Nebo Chefs Christine and Carla Pallotta's Guide To Boston

Food and family have always gone hand-in-hand for sister chefs Carla and Christine Pallotta. Nebo Cucina & Enoteca, their classic Italian restaurant in Boston's North End, combines their own self-taught cooking skills with their mother's delicious cuisine.

After successfully running a spa for 23 years, the Pallotta sisters decided to pursue their shared passion for cooking and built their business on the philosophy of "realness." Their eager kitchen staff quickly mastered old family secrets and techniques (like how Nebo's homemade pasta dough should sound when rolling it out), gaining them accolades such as “best neighborhood restaurant” in both Boston Magazine and the Improper Bostonian.

The pair has plenty of pride in they city they call home, deeming it "beautiful, alive and friendly." While you might catch them on popular television shows like Food Network's “Throwdown with Bobby Flay" or NBC’s “Today," you can usually find the Pallotta sisters in their lifelong neighborhood, grabbing some Italian food at Giulia or exploring the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum.

Check out these chefs' favorite spots around Boston — while they can both agree on where to get sushi, the sisters have their own "bests" in almost every other category (which means double the number of amazing local recommendations!).

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What neighborhoods do you live in?

Christine and Carla: We both live in Admiral Hill in Chelsea

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What’s your occupation?

Christine and Carla: Chefs and owners of Nebo Cucina & Enoteca

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Describe Boston in three words:

Christine: Beautiful, alive, fun.

Carla: Walkable, European, friendly.

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What’s your favorite overall Boston restaurant?

Christine: Select Oyster Bar

Carla: Ostra

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Best sushi:

Christine and Carla: O Ya — we both agree on this one!

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Best Italian food:

Christine and Carla: Our mother's house or Giulia in Cambridge.

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Best dessert:

Christine: Baked Alaska at Oleana with coconut ice cream and passion fruit caramel.

Carla: Modern Pastry’s Paragina cake. It's an Italian sponge cake with vanilla custard, crispy flaky layers and fresh whipped cream.

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Best pizza:

Christine: Nebo's traditional-style crispy pizza or Parziale Bakery's pizza squares

Carla: I would say Roman at Eataly.

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Best spot for a quick lunch:

Christine: Corned beef and pastrami combo sandwich at Moody’s Deli.

Carla: The classic lobster roll at Yankee Lobster.

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Best food truck:

Christine: Boston Frosty near the Boston Common.

Carla: Zinneken's Waffles

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Best spot for a romantic date:

Christine: Revere Beach, sitting on the beach, eating Santorini fried clams, people watching and watching the planes overhead.

Carla: Boston Harbor Hotel's Friday night movie and dinner.

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Best glass of wine:

Christine: The Menton Gold Bar

Carla: Haley Henry Wine Bar

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Best Sunday brunch:

Christine: The Neighborhood Restaurant in Somerville.

Carla: Fin Point on High Street.

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Best spot for a power business meeting:

Christine: Menton

Carla: Cultivar

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Best cup of coffee:

Christine: Ed Kane’s new Explorateur Cafe on the Boston Common for a cup of cafe latte on draft.

Carla: Every morning I go to Vittoria Caffe in the North End for a cappuccino.

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Best Steak:

Christine: Mastro’s Ocean Club's Tomahawk steak

Carla: Sorellina’s rib-eye steak

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Best craft cocktail:

Christine: Drink

Carla: Café ArtScience or anywhere that their bartender Tenzin Conechok Samdo works.

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What hotel would you recommend for your out of town guests?

Christine: Anywhere but my house! Seriously, Boston Harbor Hotel.

Carla: InterContinental Hotel

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Best gym or fitness studio:

Christine: Oh jeez! Haven’t seen one of those in years!

Carla: Pure Barre

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Best spa:

Christine: Exhale Battery Wharf

Carla: Mandarin Boston

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Favorite charity event or organization:

Christine: Lovin’ Spoonfuls

Carla: Lovelane Hoedown

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Favorite cultural event:

Christine and Carla: We both agree that it's Saint Anthony’s Feast in the North End. It takes place on the street we grew up on. Everyone sits on lounge chairs with all the North End natives and talks about old times.

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Favorite cultural institution:

Christine: Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum

Carla: Boston Public Library

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What’s the best museum or current exhibit in Boston?

Christine: Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum. Check out the Fra Angelico Heaven on Earth exhibit.

Carla: The Mapparium at The Mary Baker Eddy Library. There are amazing attractions that most Bostonians have never visited.

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Best iconic Boston landmark to see or explore:

Christine: The walkway on Boston Harbor.

Carla: Trinity Church

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What’s your all-time favorite spot in Boston?

Christine: Rowes Wharf Gazebo

Carla: Greenway on Cross Street with a view of the Custom House at night.

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The best aspect of Boston is:

Christine: The people

Carla: Different ethnic neighborhoods with old-timers sitting on the corners.

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See more city guides from notable Bostonians:

• Celebrity Chef Jason Santos' Guide To Boston
• Pastry Chef And Restaurateur Joanne Chang's Guide To Boston
• Union Square Donuts Owner Josh Danoff's Guide To Boston

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Image Credit: Carla and Christine Pallotta