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Antico Forno
Category: Restaurants Italian Italian [Edit]
93 Salem St(between Bartlett Pl & Hull St)
Boston, MA 02113
Neighborhood: North End
(617) 723-6733
- Nearest Transit:
-
Haymarket Station - Outbound (Orange Line)
Haymarket Station - Inbound (Orange Line)
Congress St @ Haymarket Sta (191, 192, 193, 325, 326, 4, 92, 93)
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Noise Level:
- Loud
- Ambience:
- Casual
- Has TV:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
287 reviews for Antico Forno
Review Highlights
-
"Linguine al Frutti di Mare: this was amazing." In 8 reviews -
"They have created my perfect Italian dish in the brick oven." In 34 reviews -
"...mussels in a spicy plum tomato sauce and roasted garlic for..." In 7 reviews
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287 reviews in English
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Review from Erin T.
Poway, CA
5/26/2012
During a recent East Coast trip we tried this place with a couple of friends who live in Boston. I got the Fusilli Al Tegamino and it was excellent. Fresh ingredients and al dente pasta.
This place is right in the heart of little Italy, which is a great spot to walk around. Even better, the next street over has two of the best bakeries in town. You can't miss them because there is a line outside the door. -
Review from Susan N.
5/13/2012
Given the circumstances, I probably shouldn't review this place. We had spent all day on a plane (from Oakland to Logan Airport) and were a little dazed trying to manuever the tricky Boston streets, but managed to find our way to the North End. We were looking for a quiet restaurant for a nice relaxing dinner. This restaurant looked promising from the outside and the host said he could seat us right away if we didn't mind a "high table." Little did we know that the high table he was referring to was situated under a large TV and it also happened to be the day of the Kentucky Derby races, so the place was packed with cheering fans! We asked our waitress if there were other tables available ... we would have gladly waited awhile ... but to no avail. So much for a quiet dinner!
We were surprised that the restaurant didn't serve garlic bread. They did provide some complimentary french bread, but it was a little on the dry side. We enjoyed the mixed salad greens (after subsisting on Southwest Airlines peanuts and pretzels), but it could have benefitted from some toasted pine nuts. The Margherita pizza sauce had sort of a creamy taste and texture, different, but not in a bad way.
Unfortunately, this was our only meal in Boston ... since I'm sure there would have been many other restaurants that would have been a much better fit! -
Review from sandra h.
Chillicothe, IL
4/28/2012
4/12/2012
It was pouring down rain in Boston when my husband and I got off the whale watching boat and walked to Antico Forno in the North End. We had 2:30 PM reservations we'd made on http://www.opentable.com. We had thought the whale watching tour would last longer, but we arrived at the restaurant over half an hour early. The hostess ushered us right in and asked if we'd like to sit back by the brick oven to get warm. We must have looked as cold as we felt. We were immediately served great bread and olives. We ordered the gnocchi and a Margherita pizza to split, accompanied by a Peroni beer on draft. The food was great, the service was prompt, and we liked our waitress. She and the cook were speaking in Italian. We felt like we'd walked into a little piece of Italy. It's a good memory, and we would definitely go back. -
Review from Joanna F.
4/1/2012
We came in on Saturday night with no reservations at 6:30 with a group of 6. I wasn't sure if we were going to get a table, so I was shocked when they told us it would be a mere 30 minute wait. We walked over to the almost empty bar and enjoyed some drinks while we waited.
The service was spectacular. Our waitress was warm and funny, joking with us the whole meal and making great suggestions. A few of my co-diners opted for the restaurant week menu, while others decided to order from the regular menu. They accommodated both requests (no need for the whole table to do one or the other here).
A few of my friends ordered salads before their meals and they were massive... just a warning. Our entrees themselves were a perfect portion - not huge, but satisfying. I got the Fettucine Positano (fettucine with scallops, shrimp, tomatoes and garlic). The sauce was amazing and the seafood and pasta were both cooked perfectly.
I had a great experience here and I will definitely be back when I'm in the North End again. -
Review from Paul S.
Billerica, MA
4/22/2012
I wanted to like this place more, especially since we waited for an hour for our table. We had no reservations and a party of six on a beautiful spring Saturday night so it's not their fault they were busy, although they did tell us it would be 30 minutes, not 60.
The food was lacking flavor. Even the bread was plain white bread, not even warm. I had a salad which was drowned in oil. Followed by the "pan seared" veal, which did not seam to be pan seared at all and was also drowned in a brown sauce. It tasted ok. My wife had the swordfish, which was a large, thin piece slightly over cooked. My wife's friend had the risotto which she loved and her husband also had the veal. My daughter had the brick oven pizza. She liked it, I had a piece because it looked so good, but it was also lacking flavor. The crust was good but the sauce had no taste and there was hardly any cheese on it.
We also ordered the sangria, which guess what? Also lacked flavor and was served in a plastic pitcher. For $36 I was expecting something much better.
The service was great, especially the bus boys. They were on top of everything. Our waitress was very friendly and attentive as well.
The total bill for 4 adults and two kids was $260( beware they added the tip in and we almost double tipped) this seamed like a lot considering we had no apps, no desert or coffee.
If it were half as expensive I would have thought it was decent, but considering the price and overall lack of flavor, it was disappointing. -
Review from Mae D.
San Luis Obispo, CA
5/23/2012 Seated via OpenTable
I recently visited this restaurant in the beautiful North End area of Boston. The food was ok but certainly not memorable. The atmosphere was fine however, the noise level was quite loud. This is not a place I would probably return to with so many other interesting dining options in this area.
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Review from Gregg B.
Burke, VA
4/29/2012 1 Check-in Here
The Ritz recommended this place for my family & they were right. It did take some time for us to e seated, but it was too bad. The food was great and very reasonable. The portions were very good, the service great. The best line was from my 13 yr old. He said "Sometimes your stomach just has to tell your mouth thank you!"
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Review from Jessica B.
Boston, MA
4/23/2012
This is a neighborhood favorite that my husband and I frequent. The brick oven pizza is delectable. Service is always friendly and quick. The only reason I give this place 4 rather than 5 stars is because I feel the portions could be a little larger for the prices being charged. Otherwise, I have always been satisfied at this establishment and will continue to go back.
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Review from Phu M.
Boston, MA
5/13/2012
I had lunch here a few weeks back with one of the locals who I work with. Being new to the neighborhood, she was kind enough to take me around one weekend afternoon showing me where the best places to shop for groceries and food were. We came here for lunch and I was blown away by the quality of the food served. Bread and olive oil were fresh. I ordered the fettuccine alfredo with pancetta and it was one of the best alredo dishes I've ever had. Even though it was the lunch sized portion, it was plenty big for me to take home a doggie bag and at only $10, the price was right! Service was prompt and friendly. It was pretty dead when we were there but that's because it was 3PM so the lunch rush was already over. My friend told me that at night, this place gets crazy so there's a sure sign that it's good! I'm told their pizzas are good too. Ambiance is great, especially if you sit by the window to people watch (like we did). Overall, if you're in the North End and on Salem St. and looking for a good place to eat, I highly recommend Antico Forno. I will definitely be coming back here again.
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Review from Lee H.
Natick, MA
2/11/2012
Had a coupon, decided to head down to Antico Forno for lunch.
We started with an eggplant appetizer - quite good. The caesar salad was way under garlicked for my taste. My frutti di mari was very good, with lots of shell fish and calamari. My wife's gnocchi was also respectable.
So overall, the food is good, although the bar is set very high in the North End. I'm giving a 4 more for value and less for the food quality.
Parking is awful, of course. Service is good.
I'd try a pizza or the fried calamari if I were to go back. -
Review from Joe T.
1/2/2012 1 Check-in Here
Over-rated. Clap, clap, clap, clap, clap.
Walked into the North End to try Regina's... it was packed and I was starving. The idea of being herded like cattle into an outside line was unappealing and unappetizing. After consulting Mr. Yelp, the GF and I sulked to Antico Forno. It looked promising and relaxing and the reviews were good. I was ready to eat.
Oh yeah I was about to start a diet so I was really hoping to get a great pizza fix before I started being no fun.
I ordered the ribbolito soup. I'm not a soup guy so this was a questionable choice on my part. The soup took a while to arrive and it was bland. I didn't like it at all. My standards aren't very high when I'm super hungry so this soup really sucked and it was overpriced at $8. My gf's salad was pretty bare bones and not very good either. Should have stuck with free bread.
We ordered a margherita pizza to share. It took forever to arrive. While waiting we noticed big chunks of floating bread in my GF's coke. GROSS. Totally turned me off. The waiter didn't apologize at first and didn't seem that surprised. He brought a coke in a new glass. WTF. Floating bread this time. He took it back and brought a third coke. Finally... no floaters.
The za finally came. I love me some greasy za, but this pie was nothing but grease. It could barely stay together. The toppings were floating like the sea. Ughhhh. Not a good meal in any regard.
The waiter apologized for all of the problems and brought us a free piece of tiramasu. It was not good. Tasted frozen and watery. We ate very little of it. Oh and they comped us the Coke, how nice.
Highly recommend staying away. There are too many other choices to try this place. One of the rare times I felt like Yelp let me down. This place felt like a 2 star restaurant. -
Review from E. S.
Boston, MA
12/22/2011
My husband and I have eaten a lot of Italian food and even studied abroad in Italy, so we think we can say with confidence that Antico Forno has absolutely delicious pizza and the best gnocchi we've ever had. Yes, the best. We think that what makes it so special is the sauce and the way it's cooked in the oven, but whatever it is it's definitely working because we keep on going back.
The restaurant was re-done rather recently and looks a lot more elegant, not to mention has a whole lot more space, while still maintaining its cozy charm. The staff has improved over the years, although occasionally the waiters are on the curt side. Nonetheless, the food more than makes up for this. -
Review from Jacqueline C.
Newton, MA
2/25/2012 1 photo
Fair prices with good service.
I had the linguine with clams and it's good! -
Review from Jean H.
Boston, MA
3/28/2012 1 Check-in Here
Always get LINGUINE AL FRUTTI DI MARE and LINGUINE CON VONGOLE, and this is definitely the place I go every Saturday after eating raw clams at Haymarket! The service is great, and the brick-oven makes the atmosphere (and the taste of the dishes) unbeatable!
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Review from Jessica E.
Ann Arbor, MI
4/17/2012
The food here is good, and my complaint with this place is not with the performance of the chef or the quality of the food. My problem with this restaurant is the service, and as a result, I would recommend considering other restaurants in North End that have nicer, more polite service.
I dined here with colleagues while on a business trip. I travel to Boston often, have eaten in several restaurants in the North End, but this was my first time dining at Antico Forno. The meal was good, it was a rainy, Boston night, and when my party left, I left my umbrella under the table. Now, as a resident of Michigan, where it rains often, I invested in a good, expensive umbrella. When I realized that I had left it, I went back to the restaurant to ask for the umbrella, and the woman at the host's station insisted that the table was cleaned and no umbrella was found. I insisted it was there, and she told me one of the other customers must have taken it. I called later that evening to ask about the umbrella again, and the woman I spoke to was so rude to me I was so surprised I was speechless, especially when she hung up on me. The woman I spoke to yelled at me, told me to stop calling, and hung up.
In the morning I went to the airport without my umbrella, and ironically when I got to Maryland for my connecting flight, there was a message waiting for me on my voice mail. It was Marley at Antico Forno informing me that they had my umbrella. When I called them back to explain I had gone back and called last night and they were rude to me and told me there was no umbrella, I told them they should mail it to me. I was promptly informed that they would do that, COD. It was my bad for forgetting the umbrella, but it was their bad for not cooperating in helping me retrieve it.
My issue with this place is simply how incredibly mean and rude the staff was when I returned for my lost item. I've never been spoken to this way by anyone at a restaurant before. Furthermore, when restaurant staff make a mistake (as they did at Antico Forno), they usually assume responsibility for it. Had Antico Forno adhered to this customer service standard, they would have offered to send me the umbrella free of charge.
I travel to Boston often, and I'll never return to this place. Good food, but really mean people work there. -
Review from Kris N.
Brookline, MA
1/19/2012 Seated via OpenTable 4 Check-ins Here
I've been here a couple of times, and had a good time. The food is good, and the seafood pasta dishes have been great. My younger daughter thinks it's cool that the chicken parm comes straight from the oven in a baking dish.
Never tried the pizza.
There are LOTS of options for North End Italian. You can put this on your list. I have not found better without a corresponding jump in price.
Prices - fair to good deal.
Service - spotty.
If it's full inside, it will be loud. But you will still be able to converse. -
Review from Michelle B.
Roxbury, MA
12/8/2011
Mmm, osso bucco. It was on the list of specials last night, and as soon as I saw it, I knew I had to get it. Delicious. The veal was tender and juicy, the polenta was the perfect complement to the sauce and thick shaving of parmesan, and the vegetables retained enough bite to them that they weren't mushy (something I hate). I also tried some of the calamari, which was done very well, and the cannoli, which was absurdly good.
Service was brisk, but friendly. Seating was a little cramped; we were a party of 6 at a smallish circular table. There was a lot of shifting of drinks and plates to allow room for the appetizers we ordered. The bread served when we sat down was nothing to write home about, but I was in love with the fruity olive oil that was served with it. -
Review from Elizabeth B.
Boston, MA
3/24/2012
an amazing place with a very extensive menu and wine selection. The staff is very accommodating and the initial welcome is very warm and inviting. The portions are very generous and the pricing is more than reasonable.
I would highly recommend this restaurant to anyone looking for a high quality meal and excellent bar service. -
Review from Kelly O.
11/14/2011
Always skeptical of the North End (too many overhyped, overpriced, bad places), I was wary when a friend chose Antico Forno for dinner, but ended up being pleasantly surprised.
We had a reservation for 4 at 7:30 on a Friday night, but didn't end up sitting until just before 8 as the place was wicked packed. The hostess was surprisingly nice and patient, and directed us to the bar to wait while our table became ready, but the bar area was also totally packed so we decided to wait outside (we were given a buzzer thingie).
The medium-sized interior of the place is really cozy and homey with brick walls and a tight (cramped) table setup. For the most part, it was nice and warm, except if you're sitting right next to the windows in which case it can get a bit chilly so bring a sweater (on the plus side, they have thick curtains right inside the door to help keep the door draft under control). Sound bounces, making the noise level extremely high when crowded, so I wouldn't recommend this as a date place on a weekend (especially when you're sitting near a large table of drunken fools singing at the top of their lungs during dinner... seriously?).
Our waitress was older with a thick Italian/NY accent, and wasn't overly friendly but was efficient and attentive (the water person was also very attentive, which was much appreciated). We got a pitcher of the sangria ($35) to share between 3 of us, and it literally came in a pitcher (like of the beer or water variety) which was kind of awesome. It was really good too, with strong hints of cinnamon and full of juicy flavor, although it didn't have any actual pieces of fruit. I'd definitely get this again.
The starter bread was warm and came with a bean dip that wasn't bad. For my meal, I got the Gnocchi alla Patate, which was a bubbling dish straight from the oven full of homemade gnocchi covered in red sauce, basil, and fresh moz. This is a perfect dish for a cold day, warming and oozing and comforting, just the thing to chase those winter blues away. The gnocchi tasted more potatoe-y than any other gnocchi I've ever had (not a bad thing, just interesting), and the sauce/basil/cheese were tasty, so I was pretty happy with my meal. I even had enough to save for lunch the next day (leftovers were still tasty). My dining companions all had oven-roasted pasta dishes as well and they were all pleased with their selections.
The best part of the meal was the prices... my gnocchi was $16.50, and for the quality and portion size, I thought this was an excellent value (same for most of their menu it seems). I think Antico Forno is a solid choice for the area that's not too expensive but is good quality, and I wouldn't hesitate to return. -
Review from Cassie C.
Sunnyvale, CA
10/20/2011 Seated via OpenTable
I'm a big fan of Antico Forno, especially their prosciutto pizza! This is a MUST try! Their caprese salad was good too - just big chunks of mozzarella and tomatoes, with a bed of mixed greens. Yum.
One star off for their unappetizing Antico Forno Martini. I could not force that down...no matter how hard I tried. It just did NOT taste good. $10 down the drain. -
Review from Lisa R.
Holmen, WI
2/23/2012
Wonderful night! Incredible food! Great atmosphere & service. Plum sauce would taste good on ANYTHING! Loved the bread & olive oil. Risotto was perfect! Our only complaint was that we discovered Antico Forno on our last night in Boston. Highly recommend-decent prices, too!
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Review from Ashley H.
8/16/2011
Went here for dinner on a Friday with a friend from out of town. We had a 7 p.m. reservation, but ran a bit late. We sat at the bar and got a bottle of wine while waiting (about $38 for pinot grigio).
The place was very noisy, probably good for children but not quite what I was looking for.
We ordered two entrees, I don't remembers hers but I got the pork chop with potatoes and peppers. It was such a small serving for the $23 price tag and for what I've come to expect in the North End. The potato was literally HALF a small potato cut in two.
It was overpriced for what it was. I am glad I had not stuffed myself because I would have been too full to drink the rest of the night (can't have that), but I wouldn't go back for the price and portion size.
There are too many other good places to discover to ever come here again. -
Review from Karyn V.
9/8/2011
I lived in the North End for 10 years (moving out in mid-2011). Needless to say, I have been to almost all the restaurants in the neighborhood.
If you are looking for a place where you can sit down and eat a meal for 20 or so dollars a person, this is a great option. They have great pasta, a few entrees, and excellent pizza. Almost all of it is baked in their antique wood burning stove.
Other options for this type of outing that I would recommend: Trattoria di Monica or Assaggio, but these are a little different as well. -
Review from Dan C.
6/24/2011
This place was a fuckin' sauna, I half expected to see Vigo Morensen's naked ass bust out of the kitchen fighting with a pair of Russian mobsters (a la Eastern Promises--you know, the scene where you see a little too much Vigo...terrifying).
Let me explain--I came here with my girlfriend on a rather cold night. After waiting in the dark dungeon-like area that is entrance for 15 or so minutes we get a table...and while there are tons of open tables we get sat right next to the door. Of all the tables in this place we have to put next to the door; for me this is not a huge problem since I'm 57% walrus and I'm relatively unaffected by the fact that every time the door opens it is like superman is doing his ice-breath thing all over the place, but for any normal individual its unbearable so we request a move. Where do they move us--any of the many open tables in the middle of the room? No, of course not. They sit my ass right next to the brick pizza ovens. Now I know what Hell feels like.
As for the food--people need to either learn that you don't cook the prosciutto on the pizza or as a society we need to stop putting it on pizza because it is a travesty. The prosciutto on the pizza was like bacon, really really expansive bacon, completely absent of the delicate taste and texture that give it its price tag. The pizza itself was kind of crap too, for a thinner crust it was much to thick and floppy with absolutely no taste. The same could be said for the carciofi e porcini--frankly Domino's could probably do it better. Maybe I could chalk this whole thing up to me not really loving pizza, but the mussels were dreadful. I don't have a huge problem with the fact that not all the mussels will be open when they come out (either dead or underdone), but when you have more inedible mussels than edible ones...yeah, then you start to have a problem.
I'm not coming back. -
Review from Vivian C.
9/8/2011 6 photos
Antico Forno makes for a long lunch. But just think about it, it is a restaurant that specializes in Brick Oven specialties! So if you are coming here, make sure you're not starving, that you plenty of time to sit and wait, and order an appetizer to start with.
We ordered two appetizers, and entree, and a pizza, and our neighboring table that sat down shortly after we did didn't get their pizza till after we had the chance to dig into ours. In the meantime though, they were nursing their drinks and the bread basket of a nice focaccia and some french bread.
INVOLTINI DI MELANZANE $8.00
Rolled eggplant stuffed with ricotta cheese and basil, baked in brick oven with plum tomato sauce and parmigiano cheese
CAPRESE $8.00
Fresh mozzarella and tomato salad, mixed greens, toasted bread, dressed with extra virgin olive oil and basil
LINGUINE AL FRUTTI DI MARE $14.00
Linguine pasta with clams, mussels, calamari and shrimp sautéed in plum tomato sauce baked in parchment paper
PIZZA CON SPINACI from a separate Additions to Menu sheet $10.50
Fresh mozzarella and baby spinach
Judging from the two appetizers we tried, they seem to like to portion their appetizers for 3. There were three stuffed pieces of eggplant smothered in tomato sauce (and may I say, YUM!) as well as three layers of fat sliced tomatoes and mozzarella on the caprese plate.
As for the pasta, the sauce was infused with flavors of the seafood. Too peppery for my dc. A bit too salty too.
The pizza surprised us by arriving sauceless. The complete coating of cheese did not lend it enough flavor in my dc's opinion, but I found the gobs of pre-cooked spinach rather wet - but that sure did the job of keeping the spinach leaves from burning! But it also lent to a slight sogginess in the center. The crust was a bit crisp at the edge but rather soft in the center.
The place was pretty full shortly before 1pm, so they must do pretty good lunch business. -
Review from DC R.
Washington, DC
7/31/2011 1 Check-in Here
We arrived early for our reservation and were told we'd be in shortly after. That turned out to be 30 minutes after reservation time. The noise seemed scary loud, but it was ok once inside. It did vary from lawn mower at 20 feet loud to rock concert loud. Sitting in view of the brick oven though was calming. The server was friendly and helpful.
The bread served with olive oil and spices was tasty. The Calamari was ok and served with a salad, but no lemons or sauce accompanied it. The pizza looked inviting. The server steered me to a fantastic, delicious Veal Bolinghese.
We did not see a 20% tip added to the bill for a party of 5 as someone else mentioned, so we picked our own.
I would come back. -
Review from Bex M.
Boston, MA
9/13/2011 1 Check-in Here
Haven't had quite a good dinner like this in a while! I'm so pleased with Antico Forno, from the quality of food to its great service.
The place was lively and energetic. It was a cool night and they had their windows opened to the streets of the North End. It was a bit chilly, but I didn't mind until the breeze quickly made all that delicious food cold.
We ordered la capricciosa and the linguine al frutti di mare with a side of broccoli rabe. I think pizza is my kryptonite and la capricciosa hit the spot. It's topped with Italian sausage, mushrooms, mozzarella, and artichoke hearts. I've never had artichokes on a pizza before and this was splendid. All these years and I've been missing out!
The frutti di mare was baked in parchment paper and it fully captured all the seafood flavors of the clams, mussles, calamari and shrimp. This dish was saliva-inducing. I even sopped up the rest of the tomato sauce with my bread and wanted to eat the parchment paper. (Am I kidding? You'll never know.)
Oh, the waiter forgot our broccoli rabe order. It finally came out but the garlic was raw, so obviously it was rushed by the chef. We had no qualms about that since everything else made up for this one little mishap. As we went to pay, the waiter took it off our check. Awesome.
Completely happy with dinner and looking forward to the next time. -
Review from Alicia B.
Beacon Hill, Boston, MA
2/15/2012 1 photo
Delicious food and amazing atmosphere!
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Review from Dan T.
Malden, MA
6/11/2011
Anniversary dinner with my wife last night. The food was outstanding. The service was very good and the atmosphere was nice.
Began with a bottle of wine and a basket of fresh bread. Instead of an infused olive oil the bread was served with some kind of bean/cheese dip(I think?). It wasn't very flavorful and I didn't like the consistency for bread dipping so I asked the waiter if he could bring olive oil instead and he brought it right out. Problem solved.
Appetizer was fried calamari. Perfectly prepared. It was lightly breaded, not greasy at all and lightly drizzled with something magical. Cooked to perfection, not too chewy like calamari can be. Possibly the best calamari I've ever eaten.
I chose the risotto for my main course. Once again, prepared perfectly. The asparagus was still a little crispy, just the right amount of pancetta to add savory flavor, tasty mushrooms, and it held together exactly as it should on the fork. Warm on the outside and hot on the inside. Absolutely top notch.
My wife ordered the Fettuccini Positano. She loved it. I only had a bite but I can say that the sauce was tangy and delicious, the pasta was fresh and the seafood was delicious.
Our waiter was very nice and attentive. There was a hovering busboy at one point which we weren't thrilled about but not a big deal. It's on the loud side and the tables are close, but that's what you should expect in a small North End restaurant on a Friday night.
Dine here, you will be glad you did. -
Review from Sarah P.
Boston, MA
10/25/2011
My date and I went to Antico Forno because it's our favorite restaurant in the North End (well, I should caveat to say my favorite... he's partial to Neptune Oyster.) As always, we had a wonderful time there, complete with delicious Italian food and service that didn't disappoint.
First of all, the ambiance fits both a romantic date as well as a family night out. Antico Forno is the epitome of an Italian night out... it can cater a romantic, intimate evening as well as a group celebration without a hitch.
The food doesn't disappoint either. My favorite option is the meatball appetizer, which is on the specials list but always seems to be available (at least it has been the 3-4 times I've visited in the past year.) I'd also recommend a flatbread pizza and the gnocchi, both of which are delicious.
Service is always surprisingly good here. I've gone during restaurant week, and they let us substitute a pizza for one of the main items on the limited restaurant week menu with no fuss and no additional charge (let's face it, pizza costs less.) They also went out of their way to store our belongings (I had my laptop bag with me right after work which they moved to a separate table within view that wasn't being used.)
On a separate occasion, I went to Antico Forno with my mother, who ordered a seafood pasta dish with white wine sauce instead of the traditional red sauce. Even during a busy Saturday night, they were happy to make the revised dish without any problem. To this day, it's still probably the best thing I've eaten there.
So overall, I'd say this is one of the best options in the North End. You can't go wrong with the food and wine, the service is always reliably good regardless of how busy they are, and the ambiance fits almost any occasion. I wholeheartedly recommend it! -
Review from Heather G.
Boston, MA
6/16/2011 1 Check-in Here
The good news is that I had this place on my "to try" list forever, because i'd heard the pizza here is great, and I finally got to cross it off the list.
The bad news is that I regretted spending the money, and wish I'd chosen another place to visit instead.
We arrived on a busy Friday night on a chilly April evening and waited about 10 minutes for a table. The room is large and filled with tables, yet they turn over quickly. However, the table we were given was the one closest to the door, ensuring an icy blast each time someone went in or out. We, instead, opted to wait for the next available table, as I am a tiny little woman who chills easily. Unfortunately, the next table we were given was a tiny little thang pushed up against a brick wall nearest the kitchen. My boyfriend, being a large man who runs hot, spent the entire night sweating bullets. Moral of the story? Temperature control here isn't the most consistent, so bring a heavy sweater AND wear a tank-top to be sure you have your bases covered!
We ran into a coworker while waiting for our table who SWORE BY the mussels, so of course we had to sample that as well, as he and his fiancee are super-regulars at this place.
Sadly, though the service was good (friendly, yet very slow waitstaff), the food just wasn't.
To start:
COZZE PICCANTI - Sautéed mussels in a spicy plum tomato sauce and roasted garlic for $11. The mussels alternated between chewy/rubbery, and slimy/undercooked, with very little cooking consistency. The roasted garlic flavor was nice, but the overall dish was unappealing. Sadly, coworker, I do not agree with your assessment of these mussels, though perhaps I just got them on a REALLY bad day.
For pizza:
CARCIOFI E PORCINI - Artichoke hearts, imported Italian porcini mushrooms, fresh homemade mozzarella, fresh cherry tomatoes, finished with white truffle oil for $16. The mushrooms overwhelmed the rest of the flavors and washed out the poor, sweet, fresh mozzarella. The dough on this pizza was thick and rubbery, and while it's mediocre when served right out of the oven, it's abysmal as next-day leftovers.
We also tried a "special" pizza of the day that had long ribbons of prosciutto, for about $16. Because the prosciutto was cooked into the pizza (we assumed it'd be laid on top, as you'd normally treat the beautiful, cured meat), it resembled more like pancetta or bacon, and was shriveled and salty when it arrived at our table. Had we known the practice was to cook the prosciutto on the pizza, we would have reconsidered the order, but we had made an assumption that this place would add it at the end. Live and learn - always ask your server before making assumptions on meat-handling. This, too, was a disaster the next day, and I wouldn't recommend taking any of your meal to-go.
Obviously this food was edible. There's nothing really wrong with it. However, after hearing so much about the wonderful, rustic, authentic, Italian pizza this place serves up, we left sorely disappointed and will likely not come back. -
Review from Lindsey S.
Boston, MA
1/26/2012
Best spot in the North End!! I've been coming to the North End since I was a kid and Antico Forno is my #1 go-to spot for both lunch and dinner.
Pro's:
1. They have the best sauce in the North End
2. Usually easy to get a table/reservation
3. Everything is reasonably priced; it's a pretty low-key place
4. Everything there is delicious!
I recommend the antipasti, PIZZA, rice balls, eggplant rollatini (which you can also have as a entree with spaghetti, if you ask), the spaghetti and clams, and any of the pasta dishes for that matter. The dessert is also amazing! Definitely a contender with their tiramisu and cannoli.
The only downfalls: the seating isn't that comfortable, the bar is small and kind of crowded (beer and wine only), not a ton of seafood options... but this is only if I am being picky. -
Review from Jim O.
Swampscott, MA
11/30/2011
New to the area, I turn to Yelp for help dining out. A good number of Yelpers rate Antico Forno among the best in the North End. I'm not disputing this, but, based on our recent experience, that doesn't say much for the North End.
Good first: we were early on a fall Tuesday, and had the place to ourselves at first. When we left a bit after 7, there was still plenty of open seating. The waitress was very pleasant and we welcomed her willingness to chat us up about her 10 month old child and curing the hiccups. A nice family touch. The place was comfortable and, seated by the window, we didn't feel at all crowded. As far as the food goes, the green salad and cappuccino were great. My pizza with artichokes, tomatoes, and porcini mushrooms had an outstanding wood oven crust, just like it should, but the toppings were only luke warm. The ribbolata soup was perfectly tasty, but really was not much more than minestrone with a piece of bread floating in it.
The not so good: My daughter's roast chicken, probably also done in the wood oven was over cooked and pretty dry as a result. My wife's chicken parm was only so-so, nothing out of the ordinary, and for $22, we expected better. I couldn't find a bottle of wine under $30 that looked good, ended up spending $38 for a Nebbiolo d'Alba which was nice, but a bit pricey IMHO.
Summary: Nothing wrong with the Antico Forno, but not a place I'd recommend with enthusiasm. -
Review from Stacey S.
Boston, MA
2/25/2011
There are a lot of great restaurants in the North End. There are just as many dull places with generic menus. Thankfully, Antico Forno leans more towards greatness.
LOVE the brick oven. It lends an air of authenticity and coziness to the place. The tables are a little close together in my opinion, but it adds to the experience rather than takes away from it. There is a mix of young servers and folks left over from the old guard. They don't rush you, but then again, you'll probably have to wait to get your water refilled.
The food....ah the food. I've had both a pasta dish and a pizza here. The pizza with artichokes, porchini mushrooms and truffle oil is my new favorite. I keep craving it. The crust is not too thick, nor is it too thin. It doesn't get soggy with the toppings and holds up well when you pick it up. And the truffle oil. It's my new favorite thing. Pure bliss. I wouldn't waste time having dessert here. You'll be too full. -
Review from Emily W.
Minneapolis, MN
8/9/2011
Fantastic! A friend and I called early for reservations. They were booked up until 9:30pm, but the wait was well worth it!
The place was packed and it literally felt like you were dining in Italy. I think this is because Antico Forno is tucked away in a small street on the North End resembling Italy.
We arrived early so we got a seat at the bar before it was time to eat. Once we were called to sit, we ordered caprese and the mozzarella was outstanding!
I ordered a seafood pasta dish with shrimp, cherry tomatoes, basil, and a tomato sauce. Very tasty. My friend ordered a sausage rigatoni dish; It was hard to decide which was better! I'd recommend any friend to dine here! -
Review from Tess G.
Brookline, MA
2/27/2011 Seated via OpenTable
My friend who lives in the North End recommended it, so I took the advice of someone who lives in the midst of all the great restaurants and she was spot on.
Our waitress was incredible. She was helpful and knowledgeable about the menu and was just such a friendly, lovely girl.
I had the baked rigatoni with sausage. It was awesome! My Mom had a pizza which was equally great. The brick ovens make the crust so good!
Definitely make a reservation though. We had one for 7:30 but our table wasn't ready until 7:45 because the place was so busy. Luckily there's a bar to grab a drink while waiting. -
Review from Matthew H.
Philadelphia, PA
9/21/2011
I don't often visit Boston, but when I do...
... I dine @ Antico. Apparently everyone has their own "North End" spot, and this just happens to be mine. I've been here only a handful of times, being that I'm from Philly, but I basically order the same thing each and every visit: A pizza (or two), the eggplant, the mussels, a pasta, and the TIRAMISU!!! The pizza's are baked in a brick oven, which allows the dough to bask in it's freshness, while providing the perfect, thin crispiness to the crust. All the ingredients are fresh as can be, so you can't go wrong with toppings, but the Vesuvio is a must. Speaking of "musts", the Involtini di Melanzane (Eggplant Rollatini), is so indescribably delicious, I'll let you experience it on your own, but you MUST try it. The mussels are uber fresh, and the marinara sauce they swim in, boasts of flavor and obtains the right amount of spice. You'll be soaking up any extra gravy w/ extra bread, or, as I do/suggest, pizza crust. The pasta... is pasta. But anything that is baked in it's own cheesiness is must order, for me. The BEST MENU ITEM, however, has to be the TIRAMISU. Much like the eggplant, it is indescribable, so I'll just notate the experience as best as I can: Light, Fluffy , Sweet, Fluffy, Amazing, Espresso, Amazing, Creamy, IS, nom, THIS, nom, REAL, nom, LIFE?!
CLIFFNOTES: Pizza (the Vesuvio), Involtini di Melanzane (eggplant, A MUST), Mussels (Fresh and Delicious), TIRAMISU (The reason I come here... to Boston) -
Review from Kristen F.
Mid-Cambridge, MA
5/2/2011 1 Check-in Here
One word... CRAMMED! Patrons are dining and drinking on top of one another here! If you don't like weaving and squeezing your way through an establishment to get to your table, the bar, the bathroom, or the the exit... then this is not the place for you.
We were seated at the high top that abutted the bar area so we got the worst of this. Without fail every person trying to get to the bar bumped my chair. I'm not sure why they don't just do away with that table completely and create more standing room - I'm sure a lot of negative reviews were born from people seated here.
Onto the food. We got the calamari and a pizza. The calamari was too lightly breaded and not a ton of flavor. The pizza was pretty good but given the atmosphere, not worth going back for.
I'm sure the pasta entrees are decent and it might be a perfectly fine dining experience in the dining room or on a slow night. For me it was just OK. -
Review from Bill T.
Boston, MA
2/2/2011
They really pack it in here and did not honor our reservation until 40 minutes later. The wait at the bar was with a bartender in an awful mood who took 10 minutes to make a glass of wine, and seemed disgusted when we placed our order.
When we finally sat down at our wobbly table, it took a while for our exhausted, sweating waiter to find us and asked if we wanted drinks. We just ordered food and apps not knowing when he would return.
All of this could have possibly been overlooked if the food was exceptional but it wasn't. We ordered three different pasta dishes each with different sauces, and they all tasted about the same. Pretty generic stuff you can find in countless other tourist traps in the North End. The broccoli rabe was even overcooked. The food is not horrible, but it's not worth the atmosphere, price and poor service.
Antico Forno: Please hire some help for your poor staff on Fridays. At least take pride in good service for your expensive mediocre food. I know you want to make good money on the weekends but take out a couple tables. We had get up from our meal every few minutes to allow people stuck behind us to escape to the bathroom. -
Review from Lily H.
Boston, MA
6/7/2011 Seated via OpenTable
Went here with two others and they sat us down at a table for 2 and just swung over another chair. It was awkward for my friend whose chair stuck out in the aisle with a nice view of the couple next to us enjoying their dinner. Like many other places nearby, the place is busy and cramped and the servers couldn't even get to the tables next to us near the wall to refill their drinks. The food is decent, I've had better in NorthEnd. I ordered the linguine al frutti di mare and it arrived hot and steamy (yes!) baked in parchment paper (uh....). Really, is that part necessary? Maybe it add some kind of special flavor during the baking process. I had to pick out pieces of burnt parchment paper out of my pasta. Also, it could have used a little more sauce.
Basically the restaurant is a big room (or two?) with a bunch of tables and chairs. It's really loud during dinner time so don't expect to have a romantic dinner date.
On the bright side, the sangria was not bad!
