Good cocktails, friendly service and well made food (even though the style is not my cup of tea). The decor is also pretty nice and moody. I'd rate it higher but with the price of everything in current times it is getting harder to justify spending 60-$80 before tip while eating out. Besides that this place is very nice and one of the better dining experiences in westbrook. read more

The service was excellent, and the food came out much quicker than I expected. Unfortunately, out of three dishes I tried, three of them were overcooked, bland, or both. I got the baked haddock, the potatoes, and the calamari. I will say, everyone at my table who got a pasta dish was very pleased, so perhaps go that route. But as for my food... definitely could have been better. I would go back again, but definitely try a different dish-- despite how pricey they can be. read more

I've been a fan of Casa Novello over the years and have recently been in several times(had gotten out of sync during 2020-2021) I had forgotten how delicious their Mediterranean grilled shrimp is. I had it again last night, and that dish last night might have been my favorite Italian meal I've ever eaten. We got the butternut squash ravioli as an appetizer and rounded out the meal with a cappuccino. It was unbelievably good and I will be back for certain. read more

Casa Novello - Mediterranean grilled shrimp - Italian Near Me - Westbrook, Maine

Casa has the best Chicken Marsala in the world the service is absolutely wonderful Karen has been so great for many years lots of new great things including the Farro salad and tonight getting it with scallops. Always love the butternut squash ravioli read more

Casa Novello - Menu - Italian Near Me - Westbrook, Maine

Excellent food and service and ambiance. We had a very enjoyable meal there. The weeknight specials are specially worthwhile.

We go many times. always a winner. knotted cheese rolls delicious. the wedge salad is one of my favorites pasta with marinara with meatballs or any meat delicious. chicken marsala always good. Service is excellent. Always delicious, never dissapointed read more

Ordered takeout for second weekend in a row. First time was on valentines day was excellent. Second time was this eggplant parm that was served in a raw 3 inch chunk. Not what I was expecting for $23. Inedible and full of seeds. Menu: Fresh eggplant, breaded and fried, layered with provolone and baked to perfection. It is none of those things. read more

Casa Novello - $23 takeout eggplant parm. 3 inch cut of raw eggplant and seeds - Italian Near Me - Westbrook, Maine

We went here to celebrate my daughters birthday. We were sat right away and they were very gracious, even though our reservation was at 6:30 and my mom didn't show until 7:00. They start with fresh baked bread and a Parmesan/olive oil/ rosemary dip do your bread. Yum! I ordered an old fashioned and it was great. I followed up with a beer. The food was amazing. We all were very satisfied. Portions were enough to bring some home for late. I got the chicken Florentine and it was the best I've ever had. My son had the haddock Florentine and he was equally impressed. Salmon was the special and 2 of the others got that. They both finished it off and the birthday girl had meat ravioli. The service was great and our server even took the time to sing happy birthday. I will definitely be back! read more

The service is excellent, and the Mediterranean Shrimp is a MUST. The pasta was cooked to perfection. The veal parmigiana wasn't as tender as it should have been but it wasn't horrible. I'm not sure we would order that one twice. The ambiance is cozy and gorgeous. My only suggestion: play Italian music!! Admittedly, it is a pet peeve of mine to go to ethnic restaurants and hear Michael Jackson or the Dooby Bros or whatever - but it seriously adds to the experience. It REALLY does. read more

This is a GEM of a place. I get so excited to come here, and they do not disappoint. It's busy - make a reservation if you can. The food is next level delicious and made from scratch. Great attention to detail on flavor and presentation. They're regularly inventing new combos and cocktails - there's always something new! If you're looking for your new favorite place - it's here! read more

Casa Novello - Stuffed bread! Cesar salad. Yuuum. - Italian Near Me - Westbrook, Maine

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We had a family Holiday party catered by Casa Novello and the food was wonderful! Everyone loved the lasagna(s). I dealt with Hope who made ordering easy. I strongly recommend Casa Novello for any catering needs you may have. read more

The bread and oil was delicious. My Mediterranean shrimp dish was amazing. The chicken parm was delicious! Wasn't a fan of the sauce that the calamari came with. It was all sitting at the bottom of the dish which made the calamari breading soggy. read more

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Amazing neighborhood family style Italian food! Wonderful welcoming staff, one of our favorite restaurants.

The owner has crazy eyes. Very combative. Cant keep staff. Weird builds on classic dishes. Smells like a diaper some days read more

So hard to fine a truly good Italian restaurant with a small "locals" feel. Personally, the true test of a good Italian restaurant is the ability to properly cook pasta (ok, a good bread is a close second). From a favorite locals place in Saco to a undeservedly raved about newer spot in Falmouth, few have proven they can properly cook pasta. Casa Novello is one of the rare exceptions, and their bread is excellent as well. With the atmosphere of a small neighborhood Italian restaurant, the attentive focus of a conscientious engaging owner, an attentive and professional staff, a menu that runs the gamut of the traditional to the inventive, cocktails and martinis to please the most discerning and desserts that proved themselves to hard to resist, for our tastes and liking, we have found a new favorite Italian restaurant in the greater Portland area. read more

our dinner tonight could not have been more delicious. order the special haddock Mediterranean with no pasta but with spinach. was charged an additional $4 for the spinach and an extra $7 for what ? the menu had the dish with shrimp for $30 and I was charged $41 with no pasta. Alice was great! our party of six enjoyed but the 3 specials ordered for additional charge was absurd. also watch out for the upcharge for credit cards read more

We went to Casa Novello last year for the first time and we couldn't wait to go back! We ended up going twice in one week with friends this week! Everyone had different dishes. The food was delicious! The staff was awesome! Great food, Great service!My brother already made reservations for the next couple of weeks! Bravo!!! read more

Wonderful Italian restaurant. Very attentive service from our waitress Alice and the manager. Everything was delicious and reasonably priced. The chicken marsala was spectacular! We will be back! read more

I really love the food here and the atmosphere keeps me coming back, but the customer service needs some work. A group of us got together and had a reservation. We had a lovely meal and enjoyed visiting with each other, ordered coffee and dessert and before we knew it, they were rushing us out. They told us someone was waiting for our table and that there was a line out the door. Then they got annoyed with us when we couldn't get our bill straightened out quick enough. It put a negative spin on what was an amazing evening up until that point. read more

One of our favorite places. Great food, excellent wait staff, and delightful energy. Today's special ravioli with sheep's cheese, basil, pistachio, and the sweetest little peppers ever! Always a great meal! read more

I hate giving mediocre reviews but unfortunately the food was just that. With so many fantastic Italian restaurants you really need to have something that sets you apart from the rest like a signature dish/drink/dessert. The menu was a basic Italian menu, all the things you would expect. There wasn't anything that popped out and made you think "wow I really need to try that". The ambiance was ok. There were so many things they could do to make it warm and inviting. I will say the service was excellent. Our waitress was wonderful. Unfortunately though for quality and the price there are much better options. read more

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The atmosphere was fantastic! The space is deceiving however once immersed it is something to experience. The waitress was fantastic and kept our glasses full. Even our alcoholic beverages!!! The food was out of this world! The serving size was amazing and plentiful! A doggy bag will be had by all! For someone that is a skeptic at heart this place is a must visit and I'll be sure to visit on numerous occasions!!! I would suggest this restaurant to all that is close to Westbrook!!! You will not be disappointed! read more

This local Italian spot in Westbrook has some great pasta dishes. I had the shrimp Pomodoro with angel hair, delicious! A little watery on the bottom of bowl but that could be from the tomato sauce. My friend had a make your own pizza and raved about the delicious crust, crispy on the outside, soft on the inside and not soggy on the bottom. I love the bread with dipping oil. They add rosemary and parm cheese to it, I would have that for my meal, so good! Their side salad that came with the meal is pretty simple but the house Italian dressing is perfect (a little bite from vinegar in it... just the way I like my dressing). I would say go here if you want a date night out ( a little dark inside) with some great Italian food. read more

Casa Novello - Italian Near Me - Westbrook, Maine

Where has this place been? Been around for years, but it was my first time. All you need to know is delicious. Waitress was great. Kept the bread and water coming. I had the chicken parmigiana with spaghetti and it was the best I've had in a long time. Dessert was molten chocolate cake. A terrific meal with a cool small Italian restaurant feel. You can't skip this place. read more

Casa Novello - Italian Near Me - Westbrook, Maine

If you read my other reviews, you know I love myself some carbs...but more importantly, carbs in the form of pasta. Italian food is one of my favorite types of food and I always love finding unique Italian restaurants that do what they do well. Unfortunately, Casa Novello doesn't quite hit that mark for me. Does Casa Novello excite me? No. Is it the worst? Certainly not. I have been to Casa Novello numerous times. As I kid, I would come here with my parents occasionally, but more recently, I have come here to meet up with coworkers for dinner, as it is easily accessible from my workplace. However, each time, I just find myself leaving the establishment just feeling kind of "meh" about my experience. I will start off with the positive...the staff is incredibly nice. Making reservations is easy and they are always pleasant upon your arrival. They also provide a great deal of options of their menu to please anyone in your party, whether you are a vegetarian, gluten-free, etc. Moving onto the less stellar aspects of Casa Novello, even though their staff is incredibly nice, I have found that each time I have been here, the service is not quite ideal. The last couple times I have gone, one of my coworkers is left without a dish, as it was "forgotten," leaving that person to wait for their dish as the rest of us eat our meals. If it had happened one time, I would understand, but it has happened twice. I also haven't found anything that I could rave about as far as flavors. I have ordered their chicken parmesan, their penne pesto with chicken, and other dishes, and I have found that each dish seems to be lacking something...almost bland. Recently I had ordered the penne pesto with chicken and the chicken was dry and the pesto was "meh" and could have used more than what tasted like just olive oil and basil. Their dishes run from $17-28...which I find steep for the quality of what you receive. Lastly, they don't have a large selection of drink options, whether it be beers on draft, wine selections, or cocktail options. You'd think they would be highlighting local breweries such as Mast Landing or Yes! Brewing, which are right down the road, but they don't. Or at least have some elevated wine options to pair with their Italian options, but again, they don't. It's hard for me not to compare this place to other quality Italian establishments in the Portland area, and therefore I think my best word to describe Casa Novello is "meh." read more

Casa Novello - Penne pesto with chicken - Italian Near Me - Westbrook, Maine

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dinner last evening was delish!! I had eggplant parm, hubby had veal parm. I just ate the rest of mine for lunch. Wine good price and good pour. we love this place and visit weekly!!! thanks for your Food! from the Claffie's!! read more

first ... this is NOT a Mexican restaurant as much as open table would like you to think it is. This is an Italian restaurant that we found while visiting Portland with frienda. Our meal was excellent! It is pretty difficult to find a family friendly restaurant for dinner in the downtown area so we decided to switch gears and so glad we did. This is a smaller place, 18 tables so make a reservation. They have a kids menu and great deserts. if you want a good Italian meal do not pass on this place. One of the highlights of our trip. read more

Stopped by with the family on a vacation from Florida. Food was VERY good and our server friendly! Only gave it a 4 star instead of 5 was that it took quite a long time to the our food and they got one thing wrong with our order. We would return though read more

This place is amazing. It's a little pricey but worth every cent. They don't have a lot of non pasta items. Since I don't eat carbs I tried the Haddock Florentine. I had never tried anything like it before it I have to say that it is hands down the best fish I've ever had. In fact it's one of the best meals of my life. I had salad with Italian dressing and it was also the bomb. There is nothing like a really fresh beautiful salad with nice dressing. My man had the Ravioli and Cesear Salad and our friend who is allergic to milk had a pesto sort of pasta. Everyone loved it all. I tasted the Cesear and it was delightful! Very authentic! I was impressed all around. Small atmosphere with a few tables and nice music. Great place to impress a date. Amazing food. Honestly I thought we were downtown Portland, the food was so perfect. High highly recommend. Will be frequently attending meals here! Lol read more

The welcome was warm and the service was excellent. Loved our food here. We ordered the mozz. moons as a starter and the Chicken Florentine and Scallop Marsala as our dinner. Superb taste. The cost was a little high compared to similar restaurants, but the staff's friendly attitude certainly made up for it. read more

What a fantastic night I had on this Tuesday evening. I was at an Italian Restaurant eating Italian food sharing conversation with several friends. Really, how better can that get. The group I was with specifically selected this restaurant for it's location and, of course, their buy one get one special. I hadn't been to read more

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Antipasto Salad ordered for New Year's Eve was outstanding ... thank you Hope and Melissa Blessing for a healthy prosperous joyful new year read more

New ownership!! Food is fresh, and absolutely delicious!! Wonderful new decor, local beers on draft and a great wine selection

The new menu was great! The waitress was very helpful and had me try something new. The chicken Florentine was AMAZING. Highly recommend!

Update! They're figuring it out! We just finished a really excellent dinner!! Everything was fresh, well prepared and delicious. So happy!!!

I had been wanting to try Casa Novello.for a long time. We live a few blocks away and I grew up in New Jersey with great Italian food. So we went for the two.for one pasta and it was okay not great, nothing to return for. But then my wife ordered parmesan cheese like she would use at home and it was green. The waitress hardly seemed bothered by it. My wife used a little on her pasta and then couldn't eat anymore. They did not comp anything. I think I didn't even finish our food and we left never to return again. Horrible. Would have been some redemption if they apologized more and maybe discounted our bill but they just didn't seem to care. One of the worst food experiences of my life. Don't go. If they can't throw out parmesan cheese or notice it was VERY past they may have a ton of other quality control issues too. Ewww. read more

Tried it again, sadly 1 1/2 years later no change. Except the prices went up. Maybe the service was a bit worse. Food the same. Substandard. Tried the fried ravioli... Frozen and you get 8 of them for 9.99! Really? Wow! Shrimp scampi with rubber overcooked shrimp maybe 6 at most, now $23. Chicken parm now $17. Meat lasagna now $17. All mediocre at best. It seems like nothing has changed in this place in 40 years. Maybe that is the appeal. But if they aren't going to change anything shouldn't the prices stay the same? Deco is drab. WAY OVERPRICED! read more

Casa Novello - Italian Near Me - Westbrook, Maine

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I'm surprised by the negative reviews here. I've been eating here for years and while I can say that the service can sometimes be sub-par, the food has always been excellent. The chicken marsala here is the best I've had anywhere. I have yet to find any restaurant that even comes close to their marsala and believe me, I've tried it at many other establishments. Perfection! The lasagna is excellent, and one could argue, even too large in the portioning, but that's certainly a tough complaint. Another excellent choice is the Antipasto salad. The portion is massive and the ingredients are all fresh and of top quality. The one drawback to the location is a common one and that's the noise. It can be a bit of an echo chamber due to the straight rectangular layout, but that can be avoided on a less busy evening. **** FOLLOW UP REVIEW **** It is with a sad heart that I have to update my review with nothing positive to say about this place. I reduced my rating down from 4 stars. Since my original review, the prices have skyrocketed and the service has greatly deteriorated. The last time we were there was on a relatively slow evening, but we waited forever to get our meals, and the overall service was terrible. The table next to us was never cleared during our entire dinner, while our waitress socialized behind the counter. The food is still very good, but simply not worth the extravagant prices. $22 for lasagna? You've got to be kidding. Unfortunately, we're all done with Casa Novello. There are too many good restaurants out there now to waste our money there. read more

Excellent food and portions too large to finish. I ordered first what the menu calls "Award winning French onion soup". They were not kidding! Most places make their French onion soup from hydrolyzed beef granules right out of a plastic container which make the soup so salty that you are on the verge of dehydration four hours later! Not these folks. They make the soup the way it is supposed to be made..with REAL beef stock made from REAL beef bones. It is incredible. After that, I had a bowl of pasta that was so big I could not finish it. I always eat at the bar as I dine alone, no problems at all with the service which I find to be polite and efficient. Will definitely return. read more

My wife and I absolutely love this place. The food is always very good. We usually get take out as we have two young children. I usually order from the bar and wait for my food while having a beer. The ladies are always pleasant to visit with. The kitchen is also in plain sight, another positive in my opinion. Try it. It baffles me why anyone would wait for a table at Olive Garden when these types of places are available and delicious. Side note: our favorite dish is the Mediterranean Shrimp. Always outstanding!! read more