


Housemade pastas and other small plates are served at this casual-chic wine bar with a rear patio.
Address and Contact Information
Address: 569 Columbus Ave, Boston, MA 02118
Phone: (617) 536-9500
Website: http://www.srvboston.com/
Menu Photos
Order and Reservations
Reservations: resy.comtripleseat.com
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Reviews
Original review July 2025:
Absolutely recommend. Good vibes, great food, excellent service. I took a gamble booking a birthday dinner here because I’d seen a review mentioning a vegan tasting menu, but it wasn’t
mentioned on the website. When we inquired upon arrival, we were excited to find that this was not a special or arduous request, they had a vegan tasting menu written down and ready to go (they had other dietary restriction tasting menus prepared as well). There was a mix of on- and off-menu items with two each of the small, medium, and large courses, plus dessert. All of the courses were tasty, but the vegan pastas, snap peas, and coconut sorbet really stood out. Good wine list and fun cocktails, too. We had two tastings, four drinks, plus a dessert wine for under $200! Really an incredible value for the experience.
Its a well decorated interior place with dim lighting. Staff is nice.
Menu is limited but good variety. We had couple of appetizers, one salad and 2 main course. Food was good. Plating was wonderful.
We had one drink and it was ok.
We ordered the tasting menu, which is designed as a shared experience—something we enjoyed as well. Overall, the flavors were great with some surprising elements. But we felt the menu leaned bit on the heavier and saltier side. It makes sense knowing the restaurant is managed by the same team as The Salty Pig—the dishes definitely inform that name. So we would recommend order refreshing beverages. Also, the full tasting menu was quite filling, with a lot of carbs and cheese. We would have appreciated a lighter or more vegetable-forward dish (perhaps a salad) to balance the meal. Next time, we’d likely order by ourselves instead.
The tasting menu started with three cicchetti. The taco-like bite was fine. The fried mozzarella had a great balance of crispy exterior and moist, stretchy interior. The meatball was very tender with a nicely crisped crust—flavorful, though not particularly impressive. The bread, however, was outstanding: very moist with a springy crumb and a lovely tangy aroma.
For the piatti, the delicate squash dish was delicious, especially the sauce—fragrant, creamy, and not too heavy, pairing nicely with the pumpkin. We found they used nasturtium and ricotta for the sauce. Overall, the whole dish was quite creamy, we felt the pumpkin seeds could be prepared a bit better. It would be nice if they could be roasted and crushed first, then sprinkled on top to add more texture and depth.
The mussels were flavorful and served in a generous portion, accompanied by roasted bread with a perfect crust. Lightly seasoned with chili, they had a warming feeling. This dish had already made us feel quite full.
For the grani, we had the agnolotti (not currently on the menu), filled with beet and finished with lemon and parsley. The sauce was very unique—citrusy, refreshing, creamy and light. The crispy, slightly sweet topping added a nice textural contrast.
The second pasta was the lumache with crab and oregano breadcrumbs. While the flavor was good, it was too salty for us. After we mentioned this, the server kindly offered to replace it, which we really appreciated. The replacement—rigatoni with enoki mushrooms—had good flavor and texture as well, though it still leaned a bit salty.
For dessert, we were expecting their specialty tiramisu but we received two cream puffs. They were light and enjoyable though, and paired nicely with the strong espresso I ordered. The restaurant also kindly provided a birthday gelato. The texture was smooth and creamy, with just a slight iciness that kept it from feeling too dense, which we enjoyed.
Overall, the experience was very pleasant. The food had nice flavors and well-considered textures. However, we felt the tasting menu could be better arranged. Many of the dishes leaned toward the salty and heavier side, which would be perfectly fine if only for a few courses, but would be better if balanced with something lighter, juicier, or more refreshing as a whole set.
When my server explained the Arsenale menu $67, she described it as a blind tasting at the chef’s discretion — which means each meal can vary slightly depending on the day and season. I loved that element of surprise, and it explained why some dishes were different from what was printed on the menu.
I ordered the Arsenale and also added three extra cicchetti (the boccone, stuffed pepper, and baccalà mantecato) so I could try a wider range of flavors. The progression was impressive: cicchetti to start (including a perfect pork & beef meatball and a mortadella bite with ricotta and pesto), charred broccolini with Fresno pepper sauce served alongside complimentary bread (a thoughtful touch — pairing it with the vegetable course instead of the very beginning meant I could enjoy it without a glucose spike), smoked sea trout with delicate roe, navy beans, baby bok choy (a substitution for the mustard greens and escarole listed on the menu), a luscious white wine butter sauce, and a crisp toast, two pastas (a brown-butter ravioli with summer squash, lemon, and parsley, plus a seasonal rigatoni with broccoli and a creamy mushroom), and finally a profiterole filled with cream, plated with custard and topped with a cherry.
I was especially happy that there were plenty of vegetables in the meal. At first I thought I might need to order a salad separately, but I’m glad I didn’t — the broccolini and other vegetable touches were generous and satisfying, and a separate salad would have been too much.
Everything was well-executed, but the smoked trout and the charred broccolini were standouts for me. The cicchetti I added on were fun extras and made the meal feel even more complete.
For what could have been a carb-heavy dinner, I was surprised that my blood sugar didn’t spike at all. The menu felt balanced — with vegetables, protein, and thoughtful pacing — so instead of feeling weighed down, I left satisfied and comfortable.
The interior of SRV is spacious and inviting, with high ceilings, exposed brick, and plenty of natural light from large windows. The mix of modern touches (like hanging lights and marble tables) with rustic details (brick walls, wine racks, and greenery) makes it feel both stylish and comfortable. There’s a sense of openness that makes it easy to relax, whether dining solo or with a group.
Service was outstanding. My server was warm and attentive, and I also appreciated that several dishes were delivered by members of the kitchen team. Since I ordered the Arsenale menu, I could feel how closely the staff watched the pacing, making sure each course arrived at just the right time. It created a seamless, polished experience without ever feeling rushed.
The pacing was on the fast side — I could have been out in an hour and a half — but I chose to slow myself down to enjoy it. What really impressed me is that they let me order the full tasting menu even though I was dining solo, which made me feel welcome.
For $67, the Arsenale is one of the best values in Boston fine dining. Generous, delicious, and thoughtful at every step. I’d absolutely recommend SRV— in fact, I’d put it on my must-do Boston-area restaurant list, right alongside Pammy’s, Giulia, and Mistral. It really is that good.