Take this review with a grain of salt....I love this restaurant! Maybe I'm biased. I stop by and eat dinner here once a week on my way home from work. Let's start with the food. The bolognese with tagliatelle is excellent. The pasta is fresh and perfectly cooked every time. The veal, pork, lamb and beef bolognese is simply perfect. It's my go-to entre and sometimes I finish other dishes and order the bolognese to go for future meals. The portion is incredible. A full portion is easily two meals. The Cornish hen is also an excellent dish. The seasoning is flavorful and it's not as hard to eat as many on the bone meals. Other dishes I've tried are equally as creative and delicious. The bread and ricotta with oil and pepper is simple yet necessary and a great start to the meal. The chef usually sends out a small hors d'oeuvre as a nice treat as well. The drinks are strong, flavorful and creative and the presentation is always appealing. The atmosphere is energetic but not loud. The staff are simply amazing. They manage to balance perfectly the mixture of refined professionalism and menu knowledge with down-to-earth personable conversation. I hear often that Tom Brady comes here (though I don't see avocado ice cream on the menu) and even as a Patriots fan it makes no difference to me. This place is worth it for the food, drinks and atmosphere regardless. read more

Went there for Valentine's Day. OK, so the food was very good, can't complain too much although some of the flavor/ingredient combinations might not be to everyones liking. Here are the things that really crimped the experience: Hostess decides to seat us at the front corner which is cold and drafty. I ask for a re-seat and she gives me this look like I told her her cat died. Eye-roll and 'I'll see what I can do' even though we were there earlier and there were other seats available. Dessert: Ordered the Panacotta and it came out looking like cr*p and it didn't unmold well. It was so bad, it should have NEVER left the kitchen. Ask for a replacement. The next one came out better but my fresh raspberries were magically replaced by some ex-frozen raspberry mush. After that, the waitress went from friendly to very standoff-business. Coffee? Unbelievably bitter. Ask for a replacement and I get 'oh, it's a fresh pot but if you want, pls wait for another 'fresh pot'. BS. The coffee was brewed during the Reagan administration or it was kept warm with a flamethrower. Either way, garbage. Sorry, I just think for $90 fixed price, they can do a whole lot better. Shoulda been more like $70ish per head. For $300 for dinner, I walked away feeling dirty and there are too many other choices. read more

Some restaurants are special occasion places. La Morra makes dinner into a special and memorable occasion. The food is scrumptious, the cocktails are superb, and they have a great wine list. One hint: no dinner is complete without the fried sage keaf starter. read more

Wow! The food was excellent!!! Me and my girlfriend ate there through Boston Restaurant week and we had great time! The 4 courses we chose was perfect! It's was really worth to add couple more dollars for each dish and get there unique food. The only down side was the beer... $11 for 250ml draft. I never though beer can be so expensive in a restaurant. I recommend the seafood pasta and the pasta bolognese Enjoy!! read more

I'm usually not too excited about dining out on Valentines Day. It's usually over priced and not very good. La Morra changed all that! The four course $90/pp meal was a total pleasure. For me, the highlight was the second course of risotto with duck confit. Truly spectacular! For my husband it was the perfectly cooked lamb chops. We were left thinking why we don't frequent this special restaurant more often. That will change as of now. Oh, and when you go, ask to sit in Mike's section. He was the perfect balance of friendly, fun, knowledgeable, and professional. Go and enjoy! read more

Have loved this place in past and food is typically delicious. However had horrible experience today. Ordered family style meal online as per instructions (order by 8 on Friday for pick up on Sunday). Got receipt with pickup today. Showed up today and they said this was for next week. No apology and not clear how I was supposed to know this. They said they tried to call but I didn't recognize the number and they didn't leave a message read more

The service makes you feel like you're at a friends place. They get your jacket when you come inside, and they are very attentive in a genuine way. Not in a fake way, like how some people check in you every few seconds to rush you out of places. The waiter we had in the beginning was taking a little long with my drinks, but I didn't even complain. Much to my surprise, at the end, he brought me a free dessert to make up for this (even though we didn't complain about the drink or ask for compensation) When we left to get out jackets, the hostess also apologized for making us wait a while for our cocktail. Things are run really well here, and this is probably the best treatment I've ever gotten at a restaurant. Food tastes home cooked as well The dishes here are very filling so I recommend ordering less than you think you'll have. The portions are pretty big too, and you get a lot for the price. When I came I went with one other friend and we got 3 small plates to start which were really good, a different taste than most Italian restaurants I've been to, not drenched in sauce or oil My Recommendation: come here with ur date ;) they will be treated really well, and you can get a lot of food. I got 2 entrees, two dessert drinks, a glass of wine, a cocktail, a dessert, and 3 small plates for only 75$. read more

La Morra was incredible!!! The food was delicious. We did the prix fixe menu which was basically their whole menu. If you ordered off the prix fixe, you could get half size pastas which would be a great option for someone who didn't want a massive bowl. The bolognese was the best bolognese I've ever had. We also got the scallops, the pomegranate cabbage salad, and apple crisp. They have good gluten free options as well! It was a homey feel inside - the only downside was the location in Brookline made it hard to discover and made doing anything afterwards a bit difficult. If you're looking for a great Italian dinner, La Morra is the place for you! read more

Very cozy location right on route 9 / Boylston in Brookline. There are two levels. The lower level is smaller with a small bar. The upstairs is the larger seating area. The menu has great smaller options to start but order enough. One will not be enough. I like the arrancini, bread with cheese (ricotta), and meatballs. The meatballs don't come with a sauce but still worth trying. For the main course the best thing on the menu by far is the Bolognese. The sauce isn't a traditional red sauce more of a brown sauce. The dish comes with huge chunks of different meats. This dish is a must try! read more

the service we received at la morra was somewhat on the aggressive. the moment i walked through that door i felt unwanted and unwelcomed. my question to la morra is why say that you are open till 9, when you become irritated when people come in at 8:15. we ordered an appetizer, and the appetizer never found its way to our table. and don't get me started on the bread, the bread was extremely cold and the butter had a strange consistency and a weird taste. the steak was good, but it was smothered in sauce, but the "potato lasagna" had an odd taste and fell apart ( ended up not consuming). the brisket polenta was good. the spaghetti limone was good, but a little on the oily side. the doughnuts we got for dessert were nothing special, and the mascarpone cheese lacked flavor and was bland. read more

This is a Quaint and stylish bistro style restaurant. My compliments to the chef as I've been in Italy many times and have had very authentic Italian food, this is no exception and with a lovely modern twist! Their wine list is exceptional and the service was absolutely lovely read more

Went here to celebrate my girlfriend's birthday. Unfortunately, we were disappointed. Restaurant was overpriced and service was poor. The lasagna was not very good either. Really hate to leave this review but feel the need to be honest. Won't be coming back. read more

One of our favorites for years, but hadn't been there through most of pandemic. Ate there tonight and was as delicious as ever.

Is this the hippest restaurant I've ever been too? Certainly not, but they sure serve up some darn good food. After reading some good things about this place, my friend and I decided to check this place out. We went around 8:30pm on a weeknight so we were able to be seated right away. We were pretty hungry, so we decided to split a bunch of dishes: Bread with ricotta (4 stars): The bread was nice ands crispy, and the ricotta was an interesting twist. It was served with a heavy helping of olive oil, so I opted for butter instead--though my friend enjoyed the cheese. Arancini (5 stars): From the moment I tasted this dish on my knife after cutting it, I was hooked. The meat and rest of the components came together nicely and provided a delicious bite. Polpette (4.5 stars): Though this appeared to be another classic meatball dish, the flavors were anything but. The combination of flavors really worked well and made for a great plate. Pickled veggies (3.5 stars): These were good, but nothing out of this world--a good selection of items for the price. Tagliatelle (4.5 stars): We have both had a lot of renditions of bolognese and this dish did not disappoint. The pasta was cooked well--not as perfectly as some other high-end restaurants--but still decent. However, the selling point of the plate was definitely the bolognese sauce which had a ton of delicious flavor and huge chunks of tender meat throughout. Veal (4.5 stars): We both loved the veal. It was cooked perfectly and paired well with the herb crust--I just wish the portion had been a bit larger. The beans were also very good and provided a nice contrast to the veal. We both didn't enjoy the treviso as much as we were hoping, but it definitely held a nice charred flavor from the grill. Almond cake (5 stars): I am obsessed with almonds and this cake was the perfect ending to the meal. Throw in the basil whipped cream and the roasted strawberries, and this was a near-perfect dessert. Overall, though this place does not have all the accolades of other restaurants around Boston, it definitely was impressive. In addition, the service here was top notch and super friendly and the prices were very reasonable. This spot is definitely worth the trip, especially if you are craving traditional Italian food. read more

I'll tell ye what, sumbitch! This place 'bout alRIGHT! In fact, it's plum awesome!!!! woooOOOOooOOOooOOOOoooOOooo!!!! Yeah, I had an extremely good meal here. It seemed like we ate like 3 meals or someshit (seems like that should be a valid word, given how I started this review). Everything was delicious. I had the bolognese, which is made with house-made linguine and the meat is like, pulled-pork-like. It's gwate!!! I also had the Osso Bucco. Dude, it was fucking boss! It was seriously one of the best dishes I've had in a month of Sundees!!! No, that mother fucker was like "hey man, this is really good!" delicious, but actually way better than that explanation! The service was excellent as well. The only QUALM was that they had the AC's running upstairs (i think it was a bit warm and muggy out when we went, like September or so) and they had them on 68 and we told them that we were chilly and one "oh my god, she's sooooooo sweet, but she's not the brightest, but no really she is such a sweetheart!" waitress actually turned it down to 65 when we asked them to ease up on the AC, so it got super cold, but finally the manager (maybe owner?) came up and fixed the shit and apologized and even gave us some kind of octopus whatnot on the house, which was really good as well. La Morra? That's la morra like it! huhuhuhuhuhuhuhuhuhuhuhuhuhuuu!!! ghuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu!!!!!!!!!!!! read more

My car got towed, and I was so rattled but the service, and the food were so good that I almost forgot about it. The chef hooked me up with some free apps too. This place is sick but PLAN AHEAD FOR PARKING read more

Started off great and over time has lost its way... In a way, I have had both the good fortune and the disappointment of dining at La Morra from its opening until relatively recently. Living very close by in Brookline Village, I was delighted the first time I dined at La Morra because it amazed me that such great Italian food could be so close and accessible. Offering both traditional and innovative takes on many of the beautiful small plates, main courses, and desserts that characterize Northern Italian cuisine, La Morra was well received and just overall impressive. I dined happily at La Morra for the next several years. Then something happened... a gradual change from the things that had been right and distinct about the restaurant. Within the last few years, La Morra has changed. It looked the same, the service was still good, but the food was different. Gone were the attention to detail, the innovative menu options, and the desire to distinguish itself from other local fine Italian restaurants. For example, the chicken under-a-brick was tough and dry, smothered with sauce to try and hide the fact that it had been overcooked. The hanger steak which was ordered medium was burned on the outside but red in the center. On another occasion, the pork shank which should have been slow-roasted and tender, was dull and desiccated. Maybe, there was a shake-up in the kitchen at some point? But, something had definitely changed. The restaurant's attitude seems to have changed. On one occasion, I mentioned to the server that the pork shank was dry and rather bland, different than it had been in the past. The manager seemed interested in our feedback and tried to make things better by offering us dessert on the house. However, the next time I dined at La Morra things had not improved. Something had changed and now it seemed to be permanent. It has been about a year since I last dined at La Morra. I don't have the desire to go back there. Partly because I know it could be so much better than it is and I can't stand the disappointment. Partly, because the quality of food no longer justifies the price nor does it deserve my patronage. Am I curious to see if things have improved? Not really. I no longer hear the "buzz" about La Morra that I used to in those early years. My local friends have moved on to other restaurants much like I have. I can't expect restaurants to stay the same. There are too many moving parts. Certain changes can be forgiven (price increases, smaller menus, etc.) But when an attitude at a restaurant changes and affects the very facets that made the place original and distinct, it is... sadly enough... time to move on. read more

There's really no reason to ever go to the North End if you live in Brookline Village, because La Morra is serving up better Italian food right in your backyard. They even have a four-course prix fixe all year round that's delicious, filling, and affordable. No need to wait til Restaurant Week to try it, which I did. The only benefit of going during RW is that you'll get more options to choose from. For me, those options included fried risotto stuffed with braised beef and smoked mozzarella, crunchy fried green tomatoes with spinach and a sweet corn puree, orecchiette in a chili-infused red sauce, fried eggplant with cherry tomato confit and house made mozzarella, a side of fried polenta (yes I ordered everything on the menu that was fried, but I worked out twice that day, ok?!?), and some kind of mini ice cream sandwich for dessert, which proved to be the only misstep of the evening. Every other course elicited oohs and aahs that bordered on the indecent. The restaurant itself is warm and inviting. I particularly enjoyed the split-level layout which made it feel like we were dining in someone's house (which probably made my moans of ecstasy seem even more crude). Service was excellent throughout, and our waitress was even considerate enough to bring the whole table dessert wines when my friend didn't get his pairing with dessert. La Morra's classy through and through, I'll tell ya. read more

The three things we miss the most about Brookline (in no particular order): 1.) La Morra, 2.) Cuttys, and 3.) Living in Coolidge Corner. We admire Jen and Josh - they are incredibly warm and hardworking. La Morra's menu has something for everyone. We like to sit in the dining area on the second floor - very cozy and romantic. We start off with the Verdi E Rossi, and I typically follow with the housemade tagliatelle with bolognese - the best I have ever had. I periodically order the grilled hanger steak (rare), which is also outstanding (paired with a glass of red from Montepulciano). My wife orders one of the seasonal vegetarian pastas - consistently excellent (paired with Chardonnay from Tosca). We've observed that La Morra has become increasingly busy - which is a great thing to see, but obviously this can be a double-edged sword. The last couple times we visited from Lexington and made reservations on OpenTable, we had to wait for a half hour. Even though we were borderline "hangry" (hungry+angry), for us the wait is always worth the price of admission. I should point out that even though we waited the extra half hour on both occasions, Jen was thoughtful and apologized profusely...she was also kind enough to provide a couple of appetizers when we were seated. Very very thoughtful and unnecessary, but this act of generosity embodies the "neighborhood"-feel of La Morra. We will be back...unless Jen and Josh open a sister La Morra in Lexington Center (*keeping our fingers crossed*). read more

IT is unfortunate that I'm writing this review, because I really wanted to love this place. My initial impression walking in was cute, cozy, family atmosphere. I recently came here with my coworkers for a holiday dinner. Sat at the bar for a drink beforehand and was pleasantly surprised by how delicious the cocktails were. THe bartender was great and the night was off to a good start... That ended the moment we sat down. We came for restaurant week and yes that means the restaurant tends to be busy, I get that...but then they must plan for it. The whole experience was pretty much one of the most painful dining experiences I have ever had because of the terrible service and excruciatingly slow food. We did a 4 course restaurant week menu. An hour after we sat our server was still forgetting to bring over drinks and still had not come to take our orders. Now comes the most bizarre moment... She begins to take orders and then gets to me. I ask her btw the steak and the hen what she would recommend and she gets flustered, says she's not sure and then gives me a blank stare. So I'm deciding and she abruptly says: "EXCUSE me, eXCUSE me...I'll be right back". I'm thinking to myself...does she need to cough? sneeze? have a bathroom emergency?...I'm midway through giving her my order. I glance as she darts away from the table and what does she do? She picks up a basket of bread and walks over to another table she was serving... IN THE MIDDLE of my ORDER!! Who does that??....She comes back and skips me and proceeds to take the orders of the rest of the table. I'm already shaking my head. First course salads...comes out after 30 min. Second course Antipasta...after another 40 min wait. By the time we have been sitting 2.5 hours into our 4 course meal and I am dying. I am so tired that I'm wishing I could just go home and sleep rather than finish my meal. The main course takes another 30 minutes and I'm struggling through it. Now the food itself was wonderful and everyone enjoyed it...we were just not anticipating such a long drawn out dinner. Finally we finish our main courses and dishes are cleared. And our waitress drops the dessert menu. Another 20 min and she returns and asks if we are ready to order dessert. I tell her she can start with our side of the table because the other side was still looking. She says okay and then turns and walk away. Walks away! As in we said yes we are ready and she leaves our table and goes elsewhere. Now this time the entire group of us are ?!?!?!? Most baffled looks of shock on our faces. What just happened there?? When she finally comes back another 15 min later, I decide to be aggressive and ask her to drop the check with the dessert. I can't take it anymore. We leave the restaurant 4 hours later exhausted! I wanted to keep this to myself because I honestly do think this restaurant is good food wise and maybe it's an off restaurant day...but this particular waitress drove me nuts and was not only rude but odd in her behavior as well. Not sure how many of us will be eager to return.... read more

If the Mayans are right and the world is going to end December 2012 then I thought a great New Year's resolution was to eat every Saturday night at one of Boston Mag's Top 50 restaurants. Besides, what better way to learn about Boston then through it's cuisine scene? Since X-mas wiped out ma funds, I couldn't afford to start the resolution until February and so far I've hit Bistro di Midi, Uni, Hamersley's and now La Morra. Finally! I had a five star experience :) First of, I went slightly baby pants when I saw things like ox tail, red bone marrow, wild boar and sweet little baby cow (all I have to say is South Park "Fun With Veal" Episode 6.6) on the menu. You see, I talked a lot smacked about wanting a foodie adventure and suddenly I rolled up on Travel Channel's "Bizarre Foods" and I am no Andrew Zimmern. Thankfully our server, Hillary, was very sweet and patient as she helped me navigate this unfamiliar and seemingly unholy palate moment. For cocktails, I wasn't sure if I should try the Arancia Rossa (Grey Goose orange, blood orange juice) or the Violette (Crema di Violette, rose-infused Hendricks gin, lemon) so I went for the Violette since it sounded different and blood orange is everywhere this season. The Violetta had a sweet, floral flavor that reminded me of green tea ice cream. I liked it but I was satisfied with one. A basket of homemade bread was brought by with fresh ricotta cheese as well as a "chef's gift" of focaccia bread lightly pan-fried with butter and parmesan with a parsnip whip that had a bacon flavor (I wondered if they used bacon grease for the whip since chefs used that sort of thing before the invention of Crisco and it had that kind of texture) that together tasted something like pepperoni pizza. It was good but we had to stop so we wouldn't fill up on bread. Our first course was the grilled escarole (endive) special with a fried egg on top with roasted hazelnuts. It didn't sound particularly spectacular but Hillary had it (I love it when your server has actually eaten the food and can tell you what is good) and she said it was divine and oh my was she correct. LOVE, LOVE, LOVE! We shared it with a glass of cab, he had the mildier Valdisanti and I had the bolder Dogajola. For our second course, we order a pasta but the primi version. He had the bolognese, which was a rich red wine and meat sauce and not tomatoey at all. His only complaint was the sauce was so good he wished there was more on the pasta. I had the superb sunchoke (a sunflower heart that tastes like artichoke, which is then pureed and stuffed with ricotta in a pasta shell and bathed in melted butter with fresh sage and pearl onion broth) agnolotti. It was truly amazing. For our third course, he agreed to share the skate wing with me because even though I know a skate is like a mini sting ray I was imagining a bat wing or something gross but Hillary said it was like a pan-fried white fish but a little oiler like a cod. When she brought it out, he dove into the mashed potatoes and left me on my own with the skate. What a team player! I took a deep breathe, took a bite and it was delicious but it was big so I couldn't finish it. We had trouble translating the Italian dessert menu but since everything else had been perfect we decided to order several desserts, sample, and rank them for fun and here it goes: 1. Sicilian Cassata Cake (A), a scoop of white cake with kumquat (think apricot?) filling coated with a rich chocolate ganache top. I especially liked the kumquat filling because you can't get it on the East Coast as easily as the West Coast so it felt like a special treat. 2. Chocolate Hazelnut Tart (B), if you have Nutella or Ritter Sport's Milk Chocolate and Hazelnut bar from CVS in your PMS first aid kit, then you will love this little tart packed with a chocolate inside so dense it makes homemade fudge seem like a light 3 Musketeers candy bar. 3. Pistachio Semifreddo (C), described as a pistachio ice cream it was lighter like a cream filling and it wasn't cold. More light than sweet. Not bad just different. 4. Espresso Panna Cotta (D), described as a cooked cream or flan with whipped cream and Amaretto cookie crumbs on top. I didn't like this dessert because the panna cotta was more gelatin than flan. Overall it tasted like coffee Jell-O. I guess I was expecting an almond-flavored custard with espresso-infused whipped cream on top with Amaretto cookie crumbs on top. A sort of sweet-strong combination instead of just strong and no sweet. The only reason this place isn't romantic is because of the location. It's nice inside but the view of Boylston Street with it's loud traffic (one car's loud base caused the windows to undulate) and run-down looking shops is unattractive. Street parking available if you can get it otherwise valet is $8. Total for meal $200. Would come back. Ask for Hillary for great service. read more

Parking can be problematic, but the food is delicious! Rumor has it my boyfriend's coworker saw Tom Brady and Giselle dining here, so naturally the BF wanted to check it out. He even called my cell while I was in the lady's room and I thought it was another celebrity sighting. Nope. Just wanted me to know that the food had arrived, and he was hungry. :-p The cocktail menu looks yummy, but I saved my money for the main meal. I had the porcini mushroom ravioli in fontini cheese and the apple bread pudding for dessert. Both were excellent. As we were leaving, we saw a sign for their new family-style Sunday night dinners, which is $25pp for adults (includes several courses, so it sounds like a pretty good deal). It's very cozy and romantic, and wasn't too crowded on a Saturday night (we went on the early side). read more

Everything I had heard was very positive, so we decided this would be a great place to go with our family and friends. We had a reservation and that part worked out fine. Once we got seated and ordered, that was when everything went south. We waited about 45 min-1 hour for our salads to arrive. We were all getting pretty hungry at this point. One person's salad came with dressing on the side, but they gave us an empty dressing cup. The salads tasted great, but we just had to wait so long for all of this. There was also nearly nobody at the restaurant, so they were not busy. Since we had to wait so long, we thought the dinner would come shortly after. That was not the case. We ended up waiting probably another 30-45 minutes for our entrees. At this point our party was getting very hungry, as was the table next to us. The dinner arrived, and it was fresh and warm which was a positive. We had a variety of different items, the pesto and veal dish were both very good. We just were waiting for about an hour and a half and the service didn't seem friendly and didn't check in. I wouldn't go back simply because the service was just so awful. Yes the food was great, but we live in Boston and can easily make it to the North end and get great food and not wait 2 hours. read more

This place is a hidden gem.Very authentic Italian, moreso than most places in the North End. I only just discovered it and I've been working in the area for 5 years. If you've spent any time in Italy you'll agree, this place is legit. Awesome serivce and even better food. They brought out my side of polpette only very slightly late and comp'ed it for the "inconvenience". The wine specials are top notch. If you want a real Italian dinner done right, do yourself a favor and skip the North End; go to La Morra. read more

Awesome place. Small downstairs with a bar and small upstairs. Everything we got was so tasty. Expensive, but we knew that going in. Easily 5/5 stars read more

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Was here awhile back for restaurant week. Not very impressed. The food I found to be rather overpriced (even the RW menu) and not that great. I am never really a fan of dining out for Italian as the mark up is so ridiculous. Unless the place is really exceptional I am always like, yeah, I could have made this pasta at home for four for $5. I was also rather peeved about the lack of bread. Our server seemed very stingy with it. I don't think I'll be returning here. read more

We had the pleasure of dinning here for a close friend's birthday party this past Friday. We ate banquet style with a multi-course menu that included wine pairings. The meal started with an antipasto tasting plate that was as diverse and abundant as the entire meal. After 7 courses including dessert and coffee we all were quite pleasantly stuffed. I realize that this experience is quite different than going in for a simple meal but after this dinner party, I feel I could navigate their menu to a successful conclusion on a smaller scale. They certainly have some gems on the wine list. * They do cook pasta Al Dente, as it should be. * Corn with lobster dish was the star of the night, full flavor but very complimentary. * Staff was attentive, yet slightly ill prepared for patrons that were slightly more knowledgeable than they were. * Some dishes missed as did some wines but we had such an "abbondanza" the meal "worked" over all. * The Birthday "boy" actually cooked with the Chefs, he went in for the early shift and did prep work. A nice treat for the amateur Epicurean. read more

We had 4 courses paired with a wine flight and it was amazing! So glad we went with La Morra's suggested pairings. Service was excellent and everyone very friendly. Will be back again! read more

Best Italian food and superior wait staff. It's small and obviously very popular and for good reason. The caramel budino was divine, the fusilli with octopus and preserved lemon tasty. Italian cheese plate very nicely presented, the chicken breast very tender and perfectly grilled, and the beet and green bean antipasti was delicious. read more

Superb! Went for restaurant week dinner after La Morra was highly recommended by an epicurean co-worker. While the location is not particularly central, it is T-accessible. Inside is cozy, homey, and yet classy. Upstairs has dark wooden rafters with exposed brick walls. Everyone was friendly, and we were seated at a cozy table upstairs by the window (kudos for not giving the young restaurant week-ers the crap table). The delicious, delicate menu included four full courses and four paired wines (optional) for $55--an amazing deal! Complementary light yet crusty bread started us with soft ricotta cheese in olive oil as a spread--unusual and really tasty. We ordered two "bites" for $3 each of fried, stuffed risotto and meatballs. Risotto was especially savory-delicious. We both opted for the arugula salad as a first course. I've seen this simple salad tried elsewhere, but those did not compare to La Morra's. Just the right amount of dressing and freshly cut pieces of pecorino--a wonderful first course. The accompanying pino grigio matched perfectly and was light and fresh without the "cheap" taste I've gotten from so many other restaurant p.g. classes. Risotto and white spinach lasagna were the second courses--also delicious and subtly flavored. We both had the venison for the main course. Way to not penny pinch during restaurant week, la morra! I don't even like cauliflower, but the cauliflower gratin that came with the venison was amazing--zingy, savory, and the perfect side for venison. Both desserts were delicious--vanilla panna cotta came with generous fresh berries, and the pear crisp was clearly concocted by someone's grandmother--fabulous! La Morra now goes into my regular restaurant rotation. They apparently have a $35 prix fixe EVERY DAY--perhaps this is why they triumphed during restaurant week while other "fancier" places failed miserably. Yea delicious non-red-sauce Itailian! read more

Why did it take me so long to find this place? Growing up in Newton I have passed this restaurant 1000 times. I had NO IDEA that inside the sleepy little window-front is one of the best local spots in town. I have been there a few times this past year and each time have been greeted warmly by the outstanding staff. Knowledgable about their food and wine, super friendly without hovering and just the right mix of casual and refined. The.Food.Is.Out.Of.This.World. Sit at the bar and relax or a table upstairs or downstairs equally as relaxing and enjoyable. The menu changes with seasons and every dish we have tried has been interesting and delicious without being over the top and a battle of ingredients. Dishes we have had and recommend: Arincini. Chicken and Duck Pate. Bolognese is fantastic. Brick chicken (hen) is amazing. Scallops delicious. read more

Let me begin by saying that I have never heard of La Morra before I walked in the door the night that I ate there. What a quaint restaurant! Myself and my aunt arrived mid-evening on Friday night, and we were greeted promptly and told there were no tables available but we were welcome to dine at the bar. The experience in my opinion was better than it would have been at a table. When sitting on the right side of the bar (which we did) there is a large plate glass window which looks directly into the kitchen. You can see the hustle and bustle of the kitchen and it is almost like watching an episode of a fast-paced cooking show. Truly a fun experience! Our bartender Bernie (short for Bernadette) was awesome, she was extremely knowledgeable about the wine selection and entrees served. Even though she seemed to be a bit short staffed behind the bar she was upbeat and attentive! My aunt chose to order a Pre-fix menu for $38, which included a 4 course meal and an optional wine pairing for an additional $18.50. (What a great deal for such delicious foods.) Although my aunt did not get the wine pairing, the wines chosen seemed like a perfect match. My order consisted of two entrees offered in smaller sized options; one being a Tagliatelle with lobster, leeks, and turnips. HOLY AMAZING!!! My second dish was the pasta bolognase which is apparently one of their signature dishes. Once again delicious. I will say that the meal took a total time of about 2 1/2 hours as everything is made fresh to order, I didn't mind in the least. But, I can see how someone who frequents chain restaurants may be annoyed. The chef was well aware of the timing and offered some "amuse bouche/freebie" options that were very well received and helped to pass the time. The first was a small plate of smoked mushrooms with a balsamic glaze and the second were pan fried risotto/short rib fritters. Yummy! Dinner and 2 1/2 glasses of wine was finalized with a simple cookie plate and vanilla ice cream. A subtle perfect ending. I would say that I will be back in the near future to try the many other Northern Italian inspired dishes and hopefully have another opportunity to write another rave review! Looking forward to more delicious food from La Morra!! read more

Attentive service. Friendly staff. The octopus... every bite was amazing. If you love octopus, it would be tough to find a better octopus dish... they boil, marinate, and then grill it! Would come back without a question! read more

Came here with the wife for Restaurant Week. The previous tips do not disappoint. Easy parking with the restaurant's own lot. Got seated upstairs for a less noisy atmosphere. With the restaurant week setup i felt like i had at least 2 meals!! Our Waitress Molly gets a 6 stars out of 5. Very attentive and helped make great selections based on her favorites and adjusted for our preferences. Highlights. The Bolognese!!! Unlike previous versions i've had where ground meat played second fiddle to the sauce... Lamorra's version placed the meat front and center...and this was awesome!!! Tender...flavorful! I would come back just for the larger serving of this. This dish was BOMB!!! Wood Grilled Cornish Hen. I've always been weary of getting "the chicken" when going out. More of a meat/steak kind of guy (which was no exception on this occasion. I got the Hanger steak which did not disappoint.). After taking "several" bites from the wife's order...and multiple attempts...she refused to swap plates with me :-( Dessert (Restaurant Week Specials) The wife ordered the Basil Creme Caramel...i was like wtf Basil for dessert? Boy was I wrong...taking that bite... the cream was light and refreshing with the hint of basil...deliciously different!! Chocolate pistachio torrone semifreddo Can i negatively rate something for being portioned too small? I was stuffed by the time dessert came by...but i wolfed this down in 5 bites after the first taste. Hobbit-sized fluffy creamy chocolate pistaschio ice cream sandwiches!!! I licked the plate with no shame!! I've had no reason to be around this area of Brookline...but definitely worth a trip back! read more

Overall good food, and their prix fix menu is great. *First star* The reason why I'm only giving it 3 stars, is because we initially asked if they served vegetarian food, *2nd star* and we were told yes so we were seated. Then when it came to the ordering we asked the waiter several times which were the vegetarian options and he pointed them out. Finally we decided on what to order and the dishes come out one by one. The main dish, was a surprise to say the least. The waiter had promised a vegetarian version and we got the meat version. Super smaht *not* So my friend had a bite first and warned me so I was able to push all the bacon aside. We told the waiter CLEARLY that we had ordered vegetarian. He apologized profusely - star for that :) *sarcasm here, as I only gave La Morra 2 stars* I really thought this was a 'better' restaurant. When it came to the bill, the waiter did not offer any kind of compensation for the bacon filled pasta dish. My friend who is always very quiet and never says a word tipped him almost 25% which was a mistake on my friends behalf. But seriously - if vegetarians voice it over and over again NO MEAT, and you make a mistake - at least offer to compensate somehow. Bacon is the closest to human flesh according to those that have had to eat it. I'm disappointed, and won't recommend this place. read more

I had a late dinner with friends here the other night, and it was pretty terrific. Most of us got the prezzo-fisso menu with the wine pairing - hey, when you're gonna splurge, you gotta splurge! Overall, though, it was a pretty good deal: four courses with the pairing was about $50 before tax and tip. The breakdown: - Apple and beet salad with goat cheese. The apples and beets slices were layered on top of each other, which looked pretty. With the balsamic vinaigrette and creamy goat cheese, this was the perfect combination of savory with a little sweet. - Braised greens and sausage risotto. Okay, this one was my favorite; it was so rich and comforting. I probably could have eaten multiple platefuls. One word of warning, however: after trying this once, you will spend the rest of your life wondering why you're not eating it at every meal. Oh, braised greens and sausage risotto...the agony and the ecstasy. - Pork tenderloin with roasted vegetables and some kind of cherry sauce, I don't remember. (Yep, that's exactly how it was labeled on the menu.) The pork was cooked a perfect medium, and it was really tender and delicious and went nicely with the cherry dressing/sauce/whatever. - Flourless chocolate and hazelnut cake, topped with whipped cream and pralines. NEED I SAY MORE. All in all, La Morra did a great job, and I left thoroughly satisfied and kind of drunk (don't worry, I didn't drive home!). Sure, there are a lot cheaper places to fill your belly get yourself tipsy, but you have to treat yourself once in awhile! read more

I've been to this place a couple of times. The atmosphere is amazing, and the food... WOW, very authentic, very classy, and perfect portions. An amazing place for a date; romantic and cozy.. very elegant, and just all together fantastic. read more

Excellent meal. Creative menu. Not your run of the mill pasta joint. The service was outstanding. Our server, Nicole was excellent, very attentive to our needs. If there is one minor item we found slightly odd, was it's nice they came around and offered bread from a basket, but seemed stingy that they never offered a second slice. My 94 yo mother loved her eggplant parmigiana, which was outstanding and different, using a batter rather than simple breading on the eggplant, but commented on why not put a bread basket on the table. Charming evening, great restaurant. read more

Why haven't I reviewed LA Morra sooner? I've been here on several occasions and it's consistently a great dinner. We love the cozy atmosphere of this quaint diner...it really puts you into a very good dining mood. The room has a rustic Italian feel to it that you don't see often in other Italian restaurants. They take reservations and I highly recommend that you call in advance or you will be waiting since the is not that much room. Also, there is no private parking but you shouldn't have difficulty finding parking on the same side of the street or across. Here are my recommendations: Appetizers... - Fried olives or - Salt cod seasoned with crostini Entree: - Pollo al mattone -- wood grilled cornish hen with zucchini and tomato, cannelini beans with garlic and roasted red pepper viniagrette - $19.50 Enjoy!!! read more

I go for the pre-fixe with wines and sit at the downstairs bar. Attentive service and you look right into the kitchen. Never been impressed by the pasta dishes, often undercooked to the point that it can get stuck in your teeth. But they do phenomenal job with meats. Braised lamb shoulder cooked in wine is perfection. Spit roasted meats over hardwood fire. Real Rustic cooking! The fried items are done with extra care. I judge restaurants by their butter. Bonus points for the homemade ricotta and olive oil to spread on the bread. At a place this rustic, I fingered they'd have good olives. (didnt see em on the menu) Asked the bartender but all they had was the olives for martinis (which he gave us gratis, but I still felt dumb for asking. Worth checking out! read more