Food: The food here is absolutely amazing! The bread was clearly fresh baked. I got a special…read moreappetizer of truffle risotto that came with freshly grated truffle on top. The flavor was exceptional and I savored every bite. For my main I got their gnocchi dish. These were by far the lightest most fluffy gnocchi I have ever experienced. For desert I got a lemon cake that had a drizzle in the sponge to make sure it stayed moist and delicious. I would happily eat anything that comes out of this kitchen. Service: All of their wait staff was exceptional. They were courteous and went the extra mile to make dinner a fine dining experience. The only weak point was their hostess. I had a reservation but still had to wait ~15 minutes for a table after waiting ~5 minutes for the hostess to show up in the first place. Once the hostess was working again she regularly brushed past customers waiting in their overfilled waiting area and glared at people in her way. I understand her frustration but that is not an excuse to glare at customers. Ambiance: The waiting area was cramped but once we were seated the tables were spaced out enough that it didn't feel congested. There were lots of little nooks and crannies so each table had their own little area.

Delicious pasta! I got the squid ink spaghetti and it was phenomenal and completely loaded with…read moreclams, mussels, scallops, shrimp and calamari. Also their homemade focaccia was super tender and just melted in the mouth with their olive oil and crushed olives. Service was attentive and fast and of course we had to get two desserts since we couldn't decide and they were both great. The tiramisu was super light and fluffy and the chocolate truffle cheesecake was so flavorful. I'm glad we got both!

Great Food & the Donuts alone are worth the drive! Very attentive staff and the soft music in the…read morebackground was an added bonus. The minor distraction was the fire pit near the front entrance. Based on the wind direction, the smoke entered the interior space when anyone opened the front door. We would definitely go again.

Primo, "first". Interesting name to give your own restaurant. And the website doubles down by…read morequoting the chef - "the ultimate Farm to Table experience." (Another superlative?) Further reading boasts that they've received multiple awards and accolades, though the last one seems to be from 6 years ago. (As they say, time changes everything.) After walking around the beautiful grounds and event spaces, the young hostess who greeted us told us confidently that we would not be disappointed. Such hype and a charming setting could be a set up for disappointment, and it was. The friendly and attentive waiter tried to recite the specials but had to check his notes and wasn't certain about some ingredients or pricing. We chose the toast special "with house-made bread, cheese and seasonal berries". Immediately after ordering it, he asked if we wanted the bread service as well. We just ordered the toast . . . It was thin bread spread with bland cheese, a few macerated strawberries, a drizzle of balsamic and some greens on top (because you always put balsamic glaze and a few greens on top at an Italian-inspired restaurant?) Cliché, bland and no way those were local strawberries this early in the season. I like a simple starter but that depends on having flavor. (We had better avocado toast for breakfast at Joe's Flat Iron Cafe in Skowhegan a few days before.) Next we shared the Farmer's Salad, appetizingly and nostalgically served in a hand-turned wooden bowl. The crisp, fresh greens were radicchio, frissé, and romaine with house croutons, shaved Parmesan, pork belly pieces and a tasty dressing. Good effort overall but 1) what local farm produced those greens in early May ("ultimate farm to table"?), 2) I'm over trendy, greasy and sinewy pork belly replacing good, crispy bacon and 3) It was a simple salad I could have made at home. Where was the wow? We again went with the seasonal special for the main - house-made ravioli stuffed with house-made ricotta, lobster pieces and vegetables in an herb infused oil. Sounded great, looked good but another bland disappointment. The vegetable on top (garnish?) was roasted pea shoots that were dry and stringy. Sautéed cabbage was mixed with the raviolis. A flavorless filler. But kudos for including locally foraged fiddle heads to add seasonal color and interest. The pasta was well made but the cheese filling was just bland. As was the colored but flavorless herb oil. (And now I understand why Italian cooks say cheese doesn't go with seafood.) We asked for salt, got a strange look but they brought it. I have to give them credit for carefully crafting an uplifting and appealing setting. The gardens, event buildings, main house and dining spaces have an intoxicating atmosphere. And they clearly have their fans. (A woman at the next table who was eavesdropping on our conversation about the pros and cons of the food pointedly said to us as she left so that others could hear "I hope they got your meal right".) Bless her heart. Fine to support the home team (Maine plates on her car) but it's good theater more than great food. Overhyped and too expensive for what it is.

We stumbled into Bistro Millard on a whim and really enjoyed our meal. They have a really cute…read morerestaurant. We started with the mussels and two of the house salads and they were both delicious. Our waitress was very helpful in helping us narrow down what we wanted to eat. The sauce with the mussels was so good. We all go the same pasta dish- house made white wine and mushroom sauce which was incredible. The star of the show was their chocolate mousse which was some of the best we have had in a long time!

First time in with my husband and our experience was great! Pricey but remember you're getting a…read morepersonal chef & one server experience. We had the place to ourselves for the first hour or so very quaint and we had the pick of a table. The server was superb with her knowledge and suggestions on what to try. We had a bottle of wine "Nebbiolo" which was so good and our meals (pork w/mushrooms) & Bolognese with all fresh ingredients. The only thing we did notice was the amount of food served on very large plates. Could have had a bit more of everything just saying. Also complimented the Chef throughout to the server and she said he loves to hear people's compliments but when leaving and he just barely acknowledged our compliments. Maybe he was tired but how often do you get a chance to compliment someone especially "The Chef" on their expert cooking. Anyway would we come back in the future but it does have a limited menu so best to check before making any plans.

This seems to be a reliable local place, but if you're looking for something special, I didn't feel…read morethis was it. I admit I'm somewhat of a foodie , but ....... The first and main thing I reacted to is the staff. very blase , not unfriendly , but not much effort to welcome and engage guests. The bread that is served as complimentary appetizer , with olive oil on the table, was just plain white bread. Not crusty, not a baguette, nothing special. I ordered a pasta dish that was described as being in a creamy white wine lemon sauce, but it was thick and like Alfredo, and no taste of lemon Not Terrible, but not a treat either. And staff is lacking. I ate the night before at "In Good Company " , and the food and service were far superior.

The food and service are outstanding! This five star restaurant has homemade pasta with delicious…read moresauces. After ordering they promptly bring over hot homemade bread asking if you would like butter or the basil infused olive oil. Wow. What a treat! The bread with that olive oil could have been our meal. Luckily we held ourselves back. For the main course I had the cavatelli saltimbocca and my husband had the eggplant parmigiana. Delicious! Nothing was left with these generously portioned meals. The fresh pasta was cooked perfectly in a flavorful pancetta cream sauce. This restaurant is not to be missed.

We love this place. Very authentic tasty Italian food. Nice people friendly and good service…read more Great bread in a paper bag is a nice touch I suggest getting reservation or you can wait at the bar. We keep going back Great location.

What an enjoyable night out: great food, nice ambiance, great service. Attention to detail here…read moresets the stage for a wonderful meal. Starting with Caesar salad choice of salty or marinated anchovies, zippy dressing, and full leaves of romaine. The bread in a paper bag and herbed olive oil is great-- and still no bread service charge! Pastas were great from fettuccini to chitarrucci frutti de mare. Limoncello cake, baked in house, was also spectacular and a fine ending to an exceptional meal. My new Italian go-to place on Midcoast.

Went for lunch. Quickly seated. Pleasant waitress. Creative combinations of ingredients to make…read moreItalian inspired dishes. We had bruschetta, and panelle (chickpea fritters with whipped ricotta and hot honey) as appetizers and split a pepperoni pizza and ceaser saled as an entree. Food was exceptional. Felt like an explosion of flavor in your mouth. We were seated in the very front of the restaurant which had a modern simple design. We will definitely return.

Giving an extra star just cause it's very good genuine Italian food in a town with none! It's not…read morejust spaghetti and meatballs, here. Menu is more interesting, bit adventurous, and what we had was very good. Charred cauliflower is a must. Arancini were nice, gooey inside, maybe bit too crispy outside but I liked that. Interesting pistachio pasta dish. Nice seafood stew but an odd combination with potatoes, the breakfast home-fry variety. Inside is bright and service was excellent.

A Friday night, off season, no reservation, two people. Hostess gets an A+ for trying to get a…read morelong line of reservation-less people tables. Well done. Our server was equally excellent- efficient, friendly, knowledgeable. Restaurant has a brick interior, very cute. We split the calamari which was very good and well portioned for two people to share. Accompanying marinara lacked flavor. Complimentary bread service, you don't see that often anymore! The side salad that came with the meal.. the restaurant could drop that if looking to save expense. Just too small and somewhat boring. I would never miss it if it wasn't offered. I had the chicken parm. It was fine and my husband had the bolognese, also fine. The dishes felt "heavy" and didn't have a lot of flavor. They do win for size of meal- I ate my leftovers twice more!

Two words. Mushroom sacchetti…read more You can have pasta most anywhere but unless you don't like mushrooms.... Let me tell you what the locals get. Spinach and artichoke dip as appetizer. Mushroom sacchetti with mushroom cream sauce as entree and for dessert - flourless chocolate cake with raspberry sauce. You're welcome.

We had a fun girls night out at Calzolaio Pasta Company, and our server truly made the experience…read more She was attentive, funny, and immediately matched our energy--honestly one of those servers who elevates the whole night. We loved her. The food, though, was just... fine. I'm a big pasta and sauce person, and while everything was perfectly decent, it didn't quite live up to the hype we'd heard going in. Nothing was bad, but nothing really stood out either. My espresso martini was good, but nothing special. That said, the building itself is charming and a little eccentric in a good way. I can definitely see how the experience would be elevated in warmer weather--sitting out on the patio overlooking the river would be a big plus. Overall, a good night thanks to great service and atmosphere, but the food didn't quite wow us.

Okay so I'm in the middle of the road on this one and I gonna write out a long review because of…read moreit. I'm not trashing this place because the food was ok. The prices were okay for the entrees, high for the appetizers and high for the deserts. First thing, first impressions. The building its self looks really nice, that with the sign out front make you feel like it's a classy place. Walking in you see the rainbow flag, You get inside and your greeted with a life sized cut out of Bernie Sanders. The Hostess was dismissive and seemed uninterested in helping anyone ( I have a feeling she may be the owner), customers dont generally like standing in front of an empty hostess desk. The feel of the restaurant is like a dirty, Chinese food restaurant that was built in an old house. Our party was four and we sat at a small table that was barely big enough for two appetizers on the table at the same time. I would recommend maybe 36"-42" square tables for 4. The food. They gave us a basket of bread and some dipping oil with herbs. It was ok, kinda bla... the bread was fresh but more like hoagie roll bread. We chose a small barbecue brisket pizza and some bruschetta as our apps. Pizza was good though I feel the onions needed to be cut and not left in rings... minor thing. Other than it being a small appetizer for the money, The bruschetta tasted good however the bread they served it on was more of the hoagie rolls sliced. My opinion, bruschetta needs to be served on sour dough French bread baguette or that style of crusty airy bread... not wonder bread. We ordered chicken parm, one with vodka sauce and one traditional, chicken franchise and the beef tenderloin tip over pasta. First off, we didn't get vodka sauce, clearly they don't know what vodka sauce is. There was no cream in that sauce. With that aside, the chicken parm's were good, the sauce was heavy on the pepper. I substituted the pasta for fries and would have liked to have seen more. The franchise was a smaller portion and the beef and pasta dish was a quite generous portion. All tasted good and worth the money despite the flaws. The desert was expensive for the portion size and the fact that it's clearly not homemade. Service was OK. Not great. The restaurant was mostly empty and you shouldn't need to ask for more water when the waitress can see the glass has been empty for 5 minutes plus. I went to the restroom and saw that they weren't labeled... it was labeled with the gender symbol but it was like all the gender symbols plus some I don't recognize, all in one. I was confused and it said single use. So I picked one since they were both open. Opened the door to see two stalls with garbage cans next to the toilet and it was pink. Clearly the women's room. I immediately shut the door and tried the other one. It was black and white, one stall and a urinal. Clearly it was the men's room. I've always respected women's spaces and I had a physical reaction when I realized the bathroom wasn't my place to go. This was clearly two multi person, normal bathrooms. Men don't need garbage cans next to the toilet and women don't need urinals. There are ways to identify bathrooms as for everyone and single use without virtue signaling or pandering... I was put off Also business has no place for politics. Whatever your personal beliefs are, your restaurant should be a place for everyone to enjoy a meal. You need Good atmosphere, good food and good service for a good price. I think they have potential however I think the place is doomed. Lastly, if you're going to call yourself a pasta house, make your own pasta!

Well the pounded chicken parm was very thin and was also burned. Waitress seemed to care less -…read moretook away my dish, no credit no free drink or dessert. I'd skip this place.

Burned, under seasoned... pre fab pasta. Worst Italian food ive ever eaten in my life. Not just in…read moremaine but anywhere, ever. Major red flags on the menu... the gnocchi was straight out of the freezer section. Burned butter and about an inch of oil on top of split bland sauces with no garlic or salt.. just bland. We got the stuffed focaccia and it was pesto wet mush, id be ashamed to serve that. You can tell the cook (not chef) has zero knowledge of or passion for cooking food. It's one of the worst restaurants I've ever been to in my entire life. I seriously hope you never have the misfortune of eating here. If anybody ever suggest this place as a restaurant, they must hate you !

We came here on a whim while visiting and it did not disappoint. Our server Hyatt was so attentive…read moreand so kind, it was lovely. The food was really great as well. We had the carbonara and the margherita pizza. Both were quite delicious. The carbonara was genuinely one of the best I've had in some time. The pizza was light and not overtly heavy or dense. Definitely great for sharing. I do recommend either getting a reservation or preparing for a wait as they were quite busy the entire time we were there. Overall though the vibe was great and I would definitely go back when in town

Their gnocchi was delicious. Tender and savory, but Chicken Parmesan with a pasta up charge was the…read moreworst version I've ever had. Prices were on the higher end and service was underwhelming. Perhaps we weren't their preferred demographic