Best of Boston

Do the western ’burbs really need another Italian restaurant, you ask? The answer: If the name is Da LaPosta, 100 percent yes. Chef Mario LaPosta, an alum of Babbo in Boston, opened this Newton spot in 2021 with the goal of serving up sophisticated southern-Italian cuisine with a comfortable neighborhood feel. And he’s certainly succeeded; here, couples toast milestones over bottles of Super Tuscan and refined small plates like charred octopus with grilled ramps and lemon aioli; families come in for naturally leavened wood-fired pizza and handrolled pasta; and locals stroll in to pick up takeout chicken Parm.