Carmelina's

Carmelina's serves traditional Sicilian comfort food with a Mediterranean twist, built around fresh pasta and seafood. Executive Chef Damien DiPaola adapted old family recipes into modern Italian dishes, and the menu includes pastas like Sunday macaroni and mushroom rigatoni, plus antipasti such as fried calamari, baked meatballs and a roasted beet salad. The restaurant opened in 2012 on Hanover Street in Boston's North End.

The room is small, with an open kitchen and family photos on the walls, so it suits an intimate dinner. Tables are booked in 90-minute blocks, and reservations are made online through Yelp, not by phone. Takeout is not offered, but gift cards are sold online starting at $25. Parking is validated at the Haymarket Center Garage, and the restaurant lists dinner service and a stated 20% customary tip for U.S. guests.