Saporito’s

Food was awesome, service was great the only reasons I give it less than 5 was the seats were uncomfortable and a little ac might’ve been nice but it wasn’t overly hot. The menu was a little limited but my rib eye was delicious and the mashed potatoes served under it were fantastic. Overall, definately go there if you’re in hull and want a nice restaurant to go to. Make reservations.

Very good Italian eats on the South Shore. Not a big place but the food makes up for the size. I do agree with a previous review that the booths are not that comfortable. They should update them.
The arancini app was great. We’ve also enjoyed the beet salad. We’ve been coming here for years and find it hard to order anything but our «personal specialties. The rigatoni bolongnese is unreal. Perfectly cooked pasta with a wonder meat ragu with hints of cinnamon, bay leaf and nutmeg. The butter poached lobster is also great with Israeli couscous. They have pizza and many other dishes to choose from.
We’ve always had nice timely service with friendly waitresses and owners. One time, I can remember having to wait a little long for our entrees. They have nice specials and dessert is fine. I would recommend Saporito’s in a minute if you’re looking for a nice Italian meal.

We moved off the south shore some years ago and had not visited Saporitos in many years. On a recent vacation, we decided to give it another try.
We ate here on a Friday night, and it was surprisingly not crowded. We wanted to see if Saporitos has regained any of the delight it offered ten years ago at its legendary peak. We were not disappointed.
The interior has not changed much. They still have the white benches, but there are fewer of them, and fewer tables as well. This lends a welcome openness. It’s not as crowded feeling. It’s a warm and intimate space. The perfect place for a romantic dinner.
We were seated immediately. We ordered a delicious 2007 Steele Zinfandel. For appetizers, we went with olives, roasted garlic bulb, and fried oysters. The oysters came on perfectly dressed arugula, with a delicious lemon pepper aoli side. They are baking their bread on premises, and it’s a delicious whole grain focaccia. Fantastic start!
For entrees, my wife had roast duck breast with wine poached figs and carrots. My meal was pork tenderloin with pepperonata, fingerling potatoes and a spicy tomato caper sauce. These were both done perfectly and very delicious. Service was attentive and helpful throughout.
Overall, this was a very fine dining experience for us. Saporitos is clearly back at the top in Hull, and is probably in the top 5 on the south shore. Welcome back!

I have to admit that I have heard nothing but rave reviews for Saporito’s and yet this was one of the worst dining experiences we have had in a long time.
First, walking in to the restaurant was like walking into a breakfast place on the cape. I have spent a fair amount of time in Florence and I have never seen any place that looks like this. Perhaps they are refering to Florence, Indiana.
Service was friendly but slow. However, the food was terrible. I had the roast cod which was completely over-​cooked and dry served on a bed of canned cannellini. The sirloin was rather bland and also over cooked. One of our party had the scallop special with excellent scallops served on a bed of terrible risotto.
As a final insult, we ordered espressos to finish our meal that took fifteen minutes and arrived cold.
This restaurant is over priced, poorly decorated, and needs to either change its menu or change the chef. The four of us dine out at least once a month and we all agree that this is not a place to visit again.

Let me state up front that this is not our sort of place. This dinner was a gift.
AMBIENCE: 2 STARS. Too small, Cambridge tight, no thanks, this here is the South Shore, not Somerville, we need elbow room.
SERVICE: 3 STARS Emily was very efficient, but despite the fact we are good tippers I think she decided we were low brow or something, so she seemed a little like she was putting up with us, and we were being pleasant.
APPETIZER MAHGERITA PIZZA: 2 STARS. Surprisingly uninspired, and a little burnt as well.
ENTREE, FLANK STEAK: 4 STARS The person that ordered this loves it, so I give it 4 stars for him. It didn’t taste like anything special to me.
ENTREES, PASTA AND MEATBALLS /​SAUSAGE:
MEATS: 3 STARS. Nothing special.
SAUCE: 4.5 STARS Very good, hand made it tasted like.
MENU SIZE: 2 STARS. Very few choices.
BLOODY MARYS: 4 STARS Real horseradish. Very tasty.
References: Best Bloody I ever had, belive it or not, at the Bar «Cheers» was based on, Bull and Finch. A close second, DBar in Dorchester, they may be light in the loafers, but they mix fantastic Bloody’d, and different kinds as well.
BATHROOM SITUATION: 1 STAR Tiny, awkward.
So if you are a Cambridgey sort of person, you would probably think this place rocks. We are not. Places like Coops are more to our liking. So it is a 3 to me, but may be a 4 to you.

Fuggedaboudit!
Could not get seated but were offered our order as take out. We returned in a ½ hour as directed and the meals arrived another hour later!
The pasta was almost devoid of sauce and the oddly seasoned meatball was completely bare. I suspect baked, frozen and nuked. Pasta sauce contained the same meatballs only shredded.
My chicken dish was seasoned and cooked well and could have fit on a salald plate for $ 28. The 4 gnocchi tasted good.
The hostess just could not understand what had happened to our meals as this had NEVER happened before. When pressured, she got nasty

I REALLY wanted to like this place.
When we walked in, the place was packed. We had an 8pm reservation, but didnt get seated until 8:20. Not a big deal.
I had purchased a groupon for this place, figuring it looked good and got decent reviews
When we sat down we were greeted by a nice waitress and Host. They took our drink order, and food order.
There were two other partys that sat after us that got their meals before us.
I started to wonder if the were out killing the cow for my meal.
After about an hour and a half of waiting for my food. I finally asked where my food was. I pulled the waitress aside, told her my issue, and she let me know it would be right out, just some confusion in the kitchen.
After 20mins past i called over the host/​owner and told him he had 5 minutes to put my food in front of me or i was walking out, without paying for my drinks or appetizer.
He assured me it would be right out. JUST as I was about to get up my food magically appeared.
Yup 2 hours after I ordered, and at 10:20 my meal arrived.
The waitress then had the audacity to say some rude things about me to her manager, of which she didnt think i heard. But i did.
They also tried to offer me a desert for free.
I declined, paid, and left, and will NEVER go back. I tell everyone about my horrible experience, warning them not to go either.
I’m not tough to please, i paid my entire bill, tipped the waitress 15%, and hardly ate any of my meal because i was still fuming.
Don’t bother going here.

Some menu choices are better than others. But, I realy have one complaint: Their booths are so uncomfortable. The backs of the benches are hard wood and are at a 90 degree angle.
I do like this little place, though. I love the atmosphere and the service was incredible.
We LOVED the arancini, the pizza and the bolognese. We liked our wine, we got a half bottle, perfect for two (when one of them is driving).
Definitely worth checking out — just sit at a table. Great for a date!!!

Might deserve 4 stars considering that all other restaurants nearby can’t touch this place (except for DiNero’s). But In my opinion the food is a little less stellar than the reviews I’m reading, including zagats’. Perfectly priced though.
So the missing star is because of:
* Had to ask the bus boy for forks so we could eat our veal chop. And he was wearing checkers (chef pants) which is weird with ‘fine dining’ in my opinion, unless it’s the chef in a well starched clean chef jacket to entertain/​answer questions. (weird nit, I know).
* Waitress was surprised that we weren’t served bread before our apps — bread came pretty late.
* Why broccolini instead of rabe? (with the sausage and orecchiette for example)
* The sausage in the orecchiette dish was boring and not spicy or complex. And the dish was a bit sweet.
* The dessert brownie was kind of boring.
Wish I could give a 3.75 stars though but I’m not giving 4.

Very disappointing…
Two of our three dinners were good — but shouldn’t all three be good? The scallops were not good — actually bad. They had a metallic bitter after taste and were the most expensive dish on the menu. Will not be back…

I don’t get to Saporito’s often and now with living in TX, I still visit home often and like to try all the restaurants nearby thus I had to buy the Groupon for Saporito’s when I saw it! Overall, our hostess was pleasant and food delicious.
I had the flounder fillet with a lemon couscous and the fish was fresh and flaky, so simple, and so good! A friend got the Hanger Steak and it looked delicious. We also had two apps and split it amongst the five of us: Roasted clams with arabiata sauce and grilled focaccia — must try them! And the Marinated Pippadew peppers stuffed with creamy-​herb goat cheese — perfectly sweet!
Be sure to make a reservation, the place is super small but cute. After this experience, I will be sure to go more than once a year because I think it’s important to support your good local eateries, especially a hidden gem like this one, so that they don’t go out of business and have some rif raf restaurant move in.

I recently moved to Hull and went to Saporito’s for an annivesary date. I was pleasantly surprised with the food and atmosphere.
This place is small and quaint with low lighting. Other reviewers complained about the church style benches being uncomfortable but neither of us had a problem. The pictures on the website do not bring this place justice as in pictures it looks sort of gawdy but in person it really is cute.
The staff was very friendly and very attentive. The hostess, waiter and a few others filled drinks, brought bread and were attentive but not obnoxious. The bread, oil and olives they bring out to start were fantastic.
We didn’t order any apptetizers but our main dishes were amazing. My boyfriend had the Bolognese and I had baked penne with roasted chicken, four cheeses, butternut squash & red onions — it was to die for! The sauce was creamy and delish and the pieces of squash really made the meal.
We split a gingerbread cake desert which was amazing, incredibly moist and paire with ice cream and caramel sauce.
All in all, a great experience, great food and a reasonable price. My only regret is that I did not try one of their cocktails as they had quite a few interesting ones that were clearly original with original ingredients (like homemade apple cider). Defnitely worth checking out if you are looking for a good meal and great service!

I met my mother here on a Friday night for an early dinner. The restaurant is very small, and as another Unilocaler mentioned, the booths are TINY. I weigh 120 pounds and fit comfortably, but the church pew seats can be very uncomfortable. Also, the roar of the air conditioner/​refrigerator below us was a bit irritating… it vibrates the floor and turns off and on, it can be distracting. But other than those two minor complaints, I really enjoyed my experience!
The service was excellent and the food was very good. We started with the stuffed figs, and the recipe was creative and tasty, but not as rich as a I hoped. Their appearance and flavor gave the impression that it was the chef’s first time experimenting with this recipe. Don’t get me wrong, they were good, but I felt like I could have made the dish with the same list of ingredients. The olives and bread were a tasty snack while we waited for our entrees. My mother selected the deconstructed ravioli with a sambuca cream sauce and she REALLY enjoyed it. She was unsure of the sambuca sauce, and is a somewhat picky eater, so her satisfaction says a lot! I ordered the Cavatelli with broccoli, golden raisins and pine nuts in a butter/​garlic sauce and I was very pleased! I am also glad that I spent the extra money to add meatballs– they were amazing!
Overall a good local restaurant. I am not sure it deserves the high praise given by Zagat, but a good spot nonetheless. I also recommend Mezze Mare around the corner for lower cost/​bigger servings/​red sauce type italian food.

I live in NYC and eat out for almost every meal (as does my boyfriend). We both agreed this meal was the best that we’ve had in quite some time.
Saporito’s is a gem in the area, it is somewhat off the beaten path. The décor is cute, the staff was friendly and attentive and the food was delicious. The wine was also very good and reasonably priced.
We ordered the butter poached lobster with couscous and with each bite there was a little sadness, because it was so good and I was trying to savor every moment! My boyfriend had the seabass over pesto polenta and heirloom tomatoes. Both amazing. Everything fresh and delicious and reasonably priced.
If you are anywhere within the vicinity of Boston, you need to try the restaurant. We will definitely be back.

Saporito’s is a solid local Italian place. The place is off to the side, «hidden» from the main streets of Nantasket.
My family and I came on Saturday and had a great meal. The food was good, but the service was phenomenon! From the hostess, to waitress… and the multiple people that came to fill our water glasses, etc — everyone was so nice and pleasant.
We started with a few cocktails and a wine. I ordered the peach Bellini and was not impressed. The drink was pink and had no fruit taste to it. I think it was a champagne mixed with pink lemonade?
For appetizers, we shared the sliced prosciutto which was delicious — topped with spicy olive crunch, bread crumbs and parmesan. We also got the ricotta eggplant; the dish was very interesting. I absolutely love eggplants and ricotta, but the dish was very very sweet???
For entrée, we ordered a duck special served with polenta and spinach. this was delicious! We also ordered the cavatelli with broccoli & sausage and the rigatoni alla Bolognese with Meatballs. Both pasta was delicious and so was the homemade sausage, but the homemade Meatball was just OK.
And we had to try the profiterole for dessert and that was very good as well!
The prices are higher than expected for a local restaurant, but I think its worth it.

Okay, I was definitely not as wowed as the other Unilocalers. Tonight my husband and I came here for his birthday dinner. It’s a cute place with somewhat confusing décor. Kind of beach house versus country-​cozy eclectic. We were given a booth just two down from the entrance. Almost immediately, we heard some kind of generator kick on and then the floor under our feet started vibrating. It was weird. When the waitress came by we asked her what that was. She said she would check. We were suprised she had never noticed this before. When she returned she told us that the noise and vibration were coming from the restaurant’s walk-​in refrigerator below. Apparently the refrigerator generator kicks on periodically. This noise, vibration and thrum went on and off throughout our dinner and it was a bit annoying.
What I will tell you about the booths that line either side of this narrow restautant, is that the seats are very shallow. I weigh about 115 pounds and I barely had enough room on the bench to sit on. The booths are not comfortable in the least, from the high, hard backboard to those narrow benches! You feel like you are being ordered to sit perched and at full attention at all times! This was especially hard for my 6’3″ husband.
Our waitress was very helpful and sweet. She introduced herself and took our drink orders prompty. Wine for me, vodka tonic for the birthday husband. There was only one pinot grigio choice by the glass. It was a Sicilian pinot grigio; odd I thought for a restaurant that claims to be Northern Italian. It was a nice, dry pinot though and I had two glasses. Bread and olive oil brought out to us. Good.
We ordered two appetizers: Fried oysters and a prosciutto something or other. I didn’t try the proscuitto. Husband thought the prosciutto was okay but found it was somewhat overwhelmed by the shaved cheese and balsamic vinegar on top. He felt the flavor and delicacy of the prosciutto was lost. The oysters were a disappointment. They were two lonely-​looking fried oysters on a plate without the shell. If I hadn’t ordered them myself, I wouldn’t have known what they were. I ate one and found it completely uninteresting. There was nothing at all to exclaim about and there was no oyster taste apparent. Husband ordered the free-​form ravioli with scallops, shrimp, fennel, and onion finished with a sambuca cream. He loved his dish and devoured every bit. As it was his birthday, I was thrilled that he really enjoyed his meal. I ordered the cavatelli with broccoli, pine nuts, golden raisins, romano cheese and garlic. It was swimming in a sea of too much olive oil and tasted primarily of garlic. This should have been a really flavorful dish but for success the chef needed to demonstrate a more subtle hand.
Sadly for me, there was nothing amazing or transformative about the dish. Isn’t that why we go out to eat most of the time and certainly for a special occasion? We want to be impressed and bowled over with deliciousness. This didn’t happen for me. I could have made my dish at home and I think would have done a better job.
We decided to skip dessert and go elsewhere for that. But very unexpectedly, the waitress brought out a lovely piece of dense, flourless chocolate cake with berries and cream and said it was on the house for hubby’s birthday. I had mentioned in my emailed reservation request that it was my husband’s birthday and this was a nice touch. The cake was very rich (so perfect to share) and quite good and we were touched by this thoughtful gesture. We did have a nice night but based on other reviews I was hoping for a better overall experience and more wow factor. Maybe I was just cranky because of the awful booth seating.

When food is a true labor of love you can taste it in every bite. This is true for Saporito’s where the food is made slow and with care. The dishes are amazing and you won’t find better Italian food anywhere in Boston.
I came here with my girlfriend with the recommendation of my Italian coworker with the promise that it is the best Italian food in the area. We started with the lightly breaded Calamari followed up was the butter poached lobster with couscous and a half portion of lasagna. All of the dishes were excellent and even though the portions are smaller they filling due to their richness. We finished off with the banana carrot cake.
Overall the meal was tremendously satisfying and each course left me eagerly awaiting the next. It was a «complete» meal with great food, great wine, great service, and great company. We’ll be back and you should definitely make the trek out here for a great meal.

A-​FREAKIN-​MAZING!!! That’s what I would say about my Fri night dinner at Saporito’s. Yes Hull is a bit of a drive from Boston but its totally worth it!
The building is small and homely looking from the outside so don’t be discouraged. The inside is cute, cozy, and simply decorated. Our server was wonderful – friendly, attentive, helpful and informative. She suggested 2 great glasses that complemented our meals perfectly.
Now on to the food:
The Fried calamari tossed with roasted tomatoes, olives, arugula & preserved lemon served with a sweet onion aioli – light and flavorful – a perfect start to our meal.
The Butter poached lobster served over gratin of Sardinian couscous, slivered asparagus & roasted mushrooms finished with truffle oil — I LOVED every bite! The 1 ¼ lbs. lobster was perfectly cooked, beautifully presented, and the taste was amazing! The sauce was delicious, the couscous (large pearls) was perfectly cooked, the truffle oil was the perfect touch on the dish. For $ 25 this was an amazing value!
The Housemade lasagna filled with ground veal, ricotta, spinach & roasted mushrooms finished with a Parmesan cream sauce — another amazing dish. Really rich but very flavorful and absolutely delicious!
For dessert the carrot– banana cake topped with prosecco and peach frosting with candied pecans – moist, flavorful, delicious combination that satisfied my sweet tooth.
This has to be the best Italian food I’ve had in Boston – hands down! Saporito’s is truly a hidden gem worth driving to– amazing meal, great service, fantastic value – we will be back for sure!

I actually just created an account so that I could rave about this place. I had been here once before, about 3 years ago, but I had forgotten how amazing everything is.
They have a wonderful tasting menu for $ 35.00. The value is ridiculous. The portions are generous and for an extra $ 15.00 you can pair your courses with three (full size) glasses of wine.
The panzanella salad could make an atheist into a believer. And just an FYI, they offer homemade cinnamon doughnuts with a bittersweet chocolate sauce for dessert.
Every single thing we put in our mouths, my sister and I punched each other in the arm and rolled our eyes at. Honestly, with this little gem right down the street, I have no idea why people even both going to Tosca in Hingham.

Saporito’s is a gorgeous little Italian restaurant tucked away on a side street just before you reach the main thoroughfare by Nantasket Beach. The menu is wonderful and the service is helpful.
My friend and I were pleasantly surprised when we walked in. We only intended to grab something quick to eat, but sat down for an entire dinner when we saw what they had to offer. They’re friendly to both vegetarians and carnivores, and their dessert menu is fantastic as well! Try to get there before the rush (like we did) — clearly this restaurant is no secret! It also has great promises as a place to bring a date.