Mamma Maria

In a town house overlooking the Paul Revere House, the best restaurant in the North End offers innovative cuisine in a sophisticated yet comfortable setting. Upscale restaurants have been colonizing the neighborhood for a few years now, with their fashionable bars and noisy dining rooms -- and every time someone with a generous budget requests a recommendation, this is it. The menu changes seasonally, featuring superb entrees that are unlike anything else in this neighborhood, except in size -- portions are more than generous. Fork-tender osso buco, a limited-quantity nightly special, is almost enough for two, but you'll want it all for yourself. You can't go wrong with main-course pastas, either, and the steaks, chops, and fresh seafood specials (say, risotto with Maine crabmeat, Nantucket Bay scallops, and Ipswich clams), are uniformly marvelous. The pasta, bread, and desserts are homemade, and the wine list is excellent.

Note: This information was accurate when it was published, but can change without notice. Please be sure to confirm all rates and details directly with the companies in question before planning your trip.