Viale

Viale puts handmade pasta at the center of dinner in Central Square. The menu moves from arancini and meatballs to bucatini carbonara with guanciale and peas, gnocchi with wild boar Bolognese, and saffron lumache with clams and mussels. There are pizzas and grilled dishes too, so a table can share a few starters before everyone heads in a different direction.

The restaurant sits on Massachusetts Avenue, close to the Central Square T stop. Weekend brunch gives it a daytime life as well, while oysters offer another way to start an evening. Menus change with the season, so check the latest selection before setting your heart on a particular pasta. Reservations are available for planning dinner ahead.