Well Best kept secret! Service exceptional -Caitlin , our waitress , was so great! Made us feel so welcome even though we didn't have a reservation.. Food - bellisimo! Billy costa needs to visit.
We've visited this place a few times during the past 2 years, each time using a Groupon (like the other patrons around us). It's a cozy place but as we had to make reservations, there was always seats when we arrived. The atmosphere of the place is romantic with bare brick walls and tealight candles. The portion sizes of the dishes are huge. It is pretty much expected that there will be leftovers to be wrapped. We liked the care taken to arrange the ingredients of the antipasto. The main dishes were quite good overall, even when eaten as leftovers the next day.
Reserved a table for 8:30, then had to wait roughly ten minutes after arriving because they said they were running behind. After waiting, they escorted us to one of roughly five tables that were empty. Was asked "which pasta would you like with your meal?" then charged $3 for the pasta (which in no place was priced). Our waitress was dressed in exercise clothes, like all the others, and did a lot of running back and forth after and between each order. We didn't eat our entrees until an hour after we arrived. By the time we were done, the other three or so tables had left and we got treated to a screaming match between two waitresses about how she knows how to raise her child, all while some creepy dude stared in through the window. Wine was BYOB. Very cool.
I've been a regular at Pastalina's for nearly 10 years and it's always great. Simply put, this is a cozy, BYOB Italian place with minimum frills and great food. We usually get the Dicasa salad, which is easily large enough for two. I typically roll with the chicken saltimbocca, the chicken parm or the chicken cordon blue-- all are outstanding. I saw one of the other reviewers posted something about Chef Rocco shopping for Ragu next door and that is just crazy talk. The red sauce at this place is great and its certainly not out of a can.
One small bit of fair warning for new customers: this is not the Olive Garden, you're not going to get in and out in half and hour with your plate of pasta. The owner cooks all the food and a meal at Pastalina's is typically something of an evening affair (if you catch my meaning). But if you've got good wine, good company and good food, it's not like there's any need to rush off to the next thing, you know?
Highly recommended.
I live around the corner and this place can't be beat for classic Italian food. The veal picata is fantastic, so is the chicken cordon Bleu and eggplant rollotini. I have no idea what the negative reviewers are talking about or where they eat that they think is significantly better. I routinely eat in the north end for business but come to Pastalinas for myself.
Amazing food and a great value to match! The freshly made pastas and sauces are delicious.
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