Dave’s Fresh Pasta

dope sandwiches and really nice market to get random groceries

Take a class here, it will be the best class you ever take.
As a Christmas present to each other, my roommate and I signed up for the pasta-​making class. We signed up early, and good thing we did, because they’re booked out about 3 months from today. I’d never been here but had heard very good things from another friend.
Come in, apron up, and fill up your small tasting glass with as much wine as you’d like. They keep it coming. Cheese and crackers along the way help stops your stomach from rumbling as a sauce simmers on the stove and he’s teaching you the importance of good eggs and how to really feel the recipe. And by that I mean, the «recipe» is very subjective. Take the class, you’ll understand.
We made fettuccine and spaghetti, plus ravioli and tortellini (spinach ricotta filling and sweet potato filling). We got to bring home the fettuccine, but ate the spaghetti, ravioli and tortellini for dinner. They sell premade ravioli and fresh pasta by the pound. Seriously, out of this world.
Then you get to roam around the store and buy whatever you want for 10% off.
Amazing.

Great tasting pressed sandwiches. Quite overpriced for what is offered, however. Portion is on the small side as well.

This place had really long lines even during an odd hours so it must mean it’s very popular! I love how they cut the pasta fresh right in front of you. I ordered ravioli (mushroom and meat flavors.) The Bolognese sauce was really delicious. I also ordered a sandwich was really yummy.

yep, went back with coworkers, paid $ 9.15 for an avocado BLT with soggy lettuce and hot mayonnaise. Can’t put lettuce on the panini grill dudes. Do you test your recipes first?
Tried paying for my sandwich, was pointed at to look around to store seeing if there was «anything else you’d like to buy» and come back. Think I’ll pay now, thanks.
During lunch crowds, workers demand to know what your order is, before you can even get near the menu board through the group of people waiting for sandwiches. Knock down a wall, and get rid of the 12 different kinds of $ 19 korean chili paste, they’re just in the way.

Warning: set foot in here and you will walk out with an armload of delicious food and wine, much less money than you walked in with, and only a vague idea of how it could all have vanished so quickly.

Love love love this place! Hands down the best sandwich shop in Davis square and the surrounding area. I love their options for creating your own sandwich and they have a great selection of sauces and meats.
Dave’s may be better known for their sandwiches but the pasta that gives it its name is to die for as well. I bought some of the lemon pasta and the pepper pasta as well as their pesto. All in all the whole purchase (enough to feed 8 people) was under $ 10, fresh, local, and delicious. Impress your friends at your next dinner party with pasta and sauce from Dave’s!

I’ve always loved Dave’s. Excellent little market. Bomb sandwiches. Best pasta (They have a black pepper pasta there that is AMAZING.)
Dave’s has a phenomenal wine selection. I’ve had a chance to check out a couple of their wine tasting nights and have been delighted every time. During the tasting you get samples of 4 different wines with snacks. The Pizza Wines tasting was crazy delicious. The pizzas were on point. The best part of the tasting is that afterwards you get to shop at Dave’s (after hours shopping) with a 10% discount! You can buy all the wines you tasted and all the Haribo gummies you want (BEST selection!)
Also 5-​stars? The in-​house cooking classes with Chef Jason. Had the chance to check out the Paella class and it was so fun! Not a super structured cooking class — I felt like this was more like preparing a meal with friends. Everyone does their small part and we drink all the wine and eat some snacks along the way. We made a shrimp in garlicky-​oil appetizer that was ridiculous. The paella was perfect and I left very full and happy.
All around Dave’s is my absolute favorite. Can’t wait to check out more of their classes!

Upon walking into Dave’s Fresh Pasta, I got hit by a bout of déjà vu — I think I’ve been there before… but I’m pretty sure that this was the first time I ordered up one of their sandwiches.
Dave’s Fresh Pasta consists of several adjoining rooms, yet it is rather small and dense. It is filled with many things from wine to fresh vegetables to maple syrup to candies to baked goodies, with a meat counter on one side, a pasta room on far right, and a sandwich counter in between, yet it is still well organized with a number of seating options placed about in addition to the tables set outside along the sidewalk as a makeshift patio.
For my lunch, I was a bit overwhelmed with the tasty sounding sandwich options — please don’t make me choose! — so I went with the Build Your Own route, and ordered a grilled chicken on sliced ciabatta with mozzarella, spinach, tomato, roasted peppers, vinegar peppers, caramelized onions, with honey mustard, grilled for $ 8.50. ($ 9.10 after tax) What I got was a rather large creation — half was enough to satisfy my appetite. Yum! But a bit messy to eat on the go as the juices ran through my fingers.
I considered picking up some sauce and homemade pasta to go after overhearing a conversation about how it makes for a really quick and yummy meal (15 min), but since I was going to be out for dinner the next couple of evenings, I had no idea when I would have the chance to enjoy the fresh pasta at its best. (Their sauces last longer.) Another time, I guess.
And now that I know just how close Dave’s is to the Davis Square T stop, there will be another time!
My pleasure to write Dave’s Fresh Pasta’s #601 Unilocal review!

I was initially skeptical about Dave and his purportedly fresh pasta. Anyone who uses comic sans as a font should raise suspicions. After sampling his ravioli, fine cheeses, and pastas, I was impressed, but I decided that I would wait to write a review.
Then I had the beef and boursin sandwich. Take all of my stars, Dave.

So many sandwich options! I had probably the best caprese sandwich I’ve ever had in my life here. It was amazing. Everything is really delicious and they have a cool little gourmet food market inside.

This place makes me angry… only because it took me 7 years in Boston/​Cambridge before I realized they serve *much* more than just pasta.
Holy sandwiches batman.
The spread of sandwiches available here is un-​freakingly-​believable. I’m partial to the chicken salad sandwich with nice bites of fresh chicken and the right amount of fruit in there. I tried the artichoke & arugula sandwich to switch it up and it’s fantastic, albeit less substantial. Choose your sandwich to hunger ratio and go forth.
They’re textbook for «don’t just a meal by its website.» Note: Please update your website. It hurts me.

After driving by Dave’s for two years, my schedule finally permitted me to stop in on my commute home. (M-​F, they close by 7) I was hangry enough upon my entrance as to be completely and utterly dumbfounded by the vast sandwich offerings. I turned the corner into the pasta room, and became incoherent. Cheese samples, a rainbow of pesto/​spread samples and a chalkboard telling me I could own a pound of fresh made, cut-​to-​order black pepper pasta. And own in now. Carb haters, this is not your spot.
But not eat it now (that part hurt). Thankfully, the pre-​made deli salads (including a few pasta dishes made in-house…chubby cheese ravioli radiating garlicky, parmesiany goodness found it’s way onto my dinner menu) are available, and there are three, two-​person tables where you can sit and eat on a real plate with a real fork.
Also, despite my complete hangry/​incoherent state of consumerdom – and the general business of the place – the gentleman behind the counter was super attentive, patient, knowledgeable and polite.
The beer, wine, and specialty food shop that is also a part of Dave’s takes this gem to the next level. This place will most certainly become a part of my weekday routine.
I will never look at Davis Square the same.

Went today for a sandwich. They have a huge menu of sandwiches. Staff was friendly and quick. I got the Reuben sandwich on dark rye. It was very good. Lots of corned beef. With finely chopped sauerkraut. I could only eat half. Gonna make corned beef hash for breakfast tomorrow. Look forward to trying the rest of the food.

This place is sensory overloadddd and ohh so delightfully tasty! I went here with a group of friends last Saturday for lunch and it was packed inside and out. Sandwich selection is near impossible because all the choices look absolutely scrumptious. I finally decided on the Italian which was a stellar choice with mortadella, salame, capocola, spicy provolone, hot peppers and a great assortment of veggies. The bread was crunchy, flakey, fresh and rounded out the masterpiece. They also make their own brown sugar limeade which topped it all off. Others enjoyed the French sandwich, beef and blue with caramelized onions and all thought they were fantastic. Very eager to return for more sandwiches and pick up some fresh pasta.

The key to this amazing sandwich shop/​deli/​pasta shop/​supermarket is the ingredients. They are serious about the quality of what they sell and that is why the have such a great reputation.
Their sandwiches are amazing. Try the Brazilian Hangover Cure Sandwich. You can taste how fresh the ingredients are. Because this is not primarily a sandwich shop, there isn’t that much room to sit. Some tables and counters inside, a few tables outside.
If you are in the area, definitely worth trying. You will become a regular.

These sandwiches are the best I’ve ever had in my entire life. Also FYI, they are big enough for two meals. My favorite is the smoky spicy turkey.
It is also fun to mosey around and look at all the grocery items while you wait for your sandwich. I’ve recently been stopping here on the way home for a missing ingredient for dinner or something nice (salami, cheese, fresh pasta). In general, everything is expensive (think a step above Whole Foods), but the most part good quality. The produce can be hit or miss.
Service is reasonably good, especially considering how packed this place usually is. I have noticed that any time slicing deli meat/​salami is involved, the poor dude behind the teeny deli counter can only do one thing at a time, so a line inevitably forms. Probably not fixable but understandable.

I came here for lunch on a Saturday with my sister and her friends, Tufts students. Each of us ordered sandwiches. I went with the roasted veggies and goat cheese on french bread.
Things that struck me/​stood out about Dave’s Fresh Pasta:
1. The font of choice is Comic Sans. Gag. This is the worst font ever. It looks sloppy and unprofessional to me. It’s the type of font that might be used in an elementary school classroom. (This is one of my finicky pet peeves and it doesn’t have any bearing on my star rating.)
2. It’s actually primarily a grocery store. The food seems to be secondary. How did I come to this conclusion?
3. Seating is pretty limited. There are like three tables and then some cramped counter-​like seating near the window. Some people stay at their tables, immersed in conversation, ignoring the fact that there are people awkwardly hovering near their tables with food awaiting a spot to open up.
We were three of the awkward people standing guard over the tables, waiting for one to open up. There were other people also waiting for a table, so when I saw that there was a guy packing up his belongings, I immediately swooped in and out my purse on the table, claiming it. Phew!
We all agreed that our sandwiches were fantastic. My mouth is watering now just imagining it. However, I will say that almost $ 10 a sandwich is way too much money, even for such a great sandwich. Those are prices I would expect in the city in a prime real estate spot with full waitstaff service. Not in Medford with a cramped space that hardly lends itself to sitting down.
I’m still awarding four stars because they sandwiches are reeeeally good and there’s no doubt I’ll be back for more, even if they are a little overpriced. The next time I’m walking to Tufts from Davis, you can bet I’ll be making a stop here.

Dude. These sandwiches are amaze balls. Like wow. I can’t remember the specific sandwiches I’ve had here, but they were all really tasty. There was one with blue cheese that sounded interesting. I’m not a huge fan of blue cheese, but somehow it worked really well with the rest of the ingredients. Definitely coming back to try out other items on the menu.
The random produce and merchandise they also sell is on the expensive side though. I wouldn’t buy any produce here unless you have to.

I miss living in Davis Square and this place is a big reason why.
Huge, fresh subs that will more than fill you up, free samples to keep you busy while you wait, and a plethora of goods to browse through in the market section. They’re not the standard $ 6 sandwiches you’d get at other places but totally worth the extra few bucks. I’ll have to stop in for some fresh pasta to take home.