Review: SRV

What's this place like?
More elevated than your typical neighborhood joint, yet more approachable than fine dining, Executive Chef Michael Lombardi’s SRV has a foot in both worlds. The menu is rarefied and refined, yet presented in an atmosphere that's welcoming and warm. If the weather permits, try to snag a table in the back courtyard. That is, if you can—it's one of the South End's most coveted nice-weather dinner spots.

So what do we do while waiting to be seated?
An hour wait for a table? No worries; the bar is one of the South End's most enjoyable and consistently energetic spaces to grab a glass of wine and a couple of snacks while you wait. Chatty South Enders make the room pulsate with conversation well into the night, and you're likely to see more than a few pretty couples clinking wine glasses at the bar.

What should we be drinking?
There's a reliable cocktail list, but the intriguing and ever-changing wine list is where SRV shines. Expect to find an eclectic roster of Italian wines, from Emilia Romagna crowd-pleasers to quirky natural producers. The waitstaff are well-versed pairings, so don't be shy about asking for recommendations.

On to the food—what does the kitchen do best?
First things first: Make sure to order a few cicchetti, or small snacks, for the table as you strategize about main courses. The arancini with fennel pollen, artichoke crostini and salted cod baccala are all divine. From there, the menu combines Italian favorites (like the must-order meatballs) and upsale coastal offerings such as house-made bucatini with shrimp, or a dramatic squid ink risotto topped with aleppo pepper. Can’t make up your mind? Trust the chef with the $65 tasting menu ($45 for vegetarians), one of the best values for a menu of its kind in Boston.

And how do the front-of-house folks treat you?
The staff here are speedy and smart, and can effortlessly tell you about the difference between sopressa veneta and nduja (you should ask!) without breaking a sweat.

So why would you recommend SRV?
SRV is just elevated enough to feel like a special occasion every time you're here, but approachable and friendly enough to keep loyal regulars coming back time and time again.