Years ago, I had a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to work and live in a small city outside Venice, Italy. In my two years spent abroad, I learned a lot about Italian culture and traveled extensively throughout the country. I miss many things about my time in Italy, especially the delicious cuisine. Homemade gnocchi, prosciutto di parma, and decadent tiramisu are some of the dishes that I crave the most. Fortunately, there are many wonderful Italian restaurants located throughout Massachusetts. If I can't travel to Italy, these eateries provide a wonderful alternative. In Boston, there is a fabulous Italian restaurant called Fox & The Knife Enoteca where the award-winning chef is nothing short of amazing!

You can find the Fox & The Knife in South Boston, not far from the Broadway T-stop. The restaurant specializes in traditional Italian dishes including delicious homemade pasta.

Step inside and you will be greeted with a warm, cozy vibe.

Fox & The Knife is the brainchild of acclaimed chef Karen Akunowicz. She opened the restaurant in 2019 and has received several awards and accolades over the following years.

Chef Akunowicz is the former executive chef at the upscale Myers + Chang restaurant, where she was granted the prestigious James Beard Foundation’s Best Chef in the Northeast title.

You may also recognize Chef Akunowicz from The Food Network’s “Tournament of Champions” show and Bravo's “Top Chef.” Akunowicz has also written a cookbook, titled Crave: Bold Recipes That Make You Want Seconds.

Chef Akunowicz perfected her cuisine while living in Modena, Italy. Her spectacular dishes are authentic and full of true Italian flavors. Her menu focuses on quality, not quantity, and every dish is cooked to perfection.

Along with wonderful “primi” and “secondi” meals, the restaurant serves some fabulous antipasti dishes. The “pate di fegatini di pollo” (blood orange mostarda, chicken liver mousse, and pickled radishes) is just one great option.

I highly recommend making reservations ahead of time. The restaurant has a few tables set aside for walk-in guests, but these tend to fill up quickly. Walk-in diners may also cozy up to the bar, which has a full menu.

You can also enjoy Chef Akunowicz’s pasta at home! Her fresh-made favorites are available through her other business, Fox Pasta Company. Her products can be ordered online and shipped throughout the country.

Have you tried Chef Akunowicz's homemade pasta? Or do you have another favorite Italian eatery you would like to tell us about? More information about this fantastic restaurant can be found on the Fox & The Knife website and the Fox & The Knife Facebook page.

If you love Italian food as much as I do, you might also want to visit Boston Eataly, an Italian marketplace in Boston's Prudential Center. And if you are thinking about making your own pasta at home, read all about my culinary experience at Taste Buds Kitchen.