Giulia Restaurant

Name: Giulia Restaurant
Address: 1682 Massachusetts Ave, Cambridge, MA, United States, 02138
Telephone: (617) 441-2800
Price range: $31 to $50
Rating: 4.8

4.8

1669 Reviews

$31 to $50

Italian

Top Tags:

Giulia is a chef-owned regional Italian restaurant located between Harvard and Porter Squares in Cambridge. It is the first restaurant of award-winning Chef Michael Pagliarini. Its reputation has spread nationally with frequent out of town guests as well as Boston area locals.

Giulia puts a particular emphasis on hand-crafted pastas, made each day on our custom-built chef’s table adjacent to the open kitchen.

Best of Boston Italian Restaurant. All Italian wine list with unique Italian varietals. Local purveyors, dry aged local beef, burrata di andria, stone milled flours, vegetarian options.

Giulia is currently open for indoor dining and limited outdoor dining. We accept reservations up to two weeks in advance. To reserve a patio table, please call us at 617-441-2800. All reservations made online are for indoors only. Kindly note that our patio is uncovered so reservations there are weather dependent and will be canceled in the event of inclement weather.

Make a reservation

Party Size

2 people

DateTime

Dec 8, 2023

9:30 PM

Booked 14 times today

Additional information

Dining style
Casual Dining
Price
$31 to $50
Cuisines
Italian
Hours of operation
Dinner Mon–Thu 5:30 pm–8:30 pm Fri, Sat 5:30 pm–9:30 pm
Phone number
(617) 441-2800
Website
http://www.giuliarestaurant.com/
Payment options
AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
Dress code
Casual Dress
Executive chef
Michael Pagliarini
Private party facilities
You can book our Chef’s Pasta Table for a semi-private, celebratory dinner for up to 12 people. Both early and late seatings available.

Location
1682 Massachusetts Ave, Cambridge, MA 02138
Neighborhood
Cambridge
Parking details
Street Parking
Public transit
Harvard Square and Porter Square T stops
Additional
Beer, Cocktails, Full Bar, Non-Smoking, Wheelchair Access, Wine

Featured in

Best Restaurants in Cambridge, MA

Popular dishes

Chilled Octopus*$18.00
with parsley, potato, smoked onion and orange
Canederli 'In Brodo'*$15.00
foraged mushrooms, leeks, kale
Burrata di Andria*$19.00
with delicata sott'olio, lentils, radicchio and walnuts
Prosciutto di Parma*$19.00
with aged parmigiano, fresh pears and pine nuts
Assorted Salumi$18.00
with giardiniera vegetables and provolone piccante
Insalata di Radicchio*$16.00
with brown butter vinaigrette, apple and lardo
Erbazzone*$14.00
braised greens, ricotta, chanterelle sugo
Ivory Silo Lettuce$16.00
with leek vinaigrette, pumpkin seed and whipped gorgonzola
Nostrale$14.00
local farm pick of the day

Pasta 'Dalla Nostra Tavola'

Bucatini All'Amatriciana*$26.00
house-cured pancetta, tomato, pecorino
Buckwheat Pizzoccheri*$26.00
cabbage, potato, fontina
Paccheri 'Alla Bolognese'*$27.00
beef, pork, parmigiano
Strozzapreti*$26.00
with mushroom conserva (leeks, egg yolk, parmigiano)
Rye Orecchiette*$25.00
broccoli, stewed peppers, lamb sausage
Fusilli*$25.00
with escarole (broad bean, garlic, caprino lentischio)
Pappardelle*$28.00
with wild boar (black trumpets, juniper, parmigiano)

Secondi

Monkfish 'Alla Piccata'$31.00
meyer lemon, cauliflower, capers
Black Cod 'En Brodetto di Coriandolo'*$29.00
cilantro broth, local vegetables
Lamb Sausage*$27.00
with broad bean, escarole and nardello crisp
Half Chicken*$32.00
with broccoli, confit garlic, n'duja and lemon

Dolci

Pistachio Gelato$14.00
with dark chocolate and sbrisolona
Pumpkin Bomboloni$14.00
with miso caramel, pumpkin seed brittle
Dark Chocolate Budino*$14.00
with blackcurrant and caffè latte gelato
Brown Butter Zeppole*$14.00
with concord grape sorbetto and cinnamon pastry cream
Apple Crostata$14.00
with frangipane, graham streusel and anise chantilly

What 1,669 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

Reviews can only be made by diners who have eaten at this restaurant

4.8

4.8 based on recent ratings

4.8Food
4.7Service
4.7Ambience
4.4Value

Noise • Moderate

Loved For

Boston
Italian

1,669 Reviews

OT
OpenTable Diner
Greater Boston
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined 3 days ago
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Great service, amazing food! Everything we ordered was delicious.
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VF
VegFoodie
New York Area
13 reviews
vip
4.0
13 reviews
Dined 4 days ago
1. Overall 4
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Very very small portions. Ordered 4 pastas and 2 apps, and 1 dessert for 4 people and was still very hungry.
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RL
RLB1
Greater Boston
48 reviews
5.0
48 reviews
Dined 5 days ago
1. Overall 5
2. Food 4
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
We love the tasty food and pasta at Giulia's! Always a pleasure to dine there.
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BA
BruceAndMaria
Greater Boston
11 reviews
5.0
11 reviews
Dined 6 days ago
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
We ate at Guilia to celebrate two birthdays. Everything was EXCELLENT! They honored our Open Table reservation request for the best table in the house, and it was. They remembered our Open Table note that this was two birthdays and sent dessert with candles and very little noisy fanfare. The drinks and food were imaginative and delicious. Cassie, our server, was attentive, friendly and understated. She explained everything clearly and called us "sir" and "ma'm" and "dear" instead of the ubiquitous "guys" that has polluted the restaurant lexicon. The runners who delivered our food and cleared the table between courses were the same, smiling, quiet and efficient. It was a great evening and we recommend Giulia to anyone looking for a fabulous dinner.
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P
Paulette
Greater Boston
5 reviews
5.0
5 reviews
Dined on November 30, 2023
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
This restaurant never fails to please. The wild boar and duck were just delicious as was the beet salad, chicken liver crostini starters. Food presentation, waiter service, attention, knowledge on wines was all great and added up to a very pleasant evening.
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OT
OpenTable Diner
New York Area
7 reviews
5.0
7 reviews
Dined on November 29, 2023
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 4
One of my all time favorites! Everything about the dinner was incredible!
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E
Emma
Greater Boston
1 review
2.0
1 review
Dined on November 25, 2023
1. Overall 2
2. Food 4
3. Service 1
4. Ambience 5
I had received multiple recommendations from friends about Giulia, so I was quite excited to try the restaurant. However, my party and I had probably the worst service experience of our lives here. First off, the food was excellent. We ordered the semolina cakes, burrata di andria, bucatini all’amatriciana, and duck and prosciutto ravioli. In particular, the semolina cakes have a strong truffle presence, the pancetta on the bucatini was delicious, and I loved the flavor pairings of the burrata. The ravioli was a bit too salty. I think they have also cut back on the serving sizes compared to a few years ago. The atmosphere was also great; it fits the cozy spot in Cambridge vibes well. The service, on the other hand, was utterly horrible. To preface the following review, my party and I have all worked in the food service industry, meaning we understand the complications and frustrations associated with this job. We always give servers the benefit of the doubt, never have complaints, and tip well. I say this because we are not the ones to nitpick a restaurant's service, especially during the holiday season, but the fact that I am writing this review right now goes to show how dissatisfied we were. We had planned to go light on the dishes as we weren't particularly hungry. Our waiter made some snarky remarks about the amount of food we were ordering. Maybe he was trying to be funny, but he just came across as condescending. It honestly felt like he thought we couldn't afford the meal or something. I hate to make assumptions, but perhaps his attitude was racially charged. Our waiter held this snide attitude throughout the night, to the point where we just wanted to leave as soon as possible. We didn't even want to order dessert because we felt unbearably uncomfortable in his presence. His service genuinely ruined the entire experience for us. I never want to return, which is a shame because the food was delicious.
1 person found this helpful
OT
OpenTable Diner
New York Area
1 review
1.0
1 review
Dined on November 23, 2023
1. Overall 1
2. Food 1
3. Service 1
4. Ambience 3
Our waiter Mike was lost and uncommunicative. He only managed a smile when he presented the bill and it was time to tip. Food portions were small and the desserts tasted medicinal. Overall the $300 we spent were avoidable.
1 person found this helpful
ZC
ZConcord
Greater Boston
4 reviews
5.0
4 reviews
Dined on November 21, 2023
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
This was my second time having dinner at Giulia. And for a second time it was amazing. I typically don't go out to dinner for pasta, but this pasta is extraordinary.
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A
Anon
New York Area
2 reviews
5.0
2 reviews
Dined on November 18, 2023
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
One of the best meals of my life. Giulia is the only restaurant I've been to where every dish I've ever ordered on the menu has been good, and 90+% have been truly exceptional. I'm an NYC native, and I travel to Boston often. I enjoy an meal at Giulia more than any NYC restaurant, including some of the most celebrated Italian restaurants in the city. Special thanks to the dessert chef, the dark chocolate cake with fig jam and red pepper gelato as well as the caramel tart with frosted almonds and apple cobbler gelato were both superb. It is so so nice to see an Italian restarant that doesn't limit itself to just tiramisu and panna cotta. The food at Giulia is creative, and never at the cost of being delicious. Highlights include the oysters, chicken liver crostini, and caponata for apps. They also usually run a great salad, often citrusy which is a nice lightness. For pastas, the boar, bucatini all'amatriciana, and bolognese are always great. The halibut main was also delicious. I'd say this is the most consistent restaurant I've ever been to; feel confident about ordering anything
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JW
JamesW
Greater Boston
123 reviews
vip
4.0
123 reviews
Dined on November 15, 2023
1. Overall 4
2. Food 4
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Excellent food, service and cozy atmosphere. The flatbread appy with pea green pesto, pine nuts and prosciutto excellent; roasted squash agnolotti entree was amazing; pappardelle with braised wild boar was good but not quite tasty enough; caramel mousse tart was to die for. We were recommended a big bold Italian red wine which was also very good.
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SK
SusanK
Greater Boston
2 reviews
5.0
2 reviews
Dined on November 14, 2023
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Another spectacular evening at GIULIA! Food was spectacular!
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OT
OpenTable Diner
Greater Boston
2 reviews
vip
5.0
2 reviews
Dined on November 13, 2023
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
The staff was SUPER nice and friendly. We loved it there
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OT
OpenTable Diner
New York Area
2 reviews
4.0
2 reviews
Dined on November 12, 2023
1. Overall 4
2. Food 4
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 4
Guilin is good but not as incredible as in the past.
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J
Jamie
Los Angeles
2 reviews
5.0
2 reviews
Dined on November 12, 2023
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
We love this place (for special occasions since it’s a little pricey). Perfect for anniversaries, birthdays, parents visiting, etc. Service is always great, food comes quick and is consistently DELICIOUS. Also great drinks!
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RL
RLB1
Greater Boston
48 reviews
5.0
48 reviews
Dined on November 8, 2023
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Food was exceptional as was our server! One negative: We had a really long wait between antipasti and pasta courses. Server was very apologetic, but we probably should have been treated to something to help with the long wait.
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d
docjeff
Greater Boston
74 reviews
vip
4.0
74 reviews
Dined on November 8, 2023
1. Overall 4
2. Food 5
3. Service 4
4. Ambience 4
I Have only had caponata from a can. This was a totally different experience, just exquisite. Paperadelle with boar was also a sublime taste treat!
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W
Worifbrhwk
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on November 3, 2023
1. Overall 5
2. Food 4
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Great dinner, great ambience. Flavors and protein options were good but safe.
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m
max919
Greater Boston
9 reviews
4.0
9 reviews
Dined on November 3, 2023
1. Overall 4
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 4
Smaller portions higher prices. Oh well, its still wonderful.
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DC
DianeC
Greater Boston
5 reviews
4.0
5 reviews
Dined on November 3, 2023
1. Overall 4
2. Food 4
3. Service 2
4. Ambience 3
We really enjoyed our food, hosts were super accommodating and were able to seat us early. However, our server left much to be desired. Not just flat but was not interested in being pleasant while taking our orders or dropping off the check, etc. Was really offputting and surprising since we’ve normally had much better service.
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S
Samuel
Greater Boston
2 reviews
5.0
2 reviews
Dined on November 2, 2023
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
The wait staff was terrific with their recommendations. The food was delicious.
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KS
KristenS
Greater Boston
1 review
4.0
1 review
Dined on October 31, 2023
1. Overall 4
2. Food 4
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Our meal was delicious, our server was excellent and we would love to come back again.
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I
Italian
New York Area
70 reviews
vip
4.0
70 reviews
Dined on October 25, 2023
1. Overall 4
2. Food 5
3. Service 3
4. Ambience 5
This is a special, great place. The seasoned team let me feel well-managed. However, there were some training folks, who were truly oafish. The training bartender over-filled my wine glass with zero class, twice. Gotta train 'em better before you let them into the wild! The manager, whose name I didn't catch, is special. Go here!!! Delicious.
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TC
ThadC
Greater Boston
2 reviews
4.0
2 reviews
Dined on October 25, 2023
1. Overall 4
2. Food 5
3. Service 4
4. Ambience 5
Food was delicious and the staff was great. However, there was a twenty minute wait between appetizers and the main course. The staff said, "...the kitchen can only make five pastas at one time..." Ok...so you know the problem: fix it Also, the inside of the restaurant was very warm when we arrived so we changed our reservation from inside to sitting outdoors...even the staff commented that it is always hot inside the building. With the wait on our food by the end of the evening we were a bit chilly. First time experience and we will most likely return but Giulia will not be our first choice.
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OT
OpenTable Diner
Orlando
4 reviews
vip
5.0
4 reviews
Dined on October 23, 2023
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 4
Fantastic meal. Lovely service. Definitely will be back
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AB
AB17
Philadelphia
12 reviews
5.0
12 reviews
Dined on October 20, 2023
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Best Italian restaurant in Boston area! Service was friendly, genuine, accommodating. Everything was paced just right. Cocktails clever, original and delicious. The food was perfect! Portioned well, beautiful and absolutely scrumptious. Everything we had from starters through dessert. Giulia will make any evening very special! Will return!
1 person found this helpful
OT
OpenTable Diner
Greater Boston
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on October 20, 2023
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Amazing !! Best!! Felt like I was eating in Italy 💯🙌🏻👌
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CH
CindyH
Greater Boston
11 reviews
vip
5.0
11 reviews
Dined on October 19, 2023
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
From the moment we arrived until we left, we felt welcomed, appreciated and valued as customers. The service and food were both delightful. It was worth the time to get the reservation. Absolutely delicious.
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JM
JulieM
Columbus
9 reviews
5.0
9 reviews
Dined on October 14, 2023
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 4
Semolina cakes (as sfizi - yes it dies mean small) were very flavorful but only two and they were the size of gnocchis- so would choose something more sharable at next trip! The burrata was creamy and ever so amazing!Pastas w ceci/ garbanzos, penne rigati, calamari and bucatini were excellent- so flavorful and decent portions! Wonderful experience overall!
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CC
CarolinaC
Greater Boston
33 reviews
vip
5.0
33 reviews
Dined on October 12, 2023
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Outstanding service, amazing food, good portions. Best restaurant in town!
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JB
JonathanB
New York Area
7 reviews
5.0
7 reviews
Dined on October 11, 2023
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Incredible service, and very delicious food. Everything was wonderful from start to finish. The pasta dishes are to die for. We didn't explore the deserts as we were too full, but everything was tasty, well executed and original.
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MB
MargaretB
Greater Boston
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on October 7, 2023
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Awesome. Food was great. Wait staff was attentive!
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MK
MKay
New York Area
2 reviews
3.0
2 reviews
Dined on October 6, 2023
1. Overall 3
2. Food 3
3. Service 2
4. Ambience 5
We are normally the first to recommend Giulia, and our starter and sauces were delicious. However, we were disappointed when our pasta dishes seemed to be forgotten, leaving us waiting between courses for a half hour, and one of the pastas was overcooked when it did arrive.
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s
servedlate
Greater Boston
1 review
4.0
1 review
Dined on October 5, 2023
1. Overall 4
2. Food 4
3. Service 2
4. Ambience 3
The food took way too long to come and there was no apology for the tardiness but a snarky we have not forgotten you! Seemed like they were doing us a favor!
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a
areaforager
Greater Boston
8 reviews
vip
4.0
8 reviews
Dined on September 27, 2023
1. Overall 4
2. Food 5
3. Service 4
4. Ambience 4
Quality cuisine but portions are small for the price point, especially the pasta dishes which are appetizer-sized. I also have an issue with restaurants charging for bread service, per person no less. It’s clearly pitching itself as a special occasion spot but given I Iive close by I wish it was more neighborhood friendly or offered more casual options.
1 person found this helpful
AG
ArtGirl
Greater Boston
13 reviews
vip
5.0
13 reviews
Dined on September 22, 2023
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
A wonderful, delicious meal. The food is exquisite without being fussy. The portions are perfectly sized. A gem.
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OT
OpenTable Diner
St. Louis
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on September 5, 2023
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 4
4. Ambience 4
The food was absolutely phenomenal and well worth the price point. Reese was very helpful in pre arranging a birthday dessert for our meal which was very appreciated!! We hope to come back. We interacted with and witnessed interactions with several waitstaff during our meal. The majority were spectacular. Notably, the server to the table next to us was rude and gave off-putting replies to our neighbors’ questions about the menu when they were making selections, including a simple “what would you recommend?” that most guests probably ask. We nearly spoke up due to our shock at his snobby attitude but did not want to cause discomfort to the other guests who had just started their meal as we were wrapping up ours. Overall the staff were friendly with us but this was concerning to witness.
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OT
OpenTable Diner
1 review
3.0
1 review
Dined on August 31, 2023
1. Overall 3
2. Food 3
3. Service 3
4. Ambience 3
Lovely restaurant with a great ambience. Good wine selection. Food was good, but I wish they had a gluten free pasta option. Waiter informed us that they hadn’t served gluten free pasta since the pandemic, which was a bummer. Next time I will probably choose an Italian restaurant with gluten free pasta over Giulia, but overall a good experience and an excellent one for those who don’t need to avoid gluten.
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OT
OpenTable Diner
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on August 26, 2023
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 4
4. Ambience 5
Perfect dinner and service in every way, plus an impeccable Manhattan. I dreamed about the chopped liver crostini, burrata salad, pappardelle w/boar, branzino and blackberry upside down cake with blackberry gelato. Quite simply, and consistently, the best restaurant in the Boston area.
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e
elifs
Greater Boston
4 reviews
4.0
4 reviews
Dined on August 24, 2023
1. Overall 4
2. Food 4
3. Service 4
4. Ambience 4
Entrees were delicious. Appetizers need a little work, e.g. the eggplant app had very little eggplant and and incredible amount of capers.
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Safety precautions

Cleaning & sanitizing
- Surfaces sanitized between seatings
- Common areas deep-cleaned daily

Screening
- Sick staff prohibited in the workplace
- Staff is vaccinated

FAQs

Giulia Restaurant is rated 4.8 stars by 1669 OpenTable diners.

Yes, you can generally book this restaurant by choosing the date, time and party size on OpenTable.

Make a reservation

Party Size

2 people

DateTime

Dec 8, 2023

9:30 PM

Booked 14 times today

1682 Massachusetts Ave, Cambridge, MA 02138

Additional information

Neighborhood
Cambridge
Hours of operation
Dinner Mon–Thu 5:30 pm–8:30 pm Fri, Sat 5:30 pm–9:30 pm
Price
$31 to $50
Cuisines
Italian
Dining style
Casual Dining
Dress code
Casual Dress
Parking details
Street Parking
Public transit
Harvard Square and Porter Square T stops
Payment options
AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
Executive chef
Michael Pagliarini
Additional
Beer, Cocktails, Full Bar, Non-Smoking, Wheelchair Access, Wine

Website
http://www.giuliarestaurant.com/
Phone number
(617) 441-2800
Private party facilities
You can book our Chef’s Pasta Table for a semi-private, celebratory dinner for up to 12 people. Both early and late seatings available.

Featured in

Best Restaurants in Cambridge, MA

Giulia Restaurant

Make a reservation

Additional information

Best Restaurants in Cambridge, MA

Chicken Liver Crostini

Pappardelle

Bucatini All'Amatriciana

Sfizzi

Chicken Liver Crostini*$8.00

Warm Semolina Cakes*$12.00

Potato Focaccia*$8.00

Warm Olives$9.00

Mackerel 'Alla Scapece'*$8.00

Antipasti

Chilled Octopus*$18.00

Canederli 'In Brodo'*$15.00

Burrata di Andria*$19.00

Prosciutto di Parma*$19.00

Assorted Salumi$18.00

Insalata di Radicchio*$16.00

Erbazzone*$14.00

Ivory Silo Lettuce$16.00

Nostrale$14.00

Pasta 'Dalla Nostra Tavola'

Bucatini All'Amatriciana*$26.00

Buckwheat Pizzoccheri*$26.00

Paccheri 'Alla Bolognese'*$27.00

Strozzapreti*$26.00

Rye Orecchiette*$25.00

Fusilli*$25.00

Pappardelle*$28.00

Secondi

Monkfish 'Alla Piccata'$31.00

Black Cod 'En Brodetto di Coriandolo'*$29.00

Lamb Sausage*$27.00

Half Chicken*$32.00

Dolci

Pistachio Gelato$14.00

Pumpkin Bomboloni$14.00

Dark Chocolate Budino*$14.00

Brown Butter Zeppole*$14.00

Apple Crostata$14.00

Overall ratings and reviews

Loved For

Cleaning & sanitizing

Screening

FAQs

How is Giulia Restaurant restaurant rated?

Is Giulia Restaurant currently accepting reservations?

Make a reservation

Additional information

Featured in

Best Restaurants in Cambridge, MA