By far my best deli experience EVER. The entire staff was extremely kind and friendly. Very welcoming. I was helped by a (genuinely) nice girl named Haley. She helped me decide on what sandwich to get. I went with the turkey cranberry sandwich and I am so glad that I did. This was the best thanksgiving-like sandwich I've had yet. Awesome place, awesome food, awesome service. Highly recommended!!!! read more

We eat out a lot in Boston and surrounding suburbs, we are foodies and critical diners, yet and Via Lago never disappoints. It's a unique place, where the food is always good, and the vibes are equally so. The vibe extends to the patrons, I've had wonderful interactions with so many pleasant people dining at the bar, or even just in passing -- it's a neighborhood of nice people having a nice time. My husband and I ended up there again recently, we were going to eat at a trendy restaurant in Boston, but lacked the energy...and found our date night at Via Lago exceeded all expectations. I often come at noon to grab lunch, it's an entirely different world at night with candles, white tablecloths, and friendly service. What I realized on our date is that by making the choice to go to Via Lago, we eliminated so much of the stress that had ruined a couple of our previous dinner dates. There isn't a parking issue to start off the night with, there won't be a really long wait for a table or to get served. There won't be an attitude on the part of the wait staff or the patrons, you know that the owner is going to watch the food quality like a hawk, it won't come burned or raw...the food is always a reasonable value, you can really can relax, and enjoy your husband and the evening. Via Lago holds a unique place in my heart, I've often met friends there after an exhausting day and found such a wonderful antidote in Via Lago's food and the friendship of their wait staff. A friend remarked recently that we ALWAYS end up having such a nice time there...and I realize that's true! I felt moved to write this review to express my thanks for all the wonderful dinners that have lifted my spirits. And the lovely romantic sweet time I had a couple of weeks ago with my husband. Everyone seems to know when to be friendly and when to be respectful of your privacy. I think Lexington is very lucky to have this restaurant to retreat to. It's a gem. read more

Bad service. Oddest greeting at the door. Should have left then. Food was fine but manners of staff need work

Wow! We had an amazing dinner here recently.Beef Wellington was great.We shared the lobster corn chowder which was delightful.I had a rib eye steak that was better than the Capital Grille.Juicey and yummy.The ambience was comfortable and cozy.It is truly a hidden gem.We will be back.And our waitress was a love,professional and efficient,yet friendly and sweet. read more

Via Lago catered our wedding, and they were fantastic. Carol was great to work with. She was calm, friendly, down to earth, professional, and responsible. She always got back to us within a day if not an hour, and made us feel at ease. She worked with us to create the menu we wanted and the type of feel we wanted for our wedding. The actual wedding day was seamless--everything was on time, hassle free and very delicious. Staff was great. Years ago, I worked for two high-end caterers in Boston, and Via Lago's service and food was every bit as good. Even my wealthy, high end, foodie-snobby aunt and uncle from NYC said the food was excellent! A different aunt and uncle have also used their catering services for corporate events and were pleased. We have also been to the restaurant for dinner a couple of times and it was very good. read more

A fantastic casual place. Friendly staff and a wide variety of food choices. They will make any sandwich you want, even if it is off the menu. read more

Terrific. Menu changes frequently. Quality of food is high. Good beverage menu. Wait staff is courteous and professional. They remember what we like to order and are always happy to see us. This is a great neighborhood restaurant. We go for dinner a lot. Comfortable for families, girls night out, etc. Good for takeout and catering, too. Lexington is lucky to have Via Lago. read more

Has good sandwiches, I especially like their hot sandwiches. Nice salad selection - their primavera salad is light yet delicious. A good standby for lunch. read more

Love this place - delicious food, always fresh, lots of variety, friendly service. Have been going here for years and they have never let me down!! read more

We just had a wonderful meal at Via Lago, a scallop appetizer, mushroom risotto with a small filet mignon, and a wonderfully prepared pork chop. Decent wines at a reasonable price. Very comfortable dining room. We used to buy their fresh pasta to cook at home long ago. Now that we've tried Via Lago's dining-in menu, we'll be back soon. read more

Great spot for lunch. I go in here a lot and they're always friendly, service is quick, and the food is delicious. Can never go wrong with the lunch special or the pressed sandwich. Definitely recommend checking it out. read more

I think that this is the best "let's eat out tonight" or "let's meet up at" restaurant in Lexington right now, although I haven't been to Artisty on the Green, which is more of a Special Occasion restaurant, I think. Oops- haven't tried Il Casale Lexington yet either. Last night I had bacon-crusted cod with mashed potatoes and perfectly cooked whole fresh baby carrots. The cod was the most perfectly cooked fish I've had anywhere. Very hot, but very moist and not in the least bit overcooked. Remarkably delicious, with the salty bacon-powder crust perfectly offsetting the neutral sweetness of the fish. I didn't know that I could like cooked carrots at all, but these were cooked to the perfect stage between bright and tasty and the dull starchy sweetness that I dislike about cooked carrots. We shared an avocado and ceviche salad on greens with citrus dressing that was absolutely perfect. My husband had Catalonian slow braised lamb shank with mushroom rice and the same carrots I had. He described it as subtle, delicious and enormous. The atmosphere of Via Lago has evolved over the years from Lunch Spare to a little more dinner-like. Then they expanded a year or two ago, adding a nice but featureless dining room. They are expanding again, and the new atmosphere promises to be livelier and more bar-centered, with a bar food menu and a more convivial atmosphere. It looks like the atmosphere will be more like the great atmosphere at Vine Brook Tavern but with better food and pricing. read more

This is our go-to, favorite local restaurant. The food is tasty, fresh, and always great. Wine list is limited, but good enough and priced right. Ambiance is comfy, service excellent. Try the warm scallop and spinach "salad"... I get this as a main. But, don't tell too many people... We like that you can almost always get a table or, even better, eat at the bar. read more

consistently good food. My favorite sandwiches are the tuna fish and the prosciutto/basil/mozzarella

Come here all the time for dinner. Always good food and service. I think the expansion will be a success as well!

Via Lago has gone downhill. The menu looks good, but the execution is not what it used to be. In a recent dinner, the fish was greasy and the duck was not seared properly and the sauce was not sufficiently reduced and lacked flavor. read more

I have never set foot in their building but my company orders through their catering department all the time. They are almost always early when they deliver our catering and the food is always amazing. What gives them a 5 star rating for me is that twice I have placed catering orders outside of their normal business hours. The first time we had a crew working overnight on a Friday night and needed breakfast for them at 6:00am on a Saturday morning. Most of the caterers we use laughed at me (ok, not really, but I would have laughed at me with a request like that). I placed the order online with Via Lago and crossed my fingers. I got a call from them and my heart sank. To my surprise they were just calling to confirm my order, suggest changes that would ensure the quality of the food, and to let me know that the weekend delivery charge was more than the weekday charge so that I was not taken back by it when I got the invoice. The day of, their driver was there at 5:45am and everything was hot and freshly made, the driver also offered to help me set everything up more than one time and left the insulated bag with me so that the hot stuff would stay hot. Today we had a very important early meeting and needed breakfast at 6:15am. The driver arrived at 6 and everything was perfect and very much appreciated. Awesome place, awesome staff, awesome catering. P.S.-After 10+ years in the food service industry doing everything from serving, to events, to being a line cook, I know what goes in to it and they do an amazing job at Via Lago. read more

The food is great. Quick service. Pasta salads are delicious. Chili is the best chili I've ever had. Great for breakfast, lunch and dinner!

I've lived in Lexington for almost 11 years and I can seriously say that I've never had a bad meal, or a meal that was less than perfect, at Via Lago. Their menu changes so I'm always delighted by what I have to choose from at any time. The meals are cooked to order and even with that in mind, there is no long wait-time involved. Seating is comfortable. Bar has everything. Staff is right there to offer suggestions and answer questions. The cook is willing to accomodate his dishes with the changes you prefer (a biggie with me). Lively but cozy atmosphere. Also for the take out crowd, there is a separate area that you can pick up the best and varied dishes for home dining. Yum! I'd go and try it if I were you! read more

Heading into Via Lago today for lunch, I was sure it was going to be a tomato mozzerella and basil sandwich kind of day. But as usual once I saw the specials...my taste buds went wild. The chicken florentine soup is one of my all-time faves. Most restaurants over-salt soups. Not Via Lago, just the right balance to bring out the natural flavor of the real ingredients.. I usually buy 2: one to eat now, and 1 to put in the freezer to heal the next cold. But how could I pass up the Pork Quesadilla? Now that would drive away the blahs of being back at the office after a long weekend. Oh no, another choice? Grilled flank steak with carmelized onions and blue cheese-yum! This restaurant has a standard menu filled with delicious sandwiches, and they still come up with 4-5 offerings every day that are even more unique. read more

My daughter and I went there for breakfast - they have the biggest fluffiest quiche I'v ever had. Not a whole lot of light pastry choices for my daughter. Store looks closed at that hour, but worth wandering in read more

wonderful reasonably priced meal and could hear my friends talk which was a pleasure. Our waiter did his best to please a discriminating wine expert amongst us. I'm coming back soon. Anne I read more

I really enjoy the variety of salads and sandwiches at Via Lago Cafe. It is a good place to go if you want a quick lunch or coffee and dessert. Great for take-out as well. Last time I went there in Dec., I did have a problem with the attitude of a woman who works behind the counter. She was rather rude and impatient even though I was the only one in line. When she delivered a meal to a gentleman at a table, she just put it down in front of him without a word. I could see that she was a hard worker so maybe she just needs customer service training or to work behind the scene. Others who work there seem very nice & helpful. read more

Via Lago catered my son's bar mitzvah and they did a beautiful job. The food was great and the staff was very professional. Carol Dunbar was a dream to work -- so organized but easygoing. Everything was GREAT. read more

This restaurant is a hidden gem in Lexington Center. My wife and I now live in California and having dinner here made us both a bit home sick. Excellent food with a great seasonal menu. I wanted to try everything on their apple menu. The duck was tender and juicy. The best part was the service. Rachael was amazing. She was very attentive and a pleasure to chat with. Her New England sense of humor also contributed a bit to the home sickness. Everyone should give this place a try. I also heard from my wife's family that the bistro ambience transforms into an excellent deli during the day. Five stars! read more

This is our favorite restaurant!! Food is unique and fresh and the staff is the best. We have been coming here for 11 years and it is by far our favorite restaurant. read more

Although I have had decent meals here, last Tuesday was a huge disappointment. It took an inordinate amount of time for our food to come and when it did, my duck skin was burnt. Very dissatisfying. read more

Great ambience and reasonably priced. We all enjoyed our meals.

I love Via Lago!!! I have eaten lunch there many times and have never been disappointed. Everything I've tried has been delicious!

Was disappointed in this place. Went for dinner - food was served lukewarm, had to ask for it to go back to kitchen. The chicken in the chicken pot pie was not well cleaned. Service appeared to be good if you were a regular, but we had to flag people down to get any service. Would not go back. read more

We love the food at Via Lago's and the menu changes periodically which is especially nice when you go every week. Love eating at the bar and generally run into other regular customers. Great service, delicious food and fun place with super staff! read more

I absolutely love this place my meal was excellent and atmosphere was amazing I went with a large group and they were able to accommodate us our server was very attentive and we will definitely be back. read more

Via Lago is a great place! The owner, Alan, is a wonderful person and so are his employees! The food is excellent. Recently, they donated a great cheese plate for an event at Harvard to raise funds for the Nepal victims. It was a huge success! I also love the lunch menu and I eat there several times a week. It's really terrific. read more

I'm gonna try to keep it short. Went in there tonight both the manager ,Joyce, (i asked what her name was) and the bartender (bigger woman) were rude and lacking some serious customer service. I had a baby stroller and they wouldn't even seat us in the dining area until she saw the size of my stroller. Really? The place was empty. I realize it's Saturday night but it was 5 pm and I have a baby, we prob would've been out of there in an hour. A real competent restaurant manager would've known this and taken care of us. After listening to 10minuted of back and fourth banter of the manager and bartender of whether it would "work" or not we went to their "deli" area. Apparently they were ok w this since they just let us go. We were 5 adults one baby. Wouldve been a nice bill but oh well. The boy at the deli counter was more polite and mannered than either of the other 2. And now the food AWFUL. I ordered a seared scallop salad soggy mushy spinach and undercooked scallops. My husband has gotten a better quesadilla at taco bell and it didn't cost $10. I hope whoever owns this restaurant reads this so he knows how awful his manager is handling things there. I know we all have off nights but this was 1 awful thing after another. Oh ya and the kicker was the young teenage girl behind the counter in sweats talking really loud and calling one of the guys in the back "fu$&@$ sexy". Real classy. We go out all the time and bring my son. I realize everyone doesn't like babies but really get over yourselves ladies. I've taken him to restaurants 1000 x nicer than this place and have always been accommodated. Too many other nice restaurants in Lexington. Maybe they should just be caterers and a breakfast place since those seem to be the only good reviews they have. read more

great food. they change the menu every 6 weeks or so, but the items are real tasty. good prices. they just expanded the restaurant and it helps because sometimes you could not get a table for a hour. read more

My husband I had dinner at Via Lago last night. We were impressed with the lovely room, but things went down hill. I don't write bad reviews as I know that can hurt a restaurant. However, this was such a terrible experience, I felt that readers and the restaurant show be aware. Whatever could go wrong, did. We were the first ones to be seated that night when the restaurant opened. The hostess sat us at a table in the bar. She didn't ask what we'd prefer. There were no other patrons, except one man at the bar seated before the restaurant's 5 pm opening, in the restaurant. The table was fine so we let it go. We shouldn't have. We should have asked to be moved. The bar tender (our waiter) came over shortly and asked for our drink order. We had already had enough time to review the menu so we asked to order. We noted on the expansiveness of the offerings. He said it was new today. I ordered an appetizer and entrée. My husband then asked if the curry pumpkin soup had a vegetable or chicken stock base. The waiter said that he had no idea and repeated that it was a new menu, as to excuse his not knowing. We didn't expect him to know per se, but rather for him to find out. We explained that my husband doesn't eat meat. A moment passed and he said he'd check. He came back and said it was chicken stock. Note to chef, in this day and age of dietary restrictions, curry pumpkin soup really should have vegetable stock. My husband ordered an appetizer and entrée. I repeated my order and drink order. The waiter did not write it down. We should have asked him to. Time went by and our appetizers arrived. Very nice. We finished them, but noticed that other tables had bread. It would have been nice with my soup as I had gotten the curry pumpkin soup. Our waiter wasn't around so we asked the young male server walking by for bread. He said "yes" and then went into the kitchen. He came out with a basket of bread and then proceeded to bring it to another table. Ouch. We waited to see if he would bring us a basket, but he never did. We suspect he forgot which table asked him. We then saw the hostess walking by and asked her for bread. She went into the kitchen and brought us out two rolls, one olive, one plain. So my husband and I split the olive. A little more bread would have been nice since clearly a mistake was made in not giving it to us to begin with. OK. The same young man who didn't bring us the bread then brought out my entrée. He made no mention of why my husband's wasn't there. We should have stopped him to ask. I waited to start my entrée in hopes that my husband's would arrive. Nothing. Finally I started it, swordfish with a tomato remoulade like sauce. Very nice, but cold sauce on top of a hot entrée? I scraped off the sauce to keep the fish warm. We called over to our waiter to ask about my husband's missing entrée. He went into the kitchen and came right back out and said it would only be a few moments. The kitchen was slammed. Remember, we were the first in, except for the man at the bar, and the first to order when the restaurant opened. Still no entrée for my husband. I gave him some of mine. We saw the young male server again and asked him about my husband's entrée. He went into the kitchen, then went to see our waiter (the bartender) at the bar. Our waiter then went into the kitchen and came out and said it would be out soon. By then, my dinner was finished. His entrée came out and our waiter explained that the kitchen was sorry suggesting that it was the kitchen's mistake. My husband finished up and we asked for our bill. The waiter was working on it and then called over one of the other waiters. He seemed to be having trouble printing it out. We suspect that my husband's entrée was never on the bill to begin with and the waiter never put through the order. We could be wrong, but it would explain all the mishaps. The waiter brought our bill over. Every item was on the bill. He really should have comped my husband's entrée at that point. He did not. We put our credit card in the bill folder and waited. Nothing. We finally just paid in cash. We would have gotten dessert, but enough was enough. We clearly were too understanding throughout the evening and should have asked for the manager earlier. We were just too optimistic that service would improve. We were headed to a nearby show so we wanted to get going. No "thank you for visiting" from our hostess as we left. Clearly, one of the worst service experiences we have ever had and that's saying a lot. We really wanted to like this restaurant and we have fairly reasonable expectations generally of neighborhood restaurants, but this was really poor on the service side. We hope that with this review, patrons will learn from our mistakes by immediately speaking up should they experience anything we did and that the restaurant's manager looks into these comments and resolves these issues so that patrons won't even have to experience this. read more