Ordered stuffed dates as an app. They were cold and the wrapped prosciutto was hard and leathery. Braised short rib raviolis were undercooked and fairly tasteless. Table bread was microwaved and had that hard texture. Service was good as our waiter was incredibly attentive. Won't be going back as there are many dining options in the area. read more

First time and last time at this establishment. Saturday, October 30th 6pm Ordered bottle of wine. Reasonably priced for a restaurant. Happy with this. Started off with appetizer of braised short rib egg roll. It was decent. That was the highlight of the evening. Food was less than average at best. The person who brought us our food looked like he was on a long journey. "Thank God you ordered this, these tables don't have numbers" It took forever and it was barely warm. I had chicken with crab. It was chicken with asparagus on top and a breaded crab cake on the side. Didn't taste any crab at all. It was in this brown gravy sauce which is usually what chicken Marsala is in. Wife had Veal Saltimbocca. Again barely warm because it sat. Her sauce was the same as mine. It seems they put everything in this brown gravy sauce. This is not the norm for Veal Saltimbocca. Hers was better than mine and barely average at best. Waiter as nice of a guy he was, he didn't ask how the meal was or anything. Seamed too busy with his other tables. After meal was completed, it took 25 minutes for him to come over with the check. Barely any personable words, Just dropped it and took it etc. I did not tip which I NEVER do. Probably first time in 10 years I have done that. Just not a good experience. I usually like praising places not bashing. Spent $110 for a horrible experience. read more

La Sponda - Italian Near Me - Downingtown, Pennsylvania

Always great food and good service. Highly recommend dining here for lunch or dinner. Great menu and always good special options daily

Summary: Gimmicks that deliver. I feel like every time I go to my hometown something has changed. Where La Sponda is located has been the location of at least 3 other restaurants in the span of 15 years. With that said, I really hope La Sponda makes it because they know what they're doing with their food. Short Rib Eggrolls. I could stop here and would have left you with enough reason to go to La Sponda (subliminal message). These eggrolls are packed with flavorful short rib and I highly recommend them. The meatballs appetizer is also very good. It comes with garlic crustini. The meatballs are moist and flavorful (hehehe). My mains was the Eggplant Rollatini and it was very good. I was looking for something vegetarian after the meat forward appetizers and this hit the mark. I could have gone for some chili flakes on the table to spice it up, but as it was without added spices the dish was delicious. My wife's mains was the Mason Jar Carbonara. It seemed a bit gimmicky to me when I read it and I thought that you ate it out of the mason jar, but it was pretty tasty. It comes in a mason jar - as expected -, the server shakes it up so that the sauce is dispersed evenly throughout the dish and is then poured onto your plate. Pretty smart and effective. One thing to note. It may have been because we were there at prime dinner time of 6pm, but the service was at times a little inattentive. It likely was extenuating circumstances or short handedness. However, there was a point where we did not see a server for about 10 minutes when we were trying to pay the check. In conclusion, La Sponda is definitely a great place to check out. Their non-traditional take on Italian cuisine is a welcomed change, and I intend to go back soon. read more

Went to grab something to eat was turned away at the door since no reservation. Could go online and make one right away, so not sure what the point was. Being frustrated over that, ate somewhere else thinking will try another day. A month later went back, food was good. Mussles amazing. Though the pricing is a bit high comparatively. read more

I had to write this review as I have read nothing but good things about La Sponda and wanted to save others from the disappointment. After reading all of the rave reviews, I was SO excited to go to La Sponda and opted for it over my beloved Anthony's Cucina Fresca, whose food IS amazing. I feel thoroughly let down by other reviewers. A beautiful space, but the food was less than average. You know you are off to a bad start when you reach for the complimentary bread and sun dried tomato topping, which by the way was the best part of the meal, instead of your appetizers. If you go here, I encourage you to fill up on the bread. Grilled Octopus was luke warm and the "suction cups" were coming off in my mouth.....reminding me of pencil erasers. Ive never noticed the presence of the suction cups before, let alone had them pull away from the tentacles. Fried Calamari was more breading than calamari. I guess it was "ok" but that is as far as I am willing to go. Stuffed Dates arrived but one fell off the plate which they quickly scooped off of the table.....but didn't replace....first thing they did right all night- way below average. I never noticed the skin on figs before....and didn't really need to now. The flavor was also blah. Bronzino- Other than the 8 bones left behind was just ok. Cooked well but the sauce was boring. I would say this is a "safe" dish, but would be extra careful about the bones, and who wants to have to be more aware of bones than flavor? Mushroom pappardelle was thick and chewy. Do not confuse this with al dente, which is best...it was doughy and chewy. So much so that the flavor of the mushrooms didn't make its way through. The mushrooms on their own had good flavor but paired with the pasta were lost. Broccoli rabe was chopped, which left a less than desirable texture for me . It was seasoned well but give me my broccoli rabe, I have a knife if I choose to use it I will. The bolognese.....would have been better if made by Ragu. So disappointed as this is a favorite at good Italian restaurants. My husband had the short rib ravioli which he described as hockey pucks. The evening was finished off by a complimentary shot of limoncello, which was also not good. My last comment is based on the fact that wine bar is in the name of tgis restaurant: Someone might want to Inform them that luke warm is not the best temperature for keeping or serving wine. Italian in Downingtown? Anthony's still wins!! read more

This restaurant is tucked away so you will not notice it immediately. But once you do, you will adore it. Located beside a picturesque bridge overlooking water, this restaurant is a must try. Nice ambience, great service and yummy food. The dish that stood out for us was the Wild mushroom Papardelle!!! The flavor of mushrooms and truffle is drooling. Also the pricing is great! Reasonably priced for great taste and quality of food. read more

Has my son's college graduation dinner there with fourteen people. Everyone loved the food and we were out in 2 hours which included ordering drinks, appetizers, entrees and desserts read more

Lovely place for dinner. The aroma as you enter will make you want to order everything on the menu. Great service. Was seated right away. Presentation was outstanding. My food was good but a little bland, could have been what I ordered. They also put pancetta in everything. I didn't like that. However, I will try again with instruction lol. read more

La Sponda - Italian Near Me - Downingtown, Pennsylvania

Atmosphere, service, and food were all excellent. We started with a Manhattan, and Old Fashion drinks with the delicious mussels. Our entrees: veal parmigiana, and seafood risotto. Everything was very tasty with beautiful presentations. Definitely will be back! read more

La Sponda - Seafood Risotto - Italian Near Me - Downingtown, Pennsylvania

Beautiful looking restaurant. They maintained the business opened in spite of the harsh effect of the pandemic on Downingtown restaurants. I wouldn't recommend the tiramisu. read more

We tried this place out on Sunday with our kids and sat outside. Extremely friendly and helpful staff across the board. I ordered the seafood cioppino and I have to say it was the best I have ever had, the sauce was so tasteful, plenty of seafood in it. It reminded me of when I had it in Capri, Italy. I also had the grilled octopuses an appetizer, very tasteful with the grilled lemon they give you and the aioli sauce it is drizzled with. My wife had the veal and raved about it. I hope this place stays and wish them continued success. I know we will be back very soon! read more

La Sponda - Seafood cioppino - Italian Near Me - Downingtown, Pennsylvania

Food is fresh and delicious! Ambiance is perfection as is our servers. Repeat customers for sure!

Sat Night, no reservations, 6pm, 4 seated quickly. Good crowd inside and parking was packed. Menu was packed with good things for a diverse group. Ordered a bottle of Ripossa reasonably priced for a night out and it was delicious. Ordered the Gargonzola stuffed Dates. 4 Huge states came out, one for each of us and they were really good but not remarkable. Nothing really wrong with our server, he was very busy though and a bit inattentive and seemed rushed which caused some unease at the table and was noticeable. Meals came out without much delay. I had a Veal Saltimbocca, good portion, tender, great sauce and cheese on a potato cake. Wifey had the squash ravioli and loved it though they were a bit more el dente than what she would prefer. Daughter had a good dish (memory oh memory where art thou?). Her fiancé had some ribs that he said were really f=great. Ended with a cappacino and a cannoli which was perfect. Others had a dried lemon cake that wasn't anything special but was good. Will be back to try other dishes. read more

First time here, will definitely go back. Food and service was really good! I had the seafood risotto my husband had the brisket ravioli we also had the calamari along with creme burlee & cheese cake . My only negative is they brought my cappuccino after we were done dessert.‍. Definitely go! read more

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Ate here a few weeks ago. Food was terrific, but service was not great. The waiter forgot to drop our orders to the kitchen. After waiting about 90 min for our meal, we asked the waiter where our food was...he admitted there was a mistake in placing the order. Probably could have solved the issue sooner had the waiter made rounds to check on our table. Sitting on the patio was quite relaxing. read more

The staff were professional and attentive, and the food and drinks were very good. Plus we got a free lemon drop at the end of our visit! Will definitely be coming back. read more

Great Birthday dinner! We had great service and fabulous food. The ambience was nice. Beautiful building! Had seafood risotto and short rib raviolis. It is our new favorite restaurant. read more

We had a great time! The staff was responsive and happy. They were very welcoming to kids which is always appreciated. The restaurant atmosphere is cozy and clean. We sat outside with a great view of the water. The food was delicious. My 10 year old daughter polished off her salmon before she touched her fries, and that is not normal. I had crab and chicken which was perfectly cooked. My husband had the short ribs and loved them as well. Finished it all with a cappuccino and cannoli. Great place for families but we saw plenty of date nights happening too. read more

La Sponda - Get the meatballs!! - Italian Near Me - Downingtown, Pennsylvania

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My wife and I had dinner at La Sponda last night. The food was excellent - most impressive was that I asked why they did not have Shrimp Scampi on the menus and Ali, our wonderful server, said she was sure they would make it for me - and they did - and it was excellent! The only disappointment was the size of the "pour" of a drink I had "on the rocks." We will definitely be back time and again, but I will either have a soda or glass of wine unless they improve the size of their drink. read more

Food is always tasty. Menu is varied with items to please anyone. Super service. Friendly and on top of things. Love the old mill ambience. Indoor and outdoor seating are both pleasant. read more

The service was extraordinary. We went for lunch, 55 people, everyone was taken care of. I'm glad we chose this space for our family and friends. The staff was soo accommodating and general manager was finding solutions to all of my guests concerns. read more

Second time here, food is amazing and staff is attentive. Great time as always! Would recommend.

What an amazing experience all around! We were celebrating my parents 45th wedding Anniversary. The restaurant is beautiful, the service was absolutely top-notch, the food and the wine were delicious! Everything was cooked to perfection, and our waiter Johnny made the experience even better. He was very attentive, thoughtful and knowledgeable! Thank you La Sponda for such a lovely evening, we can't wait to return! read more

A little overpriced and food is not as good as other Downingtown Italian options. Did we really need another Italian restaurant?

The service was top notch! The servings were generous and the food was delicious! The dip served with the break was a nice surprise. We had Caesar salads to start. My husband's steak was perfectly seasoned and cooked (rare). I ordered the short ribs. The dish was so tasty! Tiramisu and coffee to finish. Perfect! We'll definitely be back! read more

Went in with no expectations. Previous restaurants in this location were mediocre to average. THIS IS NOT THOSE RESTAURANTS!! Service was efficient - from front of house to servers to expediters to bussers. The food was amazing. Our group split caprese salad and calamari appetizers. The caprese was served with roasted red peppers and a balsamic dressing that was light and simple. The calamari was perfectly cooked and seasoned. Dinners were linguine with white clam sauce, pan roasted salmon & eggplant rollatini. Everything was served perfectly - great flavors and seasoning. The ambiance is relatively unchanged from previous iterations - converted manufacturing mill with exposed beams and walls. Lighting was flattering and enjoyable. We would absolutely come back. read more

we were looking for a place to meet friends halfway and found La Sponda, and glad we did. Prices are reasonable, the wait staff was very friendly, the ambiance was nice (in an old papermill) and the food was incredible! read more

This place was amazing. Great ambiance and the food was so good. We both ordered the mussels and beef carpaccio. The mussels were the best I've ever had and the carpaccio was also really good. We will definitely be back. read more

Spectacular dining experience! The service was amazing and the food was superb! My mother and I enjoyed speaking with Johnny immensely. The bruschetta and the limoncello is a must, but everything was good! read more

Fantastic and authentic Italian food. Our party of 6 agreed that everything was really good.

The ambience and the service were great, but the food was not. We could not eat our entrees because they were so incredibly salty. And the clams were sandy. Really bad. read more

Came here with my family for Christmas celebrations. Service was great, love the ambience and got a complimentary limoncello sipper at the end of our meal. Had the octopus has an appetizer, the short rib ravioli and the carbonara. Out of this world! read more

Great menu includes many core dishes plus a nice selection of seasonal specials. .... Food is excellent with great presentation. Staff is always cheerful & provides attentive service. read more

Food is excellent and the server was very attentive. It is our favorite place to go for dinner. We like the dining room it has a very rustic look. read more

Excellent food and service!!! It was a wonderful night and experience. I would highly recommend!

Holy smokes, this place is phenomenal! This was a great place to dine and the food was great. The white fish over risotto was probably the best fish dish I've ever eaten. The octopus appetizer was great, cooked well and seasoned perfectly. read more

This place was amazing. We got so lucky to find it on accident while visiting for a soccer tournament. Homemade pasta - wow. I may eat here every night while we are here! read more

Food is delicious, excellent service, great atmosphere! They have a really nice happy hour as well! read more

Our party of 4 had a wonderful dinner last night. The cocktails were spot on - tasty and full to the brim. Caesar salad caprese salads were tasty. The linguine with clams, salmon on farro, eggplant with pasta and pasta special with shrimp and crab were cooked to perfection. We finished the meal with yummy tiramisu and lovely lemon cake. We 4 were happy, satisfied and already planning what we will order next time read more