RESTAURANTS > RESTAURANT PROFILES > Florentine Cafe

Florentine Cafe
333 Hanover St. (617) 227-1777


In Boston’s oldest neighborhood, it is only fitting that some of the best restaurants are also the ones with the most staying power. Florentine Cafe, established just after the end of Prohibition, is not only an elder statesman in the North End, but it is also one of the area’s best places to experience authentic Italian dining.

Florentine Cafe offers a particularly fine dining experience on a warm spring or summer evening. One of the first open-air establishments in the North End, the Florentine boasts large picture windows that open onto the sidewalk and create a breezy, Old World feel. With a great view of such well-established Hanover Street neighbors as Caffe Vittoria and Mike’s Pastry, not to mention the picturesque St. Leonard’s Peace Garden across the way, diners can fully immerse themselves in the sights and sounds of the North End. And if the street vista is not enough to put diners in an Italian mindset, there’s also an outstanding mural of the Ponte Vecchio in Florence, Italy, on the back wall.

The food stands out as well, especially classic starters such as crispy fried calamari, served with a side of marinara sauce. For entrees, the spignola—a light and flaky grilled sea bass served with mussels, little neck clams and asparagus—represents the seafood selection very well, while meat dishes such as veal braciolettini—veal cutlets rolled with proscuitto and fontina cheese—and pasta staples like lobster ravioli and lasagna round out the menu. To complete your meal, sides are available a la carte, including garlicky spinach and alfredo risotto, as well as a delightful and mostly inexpensive selection of wines by the glass and bottle from all over the world.

Character and a classy decor are trademarks that have helped make Florentine Cafe a North End institution. But the real key to the restaurant’s longevity is well-prepared, exquisite Italian food. This is the real secret to the Florentine’s success and the reason it has remained a favorite dining destination for more than seven decades.