We chose to eat at Stella's because it was near our hotel, looked interesting, and is definitely local. As we walked up to the door, there was a sign posted about them being short staffed and possibly not able to serve everyone without a reservation, but we decided to ask. I'm glad we did. (And I hope others go ahead and ask as well). We were able to get a table for two and this place was full of character. They lit the old school candle on the table, played old time mix of music, had table cloths on each table. It was very sweet and lovely. We had an official server come to our table right away and drop off menus. Then we had (I think), the owner of the restaurant stop by to talk to us for a little bit. Later I believe we had Stella herself deliver food and talk to us. We ordered light meals because we had a late lunch. I ordered a salad with chicken on it and it was delicious. They tried to present it well and succeeded. It was fresh and tasty, too. Hubs ordered lasagna, which came with a side of garlic bread. Although he thought his lasagna was a little thin in layers, the taste of the sauce was very, very good. We did not order dessert, but we thought all of them looked really delicious. If you find yourself in Taos New Mexico, with nowhere to eat, I would definitely give this sort of lonely looking corner restaurant a try. read more

Stellas Italian - Chicken salad - Italian Near Me - Taos, New Mexico

See all

Very good food! ........................................., Great service! ..............,.,................,,..,,,,,, Will definitely be back! read more

Service was really good, too bad the dishes didn't fair same- pasta sauce had too much liquid which was supposed to be pesto. Dish took a very long time for a simple plate. read more

Yum. Legit Italian food with generous portions and reasonable prices. We had a pizza and spaghetti with meatballs. Cheese was obviously fresh and full of flavor. Interior is small and was full of locals when we visited. Nothing fancy in the decor with traditional red white table cloths. read more

This place was meh. Their red sauce is very acidic, like it hasn't been cooked down enough. I got the lasagna; it was passable. Cute restaurant. Decent-ish service. Although what was odd is the owner (?) was sitting at the bar talking crap about people (at one point he said loudly, "oh she's a real c$nt!" It was weird. His wife (?) kept shushing him, sort of like hey stop making the customers uncomfortable. It was pretty unprofessional and odd. Saw a few other patrons on here had the same experience. Don't think I'd go back. read more

They completely disregarded the reservations we made over a month early. After driving six hours to come to Taos and enjoy a special birthday and Valentine's dinner, they left us waiting for far too long upfront. Finally, someone deigned to fetch us and bring us to the worst table in the house. In the dark and right by the (filthy) bathroom and kitchen. Yuck. I went to the bathroom and on way reminded a server that when I had made reservations no one seemed to care about that it was my gf's bday. She said she'd remind "them." Took forever to be acknowledged at our table, and when we were, our server was extremely rude, snippy and argumentative. Absolutely no customer service skills whatsoever. When my gf went to the bathroom herself, she mistakingly went the wrong way and nearly into the kitchen, and our server yelled at her, being far more rude than deserved. A simple, "Sorry, ma'am, it's the other way" would've sufficed. But not being raised well nor taught the barest sense of treating customers service, the server then insulted my gf's intelligence, telling her how "obvious" it was it was the other way. Rowwwrrr!! Server forget my club soda to drink (an order that seemed to confuse her and that had resulted in a snide, "I don't know if we have that" and no results until I had to ask someone else 20 minutes later for what is the simplest of requests -- finally getting it). There was more to come including inedible bread and butter (frozen and that had to be asked for, as well). The server continued to be very boarish and incapable of understanding we're paying customers, and I politely asked an older woman who also worked there if we could have a different server. Her response? "She's 17. She's very stressed. She's our granddaughter." As though any of that information was the least bit relevant. It's worth noting that, despite being Valentine's night and peak hour on a Saturday, the place was hardly filled. "Stressed"? Who isn't? And we just drove six hours here. We're pretty stressed too. Difference is the server is being paid (presumably) and we're paying the restaurant. They're not doing us a favor. This is a business interaction and she's not holding up her side of the bargain. What her age has to do with anything was beyond us. It was clear no one there was going to do anything about how poorly we were being treated. The other two servers were nicer and could be helpful, but of course Grandma kept the awful "stressed" server on our table despite our asking if we could switch to keep things from getting more uncomfortable. Guess she's not very clear about the concept of Customer Service, either. The food came at last. Mine was passable. My girlfriend's was as inedible as the bread. Frozen on outside, scalding on inside. Clearly microwaved. How do you mess up ravioli? Wouldn't be surprised if they spit in our food too, since we had dared critique the awful service. But who knows. No espresso. What kind of Italian restaurant can't even splurge for a $20 espresso machine?!! And clearly no one was going to acknowledge my gf's birthday despite my having made the arrangement over a month earlier for our reservation and having asked the other more polite server when we came in and they had totally dismissed our reservation. Probably for the best. Our bill came. No itemized list. Seemed a little more than should've been, but we were done and just wanted to leave and salvage the evening. Obviously no tip. Perhaps our server may some day learn how restaurant service works and that there are consequences if you act entitled, rude and neglectful. Not our concern. We won't be returning and, frankly, had been warned in the past when we'd come to Taos that Stella's was to be avoided for the subpar food and terrible service. We had decided to try it for ourselves, though, and now I wish we hadn't. They ruined our birthday and VDay dinner. Luckily, we went to Juliet after for dessert and espresso, and there they understand the concept of Customer Service. Go there instead. read more

What went well? Everything! Came in here party of three as two adult sons on a tour of New Mexico with their dad who's in his mid 80s. We'd been eating and breweries and on the fly the days prior so decided to do something a bit nicer on this Wednesday evening. Showed up a little bit before 8 o'clock, were greeted, given bread with olive oil and vinegar, and we put in our drink orders. The pastas (spaghetti and meatballs, spaghetti, Bolognese, and chicken Parmesan) and a cheese pizza we got were phenomenal, and the dessert... Keylime pie... And a carrot cake... were homemade and superb. Very fairly priced as well. Great service by Marco, and a lovely young lady whose name we did not get. What makes this place special aside from the tasty food is the ambience. It is a darker, traditional, Italian restaurant where you feel warm and cozy inside and this is exacerbated with beautifully crafted candle dripped Chianti bottles throughout. Absolutely beautiful. It was a bit chilly the evening we were visiting, however, they have a lovely patio that looks like it hustles and bustles during the summer month. Stella's is a gem. We all hope we get a chance to come back to visit again. read more

Stellas Italian - Stella's is all about the ambience and the food. Wednesday night fellas night out. - Italian Near Me - Taos, New Mexico

My husband and I have loved Stella's a long time. They just had their 15th anniversary. Delicious fish and other fare -always beautifully plated and attentively served. We probably eat salmon or trout more often than the Italian dishes and they are just perfect. The service is great! the owners are wonderful. I think the ambience is fabulous. there are a lot of goods restaurants in Taos and I think this is one of the best read more

Staff was friendly, place was clean, food was good. It was a win! We had been eating so much southwest while in Taos... it was a nice change! read more

Meal was just perfect. Pasta just right. I loved the marinara sauce. Wife loved the carbonara. Great Italian sausage. Service excellent and nice Taos decor read more

We don't usually eat Italian in Taos. But we could walk to Stella's and order pizza. What a charming place! Candlelight, friendly service.... There were 4 tables- probably 30 people celebrating a birthday! They embraced us and included us in the celebration. Epic. The owner's granddaughter, Stella, took great care of us! The pizza and wine? Great! Our new Taos fave. read more

The food-- I had chicken parmigiana-was excellent. It was a large portion, perfectly seasoned with great tomato sauce with chunks of tomato. The pasta was exactly the right texture. The antipasti condiments were very good. (Only complaint is that neither the hostess or waitress invited us to help ourselves to the condiments. We remembered reading on Yelp about them) The dining room is small, but nicely arranged and decorated. I have only one small, inconsequential complaint: we had read good reviews on the bread. My husband and I knew we could not eat an entire basket of bread, so we asked for one small slice to be put on the plate. I don't know if they put a slice on every plate or not. They should. However, instead of a good Italian or sourdough slice, we were given rye. To my palate, rye does not match with the olive dipping sauce or the tomato sauce. I didn't enjoy that slice of bread. We recommend this restaurant, but you should call ahead of time for reservations. read more

Tonight's dinner was the best I've ever experienced at Stella's!! The ambient candle lit atmosphere, warm heater, friendly service, and all meals ordered were absolutely incredible from the beginning to the end, on this cold rainy evening. The fresh warm salads, mozzarella sticks, richly flavored pasta dishes, and key lime pie were the best I've ever tried in my life!! Price was very reasonable for the quality as well. A must try in Taos for both locals and visitors. read more

We were traveling through Taos today on our way to Snowmass from Texas. My wife and I are from NY, so have a pretty good baseline for solid Italian. Took a flyer on the place as a second option when our first was packed and we would have had to wait an hour and a half. Three hungry teens/tweens in tow and that wasn't gonna work. Called an audible hit up Stella's. Man, they should have been our first choice! Got seated immediately and warmly welcomed in a seating area that gave a great "hole in the wall" Italian vibe. The service was excellent and attentive even though there were only 3 of them working the front of the house. Food was fantastic. You can tell the marinara was homemade, the meatballs were perfectly cooked (which actually isn't that easy), the Italian sausage was on point, and the bolognese...grandioso! The owners are very welcoming and interact really well with their guests. When we come through Taos again, this will be our only stop. read more

What a wonderful dinner with incredible personal service, great staff and perfect wine pairing. We were there with our children, but would gladly go back for a date night next time we're in town. It's perfectly tucked away and highly, highly recommended! read more

See all

Not gluten free. We told waitress we needed gluten free when we ordered our drinks. She then brought us wine and asked us "how gluten sensitive are you. Even thought they have gluten free all over the menu, they advised they could not cook it gluten free. Then they made us pay for the wine. The old man host told us if we need gluten free we should go to McDonald's. If you're gluten sensitive there are much better options than this place. read more

Excellent food, cooked to perfection. Have tried many of the items in the menu and have never been disappointed. Whether you're a resident like us, or just visiting...add this to your restaurant experience. read more

The food was amazing! I ordered the squash ravioli. The owner served us and made sure the other server kept our drink glasses full and plates cleared as we were done. Charming atmosphere. I ordered the squash ravioli read more

Stellas Italian - Squash Ravioli - Italian Near Me - Taos, New Mexico

It was perfectly lovely, service fine, decor fine, no real problems. One thing though. If you're in the greater NYC area from NM don't expect to find great New Mexican food. Conversely, if you're from the greater NYC area visiting Taos, well the Italian food at Stella's may not be exactly what you're used to. read more

The food was not great but better than ok. The service SUCKED. The owner came around(older guy with glasses) and barely said a word just waited to write down the order. It was weird. He was gone before I could add a salad. I get along with everybody but this guy was a real downer. The only time he spoke was to correct my pronunciation of the wine I ordered,which was totally fine by me but God he seemed depressed which is how I felt after my meal was over. For a good time,skip this place. I really wanted to like it but no bueno. read more

Cozy ambiance and very good food! If you're looking for a gluten free option, come here! Gluten free pizza and rice noodles are available, most of the menu can be accommodated. Felt great to eat Italian worry free. read more

While the food was good, the service was the single worst service I have ever had. Some servers (the young man) worked very hard to meet our needs, but he wasn't our server that night. The lady that was our server spent lots of time socializing with others not serving us, at least. We had our appetizers before we got our drinks, that did not include alcohol, which the young man brought us both. We told the server at the beginning of the meal, we wanted deserts to go, she told us she would take the order in a minute. We later had to ask the young man (still not our server) to get our order, because we had cleaned our plates and wanted to leave, while the young woman was still talking to every other costumer, individually. By then, the assortment was completely gone, except for two options, one option, the carrot cake, had one single slice left. We waited two hours in the restaurant, annoyed and unhappy. One and a half hours during the time we were waiting, a couple sat down and was asked three times if they wanted deserts, drinks, or any more food, while we were still waiting for our food order. We asked for our check, and had to wait so long that I sent my family to get the car, so that maybe they thought we were dining and dashing, in hopes of bringing us our check. Two detours later, we still did not have the check. Our server gave us our tab, saying she was sorry for the long wait, leaving before we could pay. Thankfully, I had cash and left a very generous tip, considering the circumstance, before leaving the restaurant. I would only go again for takeout, unless you're local regular, not a one-time tourist. As we were walking out, our original server, the young woman, loudly said sorrowfully, like she was sorry to leave old friends, "Have a good night! Come back soon!" read more

5-1/2 's Looks are deceiving to this California guy but the minute you open the door it's this quaint decorated slice of class. We stopped on a whim Sunday night and didn't have reservations. Covid19 rules has caused a labor shortage of restaurants staff and they have reduced tables to not get overran. Your our goes out to The Stellas owner and staff hanging in their. Your five topping pizza was made to perfection and his the tastebuds solidly. The antipasto salad was well prepared and unique. Big thanks to out two servers who brought us in from the cold and served a few beers and bread while our takeout order was prepared. Next time we're coming in for the full sit down Italiano Taos experience! Thanks read more

See all

I had spicy chicken and pasta. She had Italian crusted talapia with angel hair pasta. We shared a Caesar to start. Caesar salad was great. Nice flavor, fresh ingredients in good proportions. Very tasty. My spicy chicken and pasta tasted amazing. The presentation was excellent and there was a good balance of flavor without being too over the top on any one ingredient. Texture was good. The talapia and sauce with angel hair pasta...what can I say...the lemon sauce was amazing and asparagus perfectly cooked. For desert, wife had chocolate cake drizzled with chocolate syrup. Delish. I had the key lime pie, which came as its own tiny pie. Super flavorful with perfect crust. Atmosphere was soft lighting and candlelight with a classical guitarist lightly playing in the background. Service was impeccable. As new locals, I can say we will definitely be back! read more

***HOURS DIFFER CALL FIRST IT MAY BE OPEN*** Live music Friday evening Gets crowded because it's good. PRO TIP: 1. Park at the Plaza for free after 5pm 2. Get your little plate and serve yourself some olives and other pickled goodies up front Mangia bambino! read more

See all

The food, service and ambiance all 5 star. We eat Italian quite often and seriously some of the best! And such a wonderful change of pace from week of eating New Mexican traditional food. Loved it! read more

Ambiance is lovely - very cute old school red checked table cloths. The food is just bad. Pasta overcooked - meatballs flavorless and a mushy consistency. On our list to try, hesitated after the bad reviews but sadly will not return. The wine was good and the service was fine. read more

Wonderful. Food, service & ambiance were great! We did notice that previous reviews were 3 to 3.5, but we tried it anyway. WOW, this was a solid 5 for us! read more

This is the sweetest little Italian restaurant! All the tables were candle lit and the service was great! I had the best caprese salad and creamy mushroom soup I've ever consumed. Will be visiting every time I visit Taos! Also don't sleep on the key lime pie! read more

Place was cute but me and my friend both got the cajun pasta and it was almost like stew and super runny . Was not a fan. I would recommend to choose a different spot if you're visiting . Service was awkward too. read more

Family owned Italian restaurant with amazing food, made to order. We had the Warm Spinach salad, which my husband and I shared. Then I had the Eggplant Parmigiana with the Angel Hair pasta, which was delicious. My husband had the Italian Sausage, which came with linguine, but he requested Penne instead. Our waitress was quite helpful with the menu. I was torn between 3 different things on the menu and her descriptions assisted me in making my choice. So glad we chose to visit Stella's. read more

Great, authentic food. Wonderful views outside. Good prices. Can't recommend enough. I wasn't expecting such a good experience and was really pleased. read more

Very dim lit restaurant that pushes for reservations but will not pick up the phone to take them. We chanced it and did a walk in. We waited a few minutes, there's a sign that says they're short staffed... no biggie. This is one of the few restaurants in the area open during the week past 5pm. We only ordered entrees, linguini with meatballs and marinara. It was adequate. The pasta and meatballs were both well cooked. The marinara was a bit soupy, but the flavor was okay. You can tell they were short staffed and trying to fill up the restaurant instead of just closing off areas and turning folks away. I'm only giving four stars because the two people running were doing it well! read more

Stellas Italian - Linguine and meatballs with marinara - Italian Near Me - Taos, New Mexico

Servers were nice. However, the owner was super rude and got upset for not getting wine. Then he just sat at the bar facing us mad dogging. It took well over an hour to get food even though we made a reservation. Then the owner guy would not let us split our bill. Food was good, but not worth the trouble. read more

Food was very good and my wife loved the trout. Also, I wanted to give a hour out to the service. It could not have been better. Timely in all facts without hovering. A very enjoyable dinner. Service 5 stars, Food almost 5 stars (which is excellent). read more

Stellas is AMAZING!!! Truly one of THE most charming and quaint restaurants I have ever been to in the world! (I know, that sounds like an exaggeration, but it really is....) My wife, 4-year old daughter, and I were in Taos for the weekend and stumbled upon this place, and we had THE perfect evening. It feels like a small little family-owned restaurant in the Italian Riviera.... It's a little dark and cozy, with gentle candle-lighting throughout, and the walls are covered with old-timey black-and-white photos from classic films and such from the 30s and 40s.... The owner (a woman whose name I am forgetting) was also our SERVER -- and she was exceptionally kind, caring and welcoming. You can feel her love for her restaurant and her customers! She told us the restaurant is named after her daughter Stella, and you can feel the owner's heart and love in every imprint of the restaurant. Plus, the pizza may have been THE BEST pizza I have ever had in my life. (Definitely Top 3, if not the single best pizza I have ever had!) As a man with a good-sized gut, I have had a LOT of pizza in my day (pizza is my spirit animal), but I have never had crust that was this perfect in its consistency and mouth feel -- it was perfect in thickness and also subtley soft on the inside yet somehow simultaneously crispy. Just delicious! And the pastas that my wife and daughter ordered were delicious too -- they loved them!! The owner and the young women who was her co-server really made us feel at home and treated us like family!! This is our FAVORITE restaurant in Taos -- by far!! And when we come back to Taos in a few months, we are DEFINITELY coming back!! We live in Los Angeles and travel the world, but this is OFFICIALLY OUR FAVORITE ITALIAN RESTAURANT ON PLANET EARTH!!! (We genuintely don't understand why it doesn't have 5-Star reviews across the board!!) THANK YOU STELLAS -- YOU'RE THE BEST!!!! read more

We had a lovely dinner! The atmosphere was reminiscent of Boston's North End and the food was delicious. I had the Sausage Linguine with marinara and my husband had the Chicken Parm - we started with a salad and homemade chicken noodle soup (this was amazing!). The staff was fabulous and attentive and the owner was lovely to chat with - thanked us for supporting his restaurant. We'll be back! read more

Stellas Italian - Italian Near Me - Taos, New Mexico

I called on a Monday night to place a take out order. Whoever it was that answered told me they couldn't take any take out orders due to be short staffed and hung up. We figured that was okay, and headed in to dine in. There was only one other table seated in the restaurant and we weren't greeted for 10 minutes. When we were finally acknowledged the server told us somebody would be over to seat us shortly and were never approached by a host or manager. This server was not working alone, there was an older gentleman working in the back wearing a red polo that I made eye contact with and he chose to ignore us. It's a shame as the menu looked really good. If I could give no stars I would. read more

What a completely bizarre dining experience! The owner was abrupt and simply downright unfriendly. The young man serving us seemed more like a frightened hostage than a server-probably due to the owners abusive demeanor. The interior smells like a stale ashtray and they were not happy that we wanted to eat outdoors (we were the only customers!) food came relatively quickly but the bread was stale and the chicken tasted like it was a frozen dish. Avoid this place unless you enjoy being uncomfortable and eating very mediocre food at a premium price. read more

So surprised at the lower rating here. The service was great and the food was incredible. Cory was our waiter and a delight. I had the salmon over spinach with angel hair and my fiance had the same but Red River trout. Both are perfectly cooked. Had a wonderful Sicilian wine as well. Will definitely be back again when we're in Taos. read more