Fun place, good vibe. Food was decent, nothing that blew us away for a Little Italy experience. Didn't like the pizza. Would not go back.

We came to the North End for a weekday lunch and were so lucky to find this spot, as all the other restaurants we checked in the area were cash only. We were seated right away without a reservation and were given complementary bread and olive oil for the table. We got the Misto Di Pesce, which was the perfect size for two people to share for lunch, and featured perfectly cooked shellfish, linguine, and a delicious fresh tomato sauce that was flavorful, but not too rich or overpowering. Service was friendly and attentive, and the inside was clean. I would definitely come back to have the Misto Di Pesce again, or to try their other menu items! read more

BenCotto - Boston - Misto Di Pesce - Italian Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

Best restaurant in the north end and I've been to them all. Homemade fusilli carbonara with shrimp is incredible. We go every Christmas Eve and they couldn't be more accommodating read more

BenCotto - Boston - fusilli carbonara with shrimp - Italian Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

Definitely a spontaneous visit, we were on route to another destination but ended up not having the time because the other spot closed. So we went to North end and walked around to our usual spots but of course they were all jammed with long waits. We parked in the garage and knew you can validate anywhere in the north end for $3 cost total for 3 hours i believe. We walked around and spotted BenCotto, windows open, great smell coming from their pizza oven and open kitchen. We decided to walk in and see if there was a wait, there was however the staff was able to seat us directly for two. I know for sure I want to try their pizza the next time in. We ordered fresh Gnocchi pasta (+$5) on top one style Bolognese (pork beef veal) sauce was tasty, proteins were chunky, and the pasta was soft melt in your mouth. The second style we got was their pesto- garlic, creamy, pesto herbiness. It shined tbh. I added chicken (+$10). It got pricey quickly. I would have been upset if I paid that upcharge for the protein etc (normally i see +$4-5 for protein add ons. It still feels a bit steep but the chicken paired with the gnocchi well, it was tender, cooked perfectly and NOT dry. The portions made us full with basically another portion leftover to take home (and demolished the next day for lunch). Our server was very nice and attentive. Items came out quick as possible and she did check in on us a few times. The space is relatively small on the corner but definitely would eat here again! read more

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Bencotto features the authenticity of an Italian restaurant in the heart of the North End. The menu is extensive, with an array of pasta dishes, pizza, and other Italian fare. The food is made with fresh, quality ingredients, and reflects a dedication to the craft. I dined with a party of 7 and the restaurant was kind enough to accommodate our party at the last moment and offered excellent service in its downstairs seating section. Servers offer their recommendations and opinions of dishes and timely refill drinks, bus tables, etc. I enjoyed the penne vodka. Portions were generous and a good value for the price paid. read more

BenCotto - Boston - Pink Vodka Sauce - Italian Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

A great Little Italy restaurant experience! From the delicious homemade pasta to the lobster ravioli and the chicken parmigiana, every dish tasted great! The server was attentive to our orders, our drink service and our needs throughout the meal. Thank you! Highly recommend! read more

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Two words: pumpkin ravioli. Sit by a window and people watch while enjoying a delicious meal with friends. Make sure you try their pizza as well. read more

We did not mean to end up in the North End today at all! After losing track of time earlier & couldn't make it to our original destination, we ended up walking around looking for some grub. It was packed at all the restaurants today (per usual) and we did not feeling like waiting at all LOL. Luckily, we came across BenCotto & it seemed like they had some menu items we would enjoy. We were able to get seated for a table for two without waiting. Great vibes in here, right off the bat. All of the staff was incredibly friendly! We decided to get pasta today & ordered a bolognese gnocchi and a pesto gnocchi (w/ chicken add-on). So, how their pasta ordering works is, you get to choose your choice of pasta with the sauces! We both decided to get the fresh gnocchi (+$5). They have fresh pasta, gluten free (+$4 for penne & +$6 for gnocchi), and regular pasta (no extra charge) options to choose from. It's $10 to add extra protein (chicken/sausage) & +$12 for shrimp or veal add-on. So, it honestly does get expensive pretty quick but the pastas were so good! The gnocchi was soft and very enjoyable. I don't usually have the best experience with getting gnocchi but I couldn't help myself after seeing all the good photos of the gnocchi haha. The bolognese was great! Nice meat sauce with beef, pork, and veal. I noticed it also had celery. It was full of flavor and the gnocchi was honestly just cooked perfectly to my liking. Next time, I think I will definitely be getting the pesto though! I loved the bolognese, but the pesto was addictive! I typically order pesto pastas and I especially LOVED this pesto sauce. It was herby, creamy, & garlicky goodness. This with our add-on of chicken for the pesto gnocchi was absolutely AMAZING. Chicken was juicy and cooked well. ALSO, portion sizes were generous. After only eating 1/3 of the plate of gnocchi, we were already feeling full lol. Hopefully the leftovers will hit just the same! Our server was super nice & attentive. Will definitely come back again and give their pizzas a try! read more

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First time here and I don't think i would necessarily come back because the food was good and there are so many other options. Started with the calamari and it was good and made fresh. For lunch we shared the seafood pasta. The sauce was light and not my preference, I prefer a thick red/marinara sauce flavored well. read more

BenCotto - Boston - Italian Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

Made our way to the North End for some true authentic Italian food. We dropped in to BenCotto and were immediately impressed with the cozy Italian atmosphere. We decided to start off with the bruschetta bencotto then moved in to split the bolognese gnocchi and ended with the tiramisu. Very delicious and impressed. read more

BenCotto - Boston - Tiramisu - Italian Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

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Not my favorite north end spot but had some delicious drinks and great service! Would come back to try other food and bump my score up! Cool vibes upstairs but basement was a little tight- that's the north end for you!! Wonderful experience overall!! read more

BenCotto - Boston - Vodka pasta - Italian Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

One of the best! Very reasonable price, which was one of the reasons we chose this stop. At our table we had the pink vodka with penne and the Margherita DOP brick oven pizza. We were very pleased with the service, the setting, and the food! Definitely worth another visit! read more

Good food, service just okay. Not off the charts great but fine. Bolognese was good, not great.

I was visiting from LA, this restaurant was recommended by our tour guide. Food was amazing, we enjoyed every single bite. The restaurant has this friendly atmosphere, our server Nick was very cool. Thank you If you are in the area, please stop by, you will not be disappointed. read more

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Biggest win of this restaurant: it's open on Monday. I went through so many options before I was recommended BenCotto and I was very pleasantly surprised. The restaurant has a lovely cosy vibe and I loved the open view into the kitchen, especially their pizza oven. I came in and was immediately seated. The service was fantastic. The waiter was really attentive and patient as we decided our orders. My friend ordered the Bencotto pizza which was incredible. The Pecorino Romano was slightly crispy and not overpowering in the pizza. The pizza base was thin and the not overcooked. If I were to order again, I'd order this in a heartbeat. I ordered the pink vodka sauce pasta which was tasty but really reminded me of fancy mac and cheese which is not what I was hoping for. There were definitely vegetarian options including the two dishes previously mentioned which is always a plus. read more

Such a cute place! The staff was so friendly and attentive! Very kid friendly! Loved the pizza and the veal sandwich! Just a great overall experience and would recommend! read more

The Scarlet Vetter says..... I was in Boston for a business trip and decided that I really needed some good Italian food. I walked along the Italian corridor and ultimately decided to go to this restaurant as I peered inside and really liked the cozy look of it. In had a small quaint bar and what appeared to be a friendly tender so I took a seat at the bar. The tender was Jennifer and she was fabulous! She assisted me in ordering a fabulous bottle of red wine and recommended an appetizer of the restaurant's Shrimp Grand Marnier. It was scrumptious! I then ordered the Shrimp Scampi over Linguine and asked to have a dozen Little Neck Clams added to the dish for an extra protein push. The pasta was cooked perfectly, as were the Shrimp and Clams, and the Scampi sauce was very delectable with just the right amount of garlic. The dish was served with rustic flavorful fresh Italian Bread and Extra Virgin Olive Oil. Service was excellent! I enjoyed a delicious Canoli for dessert. I would highly recommend this establishment if you happen to be in Boston and are craving delicious Italian food in a family owned/run restaurant with great service in a homey atmosphere! read more

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We LOVE this place. Great Pizza, excellent Chicken Piccata and spot on Bolognese. Cute place with lots of windows. Nice wine program. Service was excellent. Superstar Ani even remembered us from last year. Have been here at least 5 times on our annual visit to Boston. Can't wait for 2026! read more

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Fantastic food. Friendly service. It's our go to whenever we have family visiting from out of town and want to ho to dinner in the north end

Can I give 5+ stars?? We were walking down Hanover street on our way to another Italian restaurant and we happen to find BenCotto along the way. As we checked the menu outside a very pleasant young lady offered to answer any questions and told us she has available seats. The smells we were greeted with when we entered told us everything and made us even more hungrier. Very cozy setting and I hear they have a downstairs seating as well. Wait staff was super friendly. Bread basket and olive oil delicious. We sat by the kitchen and could see how carefully they were preparing the meals. We ordered appetizer of lamb lollipops cooked medium and was by far the best lamb we've ever had. We decided to share a Saint Agrippina pizza and a bowl of fettuccine Boscaiola. Food was simply amazing and out of this world! There was enough to take the leftovers. Can't wait to come back. Only regret was not having dessert there as we wanted to try the cannoli at Modern (not worth it!). read more

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Excellent food. Get the fresh pasta! So good. Frittata also very good. Can't go wrong.

Perfect food. Pasta vongole and the sausage and broccoli rabe pasta. An excellent wine from Ciacca Sicily.

Amazing service. Went here for my birthday dinner and it was incredible. I have a gluten allergy and they were very knowledgeable and I did not get sick! The food was DELECTABLE. Wonderful place will be back! read more

BenCotto - Boston - Chicken Penne Broccoli Alfredo - Italian Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

We just happened upon Bencotto. We loved it. Fun place...old school vibe...great food. We went 3 times in two days. Jenn was amazing and we met the owners wife Anna. Will recommend to anyone friends traveling to Boston and will definitely come back when I travel back to Boston from Chicago. read more

What a great place, the atmosphere and food was outstanding first time in this restaurant . The service was great very friendly wait staff bright clean restaurant,you can also make a reservation ahead, a mother Joe bono restaurant. He owns Aldente and Ben venutto in the north end. He gave us his signature shot of lemon cello at the end of the meat nice touch. I think everyone should go there. Awsome place read more

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I had a good first visit to BenCotto! Thankfully, we had a reservation and were seated promptly. When we first walked in, I was a little nervous because the restaurant was quite smoky from the pizza oven, but we were seated downstairs, where it was less of an issue. It was also a bit loud downstairs, but it wasn't the end of the world. We started with complimentary bread, and then ordered the pumpkin ravioli appetizer, which was described as having European butter, sage, and crispy pancetta. However, it definitely had more of a cream-based sauce, almost like Alfredo. My companion was a bit iffy about the ravioli overall, saying the texture didn't seem like fresh pumpkin, but I still enjoyed it. For my entree, I chose the gnocchi with bolognese- it cost extra to choose a homemade pasta shape, but I couldn't resist. The sauce had great depth of flavor, with chunks of short rib and ground meat. My companion got the rigatoni special with sausage, peas, and mushrooms in a pink vodka sauce and enjoyed it. I noticed a table next to us receiving complimentary limoncello at the end of their meal, but we had our sights set on cannolis from Modern Pastry afterward, so I didn't mind. It's a bit pricier than meals in other parts of Boston, but that's expected in the North End. Overall, I had a good experience and would come back, maybe to try the pizza I saw at the table next to us- it looked pretty good! read more

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Went here with my wife on 2/13. The Bruschetta, and pizza was great. My wife got the carbonara which was also great. The service was attentive. I've been to many North End spots and this was definitely towards the top end of overall food and service. read more

BenCotto - Boston - Italian Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

Came here on a trip with my family and it was so nice! Good ambiance with the windows open, the service was good and the food was quick. Highly recommend for a quick and delicious bite. read more

BenCotto - Boston - Bianco Pizza - Italian Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

Service was great at this wonderful restaurant. The homemade pasta was amazing. Pizza was also very good. We were surprised by the lack of a line out front when so many nearby restaurants had long wait times. Glad we were feeling too impatient to wait at other places and tried BenCotto. read more

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BenCotto just gets better year after year. It is one of those rare North End restaurants that hits every note perfectly. Food, service, atmosphere, and soul. It's a lively, energetic intimate spot with a steady mix of locals, friends, after work meet ups, and curious tourists who search on Yelp and quickly realize they've found something great. It's busy in the best way, upbeat, warm, and buzzing but never so loud that you can't enjoy a conversation. What truly sets BenCotto apart is Chef Fabio DiCenso and his incredible staff. Chef Fabio is the heart of the restaurant. He's known for his creativity and consistency, and it shows in the daily lineup of specials, always delicious.This night I had spinach gnocchi a la vodka with salmon!! a chef who genuinely loves what he does. Diners often mention how Chef Fabio steps out of the kitchen to check on guests, and it's clear he takes pride in making sure everything is just right. There's an easy confidence to the staffs service from being seated to them walking you through specials, to recommending their favorite dishes. The drinks deserve its own spotlight. The martinis are excellent, one standout and practically a signature at this point is the pistachio martini. Dangerously smooth, it's the best in the North End and absolutely worth the trip on its own. As for the food, the hits are many, The eggplant rollatini appetizer that's a perfect starter and, of course, their pizzas, which strike that ideal balance of crisp, airy crust and fresh, clean flavors. BenCotto isn't trying to be a quiet, white-tablecloth dining room, it's a neighborhood spot with personality, heart, and craft. Chef Fabio and his staff make it feel authentic and care about its food and the people it serves. Whether you're a regular or a first-timer, you feel it the moment you sit down. A must-visit in the North End. read more

Excellent service, food and beverages! Our waitress recommended the fig salad, boscaiola pasta, veal marsala and chicken francese which didn't disappoint! read more

This place was recommended by someone in Naples Florida who lives here in the summer and said our friends had to go and we joined them (got it?) What I really like about this place is the size and atmosphere. It has a cozy family feel to it. We were able to talk to the owner, explained how we got here and he knew the people who recommended the place. That got us a comp bruschetta. We then ordered eggplant rotini and more bruschetta. People got assorted dishes and I only heard raves about it all. Bolognese, Chix Parm, Broccoli ziti, I got sausage, chicken and vinegar peppers which was unreal. The food is great - the best, the family vibe is what makes it, and the servers and staff make the place shine. Comp lemoncello also a plus. Make a resy - I'll be back for sure. read more

Fantastic food and outstanding service by the bartender . There will definitely be more visits to this location!!

Food was unbelievable! Will definitely be craving this place for months to come. All made right in front of you. read more

BenCotto - Boston - Italian Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

Had a great dinner here last night. We enjoyed the antipasto tray and entrees. Everything was delicious. The staff were so helpful and even were accommodating when we were running late due to traffic. This sweet little bustling restaurant made us feel as though we were back in Italy, with the windows thrown open on a nice night when Hanover Street was just buzzing with people strolling and enjoying life. Definitely done here! read more

We were maybe 10 minutes late due to traffic and parking blocks away. Clearly we're not from the area or we would have known to Uber. We got seated right away downstairs all the way in the back right next to the bathroom. It was very loud I felt like I was at a bar not a restaurant. The people down there with us were literally yelling. We ordered fried mozzarella with a Cesar salad. Our waiter wrote nothing down so she forgot about the mozzarella sticks and just brought out the salad. I wasn't a big fan of the dressing. I got the mussels with the pasta and it was pretty good, my daughter enjoyed her penne ala vodka and i tried it wasn't bad. My son wanted veal parm with no cheese and had no complaints. My husband got garlic & oil with broccoli he said it was okay. My highlight of the food was my son's chicken cutlet lol. The food wasn't horrible just no where I would go again. read more

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An update: I reached out to their email address last week to let them know of what happened again , and it was totally ignored. They don't care about you , only the money they bring in. Our waitress spilled boiling hot shrimp on my wrist while setting the plate down. She said sorry, and brought ice. Shortly after, she brought the bill with the scalding hot shrimp dish for $30 still on the bill. I usually tip really well. But this time, I didn't leave a tip. The garlic was also burned, and we ended up throwing it away outside. It was a very painful visit. I talked to another staff member about it, and he didn't seem to care either. My wrist was burned enough for me to keep ice on it all weekend. My next contact will be to their headquarters. read more

Went here for dinner in July 2023. Had the Pesto Penne and split it with my daughter. It was so good we wished we hadn't split! It was enough to split, we just could have eaten more. Everyone else at our table had their own - Chicken Picatta & Parmesan, pizza, etc. Everyone was happy with their choices. We ate in the basement, it was really cozy down there. read more

Had a nice evening at BenCotto! Went with a friend who has Celiac. I wrote it down on the reservation and when we arrived they addressed it and it was amazing. My friend felt safe eating the gluten free food and it was presented nice and safely. She has a GF pizza, steep on price for the size but she enjoyed. I had the Chicken Broccoli Penne with garlic wine sauce. As it was good, it had a LOT of garlic. I felt like a garlic clove leaving the place and didn't bring it home since it was very garlicky. We enjoyed the place and I'm grateful for them keeping things safe and gluten free! Thank you! read more

BenCotto - Boston - Chicken Penne Broccoli - Italian Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

Visited on a Sunday evening with reservations. The table was actually ready about 10 minutes before and we received a text. We were seated in the downstairs area. It has a nice ambience and it's air-conditioned. But it can be a little loud if it's full. For appetizers, we had the Involtini and calamari. Both were good. Had the fig salad and carbonara has main dishes. The carbonara was one of the best I've had. Service was great. Very friendly and attentive. read more

BenCotto - Boston - Fig Salad - Italian Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

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