Rigoletto Ristorante Fills a Former Cafe Space With Homemade Pasta & Organic Meats

Salem Street in the North End has a new option for Italian specialties. Rigoletto Ristorante opened for dinner on Sunday, July 12, North End Waterfront reported.

The news website noted that the renovation and permitting process to ready the restaurant has taken multiple years. A previous article on the site notes that last year, the North End/Waterfront Residents' Association granted the Rigoletto team conditional use to convert the space at 115 Salem St. into a full restaurant. It was previously a limited cafe, Sapori di Napoli/Napoli Cafe, which had closed the year prior, according to the North End Waterfront site.

Alex Herrera is Rigoletto's chef, and Alex Garcia is the general manager. The kitchen is sourcing organic meat, and pastas and sauces are all homemade, Garcia told the North End Waterfront. Real Food Consulting notes that Herrera is also behind Antonia's at the Beach in Revere.

Rigoletto's opening menu items include a charcuterie board with house-made prosciutto di Parma, bresaola, coppa, sopressata, pecorino, and Parmigiano reggiano; grilled Spanish octopus with roasted tomato sauce, celery root puree, and crispy polenta croutons; Italian flatbreads; tagliatelle with a wild mushroom ragu, cipollini onions, and hand-pressed ricotta; and linguini with olive oil-cured tuna, roasted tomato sauce, white wine, and chili pepper. There are specialty cocktails and a wine list with selections from Italy, Argentina, and California, North End Waterfront notes.

The 40-plus-seat restaurant is open daily from 4 p.m. - midnight, and lunch service will start later in July, according to Rigoletto's website.