Category Archives: Italian

Tartini Pizzeria & Spaghetteria

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**** (4 stars)

Stylish on both exterior and interior, Tartini serves up authentic Naples style pizza. The thin crust is the perfect combination of crisp and chewy, and can be slightly charred around the edge if you request. There’s an almost infinite combination of toppings available, including arugula, pesto sauce, and ricotta cheese for something different from the typical American pizza.

Even the bargain priced side salad is a generous serving, and there are some excellent pasta dishes.

A brief wine list offers an interesting three glass tasting option, and there are some intriguing beers.

Service is friendly and helpful.

Tartini Pizzeria & Spaghetteria
6327 S Orange Ave
Orlando, FL 32809
(407) 601-2400
http://www.yelp.com/biz/tartini-pizzeria-and-spaghetteria-orlando

Piazza Rialto Italian Restaurant

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Five cheese platter

Interior

**** (4 stars)

Rialto has now become the restaurant this neighborhood needs. After a rocky first year, new management and chef have elevated this to an outstanding experience. 

This was always a beautiful space, far nicer than one expects in a small shopping center. Its versatile design lends itself to group meals, family outings, after work time at the bar, pleasant outdoor dining, and romantic dinners for two–quite an accomplishment all in one space.

But now the food and service live up to the environment. New additions such as a cheese platter of mostly French cheeses and a chocolate creme brulee dessert add an international flair, and there are also American offerings such as a buffalo chicken flatbread. But the focus is still on Italian food, with a variety of pastas and classic Italian entrees. The freshly baked bread was top notch, and we particularly enjoyed the antipasto salad, a creative combination of greens, prosciutto and olives.

The biggest improvement is the service. Our waiter, Anthony, was obviously very concerned that we have a great time, and we could see that to be the case with other tables and servers as well. The hands-on approach by management, who visited our table, is also a dramatic change. Clearly everyone is now onboard to turn this into a great restaurant, and we will happily return.

It’s nice to finally have a great Italian restaurant in our neighborhood.

Piazza Rialto Italian Restaurant
7782 Winter Garden Vineland Rd
Windermere, FL 34786
(855) 474-2586
http://www.yelp.com/biz/piazza-rialto-italian-restaurant-windermere-2

La Macchina Cafe

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**** (4 stars)

This is one of the better Italian restaurants in Evanston, despite the confusing name that makes it sound like it’s a coffee place. They do indeed have good espresso, but it really is an Italian cafe.

I tried two specials of the day. The first was the “artichoke fritters” which weren’t actually fritters, but lightly battered artichoke pieces deep fried. A better choice was the mussels in cream sauce. These were nicely done, and the cream sauce was delicious without being too heavy. A basket with two types of bread was provided, and one of them proved perfect for dipping in the leftover sauce.

There is a thoughtful list of wines by the glass, including many Italian selections, and the pours are generous.

A macchiato was the perfect way to finish off the meal.

La Macchina Cafe
1620 Orrington Ave
Evanston, IL 60201
(847) 425-1080
http://www.yelp.com/biz/la-macchina-cafe-evanston

Noyes Street Cafe

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**** (4 stars)

I really enjoyed my lunch here, and they were able to accommodate my limited time frame.

The meal includes a simple green salad or soup. I had the salad with balsamic dressing.

I chose the broiled fish sandwich, which was a nice serving of salmon on a good bun. The sandwich was accompanied by lettuce, tomato, cole slaw, pickles, cucumbers, tartar sauce and thin slices of carrot, so I had no trouble finding an interesting way of dressing it! There was also a large mound of hot, crisp french fries.

This was a good sized lunch, all fresh and quickly prepared, and I felt the $11 price tag was quite fair.

Noyes Street Cafe
828 Noyes St
Evanston, IL 60201
(847) 475-8683
http://www.yelp.com/biz/noyes-street-cafe-evanston

Trattoria D.O.C.

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*** (3 stars)

This is a pleasant Italian restaurant in the middle of an old fashioned block of main street surrounded by lots of interesting shops. Pizzas are served uncut so they don’t get soggy, and there are some interesting salads. I had a combination of celery, apple and radicchio that was quite refreshing.

The wine list has some uncommon offerings by the glass, including the seldom seen primitivo.

There is some sidewalk seating that’s perfect on a nice day.

The only downside is that it’s not inexpensive, and there doesn’t seem to be a lunch menu, so two courses can result in a rather pricey noon-time meal. But on a nice summer evening it’s certianly a good outside dining option.

Trattoria D.O.C.
706 Main St
Evanston, IL 60202
(847) 475-1111
http://www.yelp.com/biz/trattoria-d-o-c-evanston

Convito Cafe & Market

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IMG_6921**** (4 stars)

What lovely place for a al fresco lunch on a nice day! Plentiful patio seating, most of it nicely shaded make this a terrific (and popular) place to enjoy a nice day outside.

We particularly likes the salmon flatbread, with its pungent base of boursin cheese. I also enjoyed the trio of cold salads, which featured a particularly tasty chicken salad the day we visited.

The blood orange mimosas are a nice midday drink. I thought the ginger beer could have used a bit more kick; its heavy emphasis on citrus made it more like lemonade.

Definitely a nice respite from downtown sidewalk dining!

Convito Cafe & Market
1515 Sheridan Rd
Wilmette, IL 60091
(847) 251-3654
http://www.yelp.com/biz/convito-cafe-and-market-wilmette

Noodles & Company

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**** (4 stars)

Excellent service at this Noodles & Company, and a nice outside dining area. The dishes aren’t quite as integrated as at some others I’ve been to up North. My Pad Thai was just okay; the chicken seemed like an afterthought that just sort of sat there. The edamame seems expensive at $3 considering the small serving, and it’s completely lacking in any seasoning or salt. My friend’s Shrimp Bangkok Curry was much better, and is what I’d have on a return visit.

Noodles & Company
12529 State Rd 535
Orlando, FL 32836
(407) 560-8325
http://www.yelp.com/biz/noodles-and-company-orlando

Christini’s Ristorante Italiano

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**** (4 stars)

Any restaurant that has been in business for thirty years must be doing something right, and Christini’s certainly is. In fact, they’re doing it exactly the same as thirty years ago. We went here when they first opened, and upon a return visit thirty years later we could detect no differences. It’s still got that traditional restaurant decor and lighting, still offers the same traditional Italian dishes, and the owner still comes around to every table, just as he has been doing every night for thirty years.

That dedication is reflected in the loyalty and enthusiasm of the entire staff. Ingredients are fresh, and service is prompt and friendly.

If there’s a downside to Christini’s, it’s the price. Food prices tend to be 50 to 100% higher than comparable items elsewhere, and wine markups are astronomical. Since no corkage is available, be prepared to pay $200 for a decent bottle of wine. Is a multi-course dinner for two with wine worth $400 to $600? The packed room on Saturday night attests to the fact that Christini’s clients believe it is.

Christini’s Ristorante Italiano
7600 Dr Phillips Blvd
Orlando, FL 32819
(407) 345-8770
http://www.yelp.com/biz/christinis-ristorante-italiano-orlando

The Cellar Restaurant

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***** (5 stars)

I love the ambiance of this restaurant in both of its very different rooms. Downstairs is intimate (although it can get noisy) and not at all cellar-like because of the clever use of backlit stained glass windows. Upstairs is light and airy, like eating in a conservatory surrounded by flowers and shrubs.

The food and wines are mostly traditional Italian, and the ingredients are fresh.

Service is impeccable, and the proprietress keep a sharp lookout to make sure it stays that way. A terrific fine dining experience.

The Cellar Restaurant
220 Magnolia Ave
Daytona Beach, FL 32114
(386) 258-0011
http://www.yelp.com/biz/the-cellar-restaurant-daytona-beach-2