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A tray of sfogliatelle, pastry that is shaped a bit like a lobster’s tail. Sfogliatella means “thin leaf” or “thin layer” in Italian.
Find great sfogliatelle — iconic Italian pastries — in Nonantum
Tommy Ranucci/Eater

Where to Eat in Greater Boston’s Other Little Italy

Newton’s village of Nonantum, also known as “the Lake,” offers everything from panini to sfogliatelle — and perhaps a Matt LeBlanc sighting

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Find great sfogliatelle — iconic Italian pastries — in Nonantum
| Tommy Ranucci/Eater

The conversation about Italian food in Boston often begins and ends with the North End, and more specifically the restaurants and markets along Hanover and Salem streets. While it’s hard to deny the North End’s preeminence in the genre, it’s not the only neighborhood in and around Boston serving great Italian food.

Nestled along the Charles River just beyond Boston’s city limits lies Nonantum, or “the Lake,” as the locals call it. One of Newton’s 13 villages, this tight-knit and historically Italian enclave is home to some of the best Italian food in Greater Boston. Offering opportunities to splurge on handmade sausages at a century-old deli or cannoli that is piped to order with sweet ricotta filling, this hidden gem has all the gustatory merit of the North End without all of the tourists.

Please note that a number of Boston-area restaurants have resumed dine-in service, and the level of service offered is indicated on each map point. However, this should not be taken as endorsement for dining in, as there are still safety concerns: For updated information on coronavirus cases in the area, please visit the Massachusetts coronavirus website.

Studies indicate that there is a lower exposure risk when outdoors, but the level of risk involved with patio dining is contingent on restaurants following strict social distancing and other safety guidelines.

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Guiseppe's Sub Shop

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This deli opened in Nonantum in 1958, and it hasn’t changed much since. The unpretentious sub shop is known for its generously filled but affordable panini and subs. (Throw on some of Guiseppe’s popular pickled relish, but don’t ask for lettuce.) With a seemingly endless list of specials, ranging from housemade meatballs to a killer egg salad, there’s something for everyone. You just might bump into Matt LeBlanc of Friends, who stops in for a bite whenever he’s back in his hometown.

Guiseppe’s is open for takeout and delivery.

A sign with a crossed out lettuce painted on the front to indicate that “no lettuce” is permitted on any of the sub shop’s sandwiches
The sign says it all: no lettuce!
Tommy Ranucci/Eater

Steamers Seafood Market

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At its core, Italian food is all about using the freshest ingredients in the simplest ways, letting the quality speak for itself. Steamers Seafood Market humbly embraces this style, taking advantage of the fresh seafood available from the waters of the Atlantic just a few miles away. Cajun tuna; scallop scampi; and flash-fried clams, haddock, and shrimp bring the briny freshness of the ocean to this unassuming corner store in this extraordinary village of Newton. Of course, it wouldn’t be New England if Steamers didn’t offer its take on a lobster roll.

Steamers is open for takeout.

A brick storefront with a folding table placed outside. Old-fashioned pale blue signage reads “Steamers, Inc.”
Steamers is, fittingly, known for its fresh seafood
Tommy Ranucci/Eater

Antoine’s Pastry Shop

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This legendary pastry shop could go head-to-head with Mike’s Pastry in the North End. The original owners were of French origin, but the shop started offering cannoli and sfogliatelle to please the village’s Italian population. Don’t be concerned about the hollow cannoli shells on the shelves — the ricotta is filled fresh to order. Be sure to try the Nutella-twisted pretzels and the Neapolitan rum baba.

Antoine’s is open for in-store shopping.

A tray of sfogliatelle, pastry that is shaped a bit like a lobster’s tail. Sfogliatella means “thin leaf” or “thin layer” in Italian.
Sfogliatella from Antoine’s
Tommy Ranucci/Eater

Eddie's Breakfast & Lunch

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The Lake isn’t all lunch and dinner spots. Head over to Eddie’s Breakfast and Lunch for one of the best diner breakfast experiences in the Boston area. This no-frills breakfast joint spins out stacks of silver dollar pancakes and breakfast combos on the cheap. Eggplant parm sub for breakfast? Eddie’s won’t judge you.

Eddie’s is open for indoor dining and takeout.

Olivia's Bistro

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In a space that was once a dive bar, Olivia’s Bistro offers a modern twist on classic Italian dishes with an industrial chic ambiance. The neighborhood has embraced Olivia’s as the destination to dine out, with its fresh-made pastas, wood-fired pizzas, and perfect wine list. Be sure to try the butternut squash agnolotti in sage butter served with amaretto biscotti. And the best part about Olivia’s? The kitchen sources local ingredients from its neighbors, like hot sausage from DePasquale’s.

Olivia’s is open for indoor dining, takeout, and delivery.

The Landing Pizza & Kitchen - L’Approdo

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Coming from the city of Latina on the Tyrrhenian coast of Italy, owner Massimo Ottani is behind the Landing, or “L’Approdo” in Italian. This Roman-style cucina makes you feel like you’re eating at an outdoor table on the cobblestone streets of the Italian capital. Bite into freshly baked focaccia — thin, soft, and airy with a crunchy bottom — as well as delicacies like suppli (Rome’s version of arancini), gnocchi (on Thursdays), and a fantastic trippa alla romana, or Roman-style tripe. But the star of the show is that focaccia.

The Landing is open for indoor dining, takeout, and delivery via DoorDash and Grubhub.

DePasquale's

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If a store stays open in the food business for 10 years, it’s fair to say it’s done pretty well. DePasquale’s has been doing its thing in Nonantum for even longer: This family-run meat market celebrated its centennial a couple of years ago, and it’s still pumping out handmade sausages and other salumeria essentials. Stop by the sibling shop on Adams Street to taste the sausages on fresh Italian loaves. Pro tip: Ask for a drizzle of the imported, small-batch balsamic vinegar to cut through the rich, porky goodness. 

DePasquale’s is open for in-store shopping.

A sandwich made on focaccia packed with peppers, mozzarella, basil, onions, and tomatoes
A decadent sandwich from DePasquale’s
Tommy Ranucci/Eater

Guiseppe's Sub Shop

This deli opened in Nonantum in 1958, and it hasn’t changed much since. The unpretentious sub shop is known for its generously filled but affordable panini and subs. (Throw on some of Guiseppe’s popular pickled relish, but don’t ask for lettuce.) With a seemingly endless list of specials, ranging from housemade meatballs to a killer egg salad, there’s something for everyone. You just might bump into Matt LeBlanc of Friends, who stops in for a bite whenever he’s back in his hometown.

Guiseppe’s is open for takeout and delivery.

A sign with a crossed out lettuce painted on the front to indicate that “no lettuce” is permitted on any of the sub shop’s sandwiches
The sign says it all: no lettuce!
Tommy Ranucci/Eater

Steamers Seafood Market

At its core, Italian food is all about using the freshest ingredients in the simplest ways, letting the quality speak for itself. Steamers Seafood Market humbly embraces this style, taking advantage of the fresh seafood available from the waters of the Atlantic just a few miles away. Cajun tuna; scallop scampi; and flash-fried clams, haddock, and shrimp bring the briny freshness of the ocean to this unassuming corner store in this extraordinary village of Newton. Of course, it wouldn’t be New England if Steamers didn’t offer its take on a lobster roll.

Steamers is open for takeout.

A brick storefront with a folding table placed outside. Old-fashioned pale blue signage reads “Steamers, Inc.”
Steamers is, fittingly, known for its fresh seafood
Tommy Ranucci/Eater

Antoine’s Pastry Shop

This legendary pastry shop could go head-to-head with Mike’s Pastry in the North End. The original owners were of French origin, but the shop started offering cannoli and sfogliatelle to please the village’s Italian population. Don’t be concerned about the hollow cannoli shells on the shelves — the ricotta is filled fresh to order. Be sure to try the Nutella-twisted pretzels and the Neapolitan rum baba.

Antoine’s is open for in-store shopping.

A tray of sfogliatelle, pastry that is shaped a bit like a lobster’s tail. Sfogliatella means “thin leaf” or “thin layer” in Italian.
Sfogliatella from Antoine’s
Tommy Ranucci/Eater

Eddie's Breakfast & Lunch

The Lake isn’t all lunch and dinner spots. Head over to Eddie’s Breakfast and Lunch for one of the best diner breakfast experiences in the Boston area. This no-frills breakfast joint spins out stacks of silver dollar pancakes and breakfast combos on the cheap. Eggplant parm sub for breakfast? Eddie’s won’t judge you.

Eddie’s is open for indoor dining and takeout.

Olivia's Bistro

In a space that was once a dive bar, Olivia’s Bistro offers a modern twist on classic Italian dishes with an industrial chic ambiance. The neighborhood has embraced Olivia’s as the destination to dine out, with its fresh-made pastas, wood-fired pizzas, and perfect wine list. Be sure to try the butternut squash agnolotti in sage butter served with amaretto biscotti. And the best part about Olivia’s? The kitchen sources local ingredients from its neighbors, like hot sausage from DePasquale’s.

Olivia’s is open for indoor dining, takeout, and delivery.

The Landing Pizza & Kitchen - L’Approdo

Coming from the city of Latina on the Tyrrhenian coast of Italy, owner Massimo Ottani is behind the Landing, or “L’Approdo” in Italian. This Roman-style cucina makes you feel like you’re eating at an outdoor table on the cobblestone streets of the Italian capital. Bite into freshly baked focaccia — thin, soft, and airy with a crunchy bottom — as well as delicacies like suppli (Rome’s version of arancini), gnocchi (on Thursdays), and a fantastic trippa alla romana, or Roman-style tripe. But the star of the show is that focaccia.

The Landing is open for indoor dining, takeout, and delivery via DoorDash and Grubhub.

DePasquale's

If a store stays open in the food business for 10 years, it’s fair to say it’s done pretty well. DePasquale’s has been doing its thing in Nonantum for even longer: This family-run meat market celebrated its centennial a couple of years ago, and it’s still pumping out handmade sausages and other salumeria essentials. Stop by the sibling shop on Adams Street to taste the sausages on fresh Italian loaves. Pro tip: Ask for a drizzle of the imported, small-batch balsamic vinegar to cut through the rich, porky goodness. 

DePasquale’s is open for in-store shopping.

A sandwich made on focaccia packed with peppers, mozzarella, basil, onions, and tomatoes
A decadent sandwich from DePasquale’s
Tommy Ranucci/Eater

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