Cris from Boston

About me I was born in the Philippines, raised in Canada, but sharpened by a couple of decades of living in Boston. My tenure in this city kind of caught me by surprise, and I was tempted with moving elsewhere (Melbourne and I had a pretty serious thing going on for a bit), but I do admit to loving this place. My wife and I own a 100 year-old condo in Jamaica Plain, but prior to...

Oct 9, 2025

Casa Razdora Boston

As made in Italy by Bostonians

""Casa Razdora" in Boston is an Italian restaurant where they love geeking out over Italian cuisine! I prefer going on Thursdays for the risotto special..."

"Penne Amatriciana" is my order.

The guy behind the counter repeats it back to me, except his accent is impeccable, and thereby he reminds me, once again that I am not Italian. It's nothing personal. He does this to everyone. He has the thick, tough voice of a Boston townie, except when he's talking about food and then his voice is back in Bologna.

This, I should say to you, is archetypal Boston behavior. This is a city with a dozen universities and more than its fair share of geeks, nerds and pedants. Whether it's Red Sox statistics, Buffy The Vampire Slayer history, or wearable computing, Bostonians will find some subject that gains their passion and will take it as their duty to educate the hell out of you with pride and love. The crew at Casa Razdora just like to do it with Italian food.

I used to work around the corner from this place and would stop by for lunch at least once a week. I like going on Thursdays for the risotto special, but this sells out early so I try to get in early to beat the substantial rush. They've gotten even more famous after being featured on TV and the lines are longer, but if you want something quick, their eponymous sandwich - the Razdora, a delicious combination of roasted red peppers, soppressata, prosciutto, and homemade bread - is always reliable.

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About this spot

115 Water Street

Pasta:

US$

Website

6173386700

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