Trattoria Pulcinella

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Address:
147 Huron Ave.
Cambridge, MA 02138

Neighborhood:
Cambridge

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Cuisine:
Italian

Price: $30 and under

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Trattoria Pulcinella Details

Dining Style: Casual Dining
Website: http://www.trattoriapulcinella.net
Phone: (617) 491-6336
Hours of Operation: Dinner: Nightly: 5:00pm - 10:00pm
Payment Options: MasterCard, Visa
Cuisine: Italian
Executive Chef: Giovanni Oliva
Dress Code: Smart Casual
Accepts Walk-Ins: Yes
Additional Details: Beer, Non-Smoking Restaurant, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Takeout, Wine
Private Party Facilities: We close the restaurant for private party of 32 people and up.
Private Party Contact: Giovanni (617) 851-0371

Getting there

Parking: Street Parking
Parking Details: From Harvard Sq. take the 72 bus or the 75 and stopped in the corner of Concord Ave. and Huron Ave. We are next to CITGO gasoline station

A word from Trattoria Pulcinella

Trattoria Pulcinella is a nice family run business; we offer a lot of specials from our native Italy, like Wild boar prosciutto cured in the house, lamb, veal and fish's imported from Mediterranean sea. BUON APPETITO

Foodspotting photos

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Awards voted by OpenTable diners

Diners' Choice WinnerNeighborhood Gem

Trattoria Pulcinella - Best Restaurants in Cambridge

Diner Reviews

"If you want consistently good service, fine cooking and real value for your money-this Trattoria Pulcinella is the place for you. Its a family owned restaurant and the owner and chief cook is almost always there to supervise the cooking and presentation. attractive interior and good wine too."
Dined on 6/24/2014
"I left Cambridge in 1992, but was visiting this weekend and thrilled to see that Trattoria Pulcinella is still thriving. The food was fantastic; friendly service, nice wine list. I started with the bresaola, and went on to the rabbit stew. All perfect."
Dined on 6/21/2014
"Dropped in the other night. They'd gotten slammed--a Harvard graduation table of 21 had turned up without much warning. The mom, daughter and granddaughter front-of-house kept everything moving, and the kitchen turned out the customary tasty, delicious, authentic Italian cuisine. The zucchini flowers are amazing. So too the lamb chaps. Just wonderful! "
Dined on 5/30/2014
"We visited Trattoria Pulcinella for the first time (on a Friday evening) after recently moving to Huron Village, and I think we've found the perfect place for an Italian fix. The food is delicious, there is a nice selection of Italian wines, and the team is appropriately attentive and very friendly. It's a relatively small and intimate space with an open kitchen, but we never had to strain to hear each other or raise our voices (unlike most places on a Friday). Simply a great place to dine and have a conversation any night of the week."
Dined on 5/16/2014
"This restaurant has been in the neighborhood for about 15 years. I've eaten there many times and always have enjoyed it. It is family run and they make efforts to please their guests. The chef will even gladly alter some of the dishes to taste. The tastes are "home made" and don't always remind you of what other more traditional restaurants serve. The wines are mostly Italian, reasonably priced and good. The pours "by the glass" are generous. It is a quiet spot, a "hidden gem" compared to the noisy trendy Cambridge restaurants."
Dined on 4/1/2014
"Enjoy fabulous, fabulous, food in a simple, unpretentious, environment? Well, it doesn't get any better than Pulcinella on Huron. Especially love the Carpaccio Di Bresaola and La Caprese starters. They have a smoked mozerally sometimes too, and a thin crust pizza, that are just amazing. For entrees, if they've the swordfish special, grab it. The lobster ravioli is also wonderful. Authentic flavors with the freshest ingredients--you can't go wrong."
Dined on 4/25/2014
"Quite simply, one of our favorite restaurants in Boston. For authentic Italian cooking and ambience, this tiny neighborhood restaurant is superb. I just wish it were in our neighborhood. As it is, we drive from the other side of the city at least a couple times a year to eat here. Most recently, we loved the spaghetti al nero di sepia. Pulcinella never disappoints us."
Dined on 4/12/2014
"The place is extremely small. They put 4 people into such a tiny table that my plate was partly off the edge. We did have a reservation. The food was fair. My rabbit was stringy and the sauce was flavorless. The pasta was OK but not excellent. The tiramisu was just OK. Somewhat flavorless. And it is expensive. Will not return."
Dined on 4/12/2014
"Pulcinella's is a wonderful neighborhood restaurant with a very attentive staff. It's as good as the north end, but much less hassle. Try the mozzarella appetizer and let the waitstaff recommend Italian wines. I like a small restaurant that doesn't rush you and seems to care if you have a great experience."
Dined on 3/28/2014
"We tried the zucchini flower pasta special b/c we enjoy having something not made at home. Bland bland and then some and my pasta was just barely al dente, and this added a starchy taste to the overall. Very over-priced for such basic and bland food."
Dined on 3/20/2014
"This restaurant has been here for 20 years, and is still a neighborhood favorite . It is small and comfortable, with white tablecloths, a rustic rafter ceiling, a semi-open kitchen and little else in the way of décor. Customers are greeted warmly. The menu is limited but carefully chosen, and is truly Italian, with a Tuscan emphasis. Service is friendly and leisurely, but not too slow unless you are on a tight schedule. Unless there are people waiting to be seated, you can sit and talk forever, even after you have finished with dinner. My husband and I love it and it is one of the first places we think of bringing our out-of-town friends to."
Dined on 3/8/2014
"The cooks and wait staff take pride in welcoming, preparing and serving patrons with a delicious dinner and memorable, quiet and fun evening. The quality of Pulcinella is always very high. Unlike an another Italian restaurant in the area you can also hear each other while enjoying the top notch dinner."
Dined on 3/1/2014
"This place is pretty small, 10-12 tables maybe. The decor is romantic and rustic - but not over the top. There is an open window into the kitchen where you can see the chef's preparing your meal - felt like it was just for us! The entrees were lovely, plenty of food but not lacking in flavor or quality - all handmade pastas and fresh cheeses. We got the bruschetta as an appetizer and it was wonderful. App, 2 wine, 2 entrees - bill was only $75! A perfect romantic dinner on a young professional's budget. Service was marvelous as well. Due to the size as well as the attentiveness, the waiter/host was never far!"
Dined on 2/16/2014
"Excellent local restaurant with very good Italian flavor menu."
Dined on 2/15/2014
"We had an excellent meal and the service was great. They didn't make us feel rushed so it was very relaxing. We will be back!"
Dined on 2/14/2014
"I have severe allergies. It was crowded so to make things easy I asked chef to recommend. AWESOME FOOD. It looked like a spinach jelly roll. So pretty. So healthy. Sojust plain delicious. The wait staff dealt with the allergy well. Instead of the usual argument when I ask to let the chef decide, she did look at me oddly, but politely asked the chef. The ambiance is always special here. But, on Valentine's Day, people were slow to leave and; with an 8:30 reservation; we had a bit of a wait. Freezing, bitter, cold night. So we three couples crowded in, the staff was appropriately polite and cheerful. The 15 delay simply made for a better experience."
Dined on 2/14/2014
"I had read mixed reviews of this restaurant, but given it's proximity to our house, we decided to give it a try. Unfortunately, the bad reviews won out. They had a great many reservations, and were completely understaffed (in fact, they had no dedicated wait staff, just a mother-daughter pair). The food would have tasted a lot better had it not been served barely lukewarm. We sent it back to the kitchen and it came back warmer, but barely so. We will not be returning."
Dined on 2/14/2014
"This is a great spot for delicious Italian food at a reasonable price. Wine list (for White) by the glass is limited. But the specials are always terrific and the wait staff is great."
Dined on 1/15/2014
"Nice ambiance and pleasant service. Food was fair. Pasta Carbonara was unremarkable and shrimps came grilled with the shells on. Small place, good for a winter's snowy night."
Dined on 12/15/2013
"While the service and atmosphere were VERY good, we felt the portions and the quality of the food did not merit the pricing. The food was good and the ingredients tasted fresh, but $22 was a bit steep for a plate of paccheri style pasta and just two meatballs. Also the Insalata di Capri (Caprese Salad) did not merit it's $14 price tag either...good, just not great. We had high expectations that weren't quite met by the overall meal."
Dined on 11/30/2013
"We've eaten at Trattoria Pulcinella twice and both times had a fabulous meal."
Dined on 11/16/2013
"Never been disappointed with restaurant. It is small (~10 tables) so personal service is assured."
Dined on 11/23/2013
"We've been going to Trattoria Pulcinella for years, and are never disappointed. It's one of the most authentically Italian restaurants in Greater Boston. Our most recent dinner was great -- interesting specials, relaxed pace, great wine and food recommendations. All four of us were happy with what we ordered. Veal and seabream specials big hits. Not overly fancy or inventive dishes, just really nicely prepared and seasoned food, prepared and served by folks who take pride in what they do. Bravo."
Dined on 11/16/2013
"love this place, small like being in the north end but better"
Dined on 11/9/2013
"Fresh food, simply prepared and delicious. Wonderful place to go when you want to have a conversation."
Dined on 10/20/2013
"Pulchinella was a big disappointment despite the good online reviews I read before going. Now that I've been, friends tell me it does not excel in food preparation-wish I'd check with them first. Despite the intimate atmosphere and good service, the food left us cold. There just was no real taste to it. I left feeling like I hadn't eaten, despite the decent portion size. I suggest people head for the North End if you want authentic Italian food. Too bad since it was close to my home and was looking for a favorite neighborhood haunt."
Dined on 10/12/2013
"Food and ambiance were great but food took over an hour to get out. Was a busy Friday night but still disappointing."
Dined on 10/11/2013
"Order wine by the bottle....deceptive practice witnessed. Food good will not return."
Dined on 10/9/2013
"Excellent food. Service always teeters on the brink of collapse---one waiter for all tables. Requires arm-waving to get any attention."
Dined on 10/9/2013
"We were in Cambridge for an afternoon theatre performance and decided to stay in the area for dinner. We found Trattoria Pulcinella which had a reservation at the time we wanted and was a reasonable walk. Turned out to be a lovely little family owned restaurant with very pleasant and knowledgeable server (daughter of the owners), unrushed warm ambience and very good food. My linguini alla carbonara was very good and without the greasiness that is often the plague with that dish. We also had a delicious antipasto with pickled eggplant that was delicious. We will definitely be back."
Dined on 9/28/2013
"Observant and friendly service.Good variety of items on the menu. Great flavors."
Dined on 9/27/2013
"This was an undiscovered gem not far from our own Cambridge neighborhood. Some of the best handmade pasta I've had and our out-of-town guests enjoyed the non-pasta entrees as well. Knowledgeable, solicitous service, too!"
Dined on 9/25/2013
"Had high hopes for this restaurant after reading many of the reviews but was not blown away by the food. granted, it was good, but not great. (My husband really liked his sausage and meatball, and perhaps that is the way to go--stick with the Italian stuff.) My fish was a thin as a piece of cardboard. Staff was very hospitable and ambience was nice, but unless you live really close by, I would not venture there."
Dined on 9/21/2013
"This restaurant was fantastic! The food was superb: flavorful but not overpowering the food itself; perfectly matched flavors and textures; expertly cooked and beautifuly presented. Of note are the battered artichokes, veal braciole, the sausage, and the gnocchi. And the server (AMANDA!!!!) was so very helpful and pleasant, not in your face at all, and sincerly interested in how we liked things. The tiramisu is a must and we actually ordered a second after polishing off the first! You really deserve to treat yourself to this wonderful piece of Italy!"
Dined on 8/3/2013
"We were seated next to a very loud party despite the availability of other tables. The service was lackluster; I ordered, but never received, dessert, but was thankful it did not appear onthe check. In the resataurant's favor, I must say the food was delicious and the wine list is small but impressive."
Dined on 7/27/2013
"We got there at 6:30.on a Friday. I was a little nervous when the place was empty. As we sat and enjoyed a great bottle of wine suggested by our waiter, people started to roll in. The service was second to none and the food was unbelievable. I would recommend this place to anyone who likes to eat delicious foods. Keep up the good work Trattoria Pulcinella!"
Dined on 7/26/2013
"Within walking distance from our location in Cambridge.. which was the highlight of this experience. The food was average although the service and attention was charming. Very cosy and romantic setting, and we were able to take our unfinished wine with us."
Dined on 7/20/2013
"Maybe a hot Sunday is not an evening to enjoy this small gem; an over- the-door ac unit rumbled beyond its capacity in this funky little store front offering great food but missing menu items w/o explanations previous to our group deciding on the order. Though friendly and charismatic the lone waiter really didn't pay attention to the house of two other about to finish tables. This distracted the enjoyment we expected here and should have been addressed with a much reduced gratuity. Food excellent, we shall try again on a week night."
Dined on 7/14/2013
"Truly one of the more remarkable, true-to-form Italian restaurants. Tops any North End place and could rival many small restaurants that you'd find off the beaten paths of Italy."
Dined on 6/22/2013
"First: the servers are very friendly and helpful. We booked this last minute on a Saturday night and it was practically the only place with open tables. When we arrived it was almost empty so we were a little worried. However, we had a very good meal here. The pastas were fresh and cooked perfectly, the sauces were tasty and the meat dishes, while standard Italian fare, we're prepared we'll and a pleasure to eat. Our dessert was a pair tart and it was excellent. The wines were good enough and the check was reasonable. We will return."
Dined on 6/8/2013

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