We spent an evening at Tavera last week, on a whim, looking for a good spot for dinner in Saskatoon. It was absolutely fantastic! We shared the Bruschetta (my husband thought it was the best he'd ever had) and each ordered a different pasta dish so we could try one another's. I had the Tagliatelle Alla Marinara - it was loaded with seafood, the white wine cream sauce had layers of flavours and those fresh noodles were top notch! My husband had the Tagliatelle Alla Bolognese that was equally delicious! Both meals were huge servings, so we ate as much as we could and took the rest home to finish up for supper the next evening! Our server, Madison, was just a joy to deal with. Thank you for a terrific night, my first time in Saskatchewan :) read more

This restaurant's space is huge. Ambiance is rustic Italian. Lighting a bit dim. Front reception is very good and accommodating. We didn't have a reservation but he was very clear on the amount of wait times. Asked us to sit and we were seated quite quickly. Food is decent but not amazing. Good portion for family style sharing. The Brussels sprouts were very good and crispy, making it the winner of the night. Calamari Frutti were a bit bland and crusty which tasted floury. Insalata di Cesare could use more garlic. While the Capelli d'Angelo con Gamberi has only a few shrimps for the price. read more

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The food was good not great. The price was high. My pasta was 30 bucks my daughter's and son-in-laws was 40 bucks. Like i said it was good but not in a rush to go back. read more

Two of us came for a dinner for a last minute "date night". We were seated immediately, although we did have a reservation. The restaurant was quite busy, which is usually a good sign. We had the risotto ai frutti di mare, creamy imported carnaroli rice, saffron, mussels, bay scallops, prawns, onions, white wine, and parsley. We also got the capelli d'angelo con gamberi, an angel hair pasta with prawns, garlic, butter, white wine and cream. The meals were very good. I did find the scallops a bit overcooked but all in all the presentation of both dishes was very good. The server was very pleasant but we felt that the ambience was not high enough to earn another star. read more

Taverna Italian Kitchen + Bar - capelli d'angelo con gamberi - Italian Near Me - Saskatoon, Saskatchewan

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Good was amazing, fresh made pasta, top notch ingredients. Best meal I've had in Saskatoon.

Went here on a Thursday around 4pm, which is when they open for dinner. Wasn't too busy and I had the choice of sitting anywhere. Decided to sit near the front by the window which gave some great natural light to the place. The booth part was comfortable to sit on. They give complimentary bread with olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Prosciutto - portion was big and you can split this pizza among 4 people. Great flavors and a good amount of prosciutto. The pasta had seafood in it. I'd say it was an ok amount for the price. There was pieces of shrimp, squid and scallops I believe. It wasn't spectacular but not bad either. I was satisfied with my meal and would love to come back to try their gnocchi and ravioli. read more

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If you have not had the opportunity to eat here, you've been missing out! Food is excellent. Try the " Lasagna au fourno " Service is Italian hospitality and Rat Pack atmosphere is the best music!! read more

Taverna Italian Kitchen + Bar - Happy Me - Italian Near Me - Saskatoon, Saskatchewan

The best pasta I've had! Our waiter was so friendly as well because it was our first time at the restaurant so he helped us pick the best meals. Would highly recommend read more

Wonderful. Just be prepared for the prices My butternut squash ravioli was amazing in its creamy pine nut sauce with mushrooms. I'm sure it was 1000 calories but worth every bite. read more

I had supper this evening at Taverna Italian Kitchen ... I was craving pasta and had had a really good lasagna there in the past. Tony started me off with some warm bread. Yum! I love love love lasagna and I ordered lasagna al forno. Like the last time I had it, it was a huge portion and very delicious. Tony was friendly and helpful and took good care of me. read more

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This is an exceptional place to eat! I got the butter squash ravioli and hubby got the veal with mushrooms. Both were excellent! We even came back the next night and brought a couple with us. They had the Misa salad & the calamari and we ordered the veal and capers. Again, great food. Staff are very friendly and helpful and the ambiance was clean & modern. Definitely recommend this place to eat - it's worth the money! read more

Ate here while in town for a trade show. We got the tortelli appetizer which came with 2 pieces of tortelli, the seafood pasta arrabbiata, and the spaghetti pomodoro. The lobster tortelli was delicious although it was a small portion with only 2 pieces. For the low price I'd recommend going ahead and ordering two! It's absolutely delicious so trust me, you'll want more. It's even better if you order some balsamic vinegar to pour on it Both pastas were delicious and the portions were very generous! They serve bread at the beginning of every meal that's soft and fresh, although it is a fairly small portion (and we only had 2 people). Everything came out quick and the staff was very polite and friendly! read more

Taverna Italian Kitchen + Bar - Menu - Italian Near Me - Saskatoon, Saskatchewan

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I completely forgot about this restaurant. I loved it the first time!!! Bruschetta to start...gamberi ( shrimp white wine and garlic)...pesto gnocchi (1/2 portion. Yummy. Service was good I just found this restaurant again by accident. I always forget to bookmark it. Never again!!! Mussels with Gorgonzola. And a pizza margherita. This place is fabulous read more

Good service and nice atmosphere. The seafood risotto was quite disappointing. Lacked flavour and was quite undercooked: (not just al dente) read more

The food, drinks and service were great, will be making a point of coming here whenever I'm in Saskatoon. Can't recommend this place enough!

I decided to come here after seeing that they won best Italian restaurant and best pasta from Planet S. I made a reservation for myself and my grandparents for lunch at 11:45. The restaurant was huge, so the reservation wasn't needed. All of the staff were super nice and the lunch menu is quite large. The restaurant also had nice decor, but as the table sitting next to us said, it's awkward having a business meeting when the lights are dimmed. Save the dimmed lights for the evening. I had a bowl of their minestrone soup and a margarita pizza. You would think that this would be available as a lunch combo, but it was not. My grandpa ordered a sandwich with soup which was much larger and cheaper than what I had. If they have soup and sandwich combos, you would think they would extend to the entire menu. He stated that it was very good. On the other hand, my grandma ordered a salad. Keep in mind that this restaurant was highly rated for its pasta, not its salads. It would have been fine as a small side salad, but it was mostly just arugula with a tiny bit of feta. I found the minestrone to be kind of lacking. The tomatoes tasted canned and the vegetables lacked flavour. I found the soup reminded me of Olive Garden, okay but not great. The pizza was kind of bland and the crust reminded me of breadcrumbs. They definitely use an oven, which doesn't give it the nice flavors of a wood-fired oven. I would go back, but make sure to stick to pasta next time, especially since Una on Broadway has great pizza anyway. read more

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We've been in town for a week and have come here 3 times. It's so good and the menu has enough variety to try different things. We went to a few other places nearby including a highly recommended restaurant that wasn't nearly as good as we had hoped. Service and the food were excellent. Definitely a must go when you're in town. read more

I Planned a nice dinner in the city with my adult daughter. Seated in the front window table. FREEZING cold wind breezing through the glass. We kept our coats on. This is a cocktail table... not one meant for food service. It was so crowded , it was uncomfortable to eat at. Terrible slow service, and it was not a busy evening. . Spaghetti plate was served without cutlery, and by the time our server came around again it was cold. We were brought a spotty fork, nothing else, and good luck catching her attention again. Overall an odd dining experience... we laughed all the way to cucino ristorante where we had dessert and drinks. -Service/atmosphere subpar. -Food might have been lovely if we'd had the opportunity to enjoy it while it was still warm-ish. read more

Tavern a has become a favorite haunt of ours, it's warm and inviting, a place you can easily loose yourself in conversation over some wine and delicious food. We consider this Saskatoon's best traditional Italian restaurant, perhaps the only strictly traditional Italian restaurant! NEW OWNERSHIP Taverna has been around for decades. The previous owners didn't seem to take the food very seriously and most people learned to avoid it. However, about 4 years ago the new owner Tasso, decided to shake things up. He spent a lot of time finding the right Italian chef, and then focused on sourcing quality fresh ingredients, importing things from Italy where it is appropriate, and created a family of staff that made for a truly warm and sincere experience. You may see the odd person bemoan the old Taverna - pay them no mind, those are few and far in-between and we are thrilled they no longer cater to that crowd. THE FOOD Staying true to the nature of Italian cuisine, Taverna focuses on dishes with few ingredients, that are fresh and delicious. The appetizers are all lovely, and plentiful enough for sharing. We think Taverna has the best pizza's in town, and the pasta is not to be missed. Do pay attention to the Feature's menu, those are always spectacular dishes. - Bruschetta: Delightfully garlicky, with firm and sweet tomatoes finely diced, a nice light olive oil, on freshly made crostini. The bread doesn't get soggy, it holds up to the tomato topping quite nicely. - Peperonata: This dish is one of our favorites: roasted peppers mixed with zucchini finely chopped nearly melts into the dish, their delicate flavor adding a bit of sweetness. The eggplant melts into the dish as well, and is surprisingly good since once of us hates eggplant, this dish keeps a good texture. There's lots of onion and garlic to richen up the flavours. We always order it with fennel sausage and eat lots of bread with it. We've introduced many friends to this and everyone has loved it. - Salumi - this is basically the Italian Charcuterie plate, we actually like to order this with lots of bread and have this as our lunch. The cured meats are imported from Italy, and it comes through in the taste. The Italians take great care in the raising and feeding of the animals used for cured meats, giving them unmatched flavour. The prosciutto nearly melts in your mouth and the salami is richly spiced. This is served with big pieces of roasted pepper, some olive, a little bit of arugula drizzled with olive oil, big ridiculously generous chunks of parmigiano-reggiano and peperoncini peppers. There's lots of opportunity to play with flavor matches as you work your way through this dish. A hint to make it even better: ask for their roasted garlic olive oil, and smear that on some bread with the meats - TO DIE FOR. - Spaghettie Aglio Olio e Peperoncino: This is probably our favorite pasta here, and it's what we use to test Italian restaurants. It's as simple as can be, and therefore there is nothing to hide behind. Spaghetti served with garlic and peperoni peppers, and olive oil - that's it. The pasta always comes out nice and and al dente, so they're nice and firm to the bite. Tones of garlic infuse the olive oil, which does a wonderful job of clinging to the noodles and flavoring each bite. We like our food extra spicy so we always ask for a lots of peperoncino in the dish. Despite how simple it is, Taverna's kitchen makes each mouthful burst with flavor. We've tried to re-create this dish at home and have never quite gotten it just as good! THE STAFF We adore everyone that works here, and the more often we visit the more we like them. They are genuinely interested in you having a good meal and a good time. Granted if you have an olive oil allergy or don't want carbs, there is little the staff can do for you - this is after all a traditional Italian restaurant. In particular we love the boisterous Luigi who always has makes us laugh and is forever eager to share his feature cocktail. To really get the Taverna vibe we strongly encourage you to engage the staff a little, and you'll find a restaurant that makes for a warm and familiar place to loose yourself in. AMBIANCE The interior of Taverna has not changed in a long time, so it's a bit of a blast from the past. Everything remains clean and in good condition! The booths are big and cozy, so we like to come with friends and loose ourselves in conversation and wine. In the evenings candle light bathes the main room, which has a delightful old world feel to it. The lounge has a pretty little fire across from the bar, a wonderful place to sit and let the outside world disappear, especially in the winter. read more

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The food is very good here, very authentic Italian food, really enjoyed the food though. They really paid attention to the detail and the service was great. The ambiance was good too. read more

Had the carpaccio , buried in salad, balsamico, cheese = pointless let's drink balsamico Pasta, olio et aglio, very spicy , al Dente , tons of garlic Service extra special Stick with the pasta read more

Taverna Italian Kitchen + Bar - Carpaccio - Italian Near Me - Saskatoon, Saskatchewan

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I have never ever sent food back until I ate here. Horrible, inedible gnocchi. It was had no flavour and was just like eating a cardboard box. No one at my table enjoyed their meals read more

Went for lunch as I was eager to see the restaurant post renos. The front definitely got a facelift, but the interior is pretty much the same decor. Both my mom and I ordered soup to start.. it took over 45mins to arrive. Not the best timing for lunch downtown! Assumed lunch service would be quick. My mom's tortelli looked delicious, i should've ordered that instead as my chicken parmigiana sandwich was slimy, flavorless, and the bread was soggy - bleh! Caesar salad soggy as well with tasteless dressing. Service pretty spotty. Will probably try again at dinner as I've heard rave reviews for their pasta dishes. read more

Really nice staff. The food comes out in very generous portions. Recommended if you like a rich meal.

Excellent!! Try the Red Wine Sangria. All the pastas at the table were great! As was the lasagne!

The menu is all in Italian ( description is mostly English) but the staff helped us pick great food for my birthday if your a pasta lover they make homemade pasta, pizza very good food! Highly recommend! read more

I wished we lived in Saskatoon just to visit this restaurant more often. Wow! Great decor, great food, great service! This restaurant was recommended to us. We are indebted. Authentic Italian food. Very busy - lots of patrons lets you know how good this place is!! read more

Enjoyed Taverna this evening. The staff was friendly and attentive. Started with some warm bread and an order of Arancini. The arancini were great, crisp outside, rice perfectly cooked inside. I had bucatini all'amatriciana, long thin tubes with tomato, pancetta, onion and grated cheese. Simple, easily married, and it was also spot on. My Wife had the penne arriabbiata, again simple tomato based, spicy and perfectly done. Italian food is easy if you start with good ingredients and don't over do it. Taverna was a pleasant surprise. Highly recommend! read more

I came here for a wedding reception a few weeks ago, and it was wonderful. The carbonara was to die for - despite being full I literally couldn't leave a bite left on my place! So worth it - I would go back to Saskatoon just for this carbonara. Absolutely everybody seemed to LOVE their pasta, so maybe it would even be worth trying different items. The bruschetta was alright - not amazing but good. Charcuterie platters kind of minimal but good. Buns were provided. Setting is nice - formal but not stuffy. read more

Love this place!!! Great food outstanding service. Luigi and Tassos are awesome! Been here sooo many times and have never been disappointed. We don't even look at a menu. Luigi tells us what we are gonna eat. Definitely my favourite place to eat when I'm here on business!!! read more

Love this Italian place. Great food and atmosphere and the service is great. They help you with the menu and decide what your feeling giving recommendations and helping you navigate things. We had the marinated olives and bruschetta to start-delicious. I had the stuffed ricotta and spinach ravioli with added scallops and shrimp and hubby had spaghetti and meatballs both of which our waitress recommended. So yummy. It's a must try. I have been for lunch here also and the prices are reasonable. You don't need to book a table there are nearly always tables available. read more

We did not eat here. We were seated by the hostess and given menus and water We waited more than 10 minutes Two more parties arrived and we seated and given menus Two servers eventually appeared and served the two other tables We got up and left The manager telephoned me to apologize and offered a gift certificate. Apparently it was change of shift? However, the same server that was serving a table when we arrived was still working. You would start new servers right at dinner hour? read more

I've been to Taverna 3 times and each one was delicious. Last visit I finally found what tasted like the smell when you go in. Outstanding. read more

We stumbled into this restaurant after wandering around for a few blocks around our hotel. Because it was fairly late in the evening, I wanted to order something light but satisfying. The menu is rather extensive but after consulting our friendly server, I finally settled on the handmade ravioli and side of meatballs as my entree. We decided to share the bruschetta as an appetizer--the bruschetta was delicious but it was a tad heavy on raw garlic. My ravioli di ricotta e spinaci was flavourful (ravioli was cooked perfectly and the pasta was just the right thickness) and the meatballs were firm and meaty (although I would have preferred a spicier meatball). The basil pesto, parmigiano-reggiano cream sauce was very rich, and a bit too heavy for my taste. I was getting full after only a few bites. I managed to have a taste of my friend's fettuccine alla marinara (shrimp, bay scallops, calamari, garlic, butter, white wine, peperoncino) arrabbiata style(san marzano tomato sauce, hand-torn basil, extra-virgin olive oil). The scallops and calamari were absolutely delicious (seared and seasoned beautifully). Unfortunately, I didn't leave room for dessert. read more

Taverna Italian Kitchen + Bar - Italian Near Me - Saskatoon, Saskatchewan

Incredible food. Love everything about this place from the great service to the delicious calabrese pizza. I'll be back for more!

I don't go out for Italian a lot, so I don't have much to compare with. As the other reviewers on here and Zomato, the decor of this place is dated, but well kept. Kind of like your parent's kitchen, which is clean, tidy, and filled with tupperware and plates from the 80s that are simultaneously nostalgic and gag inducing. They enjoy their Frank Sinatra, which served as a constant reminder that we were indeed in an Italian restaurant. Service was quick and pricing was okay. Bruschetta was good and very garlicky, but the bread was kind of soft, reminding me of like store bought garlic bread rather than good crusty baguette. The seafood fettuccine was flavourful, and the sauce was creamy and heavy. Pasta was cooked well. The lasagna had a bit too much pasta and tasted good, but average. I would return here, but probably not any time soon. I understand the adherence to tradition, but I can also see how it might be a bit of a deterrent (who still uses parsley as a garnish) especially when the food is okay, but not mind blowing. read more

I dont think I have such a bad experience in a restaurant ever before... after an. hour of waiting for our meal, we walked out. I felt a little better when the four tables in our area said they had been there even longer. What a horrible experience. All we needed was someone to come to our table and say,"You may not want to stay here tonight--we are in chaos in the kitchen." but no, we just waited and waited and left with a huff. What bad manners they had.NEVER GOING THERE AGAIN. read more

Lunch menu has plenty of options. Portions were generous. I had the gnocchi and warmed Olives. Both were delicious. It's my favourite Italian restaurant. read more

Wow, really great Italian food in the middle of the Canadian Prairie. I had a pesto chicken sandwich with tortellini soup. I felt it was as good as having an Italian lunch in New York City. read more

Tonight we celebrate a special occasion. We came to Taverna hoping to have a wonderful time...drinks and great food. We were taken to our table, where after a while the waitress came and asked us what we would like to eat....???? Not asking us if we wished to have drinks first. The food came with bread...eventually after we asked about it while we were already eating our quite bland tasting lasagna and her pasta dish. We did not see our server again until our meals were....finished? I can remember frozen lasagna having more flavour. So disappointed. We are now off to get our drinks and dessert somewhere else.....too bad as my wife was really looking forward to a special meal and drinks! We went to pay and the guy took our card, then walked away, did not pack up my wife meal to go as requested. Server made aware and still no response. Got our card and left completely and utterly disappointed upset actually! PATHETIC!!! She said she would pack our food but went to serve another table. read more