SportelloA pretty good mealI had the deviled ham, the tomato soup and the the bolognese dish. The deviled ham was very good and took me back to my childhood, but I realized that I really only like it when it is served with Miracle Whip. The soup was tasty but too salty. My bolognese also was a bit disappointing because some of the pasta was not fully cooked (I like it al dente, but some of it had a cardboard texture and was all stuck together). The sauce was delicious as usual, and most of the pasta was al dente, so I did not send it back. My husband enjoyed the salmon dish. We got the berry crumble for dessert -- the berries were amazing, the cake part just so-so.6/12/2013 12:00:00 AMNiceGood place to grab a nice but casual dinner on a Friday night, to end the week.6/7/2013 12:00:00 AMLuscious lunchDelicious food served in a low-price atmosphere (but still with high-price prices). The staff was great and patient with me when my lunch companion showed up 1/2 hour late, even though the place was packed. Food was thoughtfully and creatively prepared (I had warm beet salad, polenta with lamb ragout). Just wish the prices were $3 lower on everything -- i'd be there 2x a week.6/3/2013 12:00:00 AMGood lunch spotGreat homemade, "gourmet" pasta dishes. I work in the neighborhood and take people here for lunch It usually ends up costing about $25 per person, so can't really afford to go that often. But it's fun and the food is excellent. They have an $11 takeout "lunchbox" with sandwich, chips, drink and cookie that is good too.5/29/2013 12:00:00 AMGreat Spot in BostonWe live in CT and make a point of visiting Sportello every chance we can. I love that you can get appetizer portions of the pasta so you can get a couple if you can't decide. I had the fettuccine with shrimp and the gnocchi. Both were fabulous. My husband had the bolognese and loved it. My daughter had the polenta crusted fluke - also delicious.5/25/2013 12:00:00 AMDelicious interesting food!Delicious interesting food! Sitting at a counter was also fun just remember to hang your coat by the door. We are looking forward to returning for another delicious meal soon!5/18/2013 12:00:00 AMcan't wait to go backLoved the flavors of everything I tried. We were there for lunch on a Saturday at 12:30. Not very busy yet, still tables available to sit and talk more easily. Staff was pleasant and didn't rush us and had great food choice suggestions.5/18/2013 12:00:00 AMHot Lunch Spot!I've been to Sportello for dinner several times but this was my first time for lunch. Atmosphere is casual (diner style seating) but bright and comfortable. The service was very good and the food was delivered quickly. It was easy to get out of there in less than an hour. Food was very good. Friend loved her Portobello Panini. I had the beet salad which was tasty but very small. It is only considered a starter, but I usually find that is enough for me at lunch. At $12 or $13, I expected it to be a bit more robust, and would have enjoyed some greens with it. None-the-less it was beautifully prepared. We split the ice cream sandwich (chocolate cookie with coffee gelato) for dessert. YUM!5/15/2013 12:00:00 AMGreat nightCaitlyn, our server was spectacular. She made the night.5/12/2013 12:00:00 AMAmazing place!Took my wife for Mother's Day brunch. Wonderful experience all the way around. Cool layout. Excellent service and recommendations. Great food. Loved the open kitchen and being able to watch the chefs do their thing. We'd go back in a heartbeat.5/12/2013 12:00:00 AMMothers dayGreat food, service and casual ambiance. Loved everything5/12/2013 12:00:00 AMNever disappointsWe have dinned at sportello many many times. It NEVER disappoints. The food is always outstanding and consistent. One of my top restaurants in the city (along w other Lynch places). My kids love the food too. We had pasta bolognese, steamed clams, lamb shank, salads, and of course macaroons, ice cream sandwiches and ice cream w caramel sauce which was killer. We love sitting at the bar to enjoy outstanding food in a casual relaxed atmosphere. The staff is very relaxed an knowledgable on wines and the food. Very enjoyable experience.5/12/2013 12:00:00 AMawesome dinner out!Amazing food: duck rilettes crostini, gnocchi, 3 mushroom pasta so good. Spicy shrimp tagliatelle just OK wouldn't get again, and carpaccio was also good not great. Awesome for a group of two because its mostly counter style or a larger group if by the window. Best deal of the night: flight of 3 rose wines, all same size as a glass of wine ordered individually for around the same price. Too full tohave dessert but everything looked delicious. Definitely go to Drink downstairs before or after, great bar with unique drinks5/11/2013 12:00:00 AMVery niceGood food and ambiance. Loved the littlenecks. Exactly what I was looking for in Boston.5/10/2013 12:00:00 AMFantastic find!I was concerned about counter service but was pleasantly surprised by the ambience. Our party of 3 was seated on the corner so conversation flowed easily as did our style of sharing multiple dishes in small portions. Food delicious, especially the featherlight gnocchi. We started with a cocktail at Drink downstairs, similarly amazing experience. Look forward to a return visit.5/8/2013 12:00:00 AMGood intro to Barbara Lynch's foodRead about B Lynch for yrs, finally got to one of her rest's. Sportello upscale casual but diner design looks better than it feels, tho fine if don't want to linger too long. Outstanding tomato soup, rabbit strachetti(?), and coconut layer cake. Very good gnocchi and Rohan duck, tho latter served rare--so much meat I would have preferred less meat and more of the good grain mixture it sat on. Also realized I prefer duck better done, tho this skin was crisp the fat was still too chewy. Next time would do the rabbit as entree rather than appetizer portion. A name chef's restrnt, so slightly pricy (116 + tip for 2 for 1 soup, 1 pasta app, 2 entree, 1 dessert, 2 glass wine, tea 3.50, 1 coffee) - but $4 generous slice of cake was a real bargain!5/6/2013 12:00:00 AMModern diner.Although there are a few tables, most of the seating at Sportello is on fixed stools at a counter like an old-fashioned diner. This worked well for my party of two, but would not have worked with three or more. The food was excellent, the wine list good but not overwhelming. The noise level was a bit high, as one would expect from a smallish room and a full restaurant, but my friend and I could easily converse, largely because of the side-by-side seating. I will definitely go back to Sportello.5/4/2013 12:00:00 AMGreat service. Great food.Great service. Great food. Sitting at a counter top never felt or tasted so good.4/27/2013 12:00:00 AMExcellent service paired withExcellent service paired with delicious food! Consistently a great experience.4/26/2013 12:00:00 AMSportello is definitely oneSportello is definitely one of the top restaurants in Boston. Each ingredient in the food works well with each other and the presentation is simple and not over the top. The pasta is simply amazing and I would say that if you are in Boston and only have time to do 1 restaurant for dinner, this should be it. I went to Coppa the night before which is also good but Sportello blows them out of the water.4/22/2013 12:00:00 AMExceptional gnocchi! GreatExceptional gnocchi!
Great vibe
Nice wine selections4/22/2013 12:00:00 AMI was attracted by the positiveI was attracted by the positive ratings and reviews. When I first walked in, I was surprised by the layout - namely, two horseshoe-shaped counters with bar stools; not terribly upscale looking. And indeed, they are not terribly comfortable (couldn't they be cusioned?). However, the service was excellent, the wine list very good with a number of reasonable choices, and the food was absolutely stupendous. The flavors of the fettucine and shrimp (appetizer) and rohan duck were bold, balanced, and really delicious. Some of the best tasting food I have had in a long time.4/22/2013 12:00:00 AMterrific and celiac-friendly!I had a brunch date here and it was thorougly enjoyable. Sportello is bright and airy, you can sit at the bar without feeling crushed next to other patrons, the service is just attentive enough, and the food I had was wonderful. I have dietary restrictions (wheat/gluten) and was shocked when the server told me they had gluten free pasta! He also brought me a fresh-baked gluten free roll that was incredible. So A++ for being prepared, I felt so well taken care of. The beet salad was lovely, the pasta with sausage and mushrooms was SO GOOD (gluten free, people!), the coffee was great, and I even managed to stuff down a macaron. My partner liked his food as well, the mesclun greens and bolognese. Pricey but worth a splurge.4/20/2013 12:00:00 AMI had brunch for the firstI had brunch for the first time. Your food is always good but food for value wasn't great. The smoked salmon was good but the amount of food for the dish was terrible. The staff should explain that it's really an app size plate, not a meal. I also had the beet salad which was wonderful but again, too small a dish for the the price.
I love your pasta and like that you have 1/2 orders available.4/20/2013 12:00:00 AMDined here yet again and wereDined here yet again and were not disappointed. The place is so cute, and very diner-like, but the food is definitely not diner food. We started with some rose and cheese and olives. Great choices. Moved onto beef carpaccio and beet salad that were both fresh and fabulous. Also enjoyed some nice glasses of Primitivo and Super Tuscan with our entrees of strozzapreti with braiswd rabbit and fettucine with white shrimp. What a fabulous meal, and great service. We will continue to come back. Thanks!4/18/2013 12:00:00 AMCouldn't be better.Amazing food, amazing atmosphere, and incredible staff. We had a great night.4/17/2013 12:00:00 AMWhat a fun place to have dinner...aWhat a fun place to have dinner...and the food was so well done with good options. Trendy fun place to go.4/14/2013 12:00:00 AMSchedule a reservation b/cSchedule a reservation b/c the restaurant is small. The menu was interesting and was definitely fun to branch out and try something new. The open kitchen is awesome b/c you can see the chefs do what they do best....cook and make amazing food. Our waitress was great and very informative since it was our first time there. I had the Tagliatelle pasta (signature dish) and the pasta was delicious (made in house). My husband had the salmon dish and it was cooked to perfection. Don't miss our on the ice cream sandwich dessert...get it even if you are full, it is so good. Next time we visit Boston, we will go back to Sportello.4/12/2013 12:00:00 AMGreat Food, and hands-downGreat Food, and hands-down the most consistent and attentive service in the city!4/12/2013 12:00:00 AMThis was my first time forThis was my first time for dinner and my girlfriend and I had a great time. Our server was great and make some excellent recommendations for wine and pasta. She recommended the strozzapreti which was incredible as well as helping us understand a list of Italian wines that were really foreign to us.
Would definitely come here again. It's a great spot for two because of the lunch counter set-up.4/12/2013 12:00:00 AMThe food is really good, butThe food is really good, but service (not the waiters' fault - they are atually quite good) was slow. The kitchen seemed overwhelmed and the wait between courses was so long that we received snacks gratis. Also, several clams in one of our dishes were not open, but that was compensated by free glass of wine. We will go back, because the food is great.4/9/2013 12:00:00 AMFood was very good, settingFood was very good, setting intimate and informal. Wine list has some great choices, I recommend the Hilberg Barbera D'Alba.Food was fresh and very flavorful. We would definitely go back to this restaurant.I had the the Sweet Potato Angelotti, and the spicy tomato soup. Others also were very happy with their orders.4/7/2013 12:00:00 AMGreat food, fun atmosphereSportello is fantastic when you want inventive, interesting, amazing food in a fun atmosphere that's somewhere between a reliable neighborhood diner and your favorite bar.4/6/2013 12:00:00 AMThe food is always good.The food is always good. Service is quick and efficient.4/2/2013 12:00:00 AMExcellent, Excellent, Excellent!!!!Fantastic food, great service! Loved the whole experience and the food flavors "popped"-- extremely well seasoned! Bravo to the chefs!3/29/2013 12:00:00 AMThe food was really good andThe food was really good and we will definitely be back. Be prepared however, for some big appetizer portions, e.g. the sweetbreads.3/29/2013 12:00:00 AMBest duck I think I've everBest duck I think I've ever had. Awesome food! Awesome wine!3/28/2013 12:00:00 AMIT was the second week ofIT was the second week of restaurant week and they were out of the crab and linguini lunchweek special, so they were kinfd enough to offer the gnocchi as a substitution. It was excellent!
Service was friendly and helpful.3/28/2013 12:00:00 AMAs usual, really enjoyed theAs usual, really enjoyed the lunch I took my friend to for her birthday. Food was terrific and the wait staff are friendly, warm, and helpful. Great experience.3/25/2013 12:00:00 AMThis was my first time atThis was my first time at Sportello, and I'll definitely be back. The food I ate was both interesting, well balanced and indulgent - just what I look for.3/25/2013 12:00:00 AMHad a great time catchingHad a great time catching up with friends over a lovely meal. Definitely go for a drink downstairs at Drink before or after your meal (we did both).3/25/2013 12:00:00 AMFrom the host to the waitFrom the host to the wait staff, everyone is friendly, laid-back and very knowledgeable about the food and wine. The gnocchi is so light and perfect - and I thought I didn't even like gnocchi but they made a believer out of me. All our salads, entrees and desserts were delicious. They gave the four of us a corner at the counter which was perfect and cozy. Great night.3/21/2013 12:00:00 AMA favorite neighborhood restaurantA favorite neighborhood restaurant with a casual feel but a menu that is thoughtful about combining interesting ingredients to bring out flavor in every bite.3/20/2013 12:00:00 AMGreat dinner, fun vibe, goodGreat dinner, fun vibe, good service. What's not to like?3/19/2013 12:00:00 AMDelicious flavors. We eachDelicious flavors. We each tried a restaurant week 3-course menu sampler and shared the dishes. Sat at the counter table and had fabulous service. Interesting to watch them make the food. Gave me some much-needed ideas to spark up my own meals at home in simple but delicious ways. Particularly notable was the pea tendril mint asparagus salad and lemon jalapeno pasta. But the shrimp and halibut dishes were also mouthwatering. If this was my neighborhood, I would eat here much more often. But for now, it's my go-to restaurant for my out-of-town visitors. Relaxed environment, but rigorous attention to fresh ingredients and a fun twist on the usual fare.3/17/2013 12:00:00 AMThe food here is very goodThe food here is very good and the pasta is outstanding. Lunch is busy, but dinner is usually quieter. Worth the trip.3/12/2013 12:00:00 AMA Chill B. Lynch RestaurantIt's a nice laid back diner feel with quality food. Oddly enough, the food I remember most was the chocolate chip cookie I had afterwards... probably the best in town.3/8/2013 12:00:00 AMA fabulous place in the SeaportA fabulous place in the Seaport / Fort Point region. I am a regular at lunch and my husband I sometimes go for an early dinner if we have plans after work to of to a play or concert. I brought someone new to the neighborhood Friday for lunch. She loved it.2/1/2013 12:00:00 AMGreat Food in a Diner SpaceVery good food--BUT you have to understand what you are getting into here. This is NOT a fancy place--unlike some of Barbara Lynch's other places. IT is "anti-fancy"--and you have to be okay with that, or this is not the place for you. The food is very good--but it is a diner. Really. NOT a romantic dinner tuck into the booth together kinds place. Think the most utilitarian surrounding, including looking at diners looking at you across the counter ala Friendly's. Hospital cafeteria mood lighting. If you are cool with that, you cannot go wrong with the hearty portions of perfect pasta. PS. Grab some fresh baked goods for the next morning on your way out the door.1/5/2013 12:00:00 AM