FARM TO TABLE! I just love it when I hear local restaurants support local farmers to give you the…read morefresh and healthy dishes! It was my first time, it doesn't look like much on the outside, but definitely when you step you feel transported. Reminds you of cute small bistro you would find in Europe, but we're lucky we have one here! The furniture is modern and the decore is cute with a coastal feeling. I couldn't wait to try the breakfast platter, and I am so happy I did! Look how healthy and beautiful my platter is (see pics). I had the balsamic vinegar on the side. Also, just a tip.. if you do not want salt preadded to your eggs or anything else just let them know. The pic I took is the owner and local farmer that supplies the fresh eggs! So folks you know it's fresh and delicious! If you want to support both your local restaurant and farmer this is the place! You will love it! I can't wait to go back and try their other dishes.

I came in recently to order a half tray of penne alla vodka for a party, and I'm so glad I chose…read morethis spot. From the moment I walked in, the owner was incredibly kind, welcoming, and genuinely helpful. You can tell right away that this is a place run with heart and pride. While placing my order, I had time to browse, and wow! this place is a little Italian dream. They offer a variety of handmade biscotti and classic pastries like napoleons, tiramisu, berry tarts, and rich chocolate cakes that all looked straight out of a bakery in Italy. Everything felt authentic and thoughtfully curated, not mass produced. They also carry Italian imported olive oil and a beautiful selection of deli meats, including capocollo, mortadella with pistachio, prosciutto crudo, ham, salami, and sopressata, plus cheeses like mozzarella di bufala and stracchino. It's the kind of place where you can build the most incredible antipasto board or grab specialty items you can't easily find elsewhere. If you have time to linger, they also offer a variety of Italian wines by the glass or bottle, representing different regions of Italy. It makes the space feel even more like a neighborhood market meets cafe, perfect for picking up catering, desserts, or just treating yourself. The penne alla vodka was a hit at the party! It was creamy, flavorful, and clearly made with quality ingredients. Everyone kept asking where it was from. I can't wait to have it again Between the warm service, authentic offerings, and standout food, this place is a gem. I'll absolutely be back, whether it's for catering, pastries, or just to browse and grab a glass of wine!

Great food and friendly people. We have been there often and will definitely continue to visit.read more

2/21/26 I was craving an indulgence of carbs this evening and my go to choices (Sorella, Mangia…read moreQui, Hearth, Cooper's Hawk) all had a 2+hour wait for a table. It's not even tourist season yet. Found La Bella Italia on Yelp showing available immediate reservations and decided to give it a try. Arrived at 6:30pm and it was busy but not packed. Husband and I were greeted and seated promptly but had about a 10 minute wait before a waiter came to bring water and inform us our waitress would be with us shortly. Another 5-7 min and the waitress came out. The waitress seemed nice but distracted or maybe very introverted. We started with the bread and butter and Insalata Di Cavalo (baby kale, apples, red onions, candied pecans, vinaigrette). The salad way yummy! The bread was decent (my husband would have wanted it warmer) not sure if the butter was just unsalted or if it was margarine but we didn't care for it. It was served with a bottle of oil and vinegar... A small oil dipping dish would have helped. We tried the bruschetta appetizer which was tasty but wish the basil would have been cut instead of one large leaf per toast. We realized at that point, the waitress never asked if we wanted drinks. I was only planning on drinking the water so it was no big deal to me. My husband caught the waitress at some point to request a drink. The big disappointment for the night was the Margherita pizza. I'm including a pic...but it was just cheese pizza, soggy bottomed at that. No fresh mozzarella, maybe there's some basil under the regular mozzarella, who knows. The cheese pizza flavor was average at best. Debated sending it back but my husband had been fasting all day and didn't want to wait for a new order. He ate 2 pieces, the rest was a waste. I ordered the salmon served over mushroom lemon risotto. We asked if there was any way to order a side of risotto for my vegetarian husband, but were told the chef was not willing to do it. Not really complaining about that since the risotto is not listed as an ala carte side. Salmon was cooked nicely. Crisp sear but not overdone on the inside. Risotto was only okay after all so it worked out they couldn't serve it as a side. I had to ask multiple times to see a dessert menu, waitress kept forgetting. I got a slice of the carrot cake. This was delicious but at $14 a slice it needed to be! Apparently it's made by their sister restaurant Steinhilbers (I haven't been there in years). Final note, the bathroom situation... There are 2 single room bathrooms for a restaurant holding up to 100 people. There is NO reason to label a single person bathroom as male or female. It just creates unnecessary waiting outside the "ladies room" Overall rating is probably a 3.5 but the service was lackluster, the bathroom thing annoyed me, and I'm still mad about the pizza... So I have to round it down to a 3.

Food is fantastic! The salad tasted like veggies were straight from the garden and the small size…read moreis what other places call large. We had pizza and calzones that were delicious. I'm Not usually a fan of ny style pizza but the crust and sauce were perfect on our pie. The menu is large so we didn't get to try the pasta or subs but will next time!

This is our number one favorite place in Virginia Beach…read more It's actually one of the main reasons we go Virginia Beach, so we ended up going twice over Memorial Day weekend. The lasagna and meatballs are absolutely fantastic

We have been here on many occasions. In most cases we were…read morefully satisfied with the service and meals. It's a go back to restaurant for us. It's a cute place with Italian overtones.

First time visiting. Portions were very big. The trio was very delicious. Desserts were amazing…read more Our server, Kylie took great care of us. She was extremely friendly and attentive. We spoke with the manager, Christian to tell him how much we enjoyed everything. He was courteous and extremely professional. We'll definitely be back!

Service was 10/10. I've never been to a place where they fold your napkin every time you get up…read morehaha that was pretty neat. Food was fantastic! Starters- Platter was good, but it was a lot of food! We probably didn't need the fried Mozzarella but that was tasty. Lombata Marsala was sweet and tender even with the bone in. Potatoes were quite fancy and tasted good. Both petite and ribeye steaks were cooked perfectly, those were very tender. Fettuccine I was not able to sample but it looked great with plenty of sauce. Desert was a must have. Cheesecake was good but there needed to be more of the strawberry sauce and maybe a tad less sugar. My favorite dessert was the gellato in the chocolate ball. I don't care for pistachio icecream and I loved it! Ambiance was very fancy. I would go here again!

While in the area finishing up a wine event, my friend and I decided to stop by Gaston's for…read moredinner. With it being a Thursday evening, we were able to be seated right away because it was practically empty. Gaston's is absolutely beautiful. The entrance displays a beautiful, vibrant picture of Italy. There's also a stand that displays the Dining Area Dress Code, which is Business Casual Attire. Our server stopped by our table and was very pleasant. She was able to answer all of our questions and gave us some time to look over the menu. The complimentary Focaccia Bread with the fresh tomatoes were simple yet delicious. We had olive oil and balsamic vinegar on the table as well that could be used as a dipping oil for the bread. I decided on the Onion Soup to start, which was very savory and delicious. For my entree, I ordered the Wagyu Bolognese and my friend ordered the Fettuccine Alfredo. Unfortunately, the pasta in our dishes were a bit hard and chewy, it should've been cooked a tad bit longer. Also, my friend asked if the pasta was homemade and the server let us know that it wasn't...we could tell! You would think for an Italian restaurant like this, they would've had homemade pasta, it definitely would've helped the dish. The Bolognese was okay but lacked a lot of flavor. I barely ate it. The restaurant was beautiful and the service was great but I've had better pasta elsewhere. If I were to return, it would probably be for the soup and appetizers.

Sirena Serious Eat Italian - Overhyped & Disappointing Experience…read moreThis restaurant was recommended during a wine tasting by someone who is very knowledgeable and well-traveled when it comes to food and wine, so I went in expecting a really elevated Italian experience. I made a reservation right away because we were told it was necessary -- but when we arrived there were plenty of open tables. It didn't feel like reservations were needed at all, which was confusing. The host even seemed surprised that we had one. We were seated at a very small two-person table tucked into a corner by the window, despite there being more open space available. It felt cramped and not very thoughtful in terms of seating. Service was another challenge. Our server was polite, but there was a clear language barrier that made it difficult to understand menu explanations or get recommendations. With a smaller, more curated menu, that guidance really matters -- and we didn't get it. We ordered the Tagliatelle Bolognese, which was decent but not memorable. For a place that's described as "top-notch" and made-from-scratch, I expected more depth and wow factor. The best part of the meal was honestly the bread, which was excellent -- we even bought a loaf to take home. Dessert was the Tartufo al Caffè and while it wasn't what I initially expected, it was enjoyable and a nice finish to the meal. Overall, this experience didn't live up to the hype. Between the unnecessary reservation requirement, cramped seating, communication issues, and food that didn't stand out, it just wasn't worth it for us. We both agreed we wouldn't return.

Sirena was highly recommended so my friend and I were very excited to stop in and try it out. As…read moresoon as we walked in, we stood at the counter for a while, waiting to be greeted. The restaurant was small but absolutely beautiful, I loved the decor. After a few minutes, the owner walked over and asked my friend, "Can I help you?". Can I help you lol?!? I thought that was such an odd question to ask! He didn't look at me at all when he asked the question. She mentioned to him that we had a 6:30pm reservation, which he then proceeded to look around the restaurant to find us a table. Mind you, the restaurant was practically empty. He found us a table tucked in the corner of the restaurant. There were a plenty of other open tables that we could have been seated at but he sat us at a very tight, 2-person table literally tucked in a corner. Our server brought us the menu and explained that we needed to order everything all at once. Unfortunately, she was a tad bit hard to understand so we had to ask a few follow up questions for clarity! I ordered the Calamari Fritti as my starter. The owner brought it out and practically tossed the plate in front of me. Since my friend mentioned that she can't eat seafood, he snatched the small plates from our table and told us we didn't need it. It was just very odd. The calamari was very fresh and tasted great though! Our entrees were brought out shortly after. I decided on the Tagliatelle Bolognese. It was pretty good but nothing to write home about; however, it paired well with my Cabernet Sauvignon. We ended the evening with some dessert. I ordered the Cannolis "to go" and my friend tried the Tartufo al Caffé, which was a chocolate truffle paired with a shot of espresso. It was actually very tasty. Overall, I wish I can say I had a better experience. The service made me feel slightly unwelcome and the food was good but I don't plan on returning.

Food was 4 stars had the baked lasagna, service was 4 stars, I'm only writing this because the…read moreOwnership told me I had to remove my hat, we sat outside in a converted parking lot, with poor sun shades, This place allows nose piercings, Tatooes, shorts with big hairy disgusting legs and beach wear, this is a beach town, won't be coming back, owner needs to get over his hat problem. It's not that high end.

I've lived in CoVa nearly my entire life, but I've never dined at Aldo's. At the same time, the…read morelast time my mom dined there was with my dad (R.I.P.). So I figured it would be nice to take her there for Mother's Day. She can reminisce about dinners with dad while I could finally get to experience Aldo's for myself. Aldo's isn't normally open for lunch, but for Mother's Day they were (for obvious reasons). I made a reservation about a month in advance and we arrived about 10-15 minutes early. Aldo's happened to have our table ready, so we were seated in no time. We were seated at a two-top near the piano, and were greeted quickly by our server, John. He was kind, pleasant, helpful and especially courteous towards my mom (I really appreciated that). Personally, John could've ignored me, as long as he made my mom feel at home. He did that with ease and his service was a clear highlight during our visit. We went ahead and ordered some appetizers - mom got a cup of the she crab soup, and we split an order of calamari. At other establishments, the calamari tends to be salty, but Aldo's calamari is spot-on since it was perfectly salted. I would order calamari each time I visit Aldo's - theirs is the best I've had locally. Since John brought us some bread, I used that to try mom's she crab and it was delicious. I would've ordered one myself, but I was content with the calamari. We didn't do strictly noodles for our entrees - mom had the Lamb Rosmarino (6 grilled lambchop lollipops, honey rosemary dijon marinade, parmesan polenta cake, sauteed zucchini, roasted red pepper, fig balsamic), which she described as fantastic. I had the Costoletta di Vitella Ripiena (12 oz. butterflied veal chop stuffed with sauteed spinach and mozzarella, served with linguine aglio olio) - this was perfection. I finished my entire plate, while mom had leftovers after having all her soup and a good amount of calamari. We shared a dessert, a Ferrero Roche cheesecake that was decadent without being overly sweet. It was the perfect closer to our meal. In addition, Aldo's was clean and organized. Its decor reflected an Italian influence, but it was still homely. The tables looked/felt to be very close together (their bar is small), though, especially since they were at near-capacity. But that's not a big issue, unless people start bumping into each other. This was a 5-star experience. Aldo's is perfect for special occasions and any time you want to be pampered a little for dinner. Since it was Mother's Day, I'm happy that my mom was happy. Thank you, Aldo's! JV

Was at a coffee shop nearby and decided last minute to try this Italian spot a few doors down--so…read moreglad I did. The salad was amazing, with fresh greens and perfectly seasoned steak. The happy hour apps were a really nice surprise, and the staff were attentive and welcoming the whole time. Definitely a great spontaneous find

So good! I brought my 92 year old mother here for dinner on a Sunday afternoon. It's small with a…read morefew 4 low tops, a few 2 high tops and a 4 high top. The kitchen is open. It looks like they do quite a bit of take out. We were sat immediately and our waitress was very helpful. We got the small basilico salad and spaghetti with meat sauce. Everything was delicious. The sizes were recommended and they were huge and more than enough!! I love the build your own pasta so you literally pick your pasta, sauce, protein and veggies. It's like a family style and I would love to go with a group and we all share. They also have a happy hour. I will definitely be back. Now....my 92 year old mothers complaints. 1. It was too cold. We were going to move but they had a big fan blowing and they turned it away from her. Now take that with a grain of salt because the heat in her room is set to 76 and it's April. 2. It was too loud. Since the kitchen is open you can hear the cooks doing cook things. She was irritated by the noises coming from the kitchen but once again....grain of salt. The volume on her TV is at 80 and she can't hear it but can hear the kitchen noises. 3. The seat was too hard. Once again....grain of salt. She is skin and bones but I will bring her something to sit on next time. She actually did enjoy the food but I got the leftovers. :) We will be back.