When you walk into this place it feels welcoming. I feel a lot of family vibes which feels very comfortable and they want you here. I came here with one of my close friends and they took pretty good care of us. We were two hungry men so they immediately served us bread with tomatoes. We thought it was on the house, but it wasn't and I feel like they just assumed we wanted it so satisfy our hunger, which it did work well and we didn't complain. Following that was more bread, but it was free. Our server was great. She didn't rush us and took very well care of us. The food was good, but I didn't get any wow factors from it. I'd love to come back to try some other things on the menu. read more

Dolce Vita Ristorante - Veal Pollo alla Parmigiana - Italian Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

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The food was phenomenal, I really enjoyed the frutti di mare con diavolo. My boyfriend had the carbonara and said it wasn't exactly what he was expecting but that it was still very good. Their bread was also great. One downside was that we had an 8pm reservation and didn't sit until nearly 8:30. The restaurant seemed to be run by a single server with a few support staff and a bartender. Once we sat, the service was great and we had no complaints. There were also two musicians who came in and played for the tables, which was fine. But then they expected you to tip them and wouldn't leave the table until you did. read more

I really loved the vibe of this restaurant. It felt like a family owned restaurant and they even had a guy come around and play a song for you. We ordered the caprese salad and bruschetta as appetizers. That didn't really stand out to me but the pasta dish I ordered was arrabiata spaghetti and it was so good! Nice hint of spice but not too spicy. Boston definitely has some of the best Italian food. read more

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Our small group had an amazing experience from the moment we walked in. The owner greeted us and asked what we felt like eating vs just what we saw on menu, and steered us perfectly. We each thoroughly enjoyed our dishes including fresh pasta, and a variety of sauces and proteins. We had more food than we could eat, but wished we could. read more

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If there has ever been a dining experience in my life, this has to be the best experience I have ever had. The party I was with will definitely agree to that claim. Franco (the owner) must have taken a liking to us, as we did to him. He took us under his wing and rolled out the red carpet on appetizers and later - dinner. This guy (and place) are the real deal. I wanted to go back again but time ran short on our trip, but if you get a chance - stop by and meet Franco, a wonderful and kind human being. He's just a genuine kind man who loves to entertain his guest with great folks and conversation. Oh, by the way, the food was out of this world. Franco, you take good care of yourself my friend. We enjoyed meeting and the personal touch you added to our experience. The hugs were nice too. read more

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Friendly staff, we actually got pulled off the street by the owner after a meal, but we couldn't say no. He was charming to us, but I'm seeing mixed reviews. Started with the prosciutto & melon it was amazing. Had a nice lil balsamic drizzle. Oh lawwwwd. The wine list was good, we had the gnocchi but I forgot to photograph it. Bread was great too, might've been from bricco? Regardless, was great with some olive oil. Wasn't expecting it to be $13 though. Kinda spun it like it was house bread then when you get the bill, boom, there it is. Bread is usually on the house at most reputable spots! Overall, we'd come back, just might hold off on the bread order. read more

Dolce Vita Ristorante - Italian Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

Hanover Street crowded for dinner Monday night. Seems like there was a wait everywhere. Stumbled upon this place and looking at the menu outside, we were invited into the restaurant by the owner who called it his "home." They didn't have what I wanted on the menu so I asked and he was happy to accommodate. Fettuccine with lobster meat. He also recommended a sauce with it and I can't recall what it was but I went with it. The dish was phenomenal, perfect al dente pasta and superb taste either way just the right amount of salt and seasonings. Low key vibe and not too crowded. Service also was quite attentive and friendly. Would come back for the whole experience again! read more

Dolce Vita Ristorante - Linguini with lobster and Parmesan cheese (custom order) - Italian Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

Glad we stopped in during our weekend visit to Boston. We were the second of two tables when we came in but the place filled up quick during our stay. Everything was fantastic. Service was great. We will be back. read more

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Very authentic. Right down to most of the staff speaking Italian. Not a very large place. Conveniently located to the center/close to hotels. The canneloni and Fettuccine Bolognese were good. If you go on a Friday or Saturday, make reservations. We made reservations for Sunday at 5. Wasn't needed at the time, but the restaurant filled up pretty quick after. read more

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The owner, Franco, quickly seated us and made us feel welcome. We started with the eggplant, parmigiana and stuffed mushrooms. Both were delicious and nicely portioned. My husband and I split the chicken parmigiana. One girl ran circles around everyone! She held the most wine glasses i have ever seen. It was a nice place to people watch. read more

One cannot help but feel like they've entered a time warp and landed somewhere in Italy, time unknown. The older gents sitting by the fron door with thei wine, bread, and empty plates while speaking Italian set the tone of your experience. The gent who sat us was very pleasant and professional with a heavy accent. The menu options were plentiful as were the drink choices. Sat at a small intimidate table, allowing us to speak romantically, we conversed as we perused the menu. Wine was ordered and they didn't leave us wanting! The appetizers and main course was on point with luscious folds of flavor passing over our taste buds in a cascade like the ocean. The Italian music in the background, subtle, made its way into conversation. By the end of our meal , we felt like having a cigarette as if we had both climaxed. Yes, the food was that good! Don't miss out on this extraordinary place. Hope you enjoyed this review! read more

Dolce Vita Ristorante - a view of a restaurant - Italian Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

Quite the place. Here with a group of around 20. Amazing that they were able to efficiently serve us in a respectable amount of time. And it was such a good fun atmosphere. Food was phenomenal. I do not say that lightly either. The appetizers were great. One plate had tetrazzini that was creamy & delicious. Also with it was 2 different servings of fusilli pasta - a pesto & marinara sauce. Maybe the best dish of the night. I had a chicken saltimbocca. It was wonderful though I could only eat half. If I was heading home I would have brought the rest home with me. Did I mention atmosphere? The owner spent a lot of time with us, sang to us. Plus a man walked around playing accordion. Safe to say all 20 plus of us enjoyed our evening. read more

Dolce Vita Ristorante - Dessert - Italian Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

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Great atmosphere, better food! We are out of towners that love Boston! As Italians, this restorante makes us so happy!! The bruschetta is wonderful and the tortellini formaggi is magical. The owner sings Italian songs and the service is on top of it. read more

Pick another place!! I really felt scammed here! The other reviews are correct- the owner asks if you want bruschetta or garlic bread and then charges you! Such a rip off too($6.95!) there was a long wait and multiple people made eye contact with me and did not acknowledge us. I still decided to stay and give this place a try. We ordered chicken Parmesan, stuffed shells, and fettuccine Alfredo. Food was average- nothing special. The bread we got tasted like Texas toast- yuck. I think the worst part of this experience was the fact that the bowl of Parmesan cheese from our table was dumped back into the large supply box on the counter where he was serving new guests! He reused the Parmesan cheese!! So nasty. I would never return here! read more

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What an experience!! Franco was the ultimate host for our private business dinner. All the food was fabulous and the atmosphere was perfect. I highly recommend visiting this gem in Little Italy in Boston. read more

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I was looking for a place to eat on a Wednesday evening. As I looked at the menu posted outdoors, the owner came outside to greet me and invited me in. I ordered the lasagna and it was great. The ambiance, service, food and personal touch at this place makes for a memorable experience. read more

Dolce Vita Ristorante - Dining area - Italian Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

Quick service! Wonderful treats! Many more treats inside not just the window options read more

Dolce Vita Ristorante - Tiramisu Cannoli - Italian Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

HANDS DOWN THE BEST RESTAURANT IN THE BOSTON AREA. The owner of the restaurant was extremely kind, and you can tell that he's very passionate about his work. The pasta was out of this world, It was way better then any pasta I've had, including Italy! I highly recommend, parking is a pain however there's a public garage just a quick walk away! Genuinely loved the service and how at home this place made us feel! read more

Visited Boston for sight seeing and food, was lucky enough to walk past Dolce and the Owner greeted us and delivered on his promise of Great food! Food was very good, dessert was crazy good, we loved our dinner, we've recommended Dolce many times to all our Oklahoma Boston travelers! read more

Another run to pick up family at Logan means another trip to the North End. We were trying for another restaurant but the line was around the block. We were intrigued by the door, and when we entered we were greeted by the owner (at least I think he was the owner!) We were shown to an table in the back that was just perfect. We ordered Martinis which were just the right start and paired well with garlic bread bruschetta. So yummy. We ordered a nice bottle of wine and then enjoyed our main dishes - chicken parmigiana and pork rags. Served hot and flavorful! As if we hadn't splurged enough we also shared a creme brûlée. Service was amazing, the owner was right there at almost every table. When we left there was line around the block for Dole Vita! read more

We booked a seating for Easter Sunday last week and are we glad we did! We arrived a little early and were lucky enough to be seated early. We ordered garlic bread and bruschetta. We got lamb skewers for the table that was tender and delicious. Rounding out the entrees were a couple of chicken parms, chicken marsala, clams with linguini, and rotini bolognese. Service was attentive, food was devine and even on a beautiful, packed Easter Sunday, we never felt rushed. Can't wait to return! read more

On Thursday 7/14 we went around the north end to scout out places to eat on Friday 7/15. We walk past Dolce Vita and the owner greets us and tells us we should come eat at his house. The menu and atmosphere looked good so we said to put our name down on the reservation list for Friday. The inviting atmosphere, the swift service and the delicious food made this a great spot for our dinner on Friday. The chicken parmesan, the bolognese, and the desserts made this a tasty dinner. Nothing beats eating outside in the north end of Boston on a summer night. I'd suggest coming here the next time you come to Boston! read more

Our scheduled day downtown out got out of whack. We found ourselves in the North End at 4:00, but we didn't have a dinner reservation until 6:00. "Do we want to go somewhere just for a glass of wine and appetizer? Will a restaurant hate us for that?" Just as we said that, the owner of Dolce Vita popped his head out of his establishment to woo us in. We told him we just wanted a drink and appetizer and he didn't flinch. He welcomed us with literal open arms. At 4:00, the place was nearly empty, as I would expect. We did end up ordering wine (2 glasses each, by the time we got done), and a few apps. The eggplant rolitini was good overall. The ricotta filling and sauce were delicious, but the eggplant itself was either overcooked or under-ripe. It was VERY tough. The prosciutto and melon was also very good. In our snobby opinion, it is impossible to find excellent prosciutto outside of Italy. It just loses something while being shipped. However, Dolce Vita had the best prosciutto this side of the ocean! It was the best I have ever had in the US! True to our word, we asked for our check after our apps and wine. Franco was very nice and didn't try to hard-sell us to stay for a full dinner. We promised we would be back soon. All the entrees around us looked amazing. Dolce Vita will be my first choice the next time we are in the North End for dinner. By the time we left at about 5:15, the place was starting to really fill up. read more

This place was so good. Even though it was a busy Saturday night, we got right in. I noticed the owner walking around making sure everything was perfect for everyone. Needless to say it was all perfect!! read more

We had a reservation but nobody even glanced at us for 25 mins when we arrived. The owner sat us and offered some mix of breads that of course where a appetizer and not free. I found the the assortment to be meh. The prosciutto and melon balls were to die for. We also enjoy the stuffed pork chop, stuffed mushrooms also meh, and the lobster manicotti. Pork chop was a generous portion and flavorful. The lobster manicotti was ok at best. Disappointed over never being asked if we wanted refills of drinks. My wine was really good tho. The owner lacked a caring charm to himself. read more

Worst food in the entirety of the North End. Don't waste your precious coin here. Ate the Lobster Ravioli and then threw it up approximately 20 minutes later in the Christopher Columbus park near the fountain. Ambience is mad depressing and the old man says "GARLIC OR BRUSCHETTA" and then charge you way too much for butt ends of bread. Just don't come here. Could've gotten better Italian food from a BU student. read more

Fantastic experience. The owner sang, the food was through the roof and the service was attentive. I strongly recommend to everyone.

Nice experience! Good service & food. Felt very Italian in the restaurant. The bruschetta was great

Dolce Vita, Boston's north end "Little Italy", was an excellent dinner choice. Though I'm sure there are many other great legendary dining options, DV did not disappoint us. The garlic bread / bruschetta combo appetizer was a great way to start, and I really liked their house salad which is a wonderful array of dark greens, vegetables in an olive oil dressing. The Caesar salad was also delicious, and each salad was enough to share between two people. The linguini and clams was wonderful, beautiful mid-sized clams sauteed in a light, white wine sauce. This dish, in my opinion, needed some chili flakes to spice this bad boy up, but that was easy for us to do ourselves. The seafood pasta "fruitti de mare" (or fruit of the sea) is my forever go-to in Italian restaurants; always full of seafood, always delicious, and theirs was no exception with plentiful amounts of muscles, calamari, scallops, shrimp and clams. There were 3 sauce options, white, red or diavolo (spicy) so, naturally, I went with the diavolo. And lastly, the pasta carbonara was delicious; subbed with pappardelle pasta as suggested by the server. All of the meals were wonderful, and the homemade tiramisu was an excellent way to end this meal. ACTUAL ladyfingers in this tiramisu, and a solid espresso bottom made for the perfect mix of flavors. I would go back just for the tiramisu, it was WAY better than the one down the road at Mike's pastry. #centraliowafoodiechic read more

This place was great, always a fun time. The food and wine were delicious and the staff and atmosphere so welcoming. I'm sorry to hear it is closed. read more

Great Experience! We fell upon this place when trying to get in somewhere to eat in the north end. It felt like we were in Italy and the food was amazing. Authentic feel and would highly recommend. read more

Dolce Vita Ristorante - Fettuccine Alfredo - Italian Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

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If you have dietary restrictions the choices were limited on having options or making anything special. We were excited about the range of the menu but the food was okay. Atmosphere from outside looked inviting but the service levels weren't the best from an experience perspective. read more

So yummy and great service! The owner took good care of me and my friends from Florida. Will be back!

Absolutely amazing food and service. Felt like we were back in Tuscany without the long plane ride. Enjoyed the lobster ravioli and the lobster gnocchi. Just melted in your mouth. Tiramisu was a light as a feather. Fantastic meal. Service was excellent. read more

There are pros and cons about Dolce Vita: Pro The white haired guy who is always at the door. Wow, there need to be more men like him in the world. He greets you as if you are a long lost friend and when you leave, he kisses your hand. The ease of getting in there. We usually end up in there because every other place slams the door in your face. I don't like to make reservations as i never know what timeI will be where. He will squeeze you in. The tomato bruscetta appetizer - wow, it's relish It's very pretty inside Con The food is good, not great, but good. I've been to Italy many many times so I know what it should taste like. Hubby ordered Carbonara and he was so happy that they had the option where it could be done with an egg (which it is done that way it italy). The waiter said good choice. Except when it came out, there were parts of scrambled eggs in his dish. That is a major no-no. My dish I got, was just ok. I'm very picky on food so don't not try this place because I feel the food is ok. Everyone should try a place once for themselves if most of the reviews are good. read more

Dolce Vita Ristorante - Tomato and basil bruschetta - Italian Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

Food was cold, they serve cheap wine. Food was awful the service was not bad. The lady at the bar looks mean and miserable.

We are from out of state and after going up and down surrounding streets lined with restaurants we chose Dolce Vita. The owner and staff were very nice and they served amazing food !! I would rate it 10000% if I could. They also had very good martinis and a very tasty cappuccino. The fettuccine Alfredo was so amazing I didn't get a picture of that sadly. The owner was very good about making sure my table and surrounding tables had everything we needed and wanted! My only question is do the deliver 14 hours away. read more

Dolce Vita Ristorante - bruschetta combo - Italian Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

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We are from Las Vegas and visit our college student a few times s year. We make dolce vita our preferred stop. Franco actually took the time to lead the entire restaurant in a tribute Happy Birthday to my Granddaughter, pretty amazing. If you desire great Italian food with and old country ambience with exceptional service and value, look no further. Weekends and holidays you definitely need a reservation. read more

Meh, I've had better food for cheaper and without having to wait in as long of a line as we did. Dinner started off with combo bread (bruschetta and garlic bread), the bread was too hard to eat and the pieces of garlic were a bit too big. I will say that even though we ordered 6 different dinner items, the food did not take as long as I expected it would take. I ordered a lasagna and it tasted ok, did it make me want to go back and eat some more? No. Would I recommend it? No. Lastly, only a few hours after we had dinner, my friend and I had some stomach pain which we believe was due to eating at Dolce Vita. read more

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AVOID AT ALL COST! We booked a reservation for 8 pm, arrived early and had to wait over an hour for a table. The staff completely ignored the long line of people waiting. It was terrible. read more