Thank you, Thank you, Thank you for your hospitality For your warm welcome For your magic moment of Tiramisu for my birthday for your fine farewell in Italian and English making me feel at home. I enjoyed your Veal Saltimbocca, marveled at your Osso Buca. Enjoyed your clams oreganata and your servers experiences in Italia and America. I am very picky about the places I go to dine I like being the greeter not the greeted as my family owned a restaurant for 26 years and my family has been in the restaurant business since 1948 I think I am connoisseur of what it means to have Italian cooking Italian hospitality an Italian ambiance, Grazia tanti, Grazia tutto. Also for taking care of my two grand nieces with their chicken with french fries which you did perfectly and singing which is an old art,but done perfectly by an Italian waiter aiming to please, 7 people who had never been there before! grazia Buena Vista! We will see each other again if not in person I will order online and pick it up the old fashioned way by car and in person Thank you again sincerely Pietro read more

4.5 stars. The Italian restaurant is a local favorite. I recommend reserve the seat because it may get fill up since the seat is limited. We got the Vongole with pasta. The little neck clam is not much. But the chop clam cover the meat that is lack off. The dish is good. My wife has salmon Dijon. It comes with potato croquettes. It Is a very interesting dish. Food is good in this restaurant. Service also good. Love the food there read more

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I walked into such a warm atmosphere. There was live music, friendly faces, and the experience was worth the trip to Brandon from Tampa. I will say, my dish was pretty amazing. It was a good portion for a good price and the bread was just perfect!! The ambiance really makes the whole experience feel nice. Definitely returning again for couple date night. Glad we found this authentic restaurant in Brandon. read more

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Our server, Francesco, was fantastic. It felt like we were transported to Italy during our meal. The food was excellent, classically prepared Italian dishes. This restaurant has a homey and intimate feel with a quiet ambiance. A treat for a weeknight dinner or a special occasional alike. read more

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We were able to make a reservation and we're immediately greeted by the owner. This was 7pm on a Friday night. Service was impeccable. We had Francesco who was from Italy. He gave us lots of stories and recommendations for Italy. He never rushed us. This place was very intimate and quiet. Very small family business. Our food was made to order and we loved every bite! read more

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I just can't say enough about this restaurant. The owner/Chef is always friendly, food is rich, authentic italian. In a world of chain restaurants, and no continuity with staff, it's nice to have this establishment so close by. Same faces, same excellent service, great food, never disappointed! I dream of their mozzarella cheese appetizer and veal. If you are debating to go or not to go, go! read more

Best Italian Restaurant in the area. Great service and staff and the food is delicious. I wish I could bring home the chef! LOL!

This was our first visit to Allegria Italiana, and we were blown away, hands down the best service in town. Frank was incredibly kind and even surprised us with a complimentary dessert for our birthday. The food was absolutely delicious, and we truly can't recommend this place enough. Thank you for such a memorable experience, we will definitely be back! read more

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Some friends invited us to this place for dinner, so we gave it a try. Plenty of parking around the restaurant. You can make reservation or just show up and probably be seated right away. We were there on a Thursday, place was like at a 60 percent capacity, so for a Friday you might want to call for reservation just in case. Staff is friendly, location is kept clean and it feels cozy. Prices are medium to high side. I ordered a chicken parmigiana which is served with melted mozzarella cheese and spaghetti pasta. Now, because they did put a lot of mozzarella cheese on the chicken, it was a little bit salty. My wife had the Gnocchi Ai Formaggie Spinaci, which she said it was ok. Serving portion is on the generous side. If you like drinking wine, they have a pretty large collection to chose from. read more

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Yummy as always and huge portions. I will say that it doesn't travel the best. When delivered the food is served in oven safe containers which is super convenient to give it the perfect temp - highly recommend because the food is Devine. read more

I am writing to publicly share my personal experience during a visit to Allegria Italiana Ristorante on Friday, June 27, 2025, with my daughter, who is a minor. What I describe below reflects my perceptions of the events that occurred. My daughter, who is of Hispanic/Latino descent like me, was excited to try this restaurant after finding it online and briefly reviewing the menu. Upon arrival, we were greeted by a staff member who appeared visibly stressed and, in my opinion, unwelcoming. Despite this, we chose to stay in hopes of enjoying our meal. As I began asking questions about the menu, particularly due to my daughter's severe food allergies, the interaction with our server, Nancy, quickly felt dismissive. She interrupted me mid-sentence, regarding her desire to serve another party seated next to us, which I perceived as her being frustrated with us, with an impatient tone. I calmly expressed that her behavior made us feel uncomfortable and unwelcome, particularly as we did not seem to share the same background as all of the other patrons present at the time. When I asked to speak with a manager, she informed me that she was the manager. I then asked for another server to assist us instead, hoping to salvage the dining experience for my daughter. A second server arrived afterward and confirmed that Nancy was the manager. I asked for the name of the owner, but the server didn't know. Shortly after, a man (who was later identified to me as Vito Dragonetti) approached our table in what I perceived to be a confrontational and hostile manner, stating, "Who wants to speak to the owner?" I immediately extended my hand and politely introduced myself, stating, "I would like to speak to the owner. Are you the owner?" He left my hand extended for several seconds and finally replied sarcastically, "Maybe I am, maybe I am not." What followed was a series of interactions that I perceive to be condescending, accusatory, offensive, and verbally aggressive. His comments, in my opinion, minimized my concerns about food allergies. To my surprise, he aggressively stated, "Can't you read a menu? The names and ingredients are right there. Can't you read it?" I was taken aback by the tone used, particularly given that I was calmly expressing my concerns as a paying customer and parent. When I expressed that the interaction made us feel unwelcome, stating, "I feel as though you don't want us here." I was shocked when the individual, whom I believed to be the owner, angrily and openly yelled at us using profane "F" language in front of my daughter and other patrons. He yelled out loud, stating, "Get up and get out of my restaurant. Get the F-out!" My daughter and I were immediately frightened and quickly stood up to walk out as he continued to follow us and yell profanities at my daughter and me in front of the entire restaurant, shouting, "F-you, get out of my restaurant!" Upon exiting, I told the owner that I felt his behavior was racist and that I would be reporting him to the Better Business Bureau, when he yelled, "I don't give a F!" My daughter and I felt deeply shaken, humiliated, and alarmed by the interaction. As a mother, it was incredibly painful to see my daughter, who had simply been excited to try a new restaurant, be so distressed and shaken by what had just occurred. I want to emphasize that this review reflects my perception of our experience. In my opinion, the behavior we encountered was inconsistent with the standards of respectful customer service and hospitality. I have observed several other publicly available online reviews that described interactions with similar themes, which I find deeply concerning. Since then, I have reported this incident to the Better Business Bureau, and most importantly, to the Florida Commission on Human Relations (FCHR), in hopes that this never happens to another innocent child or adult! read more

Allegria Italiana - Italian Near Me - Brandon, Florida

The food and service at allegria italiana was outstanding. The ambiance was exactly what you would expect from a family owned italian place. It was decorated beautifully and the seating was very comfortable. I had the special and my husband had the gnocchi. The portion sizes were huge and you have to get the mozzarella toast appetizer. I will bring everyone I know here. read more

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Came here for a family birthday get together. The staff were polite and accommodating. The beer selection was limited but i did find a blond ale from Sicily that was reasonable. I ordered the calamari with linguine in a garlic lemon sauce. The wife got the eggplant parm. Out our entire party of 7 the eggplant parm was the best choice. The rest of us came away a little disappointed. They did bring us free desserts for the birthday folks and I got a cannoli that was good. Overall I don't think ill be back with so many better eateries close-to us. read more

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Having some of their food at a catered event, the staff was really nice and welcoming. My food was fresh and delicious. I do recommend and I will definitely return but next time I will dine in. read more

Food was excellent. Very attentive waitress. Went here for my wife's birthday and we were not disappointed. Small, intimate restaurant, lots of couples. Will definitely go back! read more

Allegria Italiana - Special appetizer while we were there. - Italian Near Me - Brandon, Florida

I am the easy to please customer. There's rarely a time where I'm left feeling like I've had bad food. However today I felt like that. I have eaten Italian food all over the country and even the world... this was not great. I ordered Bruschetta and a Rustica flatbread pizza for delivery. What I got was NOT what I was expecting. Even though the restaurant is only 6 minutes from my house, the bruschetta arrived completely soggy- to the point of it was falling apart... and the tomatoes had the strangest sourness none of my family had ever tasted before. 2/10 The rustica flatbread pizza was something else. Not only did it arrive in a 6" take out container (pictured below) but it tasted awful. I read in the description that there was broccoli and black olives... odd but I'd give it a try. Bad decision. It was barely edible and was the strangest pizza combination I've ever encountered. The flatbread was chewy, like it was from a bag in the grocery store. 1/10 I'm very surprised a true Italian restaurant would serve food like this. It left me feeling like I was ripped off. These pictures were taken after it was distributed to my family, hence the missing pieces. My husband couldn't even finish his slice and we threw the rest to the chickens. Overall very strange experience, I ordered based from these reviews but apparently it's very different than the actual product. By far the worst Italian food me or my husband has probably ever had, without being dramatic. read more

Allegria Italiana - Soggy crumbling bread Bruschetta Toscana - Italian Near Me - Brandon, Florida

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Escaping the massive traffic delays, off the beaten path, met some folks for dinner in this strip mall storefront. Neighbors include salsa dancing and vitamin shop and a rather tight parking lot. Old school quaint best describes this location. Drop ceiling tiles in squares adorn overhead. The curtained off kitchen and wine shelving add a touch of days if old. Food is great! Traditional Italian done well. Shrimp fra diablo carries that spice well and offer a good supply of shrimp. The bread at the table, chefs kiss. I'd recommend oil for dipping. The limoncello cake is feather light with a citrus explosion! There was entertainment, an older woman singing to a generally old crowd. Judy Garland was coveted as we walked out! read more

This is definitely a 5-star restaurant. Party of 9 for a birthday celebration. The meals were absolutely amazing. We had Lasagna, Chick Parm, Vodka Penne with Shrimp, Spaghetti & Meatballs, Pasta Carbonara, Salmon Dijon... appetizers and fresh bread. The service is phenomenal, ambiance is charming and romantic. Authentic, cozy...perfection. read more

I love this place! A bit small, but that just makes it cozy. They usually have a chef's specialty that isn't normally on menu, and I like to go for it. I have never been disappointed. Just be careful, you can be having such a good time and great meal that the wine flows rather easily. Enjoy! read more

To be brief, I am in agreement with all of the low ratings here. The food is horrible and the service mediocre. I simply cannot understand the high ratings. This must be the worst "Italian" food we've had, but then again, our dining party is spoiled since we travel and have the pleasure of eating fresh, authentic Italian cuisine. Such a disappointment. read more

The food was excellent, best sauce great friendly atmosphere...they really go out of their way to make you feel at home.. cannot wait to go back.. read more

The food was amazing, very cozy and the ambiance on point, the service was amazing, definitely coming back

Really great penne alla vodka. Really tasty food. Gnocchi was really great also takeout was always hot and delicious

Please be aware that the pasta fagioli here is terrible. The manager claimed I didn't like it but it was a couple of beans and seashell noodles in a watery broth. Of course she blamed me but I am Italian and my family is from Italy so I do have knowledge of this dish and the different styles that it is prepared. Their food is very good and expensive but ten dollars for 8 ounces of broth is ridiculous. read more

We had a 5pm reservation on Feb15th. They were busy so there was a wait -- no problem. When we were seated our drink order was taken immediatly-- so far so good. about 30seconds later the waiter came to take our food order and I explained we had not yet had a chance to look at the menu yet . He was annoyed-- came back about a minute later and again asked for our order REALLY ! still not ready --- he left and the manager immediatly came to the table and told us our wine had been served , they were busy , and we needed to order NOW. I expressed dismay that we were being so rushed and offered to leave if there was a service issue . His reply was for us to go --- we got up and left saying we would not be returning. He said good -- our business was not wanted ! We have dinned there many times and enjoy the food but this nasty treatment means we will not return and will recount the experience to friends. read more

Great food and ambience. Authentic Italian cuisine. We will visit again. I love that u can make reservations but we still waited 30 minutes. read more

This little hole in the wall has been around for 10 years but we just discovered it this past weekend. We will definitely be back service was 5 stars food 4 stars the wine omg 6 stars it was so good. It is a hidden gem that we definitely recommend. read more

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We decided to try this local Italian cafe for Saturday night dinner. For dinner we started with appetizer Bruschetta Toscana, and for dinner we ordered Fettuccine Alla Giovanna which is a vegetable pasta and Shrimp Scampi pasta. Bruschetta Toscana: It was okay. Actually we didn't like the sauce which it had. Otherwise it was okay. 3/5 Fettuccine Alla Giovanna: The vegetable pasta was okay and we believe that it was missing the correct amount of spices. 3/5 Shrimp Scampi Pasta: Shrimp scampi pasta was also okay. 3/5 We will give this restaurant try some other time again. read more

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Great dinner with several App s and dinners! Highly Recommend! Great family dinner the day after a family wedding as many headed south ! Great end to a busy week! read more

Everything was amazing. It's a small little place but it gets busy I can imagine. The food is unbelievable. I have never had a sauce that good and the lasagna was perfect read more

Allegria Italiana - Lasagna - Italian Near Me - Brandon, Florida

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Awful food and vey expensive !! Charges for oil for dipping the bread in. My aunt asked for white wine sauce instead of red and they charged her $25.00 more! read more

The good was the food. Well prepared and great taste. Temperature on point. Food alone would give 5 stars. The bad was bread basket delivered dirty. See pic. The ugly was the waitress, complaining about her customers being rude to her. She declined use of yelp incentive. Left dishes stacked on table. When sprinkling cheese and pepper on dishes she did it at a long distance, covering the plate and the table. Seemed disinterested in working as a waitress. read more

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This place is a rarity. The food here is amazing and the ambiance allows for real family dining or a true romantic evening. I have never had anything but exceptional service here and highly recommend it :) read more

We were asked to leave because they needed the table. Shrimp were not clean veins still in shrimp. Will never visit this restaurant ever again. read more

Horrible service. If I can give this place a zero I would. Get there at 6pm with my family (party of 6) to eat. Our waiter seems to be in a rush. Constantly coming back to our table and rushing us to order because it's "going to get busy". We ask his name and he's says you can call me "Bond, James Bond" which is extremely disrespectful. Once again he comes to the table after ordering a bottle of wine, a separate glass of wine, and an appetizer and starts asking us are we ready to order. I politely tell him he's being a little pushy and to slow down. A family member that flew in started having an anxiety attack because she felt as though she had to order right now and didn't know what she wanted but he was pushing us to order now. So we ask him to slow down and he starts raising his voice. I turn to someone bussing a table and ask for the manager and he says it's him. I say hey can you just ask him to slow down. His answer was "you guys are asking for too much, you can leave. Get out. Dont worry about the wine or food. Leave. Find some other place to eat." I've never been so disrespected so bad in my life. And to think I brought my wife grandmother and family here. I was embarrassed to say the least. Idk if it was because the majority of the table was a younger crowd or because we were Puerto Rican but we were treated like trash since we walked in. I'd avoid this place like the plague. Oh and I left at 6:26. So 26 minutes of service and kicked out. We weren't yelling, we were cordial and politely asked him to stop being so aggressive. Unbelievable. read more

Allegria Italiana - Italian Near Me - Brandon, Florida

i already had posted my review not sure what happened i noticed a picture was removed so i went to add and this is what showed up no review how funny is that. their bruschetta was ew never again and i've had some banging bruschetta before made by italians but just at how theirs made all dark like wow anyways was just trying to add the picture of front of the restaurant that some how was taken down not sure how but yup...remember everyone has their own opinion and is entitled to their own as well and this is mine..2 stars given employees very nice and friendly i give that much credit and an awesome sense of humor...fried shared with us ravioli were good first time trying...her spaghetti with sauce she didn't even eat it took home n in the trash it went i was upset it was a party of 10 all together... read more

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Have had this place on my list for quite some time. Having such high expectations after seeing this Yelp community rave so highly about this establishment, to say I was excited would be an understatement. We ordered two cappuccinos to start. The owner let us know it would take a moment since the machine had to warm up. Perhaps prepping the machine to be ready for the lunch rush would be ideal. Our cappuccinos did not arrive until after our appetizer, which also took quite some time. We ordered the calamari to share. It was just okay. It wasn't bad, but it wasn't good. It came with a lettuce garnish, I'm pretty sure to just fill up the empty space on the plate. It was underwhelming. For entrees my friend ordered the veal parmigiana and I ordered a caprese panini. The sandwich was disappointing. There was a major lack of flavor in the pan fried chicken, and the worst part was the bread. It's almost like they used a hamburger bun bread. I just wasn't expecting that, I know paninis don't need to be grilled or toasted but I was just imagining a better quality Italian bread for my sandwich. The bread got soggy, the chicken lacked flavor, I'd pass on the paninis next time. My friend enjoyed his entree. The service was a bit slow, it was one person working the lunch shift, so that's understandable. Not sure if I will visit again, nothing that really sparked my interest to bring me back. read more

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On December 23, 2023 my husband and I tried to visit Allegria more than an hour before closing time. Upon our arrival, one other couple was in the dining room, and the door was open. When we walked in, the staff was surprised that we came in. A woman ran to the kitchen and asked the chef if he was still open, to which he replied the kitchen was closed. We asked why the kitchen was closed when there was clearly another couple sitting in the dining room and waiting to eat, and it was over an hour before closing. The response given was "it's not up to me it's the chefs decision and he says he's closed". We were escorted out of the restaurant. As much as we'd love to try to eat here, we cannot trust the hours posted online or on the restaurant doors! read more

Amazing, delicious food! Call ahead or you'll probably have to wait - but even if you do, it's worth it - and don't skip dessert!

This was very very good! The baked clams good , the fried ravioli excellent , the gnocci beyond good as was the baked rigatoni .. i don't like Tiramuuseu , but that bc was excellent. Great service nice people ! read more

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