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La Summa
Category: Restaurants Italian Italian [Edit]
30 Fleet St(between Garden Ct St & Moon St)
Boston, MA 02113
Neighborhood: North End
(617) 523-9503
- Nearest Transit:
-
Commercial St @ Fleet St (4)
Commercial St @ Battery St (4)
Atlantic Ave @ Commercial Wharf (4)
- 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:
- No
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Beer & Wine Only
- Noise Level:
- Quiet
- Ambience:
- Romantic, Casual, Intimate
- Has TV:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
88 reviews for La Summa
Review Highlights
"...is a bookshelf filled with family photos, which I loved."
(in 6 reviews)
"The pasta was made and cooked with perfection."
(in 37 reviews)
"The stuffed mushrooms appetizer was to die for, and I don't..."
(in 6 reviews)
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88 reviews in English
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Review from Mark F.
Good, homemade food from their family to yours
Barbara is charming and Although not on the menu, get a half order of the pastas for a starter. The niocci is made fresh there and nice. Nothing special on it, just plain and good. Chicken Marsala rocks with big mushrooms and just the right amount of chicken over pasta. Nice. If you like garlic, order up the steam muscles and try the bread. It will blow you away and might even burn a bit with all the garlic. Not recommended for vampires.
The decor is loose and looks like my great great grandmothers old house. No points there. On my two visits, the service bounced from great to ok but we were never ignored. It just got a little slow. Call ahead if there's more the 2-4 of you since the restaurant is cozy.
Side street eatery filled with locals. Don't stand in line around the corner, grab your table here -
Review from Mindy A.
Boston, MA
11/7/2011
My husband and I came here on a recommendation from a friend after spending a few hours grabbing after-work drinks on a Friday evening. We had been out on Broad Street and wanted to get dinner in the North End, but didn't have reservations at any of Hanover Street's popular restaurants.
My impression of the decor = Your Little Old Italian Granny's Living Room
My impression of the food = Your Little Old Italian Granny's Dining Room
One big plus was that there was no wait at 9:00 p.m. when we arrived. Another plus was the friendly service. The food was definitely old school, nothing fancy, but all was homemade and very good. I had the gnocchi and my husband had the veal piccata. We shared an order of the arancini and a bottle of reasonably-priced red. We were both more than satisfied with our Italian dinner, and we walked away with take away boxes for tomorrow's lunch. All in all, it was a nice spot to get a homey, neighborhood meal when you're looking for something slightly laid back. If you want the whole blow-me-away North End experience, you might want to try a different spot. -
Review from Vivian C.
9/30/2011 7 photos
From the Fanueil Hall area, I walked down Hanover Street, took a right onto Fleet Street, and there lay La Summa on my left. It is a nice simple establishment that gave off a family feeling through the school portraits and other family photos decorating the bookcase by the door.
The friendly waitress casually dressed in a tee shirt welcomed us to sit anywhere we liked. As one of only three parties during the hour lunch we were there, we had no issues with service, except perhaps that my water wasn't refilled - but it did last me my entire meal.
A dinner menu arrived along with the shorter, cheaper luncheon menu. So we ended up selecting lunch entrees and a dinner appetizer.
Bread here arrived cold with wrapped chilled butter patties, with olive oil on the table, and a parmesan shaker that was brought out later. Sufficient, but it would have been nicer served warm.
We started with the Arancini - Italian rice balls filled with parmagiano cheese, mozzarella, chicken and peas $9.95 - which arrived 6 golf balls to a plate with a center dish of tomato sauce. Once cut in two, the mozzarella center oozed. I didn't really notice any chicken or other protein, but still, I liked this dish.
My friend had the Ravioli $8, while I went with a house special - Pappardelle e Melanzane* Fresh wide noodle pasta gently tossed with thin pieces of eggplant, lightly flavored with basil, garlic in Marinara sauce $9. Both arrived with thick pasta - hers surrounding the ricotta center, mine as fat ribbons snaking around flat pieces of breaded eggplant. The ravioli were 3 pillows perhaps 3x3 inches in size. I was worried it might not be enough for her, but with the bread and appetizer, she was fine. I very much preferred my selection. The sauce itself was tastier than the redder marinara that came with the ravioli. And I really like breaded eggplant. Yum! A very good choice.
On my way to the individual women's room, I passed by a separate dining area in the back that had perhaps 4-5 tables, most of which had seating for 4, with one smaller table set for a twosome.
The 3 stars is more like a 3.5. If entree luncheon portions were slightly larger so that they would satisfy my lunch sized appetite without the assist of an appetizer or the bread basket, this could be a 4.
* indicates a fresh pasta. -
Review from Jessica D.
Brookline, MA
1/28/2012
Good homemade food. Good portion sizes, the Fruitti de mare could easily feed two people! Unfortunately they do not offer gluten free pasta, but the risotto was good, not too creamy like too many other places. The risotto can be made any way you want - vegetable, chicken, seafood.
Everyone else raved about their homemade pasta dishes. Not the most romantic restaurant, but very welcoming and quaint. Great food and nice staff, a bit off the beaten path, with prices a little less than those you find on Hanover St. -
Review from Courtney W.
North Attleborough, MA
1/31/2012
Great food! My sister and I took my mother here for her 50th birthday. We ordered bruschetta and stuffed mushrooms for apps. For dinner we had the chicken parmesan, pollo limone and lobster raviolis. Everything was excellent. The atmosphere of the resturant was very cozy. I will definately be eating here again.
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Review from Kara N.
Boston, MA
1/3/2012
Yummy! I will definitely be returning! Meals of tonight were as follows:
Appetizer: Cheese ravioli. Delicious! There was only 4 but they were huge! Their marinara sauce was very garlicky and wonderful! Definitely something to split as an app.
Dinners: Pappardelle pasta in a marinara sauce with sliced eggplant. I LOVED it!! The pasta was nice and thick, the way real pasta should be.
The second entree was Chicken with a thick layer of mozzarella, large chunks of prosciutto, and mushrooms in a red wine sauce. It was "finger lickin' good"! I couldn't finish it! The leftovers had to be brought home. Absolutely delicious!
Our waitress was very sweet and the host/ busser was also extremely kind. I loved the service. We will be back! -
Review from Steve R.
Framingham, MA
12/31/2011
We've been to La Summa many times and have never had a bad meal. We love the arancini appetizer along with good bread and oil at the table. Entrees have all been delicious and the staff are all knowledgeable and very helpful. It is a nice, quiet place for a special and reasonably priced meal.
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Review from Alyssa A.
Boston, MA
12/16/2011
Amazing! My family and I stayed in the city, saw a show and went to dinner here as our Christmas present to each other this year and were extremely pleased. We were looking for somewhere that was moderately priced, with white table clothes and obviously that was good. Their red sauce is awesome, there was 7 of us and we all loved our meals. I had the chicken parm and would definitely recommend it. Wine was great, service was spot on. Overall we had a fantastic experience and would definitely recommend La Summa. Can't wait to return!
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Review from Robyn R.
Boston, MA
11/9/2011 1 Check-in Here
Had dinner here with some out of town friends, we were all looking for simple and old-school Italian in the N. End. They only have beer/wine, and very limited wines by the glass. 3 reds to be exact. We started with the mussels and they were awesome. I had the veal piccata and it was delish - one of the better ones I've had. The meat was not overwhelming, the sauce was light and the pasta homemade. My friend had the special chicken and it was to die for!!! 2 others had the seafood dish with lobster and seemed to love it! It's a small restaurant, not much to the decor, but warm and exactly what we were looking for! Make sure you look at the menu closely to be sure you're getting the homemade pasta....
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Review from Tom I.
Astoria, NY
5/27/2011 1 Check-in Here
I love the fresh pasta, in fact the waiter let me change the pasta from the special of the day just so I can taste them. GREAT SERVICE!!
Location is off the main dragg of the north end, which is nice. Ambient is perfect for more of romantic night out, rather than biz dinner (though there were 10+ VERY LOUD biz dinner type folks who really annoyed crap out of me and my customer)
Overall, I was satisfied with the food and service. -
Review from Joel M.
Cambridge, MA
7/12/2011
I had family in town, and they wanted to eat something in the North End. As it was a holiday weekend, I made reservations for six on a busy Saturday night, and when we arrived they looked almost surprised when I said I had a reservation, but a few minutes of table clearing later we were seated. Compared to the option of going to a non-reservation taking restaurant which had lines around the block, we were still quite happy with our choice.
Service was prompt, as in a little too fast for a group who was looking to unwind over a bottle of wine and eat, but that's not entirely unexpected in such a small place on a night as busy as the one we chose. The ambiance is indeed charming, though if you're waiting for a table you will feel in the way, as there's no space anywhere in the small room that is not dedicated to tables.
Everyone enjoyed their food immensely, though we all made a point to order from the pastas that were fresh made (they have a star by them on the menu). NO complaints on taste or quality! The only complaint food-wise was that we were never given bread, and by the time we wanted/remembered it (to sop up the sauce!) we were too shy to ask. Other than that, our server was quite friendly, knowledgeable, and prompt.
Prices were very reasonable for the quality of food served. This isn't a place where you go an expect over the top preparations or perfect ambiance, but it's very good all around and I would recommend it to anyone who wanted authentic Italian food. The only thing preventing it from getting a five star rating are the series of trivial missteps that individually I would disregard, but combined result in, well, a four star rating. -
Review from Alexis K.
Boston, MA
6/29/2011
I discovered the restaurant via Yelp. The reviews stated it was pretty good and this was accurate. Hanover Street restaurants were packed, with lines, but La Summa was only moderately busy. Incredibly family oriented feel to it with an attentive wait staff and pretty awesome food. Will definitely go back when I am in the vicinity.
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Review from Susan S.
Haymarket, VA
8/5/2011
Yummy! Enjoyed our wine and dinner. We had our 3 kids with us, but there is not a kids menu, so they made a 1/2 order of pasta and our kids cleaned their plates!
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Review from Bryan D.
Oxford, MA
8/7/2011 1 Check-in Here
My wife and I have eaten here together a handful of times. She used to go here all the time while going to college. so, we go here mainly for her memories then the food. IMO its one of the places on the north end that is lack luster. The are plenty of great places to eat in the north end, this just isn't one of them. Its not bad, but its not good either. If you are hungry and every where else is busy or too expensive, then its not a bad place.
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Review from S N.
Boston, MA
8/10/2011
I almost hate to write this review because I would like to keep this place as it is, uncrowded, friendly, unpretentious and usually there is no wait time.
Being a North End resident, I have been to most of the restaurants around and I always end up back at La Summa. It is more casual, less expensive and far more friendly than some of its pricier counterparts. They give you a normal portion as well and don't sacrifice quality for quantity; if you are looking for gigantic family style portions, this isn't the place.
The staff is extremely friendly and doesn't rush you through your meal or make you feel like you are an imposition holding up a table like you do at some places. The fresh pasta dishes are really fantastic and usually they have some sort of delectable seafood dish as a special. I recommend the eggplant paparadelle as it is one of the house specialties.
You don't go to La Summa for frills, you go there for good food and good service in a comfortable environment. I mean when you walk in, you come face to face with family photos-fantastic! -
Review from Bill L.
Boston, MA
3/10/2011 1 Check-in Here
Great value! A bottle of wine and entrees for two for $40. Add in a couple of appetizers, and the final tab was still only 60 clams.
If you pass on the bruschetta, you might miss the best, heartiest bruschetta my sweetie and I have had in the North End. And that's saying something. Chicken limone and chicken marsala were perfect and plentiful.
If you're looking for traditional Italian fare perfectly prepared and attentively served, La Summa is a great choice. -
Review from Jamie B.
Somerville, MA
4/17/2011
Reliable, tasty, and quaint - this has become our fall-back spot in the North End for a quality meal at a great value.
The restaurant itself is definitely on the smaller side, perfect for a date or for an intimate dinner with a group of friends. The three times I've gone the food has been consistently good - I'd recommend the gnocchi in particular.
If you're looking for an authentic Italian dinner in the North End, but without the huge price tag, La Summa makes for a great destination. -
Review from Vince S.
Berkeley, CA
2/4/2011
Definitely the best meal I had during my Boston trip.
My friends and I absolutely loved the cute/romantic/family atmosphere and the service was great and attentive.
I had the chicken parmesan which was probably one of the best I've ever had. It's not about just taking some chicken breast and breading it people!!! La Summa did it right.
My friends also had some incredible dishes, but the one thing we devoured was the bruschetta! Delish!
It's off the main drag, and rightfully so!!! -
Review from Ron F.
Auburn, NH
9/12/2010
Having been away from the North End for the past decade, I was please to see the neighborhood bustiling.
My visit was a beautiful Saturday evening with a few friends visiting Boston. Our friends wanted an Italian meal and chose La Summa as it was recommended in their guide book.
Normally, any restaurant recommended in a guide book is usually a flag to me as past experience would show food blah... and prices....arghhh.
La Summa did not disappoint. We had reservations for a 6:30pm dinner. The restaurant was 50% filled.
Our dinner consisted of food made in the most generic fashion. From the bland/dry bread to the equally bland and tasteless stuffed mushrooms. This evening, they offered a stuffed fig with gorgonzola cheese and stuffing, wrapped with bacon. This would have been a nice meal, except it was served over cooked (at least 3/4 burnt).
For my meal, I ordered the Stuffed Calamari as the waiter ensured me that this was one of their specialities. Boy, this was one of the most diappointing meals of my life. It was chewy and tough. Perhaps overcooked or kept in the freezer way too long or both. The stuffing has the same tasteless / generic stuffing as the stuffed mushrooms.
The other meals ordered were Chicken Marsala which appeared to be nice. One our friends liked it and the other hated it.
I am rating this meal a 1 star because not only was the food poorly made but the service was abrupt. Our waiter seemed so intent to serve our food and get us out of the restaurant in under 30 minutes.
Our main meal was brought out while we were still eating our starter. The waiter attempted to take away our 1/2 filled wine bottle so he could make space for other courses. I was amazed and embarrassed as our guest (British) kept asking us if this was a standard experience. The waiter stopped by 3 times to collect our check even before we had a chance to settle the bill. Perhaps, this was his subtle way of telling us to leave this poorly managed restaurant.
I would avoid this restaurant at all cost and no matter how hungry you are. -
Review from Valerie K.
Boston, MA
8/8/2010
Though probably not too different from the many restaurants lining Hanover St., La Summa is a great place to dine based solely on it's location! If you're willing to trek just a few more minutes, you're saving yourself the wait and headache with most other North End restaurants.
La Summa is everything I expect in a nice Italian place. Service was decent, food was delish, and of course, I had leftovers for the next day. Though this isn't a place I'd particularly suggest bringing kids, we did, and they were very accommodating.
So even though everything was good, I'm not really in a rush to go back. Everything was good in a very average, Italian restaurant (please note, REAL Italian restaurant) type of way. There's not much that differentiates this place from the hundreds of others in the neighborhood. I'm sure I will be back one day, but my experience here wasn't GREAT enough to give it more than 3 stars.
If you're visiting Boston though, and want to just try ANYWHERE in the North End, I'd check out La Summa! -
Review from Josh R.
Boston, MA
2/7/2011
I am new to yelp, but wanted to express my review of La Summa. I went there last Thursday before the Boston Bruins game based on a recommendation from friend. We were the only people in the place (5:30pm).
I stared with the Caprese salad which was saturated in oil and gritty tomatoes. I had fresh fusilli pasta with shrimp in a pomodoro sauce. The pasta was gummy, the shrimp had a rubber texture, and the sauce seemed to come right from a can with no seasonings. My father had a seafood dish with fresh pasta and it was bland and fish was not fresh. Service was surprisingly slow and the atmosphere was pretty dingy. I don't know how it averages 4 stars on yelp and google but I would not recommend this to anyone. -
Review from Dana G.
Watertown, MA
9/17/2008
LOVE La Summa. Always my first recommendation when people ask me where to go for dinner in the North End. The food is delicious, the prices reasonable, the staff friendly, and it's not on Hanover Street, which is a bonus.
The first time I went here it was with my college Italian class. Our professor was from Rome, and hand-picked La Summa for our "field trip" out of all the other restaurants in the neighborhood. I figured that had to be a good sign.
More recently, I went for dinner with my dad and ate the most delicious stuffed manicotti I've ever tasted. Our waitress was very friendly and attentive, answered all our questions about various menu items, and even gave us tips about which wine to get. I only wish I had eaten there more, especially considering I used to live right across the street. Regardless, I will definitely be going back!Listed in: The Old 'Hood
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Review from Louvere W.
Boston, MA
8/25/2006
I visited La Summa with a friend a few weeks ago and we loved it.
It had a great atmosphere, it was quiet and mellow away from the busy traffic of Hanover Street.
I really enjoyed learning about reading the backstory behind the rest.
The hospitality was awesome.
The food was wonderful. The portions were large and the prices were reasonable. We ordered ravioli and chicken parmigiana, both were excellent.
If I have the chance to dine in the North End again I would definitely visit this restaurant. -
Review from Kristin S.
Medford, MA
9/26/2010 3 photos
I ate at La Summa for the first time ever last night, and I will be back! My party consisted of me, my sister, her husband, my best friend, and my parents. Even though it was very crowded, we made a reservation and got a table for the reserved time.
Pros: everyone loved their meal. My sister and I both had the pappardelle e melanzane, my friend and brother-in-law both had the lobster ravioli with shrimp, my father had fusilli and sausage, and my mother had...hmmm, I can't remember what she had! Anyway, the meals were all amazing. The house salad was very unique, with figs, gorgonzola, and walnuts in it. We had a an appetizer special of eggplant bruschetta, which was fabulous. I'm not a drinker, but the family ordered a simple red wine with which they were very happy. Another pro is that the bathroom is very clean, something I ALWAYS notice and factor into my rankings.
Cons: the space was very small and felt crowded. We had to constantly lean in and shift around in order to let the servers pass, which gets annoying very quickly. The bread that they give out before the meal was nothing special; it had almost no taste, and the olive oil in which to dip it was not very flavorful either. Also, last night was a warm night, and I did not feel that the air conditioning was properly cooling the room; I was uncomfortably warm.
Overall, I was very pleased with this restaurant, and will be back to try it again. Perhaps not on a Saturday night, though, because they put too many people into the space. Also, if this matters to you, my family and I are 100% Italian. :) -
Review from Sam A.
Melrose, MA
5/1/2009
A comfortable, not so trendy place, where what really sold me was the meal. The stuffed mushrooms appetizer was to die for, and I don't even like mushrooms. I ordered the Pappardelle con melanzane for an entree and it was amazing, blew me away. Also the Falesco Sangiovese was the best wine I'd had in a long time.
Only thing that put me off was we felt like we were being rushed out, but I was tipsy so I didn't care too much. -
Review from Kira K.
Boston, MA
7/13/2009
If I had a Nonna that cooked food for me, this is what I imagine it would taste like.
I like La Summa because it doesn't try to be trendy and modern. It's good, old-fashioned food made by hard-working people. It doesn't try to be a tourist spot and I appreciate La Summa for that. I can go there when I want and get a table. I can hold a conversation without yelling. I can leave without my wallet getting emptied on some modern interpretation of food that is beautiful and delicious the way it has been for years.
I love that I feel like the people there really have pride in their place and stick to good, solid dishes. They are always full of flavor, authentic, and delicious.
Great service, great prices, great food. -
Review from Ambrose C.
Boston, MA
7/3/2010 6 photos
I took my dad to this small Italian restaurant on Father's Day. I ordered the Pollo Marsala, while my dad ordered the Linguini with Meatballs. He also ordered the Soup of the Day, which is Pasta Fagioli.
In terms of wines, I had a 2008 Kris Pinot Noir here, and I thought it was a decent red wine. I liked the flavor, so it was a good way to wash the food down a little bit.
Bread was decent, nothing too special, needed to put a tiny bit of olive oil to put some flavor on it.
I was able to sample my dad's Pasta Fagioli soup. It had a generous amount of beans in the soup. Beans were tasty, and the pasta was decent. My dad really liked the soup, although it was kind of pricey for a bowl of broth that consists of pasta and beans.
My dish, the Pollo Marsala came in. Pollo is the Italian word for chicken, and it consists of sauteed chicken, mushrooms and linguini pasta doused in a Marsala sauce, which is supposedly a mixture of Marsala wine, olive oil and various spices. It was a really tasty dish. The chicken had the right amount of softness and texture that made it really tasty to eat and it was not dry or rough. The mushrooms were amazingly good, from eating a piece, I could even taste that it was freshly cooked. The Marsala sauce made the linguini pasta really tasty. After eating the pasta, I scrubbed a piece of bread on the leftover sauce, and after eating the bread the sauce made it even tastier to eat. Overall it was a delicious dish.
My dad enjoyed the Linguini with Meatballs. He gave me a few pieces to eat. I put a piece of meatball in my mouth and began to chew. It was also really tasty and meaty. The Marinara sauce was not too watery or too thick. I put a tiny bit of powdered Parmesan cheese on the meatball, and it was even tastier. Overall, it was also a tasty dish, and great alternative if you want something really simple and if you do want to spend more than $15 on a dish.
Atmosphere was somewhat quiet and they try to give this place a home feel by putting some personal family pictures at the entrance. There is a fireplace (that's not working) inside, as if you are eating in a living room of someone's house. Service was decent.
I would call this a hidden gem of the North End, we had a pretty tasty and filing dinner and it was in a quiet area from the hustle and bustle of Hanover Street. Overall, this is not a bad choice to have a quiet Italian dinner in the North End. -
Review from Susan H.
5/25/2009
My husband and I are native Bostonians and grew up taking great Italian food for granted---that is until we moved to the DC Metro area! We discovered La Summa about 5 years ago when we made a return visit to Boston. Now it has become a must-do restaurant when we're in town.
The pastas are homemade and always very fresh. The sauce is also homemade and very flavorful. Twice we've ordered the soup of the day and both times have been quite impressed. One time it was chicken soup which featured big pieces of white meat, plenty of vegetables and flavorful broth. This time it was pasta e fagioli and oh my! How delicious! It tasted truly homemade with lots of stock and a great, peppery broth.
One of my favorite dishes is pappardelle e melanzane. It has thick, wide noodles with large chunks of eggplant. My only complaint is the portion is huge! My husband likes the Gamberi. It consists of large shrimp and linguine in a tasty tomato sauce.
I wish we had room for dessert after eating one of their delicious meals. After all, I've heard that they have delicious desserts.
This last time we were pleased that we got a chance to let the owner know just how much we like the food. We also let her know that we always recommend her place to others. She was pleased to hear that.
So...in conclusion...I think that living in the DC Metro area has taught me to never take great Italian food for granted and to truly appreciate it when I find it! Give La Summa a try!Listed in: My list of 5-star food
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Review from John M.
Mountain View, CA
6/26/2007
We were the "Worst Diner Ever!" and we still got great service.
"Hi we don't have a reservation." "Oh Thanks for the table, but we have a couple more joining us, can we move to a bigger table?" "Oh thanks, we have some more people coming, can we have them disturb you other diners?" "Great!" "Can we get the check quick so we can catch the plane to Italy?" "Wonderfull"
Belive it or not they did all we asked.
We had a 4 hour layover in Boston around dinner time on a Saturday. On the recomendation of the guy working at the taxi stand, we went there. On the way I called my sister. She came to join us w/ her 1 year old. Then my other Sister and her Husband and 3 kids came by. We we pandemonium.
They handled it remarkably well considering that we did not have a reservation.
The food was pretty kick ass too!
Arancini, hmmmmmmmm. -
Review from Sarah M.
Chantilly, VA
7/8/2011
My family and I went here tonight for dinner. We never intended to go there, as we had initially planned to go to Giacomo's around the corner but it was way too crowded. The restaurant was about 1/4 of the way full and awkwardly set up, but the waitresses were very nice, flexible, and sweet.
After we each received a lukewarm glass of water, we were given bread (not warm, fresh, or toasted) and olive oil (which we were expected to pour/season ourselves). After the waitress (who was very patient) took our order, we received the Caesar salads we ordered. They were pretty average, if not slightly below average. The cheese was from a Kraft tin and the dressing was not impressive.
When our food came, my parents liked what they got(house special, gnocchi, and penne with pomodoro sauce) but are easily impressed when it comes to Italian food. My meal was the veal special, and it was okay but not fresh at all, the veal was alright but the sauce was terrible.
I wouldn't go back by choice but it wasn't the worst I've ever had. But my best friend of almost 20 years is 100% Italian so I've been exposed to great GREAT great Italian food. So maybe I'm biased. -
Review from Robert Z.
Boston, MA
5/9/2008
Lovely homey place to eat dinner! The service is excellent, the food is awesome and the portions are great as are the prices. Ravioli and Arincini appetizers were excellent. Their sauce is very nice and not just a simple red sauce of tomatoes and spice. More subtle and packed full of taste. The veal chop with mashed and veggies was amazing. Asparagus was just right, not mushy and not hard, tend snap when you bite in to it. Just yummy! OMG, the homemade blueberry cannoli's were the perfect end to a lovely meal.
When you walk in you're immediately greeted by a small bookcase with family photos. That's when you realize you feel as though your dining in someone's personal dining room. Barbara is a fantastic host and you'll have a wonderful time eating here on any occasion. If you want a unique place that isn't part the the generic hanover street places to dine, this is it! -
Review from Purvi R.
Boston, MA
6/15/2009
Comfortable like your grandma's house. I mean literally. There's a random bookshelf full of old-looking photo frames right in your face as soon as you open the door. Why can't they move that back like 5 inches?
Anyways. Despite the old-ish decor, and old-ish crowd to match, this place has what everyone looks for in this part of town - some good-ass Italian food. I came here with the parental units who were in town, as well as the bf. We got 2 apps and 3 entrees (2 of which my mom, dad and I shared) and this was more than enough food. We also had a great, inexpensive bottle of Chianti - a must-have with Italian, of course.
The food.
-Caprese was large, very good cheese and decent quality tomatoes. Yummy basil.
-Stuffed mushroom app was awesome. The bf even liked it and he doesn't prefer to have mushrooms most of the time!
-Pappardelle with eggplant...oh yeah, this is where it's at. What a unique meal. The pasta was made and cooked with perfection. I typically don't love larger pastas, but this wasn't dense like fettucini can be...it was light and complimented the eggplant wonderfully.
-Fusilli was also cooked well, and although a simple dish with just their homemade sauce, it 100% should not be overlooked. The sauce with the pasta and wine all joined forces in my body and I thought for a brief fleeting moment that I was in Italy.
-bf got a seafood dish that he really liked.
No room for dessert, but that's what Vittoria is for. In any case, a great place to take parents, and a place to share food as the portions are huge. Will I be back, or will my propensity for being hip prevent me?...TBD. -
Review from Matthew M.
San Francisco, CA
4/24/2006
Lasumma is a great old-fashioned italian restaurant. The food is orthodox but absolutely delicious. Unlike many of the restaurants in the north end, it is completely homey here, they aren't trying to be flashy or fancy or anything. As a result, the atmosphere here is refreshingly mellow and tourist free.
When I went there we had the arancini, a couple of veal dishes, and ricotta cheesecake. All standard, classic recipes, but all executed perfectly. I'll be back again. -
Review from Arthur F. C.
Somerville, MA
6/25/2008
I have been going here for years, and have recommended it to loads of people. I love everything on the menu.
The key feature is the home-made pasta. The meat dishes are great because they all have perfect gravy, you can tell everything is cooking in broilers for hours. My only problem with it is the bread, they need to get a better bread in there and serve it warm.
Nice warm, dark interior, loads of fun to knock down a bottle of wine...
enjoy -
Review from Lauren E.
Mid-Cambridge, MA
9/6/2009 2 Check-ins Here
We went to La Summa after reading great reviews on yelp, and were highly impressed! The last couple of times we went to the North End, we went blind, with no restaurant recommendations--big mistake. We got overpriced mediocre food. Thanks to reading the reviews on this place, we had a much better dinner.
La Summa is a step above in taste, and lower in price than many other neighboring restaurants. I had the manicotti, and it was incredible! The pasta was made fresh, and the sauce and cheese filling were delicious (I assume they were also made fresh).
As you walk into the restaurant they have a bookshelf filled with family photos, instead of the usual hostess station. It was a neat touch. It's not super fancy, but the food is awesome. I'd wholeheartedly recommend it! -
Review from Elizabeth B.
Salem, MA
6/28/2008
I came here because of the reviews on yelp. I have been to the North End multiple times, but this was beyond my expectations. The family operated restaurant makes you feel warm and welcome, the decor is elegant, but not stuffy.
The food was by far the best I have ever had in the North End. La Summa feels like a hidden gem as it's tucked down a winding street.
My party and I had the Caprese Salad and Stuffed Artichoke for an appetizer and both were mouth watering good. For dinner I had the pasta with stuffed calamari and it was so delicious. The other two in my party had the fruiti del mar, and a pasta special.
We loved it so much we kept talking about it all week. I can't wait to go again! -
Review from Jennie P.
Jamaica Plain, MA
10/16/2009
First, let me say THE FOOD IS EXCELLENT HERE. It is in fact the best homestyle Italian cuisine I have had in the North End. La Summa is a cozy, exposed-brick room with a fireplace. When you walk in there is a bookshelf filled with family photos, which I loved. It has a slight feeling of being in someone's home, which is not entirely superficial - La Summa is family owned and operated. I much prefer this kind of Italian restaurant than the more upscale nouveau trattorias and definitely more than the overpriced tourist traps with lines down Hanover Street. It's on a side street right off Hanover, easy to walk to.
We made a reservation, but didn't need it, though we were there early-ish (7 pm) on a Thursday. It got pretty crowded around 9 and stayed that way.
I've lived in Boston eight years. Not very long, but long enough to know to choose restaurants in the North End based on reviews of the food. Randomly choosing a place to eat has never gotten me a good meal in the North End or any Italian neighborhood in the US, and restaurant websites are often misleading. Additionally, I try to stay off Hanover Street unless it is for pizza.
At La Summa, the sauces are fantastic. The only time I order pasta at a restaurant is at a place like this. It's all about the sauces! I highly recommend the pappardelle e melanzane (wide semolina noodles sauteed in a tomato-based sauce with eggplant) and the gnocchi was the freshest I've ever had - you could taste the potato, and again, the sauce was fabulous.
The wine list is small but has a decent selection of Italian wines in a varied price range ($28-90) from all different regions. It would be nice if they would add a more affordable Piemonte option, like a Barbera d'Alba.
The waitstaff was cheerful and attentive. The only reason I don't give La Summa more stars is that the kitchen was very slow. We got our appetizer fairly quickly (the arancini, which was ok but a bit overcooked) but then waited 30-40 minutes for our main course. Not being a weekend night or an occasion to have a long, drawn out dinner, this was not good for us. Luckily we had a good bottle of wine and some bread and evoo to tide us over. Other than that one glitch, the positive reviews I'd read were accurate, and it was nice to dine in a place where the four of us could hear each other well enough to talk and catch up, and the North End is always vibrant and a lovely walk with lots of beautiful buildings and history.
I highly recommend La Summa. -
Review from Jeff D.
3/21/2007
I've taken several friends here over the course of ten years and never been disappointed.
The arancini are fantastic and the menu always indicates which pastas were made fresh that morning.
The waitstaff can be pretty annoying on busy nights trying to turn over tables, which is very-unItalian as anyone who has been to Italy can attest.
It's a little out of the way, but worth the trip. -
Review from Dynne S.
Weston, MA
8/26/2007
Food is amazing. The stuffed pasta is great. The atmosphere adds to the Italian experience.
Seems rather casual. More like a family-run restaurant. Prices seem very fair for the amount of delicious food.
I find the cream rather heavy so I recommend going with an appetite!
By the way, parking is annoying. I usually just park in the lot down the hill towards the piers - it's not a long walk. -
Review from Jess K.
10/18/2006
I trusted yelp on this suggestion and the food was really good! Doesn't top Antico Forno or Mamma Maria but not at all a disappointment. The staff was ultra nice. I ordered pasta with shrimp and broccoli and loved it.
The only complaint would be the wine. Not good. I had white wine and the rest of the table had red. Not at all good. And wine is really an important part of a meal to us so that put a damper on the overall experience.
I wavered between three stars and four stars on this. The food was good. The ambiance was good. I just can't get past the wine situation. So it's up to you, yelp reader. If you don't care about wine, it's a four star place. If you do, it's three.
