Incredible food, great atmosphere, excellent service. Would recommend to anyone who wants a great date night in Gainesville.

OMG! This was outstanding! Chose this restaurant because a) we were hungry for Italian, b) it was Sunday and open, c) we just completed an 8 1/2 hour drive and needed a good dinner. We ordered take away, cuz COVID, and planned to take it back to our hotel for the night. Had a nice little glass of Chianti while we waited for our order. I ordered Chicken Inverno, my husband had the Veal Marsala. Neither disappointed! Nice side house salads and penne pasta with red sauce. Delish. Then, because I saw a photo on Yelp, we ordered their cheesecake special - basically an apple pie cheesecake and a bourbon pecan cheesecake. They were both SSOOO good. It's just off Main Street in Gainesville, Fla - a little hidden or set back off the street. Find it! It's worth it. read more

Made a reservation for a weeknight but didn't really need one. A little hard to find as the GPS doesn't quite understand the ins and outs of downtown Gainesville sometimes, but we managed. If you are unsure about where to park/where you are allowed to park, just call the restaurant and they will help you. Food was very good and service was good as well. I had the chicken Parmesan and it was very good...lots of food. They boxed up the rest of it for me and it was a great lunch the next day. My dad was taking me out to dinner but needed to put his food on a separate (business) card since he was in town for a meeting, and the server had no problem doing that for us. Will definitely try to go again, maybe for a graduation dinner. read more

This place was truly amazing. I got the chicken Marsala which they were able to make with oil instead of butter for me. I was blown away by how amazing it was. My brother got the lobster ravioli and said it was 10/10. Both of my parents got the grouper special. It was a nice thick piece of black grouper absolutely delicious. The owner/chef came out and made sure we liked everything. Highly recommend. read more

Went there for our 20 year anniversary and had some really good lobster ravioli and a chef's creation that was braised beef with mushrooms and a demi glace. I highly suggest you give Amelia's a try for your next date night! read more

I absolutely love chef Andy Fass' Italian meals. His salmon special and eggplant Parmesan dishes are incredibly delicious. I also enjoy his spaghetti Bolognese and tender steaks covered in a rich, cheese sauce. His delectable chocolate mouse cake and Tiramisu desserts are not to be missed. read more

First time here the other night and I absolutely LOVED it! I have to say the BEST part of the evening was the first step in the door! The Executive Chef Andy was so polite. I also heard him say he was the owner as well, I was so pleased to see such a hands on, involved, and accommodating business owner! The food was delicious and hot!! The service was amazing, made me feel like all the workers were family! At the end of my meal, the server asked if I'd like some desert and she informed me that the chocolate mouse cake had just been made, of course I got it! Andy (owner) came back by and told us the desert was on the house! How wonderful! I will be back and I have already spread the word! Keep up the awesomeness!!! I wish I could remember the servers name. She was awesome, small tall blonde.. you rock! -Rachel (a fellow server) read more

Amelia's - Chocolate mouse cake!!!! - Italian Near Me - Gainesville, Florida

Had a grouper special that was outstanding. It was prepared Francese with some clams and a light marinara and spinach. The side of pasta was topped with what tasted like fresh-crushed tomatoes. Tasted the surf and turf, which came with a blue cheese sauce that was outstanding. Substantial side salad and delicious homemade breads. Highly recommend for a nice Saturday night meal. read more

Amelia's is one of our favorites. Friendly staff, great food. We recently went there to celebrate our engagement, and they made the night very special and memorable. One of Gainesville's treasures. read more

Excellent food. Great service. Good wine. Reasonable prices. Great experience Will definitely be back.

They clearly only value their older customers and made that very clear to us on our visit. My boyfriend and I, who are also servers at an Italian restaurant, were very excited to eat their famous food and receive excellent service. Since we are both knowledgeable of Italian food, we did not have any questions about the menu, but our server simply greeted us with "do you know what you want." What if we had questions or wanted to hear about the specials? Although the food was excellent, our server paid absolutely no attention to us and made it very obvious that her other tables were more important. We watched her give five star service to other guests next to us. We understand that some servers to do not want to give their full attention to "young college kids" but when we're buying a bottle of wine and spending money, our money is just as good as anyone else's. When we saw Chef Andy come out of the kitchen to greet his guests, we were very excited to meet him and were planning to tell him that we were shocked at our less than acceptable service. But as he was refilling tables water glasses and thanking the other guests, he simply skipped our table continued to go to the other tables. He then continued to just keep stopping by tables he already visited. This is very awkward since there were only four tables in the dining room, and we did not understand why our water glasses were not refilled and we were not thanked for our presence. Our sever never came back to our table, our food could have been raw and she would have never known. Our water glasses were empty while we were eating. After we stacked our empty plates to the edge of the table, she finally came back. We were ready to leave at that point. We watched her give the same service to a group of young girls that were looking for a table. Told them she couldn't get them a table for a few minutes, when there were only two tables in the dining room. Overall, it was very disappointing. Although the food was excellent (the only reason why I'm giving one star) , we felt insulted and not welcome. Moral of my review: if you are older than thirty and look like you have money, you will have a great time. If you're young, don't bother going to this place, you will get the cold shoulder. UPDATE: we emailed the owner about our disappointing experience and we never received a response. read more

Best grouper in town! Always a great occasion, special or not! Food is always fantastic! Service splendid! Wonderful white table-cloth dining in Gainesville! read more

Came here for a birthday dinner. The food was delicious and portions were generous enough for lunch the next day. The owner and chef came out with his saxophone to play happy birthday when we finished eating which was sweet. The service overall was great. The servers seem to really work as a team which is helpful especially with a large party. We didn't realize that we were just finishing up eating well after they were closed and no one rushed us or anything. read more

For the price, I expected food better than Olive Garden, but it was disappointing at best. I had an angel hair pasta with a light cream sauce. Others we were with seemed to like it okay, but also felt it was a bit overpriced for Italian food. You can get a better tasting meal and price at Carabba's. I wish that weren't the case, b/c I really prefer local places! read more

Not perfect, but still good. Great food -- especially the specials. The service can't be beat. Not a huge wine list, but they've introduced us to a few new favorites. And you can't forget the limoncello ... absolutely delicious. The free parking in the Sun Center parking lot is nice. And although it might be said in the menu, it would still be nice to have it pointed out that you have to ask for separate checks in advance and also that they add an automatic gratuity for large groups. Trying to figure out the how to split a check among 10 people who all only have plastic isn't my idea of a fun way to end an evening. read more

Enjoyed our dinner. Staff was friendly. Octopus was fabulous. We also liked the grouper special with clams and spinach

This is the third time we've tried Amelias over the past several years, and the last. Amelias has offered an unpleasant experience each time, progressively getting worse instead of better. While some of the staff are pleasant, some are definitely not and seem to go out of their way to affront the customer. This can be both embarassing and disturbing whether you are there with business clients or with friends. Snobbery and pretentiousness really have no place in the restaurant business. It leaves a sour taste that lingers well past the time you leave. We were saddened to learn that even the manager believes the customer comes last too. The food is moderate Italian fare, with a few creative dishes, but not in line with their high prices. Certainly not worth it given the unpredictable experience offered by staff and management. read more

Best restaurant in Gainesville. The Crostini appetizer is a must. For dinner I recommend the grouper and fresh clams from cedar key!

I had a mixed experience here. The marinara sauce is good, and the special lobster ravioli was pretty good too. It was real lobster meat, although the ravioli was a little less cooked. My friend had a red snapper with wine sauce and capers -- it was terrible. Dry and chewy fish with almost no seasoning. The muscle and portabella appetizer was excellent. The small mushrooms were filled with ground carrot and perfectly half cooked. I really liked them. For a moderately high price, I would expect to get homogeneously better food quality. read more

The restaurant is quaint and charming with a nice patio. Our server was friendly and informative. I ordered the veal parmigiana and I personally found it to be too salty and tough. My husband had the chicken parmigiana which he felt was also tough. The sauce tastes canned. It is pricey with mediocre food. read more

Hostess was rude. Waited 10-12 minutes at our table without being approached at all. A couple was sat a few tables over immediately after we were and were not approached either. We subsequently walked out. We have been there before and there is as good or better Italian food in town. No excuse for that lack of service. We walked down the street to an equally busy restaurant and were attended to immediately despite being told by the hostess that the waiters were at their max capacity. read more

Nearby place we drove downtown for was too crowded. Checked Yelp and walked over to Amelia's. Result - great meal. Weekday night in July and place wasn't crowded. Owner/chef was working the hostess stand. Great meal and certainly enjoyed everything we tried. Thanks Yelp! read more

I don't know why this place has 4 stars it's not nearly close to being authentic Italian food. I wanted to check it out to see if it was better than this other Italian place here in Gainesville but it doesn't even compare. The food was not even that good and it took an hour and a half to come out read more

It's a little bit off the main strip, so it took us a minute to find. My husband and I did not have a reservation but the hostess was able to accommodate us on a busy Saturday night. We had calamari for an appetizer , my husband had the chicken parm and I had the eggplant park. Everything was very good and our server, Donald, was very professional and took great care of us. Would definitely recommend ! read more

I took my wife to Amelia's for her birthday and had an amazing meal with excellent service! Our server was incredibly friendly, personable, and knowledgeable about the menu, and he helped us select a wine to pair with our food. I got the funghi penne special, and my wife got the lasagna, both of which were delicious, and the portions were large enough that we both took some home for lunch the next day. At the end of the meal our server brought us our dessert (the almond custard) with a lit candle in it, and the chef/owner played happy birthday on the saxophone! It was a fantastic experience and Amelia's is now at the top of our list for celebrations and romantic dinners. We will be back for sure! read more

We went here on kind of a whim, planned a night out, parked in the Sun Center Parking and a conspicuous tow truck made us decide we'd better go one place and get out. Everything we ordered was delicious and a generous portion. The prosecco that was on special was delicious and worth the price. The atmosphere on a Friday Night was leaning toward the older crowd and there were a lot of patrons who looked like this dinner out was the end of their night, not the beginning. But that did not stop us from enjoying the quiet, calm and delicious food. My chicken picatta was delicious with enough to take some home and my dining partner had a chicken dish that he enjoyed so much he finished the entire portion as well as the salad and pasta. I would return here for a nice, intimate dinner that I didn't want crowded out by too much sound or televisions or a college scene. This is a nice oasis in the middle of bars and counter service restaurants. read more

Everything was just eh. Chicken Piccata was a little oily, pasta was dry, and nothing to write home about. Tiramisu was an itty bitty 1.5 inch square...$6...way over priced. Had high hopes :( read more

This restaurant serves just awesome Italian food and we will eat here again when in Gainesville, FL. Chef Andy is a great host and the wait staff is prompt, friendly, and knowledgeable. This is directly opposite of the TRIP ADVISOR opinion that there is no good food in Gainesville!! We are West Coast foodies who dine regularly in the top restaurants of Newport Beach, CA, so trust me when I say you must dine at Amelia's. read more

My husband and I went to Amelia's to celebrate our wedding anniversary last night. I'd been saving a trip this place, hoping it would be great. The other Italian places we've tried in North FL have ranged from mediocre to terrible. Not Amelia's - dyn-o-mite! The service was good. Great waitress, not too intrusive but stayed aware of us through the meal. Great atmosphere if you want a low-key, quiet, clean, comfortable dining experience. The wine we ordered was good, and they had a good variety. (And half-price bottles on Tuesdays!) The bread was good, from one of the local bakeries, fresh, warm, and three varieties in the basket. The salad was simple, but good - cold sauteed mushroom and carrot was a nice touch. The entrees were out of this world. My husband ordered one of the specials (grouper) and I ordered eggplant Parmesan. He raved about the grouper, which was served with a few lovely clams. The eggplant parm was perfect - NOT breaded, NOT fried, NOT crunchy... paper thin slices, perfectly cooked, and the best light tomato sauce I've had in a restaurant in years. The tiramisu was oh-my-god-good. My relatives are Italian, and I grew up in Westchester, NY / Long Island. Complete Italian food snob. Amelia's hits the spot. I only wish we had more disposable income so we could support this place regularly... we'll be going back the next time we have something to celebrate. read more

In my opinion, it's hard to find quality italian food in florida. This place is one of the closest I've found to hitting the mark.

This italian restaurant offers you authentic homestyle Italian cuisine. With their delicious food and great service Amelia's offer's you a fine dining experience that just explodes with flavor in your mouth. I was so thrilled when we found this place after it was highly recommended. As a lover of italian cuisine I was in my happy place. From the moment we walked in we were treated to excellent service and food. I am hoping to return soon and maybe next time convince Chef andy to give me a little tour of his kitchen. read more

had dinner there last night, brought our dog Layla too. our house salads were very fresh and filling my wife had the chicken with asparagus that she shared with me, it was fantastic! i had the pesto linguini that was very good and just enough, but truth be told i would love it with more garlic, but it was still great. our waiter was attentive, but relaxed and Chef Andy came out to say hello and we talked about traveling in Italy and of course the food there. we had not come here in a few years, no reason just did not think of it. we won't be away for that long again. a beautiful night, great food and great staff. read more

Pretty solid Italian food from what I've had. It's a relatively small restaurant, and it has a very quaint feel to it with an intimate atmosphere. I thought the service was solid. They refilled our bread bowls relatively quickly and were very polite about serving extra items like hot water. Speaking of the bread, if they happen to serve it while it is still hot, it's absolutely delicious. We had some of the fettuccine and the gnocchi, and they were both very good. Definitely would recommend it as an Italian place to go to in Gainesville! read more

Had a great dinner tonight! Hanging in the bar in Amelia's. So the bar is not typically used for seatings but I was humored and made to feel like part of the family. The special was on par and beer cold. The servers made me feel at home! Johnny, Mauricio, Emily, Jenn and crew were awesome. The hostess even shared a homemade dessert she had for the staff I apologize I didn't get her name. Who says eating alone is bad! Big ups to the great service! read more

Best italian restaurant in Gainesville. Andy the chef is very cheerful and the staff are very great with the customers.

This restaurant is overrated and overpriced. I had linguini bolognese and to tell the truth there was no difference between this dish and linguini with tomato sauce. Aside from the tomato sauce I tasted no other spice in what was supposed to be bolognese sauce. This was a far cry from my expectations. I gave my opinion to the chef owner as he came over to introduce himself. My son had steak with shrimp. It was one of the specials. The steak was on par with a steak from Chili's, yes Chili's. and the dish had three, yes I say three not six but only three regular size shrimp; not jumbo shrimp for a price of either $29 or $31 - I don't remember the exact price. I had muscles as an appetizer and it either six or eight large ones and nothing special to write home about. My wife had the lobster ravioli dish and she was very happy with her dish. read more

Dinner was very good. We had a groupon. A little disappointed that we had a different menu than everyone else. The food was good and plentiful but, felt a little duped that we were not able to order from their regular menu. read more

No doubt my favorite restaurant in Gainesville. I have eaten there twice this week. Friday I had the surf and turf and Saturday I had the lamb shank. My two favorite dishes. Food , service and staff are amazing. The chef and owner frequents the dining room. read more

After calling several restaurants in Gainesville for our son's graduation. Amelia"s was the only one that would accommodate our large party. What an amazing, cozy, quaint, lovely restaurant. The staff and their attention was exemplary, such polite, friendly and accommodating personnel, they did everything to make us feel at home. We brought all the bottles of champagne and wine we wanted, even our own cake. What to say about the food...DELICIOUS!!! We were celebrating a magna event in our son's life, he became a Doctor! :) . So it was an extremely important celebration for us. Amelias made it become an even more memorable event in our lives. Towards the end, Chef Andy took the time to come to our table, specifically to David, our graduate ,to congratulate him. Such a wonderful gesture! Thank you Amelia"s for absolutely everything, our event was beautiful. We'll have you in our hearts for ever. Warm regards and extremely grateful read more

Amelia's - Chef Andy with our brand new Doctor :) - Italian Near Me - Gainesville, Florida

We had a long very time with a party of 12 in the Jazz Room at Amelia's. Very good food. A number of us had one of the four preparations of grouper ($27-$28). The lobster ravioli special was good. Desserts included spumoni, which many of have not seen in Italian restaurants. Walter was helpful and spirited. The chef came out to play saxophone for a birthday! We were left to enjoy our time. I recommend Amelia's for its food, service and atmosphere. read more