Classy Italian eatery La Padrona turned heads almost immediately after opening at the Back Bay Hotel Raffles in May 2024. It was Eater Boston’s Best New Restaurant of 2024 and was named to The New York Times’ 2025 restaurant list. Led by Chef Jody Adams, who spent 20 years at the helm of Cambridge’s Rialto, the menu combines carefully crafted Italian classics with seasonal New England flavors.
Calling all particularly dirty martini lovers: The Salty Truffle Martini ($24) is an ice-cold glass of vodka infused with black truffle and olive brine for a perfectly salty, spicy treat. It’s elegantly served with a cocktail stick full of ricotta parmigiano and black truffle-stuffed olives, resting on their own little cooling tray.
This is a magnificent special occasion restaurant if ever there was one.
Go early to secure a free spot at the bar or for a quieter, more intimate atmosphere. As the night goes on the restaurant gets busier and later in the week it gets more atmospheric. An earlier dinner on Monday night will feel romantic, and a later dinner on Thursday night will have more of a nightlife vibe.
