We had a great dinner last night at La Dolce Vita. It is a small place, I didn't think to count…read morethe tables inside but there is maybe a dozen, and a few more outside. Small and busy, I would recommend getting a reservation. I checked out their menu earlier in the day and was very much looking forward to trying their Pappardelle, Funghi e Salsiccia, a sausage and mushroom pasta dish with a creamy panna sauce. I was not disappointed. In fact, I found my food absolutely delicious. I loved the mushrooms, the sausage, and the sauce really tied it all together. Service was fine, maybe just a little slow at the end getting the bill, but we were in no hurry. Very helpful, one person in our group had some dietary restrictions which were accommodated.

Food was terrible, owner was more interested in being a singer than actually cooking…read more I don't know what part of Italy she is from, but it's not like any Italian food I've ever experienced in my lifetime The chicken was mushy and they use way too much salt

The location has plenty of seating options both indoor in the bar area, wine room or dining room…read moresurrounded by windows. Outdoor seating offers both al fresco à la humidity or under a lovely lanai with fans. The meals generally include mixed vegetables and roasted potatoes; however the menu doesn't say that nor did our server. Only the all pasta dishes come with pasta. There is no side of pasta offered either. This was disappointing because we were in the mood for pasta. After overcoming this, the dishes we chose were all delicious. Our guest said the sole of fish and sauce was great. The branzino at $49 we were told was boney but tasty. The lobster raviolis were cooked perfectly and topped with 2 pieces of grilled shrimp. The chicken scaloppini was tender and the white wine sauce was light and smooth. Overall the meal was good. Our server was distracted and sloppy. Considering it was not at all busy and there was sufficient staff, our server looked overwhelmed. Water glasses were left unfilled and drinks were spilled when served. We had to ask for extra napkins to clean the stem of our glasses. Glad we tried it, but with so many Italian options in this area, I think we will leave this spot for the visitors.

What a find! We decided to have dinner here & due to the wind, we sat at the bar to have dinner…read more Discovered that they have a fantastic HH every day! My house vodka martini was great & only $6! We shared ate almost entirely off the HH menu - bruschetta, caesar salad, bolognese, & the pasta with mushroom sauce. Pasta is homemade & you can get it off the HH menu! We even got a bread basket served to us! We indulged in profiteroles for dessert. The bartender was wonderful. The interior looks very nice. Outside they have plenty of tables. Would definitely go back to this place.

We visit Gabbiano every time we come to Siesta Key. Food is fantastic and service top notch! Robbie…read moreand Julia made our evening so special! Pear salad is one of my favorite! Lobster ravioli, lasagna, eggplant and too many other entrees are consistently top notch. Do not miss. ​

This is where you bring family. That includes your besties…read more Even when we have reservations I don't mind waiting. The food & service, are that good. The atmosphere makes you feel like you're surrounded by family. The bathroom is clean! Thank you to everyone at Cafe Gabbiano, Especially the Chef's, and the entire kitchen staff.

Clasico serves some of the most delicious dishes!…read more The service is quick and the staff is attentive. The place is nice as well and can get busy. Would highly recommend the carpaccio, brushetta and the braised short rib.

Stopped for an early dinner. Decided to get a steak and ordered the NY Strip cooked Medium. The…read moresteak was a little overcooked. The potato that came with it was cooked perfectly, but could have used a little more spice as it was a little bland. My daughter enjoyed her cheeseburger and wife enjoyed her Caesar salad. Our server was a little slow and didn't check on us often enough. We felt like we had to flag him down. All in it's a nice restaurant with some solid options and we would likely come back.

Stopped in after their re-opening on Gateway in the spring of '26. Come to see Marco and Olga - you…read morewill not be disappointed! Lamb chops were exquisite, and the Gorgonzola dumplings along with the vodka dumplings were amazing. We will be back!!!

Food was fantastic! Started with the meatballs as an appetizer and found the red sauce delectable!…read moreThen a Cesar salad, served at room temperature with a superb dressing. Loved the atmosphere and Olga our server was a delight! Will come back with friends!

I can't believe I have lived in Sarasota as long as I have and only now found this gem of a…read morerestaurant. My wife and I had the most enchanting evening and simply can't wait to return. First impression, plenty of street parking directly in front and as we entered we noticed a truly beautiful outdoor patio, nicely landscaped, centered around a beautiful outdoor stone fireplace. When the weather cools we will look forward to enjoying that. As it was a bit warm outside we chose an indoor table. The interior is beautifully done with elaborately detailed tray ceilings, soft colors, soft lighting, a really lovely bar, and a quiet luxury throughout. We were greeted by the host Bob, who we later learned is a partner/owner, and we were seated immediately. Our waitress Holly was fun, engaging, attentive and eager to please without ever being overly present throughout the night. She set the tone by announcing that all wine was $10 off per bottle and all signature cocktails were $10 each. We were informed these values are expected to be offered at all times during low season (not just a happy hour). We found the wine and cocktail pricing to be extremely reasonable even without this extra offer. Holly also volunteered that the kitchen would happily split any appetizer onto two plates and we were also welcome to order just a half salad or half Caesar salad if only one of us wanted one. For the waitperson to offer this without even being asked, we felt the spirit of hospitality was off to a great start as it was obvious the restaurant is prioritizing customer happiness above all else. The menu, which you can review on their website, was full of enticements that had us vowing to return so that we could sample more and more offerings. We settled on a half house salad (excellent), a pasta fagioli (unforgettably good) one of their signature dishes, "Chicken Our Way", and Rigatoni Bolgnaise. The chicken dish was simply out of this world, very lightly breaded and beautifully glazed with a wonderful sauce. The table next to us, having driven up all the way from Northport, politely demanded to know what the dish was as the aroma graced their table. The Rigatoni Bolognaise was as fantastic as any dish we had while travelling through Italy; the bolognaise sauce was unquestionably made from scratch in-house and was as delicious and as authentic as it comes. As we were dining, a woman entered who had the essence of an owner; she went from staff member to staff member, and from table to table, checking on every employee and every customer to ask how things were going. When she stopped at our table, she introduced herself as Beverly, the host's partner. She stayed with us for quite some time showing a genuine and personal interest in us. We were not just a customer to her; we were clearly a new and valued acquaintance. This level of Mom-and-Pop personal service is very hard to find today in Sarasota--and it makes all the difference in the world. We can't wait to go back to see Bob, Beverly and Holly again as they truly made us feel like family. And we can't wait to try more of their enticing dishes. You simply MUST sample this restaurant and see for yourself. I fear though that if too many people discover it, the restaurant may grow and change. I hope that doesn't happen, because it is perfect right now, in this moment, exactly the way it is.

We took take out on their Wednesday special of a sandwich with a garden salad for $16 and the Disco…read moreFries for $6.00. Packaging was excellent. There were about 4 tables so plenty of room for more guests and the bar was empty. The sausage and peppers sandwich was flavorful per my husband. The sausages are not sliced but cut making the sandwich a complete mess. The bread is not made to hold the sausage. I had the chicken Marsala sandwich. Again had a huge issue with the bread being useless. The mozzarella was on the bread but none on the chicken. The Marsala sauce was bland and minimal. Would not get this again. The disco fries were not making me happy. Basically thin fries smothered in gravy. Where was the cheese? The gravy was also bland and we ended up tossing most of them out. The restaurant itself is nice with darker colors and clean. Prices on the regular menu are pricey and after trying their sauce I can see why it was empty. Personal peeve, Italian dish that doesn't include pasta as a side option when clearly they have pasta in the menu is wrong.

Wonderful food and service. When you see other Italians eating at an Italian restaurant - you know…read moreyou are in the right place!

Excellent restaurant! Our second visit even better than our first…read more Bruschetta was delicious and artistically displayed. Slight tendency for tomatoes to fall off but really good, Lasagna very tasty. The winner was the shellfish and pasta. We will all likely order that next time. Good house wines. Split tiramisu for dessert. Super light and flavorful. Alfredo took very good care of us. We will return!

I love this place, thanks susan and nick for taking me. Great prices and great owner! Bravo for…read moresuperb italian experience.

Another terrific dinner with great staff service and excellent food! Ambience is perfect in a…read morecomfortable dining room with limited space- intimate yet entertaining.