Carmelina's

"The North End is awash in Italian restaurants — this is arguably the U.S.’s most famous Little Italy, after all — but there are a few spots that stand out amid a sea of spaghetti. Carmelina’s is one of those restaurants. The menu is rooted in coastal Sicilian fare, which means there’s a lot of seafood (mussels, calamari, shrimp, clams, you name it) and there’s also a ton of pasta, from carbonara and fettuccine to Carmelina’s famed Sunday Macaroni, with penne, meatballs, Sulmona sausage, and beef rib tossed in a tomato sauce and a dollop of whipped ricotta on top." - Erika Adams, Nathan Tavares, Celina Colby, Eater Staff

"Carmelina’s has massive windows that open directly to Hanover Street and a beautiful open kitchen where diners can watch their dishes being prepared right before their eyes. The “Sunday macaroni” is served every day and comes with meatballs, sausage, and beef rib in a tomato sauce, finished with a dollop of whipped ricotta. It is the star of the show at Carmelina’s, which aims to serve “traditional Sicilian comfort food with a Mediterranean twist.”" - Erika Adams, Nathan Tavares, Tommy Ranucci

"Carmelina’s is one of those rare restaurants that make us reevaluate everything we thought we knew about what constitutes a great meal. The menu is small and features loads of seafood (this is, after all, a Sicilian spot), and in the dining room, you just might hear gasps of delight as servers carry piping hot pans of chicken parm out of the open kitchen. Our favorites here are the juicy seared tuna arrabbiata with briny olive tapenade and the lemony spaghetti, served with what seems like an entire bed of littleneck clams. If you only have time to visit one spot in the North End, make it this one. Just be sure to get a reservation unless you’re going for a late lunch or (very) early dinner." - lala thaddeus

"Carmelina’s in North End hosted Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla and the NBA championship trophy during his night out." - Erika Adams

"Just down the block, Carmelina’s is another North End stalwart serving quirky Sicilian comfort food for over a decade. Go for the Alfredo made with sausage, chicken, soppressata, and sweet roasted red peppers in a spicy Alfredo sauce, and the Sunday Macaroni made with homemade penne, meatballs, and sausage. As with any restaurant in the North End, a reservation is required." - Katie Lockhart