Amazing experience. Great customer service. I still think about the signature dish with duck. Pasta…read morehad great crunchiness and flavor

This was, without question, the best dining experience I've ever had…read more We had a 9:00 PM reservation for my brother's fiancée's birthday. When we arrived, we were told there would be a short wait because a few tables had paid but hadn't left yet. About 15 minutes passed, but every staff member was incredibly kind throughout the process. They even came outside and brought us complimentary champagne to apologize, which immediately set the tone for the night. We hadn't even sat down yet, and they had already made us feel valued. From the moment we walked inside, the atmosphere was incredible. The energy, the ambiance, and the service exceeded every expectation I had for my first Michelin restaurant experience. Our server, Elijah, was exceptional. He was knowledgeable, intentional, and genuinely passionate about creating a great experience. Sophie also gave fantastic wine recommendations that paired perfectly with our entrées. The mozzarella cart is an absolute must. There is no reason to visit Rocca and skip it. While it was being prepared, we had the opportunity to talk with Mason about life, goals, and dreams, and it felt like talking with an old friend. Later, after mentioning how much we loved the music, Kingston came over, found out we were in town for the J. Cole concert, and played J. Cole throughout the rest of the evening. It was such a thoughtful, personal touch that made the night even more memorable. To top it off, the restaurant brought us additional complimentary bites as another apology for the initial wait, even though we already felt they had gone above and beyond. The food was phenomenal. Every dish was authentic, flavorful, and beautifully prepared. Two people in our group have spent significant time in Italy, and both said it was the best Italian food they've had anywhere in America. We finished the evening with espresso, stayed until closing, and never once felt rushed. In fact, we were told they would happily stay all night if we wanted to keep enjoying ourselves. Thank you to Elijah, Sophie, Mason, Kingston, and everyone at Rocca for creating such an unforgettable evening. If I'm ever within two hours of Tampa again, I'll be coming back. God bless you all.

My boyfriend and I had an amazing dinner here. We immediately felt the Sicilian ambiance as we…read morewalked in the doors; even the ingredients are imported from Sicily! We were served fresh bread and split the Valenti's Burrata salad to start. Everything was fresh and the balsamic dressing was a 10/10. For the main dish I had the Pollo Parmigiana "Scaglione" and my partner had the Veal Scaloppine Milanesa. I will say the pasta was the best part. We ended our meal with the tiramisu which we recommend to EVERYONE! In conclusion, we would love to come back and try more of the carb filled dishes such as the brick oven pizza and house made pasta hahaha. Also, on my list of recommendations would be the meatballs because they looked huge and tiramisu espresso martini or Manhattan. Thank you, Casa Santo Stefano, for the romantic evening and great service!

Friends brought me here to celebrate another friend, and it was such a lovely experience!…read more1. I was obsessed with the view--whether the curtains were down during sunset or opened afterward, the atmosphere was beautiful. 2. Jason is the BEST! Not only was his service outstanding, but he also shared so many interesting behind-the-scenes stories about the restaurant. 3. There are so many great options on the menu that one visit definitely isn't enough to find your favorite. You'll need to come back and try more! 4. Before leaving, I made a wish in the garden. Now I have another reason to return: to try more dishes once my wish comes true--hopefully soon! Definitely a place for a special celebration.

We were in the area for an appointment and decided to stop by Bavaro's for dinner before the rush…read more We had tried coming here before without a reservation, but it was super packed since it's a smaller restaurant so we were excited to finally get to try it! This time we went earlier and there was only one other couple there so we were seated right away. We ordered a pizza, oysters, and the lemon pasta, and everything was SO delicious. The food came out quickly and the service was very attentive without being overbearing. I also really loved the vibe here. It's cozy and intimate which makes it feel like a great spot for a date night or a nice dinner. We'll definitely be coming back the next time we're in the area!

We stopped here on a whim while walking in Downtown and loved the outdoor seating (one of the few…read morein downtown Tampa). The food is very good and super large portions. We easily will split an entree next time. The tagliatelle al limone was delicious - very light, the flavor was good and I was also a big fan of the broccolini. My boyfriend got the Penne Alla Vodka and added a chicken cutlet (which $15 to add a chicken cutlet is actually insane). The pasta could've used more sauce in both of our opinions. The service was a little on the slower side, which we wouldn't mind as much if the gnats outside weren't eating us alive. They have fans, but the one table we sat at was where the fan didn't reach. So this is definitely a reservation-indoor seating spot for us next time unless they add another outdoor fan. This dampened our experience a bit, especially because we were excited about the outdoor seating.

Food and service were impeccable and memorable! The honey ham pizza was unforgettable!read more

Had an unforgettable dinner at OLIVIA! The energy in the restaurant is sophisticated yet welcoming…read more The food came out fresh, authentic, and beautifully presented. Don't skip out on their handcrafted cocktails or their dessert menu to round out the meal. The staff was super attentive throughout the night. 10/10 experience!

In your lifetime, you will see about 3-4 great boxers in the ring. When you know, you know. This is…read moreone of them. A friend came in town and the boys knew we needed to get in our bag and show him a proper meal. A recommendation from somebody within the group threw out Osteria Natalina and they couldn't have been more on point. Now, as you see in my posts, I eat, we eat, we throw down. Starting out with wine and bread for the table. Fantastic touch. Moving onto Cesar salads with cracked pepper on top. Fresh, light, just enough. Moving into the next round, pear sacchetti and meatballs. First off. Absolute killer way to start a meal but the chef/owner/MAN OF THE HOUR, treaded us so unbelievably well and we found out at this part of the meal that he was there to make the night special. Brought out extra on both of the items above to ensure everybody got a fair share and tasted the excellence that he plated for us. Moving on, entrees, 3 daily lasagna specials, a seafood linguini and finally, my meal...the man of the hour (I regret not getting his name) threw me an absolute bone. I asked if I should go gnocchi or carbonara when I ordered and he said "let me surprise you". My man came out with a half and half combo and didnt cut back on the portions. Truly excellent service. He didn't need to do that but he did. Remarkable. Finally, dessert. Wow. We got about everything. All three cakes, cannolis, pistachio ice cream. The lot. Everything truly was unreal. All clean plates. Nothing left in any fashion. By the way, he gave us an extra cannoli so we all had our own. The inside of this place is also so intimate and cozy. Staff didn't let a single water go dry. I mean this was 5 star excellence and I can't stress it enough. A firm handshake before exiting the restaurant from "THE Man" and we were on our way. I can't recommend this place enough. I almost want to gate keep just to keep it for myself. But I can't. It needs to shine. It deserves it. Thank you to the entire staff. You all are exceptional.

We absolutely love this place, but today was the first time I was disappointed…read more I will start with the Meatballs are absolutely to die for! So delicious The one thing unique about this place is they tell you, order any classic Italian dishes and they can make it. I asked for chicken cacciatore, and was told, "sorry we can't make that". Very disappointing. I had to settle for chicken parmigiana. All of our dishes were delicious but still disappointed.

This was my first Visit to Bella's. We walked in just after opening. Lovely atmosphere.. classic…read moreItalian feel. We were welcomed immediately. We were seated and asked for drink options quickly. THe service was very friendly and prompt. The menu had a great variety. We ordered an appetizer of Carpaccio it was so good. Whatever sauce was on the plate was sooo good. I ordered the Romano with a side of angel hair Alfredo. I will tell you right now, that The Romano is now one of my favorite chicken recipes ever!! It was fabulous!! Loved the artichokes on top!! My Lunch companions ordered Pera Sachet... she absolutely loved it. She doesn't typically like pears, but absolutely loved this dish. Ravioli Verde.... It was very good but heavier and more filling than she expected. We also got the Insalata Miata salad and had them split it between the three of us. The salad was Very refreshing and loved the hearts of palm in it. Because we were celebrating, we got dessert. They brought it with a candle for our celebration. The vanilla and raspberry crème brûlée was outstanding.. and a chocolate covered lava cake of some sort served with a side of vanilla ice cream, which was just sinfully good. Our server was very sweet and personable with a bright smile. I will be back and I will bring friends!

Food: The pizza is excellent; not NY style, thank goodness. Ravioli special was very good. Meat…read moresauce is yummy. Service: OK, but not outstanding. Ambiance: Very nice.

I came here for my birthday dinner, and I was absolutely impressed!…read more The staff was professional, pleasant, and on point. Everyone we dealt with was wonderful! The food was amazing. I only got pictures of 1/2 the food. Pasta was perfectly al dente, the eggplant fritters were perfectly fried and not greasy, the meatballs were top notch, and the espresso is one of the bests in the entire Tampa Bay Area. I know this spot has been around for a long time, but that was my first visit. It was such a good visit with tasty food and friendly staff that I will be back again and again!

Valentines dinner with the hubs and a new place this year. We were excited to get out and try…read moresomething new. From the awkwardness at checking in to the disappointment with the food, we leave dissatisfied which is unfortunate. The parking is tight but we were able to find a spot. Walked in and nobody at the front so we waited and someone did come. Not really welcomed, just walked up and asked for our name. Gave our reservation name and time. We were a bit early. Told to hang at the bar until the table was ready. We just sat upfront. Made it to the table and seating was tight. I felt like I was in the conversation of the party next to us. Service was ok - server was polite and professional. Took our drink and food order but really didn't check back in on us frequently. The valentine menu included a starter, a soup or salad, a main entrée and a dessert per person. I ordered the artichoke dip as my starter, tomato soup, the blackened mahi and for dessert, the chocolate mousse cake. Artichoke dip was the winner of the evening. It was very good and plentiful so we actually boxed and took home to enjoy. The tomato soup came out next and was so salty that it was not edible. The soup and the artichoke dip sat on the table for a while before the waitress came over to check in on us. When she did come over we advised we wanted the artichoke dip boxed, but the tomato soup was overly salty, like the container of salt fell into the soup. The individuals at the table next to us agreed that the soup was not able to be eaten due to the salt level, the server basically apologized and said there was nothing that they could do given it was a set menu, which was very disappointing that they did nothing to either resolve the issue or offer a salad in place of the soup give we could not eat the salad. Since the meal was prepaid, they should've done something to fix, but the messaging was basically like oh you're SOL. Like I took your money now deal with it. On to the mahi -- it was supposed to be served over coconut lime rice however it was more like a firm block of mushy porridge. Like the rice, maybe had been sitting in water or something all day not sure but it was gross and it had no flavor. The fish was also overcooked because it wasn't flaky and I think that it lacked flavor as well. I ended up boxing it and not even eating it whenever we got home. I think the trash can enjoyed it more than I did. We were full and basically over the experience so we got our desserts to go. Hubs ordered the poundcake and I ordered the chocolate mousse cake. Got home, put everything in the fridge except for the desserts, sat down on the couch to enjoy our desserts and mine was missing!! I had a takeout container that had the whipped cream and a little thing of chocolate mousse in it but no cake. WTHeck man!? It was icing on the cake or the cherry on top for the evening we experienced at this point. Let's just say that based on all the reviews for this place, we expected better and were quite disappointed. Especially for the cost of the prefix menu. I truly believe that a higher quality should've been had given this was one of the busiest days of the year to win people over.

Finally got to try Forbici this weekend and it did not disappoint! Saturday night was very busy and…read morethe wait was over an hour but thankfully they had a table for 2 that did not show up so we got right in!! The restaurant is loud and lively due to it being so busy! They have a a great cocktail menu with Italian spritz and rotating specials. For appetizers we did the buffalo chicken pizza which was so delicious!! They have a thin and thick crust pizzas, but this one only came in thick crust. For entrees we did the gnocchi and since they offer pasta half portions, I had the Cacio e Pepe and the rigatoni alla vodka! Both were delicious and that Cacio e Pepe was so creamy. Our server was nice and friendly. The cost for 2 honestly wasn't that bad. I loved all the food and will definitely be back!!

Forbici is a Tampa classic. I came for Saturday brunch after Barry's…read more The hostess wasn't very welcoming, but our server was friendly and helpful. We were originally seated outside, but it was too hot, so we asked to move inside. She was happy to accommodate us. I ordered the Eggs in Purgatory. The eggs weren't runny, which was disappointing, but the dish was still very tasty. The portion was smaller than I expected, so I left a little hungry. Overall, I recommend Forbici. The prices are hard to beat, especially compared to other restaurants in Hyde Park.

Best Italian food I've had in Tampa! I've been to the wine window attached to Oggi countless times…read moreand always enjoy the atmosphere there. It makes me feel like I'm back in Florence! This was my first time trying out the actual restaurant and now I'm hooked. They even allowed us to get up from the table to order wine from the window just for the experience! We were served the tastiest crostini before our meal. For the main course, I ordered alfredo with crispy chicken. It's one of the best I've had in my life, I swear. Oggi, I'm sorry for taking so long to try you out. You've got a new favorite customer!

The staff was so nice. We came in without a reservation and they accommodated us( with some…read moreparameters). The location is small and rustic but makes good use of the space. The bench seating of the table required a booster seat if you are under 6ft. The outdoor space on the side gives "Little Italy" vibes The food: the house salad was phenomenal, simple and delicious. All of the food we had was good( not great). The marinara was quality but did require a little salt. The meatballs needed a little more depth in regard to flavor. Overall it is a solid italian restaurant

YOU ALL... I was completely taken back by visiting here…read more The owner Almi really created an amazing experience. Hands on, helpful, kind and super friendly. DR offers a unique product in authentic, custom takeout cuisine. You are free to to truly express yourself through the flavors and culture of Italy. So many sauces, toppings, noodles, flavors. The food being delicious is just a plus at this point. I truly enjoyed the conversation we all shared & how she made us feel while we were in there. You can tell she cares, that they care. Which then translates to the food. If you're in the Tampa Bay Area, you NEED to trust DR with your dinner plans. Available on mobile food apps as well. I live in another city, but I made a promise to come in, every time I visit Tampa. It's THAT good! Thank you & much love DR! Kindly, Mikey Conlon, Mr. GTB

Got this as takeout and it was decent! The portions are big but it was definitely a bit on the…read morepricier side. I got the gnocchi with marinara, vegetables and chicken and it was lacking flavor but the pasta was cooked well. I do recommend the pesto orecchiette and the salted caramel brownie - really good!! Overall, decent for takeout, but not excellent.