-- Boston's Hidden Restaurants --

Lilly's Gourmet Pasta Express
(formerly the Blackjack Pasta Bar)

52 Queensberry Street, Boston, MA 02215
(617) 266-1313 Find location!

Photo of Lilly's Gourmet Pasta Express, Boston, MA The Fenway section of Boston is an eclectic area that has a number of small, reasonably-priced restaurants that cater to the college students who live in this neighborhood. Perhaps the most interesting area for dining around here is a miniature "restaurant row" on Peterborough Street, a few blocks south of Fenway Park. Peterborough Street seems to have something for everyone even though it is a relatively short street, and the dining spots are often packed before and after Red Sox games. One block south of Peterborough is Queensberry Street, a quieter, more residential road that is a bit less traveled and has little in the way of commercial activity. But Queensberry does have a few small businesses, including a little-known Italian restaurant called Lilly's Gourmet Pasta Express. And while it looks like just another takeout joint for college students from the outside, Lilly's Gourmet Pasta Express has a lot more to offer than one might think.

Variety is the name of the game at Lilly's; diners start by choosing a pasta (made fresh daily in Everett, by the way), such as the delicious four cheese tortellini or the wholesome, hearty whole wheat pasta. Then one of a number of sauces is chosen, including a terrific pesto sauce, or perhaps a puttanesca, alfredo cream, pink tomato, or meat sauce. Finally, diners have the option to choose toppings to add, such as grilled chicken, artichoke hearts, meatballs, or mushrooms. Then, depending on the time of season and the weather, folks can sit outside at one of the metal tables or wait inside in the slightly tight quarters while the meals are being made (takeout is definitely preferable during the colder months due to a lack of seating here). For those who wish to try something else at Lilly's, they also offer sandwiches, salads (including a wonderful Caesar salad), and baked entrees such as lasagna and lobster ravioli.

Lilly's Gourmet Pasta Express is about as no-frills as you can get, but the pastas and sauces are terrific, the prices are low, and the parking, well, ok, the parking isn't so hot, especially during a Sox game. But if you can find a spot (or you take the Green Line to Kenmore and walk), you might just be pleasantly surprised by this underrated Italian dining spot. [Ed note: There is also a Lilly's Gourmet Pasta Express in Allston.]

Similar restaurants can be found in these categories:
Italian Restaurants
Restaurants in Boston
Moderately Inexpensive Restaurants

Other Pages You Might Like:
Breakfast at Thornton's Fenway Grille, Boston (blog entry)
What Is Good at Basta Pasta in Cambridge? (questions, answers)
Pescatore, Somerville, MA (unreviewed restaurant)