My wife and I made a reservation for a Saturday night and upon arrival were seated immediately. To…read morestart, we ordered a perfectly cooked octopus antipasti, followed by tortellini alla norcina, and for a secondi the vitello alla petroniana (we were debating between this pasta/secondi combination and the pasta bolognese/swordfish special - will have to come back to get these next time!). I don't typically eat veal, and this cutlet was perfectly balanced - rich, savory, crispy, with a pleasant (but not overwhelming) salty kick from the prosciutto and parmigiano reggiano. We also ordered the spicy broccolini, which I highly recommend for the garlic lovers out there. For dessert we had the dark cherry (amarena?) gelato, which was delicious and creamy, with the perfect amount of sweetness. We shared each dish, and it was certainly plenty of food for the two of us. Prices felt reasonable for the amount and quality of what we ordered (all of the above + 2 drinks from the bar totaled approx. $160 pre-tip). The restaurant space itself is relatively small but has enough space to move around comfortably, which made it cozy without ever getting too loud (it was a pretty full house when we went), with a balanced dim lighting. Additionally, the staff were friendly and knowledgeable, and the server patiently walked us through the menu and shared suggestions at our request. On a personal note I am especially appreciative of the staff, as I accidentally left without my hat, and the restaurant responded almost immediately to the message I sent through the restaurant website that same evening. Tl;dr - great menu, rich & hearty but balanced ingredients/recipes, and comfortable vibe. One really gets the impression that the husband/wife owners had a specific vision that they successfully brought into reality.

Had some nice food here the other week. This is a cute place in Woburn Center, and you do feel like…read moreyou've stepped into Italy. The atmosphere is cozy and intimate, so it's a great place for date night. The Fantastic: 1. Service -- our waiter was amazing, he took great care of us. We wanted for nothing! 2. Tortellini Alla Norcina -- this was delish. It was creamy, a little funky, and the pasta was cooked perfectly. 3. Cacio e Pepe -- also delish. 4. Mussels -- perfectly cooked, big and plump, and the bread to sop up the broth was also yummy. The plates are beautiful, but I think that plating and presentation takes priority over the food sometimes: 1. Bruschetta -- this was supposed to come with a balsamic drizzle, but it was served on a wooden plate and the drizzle was tiny and thin, so there wasn't really any balsamic. The dish could have used it to help cut through the cheese. 2. Bombolone -- dry, there was not a lot of custard in the pastry, and the surrounding sauces were more decorative than helpful. We did not enjoy the mixed drinks, they were all on the sour side and watery. So I would stick with wine or beer, the wine we had was excellent. Overall, we had a really nice time and would return.

Food: I UberEats'd the Tagliatelle Bolognese and it was SO good!! The pasta was delicious, tasted…read moreso fresh, and the sauce was yum!! Service: It was fast. Ambiance: I would go/order again!

We discovered Ciao Amici one day on our quest to find an Italian restaurant that wasn't in the…read moreNorth End. We have two little picky eaters and needed convenience, access to parking, and spacious and friendly for toddlers. We thoroughly enjoy Ciao Amici and have been going pretty regularly for the last 2 years. Our usual are the meatballs and carbonara for the kids. For awhile, it was the only way I could get my youngest to eat any protein. It is tender and has the right amount of spices for my youngest to gobble up. The two of them always share the carbonara and slurp it right up. Lastly, my oldest has recently become obsessed with their sauteed mussels and I literally have to negotiate with her to let me eat one. I love the saffron garlic white wine sauce, it is very garlicy and goes so well with the warm bread that they give you. My husband and I have tried a lot of their pasta and seafood with risotto dishes. Recently he has also ventured into their main dishes and still enjoyed it. Overall, great flavors, pasta is al dente, and the perfect portion where you don't feel overly stuffed by the end of the meal. We've tried a few of the places in the North End, and I would say Ciao Amici definitely is on par if not better than some of the places in the North End, plus they have a small parking lot that we've always had access to. My personal favorites are the Spaghetti Shrimp Scampi and Haddock e Risotto. The servers are always attentive and considerate. The -1 star comes from the pace of service. We usually go on the early side and don't have trouble but the few times we've gone when it was a bit busier, we noticed that the food can take awhile to come out and although I am confident everyone is working hard, they may not always be staffed appropriately when t's busy. Lastly, we did order a salad once and it was definitely no frills, but that was exactly how it was stated on the menu. I would not go there for the salad.

A local favorite in Stoneham. We got there early and thank goodness cause this place fills up fast…read more Service was amazing. Drink orders taken, then food. The appetizers were fantastic. Especially the home made biscuits. These were amazing. Hot, flaky, very much home made with a maple butter that is sinful. Entrees were mushroom tortellini and eggplant parm. Both portions were large and delicious. Very classic red sauce restaurant. For dessert it was limoncello cake and tiramisu. Both, light and tasty. If you want to stay local and have good Italian food, with a very nice ambiance, then this is the place. FYI -- park behind the building, there's plenty of free space and take the elevator up. And do make a reservation.

We have eaten at Gaetano several times and we always had good food good variety good service…read more Looking forward to our next visit

Very authentic Italian Restaurant. I would recommend you talk with the server if you don't know…read morewhat to order since they are very knowledgeable. The food was tasty, even after reheating at home. The restaurant felt very cozy, like mom and pop shop and the services are great. I felt so welcome as soon as I walk into the door. Perfect for an intimate date night or a cozy getup/celebration.

Stopped by on NYE for the first time; it was a win…read more The food was fresh, tasty, and the portions were huge. You can taste the authenticity, and love, that the chefs put into the dishes. If you like authentic Italian food, you should check it out.

I only write reviews when I'm pissed, so here we are. My wife made a reservation for our 20th…read moreanniversary, they had no record of that. No matter, it was empty enough at 5 on a Saturday. We started with bruschetta. Maybe slice it into pieces? Nope. I'll just destroy it. Then I got the chicken Marsala. Flavorless. Boring. My kid got the chicken fingers. They were actually decent but I had to double check the menu to make sure she was supposed to get an ice cream for dessert. The waitress was happy to give us our check. When I asked to speak to a manager, he got super aggressive and stomped over angrily saying "I'm the manager ." we asked if we were supposed to get ice cream with our kid's chicken fingers. He said "take it up with your server." Thank you. You're a delight. We haven't seen our server since she gave us the check.

Absolutely delicious entree. We will be back based on that alone. We sat at the bar and the younger…read morebartender was icy/cold to the point of being rude/really unfit for that sort of role. I tried to get some humanity out of her, without success. Maybe she didn't feel well, although that begs the question of why she was working around food. The food saved the day though, and I ate the leftovers the next day, gobbled them up! We will be back!

My favorite restaurant!!!!! Food is fantastic! Staff and service is excellent!!!!…read more Rio

i've got two words- lobster. ravioli. Best i've ever had, filled with lobster, the sauce is…read moreamazing. i've tried all the popular spots in the north end and they don't even compare. Try it, you won't regret it. Will be back for more.

Absolutely amazing! My friend and I came here for lunch today. We really enjoyed our experience!…read moreDelicious food, generous portions, and reasonable pricing. It took a while for the food to come out and no one was at the host stand for a bit so we had to wait a little to be seated, but I still give this place 5 stars because of the delicious food and welcoming atmosphere. I highly recommend the steak Gorgonzola salad!! So yummy.

I got a salad. It was pretty good. Not the best I've had. I'd give it a 3. I wish they gave a piece…read moreof bread with it. I really liked the service and outdoor seating. Although it's in a busy plaza, it felt secluded. That I give a 5. sampled my friends homemade truffle chips. Really good. I might go again for the ambiance and to try something else.

My party of 3 arrived around 7 on a Friday night and we're seating in about 10-15 minutes. It was a…read morebusy night, there wasn't an open space at the bar, so we were so thankful to be seated without reservations. The interior is nicely decorated, and for a smaller (than most) restaurant on a busy Friday night, we got our food and drinks pretty quickly. I ordered the Caesar salad with steak - I ordered medium well but got it well done, but the added my cooked onions to the meal and I was content. My mom and aunt ordered the short rib and they enjoyed their dishes. This is a cute place to catch up with friends, go on a date, or bring the little ones. Happy this is in the area!

I have been here twice and had a very good experience both times. This is a strong neighborhood…read morespot with a broad menu and something for everyone. There are plenty of options for food, beer, wine, and cocktails, which makes it easy for groups. Service was exceptional on both visits. Friendly, attentive, and well paced without feeling rushed. That stood out and made both meals more enjoyable. Inside, the setup is comfortable and casual with a lively but manageable atmosphere. It is a good place for a meal or just drinks. The Stones is located right in downtown Stoneham and has easy off street parking, which is a plus. On my visits, I had the cheeseburger flatbread once and a steak the other time. Both were good. When I have been in others ordered the salmon, cheeseburger, and Cobb salad, and everything looked solid. No complaints from anyone. Overall, this is a reliable and easy place to come back to. Good food, strong service, and a setting that works for a range of occasions. I would come back anytime.

Excellent food, amazing service. I felt like I was the only person in the restaurant…read more Small intimate restaurant

Moved to Florida last December Had to come back…read moreFantastic service fantastic food Worth while to go to Make reservations always busy Can't go wrong Drinks are great priced no skimping on alcohol Owner makes the drinks and served