Iconic North End spot with some great food, drinks, and vibes! [[HIGHLIGHT]]I was here on a beautiful evening, and they open up all the windows which is so lovely![[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] We started with the frito misto and a Caesar salad, which were both good! I shared the carbonara and fusilli alla vodka with my boyfriend. Both were good, but the fusilli was my personal favorite! The only thing is that they brought out our main dishes when we had just gotten our apps, so the service felt rushed. read more

The Florentine Cafe - Italian Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

Came here for a Mother's Day celebration dinner and was hoping for a better experience. We made reservations for 6 seats (1 was for stroller space/baby) and we had already noted that on the reservation. Baby is less than 3 months old- why would we be charged for a "large party 6+ fee when you know the baby is not eating the food?!" My favorite dishes were the appetizer meatballs, lobster ravioli entree, and the chocolate mousse dessert. We weren't really attended to throughout our 3 hour stay and no water refill was offered. We had an extra charge on our bill that was not ordered by us and they didn't seem apologetic about it at all. I'm glad that I asked for an itemized bill. Overall subpar experience unfortunately. I hope others have a better experience! read more

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[[HIGHLIGHT]]We had lunch at this cute corner spot in the North End (Little Italy) of Boston and loved it so much, we came back for dinner another night.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Highlights- the bread. Dear lord, the bread. I do TRY to be good and avoid senseless carbs in a bread basket- but trust me, there's absolutely no turning this down, from the minute you smell it coming. All of the veggies seemed so FRESH! All of the cocktails we tried were great but SHOUT OUT for this perfect pistachio martini. So, espresso martinis and pistachio martinis seem to be the trendy drinks of Boston- every restaurant and bar had a version of these drinks and in the spirit of fairness, I tried them all. When it comes to pistachio martinis, the Florentine Cafe wins hands down. Service- we were walk ins at lunch and were thrilled to get a table (for 4), service was outstanding. For dinner, we made reservations and there were only two of us- for some reason we seemed to get a lot less attentive and slower service. I'd sat waiting, watching the tables around us enjoy their bread and I was SO excited to once again sink my teeth into it. When our entrees showed up without the bread basket, I had a momentary panic- haha, and chased down the waiter to beg for bread (which he brought). To be honest we felt forgotten throughout the meal and had to wait for a second drink order for a really long time. This normally would be a star off for me, but seriously- with that pistachio martini and the INCREDIBLY delicious dishes (lasagna and shrimp scampi) we had, it feels like it'd be a sin to give anything less than 5 stars. So chef and bartender made this meal! read more

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Had a fabulous lunch at Florentine Cafe when exploring Little Italy recently. We decided to split 2 appetizers (bruschetta and carpaccio), along with Caesar salads; and we shared a bottle of wine. My friend loved his carpaccio, and my Caesar was one of my favorites ever. Only complaint is that I'd prefer more cheese on the bruschetta. Service was great, and we enjoyed sitting at the open windows looking out on a beautiful day! read more

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Once again a solid experience! The linguine Vongole was delicious and fresh, the pasta was perfectly al dente and there was a generous quantity of seafood. The drinks weren't super strong again but were very refreshing. [[HIGHLIGHT]]I highly recommend Florentine for girls nights, dates, family dinners- the vibe is perfect for every occasion[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] read more

The Florentine Cafe - Linguine Vongole - Italian Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

Best pasta ever!! If you're craving authentic Italian pasta, this is the place to go I highly recommend. Showed up on a Sunday evening without reservations with a party of 6, and was seated right away. Staff was friendly, accommodating, and great! [[HIGHLIGHT]]The ambience is neat with dim lighting and grapevines on the ceiling.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Everything about this restaurant is amazing. read more

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Absolutely great experience all around! I came here on a date and the food, the location and service were all great! We walked by a couple times and eventually caved and decided to eat lunch here. We sat by a window, the weather was perfect and the flowers in the little planter were so pretty. It was just picture perfect. Drinks/apps: I went with their florentine spritz cocktail, which was sweet and refreshing. My bf is a fan of espresso martinis, his was great and not super strong. We also got a burrata which came with a delicious orange sauce, it tasted like roasted veggies and went great with the cheese and toasted bread. The oysters were on the small side, but came with a variety of sauces and tasted wonderfully like the sea. Entrees: I realized i was in the mood for some ravioli and went with the Ravioli di aragosta. Loved it, great dish, literally nothing else to say. The raviolis are huge, stuffed with cheese and lobster, and smothered in a creamy sauce which was full of lobster pieces, you definitely get what you pay for. My bf got the Agnello alle erbe, which was a herb encrusted lambchop. It tasted amazing, I only wish it was a little bigger! It also came with perfectly seasoned + roasted veggies. Dessert: no dessert because we were so full. TL;DR: north end has the best restaurant selection in Boston, its hard to pick! I would definitely recommend this place, especially on a sunny day where you can sit by the window. Gorgeous view of the peace garden across the road and lots of passerby staring at your food with jealousy. Come here and enjoy life! read more

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Probably my worst service experience in Boston. Reservation for 2 at 6:45, showed up early. Seated us in basement, waited 20 min w no service for even water or drinks. We approached staff at bar w no resolve. I went up and asked to be help, they reseated us upstairs. And service finally came but was not good. Food was so so , def not the expectation of prices and reviews. Suggest a pass for future people, plenty other places to eat!! read more

The service here was fabulous. [[HIGHLIGHT]]A nice cozy ambiance type restaurant on a street corner in Boston.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] I had the shrimp alfredo and I was super impressed with the size of the shrimp! Also, the bread and oil was delicious. If I could've taken a loaf home I would've! read more

The Florentine Cafe - Outside of the building - Italian Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

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[[HIGHLIGHT]]Excellent food and service in a charming atmosphere.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] [[HIGHLIGHT]]We had a window seat and enjoyed the people watching while we enjoyed our dinner.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] The LOBSTER FRA DIAVOLO Fresh lobster*, linguine, zucchini, spicy cherry tomato sauce, garlic, parsley, white wine was outstanding! And, so was the VONGOLE Linguine, sautéed local clams, garlic, olive oil, cherry tomato, white wine. We started with s Caesar salad which was very good. Don't forget to ask for bread for both excellent sauces. [[HIGHLIGHT]]The service was very good and the atmosphere charming, with a club old time feeling.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] We would definitely return. read more

[[HIGHLIGHT]]We sat at the bar which was a little busy.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] The drinks were good we had a dark and light espresso martini and I had a delicious lemon drop! We also had a Cesar salad and chicken Parmesan the chicken was good but the sauce was a little bland on the pasta. [[HIGHLIGHT]]there was also families having dinner.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] The bartenders were helpful and attentive. read more

This place was marvelous. A group of friends and I went down during the Italian culture fest weekend and were fortunate enough to snag a table despite the plumes of people coming and going on the north end. Right off the bat, the hostess (Embarrassingly I am blanking on her name, but she was the cutest thing and she was from California) was able to get us a table despite the long wait time and was incredibly welcoming and friendly despite the unseasonable heat. [[HIGHLIGHT]]The inside was gorgeous, with interior similar to many other restaurants in the neighborhood.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] The food was excellent, our party especially raving over the scampi and the carpaccio. Top notch service from both of our waiters. Priced similarly to what you'd expect. read more

The Florentine Cafe - Italian Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

[[HIGHLIGHT]]Great location.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Kind bartender. [[HIGHLIGHT]]Came for lunch at the bar and it was relaxing with great people watching![[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Loved everything. Especially the Caesar salad. read more

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I'm so glad I made reservation. They were busy!! [[HIGHLIGHT]]We got seated in the downstairs lounge and it was super cute.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] My daughter and I ordered the Burrata and it was the best Burrata I've ever had. Super fresh and just delicious. For the pasta, I ordered the penne bolognese and my daughter ordered the fusilli with vodka sauce. You can't go wrong with either! read more

The Florentine Cafe - The downstairs lounge - Italian Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

The food and the drinks were good but didn't particularly stand out. [[HIGHLIGHT]]Ambience was very nice and well organized.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Service was generally good. Price felt ok considering the location. read more

My recent visit to this establishment was quite disappointing. We waited around five minutes for anyone to even acknowledge us, let alone offer a table. When we were finally addressed, we were offered a table right in a high-traffic area, next to the staff's pathway and directly beside the restrooms. No, thank you. I have too much self-respect to sit right next to a bathroom while trying to enjoy a meal or a drink. We promptly left. read more

The Florentine Cafe - Italian Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

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All of the above Had Shrimp Absolutely the best I have ever had large shrimp in a wine butter lemon sauce served over pasta ( home made Server was very knowledgeable and chose a new ce glass of red wine The app we had meatballs with burrata. Or ricotta can't remember marinara perfect. read more

[[HIGHLIGHT]]I was so excited to experience authentic Italian food in the North End, and we chose this restaurant specifically for the charming window seat for two, it felt idyllic.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] When our waitress came to take our drink order, she also asked if we wanted appetizers. I mentioned bread, since on my way in I had noticed a fresh basket being delivered to another table. It looked so delicious that I couldn't wait to try it. Instead of offering the complimentary bread, however, she directed us to the cheese bread on the menu. It wasn't what I had expected, but we ordered it anyway, and unfortunately didn't love it. I only wished we hadn't wasted calories and tummy space on it. Later, when the complimentary bread finally arrived, it was fantastic, exactly what I had been hoping for. But by then, the moment was gone. As for the entrées, we enjoyed them. Still, the mix-up with the bread took away from what could have been a truly perfect experience read more

i had such a lovely time here! came here without a reservation on a weekday and luckily was able to grab a table (but next time, definitely get a reservation). [[HIGHLIGHT]]as typical with the north end, they will leave the doors/windows open even on a hot day, so dress lightly![[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] food was so so good! and service was very friendly. read more

The Florentine Cafe - Italian Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

This place was absolutely incredible. I was in town this past Thursday and Sunday for my friend's bachelorette (I flew in from Oklahoma City!) and this was my very first time in Boston. I got off my flight and took a Lyft straight here. Staff helped me with my luggage and sat us down to a lovely table by the railings and flower beds on the side that had perfect people-watching foods. I was very impressed by the service, ambiance, and food. I met up with two other bridesmaids from our crew for a late lunch around 2 pm and we shared some dishes including the Caesar salad, fusili a la vodka, and burrata appetizer. With the lunch also came some complimentary bread and seasoned oil. Everything was tasty and such great quality. The food at Florentine Cafe was so delicious that I had to come back on my way back to OKC, so I convinced my friends to come on Sunday - we were here around 11 am and their brunch menu was available - but they still had pasta which we were excited about! We shared the delicious Caesar salad, fettucini with peas, mushrooms, and pink sauce, and eggplant parmesan with pesto cream sauce - very unique and extremely satisfying. Florentine Cafe you have my heart. I will be back in the near future! read more

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The drinks deserve a 5 star but the food dropped the rating 2.5 for the food. Stopped in on a Saturday afternoon sat at the bar. We enjoyed the drinks--they were the highlight of the experience (missing from photos was the espresso martini that was delish). Unfortunately, the food didn't live up to the same standard. The eggplant parm came without sauce, and the side sauce we asked for tasted a bit like something from a jar--very bland. The fusilli alla vodka tasted more like marinara, and the chicken seemed frozen rather than fresh. Would not return for the food. read more

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I ate here this week with my mom and sister in law who traveled a long way to get there. While the food was good, the waitstaff asked us to leave after just over an hour because they said they needed the table. I thought that was incredibly rude. read more

It was our first time there. Do not order the chicken parm. It was very chewy and a knife couldn't cut through it. I had mentioned it to the waiter and he said "yes that is how it is." I was shocked by his response. He asked if I would like something else and I said no thank you. Never took it off the bill. I would never go back there. read more

The Florentine is right on the corner of the heart of Hanover street so if you're looking for the perfect people watching view, or simply the fresh summer breeze in the best spot- Florentine is it! Love coming in here for drinks, and their brunch is great too (I haven't had it in a while but its still as yummy as its ever been). Service was super friendly was always, and it was a great time with my family. Will definitely be back! read more

We went here for a business meal and the service, food and drink was really.good. I had the lasagna and it was perfect. The location is convenient to desert at numerous pastry shops across the street and in the neighborhood. A good place to go for some good Italian food. read more

We came here on a date night after seeing the gorgeous decor on TikTok. Reservations were easy to make and we were seated promptly on the street level. We were pretty bummed that the aforementioned decor we saw on TikTok was the basement, and no one was really being seated down there. Next time, I would request the basement specifically! The garlic bread was a 2.5/5 (warm and soft, not garlicky at all), but both our meals and dessert were 4/5. I like that they have a lot of vegetarian options-- one of the only places in the city that does Pasta Allá Norma! read more

The Florentine Cafe - Rigatoni alla Norma and Fusilli Alla Vodka - Italian Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

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"Florentine Café served one of the best meals I've had in the area. The zucchini flowers are a must, but the standout was the ravioli aragosta, loaded with real lobster, not just a creamy filling. Absolutely unforgettable." read more

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The food was delicious - the shrimp scampi was citrus-y and light and the rigatoni was rich and flavorful. Also, I love how dense their bread is. We visited on a Monday night so it was pretty quiet, but there were some big groups hanging out. I liked that this restaurant didn't feel as cramped. Our server was also kind and attentive. read more

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This was an amazing experience!! Alexa with our server and there's nothing she could've done any better she was the best !! My husband and I on our 25th wedding anniversary came to the north side of Boston for dinner. We had zucchini flowers with regards linguine with their marinara sauce, which was amazing. My husband had Fuzuli with meatballs. The bread was excellent. It was our 25th wedding anniversary. She was so sweet to take photos of us and they gave us a slice of tiramisu that said happy anniversary. The food is delicious the prices are incredibly reasonable. We left her over 25% tip. And our next time in Boston, we can't wait to come back ! Also, I wanna give a shout out to the bartender Tom, he was great ! I wasn't sure about a beer that I wanted and he was super helpful and didn't let me commit to it if I didn't like it . read more

The Florentine Cafe - Espresso martini - Italian Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

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Food was impeccable! Service is what was lacking. [[HIGHLIGHT]]We were sat in the basement which is a beautiful and cozy vibe[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] but our server rarely ever came to our table and we had to ask for bread. Our salad and entrees were then served on top of eachother and it took 30 minutes for the check. Would 100% return on basis of the cuisine but the service could use some attention as we were not the only table with this issue. read more

I have nothing bad to say about this place, 6 people got different entrees and every single one of them was great. The price is also good, not super cheap but a good middle ground price for a Boston North End restaurant. The ambiance is perfect and if you get a chance to check out the bar in the basement, it is a super cute little spot. Very popular on weekends to go out. Also our service was great and entrees came out very quick. read more

The Florentine Cafe - Italian Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

My husband and I came here recently to celebrate our 25th wedding anniversary, we were seated by the window and since it was a gorgeous sunny day the windows were all open! Our meal was delicious and we split a bottle of red wine with dinner, which was superb. Our waitress was fantastic too. We plan on coming back soon, the North End is my favorite place to eat, I am Italian so the area holds so many special memories from my childhood. read more

The Florentine Cafe - Negroni & Margarita - Italian Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

Very adorable place in the North End!! I went alone so I sat at the bar and it was nice to talk to the bartender to get to know recs. The fussili Alla vodka with chicken and pistachio martini (more dessert like) were really good and filling! The chicken was also cooked well but you can add other toppings as well from the menu. I had leftovers for the next day too. The flowers outside gave a very European feel. Definitely recommend! read more

The Florentine Cafe - fussili Alla vodka with chicken and pistachio martini - Italian Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

[[HIGHLIGHT]]Great small north end atmosphere, however the menu items are presented one way and served nowhere close to what's offered.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] The salmon was supposed to have fresh mango,cucumber, tomato and mint chutney it came with canned mango. Absolutely disgusting! We also got a filet that looked like road kill! This is a typical tourist trap, and we come from the surrounding areas and somehow fell for it. This is becoming the norm in the north end unfortunately. read more

Very good food, we had the calamari to start and chose the Ravioli Di Aragosta and Rigatoni Bolognese for dinner. We showed up early for our reservation and the staff was happy to seat us. [[HIGHLIGHT]]Be sure to ask if you can sit by the open windows, the ambiance was amazing![[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] read more

The Florentine Cafe - Seating by window - Italian Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

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A little surprised by the mixed reviews but we took out of towners here and everyone was happy with the food. We had intended to go to another restaurant thinking 5 pm dinner on a Sunday we would have a good chance to get a table for an early dinner. Popular restaurants(Daily Catch, Carmelina's) were filled quickly. Our goal then became to find a place that could fit 7 of us around 5pm walk-in. I'll admit I was a little guarded that the restaurant could seat us so quickly compared other places but at this point, we would have gone anywhere. We were pleasantly surprised of our good fortune! We ordered zucchini flowers and fried calamari/shrimp - all enjoyed. The zucchini flowers were cut up for the adults to share(I'd imagine eating a whole stuffed one would be filling!). Bread was warm and fresh with a flavorful dipping oil. Lots of sharing of food at our table: shrimp scampi, lobster ravioli, gnocchi, pasta bolognese. Lobster ravioli was filed with plenty of lobster and had a creamy sauce. Gnocchi were light and pillowy. Shrimp scampi was lemony and garlicky. The sauce for the bolognese tasted like it's been simmering for hours. Overall great dinner, I did however think at times my dish was a little salty(ravioli) but I assumed maybe it had a tad too much cheese. It definitely wasn't too salty where I couldn't finish. read more

The Florentine Cafe - Lobster ravioli(split into two dishes, this plate is one half of the dishes) - Italian Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

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Food was delicious, as usual. Service was impeccable, as usual. [[HIGHLIGHT]]The music however was awful, horrible, inappropriate for what should be a beautiful Italian dining experience.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] [[HIGHLIGHT]]Why they changed from Italian dinner music to pop 40/classic rock nonsense is troubling.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] [[HIGHLIGHT]]Whoever thought it was a good idea to change from enjoyable, relaxing comforting old world traditional Italian music to bar music really needs a reality check.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] [[HIGHLIGHT]]We want to hear Sinatra, Vale, Damone, Martin.......certainly not John Fogerty and Olivia Newton John.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] [[HIGHLIGHT]]IT'S THE NORTH END for God's sake! We come to feel "Italy", not some pub.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] [[HIGHLIGHT]]They ruined a really good thing![[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] We've been coming to Florentine for decades. NO MORE! So disappointed. There are plenty of other choices in the North End. read more

Stumbled upon this place for dinner to shelter from the pouring rain and could not be more glad we did! We ordered a bunch of apps to share and I'd love to recommend the meatballs and the zuppa-- both blew us away! We sat at the bar and enjoyed watching all the espresso martinis and aperol spritz's being whipped up in front of us. We also loved their complimentary bread and olive oil Our server/bar tender was super nice and we got to chat a little over our delish bottle of Chianti ($65). So grateful to have found Florentine and most definitely will be back. read more

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This was a rough one for me guys... after eating here I threw up in the ferns on Salem street. I was immediately ill like so fast run down the street immediate. It was a cinematic moment for me as it was dark and I was scared. The only thing that could have helped me was Gatorade. So many tourists and people waiting for Bova's saw me suffering. No one offered hold my hair for me. read more

Everywhere on a Saturday night was extremely busy. We just wanted to grab a drink at the bar before our dinner. We saw Florentine had one bar stool open, which is fine, one sit and one stand. We got their house martini. I was afraid that it was extremely dirty because it looked extremely green, cloudy and murky. To our surprise it wasn't. It must just be the lighting of some kind of strong brine color but it was perfect. So we definitely enjoyed our house martini. read more

The Florentine Cafe - House martini - Italian Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

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