as well. A very nicely sized plate filled with seafood and creamy risotto, very comforting dish! The mussels were a bit small but what can you do. If you're looking to avoid the busy, crowded north end or other Boston Italian hot spots, this hidden gem in little Winthrop is worth a try! read more

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Found this by accident while on vacation. Have ordered twice since Monday and will be ordering again tonight. This place has some of the best Italian food you will ever find. Fresh ingredients, great flavors and a very good menu. Their soups are to die for! If you are anywhere near Winthrop, MA please stop in, you certainly won't be disappointed! read more

Great food and it's kind of cool that you can bring your own beer and wine in too. My partner and I have been here twice now ordering completely different things and it all has been delicious. read more

I feel a moral imperative to bring down D'Parma's rating. How mean does that sound? Seriously, I went there a number of years ago and vaguely remember it being pretty good. Now its just poop on a plate. Chrissy is wrong, I had the risotto, gnot the gnocchi. They only way to describe it is undercooked rice in ketchup. Not Heinz either. Crappy ketchup. Maybe even catsup. And the Waitress acted all offended that we didn't like it. BTW, my vote for it not being good for kids is not a reflection of D'Parma's ambiance or formality. It's because no child should be exposed to food like this in their formative years. read more

D'Parma in a word... gross. This is a wonder-bread-on-the-table type of place. The cream sauces tasted fresh... from the can. Actually, everything tasted like it was a reheated TV dinner. But fortunately we had plenty of time to savor it, because it took the waitress forever to notice us in the half-empty place. The main appeal of this place, and Winthrop in general, is BYOB so you can bring a nice wine (or buy one from across the street). So you'd think the waitress would at least know how to work a corkscrew. As she was mangling a cork, at least she was nice enough to just put it down and let me open it. A place to avoid. Head do Alia's down the street. read more

D'Parma - what are you doing to me?? You were my absolute FAVORITE Italian place for miles and miles around (yes, even taking into account the places in the North End - this place was just awesome in their prices and the close proximity to my house, and just being so spot-on!). And yet... upon my last visit I almost left in tears. My ziti arabiata was lacking the signature basil leaves (?? - it's only garnishes are jalapenos and basil leaves! When you take way the basil it completely throws off the flavor of the dish!), and yet - the ziti was also horribly over cooked and MUSHY. :( And... my mother's chicken marsala was so sweet it proved to be inedible. We NEVER send back food. EVER. I've worked in restaurants for YEARS, sending back food is an absolute insult to the chef! And yet... we had to send this dish back. It was inedible! And our otherwise helpful waitress did argue with us about how marsala should taste for a few minutes before taking it back. Maybe it was just an off day? But it just seems like the quality of the meals have plummeted... which makes me unbelievably sad, and it also made me look SO BAD in front of my visiting from overseas mom, after I promised her an amazing Italian meal. I still hold out hope for you D'Parma... I do. But it will be a long time before I convince myself to make a return trip. :( read more

I've been to D'Parma's a few times since I "discovered" Winthrop and each time, it's been excellent. The restaurant space itself is small, so getting a table on a weekend can take a little time, but the staff are friendly. It's a BYOB environment, with a conveniently-located liquor store across the street, but overall it doesn't tend to get rowdy. The first time, some friends and I ordered food for take out. I had the house special risotto with sundried tomatoes in a light vodka sauce. It was excellent. Another time, I ordered a chicken parm meal. The chicken parm was cooked perfectly, sometimes places overcook it and it gets dry around the edges. The last time I was there, about two weeks ago, I ordered a tortellini soup in broth, which was a little salty for me, and a special order of fried chicken ravioli in a goat cheese sauce. The stuffed mushrooms (with pancetta) smothered in a creamy alfredo sauce is amazing, and the mushroom ravioli are good too. read more

Lobster ravioli is highly recommended! This is mom and pop joint. BYOB. Liquor store right around the corner tho. Food is great. Loved their spicy olive oil infused with red pepper. read more

Anytime I'm in the area, I get a D'Parma salad with prosciutto added (thank me later!) or the house risotto. I think I could drink the dressing, it's so good! Haven't tried anything else, but given the authenticity of my two faves, I'm sure it'd be delicious. The staff are always cheerful and accommodating, even when they're swarmed. read more

My family and i went here last night, it was absolutely incredible! Everything is made to order, and the staff are willing to make adjustments to your orders depending on dietary restrictions. Would absolutely recommend and will return next time! read more

In a town with so very little to offer in terms of a sit down, delicious meal, D'Parma in Winthrop is a hidden gem. Well worth a drive in for those in the surrounding towns craving a true North End Italian restaurant without having to battle the authentic North End parking crisis. If you like shellfish, then you'll find perfection in the Dimare Risotto. The shell fish is always cooked just right and as long as you remember to stop off at the local liquor store and grab yourself a bottle of red wine to accompany your meal, ($3 corking fee), your meal couldn't be more perfect. With this in mind, the decor is homey - but can get a bit dark. Hopefully they invest in some table lamps or tea lights. Yet, even with the relative darkness of the restaurant... or the army of baskets hanging all over the ceiling... this place is a hit every time. read more

Still good food and fun place to go! Tonight I got the frutti di mare which was packed full of mussels, exactly what I was hoping. A heaping pile of warm crusty bread was a perfect addition to the cold night (and many jugs..yes jugs of wine). The service was quick and friendly, and there was julienned basil atop the dish (for those of you who claim they didnt have a shred of herb). Prices have gone up a lot, and hopefully they see that they should go back down soemtime, but overall its the same 4 star experience for me. read more

"What was I thinking" I pondered this after leaving this unique place. A week ago I had just enjoyed the best marsala ever at one of their competitors and then i ordered it here and it did not measure up. I mean, don't get me wrong, it was a damn good chicken marsala, just not as good as the competition. The food was excellent, far better than most other Italian places. I needed to try this place out because my friends always recommend. I am glad I did. The dining room resembles a small-scale Rainforest Cafe (Burlington Mall) and the staff is very nice! Highly recommended! read more

Woman with the dark hair in a long ponytail at the take out window is such a condescending, rude person. I've never encountered someone with such an attitude when you're nothing but nice to them...it was unfortunate and spoiled our experience read more