Though James Beard Award winning chef Barbara Lynch might be most well known for her French-Italian fine dining restaurant No. 9 Park, her minimalist, casual diner, Sportello, is what really wins me over. Aside from having more vegetarian options, the fresh pastas are unfussy, perfectly balanced and yet complex in flavor.
Take for instance, a recently devoured plate of ravioli. Though it seemed like your run-of-the-mill pasta at first, one rich bite told me that there was something more to it than meets the eye. A server later revealed to me that the ricotta in the ravioli was blended with chives and a segment of grapefruit – the latter being an Italian secret. If you’re not a ravioli person, try the gnocchi in mushroom ragout with peas and cream, the smoked potato agnolotti with mushrooms and monte veronese cheese or the polenta with porcini or eggplant. Whatever you order, the ultra-modern lighting and the white, counter seating will get you in the mood to make friends with your neighbors – particularly becoming for singles, out-of-towners or social couples. Though the place is casual, you can expect the same attention to detail and great service you would get at No 9 Park.
Sportello
348 Congress Street
617-737-1234
Currently based out of Boston, Jesal is a blogger, freelance writer, yoga enthusiast and lifelong vegetarian who spent four years eating her way through New York City and various other cities around the globe. After answering hundreds of emails and phone calls answering the question, "Where's a cool place I can take my vegetarian friend out to eat" she started Veggiewala to efficiently share her knowledge of the vegetarian food scene with curious carnivores, flexitarians and other vegetarians.