The story
Bar Volpe brings the best from the South of Italy to South Boston. Here, wood-fired seafood, handcrafted pastas, classic Italian cocktails, and warm hospitality come together in a casual dining room. It is an ode to the pastas, vegetables, wood-fired cooking, and vibrant flavors of Southern Italy—celebrating regions from Apulia to Sardinia. The restaurant is an expression of Chef Karen Akunowicz’s travels through the South.
Chef Akunowicz is a James Beard Award winner and a Top Chef fan favorite. Her deep connection to Italian cuisine was forged during her time living and cooking in Italy. Before becoming the chef of a Modena enoteca, she spent five months working in a small pastificio, learning to make pasta with the nonnas. Waking at 3am to shape dough, fold tortellini, and make brodo, she honed her craft and became truly immersed as a pastaiolo. At Bar Volpe, guests can experience that love firsthand.
Bar Volpe is not just a restaurant—it is also a pastificio (pasta shop). A glass-encased pasta room sits in the middle of the dining room, and diners can stop into the market and wine bar to take home fresh pasta, sauces, and olive oil. The restaurant’s commitment to handmade, thoughtful pasta is evident in every dish.
If pasta is the heart of Bar Volpe, then the wood-fired grill is the soul. The primitive, raw technique of cooking over flames adds depth of flavor that cannot be replicated. Focusing on the food of Southern Italy, ingredients are cooked carefully over fire so their natural flavors shine.
This dedication earned Bar Volpe a Michelin Bib Gourmand in 2026, an award that recognizes good quality, good value cooking. It’s a fitting tribute to a restaurant that delivers bold, soul-satisfying Italian food in a high-energy, welcoming atmosphere.
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