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

Really loved this place! The lady seating us must be the owner because she took charge! She found us a delightful table by the window. We loved the Rhode Island style calamari probably best followed by the lobster ravioli. Lobster ravioli is super rich and I suggest you share as an appetizer. The pizza is also a hit! The Caesar salad was a miss. read more

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Little neck was the best entree of the night. The pesto and Bolognese would be the runner up. The Carbonara doesn't have as much taste. The kid's meal are a great size but there bread basket could use some more love. read more

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

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They were able to accommodate a party of 9 on one day's notice on the Sunday of Memorial Day weekend, the North End was swimming with people and long lines everywhere. Unfortunatly we were seated in the basement and the AC wasn't on par but it was bearable and we were just happy to have a table under the circumstances in an excellent restaurant. I had the Insalata Mista for $13 it was a little underwhelming but the entree more than made up for it, I had the Misto Di Pesce and it may have been the best seafood + pasta dish I ever had, the rest of the table had various pasta dishes and everyone loved theirs as well! The staff were very friendly and I look forward to coming back again. read more

This was a great find in the North End of Boston. I feel that no trip to Boston is complete without getting Italian food in the North End. We lucked out that we were able to get seated here for dinner fairly quick. I ordered their carbonara pasta with their freshly made fusilli pasta. I enjoyed my pasta a lot and thought the sauce and noodles tasted very good. My husband ordered the shrimp scampi pizza. The pizza was quite large and came with fresh basil, olive oil and shrimp. I enjoyed both of our meals and would come back here. read more

BenCotto - Boston - Shrimp scampi pizza - Italian Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

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The veal parm is extremely underwhelming. Do not get it. Just stick to chicken. The veal was not even crispy, felt like biting into wet cardboard. We dined outside, it was alright our server was nice. Other than this my family ordered a pizza, bologna spaghetti and salmon dish. I tasted them and everything was average. Nothing special about anything. I expected more flavor from an Italian resteraunt. read more

BenCotto - Boston - Parmigiana Veal - Italian Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

My visit took place on 11/28/202 in the afternoon. Had been walking around and in a few of the open locations in the morning and by this time was very hungry and really wanting a rich warm food. When in Boston, one must have some Italian food and this was just the place! The place had a good crowd and was being reasonably spaced out. Ordered a Carbonara Pasta Fusili which had such a delicious rich creamy sauce!!! I could almost drink it or even eat it alone with some crusty bread, it was so delicious. The portion was pretty generous too, but on such a cold day I wasn't about to take leftovers; that would be sacrilegious. Had 2 glasses of beautiful wine: Montepciano d'Abruzzo Arboreto red wine. Perfect accompaniment to the rich sauce on a cold day. Service was thorough and friendly. It was tough to chose a dish, everything here is just superb! read more

Pizza was excellent, soup was huge, pasta was delicious! Service was great... thank you for the limoncello shooters!

[3.5/5] Came back with an appetite this time to BenCotto. Learned this time around that there is downstairs seating! Also learned this time around that the service faux paus were a lot less charming when you're seated in the basement. Got the Eggplant Rollatini to start. Saw an Italian-speaking family eating it my first visit and mentally noted to try the second time around. Very much recommend. The Boy doesn't even like eggplant and he was down to clown with this dish. The Boy got the Carbonara again with Fusilli. Maybe it's the basement atmosphere or maybe because he wasn't as hungry or maybe it's the waitress who took 20-30 minutes to address every ask we had from ordering to multiple times asking our water to be refilled to being able to get our check ... but he wasn't it feeling it like he was when he thought it was the best he ever had as I noted in my original review. He still finished the plate if that counts for anything. I got the Amatriciana and LOVED every bite of it. I didn't finish it though because between courses it took so long and so I asked for the leftovers to go. Lo and behold - when the waitress finally comes back with our check ... she did not come back with my leftovers. THEY THREW OUT MY LEFTOVERS. To add insult to injury, they clearly recooked the dish for me to take home - it was piping hot in the styrofoam takeout box which would've been nice but it was 1/2 the size of what I actually had leftover (so 1/4 of the original entree). This left a bad taste in my mouth. I didn't mess up, the waitress did by throwing out my leftovers ... and I end up getting screwed over by getting 3/4 of a dish that I paid full price for. When it comes to the food I would say my 4 out of 5 stands but no matter how good the food, shoddy service is still shoddy service and doesn't deserve to be rewarded. read more

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

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On a busy Saturday night, Bencotto was one of the few restaurant that had some reservations available...Even though they don't seat you at your reservation time (expect to wait 15-20 minutes from the time). The place is small and busy. Tight quarters but the windows open up so you don't feel so stuffy. The pricing isn't bad either. We ended up sharing the seafood pasta, lasagna, charcuterie board and a bottle of wine. I love their charcuterie board, good amount of items to share! Their seafood pasta was also a big hit. It was delicious. The lasagna on the other hand was just ok. And the wine pricing ranges from low 30s to whatever you want it to be. Many affordable options. read more

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Amazing food! We ordered the Margherita, cheese, mushroom, and pepperoni. Everyone was happy with their selections. We also ordered the vodka pasta and the boscaiola-BEST pasta EVER! So yummy! Several espresso martinis-delicious!!! Our server Anthony was wonderful!!! Just go!! read more

BenCotto - Boston - Italian Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

Food was excellent. Fortunately had a reservation. Sat right up front by open air window. Had meatball sausage ricotta app was excellent. Wife had pineapple martini stoli made by our server Haley who was incredible, who worked along with another great worker Gabriel. Chicken parm and a chicken eggplant special in white wine sauce were great. But the service of Gabriel and Haley really made the experience top notch. read more

This is our go-to place in the North End. We always take friends and family here when they are visiting too and they always love it. Staff and service are great, food is always excellent and generous! Comfortable and friendly atmosphere. read more

Love this place. I definitely recommend getting fresh pasta! It was delicious. Our waitress was super friendly and helpful. It does get really hot in there due to the open kitchen but it is a really nice space read more

BenCotto - Boston - Porchetta Pizza Carbonara - Italian Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

My BF and I had dinner here tonight after seeing someone on tiktok give a rave review of the place. Sadly, this place was underwhelming at best. Where to start... The seating / atmosphere is crowded. My BF literally had his elbows touching the table behind him. They cram people in there so tightly that you can hear every conversation around you. It's not very romantic in there with the kitchen right next to you and 3 tvs playing sports. This is a very casual place and that's my fault for not realizing it beforehand when making reservations for a date night. The service was decent but felt rushed. We had a reservation and they were able to get us in early which was fantastic. Star for that. Our server was also very nice and attentive. We enjoyed her, so star for her. We felt rushed because everything came out so fast. I guess that's a plus in some situations, but the turn and burn pace almost gave us whiplash. I will note one thing, the bus boy who kept chewing on his necklace was a little off putting. He was very nice as well and I'm sure it's just a habit for him it's just not professional. Now on to the food... This was so disappointing to us. The carbonara was filled with what seemed to be bacon instead of pancetta and the pasta was overcooked. I was looking for the perfect al dente bite and the first bite was a bit mushy, and I had the homemade pasta too. There was lots of sauce but had more of a milk/ cream flavor instead of the rich, egg yolky, carbonara flavor I got from Carmalinas down the street. There should be no cream in a carbonara and I should have know bettwr when I saw cream on the menu. My BF had the bolognese with gnocchi and I thought his gnocchi was decent enough but again, underwhelming. The bread service was pretty good and my drink, the fig pomegranate mule was so tasty so star for that. Cost: This place gives HUGE portions, but you pay for it. I'd rather pay a little less and get a smaller portion so I can order more items rather than just have one huge bowl of pasta. We each paid an additional $4 each for the fresh pasta option (didn't seem worth it) and the entrees were already priced in the high $20s. The mixed drinks all start at $16 (seems reasonable for a 10 Oz drink) and bread servic was free. For two entrees and one mixed drink, our bill was over $80 before tip. That to us was not a $100 meal. Pros: Got us in right away Huge portions (if that's what you like) Attentive service Fig and pomegranate mule - must try Cons: Cost to quality/experience is off Very crowded/ cramped tables There's too many other good options around that might be better read more

Good spot for pasta and pizza in North End. Our fav were the Saint Agrippina pizza. Service were okay. read more

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My all-time favorite North End restaurant, between the ambiance and the pasta, is 10/10. Highly recommend the bolognese with Fusilli. read more

Great dinner on our last evening in Boston. We were in a line at another place right next door and didn't feel like waiting, so my hubs went to BenCotto to see if they had any tables and they did. We had calamari for our appetizer, which was really good. Nicely seasoned, not over-breaded, big chunks of calamari, yummy peppers, and good sauce for dipping. Then we decided on sharing a rustic Fig pizza and I had the beet salad and my hubs had the pasta fagioli. The beet salad was very good ~ arugula was spicy, fresh and crisp, tomatoes were fresh, goat cheese was fresh & tasty, walnuts were crunchy, beets were only okay, but the lemon and olive oil dressing was perfect for the salad and nice and light and didn't overpower the salad ingredients. I didn't try the pasta fagioli, but hubs said it was very good. It looked appetizing for sure. The fig pizza was very good! The prosciutto was nice and crunchy, but very flavorful. I had been a little hesitant to try this pizza because of the potatoes that were one of the ingredients, but they were thinly sliced and their purpose became clear as a balance to the saltiness of the prosciutto. The fig jam, of course, served much the same purpose and was very tasty. All in all we were comfortably full by the time we finished (didn't completely the salad or the fagioli) and it was a very satisfying dinner! Wish we were staying longer so we could try some other items on the menu that we didn't have a chance to try, specifically the littleneck clams and the Misto de Pesce. read more

Enjoyed this restaurant. Had an 8 o'clock reservation and did not wait to be seated, although place was full. The waiter Matteo was excellent. Started with appetizers and then main course....all was delicious. Highly recommend. read more

Made an rvsp for 7pm for 5ppl and arrived there and my table wasn't ready. Was asked to wait outside for 10mins but when 10 mins passed I asked again and they yet again said 10 mins. Mind you it was 30 degrees & really windy so we were outside waiting in the cold. I went into the office and noticed other groups have gotten seated without mine. Then I went to wait inside where it's warmer. Meanwhile there's another group was complaining with the manager about the wait. It's really ridiculous, if we make an rsvp why would i want to come and wait 45 mins additional. This is very upsetting as I was here just for the weekend and I had lots on my agenda I planned and wanting to do but since of the delay we had to make adjustments. Please be truthful with the time wait and don't over accept rvsp if you do not have one available. I WILL NEVER COME BACK AGAIN! & super upset read more

There are so many restaurants in the North End to choose from, but we ended up coming here for an early dinner because it was the first place with no wait. The staff was super accommodating for our large party and baby with a stroller. It's smaller on the inside than I thought, but there is a downstairs too where we were seated. The menu has a ton of variety. Although I got the bolognese, their pizzas looked great as they have a ton to choose from. We ordered the fried calamari to start. It was tender and flavorful, but I wish it was crispier. My pasta was excellent, cooked al dente, and the right portion of meat sauce and pasta. We also ordered some sangria, and it was one of the best I've had.... I was pleasantly surprised since I've never had it served that cold before. Our server was friendly, efficient, and answered all our questions. I would come back! read more

BenCotto - Boston - Bolognese Pasta - Italian Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

This was the first restaurant I tried coming into Boston. I couldn't have picked a better place! * Food: I ordered a Blue Moon and the Chicken Piccata and wow - one of the best chicken piccata plates I have ever had. It came with potatoes, mushrooms and veggies. They used a lemon sauce and everything was just a perfect combination. I wish I wrote down what dessert we ordered at the end but it was one of their specials and even that was delicious. Definitely take a stab at their desserts if you go! * Cost vs. Worth: The main entrees were around $19-$30 which seemed to be typical for a nice restaurant like that. Will I come here again? - Since I'm new to Boston I would like to try new restaurants but I would definitely recommend this place to friends visiting! read more

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

Chef Fabio runs a great restaurant Food and service was great Love the quaintness of the restaurant. Highly recommend this restaurant Food was amazing read more

Solid food, chicken Parm is great! Tiramisu is even better. Not usually too busy either which is nice. Definitely will be coming back

Loved our experience here! The staff was incredibly nice and covered our appetizer when the waitress hadn't been by our table for a few minutes after we were seated. The environment was subdued and classy, loved the ambiance! The lobster ravioli was amazing and espresso for dessert hit the spot. Would come here again! read more

BenCotto - Boston - Lobster ravioli - Italian Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

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My colleague and I had a memorable meal at BonCotto, which turned out to be the perfect place to take in the North End and find some great pizza. My Nero D'avola was just as tasty as I hoped in this restaurant that specializes in Sicilian flavors. I tried one of the white pizzas with sausage and everything was great but their crust is so good out of the oven. My colleague enjoyed his shrimp pizza. Our server was super and really made us feel welcome, providing some great recommendations. Overall, the ambiance was great, sitting in a tight packed restaurant with the hum of activity and the smell of the kitchen permeating, but in a homespun way. This place would make for an excellent date or celebration spot. Full marks. read more

Best GF pasta I have ever had and no GI issues and no Celiac symptoms . I had the Carbonara sauce with GH penne!!! I have to eat GF and don't like going to Italian typically. We were visiting Boston and North End is the place to go. Most places will only do a plain sauce with GF pasta because they "can't be bother." All of their sauces for pasta combinations are GF. Just for that I'd be happy to give 5 stars. They were careful and accommodating without making you feel like your are an annoyance. My daughter had the Amatriciana with linguine and bruschetta appetizer. She loved her meal as well. When back in Boston. I will return to this restaurant!! Highly highly recommend. Thank you. read more

Outstanding meal!!! Veal chop special was over the top! Service couldn't be better. Jen was the best!!! Not to mention Chef Fabio!! Thank you for a wonderful experience!!! read more

Our server was Nick he was great!!! We had the Fig salad it was huge and delicious. I had the eggplant Parmesan and my his band had the carbonara with sausage!!! Thanks for the delicious meal and I was able to watch some of the Celtics game!!! read more

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This is a hard review to write for me, because I found my meal (veal saltimbocca) a bit disappointing, but everyone else in our party enjoyed their dinners. And I really liked the atmosphere of the place (it's very crowded, but that's part of the ambiance). And our server was very attentive, despite having several tables and being pretty rushed. My dish was simply overcooked. The prosciutto was dried out (crispy), and the veal was similarly too well done. I might return, but then again there are lots of places to eat in the North End. read more

Food is excellent! The place is always bustling and lively which I love. Service is speedy and on point.

I've been here a few times before and the food was good and the service was great. Last night we had a reservation for 7:00 and we went in at 6:55 and checked in. We were told our table wasn't ready and it would be a few minutes. At 7:20 we checked with the hostess and she said they were waiting for tables to leave so we asked for them to text us when ready. Our table was not ready until 7:34. 34 minutes late for a reservation is simply unacceptable and entirely the restaurants fault for overbooking. I would not recommend Bencotto to anyone on a Friday or Saturday night. Reservations are basically meaningless. We ended up eating elsewhere. read more

We need to discuss the Orecchiette BenCotto. It is perfection. Creamy tomato sauce and very generous on the huge chunks of bacon. I've been here twice now but cannot speak to the rest of the food because I had to get the same pasta both times as I liked it so much! The portion is well worth the price. The staff is so attentive and friendly as well! read more

BenCotto - Boston - Orechiette Bencotto - Italian Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

Excellent food, atmosphere, and wonderful staff. The mushroom pizza was heavenly. Reminisced with our waitress about Sorrento.

BenCotto is located on the corner of Hanover & Fleet in the North End. It has an open and airy feeling with lots of chrome and glass walls. The wait staff couldn't have been nicer. The Caesar salad was crisp with wide parmesan shavings and toasted buttered croutons, topped with an add-on of perfectly cooked and seasoned salmon. Dessert was espresso with a lemon ice cream bomb centered with lemon curd. All were so delicious. This was my second visit to BenCotto, and it won't be the last. read more

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After looking into several other restaurants in the North End, and going with a recommendation, we went with BenCotto. Unfortunately, I was underwhelmed by our first experience there. The meal experience: My gal pal enjoyed her dinner, which was the little necks with linguine. Since this was her birthday, that was mostly what I cared about. But to give an honest review I need to give the not so good. I had the veal saltomoboca. It was okay but not great. The veal was on the tougher side. It was about the same as I could get at a local Italian restaurant near me. The lobster ravioli appetizer was okay but not great. We were expecting more lobster in the ravioli. We also ordered the asparagus appetizer. Unfortunately we couldn't try it because they never brought it out or the kitchen messed up. The waitress did take it off the charge so that wasn't an issue. Service was okay. The waitress was pleasant. Outside of the already mentioned appetizer not coming out it was frustrating that it took 40 minutes to get seated after showing up for our reservation time. With all the choices out there I would try elsewhere next time read more

I typically like muscles in a white wine butter sauce with lots of garlic and parsley. With this in mind when my mussels arrived I was a bit disappointed to see a red sauce, but then I tried this red sauce and I was very pleased. It's always nice to break out of your comfort zone. I enjoyed the service here and that the restaurant is owned by a husband and wife team. The shrimp scampi over toast was also a delight. read more

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

Three words - chicken penne broccoli!!! I come her time and time again for that dish and it never disappoints

Lovely little Italian spot in Boston. It was my first time here, and employees were attentive. I ordered one pizza to share with a girlfriend and it was 20 dollars. The pizza was absolutely delicious. It came out piping hot, and the ricotta was so smooth and rich. The ambiance is nice, there are big windows with fresh air and their location is in the midst of little shops and restaurants lining the street. However, we were not informed that water here would cost $6 per person! That is outrageous. It was not listed on the menu either, and I was shocked when the bill came. read more

We found this little boutique Italian place on the way to the Paul Revere House. There is a brick oven with a full complement of kitchen staff for anything beyond pizza. However, pizza was the order of the day for us. The Saint Aggrippina pizza was fantastic and one of the best pizza's I've eaten. The lightness of the dough paired with perfectly melted cheese, alongside a savory sauce was perfectly balanced with the sweet sausage and ricotta! The crust was just crisp enough to support the excellent chewiness of the crust (if that makes sense. This seems like a quaint but beautiful restaurant that I would definitely revisit for a nice date night. read more