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Serafina Back Bay

3.6 (202 reviews)
Closed • 12:00 pm - 9:00 PM
Updated 1 week ago

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Spaghetti with breaded chicken (top) and penne alla vodka (bottom)
Sophie T.

This is a super cute resturant located right on Newbury Street. It's in the basement so walking by, it can be hard to spot immediately, but eventually you'll see the bright sign and then you walk down a few steps to get in. I ordered the penne alla vodka and it was delicious! My friend got the spaghetti with red sauce and added breaded chicken on top. My friend and I both thought the portions of the pasta were just right. We didn't leave feeling grossly stuffed, but also didn't leave hungry. It was perfect. The service was pretty slow there which we didn't mind too much since we had a lot of catching up to do, but we were here for quite a while. The drinks are strong too!

Vodka Pizza
Thomas T.

A beautiful restaurant you can easily walk by on Newbury Street. It's located under the street level. The interior has a really great vibe with European influence. The fig salad is very good and I'm not a huge goat cheese fan. The strawberries were a really nice touch and I really enjoyed everything together. The vodka pizza has a good crisp undercarriage with a good amount of toppings. I wish it had a stronger vodka sauce profile. Overall the food and service are good.

Christine G.

Came for dinner and the place was busy. Instead of waiting 20 minutes for a table, we opted to sit at the bar. The bar area was a bit dark without overhead lighting, but luckily we were offered a table before we even ordered. I ordered the gnocchi and added grilled chicken. The dish came out great. The grilled chicken was cut into small pieces and mixed in with the gnocchi and sauce. The tomatoes were nicely grilled and soft, and the sauce was creamy. The gnocchi was as smooth as can be, almost dissolving with just a little pressure from the tongue. Very satisfying in both flavor and portion. Will return again if I'm in the area and recommend.

Penne Alla Vodka
Angelina R.

Wow, wow! The food here was absolute delicious! I can't say it has super authentic italian flavors, but the tastes are of a more elevated style and bring exactly what you'd crave in any hearty italian dish. I highly recommend the vodka pasta- it was cooked to an absolutely perfect al dente and coated in a cheesy, creamy sauce. Additionally, pairing it with the arugula salad is a great choice to create a balanced plate and to add some variety. If we're nitpicking here (and I feel like you have to with the plethora of great italian food in Boston), I'd say the pasta lacked that traditional vodka tang and the salad was a little over dressed. Plus, the meal was definitely pricey, but that's honestly expected on Newbury Street , and for the quality, portion size, and experience I'd say it's worth it! The vibes of the restaurant were buzzing and it's a great energizing spot for a nice meal with friends. If I had one complaint, the service was a little slow and awkward for being a classier spot, but the vibes were still great and I would definitely come back every once in a while or for special occasion. This is a great reliable spot for a meal in Back Bay!

Tagliolini Al Tartufo Nero
Jeff K.

Very good portions and quality Italian food. Decent amount of options and quick service. Had Tagliolini Al Tartufo Nero with salmon. Was great.

Farfalle Al Lemoncello
Madison D.

The food was SO delicious. The bread basket was a nice starter, however our waiter forgot to send our appetizer to the kitchen, so we never received to try. Our drinks & food came out very slowly, which isn't a huge issue, rather just something to note if you're in a rush. The restaurant was pretty crowded, but stayed relatively quiet to hear your party.

Carbonara
Andrei S.

One thing about me is that I love a creamy and thick carbonara! Its exactly what I got at this place. The service was quick and nice. The ambience was nice since I sat outside and the sun was good.

Tiramisu
Emily Y.

I went a while back during Dine out Boston. The restaurant is in the basement but very cozily decorated. Good date night spot. Service was good. Tiramisu - best part of dinner. So soft and not too sweet. The fresh fruit was a good contrast to the sweet cream. Branzino - the dish was perfectly cooked and very tender. The tomato sauce wasn't too acidic and the mash potatoes were silky smooth Fig pizza - nice cheese pull. Fig was a nice sweet contrast to the salty pizza and prosciutto Meatballs - mushy and blandly spicy. The tomato sauce redeemed it Chicken parm with vodka pasta - small portion and not too special. Standard chicken cutlet and the vodka sauce broke.

Rigatoni Alla Bolognese
Veisha B.

Service is good & so is the food. Although, I do think that the Rigatoni Bolognese could be boiled a little longer. Other than that, the food is pretty yummy!

Magda C.

Food was tasty, portions decent and the service is very good here. High prices but it's in a very nice area of Boston.

Cami C.

Serafina Back Bay is a fantastic place to find some delicious Italian food! Menu: They have a pretty extensive menu, covering all the standard pastas and pizza dishes you might expect from an Italian restaurant. Everything looks and smells delicious, and based on what I observed, everyone seems to enjoy the meals. I had the salmon plate recently and it did not disappoint. The salmon was cooked perfectly and the blend of flavors was top notch. They do have quite a few dishes that can accommodate different allergies and dietary restrictions. The menu has a handful of dishes that are dairy-free or vegan (or can be adapted to be vegan) and there is an option to sub gluten-free pasta for the pasta dishes. Experience: The ambiance inside is super chill! I love that you get to experience a calming, pleasant atmosphere, even when every table is filled. It doesn't feel like you have to start yelling across the table, and you still get a sense of privacy between the tables. If you are hoping to come in for a dinner at a certain time, I recommend making a reservation in advance. I did this and was seated promptly, and greeted by a kind server immediately. The restaurant is busy so for a bigger group, would definitely recommend planning ahead to avoid a long wait. Once seated, they provide complimentary bread with olive oil and balsamic vinegar, which is a nice way to start the meal. The servers we had were very kind, attentive, and had great recommendations on the menu and specials. Location: They are located right in the heart of Newbury Street, surrounded by so many fun shops and other cafes and restaurants. The entrance is tucked away from the street, and during the colder seasons, you might miss it if you are just strolling by (and don't pay attention to the yellow awning outside). t's nice because you really get to enter into a chill environment that you forget about the hustle and bustle on the street outside.

Great place!! Loved the food and ambiance. Had the pasta alla vodka and an arugula salad. Highly recommend!

Italian cola
Annie D.

This place as so cute! Stopped in by myself for dinner while in town for work. The server was so nice and suggested the house made pasta. I got carbonara and it was good. My only complaint is that I don't like peas in my carbonara but I understand that is how some places will prepare it. Overall a great little place on Newbury!

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Terrible service, underwhelming food for the price. Better places to spend your money

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Gigi - Rigatoni alla Vodka

Gigi

4.3(260 reviews)
0.5 mi•Back Bay
•$$

Gigi's did not disappoint for my first time going…read more I ordered the Broccolini, Meatballs, and Caesar Salad to start, followed by the Carbonara pasta, and ended off with both the Chocolate Cake with Vanilla Ice Cream and Tiramisu. The food was phenomenal and is some of the best Italian food I've had in Boston. The décor in there was beautiful. It's so "Boston" with a lot of mood lighting, sooth jazz music, and just overall people enjoying their time there. Fair warning, you cannot get a walk-in table, so if you want to go here (which I'd 100% recommend doing) make sure to book a reservation a day before relatively early on!

Maybe my partner and I are biased since we aren't huge fans of Italian cuisine. We ordered the…read moreRigatoni Alla Vodka and the Campanelle Bolognese. The first few bites of both were good, but not as amazing as we would've expected, given the rave about this restaurant. As we continued chowing down our dish, we both noticeably got sick of it. The flavors weren't something that made us want to go back for more. The host was kind. My partner had made a last minute reservation, but realized he made it for the wrong day when we arrived and although they were a full house that Saturday night, he made sure to get us in with a short wait. Inside is dark and loud, which is not much of my preferred ambience. Luckily, we sat outside with fresh air and it was a warm Summer evening, so it felt nice. Unfortunately, this is off my list because we were not amazed.

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Gigi - Inferior

Inferior

Gigi - Burrata 10/10

Burrata 10/10

Gigi - Inside/Decor

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Inside/Decor

Giacomo's Ristorante - Boston - Fusilli with lobster and shrimp

Giacomo's Ristorante - Boston

4.1(4.5k reviews)
1.8 mi•North End
•$$

As the rumors go, the North End restaurants do not disappoint…read more We walked in around 5-5:15pm and were able to be seated right away by the time we left, the line was down the block. All we can say is we loved the food. My di Mare was fresh and flavorful. Full of seafood and I could not have asked for more. The chicken parm was very good as was the Marsala. We also had a Caesar salad and shared it with 3 people.

Recommended by a Boston friend, and this was the first good meal I had in the North End. Good food…read morereally does rely on word of mouth! Grilled Octopus over mixed greens with Cherry Peppers and a balsamic glaze: A delightful surprise! The octopus was incredibly fresh, tender, and succulent, bursting with umami and a smoky aroma. The sweet and sour balsamic vinegar followed subtly, lively yet deeply penetrating the texture; the lemon juice added a refreshing and layered flavor. The sauce was also delicious with the greens. Shrimp and Scallops Fettuccini with Giacomo: The standard menu order is linguine, but we could ask the server to substitute other pasta, which was a thoughtful touch. The fettuccini is wider, with a better texture and more grain fragrance, although I felt it was cooked a bit too soft, softer than al dente. The shrimp and scallops were large and fresh, making for a very satisfying meal. Giacomo sauce is supposedly a lobster-based marinara sauce with a touch of béchamel sauce. The lobster flavor is actually quite subtle, but the combination of the two sauces avoids being overly sour or greasy. Plus, there's a generous amount of sauce, making it easy to mix. Overall, it's quite good. The restaurant is rather cramped, and the seating isn't very comfortable. A 20% tuition fee is automatically applied for groups of 5 or more. However, a waitress accidentally spilled water on my sleeve and didn't apologize immediately; she only brought me tissues after I asked. Thankfully, it wasn't hot water...

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Giacomo's Ristorante - Boston - More menu

More menu

Giacomo's Ristorante - Boston - Shrimp and Scallops Fettuccini with Giacomo

Shrimp and Scallops Fettuccini with Giacomo

Giacomo's Ristorante - Boston - Open dining room

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Open dining room

Piattini - Rigatoni alla vodka

Piattini

4.0(1.2k reviews)
0.0 mi•Back Bay
•$$$

I'm definitely a pasta connoisseur and this place is AMAZING! Stumbled upon this place and i'm…read morealways in the mood for Italian so I knew I had to try it. It was such a beautiful day outside leading me to decide to sit on the patio. Great decision. It's covered with umbrellas and a few wire patio tables. The chairs are actually quite comfortable. I decided on the Rigitoni with vodka sauce (one of my favorite pastas) It was absolutely amazing!! My boyfriend got the scampi and it was full of amazing flavors. I've never had a scampi be so flavorful! I love that there was a hint of lemon. I add the breaded chicken cutlet to my pasta and it was a great choice. We had dinner positions and it was enough for leftover, which might I add heat up very well due to the high quality of the food. We were also offered bread with oil and it was the perfect mix of soft and chewy from the crust. 10/10 food. The atmosphere is very classy with a hit of casual sense to it. Our server was very kind and attentive. We will definitely be coming back before we leave!!

I wanted to love this restaurant - the service was so friendly and attentive. This may have been…read morethe particular dishes I chose , but unfortunately, the food was just okay I ordered the shrimp scampi and Brussels sprouts. The sprouts had too much balsamic reduction on it which was cloying, and the garlic aioli didn't have a distinctive taste. Together it was too much sauce and the sprouts were generally overcooked, the mushy texture that makes people dislike them. The shrimp was cooked perfectly but the seasoning was on the bland side and too little sauce. It did have a nice brightness on the lemon and butter. The pasta had good texture (freshly made), but not enough flavor. The place was quite busy on a Monday night, but I don't think I'll return.

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Piattini - Inside

Inside

Piattini - Tuna Crudo

Tuna Crudo

Piattini - Ravioli Arogosta

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Ravioli Arogosta

Krasi - Halloumi (grilled halloumi, watermelon, basil, dried kalamata, fig balsamic)

Krasi

4.6(595 reviews)
0.1 mi•Back Bay
•$$

A truly awesome experience! Krasi had excellent food and drink with solid service. I can't say…read moreenough about how there's a lot of love when it comes to the food here. The food presentation was also pretty immaculate. The food here is very thoughtfully prepared, from ingredient choice to ingredient mix. This is probably one of my favorite places on Newbury Street. We had spanakopita croissant and the solomo. You honestly can't go wrong with any option. 9.5/10 - Must see and must try

A very popular, long-established Greek restaurant in Boston. Last time I walked in and was told…read morethere would be a two-hour wait, but this time I made a reservation and finally got to enjoy a delicious meal! Tiropita Rolls: Very straightforwardly delicious. The bread was warm, soft, and airy, with a rich aroma of butter and cheese; the spread was a rich blend of honey butter, and olives, sweet and delicious, perfect as an appetizer. Tzatziki: A slight disappointment. The cucumber and Greek yogurt spread was surprisingly heavy, a bit cloying, and the pickled kumquats weren't as sweet as I expected, but rather had a slightly bitter taste. The pita bread was thick and soft, probably better suited for dipping in soup--like Bourdeto--than for the spread. Bourdeto: The tomato fish soup was a pleasant surprise. The freshly caught grouper of the day was thick and tender, lightly seared to create a crispy crust. The broth was a vibrant, tangy tomato base, with onions, fennels, and red peppers contributing a sweet, layered flavor. Trahanas, fermented wheat and dairy, added richness and a smooth texture to the soup. The broth also had a slight spiciness, making it incredibly comforting on a chilly autumn day. Portokalopita: The dessert that elevated the entire meal. A traditional Greek orange phyllo, the cake, made from crumbs of phyllo pastry, becomes incredibly soft and moist after being soaked in orange syrup. Every bite was bursting with rich orange sweetness and fragrance, followed by a slightly bitter orange zest--perfectly balanced. Paired with Manouri cheese ice cream, the creamy flavor was incredibly rich and creamy, creating a harmonious and layered flavor profile.

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Krasi - Atmosphere

Atmosphere

Krasi - Giouvetsi

Giouvetsi

Krasi - Dips (tzatziki, kopanisti, taramosalata, sourdough)

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Dips (tzatziki, kopanisti, taramosalata, sourdough)

Mida - Carne supremo

Mida

4.3(66 reviews)
1.1 mi•Fenway

Wow! This kitchen is on fire! We were happy to find Mida open on the 4th of July! We were in Boston…read morefor a week and had some excellent food and this was our favorite restaurant of the trip. The service was amazing from the kitchen. We had a food party and shared all items. Pizza, fritto misto, braised beef on cauliflower puree ( no picture it was so good I forgot) Caesar salad and meatballs (also forgot to shoot a picture). Food was absolutely amazing. One note that I would normally score down on service when I order a drink before dinner I should at least get the drink and be able to consume it before all the food comes! Mida missed an opportunity here in timing the food and lost some liquor sales as a result. We gave this feedback to our server. Food was totally worth it and the vibe of the space was nice. Thanks Mida for a greata meala!

Delicious Italian that doubles as a delicious brunch spot. When we came for brunch before our…read moreflight, there weren't many folks dining in. Seating was easy and service was friendly. The interior is like many Italian spots, somewhat above average and slightly fancy, but nothing overwhelming. The spot definitely supports a casual dining approach even though it may look higher end. All the food we snagged was tasty. Arancini - a recommendation from our server which I believe isn't worth (at the price point) but is tasty. Soft and crispy rice balls enveloped with sauce, a fairly light appetizer to start the meal. Wish these were hotter, as they were served warm. Burrata - another recommendation from our server and a good one! Crispy ciabatta bread ready to scoop up the raisin pesto sauce and burrata cheese. Sweeter flavors from the sauce mixed with cheesy goodness and a great bread base to absorb it all. Rock Shrimp Carbonara - greasy bacon fat carbonara, as it should be. Amazing pasta, al dente, and abundant. Shrimp on the other hand, was not very abundant. Paccheri Bolognese - rich bolognese meat sauce. I think the choice of paccheri is a great pick while many other places use other pastas. Paccheri scooped up the sauce so well and was al dente. Plus very filling as a dish, I'd recommend this. Mida Slam - this is the epitome of brunch. Fluffy french toast with a delicious syrup. Bacon strips, eggs, some ciabatta bread, and potatoes. Yes it's a bunch of carbs but they're all delicious and flavorful. Each one has a different texture and flavor. This is the best choice for variety, especially those indecisive.

Photos
Mida - Inside

Inside

Mida - Sausage pizza +  Mushroom pappardelle

Sausage pizza + Mushroom pappardelle

Mida - Inside

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Inside

SRV Boston - Stuffed fired zucchini flower

SRV Boston

4.4(662 reviews)
0.6 mi•Symphony
•$$$

This restaurant is so beautiful. Just really aesthetically…read moreappealing in so many ways. Romantic, celebratory, just a beautiful space. You must make a reservation. Especially on the weekend it's worth it just go and enjoy yourself. Everything is so fresh so different. They've got a wonderful wine list to accompany all of their menu items. We were celebrating a birthday and they made it so special. It's a rather large restaurant. Large on the inside and a small patio out front. In my opinion, the lighting was perfect.

Came here for an anniversary dinner and the ambiance was exactly what I wanted with trendy but…read morestill intimate. For food we ordered the brussels which were crispy and had a nice touch of added saltiness from the anchovies. We also ordered the lumache and rigatoni. My husband really enjoyed the lumache and found it creamy and flavorful. While the rigatoni was good, I found the flavors to be too redundant as the meal went on and would have liked some variation between bites. My absolute favorite dish of the night and the reason I'd come back is for the strawberry stracciatella gelto. This was light, creamy, and tasted exactly like chocolate covered strawberries. Our server was friendly and my only ask would have been if he could have stopped by a bit more so we could order another round of drinks. It took some time to flag him down at which point we decided to just have dessert and wrap up. I would come back here though for the vibe and food.

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SRV Boston - Bar Interior

Bar Interior

SRV Boston - Eggplant, meatballs and appetizer

Eggplant, meatballs and appetizer

SRV Boston - Outside

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Outside

MIDA - Foccacia

MIDA

4.2(720 reviews)
0.8 mi•South End
•$$

Great food, lovely ambiance, and awesome waitress! Perfect GNO or date night spot…read more I really liked both of the entrees we ordered. - - The lasagna was a hearty, comforting bite. Adding short rib as the protein gave the classic dish a unique but welcome twist. I was a fan! - The rock shrimp carbonara was al dente (and made with bucatini!!) and covered in the perfect amount of creamy sauce. No notes there. Also huge shout out to our waitress (who we unfortunately did not get the name of). She helped us pick a delicious wine, and made our night a bit more entertaining.

Was excited to try this place because of all the reviews but I have to admit I'm confused…read more The highlights of our night were our server Daniel, their olive oil, and the deconstructed, wacky tiramisu. Daniel was super friendly, checked on us a lot, and offered a lot of suggestions including a red wine that is now my boyfriend's favorite. The free bread they give you came with some of the best olive oil I've ever eaten. Lastly, The tiramisu is not like any I've tried before but I honestly really liked it. It was super fresh and the espresso they pour over it is delicious. The rest of the food was meh. -North Shore Fritto Misto: 4/5, average squid:pepper ratio, fried well so they were not too chewy, great sauce. -Foccacia: 3/5, fluffy and soft but pretty boring unless you dip it in your pasta sauce. -Lasagna: boyfriend 4/5, me 2.5/5. I thought it was really salty and all I could taste was rib, no other components. Important to note though this was not my entree and I only had a few bites. -Bolognese: 1/5, the pasta cooked so well gave this a point otherwise the sauce was super thin, there was like no meat, and all I could taste were scallions.

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MIDA - Inside

Inside

MIDA - ARANCINI

ARANCINI

MIDA - Arancini

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Arancini

Serafina Back Bay - italian - Updated November 2026

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