Great food but service is very very slow. Once seated we waited 15 minutes just for the menu. Our dinner for 2 which was really good took 3.5 hours. We only ordered 2 rounds of drinks, no appetizers or dessert, just our main meal. We never made it to the movies. Smh. read more

Got to be THE BEST place to go for authentic northern Italian cooking! If you're not a fan of northern region foods, you might want to go to Olive Garden, however, I recommend you try La Fontanella once. Very classy with a mix of clientele. Casual (shorts and sports shirt) to business (suit and tie). Staff is all about service from the second you walk in the door! Food is beyond fabulous! I'LL BE BACK! read more

So I found this restaurant on open table. It was about 10pm and we were looking for a nice place to eat without having to go to the city. The moment I arrived I felt something off about this place. Upon entering I saw a man smoking behind some bushes staring out into the street at us as we came into the building. His demeanor was very alarming and I found his behavior to be off. Upon entering we were greeted and sat at a nice table. We open our menus and it was ironic that the same creepy man in the bushes actually happened to be our waiter. His energy was very condescending and just down right strange. My husband and I got the vongole a mi piacere for the appetizer. It was very good but by now we were the only people in the restaurant. The music had been cut and the atmosphere was sad to say the least. We were frequently greeted by random people throughout our meal taking care of us. We continued our dining experience with pesce di mari and vitello something. I forgot. I usually love veal but I did not like my food at all. My husband enjoyed his seafood dish. No one even came to ask us how our food was. The servers only seemed to care about closing down the restaurant. We were continued to be rushed through our meal, as things began to be taken away from us by multiple people. To say the place felt uncomfortable and stuffy would be an understatement. We ordered desert, which was, chocolate suoffle cake and pistachio spumoni a type of Italian ice cream. The spumoni was really great. It was served with strawberries, chocolate sauce, and whip cream. The chocolate suoffle cake was a mild step up from a domino's molten cake so I wasn't impressed. Overall, the meal was overpriced by the bad service and stuffy unwelcoming environment. I would never go or recommend this place to anyone. read more

The location is good and I love visiting the Wolfs lane in Pelham. We liked the restaurant, they tried to give you a classy feel. The food there is pricey and average in taste. The waiter there is truly condescending. We went there asked that we would like to try something vegetarian today, and he looked really down on us and told there is pretty much nothing. I looked at the menu and found five vegetarian dishes and confirmed and then he said .. yea .. you can have those. Forgiven this, we went again and same experience of awful attitude of hosts. You lost customers guys, we are never coming there again. read more

Great food -- almost always order specials and sit at the bar for a date night or night out with the girls. One of the reliables in Pelham -- and there aren't many I'd say that about. read more

I went out to celebrate my birthday last night. I have eaten at La Fontanella once before and I thought the food was good. The place is small and we were seated in the back of a long narrow diningroom. I notice they put more tables in the restaurant and the sitting was very tight. I enjoy eating out on Thursday to avoid the weekend crowds. As I began my apetizers, I noticed a large number of people entering the restaurant. I believe it was some type of business presentation. They had a small area reserved in the back right of the restaurant, however, the presentation was overbooked and the people spilled out in the general dining area. These people were very demanding and the wait staff was spread thin., leaving us with horrible service and long waits for food. The presentation people were loud and inconsiderate of the other diners. People were bumping into me and my wife and it made for a horrible experience.I decided to eat my main dish quickly and leave. When I went out to the parking lot there were cars all over the place blocking all of the cars that were properl parked. Two of the waiters had to run out in the cold with a handful of keys and begin moving cars. A horrible end to a miserable dining experience. I think if Fontanella wants to keep their reputation as an upscale classic Italian restaurant, they have to rethink these presentation groups. read more

I heard that La Fontanella was the best Italian restaurant in Pelham, however, all of their food came out extremely salty. They start you with a dish of olives, chunks of parmesan and sopressata. DELICIOUS! Appetizer - We ordered the calamari and shrimp cocktail. Calamari was tender and grilled in olive oil with tomatoes. It was very tastey yet surprisingly salty, maybe the chef poured too much salt in by accident. Shrimp cocktail, how could you do wrong, they did. You get 3 jumbo shrimp with cocktail sauce. Dinner - I ordered the Linguine with red clam sauce. Now, this is a staple in an italian restaurant, how the hell did you screw this up with masking the flavors with salt?! yuck. Such a sin, it was so salty i couldn't even eat half of it. My friend ordered the veal with pesto. It was delicious! However, the mash potatoes it comes with was drowned in salt as well. Wine - got the house wine... not a fan.. All in all, my blood is feeling disgusted with salt. ugh. I would like to come back here again to try the veal chops or osso bucco the other yelper reviewed. I want to give this place another chance... there's no reason for all that salt! Maybe it was the weekday chef but for now, 2 stars is the highest, the parm and meat was the highlight for me. read more

Old world charm (albeit the lighting's a bit bright for my taste), old-fashioned waiters in tuxedos. Stick with the specials - they're almost always good - and don't miss the grilled octopus salad with tomatoes, basil and calamari. read more

Absolutely my favorite restaurant. The waitstaff are friendly, attentive, and gracious. The food is unbelievable -- anything from the spinach salad to fetuccini with fresh porcini mushrooms to the complimentary house made sambuca. Another highlight is the black squid ink linguine with mussels, shrimp, scallops, and a whole lobster on top. The owner and captain greet me every time -- everyone at the restaurant is devoted to making the best possible dining experience for the customers, and the food most likely better than anything you've ever had before. *UPDATE* After being closed for nearly 6 months after a fire, La Fontanella has reopened, completely renovated, and is even better than ever. A few minor changes to the menu (Lobster Ravioli added, as well as a homemade Fettuccine with porcini mushrooms, shallots, and shrimp, and a few veal and fish dishes added). Brand new marble floors, beautifully detailed cherry wood trim throughout, and a gorgeous marble bar with lively lighting all make for a beautiful and welcoming environment for fine dining and socializing. Also, all the original staff has returned upon reopening, and the wonderful people there are really what make La Fontanella so special. read more

We go past here all the time and the few tables outside are most always empty so we didn't have high hopes. When we entered, the dining room was mostly filled. Lots of people laughing and obviously enjoying their meal. We got Caesar salad, grilled octopus salad, seafood risotto, and the seafood linguine special. The Caesar had a nice tang of anchovy. The octopus salad had a great smokey flavor. The linguine was light but very flavorful. I'm really glad the seafood risotto is on the regular menu because that's what I'm getting next time. The fabulous dessert was homemade tiramisu. Service was attentive. Everything was very, very good! read more

Had a great experience here. The tuna appetizer was nicely seared & paired with a fresh arugula salad tossed in a balsamic reduction. My filet of salmon stuffed with crab was accompanied by a creamy dill sauce. Again, nicely prepared although a bit heavy on the sauce. The scoop of mash potatoes on the plate didn't shine but the string beans were al dente served alioli. Service was excellent not overbearing. Plan to visit again. read more

Best food, beverage,waitstaff!! My husband and I go there at least twice a month and we get treated like royalty. Each dish is prepared to perfection. NO EXAGGERATION Advice: Go there to dine and relax...do not rush. Once you try, you will go back, again & again. Maybe you will see us there! DBU It is now 03/21/12, Florio has made this place EVEN better, if that were possible!!! read more

Excellent old school Italian restaurant. Always eclectic dishes, terrific service, and a quiet neighborhood eatery!

This was our first time to La Fontanella and we really enjoyed ourselves. We ordered the Lobster Ravioli and Pollo ala Nonna and each plate was delicious. The service was outstanding as the staff checked with us continuously throughout the evening. While we don't go out and eat Italian often, La Fontanella will be on our list for special occasions. read more

The renovations are a great improvement especially to their bar area. Its easier to have dinner at the bar. Food needs a bit more seasoning otherwise it's good. Staff is terrific. read more

Went on a busy Saturday night and waited 30 min to be seated even though we had reservations. Once we finally got seated, the rest was great! A bit small and crowded but the wait staff was very pleasant. I had the stuffed artichoke which was to die for and the veal over pasta was delicious. A bit pricey but a nice place to try for a nice Italian meal read more

The food here is great and the service is Excellent!!!!! They have great lunch specials that are a full meal!!! When you walk out of here you are feeling full and relaxed. read more

Worst experience, period. I had a pharmaceutical dinner program, and Alfredo (restaurant manager) nickel and dimed me at every turn. I confirmed the day before to confirm the reservation, pricing and ensure we could have a presentation in their private room. I found out they do not have a private room, but a roped off semi-private area for professional dinners. Alfredo wanted to charge $125 per person with a $1000 minimum for the space. I told him I could not agree to this, especially if we did not have enough physicians show. Alfredo agreed to $100 a person, no room charge. Once the program started, we had over 11 people show, but Alfredo refused to rope off the private space, and we didn't have a waiter come to our tables until an hour later. I had to get menus from the hostess and give out to everyone at the table. The service was rude at best, and the food is average at best. Will not be back, and will never have another dinner program at La Fontella again. read more

Great service, food and atmosphere. Florio is second to none when making you feel like family.

Great food & romantic atmosphere. Most definitely the best Italian restaurant in this part of town!

We are so glad that they are back. This is our favorite local and we are so pleased to have them back in town (they were out of business for a while after a fire). The new decor is nice if not a bit over the top (the LED lights in the doorways seem out of place and too bright). The food and service, however, remain top notch. read more

Staff is excellent However the food has definitely gotten worse over the years. Used to be one of my favorite restaurants and it doesn't meet its standards anymore read more

I am not sure what has happened with this restaurant but the service has deteriorated We went there with reservations. We were 3 women. The little bald waiter tried to put us in a corner , we said no we preferred another table. Anyway we had drinks appetizers ,dinner,dessert, and after dinner drinks. This was not a small bill. This same waiter came over to us as we were drinking our after dinner drinks and told us we would have to leave,they needed the table. He said since we would not be seated in the corner this is what happened. I have NEVER had this happen before, the correct procedure should have been to say to us " I apologize but the people have been waiting for this table please go to the bar and have an after dinner drink on us" we certainly would have understood and would not have been offended. But to tell us to leave because we would not be shoved into a corner table is just RUDE. This is not the first time I have had a bad experience with this waiter . I was there a while back,for dinner with friends and the waiter found out it was my friend's birthday. This waiter brought a piece of cake with a candle. We all thought , how nice, a lovely gesture. We got the bill and there was the charge for the cake we never ordered!! I am done with this restaurant!!! read more

I've been going to Fontanella for the last 15 years. It was a ***** restaurant. Not so under the new management. Joe Fontanella was a class act and he made the patrons feel like stars. The food continues to be above average but the new help leaves a lot to be desired. They have a sense of entitlement, except for Mario, who should be the maitre D, the rest needs some courtesy training read more

So old school...felt like a restaurant in Rome. Food was outstanding and plentiful even on New Years Eve. I never eat out on holidays because the menu is usually too limited, subpar and I feel rushed. None of that was true! We received excellent treatment from start to finish and the food couldn't have been more delicious. Even had leftovers for New Year's Day read more

Delicious food, great service, we've been coming to this restaurant for several years now...superb

My son's daycare gave us a holiday gift and kept him until 9pm (!) so my husband and I, new arrivals to Pelham, decided to check out this spot for a somewhat impromptu date night. Earlier in the day, he made a reservation via OpenTable. We arrived early, and were not seated promptly. My husband is a touch impatient and the staff sensed that so we were shuffled into the bar for a cocktail on the house. I didn't have anything but my husband said his rusty nail was fine. We sat down and in addition to bread and butter were given tasty olives that i loved and some kind of sliced salami situation that my hubby enjoyed. The waiter came over to tell us the long list of specials while our waters were filled. Each dish sounded better than the last! My husband ordered an artichoke appetizer which he said was incredible. Given the clean plate by the end of the course I think this was a solid choice! :) I had the gnocchi with veal ragu and it was terrific. My husband had some special involving angel hair and lots of seafood and he was sad when it was gone. We were clear with the staff that we had to be out in time to get our son and they accommodated us. I think it was a really great experience and I would love to go back, and will probably take my mom when she visits us. Excited to have found a yummy spot in our new digs! read more

It is rare that you can say that you've never had a bad meal at a restaurant, especially one that you frequent often, but this is the case at La Fontanella. We go at least once a month, and we always have an incredible meal. As others have mentioned, the grilled calamari appertizer is one of the best things on the menu. It was a special last night when we went, with white beans and broccoli rabe, and it was amazing! While I love their menu items, I almost always go with their specials, especially their fish specials. Last night, I had the monk fish, and it was cooked perfectly. it was moist and very flavorful. My husband strayed from his usual chicken scapriello, and had a different chicken dish, which he loved. My daughter had the rack of veal special. The first one came out way overdone, but they happily took it back. The new one came out quickly, and was delicious. I think there are new owners, because we didn't see any of the usual people who have been there in the past, but the quality of the food was still outstanding. Service is always first class. This is a Manhattan quality restaurant (with the Manhattan prices that go with it), in Pelham. read more

Unlike many homemade pastas, the homemade dishes at La Fontanella are light and airy and enhanced by a variety of sauces. Excellent and attentive service, eating here is always a pleasure. read more

Had been to La Fontenella a few times with friends from Pelham. Always thought food average, BUT, last night was the worst. First, since they rebuilt they have squished so many tables in the restaurant it actually looks like a fire hazard waiting to happen. We were in the back corner..Our waiter had to squish behind next table just to talk to us. Which may be reason one dish came out wrong, and mine looked uneatable. DON't order the Rack of Lamb if have it. I eat this all of the time at places like Ironhorse Grill and presentation is always great. This was delivered with a whole line of fat across the top..not much better inside and overcooked. I asked for waiter. He said..you must not have had that here. That is how it is made! I said it does not look appetizing and was overcooked. He said he'd tell the cook! He comes back and they actually cut off the top row of fat..which looked even worse. I said I am not accepting it..My husband is the one that had to say, do you want something else..not the waiter! On top of that, another person ordered their special veal ossobuco. It was not occobuco..but some other dish. So, both dishes had to be done over. We had to tell them to take our spouses dishes back and keep warm..which they should have done from beginning. We were celebrating two birthdays..What a disappointment. They only reason I gave it two instead of no stars, is because they brought two slices of dessert and comped it..Wasn't that great, but the effort I gave a star to. Won't be back for sure. Don't understand the fascination with this place..unless there aren't many good ones to eat at in Pelham. read more

This was a dining experience. The food was superb. The wait staff was as attentive as could be. It was perfect! Will definitely go back.

Not to be confused with Restaurants with the same name and no its not a chain. La Fontanella in Pelham is superb! If you like fresh Northern Italian fare, excellent service (feel like the only one in the place) then this is for you. Feel like something that's not on the menu (hard to believe) simply ask and you shall receive! Food and service "Old School" where customer service and satisfaction rules! Tired of feeling like a restaurant is doing you a favor by letting you spend your money there? Check this place out! read more

I really like this place. Great food, service, and ambiance. My family and I really appreciate this place.

Horrible place! Just left there with my boyfriend. We came in and it was dark. They had just opened. We asked if they were open. They said they were. Old white guy came out and even though they have outdoor seating DID NOT ask us if we'd like to sit outside. There were two older white eating outside. We always sit next to each other if we can and this table we could. The old man "serving" us says, "no no no no no, you can't do that. And I wasn't going to say anything about how he's wearing shorts. My boyfriend is Polish and Sicilian. We stumbled upon the place on our walk. They didn't have a sign about dress attire. I said thank you we're leaving and they shouted after us, "don't you want to have dinner!" Who would eat at such a rude place? Like seriously who the fuck did this guy think he was talking to? I think they are racist, b/c I'm black, yet I was dressed very nicely in a white dress. When we passed by the restaurant on our way back to the car we noticed the people eating outside all seemed dressed down. And white. Racist bunch. Plenty of other restaurants. read more