BostonChefs.com - Boston restaurant guide to the best Boston restaurants
 
Cookbooks by Bosotn Chefs

The Basics: Spiga restaurant information

Spiga

18 Highland Circle
Needham, MA 02494
781-449-5600

Spiga restaurant information
Share Spiga share on LinkedIn share on Twitter share on Facebook

Spiga, from its unassuming spot in Needham, serves big city fare in a comfortable suburban setting at small town prices. The versatile eatery, modeled after the quintessential trattoria, offers daytime diners a casual and welcoming spot in which to enjoy a relaxed lunch of wood oven-fired pizzas, hand-made pastas and sauces, salads and panini. By night, copper-colored silk drapes, white linens and shimmering sconces give the yellow-walled dining room a romantic, rustic feel.

In the true Italian tradition, everything on the extensive, seasonal, a la carte menu is made from scratch on-site using only the finest, freshest ingredients - from the crusty breads and infused oils and vinegars to the hand cut pasta. The menu changes daily and can be enjoyed indoors or (during the warmer months) on Spiga's umbrella-lined outdoor patio.

 

News and Events at Spiga restaurant

A Taste of the Suburbs
Newton and Needham eateries come together at the annual Spring Seasonings: Tastes of Our Neighborhood event on Monday, April 30th.

Bella Vino at Spiga
The team at Spiga in Needham pays tribute to Campania with a wine dinner built around the vinous offerings of ...

Robert DeSimone

Chef at Spiga

Chef Robert DeSimone at Spiga

Chef Robert DeSimone brings a creative passion and an intuitive native Italian approach to the kitchen. Extensive world travel, a Masters degree in Middle Eastern Archeology and intense study both locally and internationally have shaped his culinary style which is, in its most pared down form, clean, simple and delicious.

A dual-citizen of Italy and US, DeSimone's love of food started in the kitchen with his Napolitano family. He completed formal study at Cambridge School of Culinary Arts and at ICIF, the Italian Culinary Institute for Foreigners in Asti, Italy. Following his studies, he worked under the direction of Chef Moreno Cedroni, uncovering wildly creative marine dishes and surprises at the two Michelin-starred restaurant Madonnina del Pescatore, in Senigalia, Italy.

Returning from Italy, DeSimone collaborated with Marisa Iocco at one of the North End's finest fine dining restaurants, Bricco. Inspired to bring true Italian food to a "red sauce" neighborhood, he then opened and created a menu based on Le Marche cuisine for the original concept of Sagra in Somerville. Returning to Italy for a six month sabbatical, he traveled throughout the country and islands on a Slow Food pilgrimage. A year with the Aquitane Group upon returning to the US provided a welcome bit of stability to complement his strong kitchen management skills.

Craving a platform to share the recipes and ideas from his travels to Italy, DeSimone now leads the kitchen at Spiga and looks forward to sharing new ideas with you.

 

  • food
  • chef
  • info
 
 
Dictionary
 
Carpaccio
1. noun Wafer-thin slices of raw beef served cold; named after the Renaissance Venetian painter.
Cavatelli
1. noun Small pasta shells with wavy edges.
Charcuterie
1. noun The French term for delicatessen-style items.
Cornichons
1. noun A gherkin in France.
Fondant
1. noun A mixture of sugar, water and cream of tartar that can be formed into candy or decorations. If heated, it can also be used as frosting.
Ganache
1. noun A rich mixture of chocolate and crème fraîche frequently used as a filling for cakes.
Gremolata
1. noun Minced parsley, lemon peel and garlic.
Insalata
1. noun Italian for salad.
Lemongrass
1. noun A lemon-scented herb used liberally in Thai and Cambodian cooking.
Mascarpone
1. noun Ultra-rich, soft cheese known best for its role in tiramisu.
Osso Buco
1. noun Veal shanks braised Italian style with white wine, tomatoes, stock, olive oil, garlic and other ingredients.
Oxtail
1. noun A very flavorful cut of meat usually from beef or veal tail. Can be very tough so, often requires long, slow braising.
Pancetta
1. noun Cured Italian bacon.
Pepitas
1. noun Edible pumpkin seeds.
Pesto
1. noun An Italian sauce traditionally made with basil, olive oil, garlic, pine nuts and Romano and Parmesan cheeses.
Ragu
1. noun Tomato and meat sauce from Bologna.
Risotto
1. noun Italian dish made from rice cooked by intermittently adding small amounts of stock or broth. Other ingredients are added as required.
Tagliatelle
1. noun What they call fettuccine born in northern Italy.