By Alison Preston

Two months ago I took a break from food and drink to relax in a hot tub at Inman Oasis, then it was onto Mass Metta Massage Therapy. Of course, my food obsession can’t be ignored for long. In my next SLF adventure, the journey went back to Davis Square, for an exploration of Dave’s Fresh Pasta, with 20% off any purchase from the specialty foods & grocers section in the SLF coupon booklet. A few months back during my visit to The Boston Shaker. I mentioned my plan to a Boston Shaker employee, and she advised to eat before going shopping or fall prey to the yumminess that is Dave’s Fresh Pasta.

Dave's: Bringing you all the finest meats and cheeses!

My limited knowledge was that of fresh pasta, and I had my charge card out to buy. But upon entering, my senses were pleasantly overwhelmed by a collection of unexpected sights, sounds, and smells:

• Fresh pasta
• Vosges chocolate (my favorite Chicago chocolate company)
• Homemade sauces
• An olive selection from my wildest dreams
• A grocery section to fulfill daily shopping needs
• A take-out counter to order fresh sandwiches and other treats
• A small sit down area to feast on your purchase

Dave’s is truly a one-stop shop. Ten years ago, Dave’s began as a small fresh pasta shop, and the store has expanded twice. The first expansion happened six years ago, with the second happening two years ago.

The most unexpected and exciting part of the shop? Wine. Hello! Who loves wine? Me. So after a careful selection of tomato pasta and spinach pasta, I navigated through the food towards the wine area of the store.  And of course, what goes best with pasta? Wine.

Wine, Wine, everywhere Wine

I was pleased to find the majority of the bottles within the $10 – $20 range. I hold a high appreciation for a nice (and perhaps pricey) bottle of wine, but what I appreciate more is a nice bottle of wine that my budget can afford more than once a year. The wine shop started as a small area five years ago with around 100 bottles. Flash-forward to the present, and Dave’s offers an expanded collection of 275 bottles and bi-weekly wine and cocktail events to educate the community while sipping wines and having a great time. The last wine tasting of the season is coming up on June 9^th—so call 617.623.0867 to check for availability. Or if you miss the wine tasting at the store, private wine tastings are also available. Who doesn’t like a wine event at home?

I ended up with a bottle of Polluce Lazio, a red wine for only $11 (that’s even before my discount). The staff was friendly and had plenty of suggestions to make my trip a breeze. I’m excited to try my pasta and wine for a feast with my fiancé very soon—so head over to Dave’s Fresh Pasta for your own sensory inducing experience.

Dave’s Fresh Pasta is located at 81 Holland Street in Davis Square, Somerville, MA  02144. Follow them on Facebook and Twitter for the most up-to-date information on daily and weekly specials and in-store events.

Dave’s Fresh Pasta: Local money spent w/ coupon: 15.96 | SLF savings: $3.04  | Total savings: $16.64