The Daily Catch
A pocket-sized North End Sicilian seafood spot known for serving pasta straight from the skillet.
The call
Worth it if you're traveling as a couple and you're traveling solo.
Short answer
Is The Daily Catch worth it?
The Daily Catch deserves a place on most first itineraries.
The answer depends on your budget, time and travel style; the breakdown below shows who gets the most value.
Why
- 01
A few tables, an open kitchen inches from your seat, and squid-ink pasta delivered in the frying pan it was cooked in.
- 02
Cramped, cash-leaning, and full of character.
Is it a fit?
Go if
You're traveling as a couple
As a couple, The Daily Catch is an easy yes.
You're traveling solo
Solo, The Daily Catch is an easy yes.
Food is a reason to travel
The Daily Catch rewards a trip built around food & drink.
You prefer local life to spectacle
The Daily Catch rewards a trip built around local authenticity.
The plates that decide it
- Black squid-ink pasta (served in the pan) — the dish that defines the place — made with the squid's own ink
- Calamari meatballs — the spot that popularized calamari in Boston; the meatballs are the deep cut
- Coming with a big group — roughly 20 seats — keep the party small
Plan it well
- Cost
- Moderate
- Timing
- Off-peak; the original room seats very few
- Booking
- No reservations at the original; bring cash to be safe
- Allow
- 1–1.5 hours plus a possible wait
- Accessibility
- Extremely small dining room
Sources and method (2)
- Opened in 1973 by Sicilian-American Paul 'the Calamari King' Freddura, the original North End storefront popularized calamari and squid-ink pasta in Boston. thedailycatch.com ↗
- The 323 Hanover Street original seats only about 18, is cash- and walk-in-only, with an open kitchen where pasta is served in the pan. yelp.com ↗