Contessa - Boston

4.7

98 Reviews

$31 to $50

Italian

Make a reservation

2 people

Jan 15, 2025

7:00 PM

Booked 67 times today

Experiences are available.

Fancy
Good for special occasions
Great for brunch

Perched atop The Newbury Hotel like a crown jewel, Contessa is a grand destination. Guests are welcomed from morning till night to a sunlit, rooftop restaurant with Art Deco references and mid-century modern detailing, offering sweeping views of Back Bay and the Boston Public Garden. The menu offers a wide variety of delicious options, from feasts of antipasti, carpaccios and pizzas, to pastas and large steaks. A vast wine list, classic cocktails and a selection of dolci punctuate a beautiful meal.

Private dining

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View details

Dining areas

Additional information

Dining style
Casual Elegant
Price
$31 to $50
Cuisines
Italian
Hours of operation
Breakfast Mon–Fri 7:30 am–10:30 am Lunch Mon–Fri 11:30 am–2:30 pm
Phone number
(617) 741-3404
Website
https://contessaristorante.com/
Dress code
Business Casual
Private party facilities
For a party of 9+, please email events@contessaboston.com.
Private party contact
Contessa Boston Events Team: (617) 536-5700

Location
1 Newbury St, Boston, MA 02116
Neighborhood
Back Bay
Cross street
Located in The Newbury Hotel at Arlington St. and Berkeley St.
Parking details
None
Public transit
The main entrance to the restaurant is located at 3 Newbury Street. If you enter through the hotel, you will need to walk through the restaurant to check in at the host stand.
Additional
Non-Smoking, View, Wheelchair Access

Experiences

Valentine's Day at Contessa Boston
$195.00 per person
Prepaid
Feb 14, 2025 only
Celebrate Valentine's Day at Contessa Boston with our special prix-fixe menu. Begin with Tonnato Crudo or Daily Imported Burrata, indulge in Spicy Lobster Rigatoni, and choose between Filet with Black Truffle Sauce and Grilled Mediterranean Branzino. Finish in fine fashion with our Nutella Fudge Cake paired with Hand Spun Coffee Gelato.

What 98 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
4.8Ambience
4.3Value

Noise • Moderate

Loved For

Boston
Great for fine wines

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews

Contessa in Boston offers a dining experience marked by "stunning views" and "mouthwatering cuisine." Guests praise the "elegant ambiance" and "exceptional service," highlighting dishes like the "squash carpaccio" and "sweet corn ravioli." While a few note service inconsistencies, many describe it as a "must-visit" for special occasions.

98 Reviews

S
Sammi
VIP
Greater Boston
11 reviews
4.0
11 reviews
Dined 4 days ago
1. Overall 4
2. Food 2
3. Service 3
4. Ambience 5
My fiance and I went here for a date night and had a great time! The ambience was great and had great views of the city. The cocktails were amazing! Unfortunately the food lacked flavor and portion size. The meals were quite small, which is expected at this type of venue, but it also was very boring and bland. Given there are plenty of Italian restaurants in the city, this would be one of my last places to choose to dine at. I would come back for drinks any time!
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H
Helen
VIP
Greater Boston
48 reviews
5.0
48 reviews
Dined 6 days ago
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Wonderful lunch. Server was very attentive-especially in regards to food allergies.
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L
Lisa
VIP
Greater Boston
365 reviews
5.0
365 reviews
Dined 7 days ago
1. Overall 5
2. Food 4
3. Service 4
4. Ambience 5
We went for a birthday lunch with friends - I love the beautiful space in Contessa - so special to be up high above the rooftops! Most of us had the butternut squash ravioli, which was delicious. Our server was good, and I enjoyed a little birthday lemon cake with a candle. I live nearby, but don't go to Contessa often as it is very hard to get a dinner reservation, and it is pretty pricey. But I do enjoy it very much.
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M
Margaret
VIP
Greater Boston
2 reviews
1.0
2 reviews
Dined 7 days ago
1. Overall 1
2. Food 3
3. Service 1
4. Ambience 1
Front of house staff quite rude. Felt like I was an inconvenience with a stroller.
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G
Gaye
Greater Boston
1 review
4.0
1 review
Dined on January 7, 2025
1. Overall 4
2. Food 4
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Ravioli was not as good as before. Very ordinary. Twice before it was exceptional
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J
Jean Francois
VIP
Greater Boston
10 reviews
4.0
10 reviews
Dined on January 5, 2025
1. Overall 4
2. Food 5
3. Service 3
4. Ambience 4
Contessa still has the best views in Boston and the food is excellent but the restaurant is slipping. The hostess was incompetent and borderline rude and service was kind and friendly but not very professional. The crowd is also not as classy as it used to be. Maybe a bad day but I am concerned one of our favorite restaurants in Boston is slipping.
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M
Maureen
VIP
Greater Boston
47 reviews
5.0
47 reviews
Dined on January 1, 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
We had an amazing meal to bring in the New Year at Contessa’s! The view was delightful with Christmas lights, the State House, Church steeple and the high rises along with The Public Garden. Pedro, our server, and Sarai were so attentive! The focaccia bread and smoked olives were a pleasant start. The entrées were scrumptious! Pasta was perfect. Dessert was delicious! Thank you, Pedro and Sarai!
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r
richard
VIP
Greater Boston
45 reviews
5.0
45 reviews
Dined on January 1, 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 4
Review by Hungry Richard New Years Eve, so a special occasion was planned. The restaurant met its challenge. The food, the service, the view, the general feeling of festivity — all superb. Contessa is the best eating place in its class.
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A
Andrew
VIP
Greater Boston
3 reviews
5.0
3 reviews
Dined on December 31, 2024
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 4
4. Ambience 5
Great place to start ringing in the New Year! Great food and the view can't be beat!
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K
Kate
VIP
Greater Boston
19 reviews
5.0
19 reviews
Dined on December 31, 2024
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Wonderful lunch! Sara helped us pick the best champagne 🍾
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FAQs

Contessa - Boston is rated 4.7 stars by 98 OpenTable diners.

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

Make a reservation

2 people

Jan 15, 2025

7:00 PM

Booked 67 times today

Experiences are available.

1 Newbury St, Boston, MA 02116

Dining areas

Additional information

Cross street
Located in The Newbury Hotel at Arlington St. and Berkeley St.
Neighborhood
Back Bay
Hours of operation
Breakfast Mon–Fri 7:30 am–10:30 am Lunch Mon–Fri 11:30 am–2:30 pm
Price
$31 to $50
Cuisines
Italian
Dining style
Casual Elegant
Dress code
Business Casual
Parking details
None
Public transit
The main entrance to the restaurant is located at 3 Newbury Street. If you enter through the hotel, you will need to walk through the restaurant to check in at the host stand.
Additional
Non-Smoking, View, Wheelchair Access

Website
https://contessaristorante.com/
Phone number
(617) 741-3404
Private party facilities
For a party of 9+, please email events@contessaboston.com.
Private party contact
Contessa Boston Events Team: (617) 536-5700

Contessa - Boston

Make a reservation

Private dining

Dining areas

Additional information

Experiences

Valentine's Day at Contessa Boston

Menu

What 98 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

Loved For

Review summary

FAQs

How is Contessa - Boston restaurant rated?

Is Contessa - Boston currently accepting reservations?

Make a reservation

Dining areas

Additional information