Cantina Italiana

4.7

2836 Reviews

$31 to $50

Italian

Make a reservation

2 people

Dec 29, 2024

7:00 PM

Booked 65 times today

Neighborhood gem
Good for special occasions
Charming

An iconic tradition in Boston's "Little Italy", Cantina Italiana serves the tastes that make the North End famous. Started in 1931, Cantina Italiana is the oldest restaurant in the historic North End of Boston. We boast over 90 years of tradition in providing the best in homestyle Italian American and authentic southern Italian cuisine, the freshest New England seafood, and unparalleled service and experience. Cantina Italiana's warm, charming, and traditional atmosphere gives our restaurant a relaxed setting to enjoy you meal amongst the most important parts of your dining and drink experience: family, friends, and of course...food! Enjoy and cheer among us as we would at home: Mangia, Beve, e Buona Salute!

Order delivery or takeout

Dining areas

Additional information

Dining style
Casual Dining
Price
$31 to $50
Cuisines
Italian
Hours of operation
Dinner Mon–Thu 4:00 pm–11:00 pm Fri 12:00 pm–11:30 pm Sat 12:00 pm–12:00 am Sun 12:00 pm–11:00 pm
Phone number
(617) 723-4577
Website
http://www.cantinaitaliana.com/
Payment options
AMEX, Diners Club, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
Dress code
Casual Dress
Executive chef
Ciriaco Colella
Catering
Catering is available upon request.

Location
346 Hanover Street, Boston, MA 02113
Neighborhood
North End
Cross street
Fleet Street
Parking details
We offer valet parking after 4:00pm daily. The cost is $24 per car. We also validate @ the Parcel 7 garage near Haymarket Square.
Public transit
Closest stops are North Station and Haymarket
Entertainment
We are offering a special menu on SUNDAYS from 12:00pm-10:30pm, 2 courses for $25.00.
Additional
Bar/Lounge, Beer, Cocktails, Delivery, Entertainment, Full Bar, Gluten-free Options, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Takeout, Wine

Popular dishes

Bruschetta$7.00
Grilled Italian bread topped with marinated plum tomatoes and Mozzarella, drizzled with olive oil and basil
Caprese$13.00
Imported fresh Mozzarella cheese served with tomatoes, roasted red peppers and basil, drizzled with olive oil
Zuppa di Cozze$11.00
Sautéed mussels with black pepper, lemon and olive oil
Frittura di Calamari$12.00
Fried calamari tossed with garlic and cherry peppers, served with marinara sauce
Insalata della Casa$9.00
Mixed greens, cucumbers, carrots, grape tomatoes and red onions, served with homemade creamy Italian or Balsamic
- With Grilled Chicken$14.00
- With Calamari or Shrimp$16.00
Insalata Cesare$9.00
Romaine lettuce tossed with homemade Caesar dressing, served with garlic croutons and shaved Parmigiano cheese
- With Grilled Chicken$14.00
- With Calamari or Shrimp$16.00
Spinaci con Noci e Gorgonzola$9.00
Baby spinach tossed with balsamic vinaigrette dressing, with honey toasted walnuts and crumbled gorgonzola cheese
- With Grilled Chicken$14.00
- With Calamari or Shrimp$16.00
Pizzetta Margherita$12.00
Topped with fresh tomato sauce, basil, Parmigiano and Mozzarella cheese
Pizzetta al Prosciutto$15.00
Topped with fresh tomato sauce, Parmigiano cheese, Mozzarella cheese and Prosciutto
Pizzetta con Salsiccia$14.00
Topped with fresh tomato sauce, Mozzarella cheese, caramelized onions and spicy Italian sausage
Pizzetta Quattro Stagioni$15.00
Topped with fresh tomato sauce, Mozzarella cheese, roasted peppers, mushrooms, artichokes, Calamata olives
Pizzetta Capricciosa$14.00
Topped with fresh tomato sauce, Mozzarella cheese, artichokes, mushrooms and Parma Cotta ham
Pizzetta con Funghi$14.00
Topped with fresh tomato sauce, Mozzarella, Gorgonzola cheese and wild mushroom
Gnocchi di Patate$14.00
Homemade potato gnocchi tossed with a choice of fresh tomato or Bolognese sauce
Ravioli di Ricotta$15.00
Cheese stuffed ravioli served with a San Marzano tomato sauce
Parmigiana di Melanzane$15.00
Baked breaded eggplant layered with Mozzarella cheese with a plum tomato sauce and Parmigiano cheese
Maccheroni al Forno$14.00
Baked pasta tossed with spicy sausage, plum tomato sauce, Parmigiano and Goat cheese
Maccheroni alla Boscaila$14.00
Homemade pasta with sautéed mushrooms and Parma ham, tossed in a tomato cream sauce with fresh basil
Tagliatelle$14.00
Homemade Tagliatelle pasta tossed with a choice of a classic tomato, Bolognese or Amatriciana sauce
Spaghetti con Polpette$15.00
Spaghetti tossed with marinara sauce topped with homemade sirloin meatballs
Lasagna al Forno$17.00
Layers of homemade pasta sheets, besciamela and meat sauce, topped with Mozzarella cheese and baked to perfection
Maccheroni con Pollo e Broccoli$15.00
Chicken sauteed with garlic and broccoli in a white wine Parmigiano cheese sauce with pasta
Pollo Marsala$15.00
Boneless chicken breast sautéed with mushrooms and sweet Marsala wine
Parmigiana di Pollo$14.00
Our traditional Chicken Parmigiana or Veal Parmigiana, served with pasta
- Vitello$16.00
Spaghetti con le Cozze$13.00
Mussels' sautéed in a light cherry tomato sauce, served over Spaghetti
Spaghetti con Calamari$14.00
Calamari sautéed with fresh garlic and basil in a plum tomato sauce, served with spaghetti
Spaghetti con le Vongole$15.00
Clams sautéed with garlic and olive oil in a white wine sauce, tossed with spaghetti

What 2,836 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

Reviews can only be made by diners who have eaten at this restaurant

4.7

4.7 based on recent ratings

4.7Food
4.7Service
4.4Ambience
4.5Value

Noise • Moderate

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews

Cantina Italiana in Boston's North End is a beloved classic, offering "amazing food and service" in a charming, old-school Italian ambiance. Diners rave about the "authentic Italian cuisine," hearty portions, and standout servers like Omar, who ensure a memorable dining experience. It's a must-visit for genuine Italian flavors.

2,836 Reviews

J
John
Greater Boston
3 reviews
5.0
3 reviews
Dined 1 day ago
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Wonderful experience, wonderful food, and would return again
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S
Suzanne
VIP
New York City
19 reviews
5.0
19 reviews
Dined 2 days ago
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 4
Great food, huge dinner portions. Be warned that if you have a reservation you may still need to wait a bit to be seated depending on when you go.
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R
Ryan
Greater Boston
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined 2 days ago
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Omar was incredible, food was phenomenal as well.
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M
Meredith
Chicago
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined 4 days ago
1. Overall 5
2. Food 4
3. Service 4
4. Ambience 4
Lively, busy place in the heart of the North End., Good food made of high quail ingredients. Perfunctory service. They ran out of the holiday dessert before 6:30pm.
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M
Melissa
Greater Boston
2 reviews
5.0
2 reviews
Dined 4 days ago
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
We had an amazing Christmas Day dinner at Cantina Italiana. Our server was the sweetest and very attentive. The food was excellent and tasted very fresh. The kids were excited that they served lemon sorbetto in carved out lemons and the espresso martini was terrific. An outstanding experience overall!
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a
anny
VIP
Greater Boston
11 reviews
5.0
11 reviews
Dined 4 days ago
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 4
food was very flavorful and waiter was very attentive. only downside was that we were seated at a corner table in the back right outside the kitchen, so it was a little hectic with people walking past and trash was coming in and out from the back. besides that - definitely recommend!
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s
siusan
Washington DC
5 reviews
4.0
5 reviews
Dined 4 days ago
1. Overall 4
2. Food 4
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 3
My husband, daughter and I ate here for our Christmas Day dinner. We had reservations and we were seated right away. My daughter had the fettuccine with Creme and that was very satisfying, my husband remarked his dinner was very good, it included pasta, meatballs and beef. I ordered a Caesar Salad for an appetizer which was very dry and for my meal I had muscles which were underwhelming. I’m used to having a rich, garlic, lemon sauce with muscles ( we’re from the coast of Maine) and to be honest this sauce was not at all flavorful. The toast that came with the muscles was burnt so I was unable to eat it. The biggest disappointment was I had mentioned it was my 66th birthday and no one said a thing. Granted it was very very busy and they most probably forgot. I read others reviews which were excellent. I unfortunately did not have that experience.
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TM
TimM
Miami
3 reviews
5.0
3 reviews
Dined 4 days ago
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Great meal in North End with family.
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M
Maryelizabeth
Greater Boston
2 reviews
5.0
2 reviews
Dined 4 days ago
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Great food, excellent service! Love this restaurant on Christmas day!
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t
timothy
VIP
Greater Boston
4 reviews
5.0
4 reviews
Dined 5 days ago
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
We have never been to cantina Italiana before. And on Xmas Eve. The service was excellent Omar was our server and was point on. The food was excellent. The esspresso martini delish. Great vibe. The food was a 10!! If you haven’t tried this place you need to go !! So good. 🇮🇹🇮🇹🇮🇹🇮🇹🎄🎄🎄🕊️🕊️🕊️🕊️💙💙🤶🤶🤶🌙🙏🙏🙏🙏
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FAQs

Cantina Italiana offers takeout which you can order by calling the restaurant at (617) 723-4577.

Cantina Italiana is rated 4.7 stars by 2836 OpenTable diners.

Yes, you can generally book this restaurant by choosing the date, time and party size on OpenTable.

Make a reservation

2 people

Dec 29, 2024

7:00 PM

Booked 65 times today

Order delivery or takeout

346 Hanover Street, Boston, MA 02113

Dining areas

Additional information

Cross street
Fleet Street
Neighborhood
North End
Hours of operation
Dinner Mon–Thu 4:00 pm–11:00 pm Fri 12:00 pm–11:30 pm Sat 12:00 pm–12:00 am Sun 12:00 pm–11:00 pm
Price
$31 to $50
Cuisines
Italian
Dining style
Casual Dining
Dress code
Casual Dress
Parking details
We offer valet parking after 4:00pm daily. The cost is $24 per car. We also validate @ the Parcel 7 garage near Haymarket Square.
Public transit
Closest stops are North Station and Haymarket
Payment options
AMEX, Diners Club, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
Executive chef
Ciriaco Colella
Entertainment
We are offering a special menu on SUNDAYS from 12:00pm-10:30pm, 2 courses for $25.00.
Additional
Bar/Lounge, Beer, Cocktails, Delivery, Entertainment, Full Bar, Gluten-free Options, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Takeout, Wine

Website
http://www.cantinaitaliana.com/
Phone number
(617) 723-4577
Catering
Catering is available upon request.

Cantina Italiana

Make a reservation

Order delivery or takeout

Dining areas

Additional information

Mozzarella en Carozza

Pappardelle allo Pesto

Pappardelle alla Bolognese

Main

Bruschetta$7.00

Caprese$13.00

Zuppa di Cozze$11.00

Frittura di Calamari$12.00

Insalata della Casa$9.00

Insalata Cesare$9.00

Spinaci con Noci e Gorgonzola$9.00

Pizzetta Margherita$12.00

Pizzetta al Prosciutto$15.00

Pizzetta con Salsiccia$14.00

Pizzetta Quattro Stagioni$15.00

Pizzetta Capricciosa$14.00

Pizzetta con Funghi$14.00

Gnocchi di Patate$14.00

Ravioli di Ricotta$15.00

Parmigiana di Melanzane$15.00

Maccheroni al Forno$14.00

Maccheroni alla Boscaila$14.00

Tagliatelle$14.00

Spaghetti con Polpette$15.00

Lasagna al Forno$17.00

Maccheroni con Pollo e Broccoli$15.00

Pollo Marsala$15.00

Parmigiana di Pollo$14.00

Spaghetti con le Cozze$13.00

Spaghetti con Calamari$14.00

Spaghetti con le Vongole$15.00

Overall ratings and reviews

Review summary

FAQs

Does Cantina Italiana offer delivery through OpenTable or takeout?

How is Cantina Italiana restaurant rated?

Is Cantina Italiana currently accepting reservations?

Make a reservation

Order delivery or takeout

Dining areas

Additional information