Went to A Tavola for the fist time Saturday night and we had a wonderful evening. I would highly recommend this restaurant. We had 8:15 pm reservations and there was a short wait of about 15 minutes. It was a warm night and they brought our drinks out to the sidewalk. That was a first in Winchester! Once inside, the service was prompt and friendly. We started with small bites of yellowfin tuna, calamari, roasted eggplant, boar proscuitto, and porchetta - all delicious. My husband and I split the risotto di mare. Ususally when one orders risotto it is already cooked and you have no choice as to how it is prepared. This was made to order and we chose the saffron version and requested no butter. It was superb! We will definitely be back to our new neighborhood gem! P.S. on the Sprite comment. To set the record straight, Italians do drink Sprite and Coke. My cousin in Italy posted a photo of their Easter (Pasqua) dinner on his Facebook page, and there they are with Sprite, Coke, and Italian soda bottles on the table! read more

Very nice Italian food in an intimate space. Prix Fixe is always worthwhile.

Appetizers were amazing, especially the speck and the burrata. I had the bucatini with clams as an entree. My husband had the rigatoni bolognese. They were acceptable but paled in comparison to the appetizers. Seems more expensive than it needs to be. read more

This place was fantastic, tremendous attention to detail on this menu. We ordered the duck prosciutto I highly recommend this item! Will definitely be back here! read more

Lovely and warm little 50-seater from Vittorio Ettore of Bistro 5. Pastas and squid were sublime. EVOO cake to die for.

While I do Miss Parson's Table very much, A Tavola is a nice replacement. The ambiance is very similar to Parsons. The food is a somewhat modern rustic italian take. The meals were very good. the cant miss dish was the Bigoli with roast hen and pearl onions. so savory and ideal for a winters night. the wine selections were very good. The dessert was fun and had a few interesting options like an olive oil cake with a sweet basil gellatto. I will definitely be back again soon. read more

Have been 3 times so far. Service is very good. Food is seasonal and fresh. Usually local and organic. Always delicious. Portions are not huge but not tiny that you leave hungry. It's a very cute place. Will go back again. read more

One of the best in Winchester. Really good food, good service, nice selection of craft drafts. Will go back.

A Tavola - Warm Room / Cold Staff We are longtime area residents but had never dined at A Tavola and were afraid we were missing out on something. Unfortunately our recent weeknight visit proved we were not. We were (non-) welcomed by a disinterested hostess who wordlessly took us to our seats. It was one of the recent hot and humid nights and we almost immediately noticed that the air conditioning did not seem to be right. When I went back to speak with the hostess, she counter-intuitively told me to raise the issue with my waitress. I did so, but did not receive much of a reaction and it was' nt clear whether she tried to do anything about it. Presumably the system was not working properly as the room remained warm for the rest of our stay and I saw others complaining as well. Oddly, neither the hostess, waitress or anyone else asked us about our comfort or offered the slightest hint of an apology or explanation. Perhaps the warm room affected the mood of all the wait staff, who all seemed indifferent at best, if not put out. Our waitress barely spoke to us or visited our table or took any steps to make us feel welcome. The other staff we interacted with, ran the gamut from disengaged to brusque. Mercifully we were not celebrating a special event, just hoping for an enjoyable dinner, in a welcoming setting. Unfortunately anyone looking for a warm greeting and attentive service will likely be disappointed here. My impression was that the knowledgeable regulars sat at the small bar to eat. It faced into the kitchen and no doubt enjoyed easier service. As for the kitchen, it did not disappoint. All three of us ordered the drum fish special, a delightful pan seared white fish, with an olive tapenade and served with fingerling potatoes. Although it was no doubt hot in the kitchen, the cooks turned out a quality meal. The lack of effort by the wait staff not only disappointed us diners, but let down the kitchen as well. read more

My wife and I made reservations here for this past New Year's Eve. We had an absolutely fantastic time! Everything from the decor to the service to the food was outstanding. We enjoyed a fabulous meal, plenty of champagne and enjoyed a most romantic NYE. We will definitely be back to try some of their traditional menu offerings -- the different wine and cheese nights seem like a fantastic idea! read more

We've dined at sister restaurant Bistro 5, but this was our first time at A Tavola. The restaurant is cozy, if a little cramped. Looks like it might be fun to sit at the bar and watch the kitchen action. Amazing antipasto - best proscuitto parma, lovely pork with onion rhubarb compote, a great homemade ricotta with lemon zest, pureed chickpeas - rich and smoky (smoked paprika?) and olives. The special was veal flank steak paired with ramps, morels and fiddleheads - this was one of the best meals I've had in a while. A really good chianti classico on the wine list as well. The *only* slight issue was my husband's rigatoni bolognese - pasta a little too al dente/dense. We'll be back. read more

We went here on a Wednesday night to celebrate our anniversary, and the whole experience was fabulous. The atmosphere is cosy (but not too loud), the service is prompt, and the food is delicious. We loved that they use veggies and herbs from their gardens behind the restaurant - you can taste the freshness. The piattini were excellent (we had the fried zucchini flower stuffed with homemade ricotta, and the smoked salmon), as was the rest of our meals. Will definitely be returning to try the bounty of a different season! read more

Couldn't chew the pulled beef shank deserts are tiny a joke meatball appetizer was great hate the pepper infused olive oil. Good extra virgin oil should not be contaminated Bolognese wasnt very tasty expensive. Service was gooWon't be back Reply to owner yes. You do have beef shank on your menu and you do have a meatball appetizer read more

An inventive kitchen in an intimate setting, A Tavola is place I find myself heading to more often these days. Modern cuisine with an emphasis on local sourced foods and beers. It's a small place, and table are close together, so it can get on the loud side when full, and this is a place I make reservations in advance rather than chance being able to find a table on the spot. See you there... read more

Went here one weeknight with hubby for some interesting Italian food. It just so happened to be restaurant week. I got one of the restaurant week combos, hubby ordered off the menu. We both thought all of the food, from the prosciutto and burrata appetizers to our entrees of pork (served with peach and pepper, under glass, with smoke - fancy!) and gnocchi with shrimp (more shrimp than gnocci - amazing!) were unbelievable. The deserts we ordered were amazing as well. Although each item appeared small by American standards, they were delicious and actually filling enough. He liked his red wine; I liked my homemade limeaid. Only (minor) complaint was the service was a bit too sparse. Hopefully next time we can sit at the bar and watch the chef(s) in action! read more

The food was absolutely delicious. I had the wellfleet oysters, proscuitto di parma, pappardelle, and EVOO cake with berry coulis and homemade ricotta and basil gelato. Everything was fantastic! We made reservations and I wouldn't want to attempt to go without them. We used Open Table, and there were no problems. The only reason I didn't give 5 stars was because I didn't like the size of the restaurant. While they can't really help the size, the tables felt crammed in. My husband almost got hit in the face by the person sitting at the next table. We could also hear their entire conversation, so not really a quiet romantic restaurant for a Valentine's dinner. read more

Some of the best, freshest, traditional Tuscan food outside of Boston. A Tavola has been a date night staple since it opened its doors in Winchester. I have never left disappointed and always look forward to each weeks specials. I have also brought my 6 and 8 year old boys with us to dinner and I wish I could get them to eat as well at home. read more

We enjoyed a nice dinner here recently--the food is fresh, simple, and well done, and the atmosphere is warm and comfortable. The dining room is lovely and feels slightly rustic but also elegant. It's a good place to celebrate a special occasion in a low-key way. Service was very good throughout the meal and everyone we interacted with over the course of the evening was friendly and polite. As for the food: we started with an appetizer special of figs roasted with gorgonzola and prosciutto over arugula. Delicious and extremely rich! I ordered the bigoli for my entree, which was described on the menu as homemade pasta (a kind of thick spaghetti) with prosciutto, mushrooms, romano, and cipolline. The pasta itself had a wonderful texture and thickness to it that I loved. The dish also looked beautiful. I was a bit confused by the meat, however: it was thick and chewy and tasted more like veal or beef than prosciutto. I was confused and began to wonder whether I had misread the menu or received the wrong dish. I checked with the server and she confirmed that it was prosciutto...I guess it was just cut thick instead of shaved thin? I'm still a bit confused by this. It certainly was not what I expected. It was also hard to get a good look at the meat due to the low lighting at the table, which added to the confusion. In any case, I would recommend the restaurant and the homemade pasta but I don't know that I would recommend the bigoli. Next time I would be interested to try something else. I look forward to going back. read more

This is my friends restaurant. and i'm not giving it a great rating because of that. The food is astounding and great service. You should totally check out his other restaurant bistro 5 read more

What a disappointment. The food was good even especially good but to wait an hour and a half after the appetizer, which also was slow in coming , for the entree ruins the meal - and loses the appetite. I have no interest in EVER returning for such an unpleasant experience, to be grossly ignored by the waiter and staff and especially the kitchen! read more

This restaurant is so excellent! The food is all handmade, fresh, and delicious. The pasta is hand cut and the vegetables such as fiddleheads, fresh peas, arugula are always fresh and delicious. We always get the charcuterie platter appetizer which features fresh ricotta, hummus, prosciutto, and thinly sliced meats. While it is a small place, the food is better than any larger restaurant around here. The chalkboard features the daily specials such as rabbit wrapped in prosciutto, a fish entree, and soups such as the spring pea soup with creme fraiche. The servers are attentive and well informed about food. Desserts include daily specials such as a delicious olive oil cake or a fresh parfait of strawberries and chocolate. read more

best food and service! would definitely recommend their fresh pasta and chocolate chip cookies. thank you so much

Delicious dinner in recent trip to Boston. Adjusted meal for one in our party with diet restrictions and was great. Fresh ingredients and great atmosphere. Get in early to avoid the crowd and enjoy! read more

Pasta and desserts we miraculous!! Love the decorations of the restaurant!! The menus were very clear and had food for everybody!! Such nice staff too! Everyone go here! read more

very yummy food. from the bread to antipasto to the entrees and wine, all excellent and very delicious. I would write home about his place. read more

The food here is spectacular. I was surprised as I haven't been blown away by their other location in the past, aside from the cocktails. A Tavola, however, had amazing food at very reasonable prices, and it's the perfect place for a first date. Classy but not stuck-up in any way. The chef, I believe his name was Greg, made wonderful dishes including perhaps the best bolognese I've ever had the pleasure of eating. Highly recommended. read more

Best restaurant we've found in the area. Not only was the food fresh, homemade and amazing - but the service was WONDERFUL! Our waitress couldn't have been sweeter, and she really helped make the whole experience for us. Can't wait to go again! read more

Love the surrounding area, love the cheese, melt-in-your-mouth prosciutto, fish prep, pasta dishes, Italian wine. Only thing we didn't love was the espresso dessert. We've come back a few times and we look forward to visiting many more. My wife is celiac and this is a legit diamond in the rough, she's so lucky to have authentic Italian that is safely gluten free. read more

Unbelievable gem tucked away in Winchester. Awesome pastas (both the seafood and meat pastas were tasty) and salumeri to die for. Watch their video and you'll see the craft and care that goes into every dish! You won't regret a romantic dinner for two at this little place: http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=sh1TmvU7J-o read more

We went here during restaurant week. Started off with an appetizer sampler which had squid, pureed eggplant, and thinly sliced pork. All three were good, and this was the high point of the meal. We ordered a wine pairing with dinner; when the waiter brought the first glass over, he didn't even tell us what it was. We had to ask, and he told us as he was walking away. For dinner, we had the pressed chicken and bucatini with seafood dish. The seafood was cooked well and tasty; the bucatini was pretty average for homemade pasta. This dish was a little salty. The chicken was tender and had a good initial flavor, but it too was salty and the salt overwhelmed the other flavors. The waiter brought the second glasses of wine over, and at least told us what they were. Overall, the food was ok. I'm glad we went during restaurant week, rather than going on a normal night; it definitely wouldn't be worth the normal menu price. The service was lacking and I don't think we will be in a rush go back. read more

We just went to A'Tavola again, and it's becoming one of our favorite restaurants in the Boston area. Both the food and the wine list have evolved over time, getting better and better. For instance, the Sformatino, a truffled parmigiano custard with foraged mushroom and local squash is one of the best dishes I've had in a long time. The wine list is interesting and changing, from Italian wineries and, in some instances, grapes that you may not have heard of. The service is friendly and helpful. read more

Went here in Feb. 2015. Great meal and very nice atmosphere. We started with marinated olives and prosciutto for appetizers and for meals the Bucatini and Mafalde. All food was very good, fresh, and served with good timing. We also liked that the wine (by the glass) was served in a small decanter and essentially gave you a glass and half. The one item we didn't care for was the tables which were nice to look at but had 3 legs off a central post and each of us had one of these legs facing us getting in the way of where you'd like to put one of your feet. Throughout the meal we felt like we had to sit a bit sideways. Never encountered this before. read more

I've visited 4-5 times. I loved the seared scallops & risotto. Great atmosphere until busy. Once it's crowded it becomes a little bit loud. All and all great place for dinner in town! read more

A Tavola is one of the best parts about Winchester It's one of the best restaurants in the Boston area and certainly the best by far within Winchester and the neighboring towns. We have gone at least twice a month for the past 6mo and after alternating between other date night spots we've now decided that no place is better than A Tavola so we just keep coming here. Vitorio is the Chef Owner and he's great... the food is authentic, fresh and consistently outstanding. While the regular menu has a number of must-try dishes, the special board is where it's at and provides plenty of additional variety and creativity that keeps us coming back. You won't be disappointed. read more

I visited A Tavola on a rainy night last week to meet with a friend. We had previously visited Parsons Table and decided to give the new place a try. We made this decision without calling in advance, so when I gave them a call for a reservation they were busy but accommodating. We arrived and we seated at the Chef's table, which is a converted bar located adjacent to the open kitchen. This was a pleasant experience, as the chefs all made it a point to converse with us and ask us about our experience. We ordered the shrimp gnocchi to start us off. Before it arrived, the chef sent us over some duck sausage with foie gras. While enjoying the treat, the chef explained that the meats are cured in house and told us about the gigantic deli meat slicer featured in the kitchen. The gnocchi arrived and it was excellent. Be careful, though, because it comes out really hot. I was in the mood for pasta, so I asked my server for recommendations. She recommended the bolognese pasta, which was exactly what I was looking for. It was excellent. As a large man who likes to eat large meals, the portion itself was the perfect size, healthy but not too big. The sauce had a nice flavor and boldness. The pasta, hand-made in house, was cooked al dente and had a nice consistency and flavor. I thoroughly enjoyed it! Finally, my friend convinced me to share desert and we had a canolli-like dessert treat. I think it was called a frotilli or something to that effect. It was very good, perfectly sized for two. The chef also splashed a touch of truffle honey and this touch made a remarkable difference. Overall, we thoroughly enjoyed our experience. The servers were friendly and knowledgeable, as were the chefs at the chefs table. The ambiance is rustic and simple, not overdone, but comfortable and pleasant. Even on a rainy weekday evening, the place was basically full when we arrived. All in all, while we will certainly miss Parsons Table, we are happy to return to A Tavola again. (my apologies, I do not recall what my friend had for dinner and I cannot recall the name of the wine that we shared) read more

Great small and a little eclectic place. All food prepared fresh. Really like the fact that garden in back is used in their daily food preparation. Ate the espresso braised short ribs - Delicious! It is only open for dinner. Make reservations as it is a small restaurant. read more

We were here for a delightful Mothers Day Sunday lunch. The neighborhood ambience, the wonderful Northern Italian cuisine, and the charming service all made it a memorable dining experience. read more

I wanted to purchase a gift certificate for my parents for the holidays. When I called A Tavola, I was told that I would have to pay $5.00 to have the gift cert. sent to me in Boston. They said that the $5.00 will cover the "inconvenience" of putting the gift cert. into an envelope and send it to me. The arrogance and lack of business savy is appalling. I have never been asked to pay for the shipping of a gift certificate. I hope their "cheapness" and lack of business savy is not reflected in their food. read more

My sister and I went to A Tavola to partake in restaurant week/dine out Boston. We loved the atmosphere, the service and the food. What I loved was that you could choose just about anything on the menu for the dine out special, including the daily specials. We two appetizers off the daily menu - salmon rillette and a mushroom dish that was served with polenta and a poached egg on top. The mushroom dish was heavenly. For dinner we both ordered a pasta dish with braised rabbit. Neither of us had had rabbit, but I had a feeling it would be delicious - which it was. The desserts would so good too. I actually couldn't finish mine because I was so full. This restaurant is top notch and I highly recommend going there. read more

This is a first class restaurant all around. Wonderful service, fresh and innovative entrees, and a warm atmosphere. It is wonderful to have a restaurant like this on the Common in Winchester. read more