Best Italian in the area. Close to home so food is warm when delivered. Great pasta red and white. Good use of spices. Pasta perfectly cooked. read more

My husband and I found La Fornaretta through a TikTok video and decided to try it out. The drive to the restaurant was beautiful and the atmosphere made me feel like I was transported in time. The overall experience was super cozy and made me feel like I was eating at a close relative's home. We came on a Sunday evening and there was no wait time.We ordered a dozen oysters, handmade raviolis con sugo and the handmade tortellini with pesto. Everything came out quickly but fresh. You could tell that everything was house made by how fresh it tasted and how flavorful everything was. We also enjoyed the bread with balsamic vinegar and oil that was brought out. Our waitress was super friendly and checked in on our frequently, which we enjoy whenever we go out to eat. We didn't have enough room for dessert but we look forward to coming back to try the pizza. We brought our Uppababy stroller with us and it was a little bulky for the space but still fit read more

La Fornaretta - Oysters - Italian Near Me - Newcastle, California

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This is truly a hidden gem in Loomis. This family-owned Italian restaurant feels like a local staple, serving hearty and comforting Italian dishes in a warm, welcoming atmosphere. Everything we ordered was delicious. The oysters were fresh and served ice cold, the wine selection complemented the meal well, and the seafood pasta was packed with flavor and generously loaded with seafood. The vodka fettuccine was good, though the sauce leaned a bit heavy on the alcohol flavor for our taste. Even so, it was a generous portion and clearly made with quality ingredients. What really elevated the experience was the service. Zoe, our server, was incredibly friendly, attentive, and on top of everything throughout the meal. Overall, the food, service, and atmosphere made for a great dining experience. We would gladly return and highly recommend this spot to anyone looking for authentic Italian comfort food in the Loomis area. read more

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Lovely little Italian restaurant in Newcastle. The food is always good here and so is the hospitality. Would not recommend the outdoor seating in the summer, especially when it's 90 degrees and above. But it's great for those days where there's a light breeze. We're a big fan of the pesto pasta and get this every time. Today I tried the sugo pasta and it was equally delicious. The scallops are also a big hit, but a little pricey. read more

La Fornaretta - Handmade Tortelli Sugo - Italian Near Me - Newcastle, California

What a wonderful restaurant. Entering makes you happy to arrive at this little jewel in Newcastle. Great staff! Wonderful menu. We had a hard time trying to not order everything. The baked pear salad was delicious with fresh crisp greens. We had the house made ravioli. Wonderful! Rigatoni with wonderful ragu, excellent. The pizza had great dough, crisp on outside and wonderful thin layer of soft dough inside. Perfect. It was beautiful and an order again pizza. Enjoy. read more

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We were visiting Auburn from out of town and there was an Italian restaurant in the old downtown. Italian sounded great, but the food didn't look authentic. So I looked up some nearby spots and came across La Fornarette. Situated in such a unique building, the vibe inside feel warm, comforting, and rusting. The wait staff were all amazing, kind, and attentative. To top it off, food was YUMMY! I ordered the rigatoni and my husband got the pesto ravioli and pizza. They were all great but I LOVED the pesto. I could eat 10 more plates. Highly recommend! read more

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We arrived at La Fornaretta right at 5pm with a group of 9, and while the wait ended up being a little over 70 minutes, the sting softened quickly thanks to their beautiful wine bar and lively bar inside the restaurant. A glass of wine in hand definitely helped us channel la dolce vita while we waited. Once we were seated it was worth it. We started with oysters, mussels, and scallops, all incredibly fresh and perfectly prepared. You could really taste the quality. For mains, we went full Italian feast mode: carbonara, pizza, pesto pasta, ravioli, meatballs, and salad--and every single dish was a hit. Comforting, flavorful, and clearly made with care. There's something for everyone, whether you're craving classic pasta or a great pizza. Nice variety of wines! Long wait aside, the food and atmosphere made it a memorable night. We'll definitely be back hopefully with a shorter wait and the same incredible flavors! read more

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Finally made it here after staring at the menu for months! My daughter and I went here Wednesday for chicken parm night. She is a huge chicken parm fan. And I am a huge stealer of chicken parm off her plate. Lol The pasta was VERY GOOD, great texture. Chicken parm was huge with yummy fettuccine. The bread was good and was told it was actually their pizza dough. Yum! This is a small, darker place with lots of history. Would totally go back and try some more pasta dishes and maybe pizza. Think they do lasagna on Sundays. Service was friendly and prompt. read more

La Fornaretta - Italian Near Me - Newcastle, California

A friend of mine has raved about this restaurant, so we made sure to arrive early for dinner after we enjoyed wine tasting nearby at Lecavalier Cellars. We were blown away by how many people were already dining and waiting for a table by the door in La Fornaretta, which feels like a cozy home, after we were seated around 4:30pm! Evidence of the popularity of this restaurant! For starters, we ordered the Selvaggia salad. The baby spinach, ricotta salata, beets, roasted pine nuts, and shallots disappeared into our bellies. Everything about this salad was fresh and made with a burst of flavors--tangy, salty, and sweet! This was absolutely a beautifully executed salad. In addition, the all-you-can eat fresh baked, warm bread with butter was ideal to pair with the salad, as we waited for our entrees. With the warm bread comforting my foodie belly, I had to stop myself from eating more, to save room for our pasta entrees! My friend ordered the fettuccine alfredo(Timilia), which I tried. Just with that first bite, wow my facial expression my friend saw spoke to the organic fettuccine made from Sicilian stone-milled grain! The pasta was very soft and unlike many pastas served in Italian restaurants we frequent! The alfredo sauce was very light and creamy, making this the best fettuccine alfredo I've ever tasted so far! For my entree, I am a big pesto and pine nuts fan, so I ordered the handmade tortelli pesto. I savored every bite of their hand-folded organic prosciutto di Parma and parmigiano filled pasta. The amount of pesto sauce served on this plate enhanced my enjoyment of this pasta! Everything about this pasta dish was rich, balanced, and deeply satisfying. If only we had room for dessert, I'm sure we would've enjoyed their delectable desserts, however we were pleasantly full. This gives us more reason to return and leave room for dessert next time! I aim to support family businesses, so I look forward to returning to this family-owned business that is a gem in Newcastle. I have heard from Sicilian actors and comedians their grand compliments for their mothers' Sicilian cooking. Now, I know what they mean, and can't wait to try their other menu items next time! read more

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We came in with a party of seven for dinner and had such a great experience. Garrett was our waiter and he truly made the night. Managing a larger table can be hit or miss at a lot of places, but he handled everything perfectly. He was attentive, friendly, organized, and never once made us feel rushed or overlooked. We ordered oysters, steak with mashed potatoes, and the pasta, along with a bottle of the Barbera d'Asti. Everything came out quickly and was delicious. The oysters were super fresh, the steak was tender and cooked exactly how we ordered, the mashed potatoes were creamy, and the pasta tasted homemade and full of flavor. Garrett also recommended the wine, and it paired perfectly with the meal. Overall our whole table had a great time. The food was amazing, the service was even better, and Garrett really made the experience memorable. We'd definitely come back again, especially to sit in his section. read more

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Worth the trip out of the city. This cozy, family-owned Sicilian restaurant has a homie feel to it. The decor and service is quite lovely. The pasta was fresh, but I wouldn't order the marinara sauce again. The meatballs made up for the lack-luster marinara, they were fluffy and full of warm spices. We'll try the pizza next time, it looked amazing! The scallops with the citrus reduction (specialty item) were rich and luxurious. The gelato was excellent as well! read more

La Fornaretta - Scallops with citrus reduction - Italian Near Me - Newcastle, California

Fantastic Food & service We went there for my sisters birthday & I can't say enough good things about this restaurant read more

We have been wanting to try La Fornaretta for a while and finally made it for my husbands birthday. Thursday early evening, we got a table right away even tho things were filling up. Friendly staff. Atmosphere is rustic and charming. Smallish menu, no soup, no lasagne, no chicken no fish (maybe that's not the Sicilian way). We had the crab cakes which were great, lots of crab not filler. The pasta dishes we ordered were ok but not great. We were very turned off by the 4% fee for paying by credit card. You should give a discount for paying cash NOT charge an extra fee for credit card. That's a cost of doing business. Over all, regardless of the extra fee, I don't think we'll be back. read more

Thursday night, the family decided that they wanted to go here for dinner. Figured, it's a weekday night, probably not crowded but decided to call in for a reservation anyway. We arrived and, lo and behold, the place was packed!!! Loud, lively, and busy! Glad we made that reservation. We got seated right away but waited a while for our order to be taken. The food came fairly quickly and every diwas molto delizioso!!! Hands down they have the best pesto sauce! Both the handmade ravioli and tortellini pesto entrees were delicious! The rigatoni bolognese and the (generous) fresh clams over linguine were very tasty. We totally enjoyed the amazing scallops, crab cakes, side of meatballs, and Caesar salad. We ended our meal with the delicate cannoli and tiramisu. Everyone enjoyed an excellent meal and left happy as a clam! read more

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GREAT FOOD - well worth the drive... From anywhere! I am hooked on anything they make with a pesto sauce, including pizza, ravioli, etc Spend some time, and enjoy their food. read more

I honestly didn't think the food was very good. I got the smoked salmon pasta dish and I felt it was very fishy tasting and there was no flavor from anything else. And very understated. The place was cute enough. read more

On our last day in Folsom we came out for my birthday dinner at La Fornaretta, this restaurant we found a few years back by pure luck and stopped and bought that time some raviolis to go for my son. We always said we would come back to try it out, we never paid attention to the city it was in, just that we stopped there after a long tournament weekend in Reno and it was before Folsom, so after some yelp searching we found it again in the small town of Newcastle, My niece and her husband who live in Sicily were very invested in our dinner, I kept texting them pictures and updates of our food. They wanted to see just how authentic it was. Major time difference, but they are young and can be up at all hours. We arrived before opening, and got in line, like the rest of the guest waiting for the doors to open. We walked in and although my husband and I both would have preferred to be seated in the first dinning room, we were directed to the second one. We had our drink order, a good wine recommendation and we placed our appetizer orders and salad and then our dinner order. The food was delicious, I loved the pictures on the wall and the staff overall were very friendly. We look forward to the next time we are in the area and can stop for dinner. read more

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We just ordered 3 different pastas just to try them and to have leftovers since we are staying in a hotel for the weekend. The Alfredo was some of the worst tasting pasta I've ever had! I can't even describe that aweful taste bc I've never tasted something like that.i had one bite and my husband wouldn't even try it. We just threw it away. The bolognese was ok just very bland. The stuffed shells, cannoli were the best. Still very bland but it was the best. For $160 I definitely expected it to be way better. And the oil we got for our bread was not great quality. Very cheap tasting. I would have rather ate at Olive Garden for 1/3 of the price and it would have had better flavor. read more

Adorable long established Sicilian restaurant tucked into a small shopping center corner. There is inside bar and a little bit of indoor seating, but there's also outdoor seating on their covered patio. The inside is moody and authentic and very comfortable. Staff were nice but seemed very distracted and not very attentive. As an Italian I am typically picky with this type of food but everything I tried was delicious. Pesto raviolis 5/5. Spaghetti & meatballs 5/5. Supreme pizza 5/5. Salad & bread 5/5. read more

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My wife and I had dinner here for the first time last night, and unfortunately, it was a pretty disappointing experience. We arrived around 4:30 PM and were seated promptly. Our waiter took our order, including an appetizer of two scallops. The scallops ended up being one of the best parts of the meal, but what we didn't know at the time was that those two scallops costed $30. There was no price listed on the menu, which was surprising. My wife ordered the carbonara. I struggled to find something that appealed to me since the menu seemed fairly limited when it came to protein-focused dishes. I ended up ordering the surf and turf, which also didn't have a listed price. About 5 minutes later, our waiter returned to apologize because he had forgotten my order and needed me to repeat it. Oddly enough, despite asking twice, he never once asked how I wanted my steak cooked. Our scallops arrived around 4:50 PM and were actually very good. After finishing them, we waited over 30 more minutes for our entrees. Around 5:25 or 5:30, the entrees finally arrived, but even then my wife's carbonara came out first and my dish followed several minutes later. I noticed another couple at a nearby table and overheard he ordered the same dish as I. They too, looked fairly bothered but how long it took for entrees took to arrive. Another table behind us, received their check before we got our entrees, and they arrived at the same time we got there. The carbonara was decent, 7/10. My surf and turf was another story. The skirt steak came out medium rare. I prefer medium, but it was decent enough. The mashed potatoes, however, were extremely wet and lacked flavor. The biggest disappointment was the three jumbo prawns. They were bland and had a strong fishy/oceanic taste, that seemed off. At first I thought maybe it was just me, so I offered them to my wife since she loves shrimp and prawns. She took a bite and immediately agreed, and didn't eat them either. To be fair, the staff kept our water glasses full throughout the meal and we had no issues there. When we asked for a box for the leftover carbonara and something to wrap the leftover bread, our waiter boxed the pasta but forgot about the bread until I reminded him. It wasn't a huge deal, but it seemed consistent with the rest of the evening. He appeared distracted and missed several small details despite us making very few requests. The real shock came when the bill arrived. I handed over my card before even looking at it. When the receipt came back, my wife and I were stunned. Two scallops: $30. Surf and turf: $61. Carbonara $27. Even charging fees for paying with a card, overpriced mediocre food and charging almost $5 for fees tor paying by card? For a skirt steak, three inedible prawns, and some of the worst mashed potatoes I've had at a restaurant, $61 felt completely unreasonable. If the dish had been exceptional, that would be one thing, but it wasn't. Honestly, it wasn't worth more than about $40 at most. Meanwhile, my wife's carbonara was $27 and ended up being the only entree we truly enjoyed. The fact that two scallops cost more than an entire carbonara dish was hard to wrap our heads around. The issue wasn't that the meal was expensive. We've happily paid premium prices at restaurants when the quality justified it. The issue was the value. This isn't a high-end dining experience, and the food and service simply didn't support the prices being charged. We left feeling more ripped off than satisfied. Needless to say, we won't be returning or recommending this place. read more

Waaaaay too $$$ for what you actually get. Had high expectations per word of mouth and sadly this place fell far from short. The prices do not match the quality. Won't be going back read more

Cute Sicilian restaurant in Newcastle. La Fornaretta is very popular amongst Newcastle locals, and surrounding areas. We decided to take the 40 minute drive up from Sacramento and try it for date night without reservations. The wait was 30 minutes, we were asked if we preferred indoors or out, we went with first available, and decided to have a glass of wine at the wine bar next door. Pro tip, if you don't finish your glass of wine at the wine bar, they let you take it with you to the restaurant. 30 minutes later our table was ready, and we were seated outside. It was raining, and that did not affect our experience whatsoever, as the patio is covered, and heated. It almost made it more romantic. The vibe is cozy, and somewhat like a saloon, somewhere in between casual, and nice. We were not too dressed up, somewhere in between - just like the vibe. We ordered a nonalcoholic beer, a glass of red wine, and a house salad with vinaigrette, and blue cheese. This place gets extra points for carrying nonalcoholic beer worth ordering, no one likes Heineken zero, or O'Douls. I believe it was Athletic Brewing. They brought us bread with olive oil and vinegar. It was like a soft baked focaccia, we enjoyed it. For entrees, we went with linguine and clams with a white wine, and butter sauce, and penne with meatballs. Their pasta is house made, good texture, density, and cooked well. Their sauces were good, but left something to be desired, more garlic and oregano or basil maybe. The flavors we were very demure. The clams, and meatballs were good, and cooked well. The service, and food were good. If I lived in the Sierra Nevada Foothills, I'd probably be a regular but I wasn't left with that, "I can't wait to go back and have that dish again." desire. I would absolutely return, if I was in the area, but wouldn't particularly go out of my way. That said, we're in the area often, and want to try their lasagna which they only run as a special - I believe on Sundays. Note, they are closed on Mondays and Tuesdays, and are only open for dinner service from 4:30-9pm Wednesday-Sunday. read more

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This review pains me because I've been a customer of La Fornaretta for years. Last week I brought long-time friends from out of town. I wanted them to experience one of my favorite local restaurants. Instead, we got a front-row seat to what appears to be a decline in both hospitality and quality control. The evening started with a 45-minute wait despite having a reservation. Yes, I arrived 15 minutes early, but the hostess seemed determined to enforce reservation times with all the flexibility of a DMV clerk. The result was an awkward and embarrassing experience while standing there with guests. Management eventually stepped in and made a diving catch to get us seated. Credit where it's due. But management rescuing a customer experience after it has already gone sideways isn't the same thing as preventing the problem in the first place. Then came the carbonara. I've ordered it before and know exactly what it's supposed to be. This one arrived gritty and grainy. Carbonara should be rich, smooth, and silky. It was none of those things. Unfortunately, this wasn't an isolated visit. I've noticed the same issues over multiple visits this year. The food isn't as consistent as it once was, and the atmosphere at the host stand feels more focused on gatekeeping than hospitality. I don't enjoy writing negative reviews. It's certainly not my mission in life to raise the quality bar for every service provider in the foothills. Frankly, the bar is already low enough to trip over. But if local businesses want loyal customers, they need honest feedback when things start slipping. La Fornaretta used to be one of the best dining experiences in Newcastle. I hope they find their way back. read more

Great food and service! We came back for the combo pizza and it did not disappoint! They even have a great wine selection to choose from! And of course had to get the scallops again! read more

La Fornaretta - Scallops are the best!!! - Italian Near Me - Newcastle, California

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La Fornaretta is a cute quaint Italian joint. It has a romantic atmosphere. Staff is very helpful in going over the menu. It's popular so for us we decided to get there before they opened and there were already several parties waiting. They have some great options that stay rotating on the menu. I'd highly suggest this place as a date night Italian joint. read more

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Amazing food, quaint little location perfect for date night. Service was good, offering suggestions. Def would come back!

Our favorite go to restaurant when we have guests visiting. We made reservations for 5:30 on Saturday. The restaurant was already busy. We were seated right away. We started with their yummy bread and wine. We ordered the special short rib, tutti mare, ravioli pesto. Everything was delicious! We finished with a scoop of vanilla and hazelnut chocolate gelato. Service was great. read more

La Fornaretta - Italian Near Me - Newcastle, California

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Honestly I feel this place is overrated. We've given it a try a couple of different times, and the food is ok, it's definitely not anywhere near the best Italian food I've had. The most recent time we came the service was awful, our meals came before we even got our drinks, so no wine with our appetizers. We had to ask for everything, our waitress didn't come by to check on us. They also lose points for charging for credit cards transactions. Yes it is listed on the menu, but I did not see it until we received the bill, and even then 4% is extremely high for processing fees. As a business, it's your job to make your prices reflect the cost. Don't tack on extra fees that raise my bill at the end. read more

My family & friends have visited numerous times and we are always suggesting to family & friends to try this amazing, delicious Italian food! The service is welcoming and attentive. The ambiance is rustic and always loud, but that's what Italian restaurants are. read more

I've been all over Italy and this is the first time I've had food that comes close to the real thing. Very impressed and will be back

Ravioli sugo was very odd tough pasta sauce that tasted out of a can not much filling Gelato was not Gelato it was like crystal ice cream 2 waiters said I'll bring you bread....never came! 6 wait staff for a place that small...? Made no sense Place was full so I guess people just don't care or know.... read more

Amazing food, sooo fresh, excellent customer service, and such a special treat!! The real deal

Had plans to go to another restaurant which was closed. Lucky for us because we found this gem!! Super crowded and about an hour wait. Bar was slow, but obviously busy, and we were able to get wine while we waited. Once we were seated, it was nothing but deliciousness!! Server was nice and helpful. Salads were absolutely delicious...we got Ceasar and Papale. The ingredients were fresh and portions were huge! Then came pasta....the carbonara was the best I ever had! Came out hot and saucy with crisp peas and plenty of prosciutto. Best I have ever had!! My husband got the handmade pesto tortelli. So so good!! We ended with a cannoli which was filled with cheese and chocolate! Best dinner of our trip to Auburn! Would definitely come back! read more

La Fornaretta - Cannoli heaven!! - Italian Near Me - Newcastle, California

I have followed La Fornaretta on IG for a while, lured in by photos of tasty pizza. Finally I got off my you-know-what and ventured in (really it's more that I have to abandon my love of Mexican food and margaritas), and I am so glad that I did. The location is charming and easy off the 80, the staff attentive and friendly, and the pizza is as good as it looks. A+! The only downside was that my friend already knew about it and so I didn't have the bragging rights of showing her a new place - but she loves it too! So there you go! Give it a try! read more

La Fornaretta - Veg pizza. So good! - Italian Near Me - Newcastle, California

My son took me there for my Mother's Day, but it wasn't on Sunday. It was on Saturday so we could beat the rush.. had a wonderful meal there. Service was outstanding. Food was wonderful. Can't wait to come back. read more

Where shall I begin. Such a quaint and romantic ambience and the food is such an amazing experience. This was my second time there and have ordered and sampled a few of the items on their menu-- everything comes out looking like a commercial and once you take a bit, you can't stop. Absolutely delicious read more

What an amazing authentic Italian restaurant. Most if not ALL items are scratch made in house which is rare and very much appreciated. When we got here @4:20pm Before the doors were even opened there was a line out the door!! I don't know about you, but I love seeing that and it's always a plus! When there's a "line" you just KNOW it's gonna be good!! We cannot wait to go back!! read more

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Fun place tucked in the apparent town center of tiny Newcastle. Solid pizza with perhaps too much topping for how thin the crust is. You know the problem: soggy middle but still so delicious. We got sausage and mushrooms. Two of us couldn't finish the 12". Delicious in the air fryer a few days later. Attentive service. Cute vibe. Crazy busy on a Friday night. read more

First visit here! Not the last most definitely! This restaurant has been on my go-to list for a while. We finally came here past Friday night for my birthday dinner! It's in Newcastle on Main street - easy to find. They have indoor seating and a nice patio with heaters too. The restaurant opens at 4:30 pm and we knew we were in the right place because at 4:20 there was already a line of about 20 people waiting to get in. I knew it was going to be good! We had a lovely meal, with great food, kind service.... The vibes inside are cozy cabin vibes. Not too many seats but it felt cozy, not cramped. They have a good wine list and let me taste a couple wines before choosing what I wanted. We ordered wine, two pastas, and a Caesar. Everything was DELICIOUS! The salad was crisp and cold and full of garlic - yum! The pastas were served piping hot!! (I love that) Fettucine Alfredo and Rigatoni Bolognese - two classics. Both portions were very substantial. They were perfection - zero things I would want different. Their bolognese sauce is a bit on the sweeter side - which I loved. They bring warm, soft fresh bread to the table with oil and balsamic. Our waitress was friendly and efficient. The place was completely full by 5pm. Sign of a good place. I can't wait to come back again and try the pizzas! Five stars!! read more

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Decent Italian fare in Newcastle. The standout was their handmade tortelli pesto where the handmade tortelli sugo was very one-note and lacking in depth of flavor. Definitely skip on the meatballs as the mealy texture and excessive salt made one bite more than enough. Pizzas were solid with the crust slightly thick, otherwise the combination of toppings on the palermitana and cinque terre was good. Just glad the food was generally well-received among our friends. read more