Antico Forno

The North End is notoriously ridden with sloppy, corner-cutting imitations of authentic trattorias. But Antico Forno is the genuine article, quietly eschewing red-checked clichés as it upholds Italian-American traditions. From aubergine rolls to rigatoni with sausage or thin-crust pizza, pretty much anything that emerges from the brick oven, oozing ricotta and proper tomato sauce, is a winner. The pasta plates also please, especially the cloud-soft gnocchi, and the kitchen is open all day for impatient appetites.