Want to Try Sea Urchin in Boston? Order These Italian Pasta Dishes

Although the edible gonad of the spiny shellfish has long been adored by sushi fans for its velvety texture and concentrated “ocean” flavor, lately it’s turning up in all sorts of contexts: most notably, Italian pasta dishes. Below, three of our current favorites, all of which die-hard fans should try immediately. For the urchin-nervous, we’ve indexed each option according to immersion level—from full blob to just a taste.

Photograph by Emily Sotomayor

Bar Mezzana

Dish: Spaghetti with crabmeat, sea urchin, and hot chilies.

Immersion Level: Moderate blob

Photograph by Emily Sotomayor

Porto

Dish: Lobster raviolo with curry leaf, fresh peas, and urchin-thickened butter sauce.

Immersion Level: Just a taste

Photograph by Emily Sotomayor

Waypoint

Dish: Bucatini with smoked egg yolk, pecorino, bottarga, and hulking lobes of uncut urchin.

Immersion Level: Full blob

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