La Famiglia Giorgio

The boyfriend about to enjoy a large
plate of calamari over a bed of pasta.

Just a few blocks from the Haymarket T Station, La Famiglia Giorgino lies nestled in with all of the other tiny restaurants in the North End. But don't assume that because it's nearly hidden, it should be overlooked.

Personally, I've only been to La Famiglia Giorgino twice, but whenever I crave some hearty pasta, it's the first place that I think of. With a choice of twenty different sauce & veggie combinations to top your choice of pasta, you can't go wrong. They even have five specialty pastas that are all handmade: ravioli, white tortellini, gnocchi, fettuccini, & tri-colored tortellini.

And that's not the only thing to fall head over heels for. All of these pasta dishes are fifteen dollars or less, unless you choose a specialty pasta. If you opt for the homemade (you should) they'll tack on three dollars. But as you can see from the picture above, the portions are anything but lacking.

Besides the Misto di Pesce, their signature dish, no other dish on the menu is over twenty dollars. The aforementioned dish is forty dollars, but with good reason. The dish consists of clams, mussels, calamari, & shrimp sauteed in a fresh tomato, marinara, or garlic & oil sauce & served over two pounds of pasta. If you can finish it by yourself, they'll even give you a t-shirt.

Though I'm not a huge fan of calamari ($17) myself, I did try it, & it was wonderful. My orders were the pesto alfredo over fresh fettuccini ($18) & the saltimbocca over fresh ravioli ($18). Both of which I was forced to take half of home, and I still had to forgo dessert.

But La Famiglia Giorgino's menu doesn't stop at pasta. They have everything: pizzas, calzones, salads, soups, chicken, veal, fish, & traditional desserts, as well as eighteen vegetarian options. Be warned, however, that you will not make it to dessert unless you have four stomachs or a mind of steel.

Overall, both of my meals were absolutely delicious, romantic (there's even a fireplace in the cozy dining area), & the service was beyond perfect. I would highly recommend this tiny getaway to anyone who was looking for a lovely Italian meal. I doubt you'll find anything better.

And if you really feel like you can handle dessert (but that you need a teeny walk to digest first), La Famiglia Giorgino is just down the block from Bova's Bakery, which is open 24/7. Buon appetito!