(617) 720-0052

210 Hanover St
Boston, MA 02113 42.3628 -71.0555

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Neighborhoods: North End, Central

tarantarist.com

Hours:

Monday To Sunday From 05:30 PM To 10:00 PM

Price:

$$$$

Last updated 6.23.11

Category:

Restaurants, Certified Green Restaurant(R)

Payment Methods:

Gift Certificate, American Express, Diners Club, Visa, MasterCard, Travelers Check

Restaurant Special Features:

Romantic Dining, Special Occasion Dining, Fine Dining, Private Rooms, People Watching, Date Spot, Group Dining

Cuisine:

Seafood, Italian

Smoking Permitted:

No

Editor's Tips

What People Are Saying About Taranta

Featured Review

Eric Grossman

Contributor

As one of the North End's most expansive restaurants, Peruvian-Italian Taranta splits its vast dining space between three levels. Tambourines dangle from rustic, exposed-brick walls in tribute to the Tarantella, the traditional Southern-Italian dance from which the restaurant takes its name. Taranta's seasonal menu meshes Latin American ingredients with Italian fare, yielding dishes like cassava root gnocchi or ravioli stuffed with duck confit and lucuma fruit. Chef Jose Duarte's Taranta is also a Certified Green restaurant, committed to green initiatives and sustainability.

Editor's Tips

Parking:
Head straight to the Parcel 7 garage on Congress Street. The restaurant validates for up to three hours ($3).
The Extras:
If you're dying for more of the chef's take on Southern Italian cuisine, the third floor room is available for private cooking classes. Local chefs help gourmet wannabes prepare a traditional five-course meal.
Know Before You Go:
Unlike many of its neighboring restaurants, Taranta does serve dessert. Highlights include rich homemade tiramisu and hazelnut mousse drizzled with dulce de leche.
ambiance
100.0% positive
  1. “really good food and taste to decorations.”
  2. “This romantic candlelit restaurant is the perfect date place.”
  3. “The prices were extremely reasonable, given the North End location, and the menu was very inventive - Italian with a twist.”
  4. “The cozy atmosphere is perfect for the food they server.”
  5. “The service was attentive and the ambiance and background music were lovely.”
  6. “romantic place and fantastic food, I dined here with my girlfriend for our aniversary and we both loved the food and the fine.”
  7. “Halfway through my luke warm chicken, the waitress finally came to the table, took the salt shaker and the pepper mill, thrust both at me, and told me to, "have fun.”
  8. “Fabulous food, great atmosphere.”
dessert
66.66999816894531% positive
  1. “Thankfully, he did not inquire about dessert, as we were anxious to leave this frustrating meal behind.”
  2. “Had a fabulous hazelnut mousse for dessert.”
  3. “If you are looking for a dessert, the limoncello flute was great!”
  4. “The staff was extremely helpful when it came to me secretly requesting a piece of their chocolate tort with a candle for my girlfriend's birthday (the tort was also delicious).”
  5. “Like I said the service was great and loved the apps as well as the dessert but our mail meals were very good but not out of this world.”
  6. “We were too full ffor dessert but I will definitely be back again!”
drinks
100.0% positive
  1. “He was unsure of what wine to recommend with our dishes.”
  2. “Our waiter was very good with wine and food suggestions.”
  3. “First, the waiter gave us suggestions on wine and recommended a great Shiraz from Argentina.”
  4. “The waiter was great about suggesting wine, made us feel very welcome.”
  5. “After the mussels we wanted another round a drinks, and had to wait 15 min to order them, and then another 20 minutes to actually get the drinks.”
  6. “The waiters are very helpful and advised us to select an excellent wine with our meal.”
  7. “It was a great meal, great service (we ordered a bottle of white wine and the waiter brought a properly done ice bucket without our having to ask!”
  8. “Also worth noting that their mixed drinks were tasty, creative, and strong, and complimented our meals elegantly.”
  9. “interesting flare and twist to italian flavors and wait staff was very attentive and helpful with selecting food and wine.”
food quality
93.75% positive
  1. “romantic place and fantastic food, I dined here with my girlfriend for our aniversary and we both loved the food and the fine.”
  2. “It was a great meal, great service (we ordered a bottle of white wine and the waiter brought a properly done ice bucket without our having to ask!”
  3. “For apps we got Caprese salad which was perfect and Antipasto that was filled with awesome grilled veggies, cheeses and meats.”
  4. “Unique, authentic food, not full of lasagna and pizza.”
  5. “Very Calabrese, just delicious!”
  6. “The cozy atmosphere is perfect for the food they server.”
  7. “The awesome pork chop that one attendee ate, the lobster ravioli and most of all the service, I could go on and on.”
  8. “The starter bread and olive oil was very good.”
  9. “For our main meals we order the pork chop and the steak.”
  10. “When I arrived at work the following morning I received an email from my boss who was still in Boston raving about the food, the presentation of the food, the wait staff which was awesome and the lovely table Chef Duarte had set for them on the Patio.”
  11. “Very interesting dishes offered here.”
  12. “Our waiter was very good with wine and food suggestions.”
  13. “Fabulous food, great atmosphere.”
  14. “would only recommend it if you like exotic food, but I greatly enjoyed both the sea urchin pasta and the grilled tuna.”
  15. “really good food and taste to decorations.”
  16. “The portions were huge but I can't complain because everything was so delicious.”
  17. “Great food!”
  18. “He was unsure of what wine to recommend with our dishes.”
  19. “The food, starting with the mussels appetizer, then the sirloin and rack of lamb were just perfect!”
  20. “Great sweet sauce, perhaps with caramelized shallots and Marsala?”
  21. “The waiters are very helpful and advised us to select an excellent wine with our meal.”
  22. “the food, of course was still delicious.”
  23. “The salmon was burned and the chicken was dry and cold as well.”
  24. “Wonderful food and attentive service”
  25. “For the amount of money we spent, the service was poor, the food was not great.”
  26. “interesting flare and twist to italian flavors and wait staff was very attentive and helpful with selecting food and wine.”
  27. “So we went down the street to Fiore and had a wonderful, energetic waitress and delicious food.”
  28. “The tuna and the lobster canneloni were also delicious.”
  29. “The antipasto for two was incredible, the bread delectible.”
  30. “Halfway through my luke warm chicken, the waitress finally came to the table, took the salt shaker and the pepper mill, thrust both at me, and told me to, "have fun.”
  31. “Great food and customer service”
  32. “The food was excellent - I recommend the pan-seared tuna dish of this season and especially their signature pork chop dish.”
  33. “There is a undisputable knowledge of both food styles that are blended with perfect synergy.”
  34. “The mussels were delicious as was my main course - the grilled skirt steak.”
  35. “read all these glowing reviews so we decided to give it a try as we both love fusion food.”
  36. “Unique food”
  37. “The staff was extremely helpful when it came to me secretly requesting a piece of their chocolate tort with a candle for my girlfriend's birthday (the tort was also delicious).”
  38. “Not in terms of the quality of the food, our main dishes were fantastic.”
  39. “The lamb was amazingly tender, as was the trout; both with fantastic flavor.”
  40. “They were very good however not this fantastic meal that others have been writing about.”
  41. “In addition, one should not dare to request salt and pepper for their last then flavorful meal.”
  42. “For a meal I got the Sirloin and it was the best steak I have ever had!”
  43. “went here with a few of my friends a couple of weeks ago and the food was absolutely amazing.”
  44. “Also worth noting that their mixed drinks were tasty, creative, and strong, and complimented our meals elegantly.”
  45. “All the entrees were delicious, especially the tuna.”
  46. “Came all the way from Miami after we read The Magazine of La Cucina Italiana, great Pork Chop, Seared Tuna with a very spicy sauce.”
  47. “best pork chop”
  48. “The best food of any type I've had in a long time.”
  49. “The food was very good, but that was not the setting I had envisioned to celebrate an anniversary.”
  50. “will definitely be returning; this quality of food coupled with knowledgeable as well as friendly service is a real treat.”
  51. “We went here for restaurant week and all I can say is delicious and quite a bargain!”
  52. “loved the sea urchin pasta, but my fiancee's lamb dish was horrible.”
  53. “Best place for client dinner with awesome food and service”
  54. “The mussels swam in an amazing balsamic reduction sauce that was even enjoyed more when soaked up with their home made rustic bread.”
  55. “Thankfully, he did not inquire about dessert, as we were anxious to leave this frustrating meal behind.”
  56. “Again, the food was amazing, but the experience was ruined by the fact it took forever.”
menu variety
100.0% positive
  1. “The menu looked amazing and after much debate, we decided on the mussels to start.”
  2. “The prices were extremely reasonable, given the North End location, and the menu was very inventive - Italian with a twist.”
  3. “Mgr was great in working with us to determine a pre-fixe menu.”
overall
100.0% positive
  1. “great place, especially for younger couples.”
return potential
0.0% positive
  1. “We were too full ffor dessert but I will definitely be back again!”
service
83.33000183105469% positive
  1. “Halfway through my luke warm chicken, the waitress finally came to the table, took the salt shaker and the pepper mill, thrust both at me, and told me to, "have fun.”
  2. “For the amount of money we spent, the service was poor, the food was not great.”
  3. “The waiter was friendly and knowledeable.”
  4. “The staff was extremely helpful when it came to me secretly requesting a piece of their chocolate tort with a candle for my girlfriend's birthday (the tort was also delicious).”
  5. “The awesome pork chop that one attendee ate, the lobster ravioli and most of all the service, I could go on and on.”
  6. “Added to this, the service was superb.”
  7. “When I arrived at work the following morning I received an email from my boss who was still in Boston raving about the food, the presentation of the food, the wait staff which was awesome and the lovely table Chef Duarte had set for them on the Patio.”
  8. “So we went down the street to Fiore and had a wonderful, energetic waitress and delicious food.”
  9. “The cozy atmosphere is perfect for the food they server.”
  10. “Great food and customer service”
  11. “interesting flare and twist to italian flavors and wait staff was very attentive and helpful with selecting food and wine.”
  12. “will definitely be returning; this quality of food coupled with knowledgeable as well as friendly service is a real treat.”
  13. “Wonderful food and attentive service”
  14. “The waiter was great about suggesting wine, made us feel very welcome.”
  15. “But the service was beyond slow.”
  16. “Our waiter was very good with wine and food suggestions.”
  17. “last week end we had been to taranta ,first we had been very disappointed about our table in a second floor,finally our waiter arrived he changed the situation to happy ending,he was professionnel,friendly,patient even we gave him a hard time he was smily”
  18. “First, the waiter gave us suggestions on wine and recommended a great Shiraz from Argentina.”
  19. “Very bad service for the price we paid.”
  20. “Best place for client dinner with awesome food and service”
  21. “It was awful service and they were rude and not apologetic.”
  22. “We had our rehearsal dinner of 35 people at Taranta, which was a wonderful experience.”
  23. “The waiters are very helpful and advised us to select an excellent wine with our meal.”
  24. “It was a great meal, great service (we ordered a bottle of white wine and the waiter brought a properly done ice bucket without our having to ask!”
  25. “Served by an excellent waiter, we tried the octopus/chickpea appetizer and the mini-calzones.”
  26. “As aforementioned, the service was slow, unfriendly, and unprofessional.”
  27. “Like I said the service was great and loved the apps as well as the dessert but our mail meals were very good but not out of this world.”
  28. “Our waiter was a little too eccentric for my taste but he provided excellent service despite how crowded it was.”
  29. “Now that's awesome customer service!”
  30. “The service was attentive and the ambiance and background music were lovely.”
value
50.0% positive
  1. “For the amount of money we spent, the service was poor, the food was not great.”
  2. “The prices were extremely reasonable, given the North End location, and the menu was very inventive - Italian with a twist.”
  3. “Also worth noting that their mixed drinks were tasty, creative, and strong, and complimented our meals elegantly.”
  4. “WAyyyyyy expensive, but very much worth the wait in lines anytime after 4 pm.”
  5. “Very bad service for the price we paid.”
  6. “Kind of expensive, but all the restaurants on Hanover St are overpriced.”
  7. “The portions were huge but I can't complain because everything was so delicious.”
wait time
50.0% positive
  1. “The best food of any type I've had in a long time.”
  2. “But the service was beyond slow.”
  3. “As aforementioned, the service was slow, unfriendly, and unprofessional.”
  4. “After the mussels we wanted another round a drinks, and had to wait 15 min to order them, and then another 20 minutes to actually get the drinks.”
5 Star Rating: Highly Recommended

09/21/09

A really great experience in the North End

by aqua2150 at Citysearch

I first discovered Taranta by word of mouth through my girlfriend. I decided to splurge and take my boyfriend there, when he came to visit me for the weekend. We went on a random Thursday night. The restaurant itself was rustic and romantic and really created "the mood". The menu looked amazing and after much debate, we decided on the mussels to start. Words cannot describe how amazing these mussels were......simple heaven. The mussels swam in an amazing balsamic reduction sauce that was even enjoyed more when soaked up with their home made rustic bread. We were very happy with our experience so far...and then it started to go down hill. Not in terms of the quality of the food, our main dishes were fantastic. But the service was beyond slow. After the mussels we wanted another round a drinks, and had to wait 15 min to order them, and then another 20 minutes to actually get the drinks....our food took about 45 min to come out and we weren't "checked on" once by our server. Again, the food was amazing, but the experience was ruined by the fact it took forever.

I then wrote into the restaurant to let them know my thoughts of the day. The ower actually called me, and then sent me a $250 gift card to make up for the poor experience. I then went back a few months later and was so happy that things were much faster.......the food, of course was still delicious.

  • Pros: Mussels! Mussels! Mussels!
  • Cons: A bit expensive and not the fastest service
5 Star Rating: Highly Recommended

08/07/08

Best place for client dinner with awesome food and service

by MinPinMom1 at Citysearch

I was looking for a restaurant for my boss ( we are in Charlotte, NC) to take clients while in Boston. Often times I find this to be a challenge since reviews are often not true. I went out on a wing when I picked Taranta for my boss to take her clients too. When I arrived at work the following morning I received an email from my boss who was still in Boston raving about the food, the presentation of the food, the wait staff which was awesome and the lovely table Chef Duarte had set for them on the Patio.

Today, she came back into the office with the others who went with her to attend the meeting with our big client. All of the attendees raved about the food. The awesome pork chop that one attendee ate, the lobster ravioli and most of all the service, I could go on and on.

My recommendation would be to take a chance and select this restaurant, I am hoping to go to Boston soon and when I do I am going to go to Taranta.

Thank you Chef Duarte for making me shine from Charlotte, NC 8>)

5 Star Rating: Highly Recommended

01/14/08

Great fusion of Italian and Peruvian cucina. A must in Bosotn!

by mamicho at Citysearch

This small italo-peruvian restaurant located in the heart of the North End knows exaclty what its doing. The cozy atmosphere is perfect . There is a undisputable knowledge of both food styles that are blended with perfect synergy. Added to this, the service was superb. Our waiter was very good with wine and food suggestions. Even thou the wine list is very small they have some good choices in a wide range of prices.

If eating something different than linguini carbonara, spaghetti frutto di mare, or noqui four cheeses is what you are looking for this is the right place. Do not hesitate to try Taranta. This place definitely has lots of Soul.

5 Star Rating: Highly Recommended

05/24/07

Great food and customer service

by perchdogg at Citysearch

I chose to take my girlfriend here in celebration of her birthday and was very pleased. We arrived 15 minutes before our scheduled reservation time but were seated promptly anyways. It's worth noting that this was a Wednesday night around 8 pm. Our waitress was eager and informative when it came to answering any questions we had on the menu, drinks, etc. She gave us ample time to decide on our food, explained some of the finer details of our choices, and let us be. The food was excellent - I recommend the pan-seared tuna dish of this season and especially their signature pork chop dish. The staff was extremely helpful when it came to me secretly requesting a piece of their chocolate tort with a candle for my girlfriend's birthday (the tort was also delicious). Also worth noting that their mixed drinks were tasty, creative, and strong, and complimented our meals elegantly. I will definitely be returning; this quality of food coupled with knowledgeable as well as friendly service is a real treat.

  • Pros: Service and food were excellent, very friendly staff.
  • Cons: I felt a bit crowded in the dining room
5 Star Rating: Highly Recommended

03/25/07

Great food!

by dysphoricmango at Citysearch

I went here with a few of my friends a couple of weeks ago and the food was absolutely amazing. The portions were huge but I can't complain because everything was so delicious. Our waiter was a little too eccentric for my taste but he provided excellent service despite how crowded it was. We arrived a little before our reservation so we went to LuLu's Bake Shoppe nearby (which I highly recommend!). The host was also apologetic for keeping us waiting, even though we had gotten there early. Great experience!!! If you are looking for a dessert, the limoncello flute was great!!! Definitely somewhere I will be going to again.

Make sure to visit LuLu's as well. They had this chocolate mousee type dessert in a chocolate cup that is one of the most AMAZING things I have ever eaten.

  • Pros: Wonderful food, wonderful service, friendly staff....
  • Cons: none

Green Restaurant All Certified Green Restaurants® meet the minimum certification criteria of the science-based standards of the Green Restaurant Association (GRA), a national non profit dedicated to Greening Restaurants since 1990. Certified Green Restaurants® implement transparent and verified environmental steps in seven environmental categories: Energy, Water, Chemicals, Food, Packaging, Waste, and Building. Learn more about the GRA's standards and how to Dine Green.

The Details on Taranta

Place Categories:

  • great exotic food
  • great customer service
  • awful service
  • fantastic meal
  • great waiter
  • favorite date place
  • great cozy atmosphere
  • delicious seared tuna
  • cold chicken
  • creative mixed drinks
  • helpful interesting flare
  • recommend italian restaurant
  • helpful twist
  • very interesting main dishes
  • order steak
  • delicious everything
  • recommend wine
  • very much worth wait
  • awesome pork
  • extremely helpful wait staff
  • great dinner
  • great pork chop
  • loved sea urchin pasta
  • wonderful bad experience
  • great shiraz

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