This restaurant was recommended after I made inquiries with the locals on where to get a good lobster roll! I like how the place opened up once you crossed the threshold...large open space that can accommodate small to larger groups! Our waiter was helpful and attentive and provided good service during our meal! There is a pre-fix menu with specials that is affordable as well as offers good options. The cocktail menu had great choices as well. We had oysters...scallops...shrimp scampi and of course a 5oz Lobster Roll with Truffle Fries. It was a good time! read more

See all

Came here with gal friends and we had such a great experience. (Granted, knowing Jordan Knight of NKOTB fame is an owner drew us because of our desire to relive our 80s/90s cusp preteen and teen years, but you honestly wouldn't even know he's involved.) The ambiance is old film meets 21st century chic. We enjoyed our brunch on the outdoor patio, and it was lovely. Great cocktails and mocktails. We ordered the oysters and the crispy cauliflower for appetizers and they were amazing. I had the eggs Florentine and they were great. One friend had the breakfast pizza and had to take more than half home, in spite of how good it was. Another friend had the frittata and claimed it was exquisite. Service was super friendly (and super beautiful). My favorite meal, whoa-oh, it's my favorite meal! : ) Okay, that's totally cheesy, but it really was a great experience--whether or not Jordan Knight had any real direct influence on it. It's a great place to go, regardless of the ownership. read more

Novara Restaurant - Cocktails and mocktails - Italian Near Me - Milton, Massachusetts

See all

My wife chose Novara for her 50th birthday dinner because she's been following the restaurant on social media for a long time and was excited to finally experience it for herself. Being a fan of Jordan Knight and knowing he's a partner in the restaurant made the occasion feel even more special. In the weeks leading up to our reservation, I made multiple attempts to contact the restaurant to help make the evening memorable. I reached out by email, Instagram, OpenTable, and phone. My calls were never returned, my messages went unanswered, and after finally speaking with someone and being told a manager would call me back, I never heard from anyone. When we arrived, the host wished my wife a happy birthday and asked where we'd like to sit. There wasn't much guidance on seating for a special occasion, so we chose a table outside. Ironically, many of the birthday wishes my wife received that evening came from other guests rather than the staff. As for the food, there were some highlights. The tuna tartare was a generous portion and had good flavors, although all of the pickled ginger was piled together rather than distributed throughout the dish. My wife's lobster roll was delicious and easily large enough to share. My bolognese was also a very generous portion, but unfortunately lacked the depth of flavor I was expecting. As we approached the end of dinner, I kept expecting some acknowledgment of the occasion given all of my attempts to coordinate beforehand, but nothing happened. No manager stopped by our table. No one followed up on any of the requests I had made. After dinner we moved to the bar, where it took nearly twenty minutes to get a bartender's attention for drinks. We also decided to order dessert at the bar, which took an equally long time to arrive. The cannoli was very good, but the tiramisu was disappointing. A candle was placed in the tiramisu, which we appreciated, but that was the extent of the birthday recognition. No one stopped by to wish her a happy birthday, no manager checked in, and there was no personal touch despite all the effort I had made beforehand trying to make the evening special. While waiting at the bar, we observed the manager arrive to meet friends. Rather than checking on guests, he appeared focused on socializing. We watched him take off his jacket, tell his friends not to order a Guinness because "it doesn't pour well," and order a drink for himself. At one point, after being interrupted, he loudly remarked, "I guess it better look like I'm working right now," before walking away and putting his jacket back on moments later. We also overheard him say, "This bartender sucks," seemingly because his own drink was empty. Watching a manager speak that way about staff and guests within earshot was disappointing and unprofessional. The most disappointing part of the evening is that this wasn't just another dinner out. This was my wife's 50th birthday, and I went out of my way to try to make it special. I wasn't looking for anything extravagant...just some acknowledgment, communication, or hospitality. Instead, despite multiple attempts to coordinate beforehand, we left feeling overlooked and disappointed. The food had some bright spots, particularly the lobster roll and cannoli, but the lack of communication, slow service, and the behavior we witnessed from management left us with a very different impression than we had hoped for on such an important milestone birthday, my wife left feeling overlooked and disappointed. Sadly, she regretted choosing Novara for her 50th birthday and visiting all the way from San Francisco to experience a restaurant she had been so excited about for so long. read more

See all

The restaurant was spacious and bright. The service was great and so was the drinks and food. Everything was fresh and tasted great. I would recommend reserving on a weekend. The lemon rosemary wings nice and crisp and flavorful, the calamari was fresh, the lobster fra diavolo is very spicy but everyone has different spice levels that they can take. The portions of all our dishes were good, good seafood portions within the pasta and the short rib gnocchi was delish. The tiger lily cocktail was delicious. I would recommend putting your entrees in the same time you order appetizers as there may be a wait time told by a regular patron that we were with. read more

See all

Second time here and didn't disappoint. This place is top shelf. Amazing craft beer and solid wine selections and a full bar. Service was outstanding even for a group of 15 of us. Upscale fresh vibe inside and even outside seating. The food was outstanding. I had the Seafood Scampi which was amazing. Every meal at the table looked and others said tasted great! Their pasta dishes were vast and good portions. This is a great benchmark of top quality non-chain, local restaurants should be. I'd come here as often as I could if I lived here. read more

See all

The ambiance at Novara is great, and both the food and drinks were so good! I had the seafood pasta, which was delicious, and a spicy margarita that was really well made. My girlfriends had martinis that were equally as good and beautifully presented. And if you like espresso martinis, definitely get one -- they were amazing! Such a fun spot for dinner and drinks with friends. read more

Novara Restaurant - Martinis & margarita - Italian Near Me - Milton, Massachusetts

See all

Made reservations for a Wednesday night and it was fairly busy. Love that they offer complimentary valet in the back lot. The restaurant is an open space with high ceilings great for casual dinner but also for celebrations. Loved the lamb lollipops and their fig & prosciutto pizza. Nice spot for dinner in east Milton. read more

See all

I've been here several times and I always come back because of the service and giant TVs. It's a slightly upscale place with an extensive menu. My favorite dish is the crusted cod and their pastas are pretty tasty. It's a little on the pricey side but service is excellent. I also recently tried the lemon cake and it was so good. Portions are big and the tables/seats are comfy. There's limited parking but they recently added free valet. read more

See all

I like the vibe, it's a nice spot. It can get really loud but it has character. The food was good ever had good flavor. I am glad I didn't know what was on the wings I would have probably asked for it on the side but they were good just as they come. The service was good, especially for a Friday night. read more

See all

Great place at all times. A little loud but great food and great times. Great service, and friendly staff. read more

Novara Restaurant - New fig on block is - Italian Near Me - Milton, Massachusetts

See all

I visited here for the second time and it was great! We had some awesome cocktails both the Cosmopolitan's were great and the limoncello martini was a hit. We tried the Barrada appetizer which was delicious. For our meals, I had the filet mignon with asparagus and switched up the mashed potatoes for French fries. My girlfriend got the salmon over a salad. We both really enjoyed our meals. We split the lemon cake with raspberry jam and whipped cream for dessert, it was yummy. We also had a few espresso martinis to top off our dinner which were so good. The restaurant was busy so I was glad I made reservations. The host and hostess when I came through the door were very friendly and accommodating. We were seated at a high top at the bar (that was the only pick left when I called the day before so I do suggest reservations, we went on a Friday at 6pm). Our waiter was excellent and the restaurant was very clean and welcoming. We will definitely return. It was an excellent choice for dinner and we were happy we chose Novara. We will definitely return. My only fail is I completely forgot to take pictures! read more

Novara is pretty decent restaurant for the most part however they have changed the way they make their Alfredo chicken & broccoli dish and I'm not a fan... however their red sangria, crispy cauliflower, and wings were pretty good read more

See all

Easter lunch at 1pm reservation. Valet parking was convenient. Lively atmosphere but not too loud. Seated quickly by friendly hostess. She sat us at a high top near the bar but was able to move us to a table for 2 when we asked. Our waitress was over quick and happy to serve us. We got our drinks right away, Hugo spritz and vesper martini were excellent. Appetizers of focaccia bread w tomato marmalade and chicken meatballs were delicious. Very tasty and tomato sauce sweet. We ordered side salads of garden and Caesar. Very good but could have used a bit more Caesar dressing. Salmon piccata w mashed and asparagus and ribeye w mashed was divine. Couldn't ask for a better meal. Excellent quality fish and meat and cooked perfectly. Lemon cake was ok, it was more of a pound cake as opposed to a layer cake. The blueberry cheesecake was delicious. Overall wonderful experience, our waitress checked in w us regularly and our dishes cleared promptly. Highly recommended! And enjoyed getting a pic w the Easter bunny! read more

See all

Had a decent experience here recently. The space is inviting, high ceilings, nice touch of spring with the tulips on the tables. The service was good. Waitress was attentive and checked on us at least once. The presentation of the food was good but the flavor and quality were average. The chicken wings smelled slightly stale, which was disappointing. If you know me, you know that is my quality barometer. Menu prices were typical compared to similar restaurants. They have a free parking lot in the back. read more

See all

Definitely a great restaurant! Starting from the wait staff to the food, amazing the entire way. We sat at the bar and were served very quickly. I got the lobster roll and I think hands down the best I've ever had. A very large portion of lobster and cooked to perfection. Will be coming back to try more when I get up to Boston. read more

Novara Restaurant - Lobster Roll - Italian Near Me - Milton, Massachusetts

I ordered steak au poivre and I was expecting the classic French dish of steak with cracked black pepper in a creamy sauce, what I got was basically steak topped with bell peppers which is completely different! When I pointed this out to the waiter he gave me no explanation! I should have returned the food to the kitchen! Why do they use the wrong name for the dish? My first visit last year was acceptable but this time I was disappointed! I will not be back! read more

My two friends wanted to eat here and so we went up today with a reservation. I was pleasantly surprised to see the restaurant was so beautiful as I was expecting a smaller bistro. It's an interesting space, and I found that it was not too loud, even though the ceilings are high. It has an open kitchen and it's just a beautiful spot. Our meals were absolutely delicious. My friend had the chicken Saltimbocca , I had the eggplant Napolitano and our other friend had the chicken and broccoli Alfredo. Everyone absolutely loved their meals and took half home because the portions were so big. We got the focaccia bread appetizer and I did think it would've been nice for the bread to be warm and for the tomato dipping sauce to be warm, but it was cold. Our waiter was excellent. The host stand folks were very accommodating and friendly. Easy enough to get to will definitely be back. read more

See all

Food was great Service was terrific, thank you, Tammie The ambiance was perfect, with Christmas music playing, a Christmas movie in the back, and Christmas decorations. Thank you for the experience. We will definitely be back, nothing bad to say at all. read more

See all

My friends and I came for a girls dinner, but there were plenty of business types there, given it was a weeknight. When we went, they had a special menu with the option for an appetizer, entrée, and dessert for a set price. Of course, I had to go with that selection! The food itself was solid - no real complaints there. The space was really nice as well, very modern and open. My only real issue was the service. I'm not sure if we just had bad luck, but our waitress was fairly impatient and not especially helpful with allergies. The rest of the staff we interacted with seemed great, so hopefully that was just a one-off. Not sure I'd go out of my way to come back. If I'm going somewhere nice, I'd at least expect respectful service. Can't say I've encountered that kind of issue anywhere else in Boston lately. read more

See all

I really love this place! The Italian food is is on the B+/A- side - especially for the area. What I really love about this place is the vibe. It's hopping several nights a week and the servers/bartenders are always great. I usually get some sort of martini and I have consistently had amazing drinks. I've brought so many friends here and they've always had a great time. Going back to the food - you can't go wrong with staples like pizza or the chicken parm, but my absolute favorite is the lobster fra diavolo. They give you so much lobster and the sauce has just the right amount of kick. I always have leftovers when I come here, but only because the portions are large. A tip: make reservations or come early - especially on a Friday. Even single bar seats are hard to find! read more

See all

I went with my family for Valentine's Day and everything was amazing! The Ambiance, Food, and service was very attentive! The fish and chips are soo good!!! read more

See all

Great food and if you go in for lunch you will get your monies worth! It's not the north end but the food is pretty good as I have tried most dishes! I love their chicken parm meatballs and would recommend sitting down for lunch. read more

The minute you walk in the restaurant you can tell your gonna have a good time the vibe was right the food smell delicious and the staff was very friendly. I had the calamari and it was well seasoned and fried perfectly. I also ordered shrimp scampi which was a delight. I enjoyed my wine and atmosphere I will Definitely come back read more

Food & drinks are solid. Playing Game 2 of Spurs/Knicks instead of Red Sox/Yankees in Boston is a sin. Would not come back. read more

Novara Restaurant - Stand By Me & Maine Lunch - Italian Near Me - Milton, Massachusetts

I've probably driven by Novara thousands of times & have never actually thought about dining here. To sum my visit up, I'd say this is a cute local spot if you don't wanna go into the city but did not enjoy the strange behavior from staff. What we ordered: -salmon -pappardelle bolognese -swordfish w/ lobster special -margarita pizza -fish & chips -chocolate mousse with raspberry jam Food took a little long to arrive but it was worth the wait. They plated our dishes very nicely & taste wise, pretty solid. Service: It was my mother's birthday and it wasn't acknowledged by any of the workers, including when we got dessert + after mentioning it. When first arriving to go inside to check in for our res, we had to wait 15 min, but were told only supposed to be a 2 min wait. Food: 3.8/5 Service & Staff: 2/5 read more

See all

This has become a favorite business lunch spot. Although parking can sometimes be a challenge the location in east milton square, just off 93, is a great midway point for many. The menu and service are delightful and never disappoints with something for everyone. I usually have to take some of the generous portion home. On warmer days they have a delightful outside patio to the left of the building. Highly recommend. read more

Came in late afternoon on a Saturday, no reservations! The manager was kind enough to find seating for us! The environment was open and chill, the food came out fast and our waitress was great! The food was yummy and hot! My drink was soooo good! I'll definitely be visiting again. read more

See all

Outstanding restaurant! I had the chicken Saltimbocca. it's flavor was excellent It was hot and extremely fresh! The martinis are generous and the service is top notch! I highly recommend this restaurant and can't wait to sit at the bar and catch a game! read more

For the past few years, my friends and I have had a monthly dinner at Novara to celebrate our many decades of friendship. Always a welcoming staff and the food - well - what can you say? Fabulous always. Last night, we thought we had 4 coming and surprisingly ended up with 5. Thankfully our wonderful waitress Tanya was able to move us to a new table (twice lol) and we had a delicious meal and great conversations. My pasta dish was so good. The mini-lobster roll ordered by two of my friends - not mini - large and delicious. Thank you once again Novara for a great night. See you next month! read more

I've been eyeing Navara in Milton for a while now, and it absolutely lived up to the wait. I made a reservation for myself and a guest to celebrate their birthday, and I really appreciated that the team read the note on the reservation and came prepared to make it special. It's such a small detail, but it speaks volumes about the care and intention they put into their service. From the moment we walked in, the vibe was warm and welcoming, and the service was top-notch from start to finish. We ordered a mix of things--oysters, calamari, and a few other dishes--and honestly, every bite was outstanding. Fresh, flavorful, and clearly made with intention. The space itself felt open and airy, but somehow still intimate--like I could fully relax and be present, almost as if we were the only ones there. Bonus: they have outdoor seating, and we were lucky enough to be there on a gorgeous night. It added something extra to an already lovely experience. This is the kind of place you return to. I absolutely will. read more

See all

We had 5 star service and a delicious meal last night at Novara. Our server was delightful and attentive. We were celebrating, and it really made our night that the restaurant was beautifully decorated with classic Christmas films playing. We had the eggplant appetizer, and split the short rib and scallops. All came out piping hot and delicious. For dessert, we split the cream caramel and I enjoyed a pumpkin version of an espresso martini that's a seasonal special. We can't wait to be back. read more

See all

Loved our waiter! You could tell he appreciated great food and cared what we thought of each dish . The Halibut was a beautiful special! You need to be aware miso is a little sweet. Very surprised The special Sirloin au poivre,was a fatty and with sinew, just not what you expect at this restaurant . Scallops and Chicken Saltemboca very good. Hoping the quality of the food continues to be great! read more

First time coming here. Reservations are recommended if coming on the weekend. Our server was very attentive, friendly and had a good sense of humor. For appetizers we got the calamari, sweet potato aracini, and crispy cauliflower. All of them were delicious. We had a vegetarian in our party and the menu had a few options, not a ton. But they also have pizza options - one was a mushroom pizza on white sauce. Beautiful decor, holiday decor, with a projector showing Christmas movies with holiday music playing. High ceilings and spacious. read more

See all

Fabulous dinner Monday night at Novara with a friend. At 5pm the restaurant and bar were both busy. The room is well lit, clean, and easy to access. We were shown to a table with comfortable chairs. Our waitress was available but not hovering. We each ordered salads with meat toppings: Shrimp for my friend, and Chicken for myself. We enjoyed our salads and conversation; no attempt to hustle us out as the restaurant filled up. These were economical meals and well presented on the plate. There's off-street packing adjacent to the restaurant (free) plus ample on-street parking (also free.) We agreed we'll be back to sample more of the menu! read more

Novara is a favorite hidden gem that we found this past year and have been back several times. You can't go wrong with any of their drinks, I got a martini that was so good. For appetizer we got one of the specials; lobster tacos. To die for!! We almost got a second order. For my meal I got the pan seared scallops with risotto that was perfect. He got the steak. No picture because he devoured it. And dessert we always get the banana bread pudding, it's amazing!!! It's a louder restaurant at night time but we were still able to hear eachother. You can also sit outside on their cute patio if you like. Our server was amazing and quick. 10/10 as always! read more

See all

We stopped by on a Thursday for dinner and I'm glad we made reservations because the restaurant was packed! The bar and all tables were filled by 7pm. I've been to Novara a few times for lunch and dinner - I have always enjoyed their food and friendly waitstaff. It felt louder than usual inside since it was so busy! We sat at the high top tables and it felt less noisy than being by the regular tables. The linguine and clams were delicious and the amount was just right - I didn't feel too full afterwards. My boyfriend ordered the eggplant napolitano (he loves eggplant parm), but felt it had too much ricotta cheese in it. For dessert we ordered the lemon cake. It was good, but very dense, I'd probably call it a lemon pound cake instead. I'm never disappointed with Novara and will come back to dine again. read more

Novara Restaurant - Lemon Cake - Italian Near Me - Milton, Massachusetts

See all

Went here with family to celebrate a birthday. There wasn't a lot of signage outside, and it was dark, so it took a minute and the GPS to find the restaurant. Immediately upon walking it, the restaurant had a fun, hip, and clean vibe. It took a minute to be greeted by the host, but with our reservation, we were quickly seated. The seating for 5 was a little awkward, but we made it work. There was no bread to start, so we ordered foccia, a pizza as an app and salad. We ordered meats, scallop lobster risotto, and the halibut that was a special. The food took a while to come to the table and was barely warm. I like my food served hot and this was far from it. Furthermore, in between the appetizers, meals, and desserts, it took a long time for the food to arrive. We parked on the street - for a Sunday, it was easy to find a spot. Not sure on other days. The food to price ratio was not good. The food was expensive for what we received read more

See all

Are Black people wanted or allowed here? I can't tell because the energy is very strange. Dinner service is not good, food quality is better at lunch, read more

Always been a solid spot for drinks and steak! Haven't been back here in a bit but have celebrated a couple birthdays and friends gatherings here in the past. Parking is street parking which isn't too hard to find. Drinks are up there in price but the place is on the classier side. Usually go for the fried calamari, crispy as long as you eat it when it comes out hot it's in pasta sauce with an aioli drizzle over it. Calamari is my jam. When in the mood their pizzas are yummy i go for the cacciatore pizza (ground Italian sausage peppers, onions, and red sauce. Ask the server for crushed red peppers and garlic powder and we good to go! The sausage rigatoni and pappardelle bolognese are both yummy, pasta al dente and seasoned well. Haven't had a bad experience here yet so will be back for the next occasion! Nice lighting spacious area, big bar. Good local spot read more

Hmmm not sure what to make of this place as everything I ate was absolutely fantastic, EXCEPT for the main dish!! My friend and I came here for dinner during restaurant week. We ordered off the 3-course prefix menu. My first course was the "raw bar" which consisted of shrimp cocktail (2) and oysters (2). Both were excellent but the oysters were so delicious that we ordered more off the regular menu. For our main course, we both ordered the grilled sirloin. I immediately noticed that my friend's sauce came on the side (she did not order it this way) while mine was poured over the steak. As soon as I took the first bite, I realized why - my steak was very fatty and they were trying to cover it up. It's like they knew it was a subpar cut of steak and served it anyways; I did NOT appreciate this!! Thank goodness the sides (potatoes, carrots, broccolini) were outstanding so I mopped those up. For dessert, I ordered the cannoli. I don't even like cannolis but I LOVED this cannoli. I could have eaten a million of them. I would be willing to check this place out again for a different meal as everything but my steak was fantastic... read more

See all