The service was very good! The staff want you to have a great experience and it shows. They checked on us many times to make sure we had everything we needed. Refilled our waters many times. The food was delicious. Love their garlic knots! The restaurant was clean and very nice. Quality food! Everything was homemade and worth the trip for us. We are planning to go again to try different menu options because there are so many good choices to choose from. If you are craving some good Italian this place is for you! read more

We have been to this restaurant multiple times in the past couple months since we have discovered it and have never been disappointed. We always get the crispy burrata and I can't recommend it enough! I also tried their spicy margarita today, and it might possibly be one of the best I have had! The quality of food combined with how friendly the staff always is has quickly turned this restaurant into one of my families favorite restaurants. read more

When you walk through the door into the bar the feeling is immediately welcoming. You'll find quality Italian food and the pasta is made with flour imported from Italy. There are always wonderful specials weekly, but the regular menu has anything you could possibly want, IMO. If you haven't been to La Stella you are missing out. The staff is all wonderful, especially Nate. read more

Went to Mohegan Sun for a concert and stopped in downtown Norwich for dinner beforehand. Downtown Norwich could definitely use a little more attention, but this restaurant was an absolute gem! I had the shrimp scampi with capellini, and it was outstanding. My friend ordered the fresh pistachio ravioli, which was packed with flavor and just as delicious. Everything tasted fresh and was prepared perfectly. Our waiter was friendly, attentive, and made the whole experience even better. If you're in the Norwich area or heading to Mohegan Sun, I highly recommend stopping here for a meal. You won't be disappointed! read more

First time we've tried the new location, even though we know the owner and frequent the bakery at Taft Station. We ordered the cheese Arancini. Very tasty with the vodka sauce. I ordered the Tortellini, Italian Sausage, and Kale soup. So good! I couldn't eat it fast enough. A very hearty zuppa. My wife ordered a side salad which she said was filling. We shared a prosciutto and buffalo mozzarella pizza. The crust was thin and light. There was plenty of prosciutto on top. Nice and spicy. I wish it was baked down a little bit more. The restaurant is in a historic building in town so it has a very cool vibe. Our server was very engaging and his service was on point. We will go again and try some different things. I would definitely recommend La Stella if you're in town. read more

Great salads and pasta! I believe the menu used to be a bit larger before moving to the new location... but it's still varied and the food is fantastic! Give it a try! read more

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Dylan was our server today. He made us feel right at home, made sure we were completely satisfied with lunch. We were over the moon as usual with the amazing food. Amazing food, welcoming atmosphere atmosphere, and professional staff. Highly recommend La Stella. read more

I called to place an order and the phone was answered with a "Hello." Almost hung up because thought I had the wrong number! Asked if this was the restaurant and the person answered "Yes." Should have hung up right there. Did place an order and the food was great. read more

I ordered takeout pizzas as I hadn't tried their new location and it had been a while since I had pizza at their old location. As a result i can't speak to the personnel or the new location, though i hear it's looking good. There was a large Mediterranean, a prosciutto and buffalo mozzarella, and a Sicilian supreme. The Mediterranean was alright, a lot of cheese and nice, tangy vegetables. They call their pizzas New York style, but I have never had a saltine-crisp crust when in NYC. Simultaneously pretty pale, so it's a feat of cookery. The prosciutto and buffalo mozzarella also has arugula, EVOO, and shaved parmesan on the menu. What I received was said cracker crust, with a slight sheen of olive oil, arugula, and prosciutto. I removed everything from my pizza in search of either cheese. Nada. What I did have, the arugula worked to balance the aggressive salt from the prosciutto. Not thinking I'll ever get that again. The Sicilian looked to be on the right track, but while it was nicely baked, the dough was still dense and chewy, not airy at all, and the sauce lacked body under a sparse layer of cheese. If we'd stopped at the Mediterranean I think we would have found the pizza passable, but 2/3 of the order actively angered us and that's not going to make me want to try more. read more

La Stella Pizzeria - Cuppa's Sicilian Supreme Pizza - Pizza Near Me - Norwich, Connecticut

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Came here because I saw they had gluten free pasta. I had the bolognese with their gf penne. The sauce was a little thin for bolognese but the flavor was there. It was a nice meal. My friend enjoyed her dish as well. Lovely wine selection of truly Italian wines including an exquisite Valpolicella that had unfortunately been opened the day prior. The waiter wrote down my drink order but had to come back again which delayed my wine from arriving until right before I got my dinner. Took 20 minutes after eating to track our waiter down for the espresso martini and check and then another 15 after that when I got the drink. Thankfully we could pay online because we had a play to catch across the street! I think this is a newer location, it wasn't particularly slammed that night but I feel the service can certainly improve. I will also add that they did fall a bit short on comfort- there was no AC, just a fan on max power at the door. It was just barely enough to keep me from sweating and it was in the low 70s that evening. Beware if you're sensitive to heat! Maybe the AC could have been down that day I don't know, but it is an old beautiful building and it didn't seem like there was central air yet alone an AC anywhere. Will I come back? Absolutely, I hope I can add another star for next time. The food and drink was delicious! read more

Went there for a lunch. Not to busy and spacious. Food was flavorful and portion size were large. Our server Stephanie was friendly and knowledgeable. Would definitely return. read more

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Not sure we like the new version of this place. Space is so open and yet dark. It feels a bit unfriendly. Food menu seems to have changed too. It's not bad but it is fancier. I liked the previous menu much better. On a side note: It would be nice to have a couple of gluten free pasta options, pizza crust etc. read more

I called earlier in the day asking if I could get chicken parm but instead of spaghetti, I wanted penne ala Vodka. I was told yes. Called back at dinner time and the manager told me they were two different entrees and it seemed like I couldn't get that. Which is it guys? It's not hard, penne instead of spaghetti. I would have gladly paid extra for the penne....Not impressed so far and haven't even walked into this restaurant. read more

Somewhere between your neighborhood slice joint and a dinner date or family meal spot is La Stella. It's either a restaurant with a pizza joint in the back, or a pizza joint with a restaurant up front. Either way they have a very good thing going here in Norwich. We went here on a recommendation and we're not let down at all. The menu leans more to the Italian side of Italian/American, and the dishes are not your typical "red sauce" menu fare. Their arancini were delicious and the vodka sauce was very well done. Likewise the bolognese sugo was excellent, with a very good sausage and a good spicy note. The house made pasta was well made and well cooked. These are house made sauces that are made to compliment the individual dishes and show a real commitment to good flavor. That's sadly more rare than it should be. Just for perspective, I'm burned out of "Italian" places where they put the same sauce on everything, and the garlic is used like a vegetable. That's not Italian. La Stella is not that kind of place, I'm happy to say. The portions are generous but they don't back off on the quality. Our server Nate was on the spot, with good recommendations, including the mammoth slice of chocolate cake. We will definitely come back for the pizza, and feel like we found a new spot. read more

My friend and I ordered pizzas for takeout. The restaurant itself is in an interesting building on the corner. There's not a lot of parking we could see besides a little parking lot. The restaurant itself is very casual but gave authentic Italian vibes too. We got a cheese pizza, buffalo chicken pizza, and mozzarella with meatballs on another. I only had the cheese and it was delicious! Big slides and thin, so yummy. Would definitely eat pizza from here again. The guy at the counter was nice. read more

I've been so sad since Paul took manicotti off their menu. I've been to the old location a few times and don't know if it was on the menu then, and I missed it. I was excited to see if it was in the menu and although it was not the same as Paula's, it was better. I was also not prepared for how big the portion is. Got lunch for tomorrow! I'm glad to see the quaint pizzeria in a new expanded location. It's not the same cozy location now, but it still feels friendly, as always. Every server I've had was amazing. I'll be happy to return! read more

La Stella Pizzeria - Manicotti - Pizza Near Me - Norwich, Connecticut

Great little spot. Our server was very friendly and attentive and the food was really delish. Only "complaints", the salad was iceberg lettuce which just doesn't do it for me. Too many white pieces of lettuce that easily brown. Also the pizza was very floppy and the cheese and sauce slid right off when you pick it up. But overall the flavor was solid and the sauce was excellent. My kids had spaghetti and meatballs which was very good. Recommend!! read more

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We stopped in Norwich on a roadtrip up north. The town was quite desolate with many abandoned buildings and abandoned storefronts, but La Stella had great reviews on Yelp, so we went! The employees were very friendly attentive, and they seated us immediately. The restaurant has plenty of tables and booths, and it has a casual atmosphere. The menu has a LOT of great gluten free options for pasta and pizza, which was awesome because we had a gluten free person in our party. We ordered 3 pizzas (including a gluten free pie) and an eggplant parm. We were expecting individual-sized pizzas, but they were HUGE. Big enough to comfortably share. The eggplant parm was also huge. The eggplant was stacked in layers on top of a heaping pile of spaghetti. Massive portions all around. At the end of our meal, we were offered free chocolate chip cannolis that had been freshly made. One of the men working did have a very lengthy political conversation with us at the end of our meal, which was strange and uncomfortable. But overall, he was nice. That's the only reason for 4/5 stars. Lots of street parking available, and the restaurant is on the bottom floor of a beautiful building. read more

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What an amazing restaurant! The prices were very reasonable for the food being terrific! The Justin's Favorite was recommended by Nathan and he did deliver! One of the best pizzas I've had in CT! read more

The food was amazing and the service was perfect. It was our anniversary and everyone made us feel special. We have leftovers and cannot wait until tomorrow to eat them! read more

La Stella Pizzeria - Broccoli Rabe - Pizza Near Me - Norwich, Connecticut

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One of my favorite things about eating out is getting the rudest person I've ever spoken to on the phone. Today I called at 12:25, probably lunch rush, whatever, and some woman answered the phone basically screaming at me and upset????? that I wanted to make a reservation.... I'm sure it gets busy and loud as I've heard nothing but great things about this place but whoever answered the phone made this immediately a nastyyyyy experience. Fix your attitude before our reservation tomorrow night please and thank you. read more

Was passing through Norwich and wanted a slice or 2. Stopped at this place and ordered 2 slices. They never asked me for here or to go and I realized seating was waitress service. Seemed like a decent place. Took slices to car and had them. Solid slices, nothing wrong but nothing out of this world. read more

Wonderful food, great specials and outstanding service. Love, love, love the new digs. read more

La Stella Pizzeria - Two spectacular specials today at La Stella's! - Pizza Near Me - Norwich, Connecticut

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Jessica(mom) provided the best service possible. Th ambiance was warm and welcoming and we were made to feel like family. The food is so great that I travel over 30 miles to eat at this restaurant. read more

La Stella Pizzeria - Pizza Near Me - Norwich, Connecticut

I have an amazing time every time I go! Love Ashley as my server she's always on top of everything!! Will go for any celebration, la Stella's is a staple of Norwich!!! read more

I ordered takeout from La Stella Pizzeria. Since I didn't visit the actual restaurant, I can't comment on the service or ambiance. Given the reviews, I was expecting for the food to be a bit better. They do have quite an extensive menu, so maybe I just got some of their less popular items. I started out with the House Salad, which was decent, but had a lot of iceberg relative to the toppings. For my main meal, I had the Eggplant Parmesan, which I felt was the real letdown. I did enjoy the sauce, but it tasted a bit like frozen Eggplant Parmesan from a grocery store. I'm not sure if it was because the chunks of eggplant were so thick or if it was fried too much, but both the eggplant itself and the breading tasted off for me. I'd have to try the pizza to see if that's any better! read more

La Stella Pizzeria - House Salad Eggplant Parmesan - Pizza Near Me - Norwich, Connecticut

Stella gets my stamp of approval! Great food, great service, nice atmosphere, parking available, good prices. I would definitely return! read more

Great food great atmosphere. This place is very good. Not brick and basil but it's very good read more

Amazing!!! What a great experience. A friend raved about their incredible manicotti so we drove 1/2 hour to try it. Worth it!!! First, the fresh bread with garlic and herb spread was heavenly. Maybe the best bread I've ever had and I'm 58 so that's saying something!. It's THAT good. The manicotti literally melts in your mouth. I'm told it's made with a crepe rather than pasta. Absolutely perfect. Loved the sauce, great portion size. Would order this again next time for sure. We also had the Tuscan ravioli with chicken which was recommended by Nate/Nathan our server. He was wonderfully attentive, very knowledgeable about the food, the building history etc. this was his favorite entree and we can see why. Its rich earthy flavor is very filling and "comfort food". We had to take half home for lunch tomorrow. We were way too full for dessert. Nate the waiter Brought a complimentary lemon cannoli sample (not the full dessert size) It was exceptional. The cannoli shell was crisp and fresh and not soggy like so many are elsewhere. The lemon filling was light and not overly sweet, just right. We will absolutely be coming back to this restaurant. Everything from the clean inviting atmosphere to the excellent service to the superb meal made this an extraordinary dining experience. If you're anywhere near Norwich CT you should make it a point to go here. read more

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I used La Stella for their catering service for my son and daughter in laws wedding. From start to finish they were fantastic! Planning the menu, talking with Justin and his staff was wonderful and reassuring. The food was absolutely fantastic! Hot, fresh and delicious! We had manicotti, pistachio ravioli (which was sublime) Chicken Picatta with pasta, meatballs and sauce, 2 different kinds of salads, Sicilian pizzas, Garlic knots and Italian bread, Assorted Cannoli. Everybody loved everything and I told ALL who asked exactly who did this catering event. Nina and her daughter were so lovely, friendly and professional! They worked very hard to make sure everything was perfect! I'll be forever grateful and so pleased with this business! Everybody left satisfied and full! The way they made everything look so effortless, clean, beautiful was the best! If you're considering having an event catered please give them a try. The pricing is very reasonable, affordable and they handle everything! Thank you so much La Stella for doing such a great job, taking care of us exactly as you said you would!!!!! read more

Justin and his staff make you feel like family. Their dinners and pizza are always the best

Stopped by La Stella in the middle of a roadtrip from NY to Portland ME and we were pleasantly surprised! Portions are enormous and seating is plentiful. One of my friends is gluten free and they had tons of options for her, too. At the end of the meal, the owner brought us free cannolis, which was a nice touch! Looks like this is one of the nicer food options in Norwich. read more

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Nat deserves a raise. He was helpful. Pleasant. Food was great. The wine was good. Good desserts

We went on my wife BD and had one of the best meals in a long time, and the waiter went out of his way to make our dinner enjoyable

Really Italian and so good Killer pizza plus good prices and great Italian wines We have been her many times even though it 30 mins away Well worth the ride read more

Ordered take out pizza. Really wanted to try their penne alla vodka pasta with burrata cheese after snooping yelp for photos but we already pre decided on pizza so we found the next best thing... Justin's Favorite Vodka pizza with Burrata cheese and basil. The pizza was loaded with the mild burrata and the vodka sauce has good flavor. Only two complains was there wasn't enough basil leaves and the pizza was cold by the time we picked it up. We were there right within the 30-35 minute time frame they gave us. Looking forward to trying that penne alla vodka pasta dish next! read more

La Stella Pizzeria - Justin's Favorite - Pizza Near Me - Norwich, Connecticut

One of my favorite pizza places in CT. I'm originally from NY so I'm not a fan of the Pepe burnt pizza. I like my NY and Greek style pizza. La Stella's offers a keto crust that's very good, you wouldn't even know it was keto. Everything else on the menu is good too! And the Staff is nice and friendly. read more

A wonderful local pizza spot that has a great family atmosphere! The staff is very kind, attentive and best of all the hospitality is cozy and inviting. The Pizza is good and a killer Chicken Parm Grinder that you can get to come back Daily! read more

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Went to La Stella tonight with family for a birthday celebration. What a gem in downtown. Renovated atmosphere was lovely, food was delicious, and our server was engaging ... thanks Nate! read more

We want to compliment our server who was the owners mother. She was so attentive to our table. We felt cared for. The food was great and we would come again all the way from Haddam Ct. Rhonda, Bill, Fred and Richard read more