Went to Josefina for dinner last night!! It's a beautiful restaurant!! I love all the plants and mood lighting. By the time I made reservations there was only space for patio seating which which not as pretty actually had better lighting for photos it was pouring rain at times and I wondered how the patio roof would hold but it did really well just a few drops and the floor got wet so they helped us move our table over a bit Food and drink: I started off with the cocktail of the moment it was a mezcal drink with raspberry and made with Calabrian chilis came topped with a cute little pepper on tops. The chicken was great too!! read more

Josefina - Menu - Italian Near Me - Wayzata, Minnesota

A friend selected our restaurant before attending an event in Wayzata. There are two public parking lots on either side of the building strip as well as street parking. Be prepared if you go at dinner time parking will be busy and slightly hard to come by. If you find a spot, take it! We had a reservation, but I don't think we really needed one. We sat in the bar area. The decor was absolutely beautiful. I loved the vibe and being able to see the wood fire pizza oven. We ordered Burrata for the table and ended up needing an additional order of bread. The dip to bread ratio is always off. The burrata was more creamy rather than a ball of cheese. I really enjoyed the kumquat with it, but wish there were more of them. We also ordered crispy Brussels sprouts for the table. I love a Brussels sprouts. These were perfectly cooked and well seasoned. I ordered the Mafaldini Cacio E Pepe. It really was pepper forward and I wasn't mad about it at all. I thought the serving size could have fed two people, especially if you are sharing other items. A couple things that I was not prepared for. This is a "dinner should take hours" type of establishment. We were picking at the appetizer and the server had to come over and ask if we were done and if she should put in the order for our entrees. Meanwhile we were still eating the appetizer because we thought we were waiting for the entrees. And then when it came time for the check and getting boxes for left overs they will take your food and box it up for you. I didn't realize this when I asked for the check and someone's food was taken as she was mid bite (oops). They also did one check for three people and never asked if we wanted to split the bill in any sort of way. They also only gave us one bag for our left overs, even though all of us had food to takeaway. read more

I really enjoy Josefina in downtown Wayzata area! I find it more enjoyable than a lot of the typical "favorites" on the street. I love the ambience of the place - full of greenery, dim lighting, and a nice bar area for drinks! We've always had really nice servers here, but service tends to be dependent on server. Some visits have been super quick, and some we have been left waiting for our server to come back. That said, I always love the food here - I'm a big fan of the carbonara. It's a super consistent dish here, and we will always grab the rosemary focaccia. This is a great spot to celebrate a fun event - they have tables of all sizes and a really great vibe! read more

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Josefina is absolutely delicious and will definitely be my new go-to for Italian food! I went with a group, and everyone loved their meal. I personally had the Caesar salad and the radiatore verde, and both were amazing! The service was great, and the atmosphere was even better. Downtown Wayzata is such a gorgeous area, and Josefina is the perfect addition. I'll definitely be back! read more

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Had a great girls dinner at Josefina. The building is such a vibrant vibe! Lots of beautiful greenery all over! The food was very tasty! Shared a couple appetizers. The white Sturgeon caviar on the semolina dumping with crème fraîche was my absolute favorite thing on the menu! The server seemed a bit busy but was nice. We tried arancini but it was very olive heavy. If you like olives it's for you! We tried the fusilli neri and it was delicious. It had lobster, tomato and mint and was a red sauce pasta. The margarita pizza was very good as well. Will definitely go back. Parking was a little tricky but we found a spot about a block away. read more

Josefina - Arancini - Italian Near Me - Wayzata, Minnesota

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Stopped by Josefina's in the morning and discovered their coffee shop, Fina's. One thing to know: it opens at 9am even though the online hours made it look like it was closed. The banana bread latte and blueberry donut were both really good, and I loved the atmosphere. It has a really cool, cozy feel that makes you want to hang out for a while. I'm definitely looking forward to coming back and trying the dinner menu! read more

Josefina - Italian Near Me - Wayzata, Minnesota

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We came to Finas in the morning for coffee and were surprised to see the amount of people waiting outside the restaurant at their take out window. We decided to sit inside and the atmosphere was great. Definitely a good date night spot. The bagels were incredible, both the cream cheeses we got tasted great. The coffees were a let down though. They didn't taste bad but there was not enough flavor. I got a banana pudding latte and could barely taste any banana. I drink black coffee most days so I still enjoyed the drink but I would like a more abundant flavor with my weekend coffee. The service was very quick, and we had plenty of tables and the bar to choose from. This place is not cheap. $8 for a croissant and the same for a bagel with cream cheese, and the drinks were $9 each. We probably won't be back since we do not live in the neighborhood but a great place to grab a drink and walk down near the lake. read more

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Went to Josefina for a friend's birthday and we loved it! The patio was secluded and quiet enough to easily chat. The cocktails were delicious and refreshing on a hot day. I ordered the rigatoni diavolo and added sausage and it was absolutely delicious! Our server was also kind and attentive and even brought my friend some gelato to help us celebrate her birthday. My only complaint is that is is very pricey for pasta, but totally worth it for a special occasion! read more

Josefina - Rigatoni - Italian Near Me - Wayzata, Minnesota

Grabbed a coffee and breakfast from the walk up window before taking a lovely morning stroll ton the boardwalk with my pup. I had the seasonal special banana bread latte and breakfast sandwich on cacio e Pepe bagel and wow. The flavor of the bagel was unreal. Service was quick and the staff working were all so friendly. Will be back! read more

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Cool place with a coffee shop attached to the restaurant and a cute vibe. I love a pistachio matcha so I did like this alot ! The only thing is it wasn't as creamy as I would have liked and the pistachio did overpower the matcha a little in my opinion but that is me being super picky. The bagel was so fresh and the cream cheese was so flavorful! I would absolutely go back and try another drink and get a bagel and would love to try the restaurant read more

Josefina - Italian Near Me - Wayzata, Minnesota

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. Dinner for four as a Christmas treat, and our first time at Josefina and it did not disappoint. Nestled right along one of the most scenic lakeshores in Minnesota, Wayzata brings a charm that's hard to beat. Between the lake views, walkable streets, and vibrant energy, the setting alone makes the evening feel special and Josefina fits right into that experience with a great atmosphere and inviting space. The food matched the setting. We started with appetizers, the Brussels sprouts and focaccia were excellent and then moved into a mix of pastas and pizza. The rigatoni and gnocchi were rich and flavorful, and the pizza was spot on. Paired with a good mix of wine and beer, it made for a really enjoyable night. We shared everything family-style, which made it even better, sampling each dish, lingering at the table, and finishing with a shared dessert. A great spot for a night out in Wayzata good food, great setting, and even better company. read more

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Went for late night dinner and had a wonderful waitress, patient and helpful even at the end of the evening shift. Some dishes were more outstanding than others. The best dishes: steak tartar, burrata, and mushroom pasta. These were absolutely delicious The tartar was clean, fresh, and balanced the saltiness perfectly. The burrata was outstanding and exceeded expectations! *Hint* Mixing the tartar with the burrata on a cracker (or bread) was next level!! The mushroom pasta was exceptional and can tell that a lot of hard work and dedication was put into the elements of this dish -- the pasta, the filling, the cook time. Excellent! The one thing that was disappointing was the funghi pizza. Firstly, I was excited for MUSHROOM pizza but the mushrooms were light and scattered, more cheesy than mushroomy. Also, after 1/2 of a slice, I could not eat any more! The salt was TOO strong and was unpleasant. Comparable to when I used to eat too many potato chips at one time and the salt would cut into the corner of my mouth. The mussels were just okay. The broth was better than the meat. Unfortunately there were a couple bad ones and I spat them out. Overall, hit and miss for the expectations (and price point) of this restaurant. Would I come back again? Likely yes but not for a while. read more

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We went to birthday dinner with my aunties. Since they live in the western metro, we always end up in wayzata. Josefina was on my list to try, we sat at the pizza bar. We watched the guys make pizzas for the guests. There's a glass table to put the food on and eat. Restaurant is actually pretty big, cafe a d bakery in the front. Dining room across from bar room. Then the pizza bar and covered patio. Open kitche as well. read more

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The food here was great, our personal favorites are the meatballs and the brussels sprouts. i have tried the carbonara twice and it's truly very delicious. This time we had meatballs, brussels sprouts and then the Salsiccia Picante. The staff is very friendly and helpful, they gave their recs and were attentive to our likes. the vibe of the place is upscale, with lots of greenery. spotlight: the olive oil gelato! 10/10. we tried it here for the first time a while back and just kept thinking about it since then. nothing has changed, it is still delectable!! read more

Swung by this morning to get a matcha with a friend and I had my dog with me. I asked when I came in with my dog in my arms if dogs were allowed and the barista said yes so we ordered and took a seat. I got the pistachio matcha latte which was okay, I had tried their strawberry rhubarb matcha and I recommend that one instead! About an hour later the manager comes up to us and says dogs are not allowed and that we have to leave. I mentioned I had asked if I could bring my dog and she said the barista had not been aware I had a dog although I asked and had my dog in my arms. It's just a bit annoying to get conflicting answers especially when you confirm when arriving, would have been nice to know from the beginning. So just fyi for everyone they are not dog friendly! read more

Josefina - Italian Near Me - Wayzata, Minnesota

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went to Josefina for the first time to celebrate our engagement. We sat out on the patio which was super nice and shaded. We both ordered fun cocktails which were delicious. We started with some mussels, the sauce was super good and slightly spicy, it also came with toast to dip into the sauce. The mussels themself were a little small but were obviously in the midwest so it is what it is! My fiancé had the carbonara which is pretty classic, the chives on the really elevated the dish. I had the fusilli nero which was amazing! I wasn't expecting a red sauce with the squid ink pasta and lobster but it was really good. We would definitely come back and try more on the menu! read more

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I went to Fina's and I'm conflicted, I got the Cacio e Pepe bagel with chive cream cheese and that was absolutely amazing yet I got the banana pudding cold brew and it was not good. It literally just tasted like heavy cream poured on top of cold brew. Expected better coffee, willing to try again though. Totally recommend the bagels though. Cute interior. read more

Josefina - Banana pudding cold brew - Italian Near Me - Wayzata, Minnesota

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By far one of my favorite places in Wayzata. I love their concept of a coffee shop during the day and restaurant at night. The la cosa carina cocktail, shrimp ceviche (no longer on the menu), and rigatoni diavolo are a must try when going for dinner. As for coffee the banana bread latte and lavender latte are my favorites. The staff is great and you can't beat the location! read more

Josefina - Italian Near Me - Wayzata, Minnesota

This was my first visit, had it bookmarked for a while and figured we would check it out for a birthday dinner. The atmosphere was nice, I liked the open view to the kitchen and being able to watch all the action. We had a great table toward the back with a booth, if you're reserving it's worth asking not to be at an aisle table, they looked tight. I was excited for a dirty martini, the little kit was cool and the flavor options to enhance your drink was a neat touch. They weren't all that exciting though, truffle does not go well with a dirty martini and knowing how much to put in was a challenge. For $20 I'd say it was ok. We had focaccia, Greek salad, lobster pasta, butternut squash pasta and halibut. It's smaller servings with more affordable price points and easily shareable. My fave was probably the halibut, the pasta were both a 4 out of 5. Worth a visit. read more

Josefina - Martini Kit - Italian Near Me - Wayzata, Minnesota

Upon walking in, the ambiance is the perfect amount of dimness and plant-focused vibes. We had higher expectations for the menu; there was not as wide of a variety as we would have wished (and they ran out of food for some meals on the menu). The food itself was flavorful and filling! We had at least 1 item of every course which totaled to $90 or so. The service was decent though we wish we would have been tended to more. Our dessert melted by the time we got our spoons to enjoy it. All in all, we used a gift card to enjoy this meal and likely will not go back though it was worth a try! read more

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My friend suggested this place to me on Day 1 of me touching down at MSP and I knew I wouldn't leave Minnesota without going at least once. We made an attempt on Saturday morning but that seems to be peak hours and the line was long. On Monday morning we successfully made our way to the order window. Also, I found it strange that Google Maps marked it as "closed" when it was clearly open (including the sit-down tables inside!) The menu is small but mighty and I wish I could've tried ALL their pastries. One of the matchas sounded good but I exceeded my matcha quota the whole trip so I felt it was time for a latte instead - and boy did I make the right gamble. My lavender vanilla latte definitely fits in the top 10 I've tried ever. Both croissants were delicious as well, but there could have been more chocolate in that one. My friend got "order jealous" and praised both of my items, and I said I'd learned it from somewhere (my mom). Aside from good taste, it's so lovely to walk on the Lakewalk and find a bench to share breakfast musings. read more

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I want to start this off by saying the food is good, but it's not overwhelmingly good. It's Italian but there's no complimentary bread, so we ordered the focaccia. It was good but pricey! The pasta was good, but I feel like I could get the same quality pasta at Olive Garden. I would say the thing that made the experience only 3 stars was the hospitality. It wasn't the servers fault, you could clearly tell she was stretched thin. You are a nice restaurant in downtown Wayzata, invest in more workers!!! Our reservation was at 7:30, we didn't even get our first drink until 8:15. read more

Making an online reservation for a 6 person party has not been easy, unless it is for after 8:30pm. For my second time making a reservation for this party size, I called the restaurant 3 days in a row until I was able to reach someone to make a 6 person reservation. The phone call was easy and quick then. Most of the time the call drops after their menu options. The pizza and pasta are great quality, I always go for the cacio e Pepe and it's been a crowd favorite. It took about 40 minutes after ordering for everything to come out on this Tuesday night. They also gave a free birthday dessert, a salty cream gelato that was great to end with. read more

I am glad we tried Josefina, the overall experience and the food were good! To me, the drink menu was not very diverse... lots of whiskey and gin and other historically masculine flavors. I got a basic margarita, which was good but doesn't pair with Italian food that well... someone in our party got the dirty martini but was disappointed because you had to add the oils yourself, which is a fun idea but when you pay $20 for 1 drink, you want someone to do the work for you and make it taste great! The brussel sprouts and the Cesar salad were great; I have a fish allergy and was happy that the Cesar didn't have anchovies so I could have some! My fave started was the arancini, very authentic and I loved the sauce and the shaved scallion with it. The cavatelli was good as a past but I wanted a little bit more cream or some other contrasting flavor with this pasta. Overall, we had a nice time and will be back! read more

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Amazing food!!! We started with the steak tartare which was very good. It was a little more citrusy than i expected, but still very good. I had the best pepperoni pizza I have ever had. The crust was the highlight. Toppings on that crust would be good. For drinks, I had the Hennessy Sazarec which was a spin on a Vieux Carre.. Very booze forward. Not sure I would get it again. read more

Josefina - Pizza - Italian Near Me - Wayzata, Minnesota

relaxing and beautiful atmosphere, loved the green colors. the drinks and mocktails were really good, ordered the brussel sprouts for an appetizer and enjoyed the pasta! read more

Josefina - Italian Near Me - Wayzata, Minnesota

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There are certain places you eat at that just make you go "WOW" and this was one of them! First of all this is in downtown Wayzata, which is just such a stunning area! They have a new "Lakewalk" which is a boardwalk over Lake Minnetonka! Great after dinner activity! Parking: There is a free parking ramp right next to this restaurant! The service: I would recommend making reservations, however they are not required. No matter where you sit, you will have a beautiful experience! The staff was exceptional! Our server was spectacular and walked us through the menu! She was very prompt and an absolute delight! (She had red glasses and said she had worked there for 2 years) The food: SO TASTY! They make everything in house! The focaccia bread is an absolute must! Is was perfectly salty and soft! The espresso martini was very smooth and tasted fantastic! I don't think it was worth the price tag though. The FUSILLI NEGRI was so good! As a previous commenter wrote, "don't let the mint scare you away." It is subtle and adds a nice depth to the dish. I will absolutely be back! This was a fantastic experience! read more

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Our go to place. Sad that the mussels and the vongole pasta are no longer in their menu though.

The hostess was lovely. I was dining with my senior parents who are hard of hearing. She ensured we were seated in an area that we could hear each other over the loud music. Our waitress was knowledgeable about the menu and helped us select a wonderful (family style) meal - Rosemary focaccia, pepperoni pizza, pork chops and Brussels sprouts. We were seated directly facing the kitchen. All was looking towards a great evening until my mother spotted the chef blowing his nose in the kitchen. We watched him throw out the Kleenex and move on with his work, not washing his hands. Next time the waitress was at the table my mom discreetly told her what we witnessed. She said she would speak to him but our appetite was gone. I'm sure this incident isn't common practice but it was enough to keep my mom talking for weeks. read more

Food is great, and the drinks are so cute and yummy! Restaurant atmosphere is pleasant and vibe. read more

Josefina - Drinks - Italian Near Me - Wayzata, Minnesota

Big fan of the environment although seats a bit uncomfortable. The pizza marinara I would recommend if you are averse to cheese. Went for a birthday and some complimentary gelato was just what the birthday boy ordered. Parking will be a bit challenging on a weekend but our server was intent and deliberate which I appreciated. Something is up with the acoustics though because you can barely hear others at your table. Brussel sprouts were too salty. You've been warned. read more

Wow wow wow! Loved the vibes here, the plants the skylights, it's moody yet warm. We had reservations so we were seated right away. The steak was cooked perfectly to our liking (we thought based on some photos it would've been served differently with broccolini but this could've been an old photo - didn't matter it was delicious) the pasta was fresh, light yet filling. Oh my gosh and don't get me started on the complimentary dessert for our anniversary the chocolate and caramel gelato was soooo good. I had a mocktail with dinner and our waitress was so thoughtful and brought us complimentary drinks as well but mine being NA, that was awesome. read more

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Visited for a weekend dinner and arrived a few minutes before our reservation, but was seated immediately. Our server greeted us right away and answered any questions we had on drinks and food items. We ordered the Born a star martini and the old-fashioned. The martini was the winner based on presentation alone. They bring it out deconstructed and combine your first drink for you and then leave the rest for you to enjoy on your own. So it easily felt like two drinks in one. Anytime there's steak tartare on the menu. I'm going to try it and I'm glad I tasted it here. Although it wasn't the best I've ever had. It was very good and had a slight citrus flavor to it which was unexpected. We both commented that it reminded us of a ceviche flavor vs. what we expected compared to other tartare a For meals, we selected the pasta and the pizza. Both were delicious, but I don't know if I would go for pizza alone. There are so many things on the menu. It was hard to choose, which is the perfect reason to return. The location, service, ambience, and food all combined to make this an enjoyable experience. I'm only glad that I hadn't tried out the spot earlier. Hoping to return again soon.! read more

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Our time at Josefina's was absolutely wonderful: food, drinks, service, and atmosphere. We were celebrating my husband's new job and decided to splurge a bit for dinner, and were very glad we chose Josefina's to do so. We had a few drinks (I got the deconstructed Martini to start-- which was fun to put together yourself). Appetizers: burrata with the extra bread-- delicious sweet and salty combination-- and for my main: spaghetti carbonara. Smaller portion sizes on the pasta but I kind of expected that since they are normally ordered in addition to a pizza or other main. For dessert: gelato (of course). Overall a wonderful dinner and we'll be back! read more

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As Yogi said, "this place is too popular, nobody goes there any more." Tried to celebrate an anniversary on a Tuesday night. Packed at 6 pm. Extremely loud. Two simple signature dishes took 1 hour and twenty minutes. Server was great. Manager seemed more concerned about turning the table than making any accommodation. read more

That rigatoni sauce might be the best pasta sauce I've had. A+ Everything else was great! read more

I've heard a lot about this place for awhile and I finally was able to make my way over and try it! First, as you park and descend into the city of Wayzata and overlook the lake the vibe starts to set in. It's beautiful. Once you enter, the vibe is modern and vibrant. It's louder than I expected, but I like that. The food was delicious. We ordered the pork chop and the cavatelli. The pork chop was smoked and seared perfectly. It wasn't overcooked, and it was juicy through and through. The pasta was fantastic, al dente, toothy to the bite. The cocktails were especially good. Don't skimp. read more

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The location 5stars The food 5 stars The service 5 stars The ambiance 5 stars Even though pastas are described as meatless, you can add protein to them! Make your reservations- it gets packed. Cant wait to go back and maybe transition check out the bar, it was really bustling so have some FOMO read more

Pasta? Amazing. Drinks? Amazing. Pizza? Amazing. Focaccia? Amazing. Service? Amazing. Ambience? Amazing. Couldn't find a single critique of this place if I tried. It's just a lovely spot. Great for friends night out, first date, casual date, alone time. The space is versatile and inviting for really anything. read more

Wow!!! Josefina has immediately cemented itself as one of my new favorite girls night out or birthday spots. Service is quick and friendly, and they are more than generous with the birthday freebies (we got welcome bday bubbles and a free gelato of our choice)! The wine & drinks menu is great, but the standout of the night that we cannot stop talking out was the born to be a star martini. It came on a gold platter with flowers and was more than enough to split between the 3 of us for ~2 drinks each (& included a mini bottle of veuve)! For apps, the salmon belly was delicious but a smaller portion, the meatballs are a MUST, and the brussel sprouts were incredible and one of my favorites. Favorite mains were the rigatoni diavolo and zuccha pizza+prosciutto. We also tried the fusilli negra but it fell a little flat for us. Dessert here is a MUST! The salted caramel gelato is a large portion and delicious, as is the s'more's budino. read more