The story goes that as a young 12-year-old, Fiore Correla dreamed of owning a restaurant on this street and would wander the shops hoping that one day his dreams would come true. Eventually, the store that stood in Fiores spot (a music store) closed down, so Fiore snapped up the chance to buy the spot and create his dream

We ate at Fiores for lunch on one of our many wanderings through the Little Italy area (more commonly known as the North End). Fiores has an elegant look to it, from the small side patio to the rooftop where more of a night scene takes place.

Even though we timed it for lunch, we were late and hit the early dinner crowd. Though the restaurant was quite busy, we didn't have to wait at all.

They seated us in the front room with a great view of Hanover Street, and the walls were decorated with stunning Italian murals. The wait staff were friendly and courteous, the rooms were beautiful, with a lot of ambiance, and the food was wonderful.

Karl choose the signature dish, which was a pasta with Italian sausage. We had arrived for a late lunch, so the prices were already set for dinner hours, so you can do this restaurant more cheaply if you come earlier. His dish was $16.

I had the homemade (all their pasta is homemade) lobster pasta, which was just out of this world ($25).

A word of warning: these are fancy restaurant prices with fancy restaurant serving sizes, so fill up on the lovely bread. Check out their website for more information HERE.

Website: www.ristorantefiore.com

When my dad and sister were visiting Boston I wanted to take them to a restaurant in the North End. The Marriott made our reservations at Fiore. Little did I know what wonders of Italian food I was in for!

We were seated in a roomy upper level, a far cry from the usual cramped quarters in North End restaurants. Despite the cloth napkins and fine china, the staff was very laid back. My sister wanted to know if they had pizza, and our waiter went downstairs to bring her a lunch menu. There were several other families with children in the restaurant, and yet the restaurant maintained a sophisticated feel.

For the first course, we ordered salads. My dad loved his caesar salad, and my mesclun salad with blue cheese and apples was fantastic! My sister ordered the Mozzarella Di Bufala thinking it was mozzarella sticks. As a result, I was also able to try this dish--buffalo mozzarella with roasted peppers, fresh tomato slices, and crostini. I must also note that the bread basket here was divine, filled with slices of crusty bread. Even my picky sister enjoyed it! She said "I usually only like bread with butter, but this bread doesn't need butter!"

The timing was perfect as our entrees were delivered not too long after we finished our salads. Everyone was delighted with their order. My sister said that the Parmigiano Di Pollo was far better than her mom's version. My dad ordered the Bombolotti Al Forno with Italian sausage. I insisted on having a bite and it was marvelous! My own dish was a work of art, a traditional New England dish with Italian aesthetics. I had their special, venison stuffed with pear and coated in a rich port wine sauce and cranberries. The side was roasted butternut squash, with a slight cinnamon flavor.

The wine list was short, but sufficient. I selected the one Pinot Noir on the menu, and it complemented my dish well.

The best surprise was the price. For three people the bill was only a little over US$100. I will most certainly be bringing friends and family to dine at Fiore again.