-- Boston's Hidden Restaurants --

Pasta Market Cafe

245 Ferry Street, Malden, MA 02148
(781) 397-0555 Find location!
--- Winner, Best Italian Restaurant in Boston Area, 2007 ---

Photo of Pasta Market Cafe, Malden, MA As most lovers of Italian food know, there is a world of difference between pasta out of a box and pasta that is freshly made. But even within the category of fresh pasta, there can be substantial differences in quality, as is proven by the top-notch quality of what the Pasta Market Cafe in Malden serves. This cozy little restaurant seems to do fresh pasta better than nearly any restaurant this writer has tried outside of the North End. Add to that the bonus of easy parking and you have yourself a winner if you are a pasta fiend like yours truly.

The Pasta Market, which is located in Judson Square (just south of Malden Center), is housed in a standalone building that looks like it may have been a bakery or a pastry shop in a past life. Situated in the middle of a fork in the road, it can be easy to miss, especially if you are approaching it from Everett rather than from Malden Center. The interior of the restaurant is rather attractive, with exposed brick, ceiling fans, an open kitchen, and a tiled floor. There are only a few tables inside the place (as well as some counter seating), so many diners do takeout.

The menu at the Pasta Market is fairly small, but nightly specials that are written on the board allow for a few extra options. A few appetizers ore offered at the Pasta Market, including a fresh Caesar salad that is big enough for two people. The entrees are tremendous; one dish, the parpadelle pesto, has freshly made pasta mixed with a fairly complex pesto sauce that leaves a slightly bitter, peppery taste after eating it. Another mouthwatering offering at the Pasta Market is the tender, delicate wild mushroom ravioli in romano cheese cream sauce mixed with peppers and mushrooms. Pizza lovers should not ignore the Pasta Market, as their pies are also very good. The margherita pizza seems like it might be made from an old-fashioned Italian recipe, with a chunky tomato sauce, flavorful slices of mozzarella cheese, and fresh pieces of basil on top.

The Pasta Market Cafe isn't very well known, possibly because it is a bit hidden away from the hustle and bustle of downtown Malden, but it isn't that difficult to find. The place does have a legion of loyal followers who can't get enough of the food here, and for good reason; it would be tough to come up with many restaurants in the Boston area that match the freshness and quality of the pasta at this unpretentious little dining spot. If you are a pasta lover (and who isn't?), the Pasta Market Cafe quite simply blows away most other places in the Boston area.