Restaurant Review: Caffe Nuovo in the North End

Caffe Nuovo has rapidly become one of my favorite restaurants in the North End, ever since I first heard about it and visited at the beginning of October. And I’m going there again next week, to my everlasting joy, because a BC alumni reception is being held there. Therefore, it is time to spread the word: Caffe Nuovo has the best brunch in Boston, a delicious and tasteful dinner menu, affordable prices, virtually no tourists (think “young professional” sort of place), and it’s owned by the son of a notorious North End mobster. What’s not to like?

Because I keep forgetting to take pictures of my food whenever I go there, have a look at this blog for the exciting food pictures from Caffe Nuovo.

Located on Salem Street, Caffe Nuovo’s exterior is quiet, elegant and understated, much like the industrial-style dining room inside. It can be hard to see from the street at first, as it doesn’t stand out as much as its flashier neighbors do. For some reason, it doesn’t get as much press and publicity as some of the more famous North End eateries. This has probably worked out in favor of the restaurant’s clientele, who never have to worry about long queues to get in, unlike at Giacomo’s, or lack of elbow room while dining. And it’s never loud inside, it never tries the cheesy “rustic Italian” gimmicks that so many tourist-trap restaurants unfortunately love.

The brunch at Caffe Nuovo is fantastic. There are many standard menu items – bagels with smoked salmon, waffles, pancakes, etc – but the execution and creative Italian touches are what counts here. The eggs benedict with lobster or crab, for example, is TO DIE FOR.  The only things that prevent me from eating brunch there regularly are my thin student wallet and the excruciating ride on the B Line to actually get there. Yes, I take the B Line to Haymarket – all the way from Chiswick Road – for Caffe Nuovo’s sake. Does that help explain how awesome it is?

Dinner here is fabulous too. Although the food might be modern Italian rather than authentic Italian, is beautifully executed, and you can have dinner here without spending more than $20-$30. The service is brilliant considering that Caffe Nuovo is nowhere near as expensive as the real North End showstoppers like Tresca. The waiters attend to you as if they’re your personal waiter, probably because the dining room is never full (and that is probably because relatively few people seem to have heard of this place). The food is served in personal pans, and is always fresh, non-oily and amazing. I love the linguini vongole clams and the gnocchi, and my favorite item on the antipasti menu is the probably either the calamari or the shrimp scampi in white wine with grape tomatoes.

Nota bene: if you are Italian-American, do not come here and expect to eat your grandmother’s food. It’s good food, but undeniably modern.

In short, go there for brunch on Sunday or go there for dinner, and you can thank me later.