Tartufo Cucina Abruzzese

excellent food, great wait staff… great time!

Warm & wonderful experience. These folks welcomed us on a busy Thursday night after a horrible rude experience across the street at Sycamore. The service was impeccable, the food delicious, the atmosphere was loud as the place was fully booked, at capacity, but of course. Tartuffo is a wonderful restaurant. Molto Grazie!

Horrible rude man at the front desk. I came in my shorts and sweatshirt to this «fancy» place to pick up my to-​go order, the snobby old man tells me to please go outside for 15 mins until food is ready. I ask nicely to please take down my number and give a call when food is ready, he stares me in the eyes and says NO YOU GO AND COME BACK IN 15 MINUTES! I DONT TAKE NUMBERS! PLEASE WAIT OUTSIDE! Horrible service disgusting people.

I like Chicken Parm. It’s my go to dish whenever I see it on the menu. I’ve had some that has rocked my world (i.e. Rino’s in East Boston) and some that have left me scratching my head as to what I just ate. I’ve even had it here a few times and have been generally pleased with how they do it. So you can imagine how surprised I am to say that the all-​time worst Chicken Parm I’ve ever had was at Tartufo tonight. To start, the garden salad was very good and they serve terrific crusty bread that comes with olive oil which I love. Things went downhill fast after that. The Chicken Parm was served in two small surprisingly thick pieces… nothing pounded here for sure. The first bite had the consistency of a piece of rubber… I mean I never actually tried to chew a piece of rubber but if I did I would expect it to feel like this piece of chicken. I had to spit it out after a while. I even took a second bite to be sure I wasn’t crazy… spit that out too. I told the bartender I couldn’t eat this dish and I have never said that. He was nice and asked if I wanted something else but what I really wanted and what I asked him to do was to show that dish to the Chef or a Manager so they could see what they were offering up for this dish tonight. I didn’t see him do that and no manager came over to offer an explanation as to how they could let something that horrible leave their kitchen. I left feeling like I was just some picky diner that just didn’t like what he got.
My intention of this review is not scare people away from this place. I want them to succeed but I feel that management and the chef need a bit of reality check and need to pay more attention to their product and their customers who try and help them learn from a dish served so poorly. I hope management reads this review and it accomplishes what I tried to do in the restaurant with my request of the bartender. To be fair I will go back to Tartufo and try their Chicken Parm again in a few weeks with the hope that they will read this reveiw and make adjustments to make sure it doesn’t happen again… and if its good you’ll hear about here… and if not, well you”ll hear about it here too:).

A fantastic dinner to celebrate Mother’s Day. Five of us (my wife, my mother, my two sons and I) all agreed the meal, the service (Lorenzo, yet again, as fate would have it!) were all superb!
Entrees consisted of a halibut special, lemon sole, a pasta bolognese, a chicken parm, and Pappardelle Tartufo. All were simply excellent! The Papadelle Tartufo has the most intoxicating aroma, and sons who had the bolognese and chicken parm said they were among the best (if not the best!) they’ve ever had. A Caesar salad, split between my wife and me, was simple yet excellent.
We rarely have dessert, but given the special nature of the evening, we ordered three. The lemon sorbet was served in two large portions served in two frozen lemon peel shells (very clever!) The sorbet was surprisingly creamy and amazingly good; the cannollis (initially thought to be two large cannollis when ordered) were two very small cannollis. It was a bit of an irritation. They were excellent, but still the size should have been noted on the menu. The warm apple cake was tasty and quite good, if, seemingly, a bit out of season (a winter-​type dessert.)
I have to pay homage to the bread that was served previous to the meal — it was some of the best we’ve ever had (we had the basket refilled three times!)
The restaurant was jammed the entire time we were there, and the food was served like clockwork, yet we were never made to feel rushed. Lorenzo, our server, was friendly, charming and very attentive.
Parking: I typically self-​park, especially in a neighborhood that I know well, but could not find a spot so we used their complimentary valet. Could not have been easier or more convenient.
So…to sum it up: save the trip to the North End and take in an outstanding meal and relaxing dining experience at Tartufo.
We’ll be back very soon!

I went to try this place for the first time and placed a carry out order. They gave my order to someone else which is fine that happens. They said they were remaking my food and it would take 3 minutes (which was scary quality Italian food). I had no problem with them remaking my food but they got a hold of the other person and said he didn’t touch the food. I asked if they were remaking my food and he said they didn’t start remaking it and that the kitchen was closed. It’s against the health code to reserve food that has been taken out of the restaurant. I can’t comment on the food but I was very disappointed with the experience. Try somewhere else.

When we showed up for our reservation that we made through open table we were told that we had to wait 40 min for a table because there was a private party upstairs. The host was quite rude and didn’t seem apologetic at all. Why take reservations if you can’t honor them?

good food and service on a friday evening. the place was packed a bit noisy… have to say service was great.

Chose to go there with my family as a change from one of our regular places. Everybody was extremely pleased with their meal. The meatball appetizer was a little small yet cooked to perfection. For my main course I had the lobster risotto. The risotto was cooked perfectly and the lobster was full of flavor. The staff was all very pleasant.

Disappointing experience. We came here for our Valentine’s Day weekend dinner and will not be back. Seems lovely from outside however upstairs was anything but… kids running around and screaming… loud family reunions… anything but intimate and romantic. Our waiter did not offer us specials and rushed us through our order… taking plates away before we were done. However that wasn’t a problem because food was bland…
1. Meatball appetizers: we ordered this as an app but they came out with our main course five minutes after ordering… evidently made in bulk and kept hot for rapid order fulfillment. Meatballs were soggy and bland… ten dollars for 2 of them.
2. Chicken parm: literally looked and tasted like someone took a slab of frozen Tyson meat from local stop and shop and threw it in the microwave with a slice of American cheese on it. Bad.
3. The tartufo special; this was supposed to be the featured dish of the night with pasta in a mushroom truffle cream sauce… the pasta was over cooked and seemed like it was not drained properly the sauce was bland and tasted like warm milk… waiter insisted on wrapping it for us to go and when we brought this leftover back home to our friends they refused to eat it… did not look appetizing.
Overall very disappointed… not coming off as a spoiled snob but want to warn you that the quality does not match the price point here… have had better food delivered from my local pizza joint.

Good food. good service. beautiful place. i’d go back for sure

Amazing, authentic regional Italian food. Everything is really great and fresh. Just don’t order the special, because it’s always VERY expensive. Make sure you book ahead, it gets packed.

Went here for my birthday dinner and it was memorable for all the wrong reasons.
We were seated a couple minutes before our reservation then ignored for 10 minutes before anyone came over to greet us.
The food was underwhelming at best. The sauce on my husbands gnocchi could have been from a jar and my pasta was just ok. We would have said something at that point but no one came over to check as the servers were too busy with Burberry clad customers. Someone came to clear our plates without ceremony and we were left sitting for another 15 minutes.
I’m not one who usually complains but I was annoyed and got up to speak to the host as our server was not in sight. I told him about the abysmal service and meal and he went to get the waiter. The waiter made an excuse that he was busy and offered us free alcohol. We said we’d rather have something taken off the bill as we were driving home but he proceeded to give us liquor! What!!! We said this was unacceptable and asked to speak to the manager. What followed was an argument between servers, host, and who we assumed was the manager within earshot of customers. In the end the owner came over, apologized and comped our meal but the damage was done.
Will not be going back.

I don’t know you guys.
The ambiance was really lovely. I’d go there again only for the ambiance.
But the food was seriously MEH!
I’m not saying the quality of ingredients were bad. It’s more like the recipes were boring. There was nothing original or special about it whatsoever.
I know this sounds horrible, but I’ve eaten more flavorful food at the olive garden.
I needed to put salt on everything to give it some sort of flavor.
But the service and ambiance were really cozy, so there is that.
Overall though, I won’t be back. This place was WAY expensive for the food.

Really good Italian food. Fresh bread is great tasty and just what you want. HOWEVER, the noise is way way out of control there. It was a full night when we went but we had to yell to be heard. There was a particularly loud table near us. We asked if we could be moved but they could not reseat us (which was entirely reasonable but unfortunate). If you can tolerate noise, go for it. Unfortunately we will prob never return unless on Monday night or sometime there will be fewer customers

We live nearby and have been here a few times. I have to say that I was disappointed with both the service and food this time.
We were there at 5:45 and the owner/​maitre d seemed distracted and busy on the phone. The downstairs seating area was open but he took us upstairs which is an unattractive space.
Our waiter, very new, could barely speak English. He fumbled through the specials. When we gave him our order, he tried to memorize. We asked him to repeat the order and he got it all wrong. Thereafter, he proceeded to write down our order.
I tried the Hummus and lamb sausage which were good. The minestrone soup was in remarkable as well as the chicken parm.
The food is not pricey, so I guess you get what you pay for.

Tartufo is spectacular! There… I just said it. My friend and I went and had a fantastic experience. The only hiccup came with a little confusion about the reservation. I called and spoke to a little Italian man who took my reservations but when we walked in they said there was no record of me calling. They also said the owner never writes the reservations down so if you call to make them it’s best to call back later and confirm.
Anyways, to the important stuff! The space is cozy and inviting with a Modern but warm feeling. The bathrooms are clean and well maintained. The bar is simple and elegant and avoids feeling stuffy. There isn’t a ton of tables but that just adds to the cozy feeling. Service was great, our waiter was friendly and genuine. But the food was the real star.
The food is done in the «Abruzzi style» which caught my attention because that just happens to be where my family is from in Italy. We shared a salad which was delish! We both got the Orecchiette with sausage. It was amazing! Not heavy, and we couldn’t tell what the sauce was, but It was great to eat a pasta dish without feeling like a sack of garbage after. We finished up with a dessert, lemon sorbet for her and a chocolate cake for me. The desserts were beautifully plated and absolutely sinful.
So the lesson of the story is: great and friendly service, great atmosphere, amazing authentic food with a great value. Oh did I mention the bill was only about $ 84 for the two of us? It’s a must try!

At first glance, this place gives off a stuffy and overpriced vibe; a white tablecloth Italian restaurant full of whitehairs and formally dressed waiters usually isn’t my scene. But with the exception of a small service hiccup (a waiter didn’t come over initially for a while, although afterwards was super attentive), the experience was actually pretty solid, and would be particularly good for dinner with parents (which is the reason we came).
The food was the star here, and not terribly overpriced as I’d feared, with homemade pastas around $ 20 and entrees around $ 25. My shrimp and scallop risotto was lick-​the-​plate delicious and I’d highly recommend it. The hake with a side of saffron risotto was also reportedly very tasty, and the homemade carbornara was also good although was on the salty side. For dessert, the limoncello cake was unexpectedly top notch, and the cocktails we had were reasonably priced and well-​executed.
If you’re looking for a classy Italian joint with excellent food that’s not terribly overpriced in the area, I think Tartufo is a solid choice.

Tartufo Restaurant — Newton, MA — 4-​6-​2015
As I walk up to the door the first thing that over takes me is the rich aroma that hints of the gastronomical experience that awaits me on the other side of the door. That was my first sign…
I was immediately seated and met the owners Anna & Dante. They’ve owned the restaurant for 11 years. Nicely decorated… White linen thruout… And a nice large bar that seemed almost equally devided between liquors and fine wines… The woodwork is beautiful and I was seated along the window. When I informed Anna that I was looking for that «when Harry met Sally» moment in my meal she gasped…
Soon after Dante served the fresh out of the oven bread… Warm and bursting with flavour… It was remeniscent of the bread you get on Arthur Avenue and that says allot! Call me a butter snob at this point but the only thing that detracted from the bread were the gold butter packets. There was olive oil on the table but I prefer a whipped butter with a hint of fresh herbs…
I asked Anna & Dante to recommend something special… The Lobstah salad that would come out next ignitet my palate… Large chuncks of fresh lobstah with a meddley of frise, freh strawberries, mango, tomatoes and red cabage dressed in a light lemon aioli dressing is something that will stay with me for a long time… I can best describe it as an orchestra of flavours…
As the Veal Chop stuffed with prosciuto & fontina cheese came out, my tastebuds cried with anticipation… Served with zuchinni, squash, roasted potatoes, red peppers and topped with an array of champion & shittake mushrooms and a port wine demiglaze reduction… You don’t need to worry about the temperature of the meat as it will be perfect when it arrives before you…
For dessert, Dante chose their house made crème brelee– a rich creamy custard with fresh blueberries, whipped cream and a mint leaf for garnish. Top that off with my signature cappuccino and life is complete!
It was definitely my «when harry met Sally» moment… From the food with its imaginative flair, flavours that just explode in your mouth along with unbelievably personal customer service, this place definitely exceeded my expectations. All of the dishes are individually prepared to order and they come out of the kitchen with the prescicion of a metronome perfectly spaced in time. If you are looking to be wow’d, this is your place!

Tartufo is absolutely spectacular — I rarely give 5 stars, but I am considering this one for 5. It’s just so good all around — ambience, service, drinks, food, portions, everything! This is such a great find in the Newton Centre neighborhood, where restaurants have come and gone over the years.
I came here on a Sunday night for dinner — the lights were dimmed halfway through dinner, almost every table was occupied, and the restaurant was bustling. Our server was genuine Italian and a total sweetheart. We split a great bottle of wine and the food was served hot and fresh. Highly recommend the carbonara!
If you don’t feel like shlepping it all the way to the North End for an authentic Italian dinner, come here instead! It rivals, if not exceeds some of the top North End spots!