Food was excellent, and Taylor's service was perfect. The appetizers were excellent and all of our…read morepasta dishes were cooked perfectly.

There were five of us celebrating my birthday, and it turned out to be such a wonderful evening…read more The restaurant has a beautiful atmosphere, and the staff was welcoming and attentive throughout our visit. I ordered the spaghetti and meatballs, which were absolutely delicious, along with a side of Brussels sprouts, which was kind of random. I have to admit, it was a long day before dinner, so some of the finer details are a little fuzzy--but I do remember enjoying a dirty martini, which is my go-to cocktail anytime I'm at a nice restaurant. By the end of the meal, we were all completely stuffed from all the delicious carbs. To top it all off, the staff surprised me with a birthday ice cream dessert. You can't go wrong with a free birthday dessert. Between the great food, excellent service, and spending the night with wonderful friends, I couldn't have asked for a better birthday celebration. I'll definitely be back to explore more of the menu.

Four of us came for dinner. Our first time at Gratzzi Italian Grille. The restaurant is quaint and…read morecrowded. We had reservations and were seated immediately. Our friends decided we should start with the Cavatelli Bada Bing entree as a shareable appetizer. It is prepared table-side. Whatch out for the flame! Everything about this is entirely phenomenal. The padana parmesan, vodka sauce, and Cavatelli, created a creamy masterpiece of a flavorful meal. Bravo! For my entree I ordered the Rigatonnaci Alla Vodka. Another perfect blend of flavors. I am not one for spicy food and was happy the sausage mild. The pancetta added a nice savory touch. The vodka sauce was just the right amount and consistency. A winner for me. DH ordered the Pappardelle Alfredo with Chicken. Another chart topping mix of flavors. Just looking at the plate you know you're in for a great experience. Chicken was seasoned exceptionally well and perfectly cooked. Pasta was just right too. Everything about it was delicious. Our friends both ordered the Chicken Parmigiana. Both were extremely pleased saying the chicken was juicy and tender. This is their favorite meal. This just might be our go to Italian restaurant.

I have passed this restaurant many times while in downtown St Petersburg and have always wanted to…read morego here. I am here visiting on my own this week so decided to finally stop in for dinner. I sat at the bar since I was by myself and most of the tables were taken, and I was happily greeted by the bartender. The menu was amazing and I chose the Salmon and Pesto Risotto dish, DELISH!! The salad it came with was ok, surrounding the center of the lettuce was chunks of cucumbers, tomatoes and chick peas but the dressing had too much oregano in it for my liking, so I didn't thoroughly enjoy it. I will have to come back to try some other things on the menu that intrigued me.

This is a must-visit spot for Sunday brunch, and if it's your birthday, you should absolutely…read morecelebrate here. They let you choose between a free meal or a complimentary dessert, and I wasn't about to pass up a free meal! They also offer unlimited mimosas for just $20. I have to give a shout-out to our server, who somehow managed to carry around those tiny glasses filled to the brim without spilling a single drop. I don't know how she did it! They really need to switch to taller champagne flutes because those little glasses were working against her. There were four of us celebrating the start of my birthday weekend, and brunch was the perfect way to kick it off. My husband ordered the hash, which he absolutely loved. My girlfriend had the avocado toast, and it looked delicious. As for me... I have to laugh because I honestly can't remember exactly what I ordered. I do remember it was served on toasted bread with an egg on top, and I asked them to add mortadella, which was a fantastic choice. I almost forgot, but they did come with a small portion of rosemary potatoes. I seriously could've just ordered a large bowl of those, absolutely delicious. The food was delicious, the mimosas kept flowing, and the birthday perk was the icing on the cake. Great food, great service, and a fun atmosphere made for the perfect start to my birthday weekend. I'll definitely be back.

I was very disappointed with my experience at BellaBrava today. I went with a group of 10 friends,…read moreand the amount of complimentary bread they brought to the table was nowhere near enough for a party of our size. The staff insisted that what they served was the equivalent of three loaves, but I even took a picture because it clearly wasn't. When we politely asked for more bread, we were told we would have to pay an additional $5 for each extra basket. It wasn't about the money--it was about the principle and the lack of hospitality. For a restaurant serving a large group, this felt incredibly cheap and unwelcoming. Good customer service is about making guests feel valued, especially when they bring a large party. Unfortunately, this experience left us feeling like we were being nickel-and-dimed instead. Very disappointing.

When it comes to Italian food in St Petersburg, there is always a place to go. Just march down…read moreCentral Avenue and you can find a few places on one block. It depends on what you want. And the competition is there since many will claim to be home-made and fresh. Each will have their own style and recommendations. Nothing is formal. This is casual. And, depending on the time of day you go, the crowd will be different. As for Matteo you cannot miss it. It is on the corner of a block right next to a bar and clubs called Cock Tail...It is hard to miss. That place is open to everyone no matter what you might think. And the drinks are good. So, it is no surprise that rights next to it is Matteo. And that is a good thing to know. Make your reservation and you can get in (or sit outside) and have a good Italian meal. I tis everything you might imagine and nothing fancy or over done. The place to start is with an appetizer. There is a good variety to have. As for dinner, we selected several options and decided to share what we each had. Very typical of Italians if you ate at someone's house. You share your meals while having an extensive conversation. (Of course, a glass of wine does help.) It was a delightful meal. The team there is perfect. They can answer questions and make suggestions. The food is fresh and freshly made. As for the price, it is fine and as you would suggest. Overall, I will go back and bring some friends. It is a good place to have a good dinner and experience the crowd that are there. Best, after dinner, just step next door and get an evening cocktail (literally). You do not have to go far to have a good evening. Ciao...

Tucked along Central Ave, Matteo Trattoria & Pizzeria delivers the kind of cozy Italian experience…read morethat feels both neighborhood-casual and quietly impressive. The atmosphere immediately sets the tone. Warm lighting, the aroma of simmering tomato sauce, and the hum of conversation make the space feel lively without being overwhelming. It's the type of place where you can settle in for a long dinner and a glass of wine without feeling rushed. The real highlight, though, is the food. The pasta tasted unmistakably fresh, with that perfect tender bite you only get from house-made noodles. The sauce was rich and balanced, clinging to every fold of pasta and finished with a generous dusting of parmesan that brought everything together beautifully. Service was attentive and welcoming throughout the meal, striking that ideal balance of being present without hovering. St. Pete has no shortage of Italian spots, but Matteo manages to stand out with its combination of authentic flavors, comforting ambiance, and genuinely well-executed dishes. If you're craving fresh pasta and a relaxed dinner on Central, this is absolutely a place worth visiting.

10/10 absolutely stunning!! You must go here for your dinner trip. Our family had a wonderful time…read moreand glad we made reservations. Now I didn't know, it's beer and wine only but don't let that stop you. The only negative about this place is....its CRAZY hot inside lol. Like Clearwater is already warm, when you are here be prepared to sweat a bit but...have feelings for the staff bc you know they are crazy hot. They need some fans or new ac asap. The food is outstanding. We ordered both the broccolini and the garlic bread. Let me tell you, most places burn the garlic and serve as is. Not here. That garlic bread with fresh garlic is delicious. Their wood fried broccolini is a must try. It's now made us to use lemon zest in ours when we make it at home. The wings...wow! Perfect! Sticky and well cooked. The pistachio and chili's are a perfect combo. You don't get pistachio on wings anywhere I've been! The pizza...I mean come on look at the pics. This is a perfect fire oven pizza. So fluffy on the crust, the pizza itself is true Neapolitan pizza. I'm almost wishing they would serve it European style and not cut it. If they delivered their pizza uncut...I would've given them a standing ovation! Highly recommend and the service is excellent!

Note: this was my first time eating here and I ordered through DoorDash and have never eaten in the…read morerestaurant, so food may be different getting it fresh in restaurant. I also cannot comment on ambiance or service. I ordered three things and sadly didn't enjoy any of them. 1. The penne ala vodka pasta was thicker and sweeter than I thought it would be. Much more similar to a Mac n cheese texture sauce - way too much cream in base. I also got a meatball with it - that had great flavor and texture. It wasn't bad but just not what I expected or really wanted. 2. I love a brick oven style crust so I was so excited to try their cheese pizza after reading other reviews! It was unfortunately so burnt underneath that the entire pizza just tasted bitter. We ended up throwing most of it away. If it wasn't burnt, I imagine it would have been delicious! Good flavor sauce, thick melty cheese and perfectly rolled out crust. Just burnt burnt burnt tasting. 3. I also ordered the bread and it was a bit dense. Nothing special. May be much better served warm out of the oven. Best deal was the little cup of crispy prosciutto to put on stuff! Loved that option and addition! May give them another shot in person but fairly sad I spent $65 on all that (after taxes, fees and delivery tip) and threw away most of it. Hopefully you have a better experience eating there but I wouldn't recommend for delivery.

I'm visiting my best friend and she lives across the street from this place. She loves this place…read moreso much. We had to stop here to get dessert and a drink. I got the reposado espresso tequila and it was absolutely delicious especially for the price like you will never get better prices for Italian food and especially drinks. Then here this is the best place for Italian and drink drinks in the Saint Pete area. The worst Italian restaurant in the area is Olivia that place is the most terrible restaurant I've ever had their food and their drinks are horrible.

Really enjoyed my experience here. The food was delicious, everything tasted fresh and the…read moreatmosphere was very nice. I ordered the porcini pasta and it was honestly amazing, the mushrooms gave it such a rich flavor and the pasta tasted so fresh that it genuinely felt homemade, even though I didn't ask is it was. The only thing I would say is that the service felt a little rushed at times, like everything was moving very fast. Other than that, it was a great experience. I definitely want to come back to try more dishes and drinks because everything coming out of the kitchen looked amazing.

Made a reservation for dinner after my recent bodybuilding competition, so you already know I was…read moreready for some good food! We started with the burrata appetizer and a Caesar salad with an extra fried soft boiled egg. Both were excellent. The burrata was so fresh and the eggs on the Caesar salad were perfect. Next, my husband and I split the pepperoni pizza with a side of the Calabrian chili oil (order a side of this oil! It's a must) and the chicken Parmesan entree. Both were so delicious. Highly recommend. Service started off great! Our server was so sweet and got our drinks and took our order so quickly, but then we never saw her again and had to flag her down for our check at the end. I think they may have just been short staffed. Ambiance here never misses though. This place just feels cozy even when it's busy. We had a great experience overall and we will of course be back to this local gem again!

Came here after my bodybuilding show for pizza and thankfully my friend and I were able to get…read moreseated immediately. The pictures looked super good so we were excited. I got the Works pizza. The Works - The center of the pizza was pretty soggy when I picked up a slice probably because it was thin. The crust was crispy though. It felt overall a bit too oily for my taste but I liked the spicy honey that was drizzled on top. Not the best pizza I have had and service was slow too. Probably wouldn't come here again if I was in the area!

Exceptional customer service the food is authentic italian we return often for girls nite outread more

I was recently hired as a server at this Da Sesto restaurant, and after seeing what was happening…read morebehind the scenes, I walked out last Saturday night during my shift and made the decision that I would not be returning. I had hoped this restaurant would still have the same standards it had before the change in ownership. Unfortunately, that was not my experience at all. First, the restaurant's website is misleading. The menu advertised online is NOT the current menu, and the website advertises live music that is no longer being offered. If you are going to advertise your restaurant online, the information should accurately reflect what customers are actually going to find when they walk through the door. The food was, quite honestly, extremely disappointing. You can read other reviews posted recently that are parallel to what I am stating. The quality I experienced was subpar and nowhere near what I would expect from a restaurant charging customers top dollar to dine there. The lack of preparation and organization was also shocking. On the last day I worked, a so called "head server" (who also happened to be the owners goddaughter) was responsible for opening that evening, which means there is a list of tasks needed to be done prior to opening for dinner service. She apparently did not completed ANY of the prep work required before service. For example; basic restocking of items, tomatoes had not been cut, the salad preparation area had not been properly prepared and stocked so the restaurant was not ready for service the way I believe a "professional" restaurant should be. I guess standing around talking with her co-workers about nonsense was more important to her. Then again at the ripe age of 21 years old she strolled around the restaurant acting as if she has a multitude of years of experience under her belt. Another joke!! Even more disturbing, I personally saw roaches in the kitchen. That was a major red flag for me. As someone who has worked in some high end restaurants, I know how seriously kitchen cleanliness and food safety should be taken. Seeing roaches in the kitchen was enough to make me question whether I wanted to continue to work at DaSesto. I also found the overall operation to be extremely lacking from what I am used to. My impression from my experience was that the restaurant lacked the organization, preparation, consistency, and standards that I would expect from a professionally operated establishment. I went there wanting to work. I was looking forward to work there after reading the menu on the website and seeing the photos of beautifully plated meals. 100% smoking mirrors for sure. The food is more flavorful and better plated at Olive Garden. Da Sesto new owner Gian Franco has some nerve charging almost $40.00 for lasagna, it's insane. I didn't walk out because I didn't want to work -- I walked out because the writing is on the wall. This place is going down faster than the Titanic This review is based on my own firsthand experience while working there. I am not interested in attacking anyone personally. I am simply being honest about what I witnessed. Customers deserve accurate advertising, properly prepared food, a clean kitchen, and a professionally operated restaurant. Based on my experience, this establishment has significant work to do in all of those areas. What a shame such a well established very well known restaurant is quickly becoming known as a place not to dine at. DeSesto's had zero reservations booked for last Friday night, what does that tell you?