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 are traveling as a couple and you are traveling solo.
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.
Our read - 02
Cramped, cash-leaning, and full of character.
Our read
Is it a fit?
Go if
You are traveling as a couple
As a couple, The Daily Catch works.
You are traveling solo
Solo, The Daily Catch works.
Food is a reason to travel
For food & drink, The Daily Catch delivers.
You prefer local life to spectacle
For local authenticity, The Daily Catch delivers.
Think twice if
You are traveling with kids
With kids, give The Daily Catch a miss.
You are watching the budget
On a budget, weigh it — The Daily Catch isn't cheap for what it is.
You only have one day
The Daily Catch is a real time commitment — fit it in only if it's a priority.
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 ↗