Asta - New American restaurant in Boston - 47 Massachusetts Ave, USA

It’s hard to review a tasting menu place, the food changes based on ingredients and the chef’s choice, so the food experience can be different for each patron. But what made this truly memorable for me was the outstanding service of the restaurant’s team and the humble attitude of the chef himself. The staff offered incredible wine options, based on first inquiring about our flavor pallet. Then when each food arrived, it was nothing short of a painting on a plate. But along with being visually appealing, the combo of flavors, the sweet hints when you least expect in a spicy dish and the hints of tartness in a savory dish was mind blowing. Definitely a place to celebrate a special occasion.

I really like reading at Asta. The service is warm and attentive (it's been the same staff the whole time we've been coming which says a lot). The food is inventive and seasonally focused. They host a vegan adventure in January, and the rest of the year serve an omnivore menu with a vegan option which you can reserve ahead. The service is prix fixe multi course menu which changes continuously throughout the year as the seasons change. They've been very good in accommodating food allergies.

Beautiful and thoughtfully prepared tasting menu. We were surprised and excited by each dish and were very impressed by the extent to which the staff were willing to discuss what they were serving. Not to mention, I'm forever grateful that they accommodated my proposal! Please pay them a visit!

The place is fantastic, and the food is delicious, no doubt. But it's quite pricey for what's essentially peppers, carrots, and corn. Plus, with a tasting menu, you only get a tiny bite of each dish.

Excellent tasting menu with creative vegetable dishes. Recently took a visit to try their vegetable-forward tasting menu. Without a written description of the menu, we didn’t know what to expect, but the tasting menu was a good mix of vegetarian and omnivore dishes. Our meal started with a radish soup which was a bit acidic, but the subtle aroma of the black garlic gougère gave it a strong yet pleasant finish. The subsequent dish was a mèlange of diced mango, salmon roe, seasame sauce, and crunchy asparagus, and it was one of the most interesting twists on salad I’ve had in a while. Salmon roe added just the right amount of saltiness and umami that really enhanced its flavors. Sprinkled with a pinch of salt, the Japanese sprout tempura was undoubtedly my favorite. Although simple, the combination of daikon purée, shiitake mushrooms, and the tempura was an epitome of Japanese style of cooking. On the other hand, the omnivore dishes including the hanger steak and the grilled mackerel were good but plain. We added the seared foie gras to complete the meal, and the torched sweet potatoes were good pairings with the fatty foie gras. Finale of the meal was a custard cake with rosé vinaigrette and pea greens. While I wasn’t a huge fan of the idea of putting greens on a dessert, it wasn’t as bad as I initially thought. Overall, it was a satisfying experience, and I would definitely come back to try their other seasonal tasting menus.

I have never written a review for a restaurant and if I am doing so is because I hope no one else throws away at least $300 to the trash. Anything else will be a better use of your money. Been to a good amount of all sorts of restaurants in my life yet I have never had such a bad experience with food, smells, textures… paired with a way too casual of an environment and service for the price paid. With all the respect to the team, but I wonder if they have even tasted the food they serve?? No kidding I went straight to buying something else after to get rid of the taste in my mouth

Asta, is one of the worst restaurants in Boston. My wife and I are both vegan and were excited to experience their tasting menu. We expected the small portion sizes but hoped for a variety of tastes and flavors to go along with the experience. Instead, what we received was a bland, uninspired mess of an evening. Each dish was worse than the next, leaving such a foul taste in your mouth that the wine pairing became mandatory as a palate cleanser. To make things worse, the quality of the food being served was below what you'd find at a traditional chain restaurant. From the limp cabbage to the "earthy" potatoes, nothing that was presented even came close to what you would expect from a similar dining experience elsewhere. Dishes were served at inappropriate lukewarm temperatures,"creative" dishes didn't mesh together(especially the raspberry potatoes), and there was really no experience or atmosphere to speak of. Possibly the worst part of all is that it took almost 3 hours from start to finish to end our horror of an evening. At the very least, they could have bought us all of our bland food quickly so that we could leave and find some joy literally anywhere else in the world. A meal for two with a shared wine paring costs $330. For the experience we had, I would have felt better about myself if I'd simply been mugged outside of the restaurant. At least that way I would have had the opportunity to resist being taken advantage of. If you are in Boston, and looking for a place that serves an enjoyable edible meal, please save yourself the trouble and avoid Asta at all costs. The combination of their prices, food quality, and lack of atmosphere make Asta truly one of the worst experiences money can buy.

From booking to the check everything was flawless. Enjoyed every second. Totally worth every penny. Will for sure be back.