Florentine Cafe

We stopped into Florentine Cafe on a Tuesday afternoon before the dinner rush and were seated right away. It felt good to slow down for a minute after taking the train in from Beachmont for a day of pastries and walking. The bread came out warm and we asked for the oil which is always the right move in an Italian spot. Simple but solid. The lobster ravioli was rich and flavorful. I am not sure if the pasta is made in house. Fresh pasta has a specific bite to it and I did not notice that here but the dish was still very good. The seafood fettuccine was also strong with generous pieces of shrimp, scallops, mussels, and clams. Clean seasoning. No heavy sauces covering anything up. We sat by the window and people watched. The North End has changed a lot since the days my grandparents had their shop on Cooper but it is still a place that feels familiar. We even bumped into my cousin after dinner which made the whole visit feel even more personal. Food was great, pricing is high but that is the North End. Five stars for the experience and five stars for the food on this visit.

I had the lobster ravioli and it was very good - a lot of lobster! The sauce was tasty, as was the bread they served before. I was there on a slow, cold Tuesday night. Several staff just standing around…. I sat at the bar and it was training night, so an experienced bartender was training a friendly, new lady behind the bar. There was a bar back as well and about 6 of us in total at the bar. My food came fairly quickly from a runner, and for the next 30 minutes no one said a word to me. No “How is everything?” “Need anything?”. Most employees were just talking to each other, even the servers congregating at the end of the bar. It was slow, but my service experience was not great, wondering if inattentive service is a norm? Anyway, love the inside decor, it’s in a great location and the food was very good. I’ll give it another try at some point

Food was great!! Atmosphere was charming. Small little dinning area with windows to let in fresh air and sunlight(if you go early). I went on a Thursday evening around 5:30, was told only have 1 hour to eat since no reservations(highly recommend reservations). The hour was no issue, food was quick, service was okay. Wish that when our food came they brought over the shredded cheese. Waited for waiter to come and offer, never came, wasn’t overly crowded either. Ate my meal without it, not a huge deal, but for price point it would have been nice. That is the only reason I can’t give it five out of five. The pasta was great, the chicken was perfect, the Caesar salad was good, and the wine paired well. Overall, a positive experience, I would consider going back.

Very good atmosphere and food. We got a seat next to the window with no reservations on a Wednesday night. Waiter was very attentive and kept water full. We really enjoyed our meal. We tried the lobster ravioli and the chicken parm. Portions were large. Pasta was very fresh. Meatball appetizer was amazing!

This café is absolutely unforgettable! The ambience is like stepping into a dream. Flowers draped across the windows, cozy seating, and the perfect atmosphere to sit back and enjoy a refreshing cool Breeze in August. We ordered the Tuscan Spritz and their lobster ravioli, and both were out of this world. The flavors were so fresh and memorable that we still talk about them to this day from our girls trip. Such a beautiful spot with incredible food and drink🌸🍹🍝

Walk by North End and found this cute restaurant with nice window view of the littly italy. Decided give it a try and I would say I’m very impressed with the service. Food was exceptional and seasoning was just right. Highly recommended if you stopped by littly italy

We went on a Saturday evening. Very busy and was very hard to get in. But the two sweet hostesses squeezed us in downstairs. Everything was great. We had the rigatoni bolognese, chicken parm and the lobster fra diablo. Excellent. Make a point to go to this restaurant when you are in the area.

Everyone has a bad day sure, but Service was to be desired. Server was more intrested in twirling ticket spindle then touching tables. Would have easily sold us another round and desert if he just asked. Food was excellent! Compliments to the kitchen for sure! Rest of the staff seemed to be doing well so I wouldn't judge the location based on one subpar server. Again food was Excellent! Great bar selection, and the atmosphere was top notch!

I'm so glad I made reservation. They were busy!! We got seated in the downstairs lounge and it was super cute. My daughter and I ordered the Burrata and it was the best Burrata I've ever had. Super fresh and just delicious. For the pasta, I ordered the penne bolognese and my daughter ordered the fusilli with vodka sauce. You can't go wrong with either!

I was so excited to experience authentic Italian food in the North End, and we chose this restaurant specifically for the charming window seat for two, it felt idyllic. When our waitress came to take our drink order, she also asked if we wanted appetizers. I mentioned bread, since on my way in I had noticed a fresh basket being delivered to another table. It looked so delicious that I couldn't wait to try it. Instead of offering the complimentary bread, however, she directed us to the cheese bread on the menu. It wasn't what I had expected, but we ordered it anyway, and unfortunately didn't love it. I only wished we hadn't wasted calories and tummy space on it. Later, when the complimentary bread finally arrived, it was fantastic, exactly what I had been hoping for. But by then, the moment was gone. As for the entrées, we enjoyed them. Still, the mix-up with the bread took away from what could have been a truly perfect experience

We had lunch at this cute corner spot in the North End (Little Italy) of Boston and loved it so much, we came back for dinner another night. Highlights- the bread. Dear lord, the bread. I do TRY to be good and avoid senseless carbs in a bread basket- but trust me, there's absolutely no turning this down, from the minute you smell it coming. All of the veggies seemed so FRESH! All of the cocktails we tried were great but SHOUT OUT for this perfect pistachio martini. So, espresso martinis and pistachio martinis seem to be the trendy drinks of Boston- every restaurant and bar had a version of these drinks and in the spirit of fairness, I tried them all. When it comes to pistachio martinis, the Florentine Cafe wins hands down. Service- we were walk ins at lunch and were thrilled to get a table (for 4), service was outstanding. For dinner, we made reservations and there were only two of us- for some reason we seemed to get a lot less attentive and slower service. I'd sat waiting, watching the tables around us enjoy their bread and I was SO excited to once again sink my teeth into it. When our entrees showed up without the bread basket, I had a momentary panic- haha, and chased down the waiter to beg for bread (which he brought). To be honest we felt forgotten throughout the meal and had to wait for a second drink order for a really long time. This normally would be a star off for me, but seriously- with that pistachio martini and the INCREDIBLY delicious dishes (lasagna and shrimp scampi) we had, it feels like it'd be a sin to give anything less than 5 stars. So chef and bartender made this meal!

The service here was fabulous. A nice cozy ambiance type restaurant on a street corner in Boston. I had the shrimp alfredo and I was super impressed with the size of the shrimp! Also, the bread and oil was delicious. If I could've taken a loaf home I would've!

Had a fabulous lunch at Florentine Cafe when exploring Little Italy recently. We decided to split 2 appetizers (bruschetta and carpaccio), along with Caesar salads; and we shared a bottle of wine. My friend loved his carpaccio, and my Caesar was one of my favorites ever. Only complaint is that I'd prefer more cheese on the bruschetta. Service was great, and we enjoyed sitting at the open windows looking out on a beautiful day!

Once again a solid experience! The linguine Vongole was delicious and fresh, the pasta was perfectly al dente and there was a generous quantity of seafood. The drinks weren't super strong again but were very refreshing. I highly recommend Florentine for girls nights, dates, family dinners- the vibe is perfect for every occasion

Absolutely great experience all around! I came here on a date and the food, the location and service were all great! We walked by a couple times and eventually caved and decided to eat lunch here. We sat by a window, the weather was perfect and the flowers in the little planter were so pretty. It was just picture perfect. Drinks/apps: I went with their florentine spritz cocktail, which was sweet and refreshing. My bf is a fan of espresso martinis, his was great and not super strong. We also got a burrata which came with a delicious orange sauce, it tasted like roasted veggies and went great with the cheese and toasted bread. The oysters were on the small side, but came with a variety of sauces and tasted wonderfully like the sea. Entrees: I realized i was in the mood for some ravioli and went with the Ravioli di aragosta. Loved it, great dish, literally nothing else to say. The raviolis are huge, stuffed with cheese and lobster, and smothered in a creamy sauce which was full of lobster pieces, you definitely get what you pay for. My bf got the Agnello alle erbe, which was a herb encrusted lambchop. It tasted amazing, I only wish it was a little bigger! It also came with perfectly seasoned + roasted veggies. Dessert: no dessert because we were so full. TL;DR: north end has the best restaurant selection in Boston, its hard to pick! I would definitely recommend this place, especially on a sunny day where you can sit by the window. Gorgeous view of the peace garden across the road and lots of passerby staring at your food with jealousy. Come here and enjoy life!

This place was marvelous. A group of friends and I went down during the Italian culture fest weekend and were fortunate enough to snag a table despite the plumes of people coming and going on the north end. Right off the bat, the hostess (Embarrassingly I am blanking on her name, but she was the cutest thing and she was from California) was able to get us a table despite the long wait time and was incredibly welcoming and friendly despite the unseasonable heat. The inside was gorgeous, with interior similar to many other restaurants in the neighborhood. The food was excellent, our party especially raving over the scampi and the carpaccio. Top notch service from both of our waiters. Priced similarly to what you'd expect.

Great location. Kind bartender. Came for lunch at the bar and it was relaxing with great people watching! Loved everything. Especially the Caesar salad.

The Florentine is right on the corner of the heart of Hanover street so if you're looking for the perfect people watching view, or simply the fresh summer breeze in the best spot- Florentine is it! Love coming in here for drinks, and their brunch is great too (I haven't had it in a while but its still as yummy as its ever been). Service was super friendly was always, and it was a great time with my family. Will definitely be back!

The drinks deserve a 5 star but the food dropped the rating 2.5 for the food. Stopped in on a Saturday afternoon sat at the bar. We enjoyed the drinks--they were the highlight of the experience (missing from photos was the espresso martini that was delish). Unfortunately, the food didn't live up to the same standard. The eggplant parm came without sauce, and the side sauce we asked for tasted a bit like something from a jar--very bland. The fusilli alla vodka tasted more like marinara, and the chicken seemed frozen rather than fresh. Would not return for the food.

i had such a lovely time here! came here without a reservation on a weekday and luckily was able to grab a table (but next time, definitely get a reservation). as typical with the north end, they will leave the doors/windows open even on a hot day, so dress lightly! food was so so good! and service was very friendly.

My recent visit to this establishment was quite disappointing. We waited around five minutes for anyone to even acknowledge us, let alone offer a table. When we were finally addressed, we were offered a table right in a high-traffic area, next to the staff's pathway and directly beside the restrooms. No, thank you. I have too much self-respect to sit right next to a bathroom while trying to enjoy a meal or a drink. We promptly left.

"Florentine Café served one of the best meals I've had in the area. The zucchini flowers are a must, but the standout was the ravioli aragosta, loaded with real lobster, not just a creamy filling. Absolutely unforgettable."

This place was absolutely incredible. I was in town this past Thursday and Sunday for my friend's bachelorette (I flew in from Oklahoma City!) and this was my very first time in Boston. I got off my flight and took a Lyft straight here. Staff helped me with my luggage and sat us down to a lovely table by the railings and flower beds on the side that had perfect people-watching foods. I was very impressed by the service, ambiance, and food. I met up with two other bridesmaids from our crew for a late lunch around 2 pm and we shared some dishes including the Caesar salad, fusili a la vodka, and burrata appetizer. With the lunch also came some complimentary bread and seasoned oil. Everything was tasty and such great quality. The food at Florentine Cafe was so delicious that I had to come back on my way back to OKC, so I convinced my friends to come on Sunday - we were here around 11 am and their brunch menu was available - but they still had pasta which we were excited about! We shared the delicious Caesar salad, fettucini with peas, mushrooms, and pink sauce, and eggplant parmesan with pesto cream sauce - very unique and extremely satisfying. Florentine Cafe you have my heart. I will be back in the near future!

Excellent food and service in a charming atmosphere. We had a window seat and enjoyed the people watching while we enjoyed our dinner. The LOBSTER FRA DIAVOLO Fresh lobster*, linguine, zucchini, spicy cherry tomato sauce, garlic, parsley, white wine was outstanding! And, so was the VONGOLE Linguine, sautéed local clams, garlic, olive oil, cherry tomato, white wine. We started with s Caesar salad which was very good. Don't forget to ask for bread for both excellent sauces. The service was very good and the atmosphere charming, with a club old time feeling. We would definitely return.

Come here for the espresso martinis! They are my favorite I have had in the city. The host was saying they are the best she has ever had, I agree! It's a perfect location to grab a drink post dinner or pre dinner. can't speak to the food but will have to come back to try some. The space has big windows that are nice in the summer to open. Lots of people standing around at the bar and a big TV so we could watch some March madness games. But it's by no means a sports bar. The servers were a little skeptical of us and we got ID twice- although we were 25 with valid IDs. Take that as a compliment I guess but did get the feeling they didn't like us. Thats ok! We still had a great night and drinks.

I have nothing bad to say about this place, 6 people got different entrees and every single one of them was great. The price is also good, not super cheap but a good middle ground price for a Boston North End restaurant. The ambiance is perfect and if you get a chance to check out the bar in the basement, it is a super cute little spot. Very popular on weekends to go out. Also our service was great and entrees came out very quick.

Embarrassing customer service. Had a reservation booked and was seated at a table only to be removed from table with the hostess telling me I didn't have a reservation and this table was for someone else with the same name. The tone sending saying this was incredibly accusatory like I hatched a plan to steal the reservation. Do better

My husband and I came here recently to celebrate our 25th wedding anniversary, we were seated by the window and since it was a gorgeous sunny day the windows were all open! Our meal was delicious and we split a bottle of red wine with dinner, which was superb. Our waitress was fantastic too. We plan on coming back soon, the North End is my favorite place to eat, I am Italian so the area holds so many special memories from my childhood.

We came here on a date night after seeing the gorgeous decor on TikTok. Reservations were easy to make and we were seated promptly on the street level. We were pretty bummed that the aforementioned decor we saw on TikTok was the basement, and no one was really being seated down there. Next time, I would request the basement specifically! The garlic bread was a 2.5/5 (warm and soft, not garlicky at all), but both our meals and dessert were 4/5. I like that they have a lot of vegetarian options-- one of the only places in the city that does Pasta Allá Norma!

Very adorable place in the North End!! I went alone so I sat at the bar and it was nice to talk to the bartender to get to know recs. The fussili Alla vodka with chicken and pistachio martini (more dessert like) were really good and filling! The chicken was also cooked well but you can add other toppings as well from the menu. I had leftovers for the next day too. The flowers outside gave a very European feel. Definitely recommend!

This was a rough one for me guys... after eating here I threw up in the ferns on Salem street. I was immediately ill like so fast run down the street immediate. It was a cinematic moment for me as it was dark and I was scared. The only thing that could have helped me was Gatorade. So many tourists and people waiting for Bova's saw me suffering. No one offered hold my hair for me.

The food was delicious - the shrimp scampi was citrus-y and light and the rigatoni was rich and flavorful. Also, I love how dense their bread is. We visited on a Monday night so it was pretty quiet, but there were some big groups hanging out. I liked that this restaurant didn't feel as cramped. Our server was also kind and attentive.

Very good food, we had the calamari to start and chose the Ravioli Di Aragosta and Rigatoni Bolognese for dinner. We showed up early for our reservation and the staff was happy to seat us. Be sure to ask if you can sit by the open windows, the ambiance was amazing!

This was an amazing experience!! Alexa with our server and there's nothing she could've done any better she was the best !! My husband and I on our 25th wedding anniversary came to the north side of Boston for dinner. We had zucchini flowers with regards linguine with their marinara sauce, which was amazing. My husband had Fuzuli with meatballs. The bread was excellent. It was our 25th wedding anniversary. She was so sweet to take photos of us and they gave us a slice of tiramisu that said happy anniversary. The food is delicious the prices are incredibly reasonable. We left her over 25% tip. And our next time in Boston, we can't wait to come back ! Also, I wanna give a shout out to the bartender Tom, he was great ! I wasn't sure about a beer that I wanted and he was super helpful and didn't let me commit to it if I didn't like it .

Great atmosphere and food. For appetizers got the oysters and caprese. For entree the chicken parm and it was delicious.

The food was delicious and wine list respectable. Try to get a window seat. People watching is amazing.

I met up with my aunt and cousin for lunch before they headed to Logan. We had an amazing lunch at a table in the window. The service was absolutely perfect and I had the best Caesar salad with chicken that I have ever had. Period. My cousin had a pasta dish and added a chicken cutlet and it was supreme. Highly recommend.

A little surprised by the mixed reviews but we took out of towners here and everyone was happy with the food. We had intended to go to another restaurant thinking 5 pm dinner on a Sunday we would have a good chance to get a table for an early dinner. Popular restaurants(Daily Catch, Carmelina's) were filled quickly. Our goal then became to find a place that could fit 7 of us around 5pm walk-in. I'll admit I was a little guarded that the restaurant could seat us so quickly compared other places but at this point, we would have gone anywhere. We were pleasantly surprised of our good fortune! We ordered zucchini flowers and fried calamari/shrimp - all enjoyed. The zucchini flowers were cut up for the adults to share(I'd imagine eating a whole stuffed one would be filling!). Bread was warm and fresh with a flavorful dipping oil. Lots of sharing of food at our table: shrimp scampi, lobster ravioli, gnocchi, pasta bolognese. Lobster ravioli was filed with plenty of lobster and had a creamy sauce. Gnocchi were light and pillowy. Shrimp scampi was lemony and garlicky. The sauce for the bolognese tasted like it's been simmering for hours. Overall great dinner, I did however think at times my dish was a little salty(ravioli) but I assumed maybe it had a tad too much cheese. It definitely wasn't too salty where I couldn't finish.

Stumbled upon this place for dinner to shelter from the pouring rain and could not be more glad we did! We ordered a bunch of apps to share and I'd love to recommend the meatballs and the zuppa-- both blew us away! We sat at the bar and enjoyed watching all the espresso martinis and aperol spritz's being whipped up in front of us. We also loved their complimentary bread and olive oil Our server/bar tender was super nice and we got to chat a little over our delish bottle of Chianti ($65). So grateful to have found Florentine and most definitely will be back.

this place sucks the service is so horrid they were so rude- the host gave us a table and the server wouldn't give us drinks because 2 of our table had drinks from the bar

Good food, fair service. Strict 90 minute table policy, told to leave at 91 minutes, bullshit! Paid a big bill and told to leave. Just 3 of us, not loud or disruptive. Don't go here, quick table service is their M.O. Many other restaurants to go to, manager only wants big profits

My fav Italian place north end. Lobster rav, vodka pasta, calamari/shrimp, everything I've had here has been delicious.

This is not just another north end Boston restaurant! Everything on the menu is made fresh. We had the gnocchi and shrimp scampi. The gnocchi was firm and served in a delicious marinara sauce. The scampi had five large tender shrimp over perfectly cooked pasta. The service was excellent despite the busyness of the Fisherman Feast and street fair.

Came here for lunch and honestly the food here was delicious. The linguini scampi might be one of the best scampis I've ever had in my life. Delicious flavor, good sized plate, plenty of sauce. The bruschetta was great too. Just two pieces but it was fine for an appetizer. The complimentary bread was also good and soft. The waiter wasn't the friendliest, just very to the point. The ambiance upstairs was nice, nothing fancy but the open windows were pleasant. Wanted to eat downstairs but didn't realize that opens for dinner. Would absolutely go again for the scampi alone.

We had a reservation and were seated quickly. That when the service ended. All the servers were just hanging by the kitchen. Finally someone came over and took our order. We received our drinks and food about 15 minutes later and never saw the server again until we flagged him down to get the bill. The bread was above average. The food was nothing special. The meatballs were fair at best and the sauce was bland. The squash blossoms were solid but 2 for $19 was just too much for the portion size. The eggplant parm suffered from the same boring sauce and needed more of it. The portion was large but it just wasn't anything special. Not horrible food but no reason to return.

Everywhere on a Saturday night was extremely busy. We just wanted to grab a drink at the bar before our dinner. We saw Florentine had one bar stool open, which is fine, one sit and one stand. We got their house martini. I was afraid that it was extremely dirty because it looked extremely green, cloudy and murky. To our surprise it wasn't. It must just be the lighting of some kind of strong brine color but it was perfect. So we definitely enjoyed our house martini.

We originally wanted to go to another restaurant, but they were fully booked. We walked further down the street and found this place. Glad that we did. Food was good. For our appetizer, we ordered infritto misto, it had fried calamari, a couple of shrimps and zucchini. For our main dishes, we ordered Linguine Vongolle and Salmon. The clams were big and fresh. Salmon was fresh and was cooked perfectly. I forgot the name of our drink, but it was good. Service was good.

The vibe of this restaurant was absolutely amazing! Very lively and a great place to chat with the girls or even go on a date! Very cute on the inside and the outside! Food was good but service was a little bit slow.

We made prior reservations to come here for my daughter's birthday. When we arrived our table was ready. The service was great! It's smaller inside with limited tables so make reservations. I definitely recommend coming here. We all enjoyed our dishes. Everything was fresh and delicious!

Bar only review: Nice ambience with open windows. Enjoy time sitting at the bar. Did not eat any food, but the plates around us looked great! Bartenders were great and fun vibes all around. Nice spot for a pre dinner drink in the heart of North end.

Very great Italian restaurant in Boston. We ordered a little bit of everything and enjoyed a great girls night out! The service was quick and the ambiance is fast past and a little loud. A little pricey!

Excellent eggplant parm app. The bread and olive oil that comes to the table was amazing. No complaints at all. Warm inside; I wish I didn't have my sweater on.

(Some bitterness ahead) picked this place partially due to all of the reviews mentioning fresh complimentary bread, did not receive any. As we were leaving we saw other tables had received some so it's obviously still a thing but just lacking consistency in service. Cool vibes though. Entrees were average.

I ate the chicken parmigiana at Florentine and thought it was great. Excellent taste to the sauce and cheese $ lightly breaded perfectly. Very good bread with olive oil served.

Absolutely top notch! We spent five days in Boston, all in the North Inn and this was by far the best food, service and packed restaurant. We ate dinner twice and various times visiting the bar. Alexa & Monica were the best witnesses, friendly and very accommodating young ladies, whose suggestions were perfect. The food was delicious, perfectly presented. Let's not forget Martine the bartender. Friendly and an expert with cocktails. We had our last dinner here tonight and sad to leave this beautiful neighborhood.

Fabulous brunch with old friends, the lobster omelette was delicious & reasonably priced. Yummy Aperol Spritz & Espresso Martini. Great service, with a street side view....so glad went back to one of very favorite spots in the North End!

Best food and cocktails I've had in a long time. The meatballs were... incredible!! I will be going back, new north end staple