Dino's Cafe — Restaurant in Boston

I lived in the N End in 1990-1991 and used to love this place for their subs. (Per Google they’ve been in business for about twenty years, so it wasn’t them, though, who was it?) Well, I had to go to the RMV this morning and thought I’d go get an iced capp and grab something yummy for dinner and a couple of cannolis. I took a leisurely albeit hot stroll, as the first heatwave of the summer was in full swing already. Drank my coffee and wondered where I could find a not too overpriced but authentic take out, and saw the board in front of Dino’s had lobster ravioli and a chicken and mushroom pasta for specials. Both fifteen ish bucks. Bingo- Ordered, went to get some cannolis, and then waited, back inside Dino’s. It makes me feel so good to smell, and see and hear real Italian Bostonians making great food with the best kind of service. Family run businesses are what the North End was built on. I honestly couldn’t make this kind of food myself for this price. I just ate one bite of each of the dishes and it’s all fresh, delicious, beautiful home made pasta. He (I do believe that was Dino?) also tossed in a couple of fresh mini baguette size breads and that really completed the meal. I’m in heaven. Thank you,...

Simple Spot with Good Food, No Frills

This is a small, casual restaurant with no public bathroom and no wheelchair accessibility. You order at the front counter from a menu, and the staff brings the food to your table or packages it to go.

Our family of four tried a variety of dishes: • I had the white sauce gnocchi — it was creamy and flavorful, definitely a solid choice. • My husband ordered the lobster ravioli and absolutely loved it. • My dad got the chicken parmesan and felt it was “just okay” — nothing special, but he enjoyed it and ate it all. • My mom had the baked ziti and had a similar reaction — good, but not standout.

Each meal came with a very small piece of bread. They didn’t offer butter, but did provide some seasoned oil for dipping.

The total for four meals came to about $100, which felt fair for the portions and variety.

If you’re looking for a quick, no-frills Italian bite with some tasty options, this place delivers. Just don’t expect extras like bathrooms or table service.

⭐ Final Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars

Why? • 👍 Good food overall, especially the gnocchi and lobster ravioli • 😐 Mixed reviews from the rest of the table • 🚫 No bathroom or accessibility options • 🍞 Bread...

dino’s cafe is a lovely corner restaurant tucked into the north end. the staff were friendly and upbeat, and the restaurant was quaint but cozy. however, the restaurant lacks a bathroom and water costs money as you pay for bottled drinks.

the menu is fairly extensive, but we ordered the lobster ravioli, baked gnocchi, veal marsala and garlic bread. each dish (excluding the garlic bread) was quite expensive, clocking in at around $20 each.

the lobster ravioli was delicious, but the gnocchi was chewy, mushy, and relatively bland. you only really had any flavor from the cheese. the marsala sauce was also thin and lacked creaminess and tasted like alcohol, giving the impression that the alcohol hadn’t been fully cooked out.

the garlic bread was standard, and their fresh baked bread was delicious. the bread also came out on plastic plates, making presentation a little disappointing.

overall, the only thing worth ordering from our night out was the lobster ravioli. if you are going to dino’s cafe, i would caution to be careful with what you order. the sandwiches looked delicious, but considering that this was an italian place, i expected better from the pasta considering how expensive the...