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Need recommendation for Boston North End restaurant

Need recommendation for Boston North End restaurant

Old Apr 22nd, 2013, 09:01 AM
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Need recommendation for Boston North End restaurant

I'm helping coordinate a trip to Boston for a group of around 20 adults . We are traveling in August.

We are looking for a restaurant which reflects the uniqueness of Boston and can accomodate our group. We do have some individuals with dietary restrictions, e.g. gluten-free or vegetarian. The per person budget is ~$28.

The North End area would be ideal, since we are walking the Freedom Trail during the day.
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Old Apr 22nd, 2013, 09:39 AM
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The North End tends to have expensive restaurants that won't fit that budget, unless everyone wants only pasta w/marinara sauce.

I wonder if you can find any Groupon coupons?
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Old Apr 22nd, 2013, 09:44 AM
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Found a Groupon, for example:

Half Off Italian Cuisine at Terramia Ristorante

Cozy Italian trattoria with “extraordinary” food rankings from Zagat for its seasonally changing italian housemade pastas and entrees

North End (0.4 miles)
View Deal
$40 $20
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Old Apr 22nd, 2013, 10:08 AM
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We had a large private party on the top floor of
Ristorante Saraceno, 286 Hanover Street, wonderful food and event. Lots of pastas..Many other choices on Hanover Street, the heart of the North End, but Saraceno has that wonderful private spaceas well.
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Old Apr 22nd, 2013, 10:16 AM
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PS Well, I looked at the details, and unfortunately, you can have only one Groupon coupon per table. Probably wouldn't help your large group, unless everyone sits in two-tops.
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Old Apr 22nd, 2013, 10:30 AM
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Thank you! The restaurants I've found so far have been pricey.
We are fine with a pizza place.

We are also open to Charlestown.
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Old Apr 22nd, 2013, 12:11 PM
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FWIW, Legal Seafoods has a separate gluten-free menu.

We chose Carmelina's in the North End several weeks ago because they have a relatively large risotto and polenta (gluten free) selection, and also several vegetarian choices. I don't know if they are gluten free in a ``medically necessary'' sense.

I think you could squeeze under $30 a plate if you don't order multiple courses and go light on the wine list. It was a memorable meal, one of the best we've had in Boston.
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Old Apr 22nd, 2013, 12:20 PM
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(Re ``medically necessary'': I'm thinking about the possibility of cross-contamination with all that pasta flying around.)
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Old Apr 22nd, 2013, 12:36 PM
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Thank you, capxxx. I'll look into it.
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Old Apr 23rd, 2013, 01:44 AM
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Most North End restaurants are small or bad.

Saraceno is pretty good, but you will want to make sure well in advance that they will have stuff like risotto for people who don't eat pasta and of course that they can handle forty people ordering different things. It will cost a lot more than pizza, but a pizza place, the original Regina's suggests itself, won't likely be able to handle the gluten free.

The food at Durgin Park, also on the Freedom Trail, is a lot better than people give it credit for, and you can get a private room/area on the top floor where you can skip the tourist stuff.

For this many people, wherever you go, you will have to coordinate carefully with the management in advance, and you won't want even to think about this on Friday or Saturday night. If it is a meal just after the Freedom Trail, say late afternoon, you may be able to slot in a reservation between lunch and dinner.

Another way to do this is to accept the fact that you can't all eat together and give people a list of restaurants and a place to meet when they are through. This is, by the way, why tour companies exist. They have ready sorted all this out.
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Old Apr 23rd, 2013, 03:57 AM
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I think that you might try Massimino's. It's a very traditional Italian restaurant and they have private party menus for $40-50 per person, and say they will accommodate dietary needs. I don't have any affiliation with them, I just enjoy going there. I don't think $28 per person is adequate for a decent meal in a sit-down restaurant in most of Boston/Cambridge, unless you just get an entree & drink water. And even then with the tip....not so sure.

http://www.massiminosboston.com/private.html
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Old Apr 25th, 2013, 08:47 PM
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Take a look at Ristorante Saraceno's top floor before you decide on another place as it's really nice up there, and has it's own entrance. We had a special birthday milestone party there with friends from all over New England and Europe attending. It was terrific!
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Old Apr 26th, 2013, 03:56 PM
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It is very expensive this part of Boston. If you can you can try to move from that zone or something. Otherwise it is going to be complicated and I guess the best thing you can do is to make sure everything will be in order with your reservation once in the city. If I understood correctly you are coming from somewhere outside Boston area. There are 3 places might like to take a look at. They are not expensive. They are more like dining on budget restaurants but with good food. Check out Giacomo’s website at http://giacomosblog-boston.blogspot....estaurant.html Also a bit more expensive Panza. This place is really good. http://www.panzarestaurant.com/menu/
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