Best of Boston

It wasn’t long ago that even parties of two were forced to wait in the long line that formed nightly outside Olives. These days, with a new reservations policy, getting in is a snap; even large groups can be accommodated—at either the communal table in the main dining groom or in the private room out back. The notoriously hearty dishes make for easy sharing. And the affable servers, who know the food and wine menus inside and out, can help your group navigate from tortelli of butternut squash pasta to crispy duck l’orange to vanilla bean soufflé.