Volturno has a cult following in Worcester, so I was excited to hear that they were coming to Framingham. Located right off Route 9 on Edgell Road, this Neopolitan pizza restaurant feels very spacious. Their pizzas are airy and have a bit of a chew to them, along with a nice char.

We started off with the fettunta ($8), a house made whipped ricotta served with saba and grilled local bread. This dish is just dreamy – you never want the ricotta to end. It is so smooth and creamy and just melts in your mouth. I could have had this as my main meal.

For our main course, of course I went with the bolognese ($19), made with tagliatelle pasta and a mixture of veal, beef and pork. It was topped off with a little bit more of that dreamy ricotta. The portions seemed a bit small, but this dish really fills you up. Other pasta dishes on the menu include items like garganielli with bleu cheese cream and pistachio, linguine with lump crab meat and caponata, crest de gallo with pancetta and spaghetti with egg, guanciale and a quail egg yolk.

For pizza, we went simple, but other options include choices like: lemone cured meyer lemon, smoked mozzarella, red onion, basil and agrumato, cavoletti  roasted Brussels spout, bacon, mozzarella, gorgonzola, and local maple syrup,  pistachio  house made pork sausage, pistachio pesto, mozzarella and pecorino romano, or vongole littleneck clams, bacon, garlic confit, mozzarella, ricotta and agrumato. Prices for pizzas range from $11-$18 and you can create your own pizza as well.

Did you know that they also have pasta making classes? For $60 per person tax and gratuity not included), you can spend the evening making pasta (at their Worcester location) and drinking wine. Head over to their Facebook page for details.

Volturno Pizza

1 Edgell Road, Framingham, MA

www.volturnopizza.com

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Growing up in the area as a kid, I have memories of spending my high school days with my friends at Friendly’s. The service was always horribly slow, but it was a place to go and hangout with friends or to celebrate after a sporting event. When Da Vinci Bistro moved into the former Friendly’s space, I wasn’t sure how I’d feel about it, but when you walk in the front door, you can’t even imagine that a Friendly’s was there in the first place. The decor is sleek and modern and the food is tasty. We went early one night with the family – they offer mac and cheese or spaghetti for the little ones. We started with the arancini ($9), risotto balls with mozzarella served with pomodoro sauce. While they were rich in flavor, they still felt light and crispy.

For my main course I had the bolognese ($18). The house made rigatoni was tossed with a sauce made up of tomatoes, ground sirloin and red wine. Certainly a stick to your ribs kind of meal. Other offerings on the menu include dishes like spaghetti all vongole, tortellini ai quattro formaggi, lasagna and gnocchi. If pasta isn’t what you’re in the mood for, they offer dishes like chicken parmesan, beef tenderloin and salmon.

Service was good. The tables felt a little tight, and while they do offer a children’s menu, I would recommend leaving the kiddos at home (unless you go when they first open – but even then, it felt a bit uncomfortable).

Da Vinci Bistro is now open for lunch Friday – Sunday and they have a 3 course menu every Monday – Wednesday for $29 per person. Reservations can be made online with Reserve or by calling the restaurant. Parking is available in the lot next to the restaurant. You can visit their sister restaurant Da Vinci on Columbus Ave in Boston or their other sister restaurant Soul of India on Boston Post Road in Sudbury.

Da Vinci Bistro

457 Boston Post Road, Wayland, MA

www.davincibistro.com

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If you’re a Falmouth native – you’re either a team Paul’s Pizza or a team Steve’s pizza. It’s Cape Cod’s own New Haven style rivalry. I happen to like Paul’s but Steve’s might be just a little more convenient for me to pick up…

Paul’s Pizza has been in business for over 50 years, still owned and run by the Noonan family, making it one of Falmouth’s oldest restaurants. They make thin crust pizza – and I love mine with meatballs and cooked a little on the well done side.

Paul’s Pizza offers over 30 types of toppings and a variety of other items in case pizza isn’t your thing (but isn’t pizza everyone’s thing?!). They have chicken dishes, pasta and tons of seafood options. Their chicken and seafood plates come with your choice of two sides: French fries, baked potato, coleslaw, vegetables or rice.

So which are you, team Paul or team Steve?

Paul’s Pizza

14 Benham Road, Falmouth, MA

www.paulspizzacapecod.com

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I recently went to the opening of Whole Foods in Sudbury, and afterwards, a few of my friends and I stopped in to 29 Sudbury for dinner. A cute little spot with a great bar, two floors of dining, and a lovely little outdoor patio for when the weather is nice! We had a spacious round booth upstairs and basically had the whole floor to ourselves (or maybe it just felt that way). Service was excellent and the food was delicious. I’ve been back twice since that night and haven’t been disappointed.

If you know me at all, you know I can’t resist bolognese when it’s on the menu. Not only does 29 Sudbury have bolognese as an entree, they also serve it as an appetizer ($12) served with bread (YUM!!!) So of course I HAD to order it both for an appetizer and a meal. The pasta in the entree was cooked al dente, and the seauce is a mixture of beef, pork, veal and pancetta. The bolognese is finished with some sweet cream, parmesan and fresh herbs. What else have I eaten there? The artichoke fonduta ($12) is also very tasty – the kind of dish that you would literally lick clean if no one was looking. It’s a mixture of marinated artichokes, cipollini onions and garlic with a three cheese alfredo sauce (talk about indulgent). The pizzas can’t be missed. They come in flavors like wild mushroom: served with mushroom alfredo, white truffle essence, and spicy arugula; meatza: served with amatriciana sauce, thinly sliced meatballs, spopresatta and spicy sausage; or a prosciutto: served with diced peach, goat cheese, grilled onions and topped with prosciutto. The sachetti ($10) are these tiny “purses” or pillows served over a chive fondu (see large photo above). They are filled with a blend of three cheese and topped with crispy prosciutto, a vin cotton drizzle and shaved locatelli. The golden beet salad was a pleasant surprise in terms of presentation, it came with wild arugula and shaved endive, topped with fried Vermont goat cheese and cara cara orange segments. The crunchy pistachio vinaigrette was addictive! Also a surprise was the delicious saffron shrimp scampi ($28). The sautéed shrimp was served with marinated artichoke, capers, shaved garlic, roasted tomato, gavi wine and sweet butter. The saffron linguine was so delicious, it’s really the only kind of linguine I want to eat from now on! The portion was generous, certainly enough to make two meals out of it.

So what else is on the menu? A quick run down: fired grilled lolli chops, roasted mussels, beef carpaccio, Tuscan oreccheitte, chicken parmesan, oven roasted half chicken and wild garlic scape tagliatelle to name a few.

Need a place for Sunday brunch? Look no further, they have a well rounded menu so that everyone is sure to find something they want on the menu. French toast, Belgian waffles, spicy sausage omelette, eggs benedict (classic, crab of prosciutto, or chicken and waffles to name a few things. Don’t miss the colossal bloody mary or the champagne drinks (mega-mosa, man mosa, peach fizz, the peacock or the brunchin’ bee).

And feel free to bring the kids along, they have a great kids menu too. The pizza on the kid’s menu is enormous! We took 3/4 of it home!

29 Sudbury

29 Hudson Road, Sudbury, MA

www.29sudbury.com

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Franco’s Trattoria is located in a small strip mall in Sudbury. It’s a family owned and operated restaurant that puts out some delicious pizza. They have a nice selection of items on their menu: pizza, pasta, calzones, sandwiches, salads, wraps and more. They have an affordable kids menu with most items ranging in at $4-$6.

I’m a big fan of their pizzas, thin crust with just the right amount of sauce and cheese.

We order take out frequently here, but it is also a nice place to dine in. We always see a lot of families in here. The meatball pizza is another one of my go to orders.

I’m a big fan of their fried raviolis ($7.95). They give you a generous portion and they could certainly be a meal by themselves.

Desserts here are a little hit or miss for me. The limoncello cake and the tiramisu were just ok. If you’re planning on dining in, I recommend the gelato!

Franco’s Trattoria

365 Boston Post Road (Route 20), Sudbury, MA

http://www.welovefrancos.com

Closed on Sundays

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Babbo is Mario Batali’s restaurant located on Boston’s Fan Pier. They opened in 2015 and occupy an enormous space. The open floor plan has 3 bars and features wood burning pizza ovens. I have been before, see my previous review here, but was anxious to get back so that I could try some of the other dishes on the menu.

The marinated olives ($6) were at hit at the table (pictured bottom right) as well as the pizzas. Pizzas come in delicious flavors like Fungi e scamorza  ($16) (third down from top) with Wolf Meadow smoked mozzarella, crimini, oyster and shiitake mushrooms; Boscaiola ($18) with tomato mozzarella, sweet sausage, chanterelle and Grana Padano; or salami picante ($17) with sheep’s milk ricotta, calabrian chilis, gaeta olives and cache di roma. The carbonara was my pick of the meal ($14) with pancetta, scallions, black pepper and egg. The pasta was cooked perfectly al dente and the sauce was so rich and creamy. I only wish that there was more of it!

Parking is limited on the street at meters and there are pay lots near by. Babbo does not have valet and they do not validate.

Babbo

11 Fan Pier Boulevard, Boston, MA

http://babbopizzeria.com/

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I was at the Boston Public Market a few weeks ago and parked in a nearby lot where an attendant parks your car for you. When I got back to my car, I noticed that the attendant backed my car into a pole. So I when I went back to settle up with the parking lot, I decided to make a trip into the North End. Pizza makes everything better doesn’t it? I had been hearing good things about Monica’s Mercato Pizza – so today was as good a day as any to check it out. Went there on the early side as I’m sure the lunch crowd is crazy. The space is small and there is no place to eat in. I had to wait outside with the stroller as it couldn’t make the trip down the stairs, so the photos above (bottom left and bottom right) are courtesy of Leah from Leah’s Life.

The pizza slices are huge – a quarter of a pizza, and they will run you $4.50. You can also order whole pizzas, smalls are 12″ and large pizzas are 16″. Click here for their menu. The pizzas were thin crust and were tasty. Just the right amount of cheese on them with some good flavor combinations.

While there, we went and checked out the market upstairs that carries things like beer and wine, imported meats and cheese, fresh pasta and a nice variety of prepared foods. I’ve heard that they make delicious sandwiches here – so I will have to go back again to try those. Prices for sandwiches range from $9-$10 for a small and $12 – $13 for a large. I did bring home some fresh pasta which was such a treat – I paired it with crushed tomatoes and cauliflower and topped with Parmesan cheese. Delicious!

Monica’s Mercato

130 Salem Street, Boston, MA

http://monicasboston.com/monicas-mercato-pizza/

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It feels like I haven’t had Sunday brunch with friends in forever! I was glad to head out to il Casale in Belmont for a day out with some great ladies that I haven’t seen in some time. Our meal started off with these delicious chocolate biscotti, dipped in chocolate. How could chocolate dipped in chocolate ever be bad?

These delicious fig pastries were a hit at the table – they were gone in the blink of an eye! Brunch is served every Sunday from 11:30am – 2:30pm and they have some great live music!

No brunch would be complete without a little day drinking. Their Bloody Mary is impressive, made with vodka, il Casale’s fra diavolo mix, castelvetrano olives, celery salt $12. I had the grapefruit flower, which was elder flower liqueur, white grapefruit, and prosecco $12. Sweet but not too sweet, a really nice smooth citrus flavor. The roses fizz was my second choice, made with lemony vodka, cranberry, prosecco, and orange peel $12.

S.L.T.  which is Nova Scotia smoked salmon, lettuce & tomato bruschetta, mascarpone, and served with a side of rosemary fries $16. The fries are PERFECTION. Crispy, thin, just the right amount of salt. How beautiful does that smoked salmon look?

Our meal ended with a shot of Limonio – a bright, not too sweet lemon flavored drink.

Disclaimer: I was invited to attend a brunch at il Casale with a group of writers. Our meals were provided complimentary. All opinions are my own.

il Casale

50 Leonard Street, Belmont, MA

http://ilcasalebelmont.com

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Located in the old Rialto space, Benedetto is the new Italian restaurant from the team that brought you Giulia. The space is lovely and my favorite part was the pasta table in the back. By day they make fresh pasta on it and by night it is set for large dinner parties.

I was at the restaurant for a party for the Charles Hotel, but they were serving a lot of items that they have on their main menu. The polenta cakes were delicious, they just melted in your mouth. Very light and creamy. Other small plates they offer in the menu are things like warm semolina cakes with taleggio, roasted mushrooms, parsley and lemon; ricotta crostini with pomegranate, aged balsamic and sicilian pistachios or duck heart ‘speeding’ with picked red pearl onions, heirloom apples and cider agrodolce. Sfizi run from $6-$12.

Another popular dish was the octopus, fresh and flavorful! Other antipasti dishes on the menu include: prosciutto di parma with heirloom apples, escarole hearts, grilled rosemary flatbread and parmigiano; yellowfin tuna crude with bottarga di tonno, cucumber, radish and citrus or grilled mackerel with yucca ‘in soar’ (sun choke, pine nuts, golden raisins and coriander). Antipasti dishes are $15-$19.

I didn’t have a chance to snap a photo of the pasta that we tried, I guess I was just so excited to try it. Take my word for it, the pasta is delicious, it just melted in my mouth. I’m already planning my next trip back to try the bolognese (traditional ragu served with beef short rib, pancetta and chicken livers). Other picks on my list are the braised duck leg tortelloni served with broccoli rabe, dried cherries and parmigiano or the torchio served with lobster, roasted squash, burrata and Umbrian lentils. Pastas range from $19-$32.

Secondi options include branzino, a roasted duck breast, veal and a grilled swordfish.

Disclaimer: I was invited as a guest of the Charles Hotel to a cocktail party at Benedetto. Complimentary appetizers and wine were served. All opinions are my own.

Benedetto

1 Bennett Street, Cambridge, MA (in the Charles Hotel)

http://www.benedettocambridge.com

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It wasn’t quite outdoor patio weather, but pretty cool to check out the pizza oven at Osteria Nino in Burlington. I hadn’t visited Burlington in quite some time, so it was nice to see how many new restaurants and shops have popped up. Osteria Nino is pretty convenient to get to, it’s right off the highway and just minutes away from the Burlington Mall. There’s plenty of parking available and you should stop in to Wegmans while you’re there!

Osteria Nino is a great little casual Italian restaurant that serves lunch, brunch and dinner. We headed over for an early lunch before the rush, but the bar would be a great place to meet up for drinks after work.

They have a great patio outside for when the weather gets warmer (looking forward to visiting this spring/summer). We sat in the room to the right where tons of natural light poured in the windows (a food bloggers dream).

The lunch menu features fried appetizers (calamari, mozzarella, toasted raviolis), salads, sandwiches with hand cut truffle fries, pizza and pasta. The dinner menu is fleshed out a bit more with steaks and seafood.

We wondered if the pastas were made in house. The gnocchi was served in a light tomato sauce with melted cheese over top. Certainly a stick to your ribs kind of lunch – perfect for these cold temps.

The pizzas are wood fired and have a crisp, yet still chewy crust – thin but not too thin of a crust. Service was friendly and attentive.

They have some interesting looking wine dinners set up from now until May up on their website. They also have two spaces available for private events. Head to their website to see a 3D tour of their space.

Osteria Nino

19 Third Ave., Burlington, MA

http://www.osterianino.com

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