First of all, we went for lunch, so the ambience was lovely. I have heard it can be quite hectic in the evening. That said, we had a wonderful lunch. We did not opt for the lunch specials as it was my husband's birthday. We shared the braised octopus as a first course and then each had a different pasta which we also shared. I had the Lasagne Bolognese and my husband had the Pasta all'amalfitana. Understand I make Bolognese Lasagne every year for Christmas from scratch. This was as good, if not even a little better than mine. My husband's pasta went well with it and was delicious. Chef Margarita is truly one of the best in this state and Il Palio is definitely my favorite Italian restaurant in the area. read more

Attended a conference upstairs tonight and I must say the place and ambiance is elegant. The food was delicious and service is great. Need to know that most of the rest rooms involve stairs. read more

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Came here for an anniversary - what a great pick! The place is stunning inside and out. When we arrived, we checked in our coats and we were seated to a couple of champagne glasses. The array of dishes was a bit overwhelming. I definitely encourage viewing photos of the food prior to ordering, it helped so much. We started with garlic bread and fried calamari. For the main course, I went with the Lasagna made with ground beef and veal. It was absolutely delicious (I even took some home!) My husband went for the fillet mignon and he said the meat was cooked perfectly. The food was 5 stars! Things to note - It was a bit hard to have a conversation because it was loud. Also, we did have a hard time finding the restaurant since it's in a plaza with other businesses. We had to call the restaurant to get accurate directions. I loved the romance this place has. Beautiful beautiful. read more

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Second time coming here. Writing this review a bit late as we were here back in October. First time I was here was a very unfortunate time for our family as it was my Aunt's Celebration of Life Lunch after her funeral back in 2017. My uncle rented out the entire private event space. I remember the venue being absolutely stunning. Large glass windows and the bar was gorgeous. I didn't realize this was only the private event section of the restaurant. Fast forward to our visit back in October 2025, when we arrived and wanted to sit at this gorgeous bar that I had remembered, it turns out that area is for private events only. There was actually a wedding going on. So, we sat at the main bar and had a drink which is upstairs. Downstairs is where the private events are. Although the main bar was nice, I just had in my head the gorgeous modern vibe of the event space. The main bar is more old school Italian, warm colors whereas downstairs is more bright and modern. Moving on to the food, we split the Giulio Cesare (Ceasar salad). It was fine. Nothing special. Lots of cheese on top. For entrees, I had the Ippoglosso alla Boscaiola con Pure di Patate e Asparagi (Halibut). It was incredible. No complaints. Boyfriend had the Salmone alla Senape e Dragoncello con Spinaci e Pomodorini (Salmon). He enjoyed his dish as well. What I did not love was the dessert. I don't even remember what it was, but it should have been thawed out a bit. It was rock hard when it got to our table. Some sort of a pistachio dessert. I feel like it may have been a torte. We did not enjoy it. I think it was a special they had. Would highly recommend the event space here (beautiful ambiance), however I don't remember much about the food at the event. The building itself is quite impressive as you walk up to it. Nice grounds. read more

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An excellent restaurant. We started off with the charcuterie which was nicely presented and tasted better. For my entree I had the lightly breaded pork chop served over broccoli rabe. It was delicious. The portion is very large, I had enough to bring home. It was spicy and very flavorful. I loved the broccoli range. My girlfriend had the pulpo over hummus, so tasty. Overall the service was excellent and the food was delicious. For dessert we had the almond cake which was delicious, it was served with a pear and gelato. The restaurant has a beautifully landscaped entrance, what an inviting place. Once you enter, there is a beautiful bar area with plenty of seating. They have indoor and outdoor dining. The decor is absolutely beautiful. read more

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I have to knock it down to 4 stars if only for the noise level. We had a party of 10 and forget about the wings of the table, i had to lean in to hear the person across from me! The staff - staff was amazing and super helpful. All 10 main courses came out at the same time The food - i think we got 1 of each app and other than missing out on the grilled octopus from my greedy co-workers, each was amazing. Not one to load up on bread, the cheesy garlic bread was not to be missed! Attached picture was a special and I hope to see it there again! read more

Il Palio Ristorante - Special of the night - NY Strip with Garlic Mashed, roasted veggies and a lobster bisque to pour over - Italian Near Me - Shelton, Connecticut

This was my second time coming to this fabulous restaurant. It's a beautiful restaurant with a fireplace and lighting at each table that you can control. The absolute best food and the staff are great, the only complaint I have from this time is we ordered the scallops as an appetizer, it was $27 and when it came there was only two scallops, no where did it say there were only two, yes they were yummy but I could have ordered a whole other entree for that price. I'm not cheap as we know going in that it's a higher end and the prices reflect that and the food is worth it. So maybe add the number that you get with the scallops. read more

Il Palio Ristorante - Cheese cake with tangerine purée - Italian Near Me - Shelton, Connecticut

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The atmosphere, staff, and service was exceptional. The quality and authenticity of the food was top notch. Only caveat is the menu is pricy but you get what you pay for. A beautiful experience at fine dining. We'll be back . read more

Food excellent, service fantastic ambiance great as always , my veal chop special was delicious-I should have asked how much it was (which I never do) but I wish I had , I would have never paid $76.00 for it , not worth that price. read more

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OUTSTANDING EXPERIENCE!! I went to Il Palio last night for a business dinner, and from the moment we arrived, I was genuinely impressed. The stand-alone building looks like an Italian villa -- elegant, warm, and easily the nicest structure in all of Shelton. Inside, the atmosphere is equally stunning. The space is expansive, and the bar area might be the most beautiful I've seen anywhere in Connecticut. The menu was prix fixe, and my wife and I both ordered the filet. When the appetizers were brought to the table, I braced for the usual "same old" selection -- but everything was delicious. The rosemary bread, clearly baked in-house, was an unexpected standout. Now, the filet: absolutely perfect. I have to emphasize this, because lately I've noticed something off at most restaurants -- I suspect many are using lower-quality cuts or enzyme-bonded "filets." As someone who eats filet regularly, you can tell immediately when it's not authentic. Il Palio's filet had that true tenderloin texture and grain -- the real deal, just like you'd get if you butchered the tenderloin yourself. The house wine was excellent, about $12 a glass -- I wish I'd caught the name. For dessert, my wife mentioned she was gluten-free and declined the cake option. Without us even asking, our server returned with a special gluten-free almond torte topped with whipped cream, vanilla ice cream, and what looked like brandied pears. That level of initiative and attention to detail blew us away. We were so appreciative, we tipped him 100% of the bill. Bottom line: Il Palio delivers everything you want from a fine-dining experience -- impeccable food, genuine hospitality, and an atmosphere that makes you feel like you've left Connecticut for Tuscany read more

The food is always wonderful. The service is excellent have always been very pleased whenever we have a chance to dine at Il Palio!

Wife and I went to Il Palio on Saturday night. Once again the food was delicious. We started out with a special appetizer , portobello with radicchio and fried goat cheese. Fantastic. I went out of my normal box and had a wonderful Beet Salad. My wife had the Sole and Shrimp Scampi with purple mashed potato. I had the Fillet over horseradish mashed potato. Front of the house was spot on and in tune with the back of the house perfectly. Our Captain explained the menu and answered any questions we had and yessir waitstaff were top notch. We absolutely love Il Palio and will be back as this is one of our top three restaurants. read more

Il Palio Ristorante - Fillet Mignon over Horseradish Mashed Potato - Italian Near Me - Shelton, Connecticut

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Business dinner for over 80 people with cocktail hour at 6PM. Our flight was delayed and didn't get here until 7PM. It's ok, I was still able to order my drink with my meal. Food was delicious! I started with Lattughe di Campo, Rapanelli e Pomodori or we say a salad with red wine vinaigrette. For the main, I the Grilled filet mignon with fresh horseradish mashed potatoes and sautéed spinach topped with caramelized shallots and Barolo sauce. So good! You can cut the meat with a butter knife. For dessert, warm chocolate cake with raspberry sauce. Dinner service was ok. Servers were a little overwhelmed with our big group. The ladies up front were friendly and accommodating. It was chilly and my jacket was nicely kept hung in a closet and was given a ticket for retrieval just like valet parking. read more

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This place is tip of the top, cream of the crop...in ALL areas. havent been in awhile but so glad i revisited. brought someone who had just been 2 weeks out of surgery and my friend was delighted. read more

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Lovey lunch. $18.95 as of Oct 2023 for an appetizer, entree and dessert. There were definitely more people there than o expected for lunch, but with a deal like this, I can't blame everyone for coming I only wish I could come more often read more

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Always good food and service. This is a really beautiful venue. Prices are on the high side but the experience is worth it.

I think is one of best Italian restaurants in the area Very good food, nice vibe , great service read more

If I could give Il Palio ten stars, I would. The menu is imaginative. They can make most entrees gluten free and they have gluten free pasta. They are very thorough in catering to my needs. Service was incredible. We started with the octopus which was the most tender I've had in a long time. The pasta special was delightful and the GF pasta was cooked perfectly al dente. They had a warm gluten free almond cake for dessert that lit up my world. Get it. You'll be disappointed if you don't. This was my favorite restaurant experience so far this year. It's oddly in an office park, but that's easy to get over. Once you walk through the doors and into the stunning restaurant, you are transported to a new world. The gluten eating people in my party were equally as impressed. Execution on everything was perfection. read more

Always wanted to try this place. Bucket list item now checked. Outstanding svc all the way around with several good specials to choose from. Cheers to Claudio and the Il Palio staff. Had a little trouble finding the restrooms as their is a semi private upper level dining area as well as a lower level which leads to a function area for private gatherings, and there was no immediate signage. The ambiance and backdrop of Il Palio are not to be missed. read more

After hearing such great things about Il Palio, my fiancé and I visited for our Valentine's Day dinner last year (a very delayed review but with Valentine's coming up I was reminded to post this)! The restaurant is absolutely stunning and we were very excited for a special night out. They had a special menu for Valentine's Day, and we thought the dishes were good, but we were expecting to have been more blown away. We thought our appetizer of the meat and cheese board was overpriced, considering we were only able to have two small pieces of cheese each. The strawberry tiramisu was a fun dessert for the holiday. The staff were very professional and attentive during our time there. We're curious to come back and try the regular menu when it's not a holiday. read more

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Excellent upscale restaurant with amazing service, no rush, and fabulous food. Nicely paced, excellent wait staff, everything was amazing. read more

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I swear everytime we go to Il Palio we rarely order off the actual menu because all of their specials sound way too good! The staff is always welcoming and friendly and we just love the ambiance of the restaurant as a whole! We were able to make a reservation in open table two hours prior to going on a Friday night which was fantastic! My husband got the shrimp risotto and it was so full of flavor and delicious. I went with the filet mignon which is on their regular menu, it came with horseradish mashed potatoes and spinach which I was obsessed with! And of course we couldn't pass on the dessert. 10/10 experience every single time and u would give them an even higher rating if it were possible! read more

Il Palio Ristorante - Filet mignon - Italian Near Me - Shelton, Connecticut

It was a very nice experience. The food was terrific. The service was first rate. The room was a little noisy due some guys having an extra good time. Luckily, they quieted down once their food came. read more

Amazing dining experience each and every time. We drive an hour out of our way to get there and it's been worth it. On the night before Thanksgiving, however, we had a minor hiccup with one of our dishes, and Kevin the Manager took ownership of the situation and exceeded our expectations in rectifying it. Needless to say, we will surely be back again. The grilled octopus appetizer is a must have read more

Il Palio Ristorante - Steak special...way delicious and cooked perfectly. - Italian Near Me - Shelton, Connecticut

Food is tremendous. The service is excellent. The prices are high, but it's fine dining and one of Shelton's great spots. I've been there 3 times now and never been disappointed with the food. Reservations a must. read more

It's been a while since we dined here because the service was horrendous during our last visit. This go around the service was vastly improved so no issues there. The food here has always been great. We ordered a few appetizers...the octopus and eggplant were the highlights. Entrees were salmon, filet, and pasta. The salmon was prepared perfectly, nice portion too. I highly recommend. They don't have a kids menu but cater to little ones via pasta, pizza, etc. Surprisingly, the desserts were just okay. The plumb and almond special was actually a little disappointing. The other desserts received somewhat positive comments but no one was overly impressed. Regardless, this restaurant is one of the better options you can choose and we will return given the service has been remediated. read more

Pretty good Italian food in Shelton. Definitely get the garlic bread and cheese app, it was probably my favorite part of dinner. The charcuterie board app was a 5/10 for me, prosciutto tasted old and dry and the only cheeses provided were mozzarella and a block of Parmesan, just not my favorite. My boyfriend really enjoyed his entree as did I. I got the gnocchetti with chicken sausage, and summer zucchini in a lemon sauce and my boyfriend got the chicken saltimbocca special. Overall, a great place for a date night. The inside is nicely decorated and created for a relaxed atmosphere. Prices were very reasonable for a nicer Italian restaurant! read more

Wow! This place was just as good as the reviews say it is. We are in town for a wedding nearby and came up a day early. Had a dinner date here and it did not disappoint. We started with a bottle of wine, ordered some apps. Our server was attentive and also gave us space which I appreciated. All of our meals were excellent. The pasta dish we had was amazing. The salmon and filet of sole, also so delicious. Would definitely recommend coming here. read more

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Attended a beautiful rehearsal dinner & welcome party here. The space was beautiful & perfect for the occasion. Food was pretty tasty & the service was great. read more

Review back up to 5 stars! Adjusted my 'score' because customer service has improved DRASTICALLY Since I was here last. The staff is NO longer walking on egg shells. I did not see / hear a rude manager barking orders...energy was 100% better than last. RAUL was super kind, informative and his positive/relaxed energy resonated with us. I felt relaxed and able to enjoy the ambiance and my time catching up with dad, in lieu of being distracted by a manager drunk with power. (See previous review if youre bored) FOOD & Drinks excellent as always. (see photos please) Always a great distraction on 'date nights' catching up with Dad as we are too busy enjoying the delicious dishes that he doesn't have time to grill me about my life! Success. read more

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The restaurant is lovely but...we had to request bread with our appetizer salad several times and when it finally arrived it appeared as if half eaten pieces from other diners breadbaskets were put into our basket. The bread was good but definitely disturbing to consider this. The Caesar salad was adequate but portion was fairly small for the price. The pastas were good and the waiter was attentive and nice. However, we do not plan to return. read more

One of my favorite places to go to celebrate a special occasion. The ambiance is incredible, the service is spot on. And of course the food is amazing. Steak was cooked just like I asked. read more

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Will not return. Service was horrible. The waiter was arrogant and did not care we were even there. He completely ruined the evening. The food was okay. He spent all his time serving wine and food to the table next to us and just ignored we existed. I had to get up to ask for clean plates, he never asked if we wanted sparkling water-just served water, and I had to get up to ask for the check because he just never came back. It took 35 minutes to get a silly appetizer but then only 10 minutes for our meal. The waiter went back to the table next to us at least seven times to our one. Terrible. read more

We just dined for here for the second time. The first time we had a pretty good experience at least good enough to come back. The atmosphere is really what makes this place shine. It's great for date night, or even dinner with the family. Tonight the service and food was way off, we waited an incredible amount of time for everything. Maybe it was because we were tucked in corner. It was steady busy but nothing crazy. Food was very dissapointing. Calimari has a slight fishy taste with the marinara dipping sauce had no real flavor. I had a NY strip that was one of the specials. The meat lacked any flavor, it had salsa verde on top with a chimichurri on the side. Neither had any flavor and the reality is a good piece of beef seasoned with salt and pepper shouldn't have needed anything but it just lacked flavor. Wife had lobsters Risottio special, she thought it was ok but not like wow. Desert we had the chocolate cake which was pretty good. Cappuccinos we're on the cold side and didn't taste great. I know everyone has off nights, but with the cost of food so high now to drop $200.00 and have sub par food and service leaves a sour taste. read more

Went here for a bridal shower and while the downstairs room is beautiful, the attitude of the staff leaves a lot to be desired. There was one nice woman who helped me down the stairs with a gift and offered a sangria, but the gentleman running the affair was cold and nasty. We were taking pictures of the bride and friends with the cake, she was called away for a minute and he argued with me when I asked him to leave the cake so we could get a pic of her alone with it. Acted like it was a major issue. We were rushed out at the end while we worked on loading the gifts to the cars in a major downpour. He was annoyed that we couldn't help getting the floor by the door wet and shoved a tablecloth down while he pushed the gifts at us. All while they dismantled and reset tables while guests were still collecting themselves. I understand you have to prepare for dinner service, but a little politeness goes a long way. The food- nothing spectacular. Appetizers were sad- crostini with various spreads. Pizza that came out late. I had lasagna for the main- sauce was rather acidic and disappointing for such an "upscale" Italian restaurant. Cured me of wanting to go for dinner here ever. read more

A few hits, a few misses, but they had a nice selection of grappa to provide a medicinal mellowing on enduring yet another birthday, for which I want to thank them. (Note - the grappa I ordered from the menu wasn't available). Our experience was a hit or miss. I started with a Negroni, a Stanley Tucci favored beverage. Very nice, but it was missing the necessary garnish of orange. When our main course was delivered I asked for the wine menu, which our waiter chose not to provide. Instead, he gave me some some selections off the top of his head. I wasn't given the opportunity to order a bottle, so I just got a glass of the house chardonnay. Big time miss for both the house and us. There was a $16.95 prix fix menu with a nice selection but I wanted to order the fried artichoke, in honor of Stanley's Finding Italy recipe. Not the same, but Il Palio's were internally moist with aioli sauce and a slice of lemon. It was crispy without being oily. Hit. In the picture I took of my veal scallopini and my husband's fish, you'll notice our appetizer dishes weren't cleared. Not a big deal, but I'm sure if there were female servers integrated along with the roomful of male waitstaff who missed this issue, service might improve. Miss. My veal was nicely sauced but tough. My husband had the sole, which he had no issues with. He liked the the veggies. There was a slight odor when the fish was plated which I could smell. Miss. The grappa reminded me of a several great trips to Boston's North End, and the rainy chill was alleviated by their working gas fireplace. Bel tocco. read more

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Wonderful spot for a date or elegant dinner. Romantic atmosphere and best quality food. read more

Il Palio Ristorante - Chocolate Lava Cake - Italian Near Me - Shelton, Connecticut

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From the moment you pull up to the restaurant parking lot you get the sense this is going to be a great experience - and they came through! We sat at the bar for a cocktail before dinner. Joe took really good care of us. The grilled apple salad with feta cheese was amazing, as were the halibut and the homemade fettuccine. And to top it all off, a warm apple bread dessert. Yum! read more

Food, Service, Ambiance are all great! I ordered the filet mignon which was cooked perfectly. I recommend trying their desserts as well.

Took my mom out to dinner, the service was excellent. The dinner crowd was roudy, the energy in the room was exciting. That said, it was too loud for my mom. The waiter found us a spot that was not so raucous. The food was delicious, authentic Italian cuisine prepared by the chef, owner who is from Italy. Don't think you'll find anything here that won't delight, highly recommend. read more