As someone who loves dining out--and who's Italian and has been fortunate enough to visit Italy many times--this was the meal of the year. I honestly can't think of another restaurant that captures the essence of Northern Italian cuisine at this level. Every single dish we ordered was exceptional. My advice: go family-style so you can share and experience as much of the menu as possible. The tortellini was outstanding, the pasta with the brandy cream sauce was unforgettable, and the short rib was absolutely phenomenal. Not a single dish missed, and there wasn't one thing we wouldn't order again. To top it all off, the chef came over to our table at the end of the meal to say hello--a thoughtful touch that made an already incredible experience even more memorable. I would put this restaurant up against anything I've had in Italy, and without question, it's the best Italian restaurant in the Boston area. The most surprising part? It's in Woburn, not the North End. 10/10. An unforgettable dining experience read more

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Don't believe the hype. The good: Service was very attentive and nice. The bad: everything we ordered needed salt (and there's no shaker on the table). Pasta arrived lukewarm. Short rib with risotto also not hot, and I suspect was microwaved after a service snafu. Social media will lead you to believe that all of the pasta is homemade, but notably only one option - the fettuccini - was marked as homemade on the menu. read more

Had some nice food here the other week. This is a cute place in Woburn Center, and you do feel like you've stepped into Italy. The atmosphere is cozy and intimate, so it's a great place for date night. The Fantastic: 1. Service -- our waiter was amazing, he took great care of us. We wanted for nothing! 2. Tortellini Alla Norcina -- this was delish. It was creamy, a little funky, and the pasta was cooked perfectly. 3. Cacio e Pepe -- also delish. 4. Mussels -- perfectly cooked, big and plump, and the bread to sop up the broth was also yummy. The plates are beautiful, but I think that plating and presentation takes priority over the food sometimes: 1. Bruschetta -- this was supposed to come with a balsamic drizzle, but it was served on a wooden plate and the drizzle was tiny and thin, so there wasn't really any balsamic. The dish could have used it to help cut through the cheese. 2. Bombolone -- dry, there was not a lot of custard in the pastry, and the surrounding sauces were more decorative than helpful. We did not enjoy the mixed drinks, they were all on the sour side and watery. So I would stick with wine or beer, the wine we had was excellent. Overall, we had a really nice time and would return. read more

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I have heard alot about this location and I was lucky enough to make the trip with my wife and son. We were all impressed from the start. Great ambiance with perfect lighting and temperature. The room is set up perfectly with the oven sort of the center piece in the rear of the restaurant. The night I was there, we were full! lots of activity around the entire restaurant. We were met immediately by a waiter, who took our drink order and dropped off some delicious bread with some oil. The calamari and eggplant appetizers were out of this world! For the main dish, we had pizza, a beautiful arugula salad and the honey lavender duck! My wife was thrilled with the arugula. She has mentioned several times since we went how good it was. The pizza was a strong B+. I liked the size for one...6 slices and they were tasty and my son is still talking about the lavender duck! What a surprise! We did not get a dessert....we plan to next visit.....they looked great as they passed our table but we held back! Vibe- awesome Price- fair....very fair Parking- reasonable for Main Street Will we revisit? Of course...to much more to try! Great stop and a fantastic dining experience in Woburn! read more

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The food was good. The homemade lemoncello was delicious. You don't know if I would call it the best, but it's certainly good food. Fresh and well made. This place is very busy and has a nice clean interior. If you do want to go here, I suggest trying to get appointments well in advance. I have no pictures because I dug right into the food and wasn't thinking of doing a review. read more

Just came back from Italy. Cacio e Pepe was on par with Rome. Mushroom fettuccine was great. The eggplant parm was some of the best I have had. And I loved the pizza. Some of the other reviews here don't make sense to me. This place is great. It holds its own to places in the North End and Providence. The interior isn't as fancy as some places. The food however holds its own. read more

Great service and very nice ambiance. Food is excellent! I would definitely return, especially for a special occasion. read more

I love this restaurant and will return. The service was excellent and the food exceptional.

Staff are friendly and attentive. Vibe is classic family Italian dinning. Food is a bit underwhelming. Dishes, like the vibe, is classic Italian fine dining (which I love). But for the price, the food left something to be desired. read more

So yeah I'm way past the generation that uses abbreviations for everything, but let me tell you friends, if you've ever been to Italy, then IYKYK. Nothing in the US has reminded me of eating in Italy. That ended tonight. If you are anywhere near Woburn, don't walk. No no no. Run to this one folks. Exceptional food, outstanding service. All pasta homemade. I'll post pics. Cannot wait to go back when I'm in this area again. Bravo Il Ponte Bravo. read more

IL Ponte - Cannoli and SemiFreddo - Italian Near Me - Woburn, Massachusetts

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A friend and I tried this place for the first time. It's a typical small family-atmosphere restaurant. Quite cozy. The food was standard Italian fare done well. The major problem came at the end of the meal. The waiter, who was very kind, found out this was our first time there and brought us out some limoncello shots on the house. Super nice. My friend noticed, while the waiter was still there, that my shot glass had a significant jagged chip on the rim. The waiter apologized profusely and came right back with a new shot. We took our shots and just as I was about the swallow I felt a large, sharp object in my mouth. I took it out and it was about a 3/4 inch long piece of sharp glass. I was shocked. We called our waiter over, again, he apologized profusely. But then....that was it.... My friend and I both used to wait tables in college and know the industry well. We were pretty shocked. No manager came over to talk to us about what happened. No discount on the bill. Nothing. We both commented that if someone came close to swallowing a chunk of glass, our restaurants would have had the manager come over, apologize and comp the bill. To be clear, they did not need to do that, but it would have been the courteous thing to do after almost maiming a customer. But not even having the manager apologize? Very poor customer service. Would have definitely gone back again, but not after that. read more

Great food, we loved all the apps we got shrimp and octopus. Bread was fantastic. They made sure to accommodate my allergy! Bolognese was great!! Could have used a little more flavor but loved it still and the ambiance. We will definitely be back. read more

I've been twice in the last month, and have every expectation that Il Ponte will become a regular spot for me for years to come. I am not exaggerating when I say that their tortellini is a top three tortellini for me. I could eat it every day until my cardiologist expressly forbids it. The service is also lovely - attentive without being too formal. The ambiance is pleasant - a bit dark, but warm. There's a lovely bar, you can see the pizza oven, and the people watching is great because it's always packed and everyone is having a good time. I am thrilled to have found Il Ponte. read more

I was actually referred to this restaurant by a bartender at the Château in Waltham, which I thought was quite hilarious that a worker at another Italian restaurant would send me to another Italian restaurant But I have to say it didn't disappoint. The food was delicious. The bread short rib was phenomenal. The chicken Parm was especially on point. The only drawback at all was it was a little pricey, especially considering I'm in Woburn and not in the north end I would expect something like that, but the food was definitely on par with what I would expect from a high-end Italian restaurant . I would recommend to everyone. There's plenty of parking nearby as well. The ambience in the whole setting inside gives you a very Rusty northern Italian feel. read more

Food and service is outstanding! Parking, not so much especially if you have physical disabilities:(

Impeccable. Everything here was perfection. The fresh rosemary focaccia started off our meal. Appetizers: Bruschetta ($15) - The creamiest whipped ricotta with honey and pistachios on top of toasted baguette pieces. Eggplant Parmigiana ($17) - I have never had anything like it - the most thinly sliced (probably with a mandolin) eggplant, lightly breaded and fried and delicately stacked like a ratatouille with delicious marinara and melted mozarella. Honey Lavender Duck ($48) - a humongous, perfectly cooked half duck on top of barley and a rich, buttery sauce. I didn't try the pizza but it looked marvelous. Everyone loved everything. Presentation is gorgeous. Romantic, classy interior and polite staff. read more

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Spicy rig was muy delicioso. The service is great and drink are fancy in the best way.

I've been here many times, great food, great staff. Ambience is stellar! They just did a renovation at the back area bar and it came out beautiful! read more

This place is the best restaurant around! Food and drinks are both always amazing, and the service is equally great. Make sure you make a reservation well in advance as it's a tiny little place and gets booked up quick. read more

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My wife and I made a reservation for a Saturday night and upon arrival were seated immediately. To start, we ordered a perfectly cooked octopus antipasti, followed by tortellini alla norcina, and for a secondi the vitello alla petroniana (we were debating between this pasta/secondi combination and the pasta bolognese/swordfish special - will have to come back to get these next time!). I don't typically eat veal, and this cutlet was perfectly balanced - rich, savory, crispy, with a pleasant (but not overwhelming) salty kick from the prosciutto and parmigiano reggiano. We also ordered the spicy broccolini, which I highly recommend for the garlic lovers out there. For dessert we had the dark cherry (amarena?) gelato, which was delicious and creamy, with the perfect amount of sweetness. We shared each dish, and it was certainly plenty of food for the two of us. Prices felt reasonable for the amount and quality of what we ordered (all of the above + 2 drinks from the bar totaled approx. $160 pre-tip). The restaurant space itself is relatively small but has enough space to move around comfortably, which made it cozy without ever getting too loud (it was a pretty full house when we went), with a balanced dim lighting. Additionally, the staff were friendly and knowledgeable, and the server patiently walked us through the menu and shared suggestions at our request. On a personal note I am especially appreciative of the staff, as I accidentally left without my hat, and the restaurant responded almost immediately to the message I sent through the restaurant website that same evening. Tl;dr - great menu, rich & hearty but balanced ingredients/recipes, and comfortable vibe. One really gets the impression that the husband/wife owners had a specific vision that they successfully brought into reality. read more

IL Ponte - Italian Near Me - Woburn, Massachusetts

My wife and I went to Il Ponte for the first time based on several recommendations and it didn't disappoint. We started with the prosciutto and Burrata appetizer and then I had the swordfish over asparagus risotto. I can hands down say this was the best meal that I've ever had at a restaurant. As for the appetizer, the prosciutto and burrata was outstanding. When I say this was the best meal I've ever had I'm referring to my main course which was the swordfish and risotto. The swordfish essentially melts in your mouth. It was perfectly cooked. The risotto was creamy and delicious. It wasn't too rich at all and paired perfectly with the swordfish. We ended the night with the tiramisu which was also very good. I cannot wait to go back as there were about 10 other main courses that I am dying to try. read more

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Avoid If You Have Food Allergies - Severe Safety Hazard & Rushed ServiceDO NOT DINE HERE IF YOU HAVE SEVERE FOOD ALLERGIES. My friends and I had a terrifying, potentially life-threatening experience at Il Ponte on Thursday, July 23. The staff completely ignored a severely communicated nut allergy, rushing our service so fast that it compromised our safety. read more

I have reviewed before so adding. Recent rave - chicken parm and lemon martini made with their house made limoncello. Love the stay - especially fond of Angela at the bar! read more

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Went on July 23. The food was tasteless. Will never return. I had a he veal and it was like shoe leather. So disappointed

The food here is good. Service is excellent very attentive. We went because this place is so hyped up and the first time we went it was just ok. We had the tortellini and the bolognese. The meat in the bolognese wasn't flavored. Large chunks of beef but void of flavor. Nothing bad to say at all but I'd rather go to A Tavola or Lucia and have a higher scale experience for the price. read more

The staff is very knowledgeable of the menu and very helpful in selecting what to order. Our waitress Abby was very sweet. The food is elegant-tasting and made with love. I'm so happy that this restaurant is getting the recognition it rightfully deserves. I highly recommend the braised short rib with saffron risotto and the home truffle fries. Be sure to book in advance as the dining area itself is very small and quaint. read more

Exceptional in every way. Perfectly balanced cocktails with superb house-made limoncello, a braised short rib that was the most flavorful, moist and tender (no knife needed) I can remember, ricotta, honey and pistachio bruschetta, my wife's pappardelle pasta - just naming the dishes lulls me right back to our table and makes me hungry - and I'm writing this at 10:00 in the morning! Service was attentive and informed in a way befitting the care that went into preparing the meal. The "vibe" was more of an experience - for the fleeting time we were there, our table for two was a sweet night out in Florence or Sorrento, where warmth, mastery and authenticity wafted everywhere, naturally. Can't wait to go back. read more

From the moment we walked in the door this place was a wonderful experience. The hostess was gracious and led us immediately to our table. The lights on the table offer the perfect light for menu reading while keeping the setting intimate and cozy. The food was utterly delicious as were the drinks. We had the prosciutto and burrata appetizer which was perfect size for sharing. For dinner we got the shrimp scampi special, Cacio e Pepe, and spicy rigatoni. All of which were amazing, the pasta was so fresh and perfectly cooked. We ordered the tiramisu for dessert which our server kindly adorned with a candle and sang happy birthday for me as we were celebrating my birthday. Parking could definitely be hard on a busy weekend as it is all street parking and the restaurant is on the smaller side so a reservation is a must. We will absolutely be back many times. read more

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Saw Il Ponte many times when eating in Woburn. Decided to go one night as the reviews were great. It did not disappoint. Great food, best Italian I've had in the Woburn area. Small cozy place in Woburn, a bit loud because of people enjoying themselves, which was great. Waiter was lovely (I think his name was Chet). Was a bit hungry, so went with a pizza as an appetizer. Was cooked perfectly and the bread came with garlic confit to dip. Short rib was cooked well and the risotto was perfect. Spicy rigatoni had just the right amount of spice. Ended the night with an affogato, was delicious. Would recommend if you're looking for Italian in the area read more

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Recommend- Yes!! Thanks to other fellow Yelpers for the great reviews on this restaurant. I unfortunately lost photos but I would still like to post about this place and their food . Parking: parking is a bit difficult. There didn't seem to be much parking other than on the streets. There was one parking lot but it was limited on space. Food: The food was delicious and reasonably priced. We had the Tortellini alla Norcina and the Furio pizza. The portions were more than enough (we had leftovers). The tortellini was so creamy and savory, the pork meat was in small pieces so you got some in each bite. The pizza had small grape tomatoes, basil, and some sort of spice, everything together made for a very light but filling flavor in pizza. Service: Great! Although we walked in with no reservation, the host let us know he would be able to sit us but would need the table at a specific time. I appreciated the feedback and honesty and yet was able to accommodate us. It worked out for both parties as we had to get somewhere at a specific time too! . The waiter was very helpful once we were seated. We got our food quickly and the waiter checked in on us during our visit. We got our check as soon as we asked for it. Ambiance: The place was lovely inside. It was softly lit, small place, and clean. It gave me a very intimate vibe. I can see this being a romantic date night place. I don't see big parties/crowds being able to fit here. Again, Apologies for not having pictures but I do recommend the food. read more

Very good meal with very taste mussels pasta appetizer. We all enjoyed our meals but we missed the portions or a bit larger given their price and quality. We are willing to try this restaurant again and hope they offer more garlic with their bread. read more

Find dining or casual! Italian social vibe. Try their whole menu. It's worth it. Wine pairing is fun but pricey. One of the top Italian restaurants in Boston region. read more

Very SAD to say that when we tried to make a reservation for 10 persons, all Woburn residents, we were denied by the owner. Could only accommodate 8 persons. We all were definitely looking forward to having a great meal, but we were shut out. TRUE story, shame on the owner. We will go where we are welcome, not at IL Ponte for sure -- read more

Been there a few times, food and service were both good. Can make a reservation for 2 or 4 but not for 3? Talk about a money grab.

We started with the burrata, I had the ahi tuna and ended with cannolis. The burrata and tuna were delicious, better than I anticipated. Cannolis were yummy too but didn't blow away my tastebuds like the app and entree. I had a lovely ginger beer/mule mocktail as well. Cannot wait to return! Lots of ppl were getting pizza so I'd like to try that. The vibe is cozy and the place is small so definitely make reservations. Oh and the bread is served with garlic olive oil read more

IL Ponte - Ahi tuna perfection! - Italian Near Me - Woburn, Massachusetts

I met a friend on Tuesday, 12/15 and sat at the bar. It was a terrific experience all around. Our bartender, Ang, was so pleasant and made sure we always had everything we needed. It's small, but not so much that the tables are crammed into each other. Guests have plenty of room to move/eat. Warm French loaf and homemade focaccia with an evoo (the good stuff) garlic for dipping was delicious. The margherita pizza we had was probably amongst the best I've had and it was cooked perfectly. I can't wait to go back and have an entree!! Five stars!!! read more

I'm a Yelp Elite Reviewer and I don't just give out 5 star ratings But.... I'm Not sure how anyone could give anything other than 5 Stars for this gem of a restaurant. We had our grandsons Birthday dinner here and it couldn't have been any better. Staff was the best our waiter Jeff & servers had their A game on. Our cocktails were made just the way we ordered & the house drink specials were very good I was told. The menu has a nice selection of Italian specialties that should fit most everyone's desire. Then add on the house nightly specials and you find yourself wanting to try multiple dishes (lucky our table of 7 each selected a different dish so we could share a taste) The appetizers were so good & beautiful presentation (calamari, burrata, eggplant & carpaccio each get *****). Let's move on to the fabulous short rib, Beef Tagliata, chicken parm for the Birthday boy, shrimp scampi, Tortellini Alla Norcina, Spaghetti Cacio E Pepe and I had hands down the best swordfish I've ever eaten. I can't even begin to describe this magnificent dish. The homemade deserts were excellent to top off this wonderful meal experience. This is a must try restaurant tucked into Woburn Center. Reservations a must Again this is a gem of a dining experience ***** read more

Had a team dinner there with about 10 people. They squeezed us in day of which was a great accommodation. Their service was nice and quick. The ambiance was giving cute little Italian place. The food was amazing. They can use any pasta for the style of sauce they offer from the menu. I also add shrimp to my order which made it nice and filling! The tiramisu was killing! I love a good tiramisu that has hints of chocolate through out it. read more

IL Ponte - Garganelli Alla Campagnola - Italian Near Me - Woburn, Massachusetts

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Great restaurant chef and staff ! Also great food Always look forward to the next visit read more

My boyfriend and I were actually headed to a different restaurant in Woburn center, saw an open table, and decided to give it a try- I'm so happy we did! The restaurant itself was small and cozy with a good-sized bar, and we snagged a table right in the middle. Food is delicious- the burrata, Caesar salad, short ribs, and the semifreddo are definitely standouts. Cocktails were also delicious, including the limoncello martini and the boulevardier. The service was outstanding- we both remarked how helpful and friendly our waitress was! An absolute must- try in the area! read more

IL Ponte - Limoncello martini and Boulevardier - Italian Near Me - Woburn, Massachusetts