What a lovely and charming restaurant! Dined this evening with my family during our stay in Charlottesville and everything was really great. We began with very well crafted cocktails and I had the most delightful mocktail, an Unlit Gimlet; so bright and fresh and the pink peppercorn garnish was the perfect counter to the sweet. Food from beginning to end was fabulous. Servings sizes were filling and just right and not overly huge. So enjoyed our pastas from the Bolognese, the Carbonara, the Raucci, and the Primaverili (a perfect bite of spring green). Of the four, our table's favorite was the capellini gamberi Raucci but I wouldn't hesitate to order any of our selections. Sides of roasted fennel with oranges (the best fennel I've had) and the cauliflower were beautifully done. Appetizers enjoyed were the Roman artichokes, bread and olive oil, and olives. We ended the evening with the chèvre cheesecake, affogato and espressos. Service was professional, yet friendly and very welcoming. Thank you for an unforgettable evening! read more

First of all, love the fact that they have a cocktail area where you can drink and have light snacks while you wait for your table. Their drinks were one of the best cocktails I've had. Food was good but the portions were on the smaller side. We were shocked that their branzino was only a filet instead of a whole fish. For the prices charged, we expected leftovers and we did not have any read more

tavola - Italian Near Me - Charlottesville, Virginia

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Cute spot with a cool vibe and excellent service. Great drinks--one of the better Negronis I've had. Food was mixed. A bit disappointed in our appetizers, the artichokes and grilled shrimp. The pasta was excellent and very memorable but we were let down by the tiramisu which we thought was overly cakey and overpowered by lemon. read more

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This place lives up to the expectations. Nestled into an old house in the fancy section of restaurants of Belmont is a cozy little Italian eatery. The food here is fresh and made from with skill. They handmade all their pasta dishes and the quality is felt in every bite. While the price is quite expensive the quality matches what your expectations should be set too. Service here was spectacular. The nursing student who helped us was extremely attentive yet not overbearing. This is the perfect place for special occasions or taking visitors to dinner when they want a good Charlottesville meal. Would recommend. read more

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We went to tavola tonight for my partners birthday and overall we had a good time and would be back. Between us, we did 3 cocktails, 2 apps, 2 entrees and 2 desserts and the bill came to about $220 tax and tip included. The restaurant had their main door closed (maybe they always do?) so we entered through a narrow back alley entrance into their bar. Parking is kinda tough. We did arrive a few mins early to our reservation and watched a table of 2 and 4 get seated before us which was a bit frustrating (it seemed like the host knew them and maybe they were given preference). Additionally, despite the reservation saying it was for my partners birthday it was not mentioned while we were being sat or by our server during our meal. Other restaurants in town (particularly Orzo and C&O) are really good about noticing these reservation notes and ensuring they are acknowledged. Both restaurants have also provided complimentary dessert or champagne and so it was a bit of a bummer it seemed to not be noticed at all. The ambiance was also much louder than we expected. Unfortunately we got sat next to 4 very drunk rowdy women which can't be helped but we could hardly hear each other over how loud the room was. The vibe was more of a nice dinner out with friends than romantic intimate dinner we hoped for. The music was upbeat and funky. Not a bad thing just maybe a misfit for what we were hoping for this evening. I haven't been here before so it might have been nicer to be sat in a quieter corner since it was just the two of us (not sure if that would have been possible). Our server Ginger was nice. She did provide a list of special for the evening which we ordered a few of. Food wise, tavola, in my opinion, certainly beats mockingbird or the local which are its two neighboring restaurants I've been to. It's actually not even a close comparison the food is significantly better imo. For starters we had the fried artichoke in aioli. Delicious - 5/5. Only problem was there wasn't more of it! The bread was from alb baking co and was served with olive oil. It was fine. Not the best bread or oil I've had. For drinks we had the alpine air (gin, pear, lemon, rosemary I think) and some pear cocktail (pear simple, Tito's, maybe pear liqueur?). My partner had an espresso martini with dessert. All cocktails were 5/5. Very good. For entrees we had the duck rotini and the pork special with collard greens and potatos au gratin. The rotini duck was interesting. I liked the flavor profile of duck, cocoa (in the pasta), pickled chiles and mushroom. I did feel like the flavor combination was so rich I wish they would have been a little more bold with the cocoa flavor. To be honest, it got lost and was completely overpowered by the mushroom flavor in the sauce. The sauce itself felt more of like a butter and fell a bit flat. The duck was chopped into small pieces and I just felt like the execution of this dish didn't do the ingredients justice. I wish they had done a braised duck breast in maybe a cocoa-orange sauce as I thought the cocoa duck combination was quite smart. I felt like the pasta version of these flavors just fell a bit flat and ended up feeling a bit bland as the mushroom was the only prominent note. Overall, I'd give this a 3/5. Neither of us were wowed by it but I think the flavors are ambitious and interesting. The pork on the other hand was fabulous. The pork was cooked perfectly in what felt like a wine reduction and was incredibly tender, no knife needed. The potatoes au gratin were a tad on the underdone side and had a bit more bite than maybe I expected but the flavor with the caramelized onion on top was fabulous. The collard greens are some of the best I've ever had. I love collard greens and am quite picky and these were amazing. I wanted a whole plate of them. 5/5. We ordered Brussels and pancetta on the side and this was also a 5/5. Very good. For dessert we had the tiramisu and the cheese plate. The tiramisu, frankly, was a 2/5. The lady fingers were totally soaking and the dessert was actually just a wet blob. The texture was just not good. The cheese plate was fine, 3/5. It was served with grilled crostini, cherries and candied walnuts. The cheeses themselves were a soft maybe goat cheese, what felt like pepper jack, and then two hard cheeses similar to Parmesan. None of them were particularly flavorful or compelling. I wish the plate had been served with some sort of jelly or sweet spread to accompany the cheeses as I felt the bread nut cheese combo was a bit too dry. Overall, I would say the main foods we had were very good and I think next time we may try their more traditional italian pastas like the carbonara or the bucatini. Overall I think the food here is very good and we would be back. read more

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AMBIENCE Strolled in early on opening for an early dinner. As a newbie to this side of time, it's tough to find parking without going on the inside residential streets. We lined up with the rest of the 5pm crowd by the bar entrance and were let in when they opened. The reception desk took our name on the reservation list and handed us over to our waiter who led us to our table in the main dining area. We sat down and immediately almost slipped with how slippery the chairs were on the oily floor. If I were older and less balanced, I nearly would have slipped. SERVICE Our waitress handed us menus and served us water. After the lengthy explanation of the menu ... kind of unnecessary because it was just reading what I could read anyway... of the day specials, we were given a few moments to choose. We selected the steak tartare, pappardelle bolognese, and the breaded 'double h farm' pork. FOOD The beef tartare arrived within 10-15 minutes with a few grilled garlic crostini slices. The bread was chewy and garlicky yet crunchy. Paired well with the beef tartare flavors, but left me fishing for a toothpick because it definitely had muscle fibers still intact and toughness to the overall experience. Bread was the highlight for me on this. Parpadelle was a great dish. Solid pasta doneness with a flavorful beef and pork sauce. Would recommend. Breaded double pork was okay. Not impressed by the average plating for a $30 entree. The taste was fine but not much meat or much else and not visually appealing for the price. Last thing we ordered was the sweets. We went with the tiramisu which was fine. We expected way more mascarpone and much more espresso taste. It was airy but not your traditional tiramisu. We left feeling fine but not as satisfied as the hype was for this spot. OTHER We sat in the kitchen area which was ridiculously loud and could barely hear ourselves. We left with our clothes drenched in cooking oil scent which was displeasing. read more

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Very nice place. Excellent food with a menu that changes weekly & food that is as fresh as you can get. Service is attentive & efficient. No point in listing what I ate because it is likely not to be there again. It was seafood (which they specialize in) & pasta with an excellent white wine. The reason for a 4 star & not a 5, is that it is somewhat cramped in space & noisy. I highly recommend this place especially for special occasions. read more

Tavola has quickly turned into one of our absolute favorite places ever. I wouldn't call it just a restaurant because it is so much more than that. The staff are so friendly and attentive - sitting at the bar has our utmost recommendation. The ability to chat with and learn about all the things that go on is truly phenomenal. We cannot recommend Tavola enough! read more

The atmosphere was nice as was the service. Definitely a place where you feel fancy but not TOO fancy or out of place which is a plus for me. Drinks were well made and good. You could tell the food was crafted by someone with experience, they hit the mark on the fresh pasta, duck, & crawfish. I personally didn't love the carbonara because of the amount of sausage but again it was well made. In all it was good, some parts was worth the money spent. read more

Make sure to make a reservation, everyone! It's a must! This is a small restaurant, and half of it is dedicated to bar dining only, which means you can't order from the restaurant menu in that area. **Cocktails:** We tried the Bad Apple, Ryan's Drink, an Old Fashioned with Nebbiolo reduction, and Grass is Green. They were amazing! This place really knows how to craft delicious cocktails. **Appetizers:** We ordered the Cavolfiore Caramellato, which is their caramelized cauliflower with garlic anchovy butter. WOW! Just WOW! If you're like me and borderline vegetarian, this is a must-try appetizer. It was so good that my husband, who usually mocks cauliflower, loved it! We even asked for plain bread to dip in the leftover anchovy butter. The balance of flavors in this dish was perfect! **Main Dishes:** Between the two of us, we ordered: - **Bucatini All'amatriciana**: This dish left me speechless! The homemade pasta is something that no pre-made pasta can ever substitute or match in flavor! - **Orecchiette Alla Autunno**: This pasta is DELICIOUS! It's a bit heavy for me, but the flavor is HEAVENLY! Pair this pasta with a Super Tuscan red wine (a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Sangiovese), and you'll forget about dieting! - **Bistecca Alla Griglia**: It had nice flavor, but it was missing sides. However, you can order sides separately. Pairing this with the Orecchiette is a match made in heaven! **Dessert:** We had Tiramisu and Grappa (my husband loves having this after an Italian dinner; I prefer limoncello). Is this the best tiramisu we've ever had? Absolutely NOT. The flavor is decent, but the texture was a bit watery. Though I've never attempted to make Tiramisu, I trust my palate. The texture balance was off, so it didn't leave me feeling like I was in heaven while eating it. The only issue I find difficult to accept is the imposed 20% tip on the bill. I'm not a big fan of being forced to do anything, including tipping. That doesn't mean we don't EVER give 20%, 30%, or even 50% tips; tipping is part of American culture, and I understand its importance. However, forcing guests to pay 20% when we don't know if our server is attentive enough is completely ABSURD! What happened if we have a shitty server like the Italian restaurant in Newport News at the City Center Oyster Point? We had to file a complaint and asked for the manager! That said, this particular restaurant, as well as the server and the host, deserve more than a 20% tip. At the end of the day, I stand by my principle that tips should never be automatically imposed on the guest check, especially when the prices of the dishes are already high. For instance, the host lady up front, the younger one, didn't even bother to ask if we were planning to have dinner or just cocktails and appetizers. I thought we could just sit at the bar and ordered dinner there. Nope! You can't do that! Thankfully, the older lady was kind enough and was willing to see if we could get any table to dine in. Had this host our server, I would be livid with the imposed 20% tips on my bill!!! This is the reason why I think it's RIDICULOUS!!! I would give this place 4.5 stars, but since there's no option for half-star increments, I'm dropping it to 4 stars. read more

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Great food, service, and atmosphere! The chocolate creme brulee (must-have if available!), pancetta wrapped shrimp, and bucatini were some of our particular favorites! They do charge a 20% gratuity to every bill which is listed on the menu but important to note. read more

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Wonderful service and food! Tavola is easily one of the best Italian restaurants I've been to. We tried a variety of appetizers (carciofo, pane e olio, and burrata), and they were all delicious. I ordered one of their specials for dinner, and it did not disappoint! For dessert, we tried the tiramisu, chocolate hazelnut tart, and affogato, which were also amazing. I highly recommend and will be returning! read more

tavola - Italian Near Me - Charlottesville, Virginia

I'm a pasta lover so I was SO excited to try out this restaurant. I found it to be a bit overrated. The food, wine, and service were good. The noodles definitely tasted homemade and the sauce was yummy. However, the portions were pretty small and I wasn't wowed by anything. Disappointing and wishing I didn't hype it up in my head so much. Worth trying but we preferred Vivace's pasta, so we'll probably go back there next time. P.S. sorry for the blurry photos read more

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This place is "the Charlottesville restaurant" and I do think this place is the best restaurant in Charlottesville. We had the four course meal at 65 dollars per person, which is reasonable. Notably, the squid ink past was cooked al-Dante and had good flavor. But the branzino was a bit too salty. I would definitely come back again for sure read more

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Tavola remains one of our favorite Charlottesville establishments. You know it is good when the same regulars have their same counter seats. We consistently always order the carbonara, burrata, and at least one of their specials to try. I have never been disappointed. Their scallops are perfect, steak done right, and pasta so fresh. The vibes are everything. You feel like you're being served by family! Ask for Ryan's drink if you like bourbon, you won't be disappointed. Oh, they have cookie butter or Biscoff gelato?! Get the affogato. read more

Food was 5 stars. Everyone was very nice. Just be aware they automatically add 20% tip even on just 4 people. We almost added another 20 but then realized he had already gave himself the 20%. I feel in my opinion if you are going to tip yourself with my money you should tell me. Hey, just to let you know I already tipped myself 20%. Just to be transparent. I recommend this place especially the homemade pastas. read more

Yesterday, Tavola became one of my favorite restaurants on the planet. In fact, if I could have one last meal on earth, I would eat exactly what I ordered last night - trio di bruschetta, caramelle "fatto a mano," and hazelnut tart. This has been the most perfect and balanced meal I can remember having in a while (and I eat out a lot). All ingredients tasted incredibly fresh and the flavor profiles a masterpiece. Kudos to the staff and chef who made this dinner memorable. I can't wait to be back in Charlottesville and sit at the chefs counter at Tavola. read more

We arrived for 5 pm reservation and did not receive food at the table until 615 pm. We were the second people seated and still waited that long. Questioned the waitress about the delay and she blew off our concern. Manager walked by numerous times and could obviously see there was no food on our table for a long time. When the food did arrive the pasta was not fully cooked. To add insult, they added an automatic 20% gratuity for this awful food and service. I would strongly recommend you consider other option if you are looking for Italian in Charlottesville. Never again. read more

Service, drinks, and food are 5 stars! My coworker and I recently popped in after work (without a reservation) and sat at the bar. The bartender was attentive and recommended a tasty white wine for me. Highly recommend. read more

tavola - Italian Near Me - Charlottesville, Virginia

Holy smokes, the place was awesome. The food was excellent, the staff was really kind, and it was clearly the place to be. Enjoyed the.Branzina and it had a nice selection of wines. Others eating there told us is the only place they go when in Charlottesville for the weekend. read more

Somehow I've managed to live in Charlottesville for three years without making it here - so glad I finally got to try it! The restaurant is tiny, so reservations are a hit hard to come by. At the time I made the reservation the only option was the chef's table which is essentially bar seating but in the area where food is being prepared. It was cool to see the different dishes be plated and having the chefs chat with us, but would definitely recommend a regular table for a more intimate experience. Now onto the food and drinks! I'm currently pregnant so always appreciate a good mocktail selection. Here you can basically tell the bartender what flavor profile you want and they will come up with a mocktail for you, which I loved. The wine list looked excellent for the next time I come back. For food we ordered the scallop risotto and the shrimp pasta. Both came out perfectly and were super fresh and not too heavy, which was great because we knew we wanted to also get dessert. I got the tiramisu and it was the best I've had outside Italy. My husband ordered the gelato and an espresso and enjoyed both as well. This is definitely a spot that deserves to be a part of our date night rotation - we will definitely be back! read more

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Amazing Italian restaurant, I was pleasantly surprised by the meal here. Reservations definitely needed. My main knock is that we had a reservation and weren't seated for over 15 minutes past the time (we had a late reservation). When in the main dining room at peak hour it is loud, so can be hard to hear your party if you're not very close to each other at the table. The food is stellar - lots of options and nothing disappointed. I was a big fan of the fried artichoke and burrata appetizers. The pappardellep was very wide cut which I loved! Specials menu has great seasonal items and constantly changes. read more

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The service started out great. At first, our server was very attentive. We ordered an appetizer that came out quickly, along with two cocktails. Our appetizer was an artichoke and goat cheese dish that was good, but very salty. Clean flatware is given between each course. A nice touch. Several large parties came in at once. Our service slowed at that point, and we had to wait a considerable amount of time between our salads and entrees. Our server had become overwhelmed as the restaurant became busier. There were a lot of servers We ordered two salads, and two entrees. The restaurant appears to focus on presentation. The beautifully presented salads and main courses were good, but not excellent. I was expecting better quality. I ordered off of the special menu: pasta in vodka sauce with short ribs. The pasta sauce was delicious , however, there were only two short ribs with little meat and a lot of fat and grizzle, My companion's rockfish entree was undercooked. Again the focus was on presentation. When I mentioned the quality of the short ribs to the server, he just said he would pass on the info., He offered no apology. In addition, a 20% gratuity is added to the bill regardless of any issues. The total bill including tip was very expensive at over, $200.00 . .In conclusion, I would rate Tavola a 3.5 Service: very good Atmosphere: very good except for noise level when crowded, nice bar Presentation : very good Quality : very good Value : good . A 20% gratuity is added regardless read more

This was our first time and we loved it. I had a shrimp scampi dish and my wife had the eggplant. She said it was the best she has ever had. We will Be back for more! read more

I loved their pasta. The bolognese was really good. It's not heavy on the tomato which I appreciated. The seafood pasta was really good too, but it is a little salty. We also tried the homemade almond and blackberry gelato. It was soo good. The staff was amazing. Our waitress was great and really accommodating. I can't wait to come back and try more. read more

tavola - Bolognese - Italian Near Me - Charlottesville, Virginia

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The BEST pasta I have ever had- and im not even a pasta person! Though it's incredibly difficult to get reservations, we lucked out with the early bird special and got seated at 5pm. The pancetta wrapped shrimp was charred to perfection. My squid ink pasta special with crab meat and sausage was incredible! And of course, classic carbonara did not disappoint. Service was on point, too. Great recs! read more

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Really exceptional dining experience that has become a birthday tradition for my wife and I. We live outside of DC and travel down to Charlottesville almost every year now. This year did not disappoint. To start, my wife and I remembered having a wine from our previous visit, about a year ago, but couldn't find it on the menu. We found my photos of last year's visit on my phone, but they had stopped carrying this particular wine based on the wine list. And then - our server surprised us! She saw us looking at the photo and talking about the wine and went into the back and found it for us. It was just as excellent as we remembered, and even better because she went above and beyond to find it for us without us even asking! I'm usually not a Pesto fan, but the pesto on the burrata starter plate was probably my favorite I've ever had. We also both shared the Bucatini Americano and the Bolognese. Both are excellent, but the Bucatini is by far our favorite dish on the menu. Tavola is one of many great restaurants in the Charlottesville food scene. I only wish we had an excellent Italian place like this up in NoVa. read more

Great food and love that the kitchen is part of the restaurant. Enjoyable environment with great service!

Had my first experience out on their patio last week and it was lovely. The weather cooperates and the service was just as excellent as it is inside. We started with the artichokes as an appetizer and they were delectable, a perfect crunch while still maintaining the soft warmth of a cooked artichoke. I ordered the special, which was a seasonal ravioli with summer corn and it was wonderful. Truly, the perfect portion to feel sated and not overly full. For dessert I split the limoncello cheesecake with my friends and this is the only thing I was a bit disappointed in. It is not very lemon forward and tasted more like a regular cheesecake, underwhelming. Overall though, it's an amazing restaurant and I was so glad to stop in for dinner on my visit back to CVille. read more

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Came here on a date. Made reservations online in advanced and was seated at the front of the restaurant. It was my first time visiting Belmont and I was surprised that the restaurant was full even at 8 pm on a Tuesday. The ambiance at the front was really nice and the food tasted amazing. We ordered the Burrata Appetizer, Sauvignon Blanc, Branzino Alla Grigalia (Grilled Mediterranean Sea Bass), Gnocchi Di Patate Con Granchio (Potato Gnocchi with Crab), and Tiramisu. Everything was flavorful and cooked to perfection. I always see Burrata on my Pinterest feed but I had never tried it until visiting Tavola. The appetizer was a fun and delicious antipasto that I would definitely order again. Also, the seafood entrees tasted amazing with the sauv blanc. Overall, the prices at Tavola are on the high end; however, the amazing food and ambiance make it well worth it. read more

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I ADORE Tavola! It's one of the nicer restaurants in town and definitely can be a little heavier on the wallet, especially if you get their delicious cocktails, but it is so so so worth it! Their eggplant Parmesan is so deliciously cheesy while also being crispy on the edges and perfectly pan fried, seriously I wish I could eat it every day. Have been a few other times and tried other pastas which have been good but I keep coming back to the eggplant! read more

tavola - Trío de bruschette - Italian Near Me - Charlottesville, Virginia

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Very loud with poor acoustics. Window seating is hot. Food is ok, staff is arrogant.

The homemade pasta is everything you would expect and more. The service is impeccable as the staff is very knowledgeable about the menu and wines! The restaurant in a while had an amazing vibe that just made you feel welcome. read more

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This is one of those places that's tucked in as a hidden gem. Tavola was absolutely one of the best restaurants I've ever been to in terms of service, ambiance, and quality of food. The Belmont area is hidden behind the downtown cville area but has some of the greatest food options in cville! We started off with a house salad, but my party had entrees such as the salmon and the gnocchi. Salmon was cooked perfectly and the gnocchi tasted like it was straight from Italy. All plates were wiped clean with a final dessert of tiramisu or affogato. Highly highly recommend. read more

We had a wonderful meal with friends here...perfectly prepared meal(who would' have ever thought of a cold blueberry/carrott soup-it was devine). The service was prompt, friendly but never overbearing, they are training the young waitstaff well. Of our dining experiences for a recent toad tip with good friends, we can honestly say this was the highlight. Bob & Bonny Lee Roanoke VA read more

I don't like to pick favorites, but for Tavola I will. This fantastic space in the quaint and cute Belmont community will leave you wanting more after every visit! Everything on the menu is delicious and well priced. The service and staff are accommodating and well rehearsed on favorites and pairings! As I stated, everything on the menu is fantastic and if have a chance to order a special go for it! I highly recommend getting a reservation as this is a favorite among many in Charlottesville! read more

Tavola has consistently good food and is very popular. And every time we've eaten here we have enjoyed the meal. But be aware it is extremely noisy and the entire dining room smells like the kitchen. On our recent trip the waitress did not share that she added tip to a table of four. So just be mindful to check to see if tip is included. We enjoyed our meal but these factors are something to be aware of. read more

Nice ambiance and great service. Price a little high for a pizza but they were a homemade and good ingredients. Many good selections of drinks. read more

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We have been wanting to try this place for a while and finally pulled the trigger on my birthday. There are not a lot of choices for good Italian food, around and this one really hit the spot. It definitely hit the spot but for all the hype around it, I did expect it to be a little better than it was. Having an Italian waiter did boost it to 4 stars. read more

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Bless this lovely farm to table Italian restaurant for taking care of us even though we rolled in post hike, in dirt caked boots. We sat down and were immediately ensconced by the wait staff bringing us menus and water. My friend recommended their pasta and bruschetta trio and praised them for having a seasonal menu using the freshest ingredients. We settled in comfortably, delighting in the relaxed ambiance. Our Bruschettas came in a trio, each with starkly different toppings. I had the tuna one, each bite an explosion of flavor. My Carbonara pasta had the same powerful flavor. The pasta was perfectly coooked, the cheese generously added, and the pancetta gave it a hint of smokiness. The dish was perfectly, and the portion was just the right amount. I also had a bite of my friend's gnocchi and it was amazing! I usually hate gnocchi because it tends to be chewy, dense, and heavy. This gnocchi was soft, pillowy, almost marshmallow-like, and the kale in it imparted a fresh flavor. Come for authentic Italian food that will linger in your memory! read more