This Fancy Italian Restaurant Is One of Boston's Toughest Reservations

"A salad that feels like an indulgence, the butternut squash carpaccio ($29) features toasted squash, sliced thin and layered, topped with arugula, crunchy pumpkin seeds, and a sweet agrodolce. The arugula seems kissed by a very good olive oil and pepper, and it plays nicely with the agrodolce. Hunks of juicy red raw tuna get a satisfying salty crunch from artichoke hearts and anchovies on the tonnato crudo ($20)."

"Salt-pressed buttery San Daniele prosciutto is served with fresh seasonal fruit - recently, it was thinly sliced pears ($16). While the spicy lobster capellini doesn't rank high on the heat scale, it makes up for that with a rich, creamy sauce with a mild peppery flavor, and a decadent amount of lobster meat ($49). Opulent booths and velvet-covered chairs line the room, which is essentially a glass box on top of the building."

Contessa opened in 2021 on the rooftop of the Newbury Hotel at the corner of the Public Garden and remains a high-demand reservation with frequent celebrity sightings. The Italian restaurant delivers glittering city views, soft lighting, opulent booths, and velvet-covered chairs that create an exclusive, party-like atmosphere. Service is consistent and friendly. The menu focuses on crowd-pleasing dishes such as butternut squash carpaccio with arugula and agrodolce, tonnato crudo with tuna, San Daniele prosciutto with seasonal fruit, and a rich spicy lobster capellini loaded with lobster meat. Tableside truffle shavings add dramatic flair to specials.

Read at Eater Boston