Via Matta

06/10/09

Best Italian Restaurant

by IVJ at Citysearch

Simply elegant, chic Italian inspired food and people make this place a favorite! Homemade pasta and friendly service, great location... Wines are nicely priced and all around great experience!

• Pros: Quality and Creativity

11/15/08

For those who eat out rarely

by thomhal at Citysearch

The ideal restaurant for those who enjoy waiters in blue jeans & sneakers serving them mid-$40 entrees. For diners who haven't travelled to Italy, this will seem like a great restaurant. The chef relies on heavy doses of herbs and salt to spice up dishes created from mundane ingredients -- certainly an appeal to his regular clientele. They make sure you know how they feel about your dining in their restaurant.

• Pros: Coat check, attempts at style
• Cons: forgetful waiters, on a par with the average restaurants in Boston,

04/20/08

Best Italian Restaurant in Boston

by Jenny999 at Citysearch

This is the restaurant me and my boyfriend go to every time we want to have a special meal. We never go to the North End anymore because Via Matta is the best. The pastas there are absolutely amazing with much more diverse and innovative choices than ones in north end or anywhere else in Boston. Spicy lobster pasta is my favorite! The spicy calamari appetizer is also amazing. We have been there 5 or 6 times and it's been amazing every time. Also do not leave without trying their desserts, mind blowing!!!

• Pros: Amazing pastas, great desserts, very professional staff
• Cons: noisy sometimes, crowded during special occasions (Valentine's Day)

10/04/07

Experienced restaurateurs (of Radius fame) riff on authentic Italian fare in the warmly sleek dining room and casually intimate enoteca.

by Eric Grossman at Citysearch

Classic Italian cuisine is made hip at this centrally located Back Bay trattoria. The large, bustling dining room is especially good for groups, while the mosaic-tiled and dimly-lit enoteca or the stylish bar offer intimacy. (The outdoor patio is a lush oasis come summer.) The kitchen's emphasis is on fresh ingredients, resulting in a daily menu of traditional dishes. Over a dozen chic starters (like crunchy eggplant with spicy tomato sauce, oregano and parmigiano) kick off the dining options. Housemade pastas are constructed from the freshest ingredients; entrees are rich without being heavy. Desserts, including an immaculate vanilla panna cotta, are irresistible.

Photo courtesy of Via Matta

10/02/07

Great dining experience!!! L@@K

by kimp2008 at Citysearch

Amazing restaurant! From the valet person outside, to the front desk, to the server, to the busperson, I felt like a princess or a superstar!!! Get a VIP treatment even if you?re a regular person like me!! The raw tuna appetizer was delish, and the chicken under a brick was to die for! My drinks came long after we order, but other than that it was a great experience. I definitely recommend it for special occasions.

07/13/07

A Bad Experience

by cwarner12 at Citysearch

I have been to Via Matta twice (the second time reluctantly), and have had very negative experiences. In my first visit, we were seated after 45 minutes despite having a reservation. When seated, the waitress recommended the most expensive wine and meal on the menu to my son's friend. Before our meals came (took roughly 45-50 minutes), the waitress brought out olive oil in unnecessary quantities. It turned out later that the olive oil was part of the bill. Never before have I gone to a restaurant that gauges money so perversely as Via Matta. The second time I visited, the waiter spilt an entire glass of wine on my suit, and all the manager could offer was a clean shirt. I believe the appropriate, polite response to such an occasion would be to offer the meal on the house. Instead, I was offered a simple button down shirt, no compensation for my suit, and feeling like a victim rather than like a customer, I left before the main courses arrived.

I do not recommend this restaurant at all.

• Pros: Leaving
• Cons: The (lack of) service and manners

07/12/07

Perfect

by kmc1128 at Citysearch

I've found very few restaurants that seem to have everything in order... the food, service and ambiance. Via Matta has it all. My husband and I have a great experience each time we go: the food is delectable, the service is incredibly professional, and the environment is pleasant. We like everything so much that we've made dinner here a weekly tradition. The waitstaff seem to have recognized this and greet us warmly, sometimes even remembering the dishes we like to order. I'd recommend the Burrata appetizer, it's light and very fresh. My husband swears by the bolognese pasta. Definitely make a trip here if you enjoy fresh food and friendly service.

• Pros: Everything
• Cons: Nothing

07/07/07

poor service

by etreacy at Citysearch

I've eaten here twice and found the food to be OK, the wine list to be good, and the service to be somewhat lacking. Considering that the prices are sky high the service should be commensurate, but it's definitely not. A noisy restaurant with an abrupt staff. I won't eat there again.

• Pros: Good wine list
• Cons: Pricy with poor service

01/25/07

Great to celebrate!

by simonsamson at Citysearch

I recently took my girlfriend out for her birthday. She loves Italian, so I asked around the office for some great spots in the city (I don't go out often) and the majority of the office suggested Via Matta. I had no trouble making the reservation, even on a busy weekend. I told the girl on the phone that it was a special occasion, and she told me that they would make sure the night was special. They went above and beyond! We checked in for our reservation, and the people at the door greated us with a smile, and wish my girlfriend a big happy birthday. Then, we went to our table, a really nice spot by the window, and the table was decorated with confetti and the server greeted us with complimentary champagne. We had the best dinner, but the best part was the dessert with a personalized "Happy Birthday" message with her name, and a birthday card signed by the entire staff. I highly recomend this restaurant for special occasions like birthdays, and I'm looking forward to going back to have some drinks at their bar with my friends (which was packed all night).

• Pros: Service, celebration, food
• Cons: I couldnt stay longer!

06/06/06

Poor Choice

by terence janericco at Citysearch

The noise level makes conversation impossible. Reservation requests are not respected. The server got furious when we did not order bottled water and more so when we asked to split a pasta as a first course. The chicken was so salty it was inedible and then she slapped the bill on the table as soon as she served dessert.

The costs are sky high but the rest is down and dirty.

• Pros: great outside
• Cons: poor service, poor food