While Boston’s North End may be known for its food, many of the pasta palaces tend to blend together after a while. So if you are looking for a place that is truly different yet still offers the handmade pasta and handcrafted cuisine with all the Italian inspiration and sophisticated New England charm, head to the end of the End and experience Aragosta.
Housed in the Fairmont Battery Wharf Hotel (which is itself worthy of exploration, even for locals), Aragosta (Italian for “lobster”) offers a solid set of scrumptious servings selected by award-winning Chef David Daniels.
Though known as a pioneer of the “California Cuisine” movement, Chef Daniels is firmly ensconced in his New England roots and also brings the best from his own Italian roots, including a Sunday series “Nonny’s dinners” that bring your family together with his. Combining local produce with international flair, Chef Daniels offers a menu that is comfortable and contemporary and always just what you had in mind. Chef Daniels’ culinary complement is complimented by his surroundings. While clad mostly in a rustic blend of buffed granites and warm, rich, rustic woods that would be at home in any European bistro, Aragosta is also physically accented by wistful watercolors of Olde Boston. Passing through the doors off the plushly appointed Lobby Lounge (which also offers delicious dining and drinks daily and live music on weekends), guests can ether stop at the long, luxurious bar to dine, drink, or just canoodle with fellow guests (whether already known to them or not) or glide on into the main dining area that features a variety of seating options, including curtained tables that are perfect for business meetings, family get-together or just a romantic rendezvous a bit set off from the rest of the “yum”-ing crowd. Observant diners may notice a pile of cozy blankets stacked in the corner and may feel the need to investigate. Grab one of those blankets and go with that feeling- for it will reveal one of Aragosta’s (and the city’s) best-kept secrets- an award-winning terrace area featuring a pair of cozy fire pits at which are served some of the city’s best fondue, do-it-yourself s’mores kits and a series of specialty drinks that includes a handmade Italian-inspired hot chocolate that is worth a visit for itself alone! Nowhere else in the area can you enjoy such treats any time of day or night (the Terrace offers breakfast, lunch, dinner, drinks and desserts without reservations on a first-come, first-delighted basis) while gazing up at the stars or out at the Harbor to the relaxing hush of the waves, the warm hiss of the overhead heat lamps and the distant hum of the Tobin Bridge. So even if you choose to dine elsewhere in the End, a stop at Aragosta for a cheesy (in a good way!) appetizer or decadent nightcap should be on your itinerary as well. They even offer valet parking for the otherwise car-unfriendly North End! Just be sure to wipe the cheese (though not the smile) off your face before going back inside.
For those savvy diners who choose to stay, the options and rewards of making the journey do not end there. In addition to dining in the lounge, at the bar or in any of the main dining room’s various areas, Aragosta also offers a Chef’s Counter where diners can get up close and personal with Chef Daniels and his artistic assistants and interact with them as they create their many marvelous menu markers, some of which are featured in a daily rotation of piatti del giorno, Chef’s Choice tastings and other daily, weekly, and occasional offerings. There are even special Chef’s Tasting menus available that feature three full courses for $35 or four for $45 (and not just during Restaurant Week!). In addition to the live music on Fridays and Saturdays, the talented team in charge of all the food at the Fairmont also offers such weekly treats as the upscale “ladies’ night” known as “Bella Notte Thursdays”, lobster fra diavolo Fridays and the famed “Sweet Weekends” dessert tastings (which also feature that famous hot chocolate recipe, with or without a little something extra!).
As it is part of the Fairmont family, many Aragosta offerings align with the acclaimed international chain’s Lifestyle Cuisine health and wellness guidelines, ensuring that every diner gets all the flavor and enjoyment without any added fat, gluten, sodium, or other unwanted ingredients. Even the coffee and tea menu offer extra-healthy options, including teas that promote tranquility, energy, and even weight loss (in case you just can’t help yourself when the dessert menu comes around). No matter what you order, however, you are sure to be satisfied! From the hand-cut bread with olives in oil to fish and shellfish from right outside to pastas that are created and cooked while you watch, everything is fresh and flavorful with ingredients you will recognize arranged into recipes you will want to make at home. Among the many stand-out selections are Aragosta’s beet salad with maple-toasted almonds and pomegranate sauce, a tuna tower that is as pleasing architecturally as it is gastronomically, and a plate of whole grain spaghetti with a signature sauce straight out of Nonna’s kitchen.
In the same way as the food ranges from robust to romantic, Aragosta’s wine and beverage list offers a wide array of options as well. Arranged into domestic, international and Italian sections, the wine list (including champagnes) is available by the glass, half-bottle and bottle. For those who wish to try something new, tastes are not only available but encouraged by Aragosta’s personable staff.
So whether you dine inside or out, at a quiet corner table or face to face with the chef, before, after or during your bella notte in the North End, Aragosta at the Fairmont Battery Wharf brings the best of Italy to Boston and offers some of the best in Boston to locals and visitors alike.
Aragosta Bar and Bistro
3 Battery Wharf
Boston, MA
617 994 9001