Boston - April 13, 2007

You Say Tomato

Hot Tomatoes

Once upon a time, in a kingdom called the North End, a mighty chef named Jeff Malloy and his wife, Carmen, opened a restaurant.

They named it after the fair maiden herself, and the people flocked to it for tasty Italian dishes. It was such a hit that the chef and wife thought, Why not open a cafe, too? 

And so the curtain rises on Hot Tomatoes. The funky twelve-seat eatery arrives on the scene with honest, playful fare.

The menu is loaded with New York deli-style sandwiches; salads are topped with fresh, oven-roasted tomatoes; and the sloppy joe, made with Carmen’s Bolognese sauce, plays a lead role. Try your hand with design-your-own pizzas created from more than 30 ingredients. 

Desserts — fresh, homemade pies — are in the works.

Sounds like a fairytale ending.

Hot Tomatoes, 261 North Street, North End (617-557-0033).