What a difference a renovation makes. This was my first thought upon entering Daniella’s on Cabot, the newly opened restaurant from Daniella Mammola, the successful restaurateur behind three other North Shore spots: Daniella’s Ristorante and Pellana Prime Steakhouse in Peabody, and Daniella’s Café & Market in Danvers.
The last time I had entered the same space, two years earlier, it had been a gastropub. In early February, I visited the reimagined restaurant, with its checkerboard marble floors, whiteclothed tables, and lamplit room—a moody, intimate space serving cozy Italian food in hearty portions. Honestly, if not for a tiny nook in the back corner and a vaguely similar floor plan, I wouldn’t have recognized it at all. Was this the same restaurant? It was, in a word, astonishing.
Mussels
It was also very, very full. At six o’clock on a Tuesday in February—during one of the coldest snaps in years—the maître d’ was redirecting those without reservations to the bar, itself about to be two deep. (The restaurant seats sixty-five in the dining room and twenty-two at the bar.) Thankfully, I arrived equipped not only with an appetite but also with a reservation, which is necessary at this new spot, new though it may be. There were few seats at the bar for two, and the lucky duo ahead of my dining companion and me who arrived without a reservation snagged them. Diners should keep this in mind, particularly as space is competitive.
Daniella Mammola
The portions, on the other hand, are anything but small. The menu is divided into four sections: antipasti, pasta, specialità della casa, and contorni. We began with three antipasti, including mussels steamed in a roasted garlic cream sauce and finished with fresh thyme; a spin on shrimp scampi, featuring shellfish cooked with artichokes, tomatoes, lemon, and capers and served in a towering bread bowl of sorts; and a trio of piping-hot meatballs, cheese on top and sauce on the bottom. That alone would have been plenty for a meal for two, but there was more, including crusty ciabatta—baked off premises and served at all four restaurants—along with vibrant olive oil and Parmesan, quick to arrive at the table.
The lively interior
An addition to the menu that evening was rigatoni alla vodka, slightly spicy and cloaked in a pink vodka sauce. The imported dried pasta was cooked perfectly al dente and served in such a robust portion that there was plenty left to take home at evening’s end. Daniella’s offers parmigiana three ways— chicken, eggplant, and veal—and my dining companion and I opted for the former. What arrived were thin, crisp filets draped with cheese and sauce and served over pasta. (Diners can choose between spaghetti, penne, and—on the night we dined—rigatoni.)
Rigatoni alla Vodka
Those seeking a road less carb-laden can opt for the section with fewer pasta options. There, under specialties of the house, are baked haddock with spinach-tomato risotto; grilled salmon with a side of gnocchi; tenderloin tips; and sliced tenderloin. For contorni, or sides, diners can add Brussels sprouts or even a small helping of risotto. For us, it was on to something sweet. The dessert menu offers five options, from traditional Italian fare—affogato, tiramisu, cannoli—to international favorites. Pastry chef Khrystyna Biliavska, from Daniella’s Café, makes most of the desserts in-house, using fresh ingredients flown in from Italy.
Tiramisu
It is also worth noting that, like its restaurant siblings, Daniella’s on Cabot boasts a thoughtful, curated, and deep wine list. Since 2009, Pellana Prime Steakhouse has been a Wine Spectator Award winner, and Daniella’s Ristorante has earned the same distinction for the past five years. White, red, rosé, and sparkling selections hail from around the world, though the list dives deepest into Italian regions, particularly Piedmont, Tuscany, the Veneto, and Abruzzo. The restaurant also offers a surprising and smart half-bottle list—hard to come by and increasingly sought after by those who want the swagger of a bottle with the self-imposed limits of a glass and a half.
A reserve list featuring bespoke vintages and prizes from producers such as Gaja, Sassicaia, Colgin, and Quintessa—along with a handful of large-format bottles—adds extra sparkle and makes Daniella’s on Cabot an instant occasion restaurant. It is a beautiful and delicious spot for any occasion, even if that occasion is simply dinner on a Tuesday. Just don’t forget to make that reservation beforehand.
daniellasoncabot.com
Dining and Cooking