When craving Italian food in Boston, your immediate thought is to go to the North End. With so many restaurants to choose from, it’s an easy way to satisfy your craving. However, with large crowds on the weekends and a 20 minute T ride from Northeastern’s campus, it can seem a little overwhelming. In addition, dishes can get pretty expensive. But don’t worry, we found your new favorite spot to get affordable homemade pasta close to campus! Being a 20 minute walk from campus, Lilly’s Gourmet Pasta Express has got you covered.
Located on Tremont Street, this quaint restaurant is popular in the Mission Hill area for their AMAZING fresh pasta. According to their website, founder Lilly D’Alelio came to the United States with her pasta making skills from Milan, Italy. With a vision to make high quality pasta, Lilly’s Gourmet Pasta Express was born! With a manufacturing facility in Everett, MA and a restaurant located in Boston, Lilly’s is no stranger to the New England area.
The Menu
Lilly’s Gourmet Pasta Express serves more than its name, with the menu also including salads, appetizers, gourmet subs, Parmesan entrees, and speciality desserts.
However, let’s talk about the star section of their menu: PASTA. Along with their signature entrees, you can also choose from a number of options to create your own pasta dish! Choose the shape of your fresh pasta, such as fusilli, a gourmet sauce, like Mama’s Tomato & Fresh Basil, and up to 4 toppings. All of their pasta dishes are a great value as the portions are large and the prices are reasonable (with majority of dishes under $20)!
Writers’ Review
When we visited Lilly’s Gourmet Pasta Express, we loved its cozy ambiance. However, be aware that there’s limited seating, so you might want to plan accordingly! When talking to the head chef, he recommended a few dishes to try, including some of their most popular.
We tried the:
(1) Cajun Chicken & Shrimp Fettuccine
(2) Pasta Puttanesca
(3) Chicken & Broccoli Rigatoni
(4) Fusilli alla Vodka
All the entrees we tried were AMAZING, and so affordable as well. You could taste the freshness of the pasta and all the sauces were so flavorful! The Pasta Puttanesca is a great option for any vegetarians, with its fresh tomato and olive flavors. If you love cream sauces, than the Chicken & Broccoli Rigatoni is for you!
However, we both had our favorites from what we tried. Keep reading to see our thoughts!
Allison’s Favorite: Cajun Chicken & Shrimp Fettuccine
Although my spice tolerance is low, this dish had the perfect amount of heat! The sauce was so flavorful, but it did not overpower the dish. If you love chicken and shrimp, you will not be disappointed ordering this dish.
Chrissy’s Favorite: Fusilli alla Vodka
This pasta is easily one of my new favorite dishes. The sauce was both creamy AND light. The fresh homemade pasta took this to another level. I highly recommend!
If you are a pasta lover the two of us are, and want a good quality, affordable meal, Lilly’s Gourmet Pasta Express is an absolute must-try! Check out our Instagram reel below to see more about our experience at the restaurant in Mission Hill.