RESTAURANTS > RESTAURANT PROFILES > Antonio's

Antonio's
288 Cambridge St. 617-367-3310


Boston’s North End is world-renowned for its authentic Italian cuisine and old world charm. Away from the crowds and cobblestone streets of that charming enclave, however, lies an unassuming neighborhood eatery with a penchant for the tastes of the old world and a distinct flair for Italian gustatory delights.

Located on Cambridge Street across from Mass. General Hospital, Antonio’s may be a quaint, almost inconspicuous eatery, but is nonetheless making noise among Boston’s culinary establishment, primarily for its mix of Northern and Southern Italian fare, knowledgeable kitchen and wait staffs, reasonable prices and generous portions. Furthermore, Antonio’s has nurtured a lively and loyal clientele who enthusiastically return time and again to absorb the welcoming atmosphere and impeccable culinary creations emerging from chef Peter Limone’s kitchen.

Antonio’s boasts soothing, cream-colored walls adorned with prints of Italian renaissance artists such as Michelangelo and Leonardo da Vinci. The congenial atmosphere can be credited to Antonio’s decided lack of pretension and the simple yet oft-overlooked philosophy that every customer should be treated like one of the family.

Clinking glasses of cabernet sauvignon which whet our palates for the meal to come, we turned our attention to the menus before us. The shrimp margarita and artichoke margarita, two of their signature appetizers, are a divine study in authentic Italian cooking. Having dined at Antonio’s on prior occasions, we highly recommend both. Yet this evening, we dared to try new items both on and off the menu, as owner Steven Colarusso rotates several regular weekly specials to enliven the mix.

We began our repast with eggplant/garlic and oil—succulent slices of sautéed eggplant smothered in garlic and oil dressing and dusted with chopped onion. We also sampled two appetizer specials: the stuffed calamari and shrimp grand marnier. The breadcrumb-stuffed fried squid was served over strings of linguini and varnished in a light tomato sauce. The shrimp appetizer was dipped in egg batter and lathered in a piquant grand marnier liqueur, providing a mesmerizing contrast to the calamari dish.

Antonio’s entree list boasts various pastas, veal, chicken and seafood dishes. House favorites include the popular fusilli matriciana and lobster ravioli. My companion, a self-proclaimed seafood fiend, selected the swordfish pasta and broccoli—verdant broccoli florets and carvings of savory swordfish served atop a mountainous bed of ziti.

On the recommendation of our waiter, I selected the chicken/sausage, vinegar peppers and potatoes, replete with enormous pieces of marinated chicken, sweet Italian sausage and fresh potatoes garnished with bright strands of red and green peppers and bathed in a light vinegar.

With thoughts of the lush vineyards and rolling green vistas of Tuscany running through our minds, we indulged in one last moment of escapism—dessert. The classic Italian treat, tiramisu, functioned as our hedonistic vice. The decadent sponge cake, infused with espresso-soaked lady fingers and marscapone cheese, provided a bedazzling denouement to the evening.

For sumptuous Italian fare, scamper immediately to the North End, say the experts. Yet eschewing Boston’s cache of other Italian eateries, like the extraordinary Antonio’s, does a great disservice to both you and your palate.