Visiting from out of town for work and heard this spot was good. I would not recommend this spot at…read moreall. The pros: portion sizes are huge, chicken tasted good The cons: waiter did not stop by the table once, my water was empty within the first 10 min of sitting there and i had to take my cup physically up to the counter to get water from them because i was so thirsty. I didnt see him once after that, he just stood up at the counter talking to the other server. The pasta was oily, they put so much cheese on everything that the oils from the cheese come out and my pasta literally had a layer of oil all around the plate. The mozzerella garlic bread barely had any garlic bread taste, tasted mostly like mozzerella. The mozzerella was also so oily that the garlic bread was just soggy 5 min after the waiter put the plate down. The price is steep, by myself i got an app and an entree only and it came out to 48$ before tip. Overall, for a spot with the reviews it has it completely let me down along with the locals who recommended it to me.

It should be noted that I've never actually set foot inside Bella Ciao Pasta Bar and Ristorante. I…read moreonly experienced it today through the lens of a takeout container. For lunch, I ordered the Chicken Marsala. You get to choose a side; options ranging from Alfredo Fettuccine to Green Beans to Mashed Potatoes to Spaghetti Marinara. I went for the Spaghetti. The meal also came with two breadsticks. Overall, the dish was decent but not remarkable. The highlight was the mushrooms in the Marsala wine sauce. They were flavorful and well prepared. The chicken itself was just okay. Without the sauce, it lacked seasoning, and the texture varied throughout the breast, with some parts tender and others noticeably tough or chewy. The spaghetti was good, though comparable to standard spaghetti you might find anywhere. The breadsticks, however, were disappointing; they were extremely hard and not enjoyable to eat. I also wish the Chicken Marsala and the spaghetti were packaged separately. Because of the amount of sauce, everything blended together in the container. I don't mind my food touching, but separating the items would make for a better presentation and texture. I do think other menu items may have more to offer. One mediocre experience isn't enough for me to write off the restaurant entirely, so I would consider trying something else in the future. However, I wouldn't recommend this particular dish based on today's order. Overall rating: 3/5.

Great experience! We sat out on the patio for an early Saturday evening dinner, and the entire…read moreexperience was fantastic. Our server was very nice to us and our kiddo, and gave good suggestions. We had the cold cuts app, kale salad, a pizza, tiramisu, and a few cocktails to share. All the food we had was great, well balanced flavors with interesting twists, like the fried chicken on pizza and the meaty kale salad. The limoncello spritz was so refreshing and good, but the espresso martini was just alright - I might pass on that next time. The tiramisu was to die for - my favorite in the cities so far! Will definitely be back for that, and to try some pastas, which looked and smelled amazing as they passed our table. The only thing that was a little weird was that we asked for whipped cream on the side for our kiddo, and they brought and charged us for "butter" which seemed to be some sort of mascarpone or heavy cream/ butter dish topped with salt and olive oil. It was good and the baby liked it, just wasn't what we expected - something to be aware of! The vibe was date-y and upscale, we felt alright having our baby with us, but definitely felt a bit out of place the few times she was loud. Perhaps on a weekday, it might be easier to bring kids, but even on a Saturday evening we still felt pretty welcome.

Lovely little place with delicious food and drinks at good prices!…read moreCame here on a Saturday evening with a group of three. We called around 5:30 to see if they'd seat us at 7:15 and they were able to reserve a table for us. I got the daily special which was like a chicken Parmesan but with steak. It wasn't my favorite thing because I was not expecting the steak to be thinly cut and more on the dry side. That could be my bad - I heard steak and was imagining something totally different. But it wasn't still pretty good! The noodle texture was to die for. It was $30. Drinks were delicious too and ranged from $12-$15. The only thing that I didn't love, is that they charge for every little thing. we got the focaccia and asked for olive oil and balsamic. Why was that an extra $2... $1 for olive oil and $1 for balsamic. If we hadn't ordered it, it would have been an $8 large sized muffin of focaccia - which turned into $10. Definitely not worth it. I asked for some extra Parmesan and they charged $2 for pecorino... honestly it just threw off the experience a little. And it came in the tiniest little cup. I understand maybe 50 cents but $2? Especially when we're having five drinks and three entrees between three people, realizing we were paying extra for those items on the check just was not enjoyable. I'd recommend this place to others as a great place for pasta and drinks, but pasta and drinks only. Maybe avoid asking for any thing on the side and I'd skip apps.

I really do love Casetas, even though politically sometimes the owner can be problematic on Saint…read morePaul issues. One of my favorite things about them is the gelato. It's the best I've ever had outside of Italy. You can have your ice cream, I will take Cassandra's gelato any day of the week. We stopped by a few minutes before they were closing down, but they allowed us to go eat it up on the rooftop. We had to watch the sunset over the Saint Paul Cathedral well enjoying the most amazing gelato. A wonderful way to spend an evening.

This Twin Cities staple did not disappoint! Cossetta's is a huge, multi-story Italian food eatery…read morewith pretty much every Italian dish you can think of. We tried some meatballs and arancini at Frank's Tavern, both of which were tasty and comforting. Our server, Jay, was very kind and helpful. Their pastry shop is SO cute and the pastries are heavenly. We would go again just for dessert!!

The best authentic Alfredo you'll ever have in your entire life. My favorite type of noodles are…read morethe Mafaldine noodles and they have this here for most of their pasta dishes. It is a slender version of the lasagna noodle, and I absolutely love this type of noodle. Their pasta is made al dente and it's absolutely just perfect. I am super picky when I order chicken at Restaurants because I feel like most places it taste almost like it came from frozen and you will not get that feeling or taste at this place. All of their entrées comes with side bread. I did get a Caesar salad and it was very good. The Caesar salad dressing is super delicious.. Their parking lot is very small, especially for dinner time. It is packed and you could find yourself waiting 15 minutes before someone leaves. There are street parking, but those spots are usually all taken. The neighborhood is only for residential permit parking. You may find yourself walking 2 to 3 blocks to get to this restaurant if they're parking lot is full.

We ventured here for a cousins birthday for lunch. Our server was very attentive and could handle…read moreour "wild" group of 5 ladies. 3 of us split the chicken parm and pesto pasta as our main. We started with the calamari, wings and the house bread. Calamari - maybe a tad over cooked but it was nice and crispy and that aioli was so yummy. The wings- nicely cooked and the teriyaki had a little kick. Chicken parm - large serving and nice flavor. Pesto pasta- creamy and like the fettuccini meets pesto. It was satisfying and would be excellent with chicken. The noodle texture was fun and filling. We also tried bites of cheese bread and the marinara was nice. Overall a tasty lunch!

Great little local spot in Saint Paul…read more There's a lot to like about Estelle so I'll try to keep it to what stands out: 1. The menu is wonderful, and the food comforting. The peri peri chicken was surprisingly spicy. I like spicy foods and it was teetering on a bit too hot for me, but I enjoyed the flavors and the dishes as a whole that we sampled. 2. The cocktails are divine. I had two old fashioneds and they were amongst some of the best I've had. 3. The service is impeccable. Friendly, well paced, and professional. 4. The ambiance is really comfortable. I liked that we weren't rushed, and had a really well paced meal in a nice environment. Overall I'd love to return someday. If you go be sure to make a reservation!

Incredible experience at Estelle. We sat at the chef's counter, which was such a fun way to…read moreexperience the meal. Watching the kitchen in action added so much to the night. The service was impeccable from start to finish. Everything felt really intentional and well timed. The food was outstanding. The rigatoni was a standout with an incredible sausage that was honestly to die for. We also had the soles de pollo, a chicken ravioli with fresh vegetables in the sauce, and the flavors were amazing. For tapas, we ordered the patatas bravas and rissoles, both were delicious. Such a thoughtful touch when they brought out churro bites at the end as a thank you. Amazing food, top tier service, and a really fun but romantic atmosphere. Definitely a spot worth going out of your way for

Have had Olio on the list of places to try for a while and a friend suggested making reservations…read more We went on a lovely Sunday evening for an early dinner. The space is small, but so adorable. There is also a nice patio. The cocktail and wine list were very intriguing, so decided to go for a cocktail. I tried the Sanka Ya Dead (mostly because of the name) and it was such a refreshing summer beverage. The food was spectacular. There was a corn appetizer special that I could not pass up. We also were among garlic bread fanatics, so had to get that as well. Both appetizers were delicious. I chose the rigatoni for my main with chicken parm. This was such yummy comfort in a bowl. The chicken parmesan was a giant piece, so you may have some leftover. I wasn't hungry enough to tack on dessert, but others got the olive oil cake and it looked good. I do recommend making a reservation, although bar seating appears to be first come, first serve. Definitely recommend a dinner at Olio.

We've been dying the try this place for months and it did not disappoint! I really like that it's a…read morerelatively small menu as it seems they are able to really perfect each dish and make frequent modifications due to the season. They also have a couple specials that change every week so you can always try something new. Today we lucked out with delicious crab cakes! We also ordered the focaccia, ziti, risotto, chicken parm rigatoni and olive oil ice cream. Needless to say, we were very full when we left and had plenty of leftovers! It's a small space so definitely try to make a reservation to ensure a seat. I get the impression it's busy most nights!

Food was amazing. Honestly best Italian food I've had in Minnesota and that says a lot! Service…read morecould be better, we waited 30 mn for the waitress to take our order and another 30 mn to wait for waitresss to take our bill. We came in without a reservation and sat at the bar though. Grateful they had space for us.

I didn't know that spaghetti could be made to taste bad until I went here. Also, the bread was…read morecompletely burnt on one side. Asked for new bread and they came back with the same bread with the burnt sections cut off.

This is a great neighborhood spot for GOOD Pasta! All of their pasta is homemade in house & I go…read morefor the Carbonara every timeeee. This is nice spot with tablecloths and fresh flowers on every table, and the service is always great!!

We had a reservation for a large table to celebrate a milestone birthday here a few weeks ago. What…read morea darling hidden local gem! The service is impeccable. The dining room is small and intimate, with a wood-burning fireplace quietly crackling. It feels a little old-school and special with the classic white linen tablecloths, traditional silver and china, and the best part is no loud music blaring! Come here for an intimate date night or a cozy dinner to connect with a friend. I think you could not go wrong with any of their homemade pasta dishes. Our table especially loved the ravioli with tender braised pork lamb. The house made bread and butter and the beautiful lemon soup I started with was perfect - trust me on the soup! I wish I had taken a picture. The seafood was delicious as well. I enjoyed the olive oil cake but it would have been nothing without the fruit sauce. The angel food cake was better, and the coffee was top notch.

This is a good local Italian restaurant. We came here with friends and everyone had a good time…read more Our server did a great job of being interactive and helpful in picking food options and wine. We had the scallop crudo and prosciutto by the ounce and both were good. I preferred the crudo. The prosciutto was still good but I have had better. My main course was Trottole and I added chicken and I thought the dish was excellent! I had wine with my meal and it was recommended by the server and had their old fashioned for dessert and thought both were great. There is both inside and outside seating here which is a nice touch and it's attached to dream creamery if you want ice cream after dinner.

A friend recommended IE and I decided to try out their pasta fest. I've spent a few months in Italy…read moreand am a bit of a pasta aficionado. I make my own sauce and pasta often. This was AMAZING. Ceviche, grilled zucchini, nitrogen sorbet?! And then 2 red sauce options and 3 cream too. Unfortunately the lack of food allergy options was the only down side. Sydney was a huge help ( and was extremely attentive to everyone) tho and made the whole event smooth to navigate my food allergy making sure I had fresh pasta ( I noticed a few other lactose intolerant folks struggling that she helped too). In the future I hope they can put the topping cheese on the side for those allergic to lactose but otherwise great event with ample food and seating. I look forward to trying out the restaurant!

I placed an order for delivery and DoorDash is the service this restaurant uses. After more than an…read morehour, I called the restaurant wondering the status of my order. The manager, Natalie, found that my order has been picked up by DoorDash, but never arrived. She had the order re-made and am employee offered to bring it to my door personally even though they don't offer delivery. It arrived quickly, hot and fresh, and was wonderful.

Had an earlier dinner, service was good and started filling up as it got closer to 6pm. Our server…read morewas friendly, checked on us but gave us space to enjoy our meal and conversation. The raspberry lemondrop doesn't pack a punch alcohol wise but I enjoyed it. Portions are large and definitely easily sharable. There was good lighting at each table to be able to see your dinner companions but dimmer throughout to give a sense of privacy, not sure if that's what they were going for but it was nice. Ample parking since it's in a strip mall. My only critique is that the containers for leftovers are the compostable clamshell containers; great for the environment but for butter and fat heavy foods. The containers absorbed the oils and leaked onto each other and the bag relatively quickly so keep that in mind if you're taking your pasta home without a bag or your car seats may be stained.