Alla Vita was great! Glad we went with 4 people because we got to try more dishes. They also have an extensive wine selection. We started with three apps. The octopus surprised me because octopus can be hit or miss for me, but they did it really well! The table bread was also pretty good and cheesy. The Caesar was just fine. Nothing special but not bad (which is good coming from me since I'm not usually big on kale). Of course all of the pastas were yummy. The fusilloni was definitely my favorite from the noodle shape to the sausage and cheese. The ricotta dumplings were suuuuuper cheesy which I really liked (though I could see why others wouldn't) and had a melt in your mouth softness. The rigatoni was tasty, but kinda just tasted like a normal red sauce so would probably try something more interesting next time. We really enjoyed the chicken parm, too. Not as good as the pastas, but definitely tasty and the basil was a good touch. We finished with the guava cheesecake sundae. I really liked the little bits of cake, but the ice cream itself was a little lacking for me. Still a nice sweet treat to finish the meal!! We had the perfect amount of food overall for 4 people! read more

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Wanted to love this place soooo badly but we were a little disappointed. Ambiance and decor are amazing, it's so beautiful and lively inside but there was no AC and we were burningggg up. Had to use the menu to fan ourselves, other patrons were doing it as well. The fritto misto was ok, the breading tasted like it was old or had been sitting out. Not as crispy as we'd hope. To be honest felt like frozen calamari quality. The Alla Vita chopped was pretty standard, kinda reminded me of Olive Garden salad lol. The stars of the meal were the tagliatelle and cappelletti pasta. Both were super flavorful and pasta cooked well. The bone-in ribeye was a little on the sweeter side, definitely lacked a crust and salt. I'd pass on the steak IMO. Our biggest qualm was the timing of the dishes coming out. The pasta came out 30-35 minutes after the appetizer and salad which is fine, but the steak coming out 15 minutes after the pasta kinda ruined it. We'd love to eat the entrees (steak and pasta) together, and not finish our pasta first or let it go cold then eat steak alone.. ya know? We had ordered crispy potatoes but cancelled due to the wait. Ended the night with mango passion fruit sorbet with a prosecco float. Big mistake on the prosecco float haha it was so tarte and bitter, would def recommend trying the sorbet alone! Overall, glad we finally got to try this place. Focus more on the pastas and skip the steak. Very beautiful inside. read more

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I left this place dreaming of the rigatoni. This alone should be 5 stars. Any place that has a dish this good deserves top accolades. And get this... I don't really love pasta. True story. The pizza was absolutely super and the branzino off the charts. That puts the pasta in perspective - all the dishes were just mind blowing. I feel this is a great place for groups - it's loud - but not intolerable. You can still laugh and talk, hear everyone without feeling you are disturbing anyone. read more

Went here for the $30 lunch special! Our service was amazing, the food was flavorful, and the drinks were great. We also got birthday cake ice cream, mango Passionfruit sorbet, and tiramisu. All of them were 10/10. You couldn't go wrong with any of the pastas or appetizers. They were all delicious. Will be back again!! read more

Alla Vita - Italian Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Amazing food and one of the best Italian meals I've had in Chicago in a while! They have a great $30 three course weekday lunch special where you can choose from a variety of 3 different appetizers, entrees and desserts! I ordered the Aranchini (10/10 -one of the best I've ever had) -The rigatoni (8.5/10 -great texture and flavor) -The sorbet (8.5/10 -rich dense fruit flavor). Also got the mushroom and truffle pizza which was good but not the best I've ever had (7/10). All in all, an excellent choice for Italian and I would definitely come back, especially for the lunch special! read more

Alla Vita - Italian Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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I had a really wonderful lunch on the patio of Alla Vita! The food was all delicious, our server was attentive and the manager stopped by as well. The Bluefin Tuna Crudo was incredibly fresh and they don't skimp on the olive oil! The arancini were a little sweeter than others that I've had but I still loved it all the same. The tagliatelle was great as well ( a taddd salty) but I'm a salty girl so it works for me! The all known and popular chicken parm is not available at lunch but you can get the chicken parm sandwich which does not disappoint! Great spot for a great meal! read more

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DoorDashed and got the kale Caesar and rigatoni, and both totally hit the spot. The kale Caesar was divine. Red onions, toasted breadcrumbs, Parmesan all tied together with the lovely dressing. Great textures, flavors, every bite was delish. The rigatoni is good too. The Calabrian chilies give it that subtle kick that makes it. Could've used a touch more flavor overall but that might just be a personal preference thing. Solid delivery experience, would order again. read more

Alla Vita - Rigatoni Kale Caesar - Italian Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Alla Vita: A Masterclass in West Loop Elegance If you are looking for a spot that perfectly balances "industrial chic" with "grandma's Sunday kitchen," **Alla Vita** is hitting all the right notes. Located at 564 W Randolph, it's a sprawling, airy space that manages to feel intimate despite its scale. Here is the breakdown of the heavy hitters from the menu: **The Truffle Mushroom Pizza** This isn't your standard wood-fired pie. The crust strikes that elusive balance between a pillowy interior and a crisp, charred exterior. The earthiness of the mushrooms is front and center, but it's the truffle that ties it together without being overpowering. It's rich, aromatic, and deeply savory--the kind of pizza that makes you forget about pepperoni entirely. **The Ricotta Dumplings** These are, quite frankly, little clouds of heaven. While many places struggle with leaden gnocchi, Alla Vita's ricotta dumplings are impossibly light. They have a delicate, melt-in-your-mouth texture that acts as a perfect canvas for the sauce. Every bite feels indulgent yet airy; it is easily the "must-order" dish of the night. **The Tiramisu** To close out the meal, the Tiramisu is a sophisticated take on the classic. It isn't overly sweetened, allowing the bold espresso and creamy mascarpone to shine. It's structured but soft, providing a caffeinated, velvety finale that cleanses the palate without weighing you down. **The Verdict:** Alla Vita is more than just a "pretty" restaurant. The service is snappy, the atmosphere is electric, and the food--specifically the pasta program--is top-tier. Whether you're there for a celebratory dinner or a high-energy weeknight meal, it's a West Loop essential. **Pro Tip:** The restaurant fills up fast, so snag a reservation well in advance, especially if you're eyeing a weekend table. read more

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Excellent meal at Alla Vita with service for 11. Pre set menu was delicious and accommodating for various allergies and dietary preferences. The house curated cocktails were fun and well received across the board. The pizza and arancini were the stand out dishes for me. Our server was delightful and very kind. read more

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I hosted a business lunch at Alla Vita today! Gorgeous restaurant! We all opted for their new $30 coursed lunch menu! This is a great lunch option and has amazing portion sizes! I got the arancini, vodka pasta and strawberry lemonade sorbetto! All of the food was perfect cooked but the arrancinj really stood out as a must order dish! The service left something to be desired! I wish our waiter came by more, I had to flag someone else down so we could pay and leave and overall it took 2 hours for us to have lunch based on the food coming out! If recommend for dinner service but it's a great option for lunch if you want good food read more

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Had an amazing chopped salad with salami & piled high with a parm like cheese. I didn't come here for the salad but it was amazing! Also ordered the rigatoni pasta which came out perfectly Al dente in a delicious vodka sauce. Will be back. read more

Perfect lunch. We sat at the bar and were served by a lovely, attentive bartender. The pasta and pizza crust were fantastic. The salad was an interesting mix of flavors and textures. read more

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Oh my god. A friend suggested this, and I trekked all the way from Edgewater for this experience and boy am I glad I did. Idk how I missed this, and I'm sure it's on everyone's radar. But if not, MAKE IT. First off, the place is gorgeous. Beautiful bar area, lovely restaurant, perfect for a date night or special occasion. We ordered the mushroom pizza, and then the ricotta dumplings? I believe that's what they were called. And oh my Goodness. Both items were two of the best things I've eat in a while. I LOVE pizza, and this one was FABULOUS. Full of flavor, crispy crust, just excellent. And a great size too!! Perfect to share (or not, it's that good :) Those dumplings were little puffs of happiness and the sauce was just DIVINE. (Dip your pizza crust in it after:) Service was excellent, our server was extremely polite, and took care of us without being overbearing or disappearing. Really lovely time and HIGHLY RECCOMENDED read more

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Absolutely will be back. Food was amazing and service was as well. My partner LOVED it for her birthday party and already wants to come back for next years party. We loved the decorations inside to bring movement to the evening, very very cool vibe. Try the kale salad and the vodka sauce and realize why they get perfect marks all the time. read more

Huge Fan of Alla Vita!! The ambiance was so elegant and I enjoyed the food thoroughly. Service was quick and efficient! Will definitely go back again! read more

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Alla Vita was amazing. The space is bright, colorful, and lively. Service was super friendly and quick. The food leans classic Italian but done really well--the pastas are fresh, flavorful, and clearly the highlight. We also loved the meatballs and the cocktails were solid too. I ordered the Rigatoni, Tagliatelle, Meatballs, and got the Funfetti for our anniversary celebration! read more

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Had the cacio de pepe dumplings that were absolutely excellent. Attentive staff that made for a super fun environment.

Visited recently for our wedding anniversary. We had to wait about 20-25 minutes despite having a reservation. The ambiance was quite festive. Our server (Mauricio?) was excellent - friendly, helpful, attentive. We started with the arancini - it was such an exquisite indulgence. And then ordered two pastas to share - the vegetarian lasagna and the paccheri. Both were delicious and rich. We barely had room left for dessert so will have to return to try more items. All their dishes are made fresh in-house using Italian '00' flour (for those who are sensitive to gluten in U.S. flour). read more

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(Kari's Rating 9.5/10) Came here for a girlfriend's birthday and had eight people, we ordered two breads for the table that was very crispy, soft, well seasoned, and a little sweet from the honey drizzle. Six of us ordered the tagliatelle and the meat literally melted in your mouth. The cheese was very emulsified into the sauce, and the broccolini was crispy with a hint of lemon. Service was very quick. The ambience is quite relaxing. The bottles of wine kept pouring- overall a very good vibe. Would also come here for a date night. The ricotta dumplings were very soft almost like a light cacio r Pepe and very pillowy. First was relatively fair for two bottles of wine and two appetizers and an entrée. 9/10 over all. read more

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Alla Vita delivered a really lovely overall experience, especially when it came to service. Our server Stephanie was fantastic, and the support staff was attentive, professional, and kept the meal running smoothly from start to finish. That level of hospitality stood out and made the evening feel special. The food was good overall, though a few dishes did not quite live up to the high expectations we had by the restaurant's reputation. The whipped ricotta was a highlight and absolutely delicious. The fritto misto was also enjoyable and well seasoned. The pasta dishes we tried, the tagliatelle and rigatoni, were a bit saltier than expected, and the table bread did not stand out as much as we had hoped. Even so, the quality and care are clearly there, and the excellent service goes a long way. I am glad we went and would be open to returning to try other dishes in the future. read more

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Came to Alla Vita on a weekday to try their lunch service. The restaurant gets really busy so definitely recommend making a reservation ahead of time. The restaurant is very cozy and tastefully decorated. We tried their pre-fixe lunch menu which is an excellent deal- a salad/starter, lunch size entree, and dessert for $25. I tried the apple and squash salad which was very fresh and refreshing. The rigatoni is the best i've had in Chicago, very authentic Italian!! The tiramisu was equally fresh and tasty, just the right amount of sweet and moist!!! My friend loved their cinnamon apple gelato as well. Despite the restaurant being packed, the service was fast. Definitely coming back to try their other pastas and drinks. read more

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Incredible food, service, and the restaurant is beautiful. My group loved the kale Caesar salad and it was perfectly crispy and perfectly dressed. The fresh rigatoni was also amazing and we scraped our plates clean! Highly recommend visiting for a wonderful meal! read more

Fantastic ambiance, amazing service, and good food. We chose Alla Vita to celebrate a birthday, they give you a special menu with"Happy Birthday" on it and a Funfetti gelato which was cute. I will highlight that a lot of the dishes were a tad too salty. We had: - Arancini - Wood Fired Meatballs - Wood Fired Table Bread - Fusolloni - Chicken Parmigiana - Broccolini - Tiramisu - Pistachio Gelato - Funfetti Celebration Gelato - Prickly in Pink (drink) I think my favorite was taking the bread and dipping it in the sauce from the meatballs. You get a well balanced rounded flavor of the salty/sweet from the bread and sweet/savory from the meatball. The standout desert was the pistachio gelato, highly recommend. Again, it felt like they seasoned everything, but didn't always connect that the two parts of the dish were to be eaten together so when you took a whole bite it was too salty. read more

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If you are in Chicago for absolutely any reason - EAT here! From service to food to ambience there is literally no place comparable. Let's start with service because this can make or break a place. The hostess's are helpful and attentive. We were coming from the norther suburbs and hit traffic. They were kind to help us with reservations and helped alleviate the stress. Now let's talk about Joe. Joe we love You! We've never in our life received service like we did with Joe. Backstory: We were driving over a bridge when it sounded like it was going crash and it caused panic. I'm terrified of bridges. Anyways, when we arrived to the restaurant I was feeling anxious but once Joe found out she said her best cure was ice water. Let me tell you - it worked. It knocked the panic out of me. But it was the thought, care and attentiveness that made it feel like we were dining in our family members house. The only negative was trying to compare dinner the next night to our experience at Alla Vita with Joe - UNCOMPARIBLE! Now onto the food, let my rave continue ! We started with the Kale Ceasar which was so delicious - salty, crunchy and refreshing. Then we got an order of butter noodles with marinara on the side which turned into the best meal of the night. Let's just say we drenched the noodles in the marinara because the sauce was so perfect. Honestly, we loved our daughter's butter noodles that we ordered a second to share lol. And the I got the squash special which was so yummy and so filing. My husband got it yesterday chicken Parmesan which was so big he needed to share but he was stuck with a table of vegetarians. Honestly, we're already planning a trip back to the city just to eat here. Okay let's ends with ambiance - if you want to have a cozy, festive and warm dinner go here. They definitely understand how to decorate in a way that you feel like you're at home. Everything felt so cozy. They have like 7-10 trees. So whatever you are doing stop looking anywhere else and go HERE. The best staff, food and ambiance you will find in the city. And this comes from precious city dwellers. read more

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Everything was amazing! Quality of food, waitress and staff attentiveness, ambiance - all fantastic! The pasta is SO fresh! Didn't love the ricotta dumplings (a little dense), but everything else was delicious! Celebrated 2 birthdays and got the funfetti gelato complimentary as a birthday treat, which was awesome! read more

Had a work lunch here and took advantage of the $30 lunch special. I ordered the asparagus salad to start, then the vodka pasta, and ended with a mango passion fruit sorbet. I'll be honest, I wasn't sure what to expect for the asparagus salad but it exceeded all my expectations. The vodka pasta was delightful with plenty of sauce so that it wasn't dry. And the mango passion fruit sorbet was incredible. read more

Really cute spot for a hang out in the city! All the apps and main dishes were delicious and service was prompt and attentive. My friends and I shared the arancini and the burrata. The bread that came with the burrata had a nice chew and there were fruits and olives paired with the burrata that was refreshing and light. I got the tagliatelle which was chewy and the pieces of meat were flavorful and tender. Food came out surprisingly fast and overall, it was about $70 for one cocktail, sharing 2 apps, and one pasta dish. Restaurant itself was really beautiful and colorful. I would recommend getting a reservation as the restaurant does get packed and it's popular for dinner. We came on a Thursday at 4:30 pm and there was a line waiting for the restaurant to open. read more

Alla Vita - Italian Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Wow! Very impressed with my first visit to Alla Vita. One of my favorite restaurant ambiance's, fantastic food, and great service. The $25 lunch is a good deal and all of our dishes were decent portions and extremely tasty. Farm Apple and Squash Salad: 4/5 Arancini: 4.5/5 Paccheri: 4.5/5 Rigatoni: 4.5/5 Pistachio Stracciatella: 5/5 Spiced pear: 5/5 (if something could taste like fall, this is it!!!) read more

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This place was phenomenal! I was lucky enough to snag a table for one on a Friday night and had great service. I ordered based of the suggestions and got the table bread and ricotta dumplings. It was so good, I finished everything myself which is unusual for me. I'll be thinking about this place for a while and will need to visit next time I'm in town. The inside is very trendy and decorated beautifully and they have a variety of seating options. It's also close to a bus stop so I was able to take a bus very easily from Grant Park to the restaurant and back. read more

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Came here fora family reunion. Food was above average. Service was decent. But the enviance is exceptional. read more

Second time at Alla vita after 2+ years. Wood fired meat balls haven't changed one bit. Haha I got lucky this time that I found a table inside the restaurant instead of patio (last visit). Loved the ambiance but it was too loud inside not sure whether it's because of the table nearby but the patio experience was little better even with outside noise. :)) We took sometime to place our order but Staffs were great. What I've ordered this time, Fredo Sangiovese (Red wine) Wood fired meatballs (Appetizer) Tagliatelle (pasta) Really loved the red wine I tried, meatballs we ordered for our table was great too. Everyone liked it. Tagliatelle was delicioussssss! My friends loved their Rigatoni pasta and Toretellini too! Looking forward to coming back here again! read more

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The atmosphere is more laid back than your typical italian restaurant in Chicago, and the menu melds traditional with new american cuisine. we set out to try as much as possible, so we started with a round of cocktails and some apps. the frito misto was amazingly light and the calamari and shrimp were excellently cooked - not at all rubbery like you often find with fried seafood. we also tried the alla vita chopped salad - you'd think i'm picking something simple to call one of my favorite items we tried, but this was truly an awesome salad, with the best red wine vinaigrette i have ever had. next, we shared the fennel sausage pizza and rigatoni. every bite of pizza was plentiful with flavor and toppings. don't be scared of the broccolini topping -- it's the perfect compliment to the smokey sausage. the rigatoni is beautifully hand rolled and was soaked in the lightest and most buttery vodka sauce imaginable. allá vita has been around for a couple years now, and it definitely holds up! read more

10/10 my family and I had an amazing experience! We were here celebrating a graduation, and they were so accommodating! We were even running a bit late and they were so great about it! They even gave us complimentary champagne and dessert for the graduation which elevated the experience for us! The food was delicious as well, especially the tagliatelle and pizza and the drinks were on point too. Not to mention how beautiful the restaurant is with such a great vibe and look. Overall, great place to celebrate a milestone or just for a cute date! read more

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This was great. Full stop. I have lived in Italy. I am impressed. So, let's dive into what makes Alla Vita a ristorante experience to remember. First, the ambience. It's gorgeously appointed with a top-tier Vegas level attention to detail. The service was also premium. That matters a lot to me. It never supersedes the food, but with poor service, the buzz fades quickly. Now, onto the starring role. The food is delicious. Every bite, every item is unique, packed with flavor, and nothing is pedestrian. Even the $14 bread service brought out the best loaf of homemade bread I've had outside of Europe. I had the signature rigatoni alla vodka with Calabrian chili. Bam. Perfect. We also had the ricotta gnocchi with caciao e pepe. Each bite was a revelation. The dessert was a panna cotta limoncello that blew our minds. This was a five-star meal if I've ever had one. Oh yeah, the arancini was also outstanding. Go. read more

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We had a wonderful meal here and ordered a ton of food. Dined at another Italian restaurant the day after, and that confirmed to us that Alla Vita is a 5 star meal. TDLR: Get the Fusilloni and Squash Sacchetti, those were our favorites. Food (4.5/5) - Whipped Ricotta $12: really good. Comes with a bunch of chip like things that you can spread the ricotta on. - Fritto Misto $25: very good, comes with shrimp in it and lemon-calabrian chili aioli which is perfect to dip in - Tagliatelle $26 - beef shank ragu and tastes different than the fusilloni. It was good. - Fusilloni $26 - best entree we ordered and comes with sausage ragu. Showstopper, everyone at our table agreed. Will get this next time as my main. - Squash Sacchetti $26 - second best entree we ordered, very unique pasta since it's little baggies. Has brown butter, sage, stracchino fonduta, apple saba and hazelnut. Will also get this next time we go. Not a huge portion, so if you are super hungry you may need an app as well. - Ricotta Dumplings $24: cacio e pepe ricotta dumplings. Seemed like many people were ordering this, but this was my least favorite of all. The portion was very small. See pics. - Tiramisu $17 - good, but I thought this was expensive. Wasn't super unique to get me to pay $17 again. Service (5/5) Service was excellent. Our water glasses were never half empty. Appetizers came out fast. We had a bit of a wait in between those and the entrees but we were in no rush. Dessert came out fast. We celebrated a birthday at this dinner and they called us ahead to confirm the name and we were surprised with happy birthday written on the menu of the person whose birthday it was. Ambiance (5/5) Very nice inside. read more

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First time coming in for restaurant week and it didn't disappoint! The atmosphere was impeccable. We did the restaurant week menu and it encompassed most of the classic dishes. I got the arancini to start and that was well paired with the creamy 'nduja aioli. That was followed up by the pork and beef meatballs which were pretty solid. I had the tagliatelle as my entree and the braised beef was cooked to perfection. The service was excellent and our waiter anticipated all our needs. The chocolate hazelnut gelato was rich and a nice way to cap off the meal. read more

Alla Vita - Tagliatelle - Italian Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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This place is great! Ambiance inside is awesome. We had a weird table in the corner that faced the kitchen. Overall it was good. Food was great. The calamari was ok. I've never had calamari with more shrimp than squid. I wouldn't say the best Italian in Chicago but up it's up there. We went as a group of 8. Spent quite a bit of money and was a little surprised we didn't get a comp dessert or even a meet from a manager read more

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Alla Vita is a Chicago icon for a reason! Aside from its gorgeous interior, they're serving up some seriously delicious Italian food. I stopped by with a friend for the $25 three course lunch special, which is truly one of the best deals in town. We started with the spring pea salad and arancini- I would absolutely recommend both! The salad was loaded with a variety of roasted and fresh veggies with the most delicious mint-basil dressing. The arancini was also exceptionally cheesy and crispy. For mains, we ordered the rigatoni alla vodka and the chicken panino. Buttery, perfectly al dente, and rich with a kick, the rigatoni is a must-order. My friend enjoyed his panino as well, though it was not pressed like one would typically expect. The house-made potato chips were extremely crispy and fresh as well. We ended with the pistachio gelato and strawberry basil sorbet. The gelato was bursting with pistachio flavor and you could see the super fine grounds. Truly one of the best I've had. The sorbet was super refreshing with a nice flavor balance. Throughout the meal, the staff were friendly and extremely attentive. A+ meal and experience- will absolutely be back and can't recommend highly enough! read more

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If you're looking for Italian food this is your stop! Beautiful venue that's tastefully decorated. Perfect for an elevated lunch and romantic dinner place. To add to the aesthetics, the food was also excellent. Wish I would have come with a few more folks to try more of their dishes. Here's what I tried for my first visit: 1. Roasted octopus: perfectly cooked octopus slightly crispy on the outside and very chewy on the inside. The octopus was set on a base of eggplant blend seasoned with some sort of citrusy flavor. The dish was then garnished with basil and thyme which gave it a herbal hint. Omg this dish was exquisite. Must try! 2. Rigatoni: hand made tasty rigatoni pasta perfectly smothered with rich vodka cream sauce. I typically don't like my pasta to be too creamy but this one was just perfect. Very good. Highly recommend. Would love to come back and try their eggplant lasagna and pizza the next time. read more

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The drinks, the apps, the pizza, the pasta, the bread, all fantastic. I will be back.