Pretty good food overall. Pasta taste fresh and the calamari wasn't over breaded. Sauces could have used a bit more salt bit good experience overall. read more

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Not a bad Italian eatery but not great. We had the lobster, ravioli, rustic margarita, pizza, pasta with vodka cream sauce, and orecchiette. The food was good but it was telling that the orecchiette featured bacon instead of pancetta or guanciale. Similarly it was telling that the waiter didn't know why there was a two dollar difference between the rustic margarita pizza and the brick oven fired margarita pizza. Regardless all the food was fine and we enjoyed our meal. given the options round I probably would not eat here again. read more

stopped by here while we were in the north end over the labor day weekend and place is ok... not wow by any means... hostess was A+ waitress was A+ food was C (i was hoping to be wowed by the special, seafood, but it was mediocre) read more

Food , service, atmosphere...all amazing. Best Chicken Marsala on planet. Can't wait to go back

We are on a Mother & daughter graduation trip so I let her pick where we ate supper last night. My only request was that they offered lasagna. She picked the right place! The Cheese Lasagna with a meatball was so good! read more

BenCotto - Boston - Cheese Lasagna - Italian Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

This place is fire the service was so nice our waiter was so kind Now the pasta was hands down the best I've ever had The place was super romantic with it's small room seating but it's building and street view is gorgeous Im little Italy . It's a great date spot for sure will come back read more

Nice staff, decent ambiance, they were easily able to fit a large group of 22 downstairs. Espresso martini was just okay, didn't taste very espresso-y to me. The Bolognese was fine, not much flavor, but the sauce was good. Calamari was good. Beet salad was okay, very very citrusy and the beets weren't that flavorful. The goat cheese was yummy. Large portions. read more

Are here a few weeks ago for my mother's birthday. The food was very good I had zero complaints. Only issue I had, which really isn't the restaurants fault was the lack of premium spirits. No Greg goose, no Titos and no Belvedere vodka, which I thought was bizarre. Ambiance was very good we ate downstairs which I really enjoyed. The waitress and waiters were great as well! I would def go back! read more

Excellent food. Excellent pizza. Ambiance is so so. Small place PACKED with tables. During popular hours expect to be sitting right next to other people. Get bumped by waiters and waitresses trying to squeeze by the tight tables. Not for a quiet, romantic dinner unless you go when it isn't crowded. I would avoid sitting downstairs if possible. read more

This place smells amazing just walking in the door! The staff is very nice. My wife ordered the fig salad to start, what they brought out was enough for 3 people. I'm not much for salad but there was so much I had some as well. This salad was delicious, heck I'd come back for lunch and just have this salad lol. For an entree my wife had the eggplant parmigiana and I had the carbonara with sausage. Again huge portions I can eat and only ate half and saved the rest for lunch the next day. I guess I've never had good Italian food until now, we would definitely go here again the next time we're in the area. read more

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Fantastic waitstaff. The chicken piccata was delicious. The pumpkin ravioli is a must too. read more

BenCotto - Boston - Chicken Picatta - Italian Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

This was such a gem! We visit North End multiple time a year and a h visit like to try new places. I've gotta say...this is one of those places I can't wait to eat at again because it was just that good. Trust me it will be one of the best Italian dishes you've tasted in a while. read more

BenCotto - Boston - Mamma was so happy with her scaperella! - Italian Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

Best Carbonara in Boston! I've tried so many places in the North End, and no other Carbonara is as flavorful, creamy, and rich as this one!! It is a must order!!! I also love that you can choose what kind of noodle you get! On this particular visit we also order the St. Agrippina pizza! The sausage and fresh herbs tasted incredible! The dough was also perfectly cooked and nice and charred on the edges which I love! The service here is also immaculate! Our waitress was so kind and funny! The outdoor seating is also perfect for people watching! Make sure you add this to your North End to do list! read more

BenCotto - Boston - Carbonara Pasta Saint Agrippina Pizza - Italian Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

One of the best gluten free pizzas in the country. I had the Saint Agrippina. It was truly wonderful. I have had the very best at Tonys in SF. THIS IS IN CONTENTION. Please comment. read more

Great friendly staff. The food is amazing. Nice little Italian restaurant in the North End. read more

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The food is absolutely delicious. I highly recommend the prosciutto pizza. I've now had it twice. Everyone in our party loved their pizza and the service was superb. Staff were attentive, friendly and had wonderful recommendations. This is the place to go in the north end!! read more

BenCotto - Boston - Rustic Prosciutto Pizza - Italian Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

Delicious food and even better staff. The atmosphere here is amazing and it has become one of my North End staples

Excellent wood fired pizza! We had one with pesto. It was delicious! The service was also excellent. Greeted at the door and checked on frequently. read more

BenCotto - Boston - Italian Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

The service was good, the food was just okay. Both pastas were a bit lacking in flavor, but overall experience was enjoyable. read more

BenCotto - Boston - Italian Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

My friend and I came to BenCotto for dinner. I had made reservations online previously but still had to wait 15 minutes after arriving. I ordered the Veal Francese, which I thought was just okay. The wine lemon sauce that they used was too lemony for my preference and dominated all the flavors. My friend ordered the Misto Di Pesce, a seafood pasta, which he really enjoyed, though. read more

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

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BenCotto has delicious food! My partner and I tried two appetizers and two main dishes because everything sounded really good. For appetizers, we had the lobster ravioli and the eggplant in carrozza. The lobster ravioli was great--it came with four pieces filled with a generous amount of lobster (and some cheese) in a tasty pink sauce. The eggplant in carrozza was also amazing--the fried eggplant was crispy and complemented the stronger prosciutto, and the pesto cream sauce was delicious! (Not overly creamy and very basil-y :) ) For our main course (by which point I was unfortunately already starting to get full--I still ate more because it was so good), we tried a pasta dish and a pizza. The fusilli amatriciana sauce was delicious, and we were glad we opted for the handmade fusilli because the pasta tasted fresh. The North Ender was a white pizza with a ton of prosciutto, and it was flavorful and had an amazing, chewy crust. To finish off our meal, we tried the tiramisu. This was honestly one of my favorite tiramisu desserts I've had at a restaurant--it was made and served in the traditional way and was delicious! When we arrived, the owner/manager was really welcoming, and our waitress was super nice. Overall, I'd highly recommend coming to BenCotto for amazing Italian food! read more

BenCotto - Boston - North Ender pizza - Italian Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

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Stopped in for an early lunch. The ambience is great with all the open floor-ceiling windows and really nice weather. The staff was friendly and the service was prompt. And, most importantly, the housemade fusilli with carbonara was absolutely delicious! Rich and creamy with a lot of chewy, crispy bacon. Not overly heavy but very hearty. If I had to nitpick, I'd say the tables are really packed in like sardines. But, with a small space, I understand why, and it didn't detract from the experience, Would definitely return. read more

Came to see the north end festival during lunch time and wanted to get a quick bite to eat around the area. My friend was trying to find a place serving tortellini and after seeing previous reviews, we decided to come here! While our server was very kind and they do give complimentary bread, unfortunately the food and ambiance of the place was just not great. They seated us in the basement of the restaurant that's not even at least try to be better decorated, next to people that are folding napkins and preparing utensils, which I personally thought was fairly unprofessional. On top of that, the restaurant charges $4 extra for fresh pasta even though the pasta itself is already super expensive and honestly not even worth it. I love salt to my core, will add extra salt to my food, have carried emergency salt with me in the past, but this was wayyy too salty and became harder to eat. Honestly nothing really stood out to me unlike other Italian restaurants I've tried in the North End. I truly wish I liked it more. read more

BenCotto - Boston - Italian Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

The other people's pictures don't make the restaurant seem nice but it was very nice. Super friendly waitress and I got a good bottle of Stags Leap Artemis. Gluten free pasta was the best I've had. All the appetizers were good ... calamari, bruschetta, tomato salad, asparagus. Only downside was everything was a little salty, but not too much to spoil the meal. We had a great time, would definitely come back ... read more

Love Jen the bartender. She was a great conversationalist, aware of what was happening in the restaurant, directing staff as needed. Vibe was welcoming and cozy. All tables were full and it smelled amazing. We only had drinks at the bar, but will definitely be back for dinner. read more

Yummy late lunch there today. We had the seafood pasta and wild mushroom pizza. Extra points for the chef who was able to accommodate my weird food allergies. Our waitress was great fun read more

BenCotto - Boston - Wild mushroom pizza - Italian Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

Top tier Italian food for the win! This restaurant is legit from the pastas to the pizza! Staff is super friendly and knowledgeable. The Salumi board was amazing and the eggplant rollatini has the most delectable ricotta filling. 10/10 highly recommended this restaurant! read more

When we went, the inside was practically empty of patrons. For the seating area outside, that was almost full minus 1 table. It was not busy for the inside front staff when we sat. One of the servers was just milling about not doing anything and he turned out to be our server later. Two tables that sat 10-15 minutes after us were tended to before us. It still took another 10 minutes afterwards for someone to come over. Water was not supplied until we asked. No bread but other tables got it. Our food was good but the service was just horrible. We ate quickly and got out of there fast since we didn't feel welcomed. Cannoli from the shop down the block helped improve the night. read more

BenCotto - Boston - Eggplant parm - Italian Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

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Decent North End food if you're looking for a quiet bite. We had a friend visiting from out of state and decided to try somewhere new together. It was a bit pricy, considering we only ordered food (no drinks). Our waiter was extremely kind and friendly, which made the experience much better. The fresh pasta was perfectly cooked, which was my favorite part, but I would say that the sauces were just okay. read more

BenCotto - Boston - Primavera Pasta, Pesto Pasta, & seafood medley pasta - Italian Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

Food quality far exceeds price here. Excellent restaurant. I will be back many more times.

We ordered a variety of menu items for a late lunch/early dinner and drinks. Everything was delicious, well prepared. Our server was attentive and friendly. BenCotto is a quaint restaurant with great atmosphere. Frank Sinatra playing in the background and aromas that tantalize the senses... I would recommend reservations if you have a party of 5 or more read more

Really good food and service here. Highlights were the lobster ravioli and the veal. The marinara sauce was slightly bland, but the house made fussili was great. Showed up a few minutes before 7 for our 7 o'clock reservation and had to wait outside for 15 minutes. Ended up with bar seating to expedite the process which was fine. The bartender was friendly and gave good recommendations. read more

We were headed somewhere else with a long line when we spotted this little corner spot. The pizza was delicious and not at all soggy, the chicken Parm was a favorite, and the chicken penne broccoli with garlic white wine sauce was incredible. Service was super fast, very friendly, and a cheap dinner-- under $100 including tip for three meals and water! read more

BenCotto was great, the service was good the food was authentic. If you visit Boston MA come to the North End this Italian restaurant and will not disappoint you read more

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

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I tried to get a table at a few of my other favorite North End restaurants but struck out. I made a reservation at BenCotto as the contingency and could not have been more pleasantly surprised. The food and service was stellar, and now it is one of my favorites. I have recommended the restaurant several times and got rave reviews, so I also know it is consistent. This is a great meal, and you won't be disappointed. read more

BenCotto - Boston - Charcuterie was solid, and the cheese was especially good. - Italian Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

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One of many Italian restaurants in the heart of Boston's North End. Nice place with pretty good food but nothing too outstanding compared to the many similar options nearby. Came for lunch on a Saturday around noon and had no wait. The place was not crowded and service was friendly. Our favorite dish was the lobster ravioli. It came in a pretty pink cream sauce and there was a good bit of lobster in there. Very soft texture. We also liked the eggplant rollatini, which was basically a cannoli wrapped in eggplant instead of dough. The inside was the same cheesy mix and it was smothered in tomato sauce. We also got a bruschetta appetizer which was just okay. Crispy bread and tomato topping but not a whole lot of flavor. Comment on the ambiance. On one hand this place seems to go for a classy Italian feel with old fashioned music playing and well-presented dishes on solid white plates. On the other hand they had several TVs playing sports while we were there, which was kind of distracting. Seems like they should go all-classy or all-sports-bar but not a mix. read more

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They got us in super quick, the food came out quick, the atmosphere was nice! Perhaps it was a bit more modern than other nearby restaurants. The eggplant rollatini was the best thing we got. The food was fine, a little pricey but overall got the job done for three hungry people. read more

Amazing Gluten Free options! The gluten free gnocchi and pizza were incredible. They also offer gluten free penne and almost any dish can be made gf. I have been here many times and it is consistently delicious. It's a small intimate restaurant with an awesome pizza oven. The service is also fantastic. I will definitely be back. read more

Yesterday, I took the commuter ferry into Boston to meet a friend. We had decided to go to the North End for lunch. The North End is Boston's Little Italy and while the population has gentrified quite a bit over the past 30 years or so, the atmosphere is still very much Italian...or in many cases Italian-American. In fact, the streets were decorated in anticipation of the Fisherman's Feast which began last night and will run through the weekend. Most summer weekends in the North End, a festival is held honoring one or another saint. This is in keeping with honoring the feast days of the patron saints of various towns in Italy from whence some of the original North End immigrants were born. Neither my friend nor I had been to BenCotto before. It is directly across the street from the North End Waterfront Health Center where many, many years ago I had my first professional job straight out of graduate school. I loved that job and I continue to love this neighborhood although I don't get back to it as often as I would like. BenCotto is a relatively small restaurant as many are in the compact North End neighborhood. We arrived at the restaurant before noon and there was plenty of seating. For such a small place they have a varied and ambitious menu including entrees, salads, pasta, panini, pizza, and desserts. We were greeted as we entered and taken to a table by the window. Because of the pandemic, there is now seating outside. This is true for most of the restaurants in the North End which is a way to keep their businesses going and customers happy. Part of the street is sectioned off in front of many restaurants, then fenced off and decorated. We are in the midst of yet another god-awful heat wave here in Boston and environs and it was barely a day to be in the city let alone to sit outside. We were happy to be indoors enjoying the a.c. Inside, I noted there was Italian music playing although it was a touch too loud. For a space this small, I would prefer if they skipped playing the music. Alcohol (beers, wine and cocktails) is served here and after being presented with ice cold waters (much appreciated on this scorching day) our server gave us both the food menu and drinks menu. It was both too early and too hot for either of us to think about alcohol but I did note they had sangria. I have been in the mood for sangria lately and probably should just make myself a pitcher at home. I settled for an iced tea which they make unsweetened which happens to be my preference. They have some appealing salads on the menu including a Caprese, a fig, and beet, among others. I should have thought to ask out of curiosity if the fig salad utilized fresh figs which is the only way I think they should be made. I ordered what is called the BenCotto panino which is a chicken cutlet on their house-made ciabatta with roasted red peppers, greens and olive oil. My friend got their meatball panino also served on the house-made ciabatta. My panino was absolutely delicious. The chicken cutlet had been pounded thin, was nicely breaded and best of all cooked until the breading was a little crisp on the edges which is how I make them at home. The combination of the crispy, salty (but not too salty) cutlet with the sweet and nicely seasoned roasted peppers was terrific. The house-made ciabatta was delicious and also sliced thin so that neither panini, mine or my friend's, was too bulky. She loved her meatball panino and said the sauce was quite tasty. Although the restaurant filled up quickly soon after we arrived, we never felt rushed. We had a pleasant and efficient server named Nick. They have a dessert menu but both of us were too full to partake. In fact, I took half of my panino home with me. I will definitely return to BenCotto to try other things on the menu. This restaurant was a nice find. I wish I could remember what was previously in this space....but regardless, BenCotto is a wonderful addition to the neighborhood. read more

Owner is welcoming and made sure we got a table that met our needs. Recommend to get a table near the windows during summer. It can get pretty warm closer to the kitchen. Food was ordinary for a north end restaurant and the prices. Chicken parmigiana was especially disappointing with chewy chicken. Pesto pasta was well done. One of the few restaurants in the area, where a walk-in doesn't require 45 mins plus wait! Would go here to have a decent meal without any lavish expectations of Italian experience or amazing food. read more