Stella

I had never been here. I was dying for some pasta with meatballs. I have some go to places, but wanted something new to try. Add this place to the favorites list for sure. I got the Bolognese. I started with the meatballs and garlic bread. First off, ice cold Peroni's. The meatballs were amazing. The sauce was awesome. The garlic bread was so good! Feels funny raving about the bread, but it was perfect. Toasted perfect. The right amount of soft bread in the middle. The perfect amount of butter, garlic, and salt, to make it just what garlic bread should be. The Bolognese was exactly what I set out for. Pasta was cooked perfect, just slightly aldente, in one of the best Bolognese I have ever tasted. I love Bolognese, and this was the real deal. Rich meaty tomatoey flavor, that you are looking to find when you are a Bolognese fanatic like I am. I ended with the chocolate mousse, and a perfect espresso. This place is the goods. I was also lucky enough to meet, and talk with Evan, the owner, who was not only the most hospitable, he was also very personable and grounded, and just a good guy who was very proud of his restaurant. Rightfully so too. Definitely check this place out. Very comfortable. Very affordable. And VERY enjoyable. Can't wait to visit soon.

Can’t believe we only came for the first time! If you like arancini they do it well. Chix Milanese hit the spot I think it’s going to be hard not to order next time!

This place was amazing, the vibe was just right,the food was made when you placed your order and the customer service was on point. I am definitely coming back for more dessert 👍👍

Lovely small family restaurant with small menu my daughter and I shared an appetizer which was Zucchini Pillows. There were 3 sizable zucchini mixed with cheese and deep fried. They were crispy on the outside soft and juicy and very delicious. My daughter had Rigatoni with Bolognese sauce. The sauce tasted just right and the pasta cooked just perfect and together it was divine🌹 I had Chicken Milanese the chicken was huge and it sat on the bed of fluffy, tasty mashed potatoes and top with arugula salad and fresh cherries tomatoes. The lemon sauce for this dish just made everything came together very nicely. We were too full to have desert so I had a cup of coffee and the aroma was so nice. It was a lovely way to finished the meal. I love this little place, highly recommended.

A simple and straightforward menu with excellent choices all around. Not a single selection fell short. We were served by Stella herself, the daughter of the owner. Surprisingly, it was basically empty the entire two hours we were there on a Wednesday night. I would definitely go back. My only complaint is the usual one: the seating is just plain uncomfortable. What is it people have against cushions?

I’m just amazed!!! I came with one of my clients and she was feeling very cold, the guy literally borrowed his jacket for her!!!! The food and service just perfect I couldn’t have a bad experience, I got the gnocchi and she got a salad we ate everything and was delicious!! Coming back for sure!! Beautiful a presentation!

Wonderful place with a wonderful owner. Catered food to our meeting at my workplace and the food was a hit! Everyone loved it. The food was fresh & delicious. The owner was kind and helped a good cause! Highly recommend to anyone looking for a good meal.

I love Stella. Every time I get their rigatoni and their garlic bread, I feel warm and safe. Their tiramisu is also great. Their other pastas I have tried are also fantastic, and I probably would love everything on their menu if I tried them all! The Stella herself is also so kind!

Very high quality food with a somewhat diverse menu. Happy to find another gem spot in Newton. I had: Stella's Classic Bolognese (very good) Arancini (good) Salmon (great, I think lunch special?) Will be back to try more.

Cute little Italian place in Newton Center. The good: - There is a small parking lot in front of the restaurant, but plenty of street parking is also available - Tiny place, but staff is super friendly and helpful. They checked in on us frequently during our visit. - Bolognese and Orecchiette were really delicious and would recommend! The opportunities: - We feel the prices were on the high side. For example, $26 for a small-ish plate of bolognese? - Some of the dishes were on the dry side (and bland), for example the Chicken Milanese that we ordered. - meatballs sub was mostly bread (look at my picture)

The food was delicious. The service was attentive. They were very friendly and they even gave us desserts on the house for my mom's birthday. We will definitely be back.

Not sure if they were having a bad day given all the other reviews, but what a disappointment. $90 for lunch including two small glasses of wine (small pours and one glass equaled the cost of a bottle at a typical store), one appetizer, and one entree. The pasta was cold on one side like it had been chilled and not reheated, and there was hardly enough sauce. The place is cute with potential. The owner is a very kind and caring man, but he doesn't realize how loud his voice is. He was admonishing his kitchen staff for being too loud, and he was doing so at double their volume. Just play some music in the background--folks will understand laughing and banter in the kitchen. This is a cozy place not a white tablecloth kind of place, so let it be what it is. Sadly, one of our most underwhelming meals in quite some time.

Went here for my birthday lunch last weekend. Couldn't believe they weren't packed after eating the food. Very modest interior, and my husband and asked if I still wanted to stay after we walked in. I said yes, as I'd heard about the food and so glad we did. Food was amazing and great service. There are half price apps everyday between 3-5pm so we ordered one of everything, then we each got an entree, and then tiramisu and chocolate mousse for dessert. Delicious and highly recommend.

Delicious food and excellent service. A little gem in Newton. Be sure to try it out

Excellent food and some of the nicest people!! Strongly recommend all their appetizers. I also love that it's quiet and cozy! Great place!

Just visited Stella in Newton for the first time! It was delicious! They used to be in the South End, and now they're a new star on the block in Newton. I was drawn in by the promise of $7 appetizers from 3:00 to 5:00. Along with a glass of Rosé, Malbec for my husband, we ordered arancini and zucchini pillows. So delicious that we went ahead and stayed for dinner: Bolognese and Baked Salmon over spaghetti squash. Welcoming service from the owner and his son made this a lovely experience. We will be back!

So yummy and so bummed that they were completely empty on a Saturday night when they should be packed! Family owned restaurant that moved here a few months ago after shutting down in the South End during COVID after over a decade of business. Owner's kids are the servers, so sweet. Very casual Italian kitchen vibe. Great Caesar, bolognese is a must, loved the orecchiette too. Will be back for the tiramisu!

Excellent meatball parmigiana Excellent chicken parmigiana Loved the bread and sauce Well worth the stop off the pike

A hidden gem in Newton! Went here for lunch and highly recommend the enormous chicken parm sandwich. Absolutely delicious and great value- enough food for two! Owner was very nice and accommodating to our toddler. Can't wait to come for dinner to try their bolognese and apps.

Stella Cafe opened in Newton very recently. They were formerly located in Boston's South End before they closed in 2020. The space is very cozy with very limited seating with seating for up to 16 people or 8 tables. They offer full service dining and takeout. At the time of this posting, their hours were limited to 7am to 3pm, Tuesday through Sunday and a streamlined menu with a few breakfast items, sandwiches, burgers, pasta and regular entrees. The prices are moderate, most items in the $11-$25 range. I stopped in here during the lunch rush and the place was busy with only 2 tables available. I decided to order takeout since I had an appointment in the area. I ordered the Salt Cod Cakes ($16 plus tax) and the Mac & Cheese ($15 plus tax). My order was all ready in about 12 minutes after ordering. I enjoyed my food at my appointment. The 3 Salt Cod Cakes were deep fried crisp outside and very soft filling of bread and shredded cod mix over lemon aioli and parsley. The Mac & Cheese has a mix of orecciette pasta , gooey rich cheese sauce and a crispy breaded chicken cutlet, cut in strips. The food overall was pretty good and the portions were modest for the price. The counter service was prompt and courteous. I would return again when they have more food offerings to try and have dinner hours.

food was not Italian no sauce on chicken parm only two stewed tomatoes from a can no taste chicken just fair everything we had was poor.would never go back here even if the food was free. I find it hard to believe that it is the same chef as Stellas in the south end.

Top notch food, very nice clean and light ambiance, friendly staff, quiet, parking in front

Generous chicken parm sandwich with a sweet tomato sauce housed in an elevated ciabatta roll. Same for the meatball sandwich. Matzo ball soup was worthy of its Newton locale.

What a total treat this delightful neighborhood restaurant is! The food was truly delicious. Beet salad, gnocchi, lemon picatta chicken and a yummy chocolate mousse. The service was excellent. This little restaurant accommodated both adults and children seamlessly. I'll definitely be back!

Excellent food and a hard working family staff. We enjoyed our early dinner in this small storefront, neighborhood eatery.

I've had a number of sandwiches from Stella for lunch over the past few months and they have all been great, but the Steak and Cheese special might be the best Steak and Cheese I have ever had, hands down. They clearly care about the food they serve, everything has been impeccably well prepared.

Great little italian spot for the real deal italian food and pasta! Small but great service

Got takeout here for the first time recently and it was excellent. Good customer service as well. The classic bolognese did not disappoint.

Stella had been a large and very successful restaurant in the south end. The chef and owner Evan Deluty ran it for many years. He recently relocated to a much smaller place in Newton center, and is re-creating many of his most popular dishes there. you will be very warmly received and enjoy great meals in what is now a cozy neighborhood spot. Highly recommended.

I got take out today and I am so glad I did. The chicken Milanese is soooo good! I also tried the arancini and this did not disappoint. Food was ready when I arrived and hot. The waiter behind the counter was super nice. Go out and support this neighborhood spot. It was sad that the place was empty. I'm definitely going back.

Thought I would try their half price appetizer specials the other day. Got two orders of meatballs, zucchini pillows and arancini. Meatballs were the most disappointing as they were tasteless lacking salt, seasonings or much of any flavor. Arancini not very good and a bit too spicy though the menu description doesn't mention heat, probably had a dash too much cayenne or red pepper. Zucchini pillows were ok.

Amazing food. We've driven by many times and had never noticed this small restaurant. So glad we stopped in. We had the beet salad, arancini, zucchini pillows, bolognese and pappardelle special. Evening was fresh and delicious. We will definitely be back.

Today I made my second visit the first visit I made I had the Bolognese today I had the zucchini flowers and beet salad Evan and his crew as usual were spot on food was great. The Waiter service was fantastic. I have every intention of making another visit and would recommend anybody to do the same !!

Very good. Pizza is a bit fluffy for mt tastes. Meatballs were awesome. Service was very good.

Wonderful place, smaller spot but packs a big punch because the food is clearly worthy of large restaurant fanfare but they've deliberately kept it small - that is a breath of fresh air for a behind the curve restaurant scene like the Boston area. Coupled with great music is feels a bit like you're In a Manhattan restaurant. The service was great, food was excellent had the bolognese and burger, burger was grilled wonderfully came with a very nice salad. Bolognese is excellent and the pasta cooked perfect. They may do wine soon, I do hope they don't overprice the wine because it would be nice to have wine with this meal but everything's getting so expensive now it will be hard to justify adding on $18-20 glass. A range of options would be nice.

Great spot for lunch or dinner, plenty of parking, reasonable prices, and above all, great food...actually had lunch there twice this past week. You won't be disappointed.

This is more a cafe than a full service restaurant. Diner ambiance. Inexperienced waitress didn't bring soup until entrees were brought. Matzo ball soup is good, as is the bolognese. Salmon was a little dry. Chicken parm was very good - ordered with pappardelle. Sauce was good. We prefer Sweet Basil - better food, service.

Interesting concept, need more healthy choices, not quite as good as they think it is. Will try again in the near future.

I went here for the first time to get takeout. I ordered Stella's Classic Bolgonese and garlic bread. I feel sick to my stomach and have abdominal distress since eating my takeout last night. I spent $40 on my takeout. It is the most expensive and unpleasant takeout experience I ever endured. I never felt sick before from a restaurant.

The food is excellent -- just as it was in the old location in the South End -- the decor is charming and the staff is friendly. The Chicken Milanese was wonderful and I can't wait to try other items on the menu.

Found this restaurant after a quick yelp search and was pleasantly surprised at how wonderful the food was. My family and I dined here for lunch and all of our meals were fantastic. The service was quick and everything was so delicious, especially the bolognese and the potato gnocchi. The waiter was friendly and attentive and I would return here in the future for another great meal.

The pizza was ok. Not great. I called 50 minutes early with a time. Got there not ready had to wait another 10 minutes. They had just put the pizza in. Not good when the parking is so horrible. Service was very nice though. The ambience it's a hole in the wall. What more can I say?

We live around the corner and get take out here frequently. The bolognese is the best!!!! My non-foodie child loves the chicken fingers and fries. So easy to order online. Delicious food.

We took out dinner for our family. Everybody loved what we got, pastas and pizzas. Will definitely go back!! yum yum

Heard good things about the old Boston location and came here with expectations. The mushroom pizza was fantastic, very earthy mushroom flavor and delicious cheese. The Stella bolognese was good. The spaghetti squash was very tasty but perhaps too much butter/oil. The salmon didn't taste fresh, it tasted old - I had one bite and discarded the rest, a shame.

Amazing breakfast sandwich, and delicious coffee & cappuccino. For dinner, we love the lemon chicken with mashed potatoes. Easy take-out too!

I stopped by Stella for lunch one afternoon and ordered an arancini and rigatoni bolognese. Both were fantastic! The food was amazing and the service was friendly. Will definitely be back.