Contessa Boston: Back Bay Rooftop Italian on Newbury

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Contessa Boston crowns The Newbury hotel on Newbury Street with a glass-enclosed rooftop trattoria that looks out over Back Bay and the Public Garden. Opened in 2021 by Major Food Group, the Northern Italian dining room runs from breakfast through late cocktails, and it remains one of the city’s hardest—and most scenic—reservations.

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Rooftop atmosphere on the 17th floor

Guests reach Contessa via a dedicated entrance at 3 Newbury Street, then ride up to a roughly 4,000-square-foot dining room designed by Ken Fulk. Art Deco cues, mid-century details, and mural work set a glamorous mood without feeling like a costume set. Floor-to-ceiling glass keeps the rooftop experience open year-round, so sunset views of the Garden and Commonwealth Avenue don’t depend on warm weather. Expect an upscale, business-casual crowd—date nights, hotel celebrations, and special-occasion tables all fit the room.

Menu highlights: Northern Italian classics

The kitchen leans into grand-trattoria cooking: Piemontese carpaccio and antipasti spreads to start, then pastas such as tortellini en brodo and ricotta gnudi, wood-fired pizzas, and shareable mains like branzino, veal Milanese, and bistecca Fiorentina. Diners and local critics often call out rich seafood pastas—lobster capellini among them—and seasonal crudos that change with the menu. Breakfast, weekday lunch, and weekend brunch broaden the daypart beyond dinner, so the same address works for a morning meeting or a late celebration.

Wine, cocktails, and the bar

Contessa stocks a deep cellar—about 6,000 bottles—with a strong focus on Piedmont and Tuscany alongside French benchmarks from Bordeaux and Burgundy. Classic cocktails, including house Negronis and chilled Martinis, anchor the bar program. On weeknights the cocktail hour stretches toward midnight; Thursday through Saturday the bar typically runs later, which makes Contessa a post-dinner destination even if you dine earlier elsewhere on Newbury.

Back Bay location and neighborhood

Sitting at the Arlington–Newbury edge of Back Bay, Contessa sits steps from the Boston Public Garden, Newbury Street shopping, and Copley Square hotels. The restaurant entrance is at 3 Newbury Street (hotel listings sometimes show One Newbury for The Newbury itself). If you walk in through the hotel lobby, follow signs to the Contessa host stand rather than checking in at the front desk. Nearby MBTA options include the Green Line at Arlington Station, making the rooftop reachable without a car.

Reservations, hours, and practical info

Book through Resy or email reservations@contessaboston.com; tables often open about 30 days ahead. Dress leans polished rather than formal. OpenTable lists a roughly $31–$50 per-person range for many menus, though steaks, seafood, and wine can push a full dinner higher—this is a special-occasion check, not a casual pasta night.

Address: 3 Newbury Street, Boston, MA 02116 (rooftop of The Newbury)
Hours (as published by the restaurant): Breakfast Mon–Fri 6:30–11 a.m.; lunch Mon–Fri 11:30 a.m.–2:30 p.m.; brunch Sat–Sun and Monday holidays 7 a.m.–2:30 p.m.; dinner Sun–Wed 5–10 p.m., Thu–Sat 5–11 p.m. (cocktails later)
Phone / bookings: Resy; reservations@contessaboston.com; restaurant line listed as 617-741-3404

For diners hunting Contessa Boston as a Back Bay Italian rooftop, the draw is the combination of Major Food Group polish, Ken Fulk design, and those Public Garden sightlines—confirm hours and availability before you go, since menus and seating demand shift with the season.

Related coverage: Toro Boston: South End Spanish Tapas on Washington and Oleana Cambridge: Inman Square Eastern Mediterranean Meze.

Planning a night out? See our guide to the best restaurants in Boston.

Sources

• The Newbury Boston: Contessa
• Major Food Group: Contessa
• The Newbury Boston: Introducing Contessa

Further Reading

• Krasi Boston: Back Bay Greek Meze & Wine Bar
• Boston's Somaek Korean Restaurant

Related: Fox & the Knife Boston: Southie Italian on West Broadway