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Tue-Fri. 3:00 p.m. - 11:00 p.m.
Sat-Sun. 11:00 a.m. - 11:00 p.m.
"The food here is absolutely succulent and delicious. I went during restaurant week and was able to sample an appetizer, entree, and dessert…" read more »
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Pomodoro is a hidden gem in the heart of Boston's North End.
It is a small but cozy space with a warm hostess and talented cook. The linguine with slow roasted plum tomato sauce was excellent (better be for $20) and the mussels in a saffron scented fennel stew were divine and a comparative steal (at $12).
Pricing for some dishes might appear high at first, but works out nicely in the end (at least for our visit) with a slice of artfully prepared tiramisu offered on the house. Total lunch tab, no drinks, came to $40.
The cod entree that I ordered was heavenly. I ate less than half because I was too full from the magical rolls and the complimentary calamari. Since I was in from out of town, I had no refrigerator to store the doggie bag. I am still wondering where I can find something comparable to Pomodoro's Italian fare in Los Angeles.
The service was sometimes sparse, one waitress and the owner were servicing all of the tables. Still, I found the experience rather enjoyable. I would suggest dining here only if you have a few hours to kill, as the courses came slowly. Do opt for take out if you get claustrophobic in cramped spaces. The restaurant is small and space is "maximized." Like the others have said, bring cash.
We arrived pretty late for a weeknight, about 10:30. "Are you still open?" "Yes, please come on in! Where would you like to sit?" From the start: friendly, welcoming service.
The great service continued. We sat by the window facing out: staff would read our minds when we needed something and magically appear. Water, check. Olives and bread, check. Drink order, check. Meal order, check.
The food was better than the excellent service, if that was possible. I had the seafood stew, partner had the cod. Both were wonderful. The wine was wonderful. The tiramisu was wonderful. Did I mention that the service was wonderful?
I wish Yelp allowed zero stars. I've never been treated so rudely in my life as I was at Pomodoro. I am agog that it has received high marks for service. We went to Pomodoro while visiting Boston, on the recommendation of a friend.
We opened the door of the restaurant, and a waitress came over. We said "hi" or started to, before she snapped "You have to leave the door closed!" We said "Oh but we wanted to see how long a wait was."
She interrupted us again and said "I'll talk to you outside!"
We said no thanks and left. It is hard to convey how incredibly rude she was in print form but suffice it to say we were shocked. For restaurant owners, you should know that your waitstaff can leave a very unfavorable impression, as this one certainly did. I wouldn't eat at Pomodoro if it's food would grant me eternal life, she was so awful.
The name of this place says it all. It is all about fresh tomatoes! I ordered the pasta with shrimp and tomato sauce. This was THE freshest tomato sauce that I have ever had outside of my kitchen!
There are very few tables in Pomodoro, and the open kitchen fills the air with lovely smells. If you can get a table, I highly recommend this restaurant to anyone who is a fan of red sauce! You can't beat it!
The disclaimer here is that I am not a huge fan of Italian food--or at least the Americanized version popular in this country which revolves around things like chicken parmesan and fettuccini alfredo. So, I manage a trip out for pasta more frequently with frozen Bertolli than an actual chef. Nevertheless, my bf and I were at the ICA, so we decided to pay homage to his Italian lineage and spend the evening in the North End. After consulting Boston Magazine for its recommendations and looking at a couple menus via OpenTable, we decided on Pomodoro.
We had a super early dinner on a Sunday--5:30--which is the only reason we could even swing a table here since the place is tiny (9 tables) and popular. All the tables are high-tops, and we were seated at the one directly beside the runner's window into the little kitchen. It was a pretty cool view, since we got to watch the boys make our food. They often just set it on the pass and asked us to grab it, which would have been cooler if my bf and I weren't notoriously clumsy; getting our calamari to the table was a pretty suspenseful event. The service left a lot to be desired when it started to get busy. Our water was refilled almost never, and we waited more than 20 minutes for the check. In fact, since our table just happened to be directly beneath the wine shelves, our waitress kept asking me to hand her bottles, and I told her I would help her only in exchange for our check. Then, I waited another 15 minutes for the check again, but in fairness she brought it with a gratis glass of wine (that we couldn't attempt to finish at that point). And they only take cash, so stop at the ATM next door BEFORE dinner.
The food: The fresh rolls were to die for. The plate of olive oil sprinkled with a variety of olives served with it had to be the best olive oil I have ever tasted, hands down. We started with the aforementioned calamari and a glass of Pinot Grigio. The calamari was light, well-seasoned, and a huge portion, but unmistakably rubbery. The tomato sauce it was served with (alongside an aioli) was maybe the best straight tomato sauce I've ever had. The wine was delicious, but I have to agree with other reviewers who criticized the portions--it was a pretty small glass, comparatively. We both had pasta for dinner. I had the pappardelle with wild mushroom ragu and he had the chicken carbonara. My ragu was phenomenal. It was earthy and sweet with tons of mushrooms and huge strips of perfectly al dente pasta. My minor criticism is that it was topped with what I believe to be a heap of wilted arugula that was just too bitter for me, so I pushed it aside. The portion was on the large side of perfect, not cartoonishly large like most portions these days. The carbonara had nothing in common with actual carbonara except maybe the ham and the pepper. It was more like rigatoni in a seasoned cream sauce with ham, mushrooms, and chicken, and it was also spectacular. The "carbonara" portion was larger than mine, so my bf took about 1/3 of it home. We were given a wine glass half-full of grated parmigiano for the table, and it was a very good-quality cheese. The waitress gave us cookies at the end of the meal: 2 chocolate espresso and 2 orange with ground nuts. The chocolate cookies were reminiscent of a soft biscotti and decent. The orange cookies, on the other hand, were delicate and perfect--everything you wanted from their description.
The cost was moderate: $80 for an appetizer, 2 glasses of wine, and 2 pasta dishes. Ladies, bring your mirror with you to the tiny water closet if you need to freshen up--I had to get MacGyver with a candle and the shiny faucet to do the is-there-any-parsley-in-my-teeth investigation after dinner. Plus, because the entire place is so tiny, expect to potentially pull Tetris-like maneuvers to get into your table and through the dining room. Don't worry, it will be well worth it in the end. We can't wait to go back.
Sunday afternoon and I'm craving Italian. I think to myself, hmmmm.....North End?-- haven't eaten here yet since I've lived a few blocks away....so I text the boyfriend who is working til 6. I tell him I want to treat him for Italian and he's loving the idea.
So we walk down around 7:30. I suggest Pomodoro since I looked at their good reviews on Yelp..(of course). We start to walk in, it's very small and a lady greets us at the door and says it's about a 20 minute wait, we agree to it. She says we can go walk around and come back in 15 minutes, so we did.
We get back, she seats us.. gives us fresh bread with dipping oil with olives. We get our drinks and then 5 minutes later, out comes a heaping plate of fried calamari.....and yes it was complimentary! Wow, this was awesome and FREE is the best part about it. We then order our meals, the boy got the PEI Mussels and linguine, I get the Cherry-stone clams and linguine. Our meals come out, they are large....they also brought out fresh cheese to top our meals with. Our meals were loaded with Mussels and Clams!! The red sauce was SOOOOO good..Chunky of fresh tomatoes, lightly herbed and the perfect amount for my dish. We both brought half of our dishes home since there was a large portion for each of us and because we also ate the free calamari.
We pack up our meals, then out comes two plates with Tiramisu on each of them.... another FREEBIE!!
Wow, impressed with all the free food, why they did it, who knows... but I appreciated it since the meals were $23 each.
Will definitely go back, but would love to try other places in the North End first!
I chose this restaurant because the reviews made it seem like a great place for a first date. Not too romantic, not too casual. Not too expensive, not too cheap...you get the idea. All things said and done, I was way off.
First, I should preface by saying that the reviews are correct, and the food is very good. That said, there were many things lacking. One thing that blew my mind was the glasses of wine...smallest portions I've ever had at any restaurant. Thinking a wine is high quality because it tastes good is one thing, but thinking it is because each sip costs about a buck is ridiculous (8-10 per SMALL glass, which is filled less than a third full).
Second, the wait staff was nothing special at all. The waitress asked my date and I what we would like for our order, and then the busboy refilled our waters once. Otherwise, we never saw or heard from them. Needless to say, it killed me to feel obligated to still tip.
Finally, the restaurant is NOT cozy. It's cramped. Before you enter the restaurant, make sure you stretch, because your arms will be in your neighbor's plate if you don't.
Again, I would say it's a nice restaurant with tasty food. But for the price paid (100 bucks for one appetizer, two glasses of wine, two entrees), it's not worth it. I'm not the most picky eater, and so would recommend Olive Garden over Pomodoro any day of the week.
Our favorite place in the north end! I've been here twice with my boyfriend, and it is absolutely the sweetest, cosiest, coolest, and tastiest Italian place in Boston. There are a lot of options for me, vegetarian extraordinaire, and my companion, the manly meat eater. Everything from the decor to the candlelit tables just makes me want to sit there for hours at the window with a glass of wine and olives and people watch the day away. I had a delicious dish of rigatoni, white beans and arugula; I also tasted my boyfriend's risotto before it mixed with his veal juice, and I'm telling you, this green olive risotto was orgasmic! (In an ironic twist, we had seen the Seinfeld with the orgasmic risotto the night before). But seriously, I can't get over what a great date spot Pomodoro is, afternoon or evening, anniversary or casual lunch...eat here!
I came here with my cousin who was visiting Boston for the first time and North End was one of the places on her "to visit" list. I don't go to the North End at all but heard good things about Pomodoro so decided to give it a try. It was a hot Saturday afternoon when we arrived at around 2:15 and the place was empty. We were greeted with warm air from inside the restaurant because the AC was either broken or just not strong enough and the maintenance guy had cancelled his appointment. We didn't want to go back outside to wonder around as it was hot, we sat down and the waitress brought us water right away. Water was warm and without ice and we learned that the ice machine was broken. This was definitely not a good start but the waitress was pleasant and tried her best to get ice for us as quickly as she could and brought us bread and took our order
I had the baked cod and LOVED it. I am not big on italian food but I loved my dish and so did everyone else. The decor inside was pleasant and I give the waitress a thumbs up for being as pleasant as she can be in a bad situation and with us being annoyed in the beginning with the heat. The food I must say is a bit over-priced but other than that, I'd like to go back again and try something different.
I think Pomodoro is one of the most underrated restaurants in the North End, comparable to Giacomo's, sans the line down Hanover Street.
Although to be honest with you, I liked it better before the makeover, when it was decorated like a cheap diner from the 1970s, the wine list read "Red" and "White" and the waitress chain smoked on the front stairs and flirted with the bartender next door.
Fortunately the redesign was purely aesthetic, as the food remains as amazing as ever. Their specialty is seafood, and they do it well. If you like a bit of spice, I HIGHLY recommend the fra diavolo. And even though it's a tried dish, the fried calamari is really worth ordering here.
Couple of helpful hints - it's cash only, so bring your green. It's a cozy space, so don't expect to roll in 10 deep and get a table. And I just saw they started serving brunch - I haven't been yet, but it's definitely something I'll check out.
I'm gonna make this as simple as possible. I was there yesterday afternoon. This restaurant has 3 men in a kitchen and 1 waitress. We sat at a table for two right next to the serving counter. We could see how our food was being cooked. It didn't bother us, but it might bother you. The waitress was super friendly and completely attentive. Our glasses were never empty. The seafood was unbelievably fresh and delicious, which is why the prices are a little high. FYI: The menu has more options for wine than actual meals.
And last, but definitely not least, is the issue of the bathroom. It's small... and I'm 5'1''. If I were any bigger, I wouldn't have fit. It's basically a linen closet with a toilet, just a toilet.
I gave it 3 stars because the food was good and the waitress was awesome, but everything else was somewhat lacking.
Classic Italian dishes in a modern, intimate setting. And by intimate I mean smaller than your average studio apartment in the glam part of town. It's warm and cozy, chic yet comfortable, romantic in the most easy going away.
They welcome you with warm bread and olive-soaked olive oil even before you order, and give you ample time to decide. The menu is small, but filled with dishes you just can't seem to decide between. If you're drinking by the glass, they've made that simple: two reds, two whites. Pretty basic stuff, but easy to drink and reasonably priced.
The tales of free appetizers are true...and out came to our table a big bowl of lightly breaded and fried calamari. Buttery and served with marinara, it wasn't a bite or two, not some fancy-schmancy amsue bouche, but a full-fledged appetizer portion. Generous, delicious and not something you'll find at too many restaurants around town.
A word of advice...avoid the clam dishes. A bit chewy, fishy and not as fresh as you'd expect. With choices that run that gamut from rich to light, such as chicken carbonara with wild mushrooms,vegetable risotto and veal scaloppini, there's a dish for everyone's tastes and little room for dislike.
No dessert here either, but they serve delightful cookies with the bill made by a local baker friend of the hostess. Plus, with the abundance of pastry spots on the North End, you've no cause for complaint!
tiny little place, seriously tiny. with the tiniest bathroom i've ever seen in a restaurant. the bathroom is literally in the dining area. i can't even explain it, you need to see it for yourself.
but good service, although me and friend waited 30 mintues (expected since this is a seriously tiny restaurant). the food was decent- had seafood linguini with marinara sauce and friend had chicken. both were good, but not crazy mindblowing amazing.
I have so much love for this little place! This was my first time coming to Pomodoro in the North End, after having been to the one in Brookline many times. The North End Pomodoro has a similar but slightly more laid back vibe. Can't say enough nice things about the above-and-beyond service (thanks Siobhan and Dan!!!) and delicious food (mussels...fisherman's stew...tiramisu...oh my!!!). If it was easier to find parking nearby, I would be here every week. Such a gem...
The food is fantastic, but the atmosphere is more cramped than cozy, even by North End standards. Of course there will be the standard long wait, but for Pomodoro the ordeal doesn't end there. The tables are so crowded that the waitress couldn't fit between the other tables to reach us, so she had to hand us the water pitcher so we could fill the glasses ourselves. Months ago we came here and it was a civilized experience, but they have since remodeled.
If you can go when most tables are empty, then definitely go, but like Kenmore Square on Red Sox game days, "nobody goes there anymore. It's too crowded."
I really enjoy walking around the north end and trying out different restaurants. My boyfriend and I went into pomodoro one day because the menu looked great. We were going to meet up with one of our friends to enjoy a nice meal. We were probably seated for no more than five minutes when someone came to our table and asked if another person was coming. When I explained that our friend was more than likely running a bit late the person at the restaurant told us that we shouldn't stay at the restaurant if we were just going to "shoot the shit." Yes, he actually said that. UNBELIEVABLE. Completely unacceptable and rude. While this happened a while ago, it's stuck with me because I've never experienced such rude service. I dine out very frequently and nothing like this has ever happened to me. Not in Boston, not when I lived in New York and not in San Francisco, where I currently live.
There are plenty of good restaurants in the north end. Go to Mamma Maria. It's worth it. They're food is amazing and their service is incredible.
Any place that gives me copmlimentary fried calamari gets four stars. All of the food was sooo delicious. The linguini and clams was one of the best I've ever had. I was ready to lick my plate clean when I had finished, but luckily the waitress brought out new warm rolls every 10 minutes so I could just dip it in the extra sauce.
The only reason I'm not giving Pomodoro 5 stars is because although I was warned, I was not expecting it to be THAT small. My 5 friends and I were very tight at our table, and I was almost hitting elbows with the people next to me. Because of the set up I actually never got to speak to our waitress since she couldn't get close enough. I definitely want to go back, but probably won't with a group again because it was just too small.
I went with a party of 6 including my sister and her boyfriend plus some other friends.
The service was speedy, the waitresses were helpful and attentive with helpful suggestions throughout the entire meal.
We were drinking water like fish and our glasses were never empty, it was impressive.
Our party was brought complimentary appetizers _and_ dessert, it was the most confusing/awesome dining experience. We were certainly treated like VIP's.
The food was amazing, light but filling.
It was the first time I'd ever tipped 40% on a bill in my life (and I still felt like it wasn't enough).
I walked out of there much happier than I came in. I can't wait to go back.
This restaurant is so yummy, definitely one of th best in north end! My husband and I dined here this past weekend on a trip to Boston. Found it on yelp and asked around and was told we could not go wrong. I had the shrimp and pasta with red sauce- amazing. my husband had the shrimp with white wine sauce- he loved his too. i actually finished his off because it was so yummy. The white wine sauce was to die for. They also gave us free dessert- tiramisu for each of us and it was so light and delicious. Highly recommend Pomodoro for a great Italian meal in the North End. This place is tiny (like 8 tables) so be sure to make a reservation and bring cash as they dont take credit cards.
There are two types of restaurants - restaurants that are heavy on ambience and service, and restaurants that focus on food. Unfortunately, Pomodoro belongs to neither.
For all the hype on yelp - yes, the restaurant's small and intimate. Yes, it has that cozy, restaurant-on-the -corner-romance ppl love in the North End. Yes, the bread came out hot. But when you make a reservation in advance, you do not expect to be seated in a makeshift bar stool table. You do not expect to be offered a seat on a tiny chair with no back (the only backless chair in the restaurant).
You also do not expect to be served food without cutlery; and you do not expect that you need to wait 15 minutes each time to get the waitress' attention (even though she clearly saw you make eye contact, but she was simply too busy chatting with the other waitress to give you the time of day - or night).
You do not expect to rescue pasta drowning in overzealous sauce. You do not expect to have overcooked seafood that slowly kills your expectations inside, with each bite you take.
And finally, you definitely DO NOT expect to be subject to listening to seven 45-year-old-women's annoyingly loud dinner conversation about facebook shenanigans.
For such a decidedly small menu (no doubt an imitation of "haute cuisine" trends), Pomodoro has added pressure to deliver stellar dishes - I mean, there's only so much they need to do....
Unfortunately - the expectations just weren't met.
In the North End, I'm used to small and cramped places. It's what you expect. But Pomodoro really takes it to a new level, violating not just the loosest of fire codes but also my personal bubble.
I came with a group of 5, and was seated fairly quickly. This place is not suited for groups, and would make for a much better date experience. Plan on going dehydrated, as getting up to use the restroom (closet) is a game of Frogger. We split a bottle of wine and an order of calamari. The extremely nice and attentive staff brought out a complimentary second order so no one had to stretch. This was a very authentic move, taking me back to the hospitable restauranteurs of Florence.
For dinner I had ordered the seafood fra diavolo, packed with mussels, shrimp, cod, and clams. What seemed like an automatic great meal, it impossibly failed to excite me. Souring the meal was a chemical aftertaste I was pulling from the shrimp. Also, not driving up the score, was a rather mild fra diavolo sauce, lacking any real punch or need for an accompanying beverage. The rest of my group wasn't overly thrilled with their meals, but also weren't as underwhelmed as I.
I'm still searching for a place in the North End that I can really say is worth the inflated price that comes with the tourist haven.
I took my mom to this place last night for a pre-mother's day dinner.
We got complimentary calimari, the food was FANTASTIC--I had shrimp pasta with AMAZING red sauce and my mom had cod with tomatoes and linguini on the side, everything was cooked perfectly.
Also, seems like half the people in there knew the waitresses etc., so it must be an alright neighborhood-y place as well--which is rare right on Hanover I think.
Negatives: TINY TINY TINY space. They do take reservations and I advise them. Also, no soda if you want a diet coke--but they have a decent wine list.
THE BEST ITALIAN I'VE EVER EATEN.
1) I've eaten a lot of Italian over my 28 years and Pomodoro is heaven. Light yet decadent, flavorful and leaves you wanting to go back for seconds.
2) The waitress brought out 2 FREE appetizers: Marinated mussels in saffron fennel stew and fried calamari. Seriously, who does that! That's over $30 in free apps.
3) All the free olives, garlic and olive oil for dipping bread their delicious warm crusty bread.
4) Amazing wines from Italy for under $40/bottle. They even had a few from Cali.
5) Recently renovated modern, sleek decor. Comfy seats and great candlelit atmosphere.
If I could give more stars I would. I want to eat here all the time and wish I lived here so I could enjoy it more!
Incredible service! The restaurant is tiny, but the two waitresses were amazing! They gave us free calamari and mussels. By the time the meal came out, we were stuffed! The good was great too! My favorite is the seafood fra diavolo.
Wow, did we find a gem or what.
After some debating about pre-Improv Asylum dinner plans, and some calling around, we settled on this place. I've passed it tons of times but the 'pomodoro' sign looks 10% cheeky to me, so I just assumed it was another random Italian place. NOT SO.
(side note: I HEART Yelp and technology. The only reason I even thought about this place was because I was looking up Giacomo's and it popped up on the side as a related search.)
(another side note: CASH ONLY. BofA is 1/2block away, so it wasn't a problem though. ok, on with the review.)
There were 4 of us dining here and we got a coveted 7:30 reservation. When I opened the door I was floored at how small the place was. It seemed packed, but only because everyone was smooshed in there. I doubt the place was bigger than my lil' back bay apartment! I peeked over and saw the bf already seated at our table, which was a bar-height table (all of the tables were high, I like that - classy). Fresh bread and olive oil were ready for us.
The ambiance was chic and romantic, but in a romantic-with-people-saddled-up-6-inches-next-to-m e way. Very NYC actually, but better since people weren't falling all over themselves to get in.
This is when it gets great. The waitress, who was terribly nice already, brought over a free appetizer. Granted it was calamari and only 1/4 of us (bf) ate seafood, but what a gesture! We ordered our wine and were enjoying it without pressure. After ordering our food, another nice gesture: me and the bf split a salad, and my sister and our other friend did not get one. Well, when they brought out our salad, they brought THEM a split salad too!! How awesome!! Both were delish.
The food arrived and it couldn't have looked more savory. I ordered the tuscan white bean pasta, the girls split the linguini, and the bf had the linguini with clams. Between all of us I think only a few beans remained once we were through. Al dente pasta at it's absolute best, with fresh, flavorful ingredients.
Sadly, they didn't have dessert or coffee (no worries since...of course...Vittoria was across the street!) - but in another unbelievable gesture, they brought over homemade Italian cookies for us as we wrapped up paying the bill.
All in all, we love love loved this place and will definitely take out-of-towners here every chance we get!!
Pomodoro's is a great little gem on Hanover St. On my last visit I had the Chicken Marsala with home-made wide noodles. It was perfect; just like mom makes! The place is cozy and the staff is very down-to-earth, making Pomodoro's feel like you're dining with family. When you ask for wine, you're given two options: red or white.
The tables near the door get a little chilly during the winter months. There's no waiting area inside the restaurant so there's a constant in-and-out flow of patrons waiting to be seated.
I loved the food, but the place was really really really small.
They gave us complimentary calimari to start--nice touch, but they could have asked us what we wanted. I don't eat seafood, and we would have much preferred antipasto or even just a caesar salad.
As I have mentioned in other reviews, I generally like simple pasta and marinara dishes and judge Italian restaurants by their ability to make simple marinara taste out-of-this-world. The linguini with red sauce at Pomodoro did not disappoint--DELICIOUS! My boyfriend very much enjoyed the tiger shrimp and linguini with white sauce.
The house wine was a nice chianti, but they did not seem to have as extensive a wine list as many other Italian places in the area.
Basically, the restaurant was just so small..we were lucky to be shoved in the corner over by the kitchen, so we at least weren't practically sitting with another couple. But the bathroom was tiiiny and you have to go back into the kitchen to wash your hands---cozy, yes, but also a bit strange. It's a fine place to come early with a date, but I wouldn't come with a group or at peak hours (when you will end up very squished).
Good food and Impeccable service. Higher prices but good quality ingredients etc.
Authentic Italian food...nothing rings better in my ears!
Came here for dinner on a hot, summer evening and was trying to pick a good place to eat. The North End is equivalent to North Beach in SF. There are many many restaurants that look equally delicious to the next. We saw Pomodoro, a tiny place in between all the other restaurants. There are maybe 6 tables in the whole restaurant. It's SMALL. Smallest restaurant I've ever seen.
I asked the waiter if he had a wine list, he said "Yes, red or white."
I loved how simple this place was. It had a small menu of amazing, mouth watering entrees that I wanted to take a bite out of all of them! I ordered a traditional pomodoro and pasta dish, and it was so good. Just simple, flavorful Italian food-the way it should be. That coupled with a glass of wine (I picked red, haha) it was amazing. Even better was the fact that we had a seat right by the window and watch all the people. :)
I was in Boston for a conference and after Yelping, decided on Pomodoro as one of my dining options for the week. I am very happy I tried it. My waiter seated me right away at the window bar where I was able to people watch as I had my meal, which was fun for being a visitor in the city. He brought warm crusty bread with garlic infused olive oil and olives immediately. Water glass was regularly filled throughout the meal. Because I was dining alone, but wanted to try an appetize, a salad, and entree, I asked if he could do 1/2 size Calamari and 1/2 size arugula salad for me and he happily agreed. Calamari was perfectly lightly battered and the plum tomatoes sauce was the perfect compliment w/ a mild kick of spice. The arugula salad was simply dressed with olive oil and lemon juice and topped with prociutto and parmesan and was a perfect little summer salad. For my entree, I always have a weakness for papardelle but didn't want a vegetarian sauce (it came w/ a wild mushroom ragu), I asked for it with the fruitti di mare fra diavolo sauce and once again he happily accomodated my request. There was so much sea food on my plate and everything was well cooked and flavors was balanced. I only wish the Fra Diavolo sauce was spicier. I did have a couple of glasses of Proseco with my meal...and that's another area that I might gripe about since he was so busy he forgot to bring me my first glass until I was almost done with my appetizer and the 2nd glass didn't make it til half way through the entree. But the restaurant was packed and he was one of only 2 waitstaff.
At the end, because I needed the receipt to not show alcohol on it to submit for work reimbursement, he left the proseco off the receipt entirely and just had me add it to the cash payment myself. So overall, I had a very enjoyable experience.
I arrived shortly after opening so no wait, but as I dined the place filled up quick since it's tiny and I doubt can serve more than 20 at a time...they did turn a few people away. I guess it's not a place for everyone. Before going there are things you should know to see if it's for you or not. It's small, so big groups would be a bad idea. Though it is not a fast food place it is also not polite to lounge for hours either. Because of the size of the restaurant and the demand for the food, if you eat here, you should try to be considerate of other people waiting to eat. The menu is small. The beverages options are very limited, I think ONLY wine, beer, and water are served. And it is CASH ONLY. If you're fine with all the above in exchange for good food, then come enjoy. P.S. I'm very sorry for Carolyn C's experience with racism. I'm not really sure what that was all about. I am also Asian. I was there alone. My waiter treated me with respect and provided every accommodation I asked for -- and I was pretty "high maintenance" that night. So I really hope that her experience was an unfortunate misunderstanding that won't happen to anyone else who choose to dine here.
i mean, honestly with this red sauce? it doesn't get much better than this...it couldn't possibly. i haven't been able to stop thinking about it since i went (um, 3 weeks ago).
this place is small and tight, so it definitely feels a little cramped. but nonetheless, i enjoyed my date night here and the food was amazing.
step right outside, cross the street and go directly to mike's after. grab yourself a canoli and espresso.
The night I dined at Pomodoro I later woke up inexplicably annoyed three or four times. Being drowsy I would think to myself "why am I upset? am I sick? is it because the bf and I had an argument? is tomorrow Monday?" Hell no. That damn restaurant did not give me my f*ckin' leftovers!
Now, normally I hate leftovers. They congeal, never re-heat right and you have to carry around some doofy looking container and bag combo like a cheapskate. But the food at Pomodoro was fresh and tasty...and filling. Which, duh, is why I had leftovers in the first place. I even thought to myself "Damn, I am kinda excited about reheating this for lunch tomorrow." Oh well.
Now I will have to re-subject myself to the romantic and cozy atmosphere that seats no more than about 26 people; the friendly and efficient servers; the free calamari appetizer and perfectly seasoned dipping oil along with crusty bread and tart olives. Once again, I will have to have a glass of wine (although maybe not the slightly sour Montepulciano again) and endure flirty conversation with my boyfriend. I will have to continually be impressed with the water refills and efficiency with which two cooks and two servers work. I will have to once again wish for once my stomach was a little more accommodating of VERY substantial amounts of food. Again, I will puzzle over the odd bathroom setup and think "Is a patron sink in the kitchen a violation of OSHA?" Once again, I will have to ask for my leftovers in a takeaway container. (Although maybe this time I will hold the plate and just ask for the container myself.)
I'm such a trooper.
We started with the calamari and a bottle of Pinot Grigio. I had the salmon, she had the veal. It was all extremely tasty. The salmon was the best I've had in a while, and they seem to really understand the art of sauces. The timing was perfect (which is good because if they had brought the food before taking the appetizer plate, there wouldn't have been room on the table. It's a very small place and the tables are small - which along with the low lighting helps to make this a great place for a romantic evening.
The service was good. I only saw two people working outside of the kitchen, and one was the server. It was very easy to catch her eye, and she was very responsive. She also didn't hover. We didn't feel that she was intruding on our evening, or anything of the sort.
A couple of business things:
Make reservations, at least on the weekends (we went on a rainy Saturday night). Plenty of people came to the door before or during our 8:30 reservation and were told it would be an hour wait. When you can make reservations online in 60 seconds, there's no reason not to.
Also, they do not take credit cards, or debit cards. Cash only. As they are such a small place, I understand this, but I feel that it is a poor business decision. Maybe a group would order that second, or third, or fourth bottle of wine, but they don't know if they have enough cash for it. Consider that appetizer, a bottle of wine, and 2 entrees can easy come to $90 plus tax and tip.
I also hear that they do not have a restroom, but I did not experience this lacking first hand.
Took Veghead Dad here Tuesday night, when I knew that I only had a few hours with him before he skipped out of Beantown. He loves his colonial history, so I figured a walk around the cobblestoned North End and some vegetarian-friendly Italian would be nice. Paul Revere's home is nearby, which he found very impressive, even at night, long after its closing hour.
We arrived 45 minutes early for our 10 PM reservation (prepared to grab martinis elsewhere if need be) and there was plenty of seating available. This is odd, because on OpenTable there were no tables for 2 between 8 PM and 10 PM. I recommend calling if you don't find what you're looking for online.
Pomodoro was tinier than I expected (a plus in my book) with perfect candlelit lighting. Our sweet and efficient waitress didn't hesitate to recommend her favorites when asked. She steered me toward the cod and my dad toward the mushroom ragu. Both were divine and a great value considering the restaurant's prime location ($22 and $20).
Actually, the best part of the cod dish may have been the perfect plum tomatoes in the accompanying sauce (also packed full of black and green olives, capers, and herbs). I'm not a huge pasta person, but the garlicky goodness of the accompanying linguini was enough to win me over. The portions were quite generous.
Paradoxically, Dad had more trouble than usual in ordering here, because they had three very good vegetarian entrees (there's usually one, if he's lucky). But he loved the mushroom ragu, which he found hearty and satisfying, yet light and healthy.
It's kind of nice how they keep things simple with the ultra-short wine list, but the markup on our bottle of chianti (fine, gulpable with food, but nothing special) was at least 200%, I'm guessing.
I would definitely return here, especially with friends on a grad student budget, since the prices are so reasonable.
This place is crazy small. Like small nine tables small. Luckily I went on a Thursday night at 8:30 so it wasn't too crowded. That being said I never got the impression that it was too cramped or uncomfortable. The dim lighting and minimal decor greatly helped.
The cool thing about the North End is that there are so many good restaurants that the bad ones tend to close their doors fairly quickly, a fate I don't see Pomodoro yielding to any time soon. The food was great. We started with calamari which was fried to perfection. The squid was tender but not rubbery and crisp but not hard.
Curiously we both went with pasta dishes involving the tiger shrimp, but mine incorporated salted cod as well. They were fantastic. It had been crazy long since I'd had a good pasta dish at an Italian restaurant that this was a welcome revival of former culinary excursions.
The wine list is abbreviated with two whites and three reds by the bottle. Hhhmmm pasta dish with seafood? White it was. Italian chardonnay or pinot grigio? Do ppl really drink Italian chardonnay? Pinot grigio it was (does that make me a girl? the jury's still out) and I had no complaints.
The waitstaff of one was extremely attentive and cheery. She gets an A plus.
Given my experience here I wonder if the one in Brookline Village is just as good. I'll have to try it out but I'll definitely be back to this location.
Thank you Yelpers for your reviews on this place! If not I wouldve waited 290481023913 hours in below 293819023 degrees weather for Giacomo's!
Anywhooo, this place was smalllllll but it a perfect place for a table of 2.
The waitress was attentive and super nice.
The food was beyond delicious. The best friggin italian food I've ever eaten! The best calamari I've ever eaten!
My main dish was the vegetable risotto. I licked the plate clean! That's how good it was!
Anyways, I'm so glad I came here. This will be my first stop in Boston next time!
Food was delicious. The place is tiny but the space is definitely well-utilized, assuming your neighboring tables are friendly and satisfied with THEIR selections too! Nothing like listening to people gripe and bitch at a nice meal. Seems kind of impossible there, so thank goodness!
Our waitress was the owner's daughter and she was very friendly and accommodating... I mentioned that I read about this place on yelp and there were tales of free calamari...
Unless you're a VIP or the owner is feeling generous, this is not true :(
The bread was delicious. I'm not a big fan of olives so the olive oil, which also came with a ton of black and brown (not sure what they're called) olives on the side...
I had the chicken carbonara- just had the leftovers for lunch- SO GOOD. Excellent carbonara with just the right amount of garlic. Actually, just the right amount of everything! My boyfriend had the seared chicken dish- while it was good and he said HE loved it, I was very glad I went with the carbonara. I think I even sensed a twinge of jealousy from him, but he's a good guy for not saying anything and letting me enjoy my meal ;)
2 entrees and 2 glasses of wine amounted to $85 with tip. Seems a little excessive, but the food and the ambiance (and the little almond cookies at the end of the meal!) made it worth it.
I'll be back :)
Ok so generally I never consider italian food "amazing." To me it always seems like the same sauce, same noodles, same recipes. Not pomodoro.
Got there on a sunday, and the 3 of us sat down while the 4th parked the car. So we ordered some calamari and ate it before the 4th came back. So the owner brought us MORE calamari for him. Then while snacking down on our free calamari she brought us out the mussels for us to try. All while loading up the rolls
But great service means nothing if the food is no good. While the portions aren't HUGE, they are worth every penny. I got the fra diavolo and it was delicious. You could taste the red sauce and the tomatoes, and it left a wonderfully spicy after taste. Fresh seafood too, especially the mussels.
The chicken carbonera was also really good, very rich but not too think and filled with tasty mushrooms. The linguine with clams was great. The baked cod was a favorite. Salty and lemony, it really went together
The atmosphere and the food are very nice; however there are two huge factors about this place that make both of those attributes null. THEY ARE VERY PRICY AND DO NOT ACCEPT ANY CREDIT CARDS--- ONLY CASH and they do not have soda. So, if you do decide to venture in bring large amounts of cash, do not expect to have any kind of cola, gingerale, mixed drink with soda, or just straight-up soda, OR even iced tea.
Wednesday Night is Spaghetti…
Boston, MA
Introducing
Somerville, MA
Neighborhood: North End
Category: Italian
Neighborhood: North End
Category: Italian
Neighborhood: North End
Category: Italian
Neighborhood: North End
Category: Italian
Neighborhood: North End
Category: Italian
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