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    La Summa

    4.1 (469 reviews)
    ModerateItalian, Desserts, Salad
    Closed 4:30 pm - 10:00 PM
    Updated over 3 months ago

    La Summa Photos

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    LA SUMMA ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Quiet
    Classy
    Good for groups
    Good for kids

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    Recommended Reviews - La Summa

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    Reviews With Photos

    Tagliatelle e Polpette
    Elias G.

    We wandered around the North End on a busy Saturday and this was the first place that didn't turn us around immediately, which was appreciated! It was also off the main street, so it was quieter and more pleasant. Very cute exterior with a cozy interior. Front of house and service were both very friendly. We got the arancini as an appetizer, then the Baked Manicotti and Tagliatelle e Polpette (Meatballs). The arancini was good, though there was more shredded chicken in it than I would prefer. The tagliatelle tasted as if it were homemade and fresh, and the meatballs were soft and juicy. The manicotti was cooked al dente, with a ton of cheese (almost too much). Overall it was good, and I'd come back for sure.

    Cammy A.

    I came to Boston for a vacation but accidentally teleported to a cozy trattoria in Italy. La Summa didn't just serve dinner -- it served dreams. We were greeted like long-lost cousins and sat immediately, which is rare these days unless you're Beyoncé. Then came the food. Oh, the food. I'm still emotionally recovering. The dishes arrived faster than my mom texts me back when I say "No, that car accident wasn't me." Every bite tasted like a grandmother named Nonna was in the kitchen whispering Italian love spells over the sauce. Sadly, we were headed to the theatre and couldn't bring leftovers, so we had to leave a few bites behind. I almost cried. RIP, delicious bites of pasta. You were too beautiful for this world. Five stars. Ten if I could. I'm considering coming back tomorrow. Or moving in. Do they need a dishwasher?

    Gamberi siciliano
    Rebecca X.

    Cute little restaurant tucked away in the North End. Walking in, it feels like someone's living room converted to an eatery. The service was warm and lovely, but I do feel like the food was pretty average. We got a basket of sliced bread to start as well as a few appetizers -- stuffed mushrooms, stuffed artichoke, and caprese. Out of these, we liked the caprese the most. They served it with the basil all chopped up so it was able to infuse the olive oil and get all over the cheese and tomato, very yummy. The mushrooms and artichoke were unremarkable in my opinion. For entrees, my partner got the eggplant papardelle and I got the gamberi siciliano. Both dishes were decent. We happily finished them but again they weren't exactly mind blowing. In particular I do feel like the pasta could have been more al dente. Overall, though, the prices were pretty good (especially for Boston) and the vibes were cozy. I think it'd be a cute place to go on a date, but the food wasn't my favorite.

    Chicken Pollo Parmigiana
    Sab J.

    Overall this rating is a 3.5 rounded up for friendly service, immediate seating upon early arrival for a reservation, and the cozy ambiance. However, like some other reviews have said, the food is somewhat unremarkable. Most dishes were tasty, but lacked depth of flavor and were one note. Stuffed mushrooms were enjoyable and our favorite of the two apps. The other we ordered was the cheese ravioli special and we appreciated how large the individual ravioli were, but were really nothing special. For my main I got the chicken, broccoli and ziti and my favorite part about the dish was probably the broccoli which was fresh, vibrant and cooked very well. The pasta and sauce were good with an al dente cook, but the chicken pieces were inconsistently cooked with some tender and juicy and some dry and hard. My friend said her tagliatelle was overcooked. The chicken parm was pretty standard - nothing good or bad to say.

    Barbara's special chicken.
    April L.

    My first time visiting North End Boston. This little gem in Little Italy. The food, service and hospitality were amazing. You must get the pork chop entree. It's served with scallop potatoes and spicy vinegar peppers. The brown sauce was so flavorful and it was a nice size portion. My friend had the Barbara's special. It was chicken breast over pasta with a beautiful marsala sauce. Both dishes were amazing! Highly recommend making reservation at La Summa.

    Gnocchi with meatballs. Bruschetta forgot about that delicious.
    Jamie C.

    Feast weekend and this crew had it down. The reservation was right on time and servers were on point. You walk in to an Italian restaurant not to big not to small just right. Seating was perfect you weren't in top of each other and you could enjoy your groups conversation. Now for the food. We started with arancinis and stuffed mushrooms. GONE just like that. My wife had chicken parm and she loved it right to the last bite. Perfect portion. I had the Gnocchi with meat balls and the sauce was one of the best I've had I used the rest of the bread to wipe my plate clean. highly recommend. Our server Erica was perfect she knew the menu inside and out and her timing couldn't have been any more punctual, 5 stars for her too.

    Richard P.

    Overall: unfortunately one of the worst experiences I've had at a restaurant in forever. Only positives are the cute location and interior design. Food: none of the pasta options were worth getting ever again. Firstly it starts with the pasta and they cooked almost all the pasta noodles too soft and the penne was also limp. Equivalent to overcooking Costco generic pasta. Second the sauce was way overdone. Maybe it was too much heavy cream in the Spinaci but it was way too rich. The other red sauces were the opposite being extremely flat. Almost as if they forgot to cook it with stock. The only redeeming dish was the Arancini as it was freshly deep fried and therefore crispy. Even the bread lacked fluff and crust. Service: the worst part had to be how slow the service was. We didn't get an order in until 15 minutes after our party sat down. Second, there was a little bit of attitude with getting the food too. I'll give the benefit of the doubt and say that the other table was being annoying to our waitress but still.

    Fri night date night
    Matthew B.

    Wow. Let's start by saying looks are deceiving. The decor and laminated menus I no way prepared me for the meal or service I was about to experience. Traditional southern Italian - done exceptionally well . The food was amazing - truly. The stuffed mushrooms were light and perfectly seasoned. Perfect The Arannicia were crispy pillows of delishesness - you would not know you were eating rice. Melt in your mouth. The tagliatelle with meatballs was just as good as everything else. the coup de grace was a ricotta pie from heaven. The wine list is good and inexpensive. This is not an expensive restaurant and the service was beyond reproach. In fact, our waiter was cautioned us not to over order, and did not try to upsell us at all, and he was dead on. If you're looking for great southern Italian in the north end, I can't recommend this place enough. Money well spent .

    Gnocchi
    John S.

    We got in late to Boston and didn't have a reservation but luckily La Summa had a spot just as one family was leaving we got the window seat! Service was phenomenal. Friendly, efficient, and we got everything and anything we wanted quickly and without question. The restaurant is very nice - I liked the tables and the setup - it's really nice to sit in the window and people watch while you eat. All the food was top notch - I love pork chops and so does my son. We both ordered them and they did not disappoint - 10 out of 10. The gnocchi were perfect pillows of potato pasta and my wife enjoyed a giant salad. The salad was good, but in a restaurant with Italian food - get the Italian food! If you are walking from the Back Bay Area - this is down a side street near Hanover. Really nice place - I highly recommend it!

    Eggplant fries
    Marcos V.

    My parents and I visited on our last night in Boston. We stumbled our way in after walking by and seeing the warm ambience, happy customers leaving, and smells that we couldn't resist. Without a reservation we were sat within 10 minutes. The staff was fantastic, especially our waitress Destiny, who was working on her birthday of all days. Food was fantastic, from our appetizers to dessert there wasn't anything we wouldn't have again. Must try this place when in the north end.

    Stuffed mushrooms
    Jackie S.

    Made a reservation and I'm glad we did! When we walked in the restaurant was packed! The day prior was the restaurants 40th anniversary and they were still celebrating! Upon entering we were greeted by a very nice hostess and were informed that they were just finishing preparing our table! We ordered stuffed mushrooms to start and for a meal ordered shrimp w/broccoli & zucchini and the gnocchi! The food was very tasty! Our waiter was nice, however a little slow but it was understandable because he also had a big party that he was serving too

    Pollo Speciale
    Audrey S.

    This is the best espresso martini I have ever had. It tastes like an alcoholic starbucks frap, creamy and smooth and chocolatey. Italian wedding soup - soup of the day, did not disappoint. Bruschetta - like a pizza but fresher, better and with softer breading Pollo Speciale - wow this came as a recommendation but it is amazing. Its a really size-able chunk of chicken with such a unique flavor. Its sweet and savory, like there was brown sugar added to the sauce. Overall 10/10, the service was amazing the prices were very good for an italian menu and I think this might be the best italian place Ive tried yet.

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    4 years ago

    Great out of the way place. Relaxing. Very friendly. Big portions. Excellent choices and food! Try the spumoni desert!

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    4 years ago

    North End Legend. In our 20+ years of going to la summa. Never had a less than amazing meal. Try the veal.

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    5 years ago

    Eat at La Summa! The Arancini is to die for and anything else is amazing. Friendly staff and good ambiance

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    Corner Cafe Bakery

    Corner Cafe Bakery

    4.1(121 reviews)
    1.0 miChinatown
    $

    The Chinese name is "Juxiang Mianbao Fang聚香麵包坊". It had the taste of an old-fashioned bakery and…read morewas very cost-effective. Portuguese Egg Tart葡撻: The shop keeps the egg tarts in a warming box, which is very thoughtful. I've always preferred the cookie crust of old-fashioned Hongkongese egg tarts; they don't crumble or feel sticky in your throat. The custard filling looked a bit overbaked on the surface, but it was still smooth and creamy inside. The milk and egg flavors were qualified, and it was not too sweet. While not particularly amazing, it definitely deserved 4 stars, especially for a Cantonese person like me who hasn't had egg tarts in a long time. Hongkongese Egg Tart蛋撻: The crust is the same as the Portuguese egg tart, but the custard filling seems a bit more diluted, with a lighter milk flavor and a stronger egg flavor. People who aren't used to it might find it a bit eggy. I still prefer the former. Custard Bread奶黃包: Recommended by the owner, and it was definitely the best thing there! I ate it the next morning, but the bread was still soft, and the crust wasn't dry. The custard filling was generous, sweet, creamy, moist, and had a slightly grainy texture. Sausage Bread腸仔包: The seasoning was quite interesting, with a hint of wasabi (?). However, the sausage itself was just average, with a slightly starchy texture. Breads generally cost $2-4 each, and here four items were only $8+, enough to last me all day Important Reminder: Cash only for orders of $10 or less.

    Awesome cafe & bakery with a great selection of mooncakes, pastries like egg tarts and other…read moredelicacies. Located right in the center of Boston Chinatown. Nice service and cozy interior where there are sometimes lines but it moves pretty fast. Check it out!

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    Cafe Corner on Harrison

    Corner Cafe Bakery - Outside

    Outside

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    Tora Japanese Restaurant - M1. Pinku Maki

    Tora Japanese Restaurant

    4.4(941 reviews)
    1.0 miChinatown
    $$

    Came to Boston for a work trip and really wanted to eat something light and healthier. I loved it…read moreso much I came back twice! I came during lunchtime on a Monday. It was adequately busy but still had seats open. The lunch menu is very affordable! If you can, I'd highly recommend going for lunch instead of dinner. Service was really quick! Received my meal in like 5-7 mins after ordering. Fish was super fresh and I really liked the different textures in the Hoseki Don. I also added in negitoro. They gave me a big clump of it! The second time I went back, I ordered take out so I could eat it at the airport for dinner. I ordered the Sake Maguro Hamachi don, added ikura and negitoro. Again, so impressed with the quality of the fish and the size of it. They didn't skimp out and really enjoyed the thickness of the sashimi despite it only being 3 pieces. It was a very satiating bowl. Cant wait to come back next time again!

    absolutely adore tora! one of the few places i'd always recommend in boston! fish quality is pretty…read moregood and they have a good variety on the menu! i'd recommend the aburi waygu don but also something more interesting is the kani-yaki tama don however that's a bit more if u like imitation crab! resturant inside is pretty casual and service once seated is usually good and quick however resturant itself is very small so wait times on weekends are ALWAYS long but again it's a given for how popular the resturant is! (p.s. i've been here soooo many times times so i'd also say quality has always been consistent)

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    Inside!

    Tora Japanese Restaurant - K11. Sake Maguro Hamachi Don

    K11. Sake Maguro Hamachi Don

    Tora Japanese Restaurant - Caterpillar Maki

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    La Summa - italian - Updated May 2026

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