Oysters, wine, fresh bread and seafood in Boston's Little Italy
As you walk down Hanover St. in Boston, the smells of just-baked focaccia meld with freshly pulled shots of espresso. Outside Mike's Pastry, there's a line of cannoli-craving people reminiscent of Schwartz's. And friends outside Italian restaurant The Daily Catch greet each other with buongiorno instead of hello. Boston's North End is the...
A southern Italian grape shines at Il Capriccio Ristorante e Bar
by Ellen Bhang At Waltham's beloved Il Capriccio Ristorante e Bar, wine director Jan Novak curates pours made from grapes that are tried and true, even if their names may not be familiar. The veteran professional loves to recommend a 2012 southern Italian unoaked red that hails from Puglia. Crafted by Tenute Rubino on a 125-acre e...
Honoring culinary traditions at Caffe Paolina in Swampscott
by Elise Balzotti In the eyes of a passerby, the small Caffè Paolina, tucked discreetly in the corner of a quaint strip mall on Swampscott's main road, does not beckon customers in. Once inside, however, diners feel an unusual sense of comfort and welcome. Greeted by the proprietor, herself, in a true Calabrese fashion, with open...
Italian dessert shop coming to Massachusetts Street
by Chad Lawhorn Gelato. Sorbet. Cannoli. Am I showing off my bilingual skills here? Of course. Am I pointing to stains on my tie? Well, yes, but neither of those are really the point. I'm mainly working up to tell you that a new dessert shop — with a specialty in Italian dishes — is coming to downtown Lawrence. Lawrence businessman Dan Bl...
Monica’s Mercato & Salumeria: Boston’s Home for Italian Specialties and Incredible Sandwiches
"You can't take a bad thing and turn it into a good thing, but you can take a good thing and turn it into something delicious," says Jorge Mendoza. Jorge is one-third of the team that runs Monica's restaurant group, which includes Vinoteca di Monica, Monica's Mercato Pizza, Trattoria di Monica, and Monica's Mercato & Salumeria in the North End....
Sonsini family keeps Italian traditions alive in the Berkshires
For centuries, immigrants have been seeking a home in the Berkshires. Though the landscape of immigration has changed considerably over the last century, the Berkshires continues to welcome people from many parts of the world. The Italian family of Sonsinis look back to an earlier wave of European immigrants. Joe and Theresa (nee Troiano)...
Farm To Fork: Cheesemaking Tradition Born In Italy, Thriving In Somerville
For our occasional food series, Farm to Fork, we went to a small Somerville office park near a junk car lot. Inside, behind a red door there's a kitchen and a little piece of Italy. According to Tremont 647 chef and owner Andy Husbands, this kitchen has some of the best mozzarella around. The company is called Fiore de Nonno — or "gra...
Newton's Newest Italian Restaurant Debuts this Weekend
by Dana Hatic A popular Italian bodega in Coolidge Corner is getting ready to unveil a new outpost in Newton. Bottega Fiorentina will hold a soft opening for its new location on June 5, celebrating the occasion by offering free espresso. The new restaurant from Andrea and Cristina Ferrini will open at 11 a.m. on Sunday after more than a y...
Behind the Plate: Cucina D brings northern Italian fare to Bedford
For the past year, Cucina D owners and husband and wife, Damiano and Christina DiCenso, have offered handmade northern Italian cuisine to local residents from their recently established Middlesex Turnpike location. From tried-and-true fare like D's homemade meatballs to traditional dishes like chicken or veal marsala, this Bedford eatery has s...
Nardelli’s Grinder Shoppe opens on Old Gate Lane in Milford
The new Nardelli's Grinder Shoppe has the appearance of a polished national chain restaurant, but the big boss is called "Mama," described by her children as a "short, old-school Italian lady," 77, who pops in for taste tests at all the Nardelli's locations to make sure her recipes taste as they should. "I just want to make sure it's all r...
Remembering the other saint day in March
By Mary Ann Sorrentino The Irish seem to own mid-March celebrations. Even their natural ethnic rivals compete to grand marshal St. Paddy's Day parades everywhere. The gay community fights fiercely to march wearing Erin's green while St. Joseph has no parade. Instead, he's buried upside down to improve bad housing markets. In Rhode Island, as a ca...
A Taste of Italy in Springfield’s South End
The smells and sounds of Italy filled the South End Middle School auditorium Saturday night in Springfield. It was called "A Taste of Italy". In its 20th year, and organized by parishioners of the Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Church, the popular dinner fundraiser was attended by hundreds or parishioners and residents of the South End. R...