Delicious pasta! Better than Thompson and Bleecker and perhaps my favorite restaurant in Ithaca! We tried the eggplant roll appetizer which was warm and very cheesy. The anchovy salad was also good (I prefer the white anchovies which they used). The salad was also quite generous with the cheese. I enjoyed dipping the warm bread in the leftover eggplant cheese/sauce. For mains we tried the chicken, black spaghetti, and the pappardelle. I love mushrooms, so the pappardelle was my favorite. A rather simple buttery sauce which allowed the flavor of the mushrooms to really come through. Delicious! I don't usually like to re-order the same dish when returning to restaurants, but this was so good when I come back I will definitely be getting this again! Black spaghetti and chicken were also good- no complaints here. For dessert we tried the panna cotta which was a tiny bit on the runny side though I am just being picky. It was very tasty and not too sweet. The tiramisu was also good (on the boozier side). The desserts were rather small but the mains were all quite hefty portion sizes. Reservations were rather inconvenient to snag though definitely not too hard. Overall, I really enjoyed Gola Osteria and will have to return to try more of their pastas! read more

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I've been here twice. My experience was mediocre both times and I'm not sure why. First, I've had the carbonara, which was so salty I could not eat it. Truly it was hard to stomach, I took it home and combined with my own pasta and it was then edible. My partner had the linguine and thought it was okay. A stand out was the dessert, which was excellent. Next visit was takeaway, and I had the bucatini. Again; it was simply okay. For the price, it's really hard to justify going back. Very kind staff and service though, so I wouldn't be against giving it another try. Just don't get the carbonara! read more

Gola Osteria - Apple Crumb Cheesecake - Italian Near Me - Ithaca, New York

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My wife and I came here for our anniversary. Multiple recommendations for this spot, and we made sure to have a reservation weeks in advance. Little to no wait when we got there. We sat down and they definitely forgot about us initially for about 25 minutes. The place had a decent crowd so we were patient. Approximately 40 minutes later our order was taken and we got some waters. The food came out over 90 minutes later. We ordered the calamari that was the appetizer special. Not fresh, very rubbery. Pasta was so firm it honestly had almost a crunch to it still. Chicken dish was inedible it was so salty. We ordered broccolini and all you could taste was a massive amount of what tasted like jarred garlic and salt. Staff was very friendly. Maybe it was a bad day in the kitchen. We were very disappointed and really wanted to like this place :/ read more

What a quaint hole-in-the-wall dining experience! The food was amazing, and the service was very accommodating.

Food was mediocre, wrong dish after a 1 1/2 hr long wait, appalling service!! Never will come here again!

Amazing staff and amazing food!! Let's not forget the ambiance!! If you are looking for something downtown but off the beaten path this is your spot!! read more

We went to Gola for my wife's birthday, expecting a great Italian dinner--something special, something authentic. Instead, we got one of the most confusingly bad meals I've had in a long time. She ordered the pasta primavera, which was bland and barely seasoned. The vegetables were forgettable, and the dish had no depth at all. It came with a side of polenta that was completely oversalted and somehow didn't even include Parmesan. She also got the tiramisu, which was overwhelmingly boozy--neither of us were expecting that, and it completely overpowered the dessert. The rosemary potatoes were okay, but there was barely a trace of rosemary, and what was there was clearly dried, not fresh. I had the veal, which was just awful. It was a thin, frozen piece of meat that had been pounded flat and fried to the texture of soggy newspaper. The broccoli it came with was so salty it was hard to eat. And I'm a chef--I love salt. I season boldly. But this was just completely unbalanced and excessive. We tried to give dessert a chance, but the so-called chocolate cake was a dense, dry chunk of chocolate with no flour, no sweetness, and definitely no strawberry sauce like the menu claimed. It wasn't a cake, and it wasn't a torte--it was just a brick. To top it all off, I ordered a cappuccino and was served a sad cup of coffee with no foam. It tasted like something you'd get at a diner. Also, the floors are so sticky our shoes literally stuck. The tables are grimy, the walls are cracked, windows dirty, the glasses spotty and the silverware they must have got surplus from the State Diner. For $170 (no alcohol), this was maybe a 2/10--and that's generous. I honestly don't understand why anyone talks about this place like it's good. read more

Awesome pasta, beautiful space, okay starters, uneven service. We stopped in on a Friday night after making a shopping run to Ithaca. The restaurant is a little out of the way, and not super-easy to find, but not impossible (you have to drive around behind the building). Parking was a little tight. It's a beautiful space, with elegant craftsman furniture and high ceilings. There aren't a huge number of tables, so it's probably wise to get a reservation. We were promptly seated (we did have a reservation) and our server was there relatively quickly. We ordered drinks (which took awhile to arrive, but were pretty reasonably priced) and contemplated the menu. Our server was attentive, and made sure to mention the prices of the specials, which is always helpful. I am a big fan of gnocchi (pasta dumplings, usually potato but sometimes made with ricotta), and have certainly eaten my weight in gnocchi over the years, and have made it a few times at home. When I asked about the "gnocchi lunghi" on the menu (with only the name of the dish in Italian, and no explanation), our server made a big deal about how everybody knows what it is (long, lumpy pasta noodles), and seemed kind of shocked that I didn't recognize it on the menu. I spent years living in San Francisco and Los Angeles, and I'm used to restaurants having some obscure stuff on the menu. I'm also used to staff cheerfully explaining the menu, educating diners about some obscure broccoli from the southern slopes of Vesuvius (I'm looking at you, Incanto, too bad you closed a decade ago!). It was a little weird to get hassled about the dish. I wound up with a simple pasta with butter and cheese, instead, which turned out to be pretty fabulous, with super-soft pasta (house-made?) and just the right amount of sauce. My partner was similarly delighted with her clam dish. Our starter of fava beans and cheese was only so-so -- the fava beans were definitely meh, and, while the chunks of cheese were great, how hard is it to cut up cheese? It was tasty cheese, and they chose it, so I guess there's that. Dinner was unrushed, to the point that we waited quite awhile for our entrees to arrive after finishing the starter. This is a win over places that rush you, but something to keep in mind if you have places to be. Would I come back? Probably. I've had some amazing food in Ithaca, with some awesome service, but this place is a bit cheaper, and the pasta truly was wonderful, and the space was very comfortable. read more

Wonderful food and service !! So worth the treasure hunt to find this wonderful restaurant

Prices on their website are wrong, the prices for most items are a few more dollars now. If you are stuck going here, choose something with tomato sauce, every other sauce tastes like someone dumped a bucket of salt on top. I should have read the reviews. The only decent thing were the meatballs in tomato sauce. We ordered three different pasta dishes that did not have tomato sauce as the base and all tasted like saltwater. Service was decent, and ambiance-wise some of the songs they played in the background were weird. read more

The food is Amazing!! We all got different dishes, Lasagna, Shrimp, Linguine with clams, Chicken saltimbocca, spaghetti and meatballs, every dish was perfect and all the deserts were a great finish. The staff is so friendly and attentive. The chef is, in our opinion, the best in Ithaca, and beyond. It is a beautiful place too, comfy and family friendly. We plan to be back soon read more

I'm normally not into Italian restaurants, but Gola Osteria blew me out of the water. WOW. I had a date with someone who was very supportive of my Yelp review ambitions and was enthusiastic about having dinner here. We ended up having 3 courses + drinks and loved EVERYTHING. There's something about the way the chefs pair the ingredients in the dishes. Like we had the arancini for an appetizer and the way they seasoned the food and used ricotta and marinara to balance the cheesy rice balls was well executed. Prices are higher at this spot, but the ambiance and the portion sizes of the food justify it. Photo doesn't do the plating justice because it's a pic of my leftovers lol. read more

Gola Osteria - White wine + interior. Date had a gin & tonic - Italian Near Me - Ithaca, New York

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Sam! What a chef. Met him on the way out and it was an honor. Eating my leftovers now and you are soo talented. Unique dishes. We loved our meals. Split the arugula salad with mushrooms and I loved my shrimp dish. Pictures attached. Like other reviews have said this restaurant is hidden in a parking lot and you have to buzz to get in and it's in a residential building but the waiter told us that you can get in another way. Very unique wine menu too. Loved our wine overall a great experience. Wish I could bring Sam back to CT to a restaurant here. Soooo amazing!!!! read more

Gola Osteria - Black Spaghetti with House Made Sausage, Sweet Calabrian Chilis and North Carolina Shrimp - Italian Near Me - Ithaca, New York

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After reading great reviews, I was disappointed with my dining experience at Gola Osteria. We were seated at a table by the bar and it was so dark you could barely read the menu. Our waiter did not come over to our table for at least 15 minutes. The food was just okay. The Grilled Octopus was a generous portion of octopus, but half of the portion was undercooked and half of the portion was overcooked. The fennel salad that came with the Grilled Octopus was different and flavorful. The Black Spaghetti was okay -- the pasta was not cooked enough, but there was a decent amount of large shrimp which were good. The Linguine alle Vongole was swimming in butter. The Aperol Spritz was very good. read more

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Authentic Italian dishes in a comfortable environment and attentive staff. Homemade pasta and meat dishes, all very traditional southern Italian style. Good wine list and bartender. read more

Visiting Ithaca from NYC and it was probably the best Italian meal I've had in a long while! Delicious homemade pasta, and all dishes delectable. Service was terrific, as well. read more

Very romantic spot. Great service. However, it is a very hidden location. It's by the fountain in the Collegetown Terrace buildings, you have to really enter inside the building and walk through a hallway. There's a paper-sized sign on the front of the door of the building indicating Gola Osteria is inside. Although it is a bit of a funky and hidden location, the food and vibes was certainly a great experience. I came here on Valentine's Day with my boyfriend (definitely book at least a month ahead of time to secure the time and day you want). We got an octopus dish as an appetizer and it blew my mind. Citrusy, savory, texture, all of it was there. Then, we got our main dishes. I got squid ink pasta with meat - it's a little spicy with very flavorful meat. It tastes almost like a little Asian fusion. My boyfriend got a cacio y pepe which is also pretty good but definitely not as flavorful. We were too full to get dessert, otherwise I would have 100% ordered the tiramisu. The service was very attentive, friendly, and full of smiles. I enjoyed my experience, and it is a really special place to go to. Fun fact: they make their pasta in-house, which is a really cool thing to boast about but they don't really highlight that much for their restaurant surprisingly. read more

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Wonderful restaurant with delicious food prepared thoughtfully. Service was first-rate, as well. Note that, based on our experience, weekend reservations will likely have to be made well in advance since the restaurant is modestly sized and deservedly popular. After trying to get a reservation during three different trips to Ithaca, we finally succeeded but only by booking 3 weeks out. read more

Great Italian restaurant near Collegetown - would highly recommend the octopus appetizer and any of the pasta dishes! A great spot for more intimate gatherings or celebrations. read more

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Very disappointed. Took our guests there for an anniversary celebration. We had specifically requested a table in a quiet part of the restaurant. Upon arrival, we were taken to a table in the bar area opposite the kitchen with pots and pans banging around, but were told this was the quiet area ??? We asked to be moved to a different table in the main dining room. We were taken to a nice table a bit more secluded in the corner....which would have been perfect, but was just underneath a speaker which was blasting loud rock and roll music, so we had to be moved again. Some soft jazz would have been so much nicer for a fine dining experience. This was so loud you couldn't have a conversation without having to shout. Ambience is not worthy of the excellent food, and the food is delicious. That said, given the prices you would think that a $44.00 veal parmigiana would come with a side of pasta or SOMETHING without having to pay extra. Server was new and not very knowledgeable or professional. Table settings are very plain for an upscale restaurant. All in all, a major disappointment. Despite the excellent food, the entire experience was not pleasant. We will not go back. read more

I really, really want to like Gola. It's the kind of place I *should* like - I love Italian food done well, this seems like the kind of place that would do that. Except.... they don't, at least in my opinion. I've been let down nearly every time I've gone. On one particularly awful occasion, I'd made reservations for my husband and myself and another couple. When we checked in, it seemed that our table was not available, and we waited in the corridor for a few minutes while they figured out where to put us. We ended up in the bar area. After perusing the menu, we attempted to order drinks, but our server seemed to have disappeared. We tried ordering from the bar but were directed back to our table. Eventually our server returned and we ordered our food and drinks. We watched as the bartender made them and placed them on the counter for the server. We watched patiently while the ice melted and condensation formed. Eventually we just got up and grabbed them, and the bartender didn't complain. Another time, again visiting with another couple, I had some questions about the wines. I'm pretty familiar with the local varietals, but wanted to know more about the Italian wines. Our server confessed she hadn't tried any of them and couldn't help me. It astounds me that the service staff would not be familiar with the wines they are serving. I would be embarrassed if I were that server. A good restaurant cares about ensuring that its staff is familiar with the the items on its menu, including wines, and can assist their guests with their choices. And, don't get me started on the food. I was so disappointed by the antipasto station. Grilled zucchini that was brown. Brown, I tell you! So overcooked and mushy, and no sign of it actually being zucchini other than being told that it was. Being served pasta that was *not* what was described on the menu, with no explanation as to the substitution. Did they think we wouldn't notice? Anyway, I've been there enough times to not want to go again. read more

Order: Pork Meatballs, Rigatoni with Oxtail Ragu and Pecorino Romano, Linguine alle Vongole This place is tucked behind the Collegetown Terrace apartment buildings, wouldn't have known it was there if not for maps. Went for din on a Wed, 5:30 pm. Was quite empty, only like two other tables were taken when we got there. The waiter said the pastas are handmade in house. They gave two thick fluffy pieces of bread and rosemary infused olive oil. The bread was warm too. 10/10 The meatballs were decently flavorful, texture was a bit lumpy in some parts but not too weird. Nothing about them stood out much though, tasted like meatball. 6/10 Rigatoni was very heavily covered in grated Parmesan. There was too much tomato sauce for my liking. The pasta was nicely Al dente though. 4/10 Linguine had a more mild flavor. The clams were very tasty. Enjoyed this one a lot more than the rigatoni. 7/10 The pricing was about as expensive as NYC. read more

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Would love to love this place, as they have a great menu, solid wine list, make their own pasta, service is good, and they have a cool vibe. It's frustrating because they are sloppy on some aesthetics, details (blotches on wine glasses, spots on flatware) and the atmosphere is a little all over: lights too bright in some areas, sometimes jarring background music etc. While dishes are very flavorful and presented well, the deal breaker after many visits over the years is salt. There is way too much salt in the majority of dishes we have ordered, from appetizers to entrees. Some things have been near inedible. read more

Gola is one of the rare exceptions to my otherwise disappointing experience with the Ithaca restaurant scene. The restaurant is definitely a pain the butt to find, nestled - indeed, almost obscured - as it is among a bunch of seemingly residential buildings, and parking is very limited. But the food is definitely worth the hassle. We had late reservations - 9 pm - but the restaurant was still busy and packed when we arrived (a note here: it seems like a number of the better restaurants in Ithaca don't take reservations, which drives me a bit nuts; so, thanks to Gola for taking reservations and giving a diner a little less to fret about). Despite that, the noise level was not at all bad, and the wait for our table was short. The food was good. Starters for our party of four included eggplant rollatini and an arugula salad, both enjoyable. Everyone had pasta as a main course (their pasta servings are sized to be main courses) , and everyone enjoyed their food (though I should say that if you are looking for transcendant Italian food, this isn't the place; better to think of its offerings as skillfully and competently done) All the dishes were good, though none really stood out. I suppose what did stand out was the following a lot of disappointing dinners in Ithaca, this dinner was well above the average (it was also well above average in terms of price). Bottom line: I'd happily eat there again for a special occasion, which is certainly not true of many Ithaca restaurants. Recommended. read more

The food was excellent, however the restaurant was a bit run down. Could use fresh paint, clean windows and fix the horrible slamming door. Every time the door was used it would slam very hard, so annoying! The waiter said it's been like that for 3 years, smh. read more

Delicious food, lovely atmosphere and attentive service as always. A hidden gem that's always worth a visit!

Great Italian food in Ithaca in a hard to find location, but worth looking for. Best Italian in Ithaca since Joe's left a decade ago. Great portions & classic dishes. Terrific charcuterie board - huge, plentiful, and lots of flavor. Pricy, but worth the $ and much better than other similarly priced places. Attentive staff & a warm environment with nice outdoor space as well. read more

Definitely a bit on the pricey side (as expected), ambiance was great but it is tough to navigate to the restaraunt as it shares the building with an apartment. Service was stellar. Food was alright, got the job done nothing out of this world though. read more

Delicious food and large portions. My wife and I split a salad and entree and left quite full. Good service and good ambiance.

Excellent! We had a great dinner here for our anniversary. The fried meatballs were great, and the chicken parm, which they were kind enough to cook off the menu, was mountainous! Wine was very good as well. Service was perfect. Great recommendation from my friend George in New York, who will remind you that he went to Cornell just about every 3 minutes! read more

Gola Osteria - Italian Near Me - Ithaca, New York

The food was fantastic and the service was stellar. I was there with a small group and everyone seemed very happy with the food and service.

Best place to eat in Ithaca! Food is incredible and staff is so friendly. Everyone I've brought here has absolutely loved it! Pasta is homemade and very delicious! read more

Final "Teen" birthday dinner for my daughter. We had a great dinner. Both enjoyed the arugula salad: delicate nuttiness of the greens were nicely balanced with the hint of citrus and balsamic glaze. I enjoyed the Bucatini: very flavorful and al dente! The best dish however had to be the black spaghetti: outstanding balance of caramelized peppers, shrimp, and pasta. That will be my choice next time! For dessert, the tiramisu proved to be a hit, especially with my daughter who normally thinks it can sometimes be too bitter. We will definitely eat here again the next time we're in Ithaca. read more

Great vibes and food. Friendly service and staff. My friend had a linguine a la vangole and it was made Al denta with a crisp white wine sauce, garlic with fresh water clams. It felt like a dish straight out of Cicely with the crushed pepper. I had a black shrimp pasta and it was delicious. Great dessert. Incredible drinks with bold taste. read more

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Very good, sauce was excellent, and I appreciated the char on the lasagna which added some complexity. read more

Gola Osteria - Lasagna alla Napoleatana - Italian Near Me - Ithaca, New York

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Another lovely dinner at Gola with friends. The food overall was delicious- I ordered lasagna, which was huge, friends had the Bolognese and eggplant, both also more than enough for one meal. We started with Suppli (which was divine- highly recommend), fresh mozzarella (maybe skip it) and their house bread and oil ( which was free, so go nuts) There was a time when Gola made a focaccia bread as their "appetizer bread". Unfortunately those days are gone. Our waitress was attentive and even a bit overbearing, pushing specials and her favorite dishes hard despite being told no. With that said, we did not want for anything. Would recommend Gola! read more

Great Italian food. Quick service. Interesting environment. Parking available. A bit expensive

Gola has a rep of being one of the higher end eateries around town, and let me tell you -- they live up to it. It's a bit of a weird maze to find it in the building, but hang in there. It's all part of the experience. It's November, so we weren't able to experience their allegedly beautiful patio seating, but the indoor area by the bar was cozy and had the pleasant din of happy diners. The food itself was truly phenomenal. The ricotta appetizer and the autumn salad were delicious, the pasta with clams was unreal, and the burnt sage apple crisp was OUTSTANDING. It was the type of meal where you are devastated to realize you're very full at some point, you forget to take photos of the food, and you think about for days afterwards. So, so good. And lastly, the service was absolutely wonderful. I can't wait to experience Gola again, hopefully very soon! read more

Came for the first time on a busy Thursday night. Had a reservation and was seated immediately. Ordered a specialty spiced rum sour, which was pretty refreshing. Got the ricotta to share and it was unexpectedly very very spicy (3.5/5). Wish they had provided more bread for the amount of ricotta. Got the veal piccata for entree and it was decent (4/5). I knew it wasn't coming with pasta but it was a little subpar and the sauce was pretty watery. My friend got the Bolognese and they said it was really delicious. Server was slow and didn't check up on us enough. Would recommend for a nice dining experience, but make sure to make a reservation in advance. read more

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Excellent food, atmosphere, and service!! We had a party of five and all were very happy with our choices, leaving with left over.