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    Dolce Vita

    4.4 (68 reviews)
    PriceyBars, Italian
    Open • 3:00 pm - 9:00 PM
    Updated over 3 months ago

    Dolce Vita Photos

    Business Info

    DOLCE VITA ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Casual
    Romantic
    Classy
    Moderate noise

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    Recommended Reviews - Dolce Vita

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    Reviews With Photos

    Fried Zucchini & Yellow Squash
    Chun M.

    Serving a party of 35 is not an easy task! We were in the back party room with tables set up in a U and the room could easily accommodate twice that many people. The service was impeccable and impressive because the waitstaff were obviously highly trained and attentive, knowing exactly when a wine or water glass needed filling, food was served quickly or when dishes or utensils needed to be changed or cleared. House red & white wines set on the table in carafes were constantly refilled and crusty Italian bread was in no short supply. Our select menu started with antipasti, served family style, starting with Crispy Calamari and Breaded Zucchini & Yellow Squash, all perfectly batter dipped, breaded and fried. The squash were super hot and almost burned my tongue, but you know they were seasoned right as they came out of the hot oil, perfectly golden and accompanied by sweet marinara sauce. These were followed by Mussels Marinara, all plump and sweet. Following a traditional Italian meal, the pasta course was served in the form of Penne a la Vodka for everyone. We had a couple of vegans and gluten-free diets in our party and they were accommodated without hesitation. For entrées, we had a choice of Fillet of Sole Oreganata, Italian NY Strip Steak or Veal Sorrentino, all with a side of sautéed string beans and a cheesy croquette. I opted for the flounder which was very flavorful and of course heavy on the garlic. My wife had the steak and I was most grateful that she shared some with me. For the vegans, the chef was able to make a Grilled Vegetable Medley and for the gluted-free, Grilled Pork Chops. Of course, dessert was served family style as well with Italian Cheesecake and Tartufo w/ Layered Chocolate & Vanilla Ice Cream, all washed down with coffee, espresso or cappuccino. I even took the ice cream out of my tartufo and made my own affogato, though they probably would have made me one! I would love to come back for a repeat performance of this amazing evening!

    Chocolate mousse cake
    Demora F.

    One of the best experiences I've had.! We had reservations and was seated right away . It was clearly not a busy evening but it was perfect . The ambience was giving romantic vibes. Our server did an amazing job. He went over the specials with us and it was such a hard decision because everything sounded so good We settled for zucchini flowers , octopus, calamari meatballs for appetizers , entrees were chicken Marsala , salmon pieces wth pasta and peas , sea bass , and pork chops. Hope I didn't forget anything as it was so much food We also had red and white wine . Everything was extremely delicious ! The calamari needed a kick of flavor/spice but otherwise everything tasted incredible ! Desert was heavenly. I will definitely be back! Amazing food and service !

    On the wall
    Joel H.

    Word: Amazing. I mean from the second I walked into Dolce Vita it was a fabulous experience. This is truly and neighborhood hidden gem of an Italian restaurant. You walk into a lovely bar area and are immediately greeted by the owner, George. A delightful person who was genuinely happy to say hello to his guests and prepare you for a wonderful meal. We were a group of 12 friends. Joe, the regular in the restaurant, hosted us and ordered appetizers to pass around including a Calamari - which was AMAZING and Mozzarella and Tomatoes, also fantastic. Sitting here was like being in an old school dining spot. It seems like everyone here new everyone here. And the newbies were welcomed to join the family. There were lots of main dishes going on around here and everyone was dipping into every thing. Not even sure of what I was enjoying BUT, I was enjoying everything. Clearly, I should have been back already but sadly I have not. I will and document more of the dishes. Some advice though... DO NOT fill up on the amazing bread... Remember to leave room for a dessert, even if you have to share it.

    Cabernet Sauvignon
    Nicola C.

    I decided to visit the Old Pinocchio's place and was totally amazed with the New DV! I was in awe with their cuisine, ambiance & especially their service. Luiz (Head Waiter) & Anthony couldn't have been more on point with their hospitality & professional attitude towards a total stranger. And the bartender George along with his wife, Rosanna (as a patron) couldn't have more welcoming and the most kindest people I have privilege of meeting. NOW ABOUT THE FOOD!!!! MARRONE!!! If there is a place you want to have authentic Italian cuisine.....this is the place...BRAVO to the chef and his staff. RATING:#1 in Fine Dining! 100% in Satisfying the palate! 10 out of 10 in Excellence & Experience! THANKS FOR A WONDERFUL TIME! Nicola Cervo

    Menu - what a selection!
    Nancy T.

    After reading rave reviews about DV on a marine park Facebook group my boyfriend and I decided to try this close to home restaurant for my birthday dinner just the two of us -DV is a visually attractive restaurant and the service and the food are AMAZING! DELICIOUS Italian cuisine and attentive service -they make a red sauce that would make any Italian grandma proud! Their menu and specials are quite extensive! We were thrilled they were offering zucchini flowers last night - we shared zucchini flowers which was lightly fried, breaded and with cheese and that red sauce -yumilicious! We also shared the stuffed artichoke - again absolutely delicious! We ordered the same main dish - seafood Fra Diavolo -warning it's very spicy but still delicious and with a very generous serving of sea food and your choice of pasta They made my birthday special when desert came around - a sparkling candle on my way too sweet cheesecake cone and almost the whole restaurant joined in to sing happy birthday! I give this great restaurant 4 stars instead of 5 because wow are the acoustics bad! We were there on a Wednesday evening and place was full mostly small and medium sized groups dining and they were noisy - if you are looking for a quiet romantic evening where you can hear each other speak unless the place is empty I don't think this would be your best pick - we really did LOVE the food and the service!

    This is the menu that was shown to me after the menu
    Tina M M.

    I have never heard of this place but came for an occasion tonight. I was not told much about the menu upon agreeing to attend because I am not picky. The fixed menu did not include the original offers that I discovered after. As everyone ordered nothing was appealing to me the choices were veal, chicken or fish. I asked the waiter if there was a vegetarian choice he said eggplant. The food came out as I struggled to cut the eggplant with my fork, felt like plastic was in between. I continued to try and find a soft piece maybe a hard piece of cheese but the whole thing was hard. I motioned to the waiter and told him no good. He asked if I wanted something else I was turned off by whatever that was I ate. Later came the cake which had a white hair in it along with my burnt coffee. I got up to pay my bar bill and quietly was telling the waiter what I discovered. All of a sudden a very loud voice said you can tell me,come on! Shouting. I'm the owner! I said what are you screaming for? I told him about my experience he tells me he yells because he is European. Needless to say the food did not come off the bill, the bill was given in one lump sum with the gratuity already included and tax. This owner didn't give a s--t about nothing not even a apology. Mister owner.... Your food is disgusting and so is your attitude. Yes the restaurant had people in it, probably regulars but the fixed menu with only choices that cost me $78 that I didn't even eat. That is really bad.

    Meatballs appetizer

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    8 months ago

    Not impressed. My dish watery. They took my favorite dish off of the menu ... linguine puttanesca

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    Solid Italian food! Not the greatest but always just hits the spot! The spaghetti and meatballs is classic and the pizza is solid.

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    2 years ago

    A regular for special occasions and every day , never disappoints with the food, service, drinks ,

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    Barbalu Bklyn - Short rib ragu pappardelle

    Barbalu Bklyn

    4.3(182 reviews)
    6.0 mi•Cobble Hill

    We recently celebrated a family member's college graduation at Barbalu in Brooklyn, and we found…read morethis hidden gem. This cozy, family style Italian restaurant offers a warm atmosphere and an impressive bar. We enjoyed refreshing drinks, including peach spritzes, classic old-fashioneds, and Aperol spritzes, all while soaking in the inviting vibe. We ordered burrata and shrimp / calamari to start. Our meal featured a variety of entrées, and everything was delicious. The bronzino was a standout, while the ribeye steak earned rave reviews. The lamb chops and roasted chicken also delighted our taste buds, and we wrapped up with their delightful tiramisu. Barbalu truly made our graduation celebration special. Special thank you to Adriana and the staff for great service.

    Salty, bland, and overpriced for small portions with slow service. Ambiance exuded PE-backed…read more"upscale Italian" restaurant that had no soul. I had the short rib ragu; the pasta was al dente but the sauce was lackluster - way too salty yet still bland and 1-note. Meat was tender but wish there was more. Portions were tiny for a $28 pasta. House bread was stale. Overall, not the worst if you have $60 to spare for dinner and eat a bite somewhere else beforehand. Ambiance is strange: hard uncomfortable wooden chairs and tables complemented by a florescent half empty deli counter.

    Photos
    Barbalu Bklyn
    Barbalu Bklyn - Broccolini Pizza

    Broccolini Pizza

    Barbalu Bklyn - Homemade Fettuccine with Beef and Pork Ragu'

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    Homemade Fettuccine with Beef and Pork Ragu'

    Evelina - Evelina's Dining Room -  Shot by Shane Condino

    Evelina

    4.4(512 reviews)
    5.6 mi•Fort Greene
    •$$

    Split the the zucchini blossoms with my partner, mozz, capers and cetara anchoivies were delicately…read morefried and delicious. An umami bomb in a very pleasant way. Oxtail pappardelle with a healthy dose of grana hit the spot. Just the right portion size. Black sea bass with corn puree, asparagus, roasted mushrooms, radishes, salsa verde was incredible. It's obvious there's talented people in the kitchen. Just go if you are in the fort greene area.

    I recently had dinner with friends at Evelina and had a nice experience. We started with the…read morezucchini blossoms, which were okay, and the fritto misto, which was delicious. The calamari and shrimp were perfectly crispy, although I wish the portion included more than two shrimp. For drinks, I ordered the Lavinia, and it was excellent--a refreshing blend of tequila, lime, orange, and a nice touch of honey. For my entrée, I had the grilled pork chops, which were cooked perfectly. The pistachio gremolata added a unique burst of flavor that really elevated the dish. My friends ordered a variety of pasta dishes, which I tried and tasted good, and everyone enjoyed their meals. We ended with dessert and tried both the traditional tiramisu, which was very good, and the budino--a butterscotch pudding with pistachio gelato--which completely stole the show. It was absolutely amazing. Overall, a great dining experience, and I'd definitely return.

    Photos
    Evelina
    Evelina
    Evelina - Burrata, Asparagus, shaved Bottarga

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    Burrata, Asparagus, shaved Bottarga

    Piccoli Trattoria

    Piccoli Trattoria

    4.4(663 reviews)
    4.7 mi•South Slope, Park Slope
    •$$

    3 stars. Overall, there were some genuinely good parts of the meal, although the experience was a…read morelittle uneven. I started with the fig jam, prosciutto, and gorgonzola appetizer. Overall it was good, but the combination needed better balance. The gorgonzola had a pretty aggressive bite, and paired with the saltiness of the prosciutto it became a little much. There were some greens underneath, and once I incorporated those into each bite, they mellowed everything out considerably. I actually think the greens needed to be treated as part of the dish rather than essentially garnish. For my entrée I had the special, a risotto with clams and octopus. The octopus was easily the best part. The clams were extremely small and pretty average, to the point that I'm not sure they added much to the dish at all. The risotto itself was also surprisingly bland and not particularly enjoyable on its own. Mixed with the octopus, however, it worked much better and became a genuinely enjoyable bite. That's ultimately where the dish felt a little uneven: the strongest component was carrying the rest of the plate rather than everything working together. Service was fine when I arrived, but became noticeably slower once the outdoor seating filled up. The restaurant has both indoor and outdoor sections, but appeared to have only two servers, with the hostess also serving and a barback supporting the operation. Once the patio got busy, most of the staff's attention shifted outside and the indoor dining room received considerably less attention. Nobody seemed lazy or inattentive individually. It simply looked understaffed for the number of tables they were trying to cover. One additional server during the busy period probably would have made a substantial difference. And, admittedly a minor thing, an Italian restaurant having limoncello but no amaretto was disappointing. Nothing here was terrible. The appetizer had good ideas, the octopus was quite good, and the meal had several enjoyable moments. The food and service were just inconsistent enough that I couldn't quite call it a strong three-star experience, but it was close. I'd put it around 2.75 stars, which I'm comfortable rounding to three.

    I stopped in to Piccoli to grab a snack. I began with a grilled corn salad. The corn was grilled…read morejust right as were the peppers. My main was Black Spaghetti with Shrimp and Chorizo. This was really delicious. My server Taylor was a sweetheart. I'm not giving five stars for two reasons. The space is anything but beautiful. and my $18 glass of Super Tuscan red wine was pretty bad. I'll be back!

    Photos
    Piccoli Trattoria
    Piccoli Trattoria - Bread

    Bread

    Piccoli Trattoria

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    Lilia - Apple crostata (@joeynht)

    Lilia

    3.9(1.4k reviews)
    7.0 mi•Williamsburg - North Side
    •$$$$

    Lilia has been on my Brooklyn bucket list for a long time, and I finally got to try it -- and…read morehonestly, it was incredible. Of course, we did what we always do; showed up without a reservation haha... It was packed, and the hostess told us the was no way they could seat us. Defeated, we went outside ans sat on a bench trying to figure out our next move. Then the unimaginable happened. One of the people running the floor passed us outside, started chatting with us, and said, "let me double-check". A few minutes later, he came back and got us a table! He make sure we understood that we only had it for a short window bc they needed it back at a certain time -- but we got at least hour and a half to enjoy it so we were THRILLED. To us that was more than enough. He really went out of his way to make it happen, and honestly wish I remembered his name so I could give him the credit he deserves. And the service from there was outstanding. Even though we knew we had a time restriction, we never felt rushed or hurried for a second. Everything felt relaxed, attentive, and perfectly paced, which made them whole experience even better. Once we sat down, we started ordering as quickly as possible. The grilled clams were insanely good -- flavorful and with just the right little kick. The Nduja & sungold tomato toast was surprise favorite. The tomatoes were so juicy, and the flavors were perfectly balanced. Simple, but SO good. The little gem salad was fresh, crunchy and exactly what we needed in between all the richer dishes. For pastas, I had the mafaldini with parmigiano, one of their signatures, and it was delicious. BUT... I have to give the win to my husband's pick, rigatoni alla diavola. I know they are completely different dishes, and Im usually a white-sauce kind of girl, but there was something about that bold, spicy flavor that just HIT THE SPOT. And dessert... The vanilla soft serve gelato and the warm rasberry tart together were the perfect combination -- creamy, warm, fruity, and just the right way to finish our lucky dinner. Lilia was absolutely worth the wait and definitely lived up to the hype. Another Brooklyn spot checked off the list -- and one I'd happily go back to.

    I managed to get a reservation for 4 at 6:30pm when my friends were visiting. I'm not sure why this…read moreplace is so hyped because I found the experience to be good, but definitely absolutely not worth having to snag a resy not at 9pm via priority notify. For starters: the bread was good (hard to mess up though?) the squash was fine, and I wish the tomatoes had been heirloom or thicker cut. For mains: the sheep's milk agnolotti was not for me, it was oddly sweet, I'm honestly not sure why it's so popular. The rigatoni and gnocchi were very good - the rigatoni was perfectly al dente paired with good flavor and the texture of the gnocchi was perfect. Highly recommend ordering these. Dessert: they definitely don't skimp on the dessert, we each got our own but the gelato options were definitely shareable. They also had amaro options which I always appreciate but didn't get this time. The space was a little cramped indoors though that didn't bother me as much as the temperature. It was a really hot summer day and I don't think they had air conditioning? Or if they did it definitely was not at an ideal temperature as I didn't feel like there was much air circulation.

    Photos
    Lilia - Bar area

    Bar area

    Lilia - Italian job (gelato)

    Italian job (gelato)

    Lilia - Entrance

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    Entrance

    Bamonte's - Sides--green beans and potatoes

    Bamonte's

    4.0(536 reviews)
    6.9 mi•Williamsburg - North Side
    •$$

    my experience at Bamonte's was amazing!! the food, environment and service was 10/10 here. my…read moresister was dairy free and they catered to her preferences and never forgot about it! the bread, chicken parm, eggplant parm and pasta was amazing! the prosciutto and cheese here was of quality too.

    Oh the old school thrill of an old school beauty of an establishment like Bamonte's!…read more I just love this place so much! I can't say enough great things about the decor the ambience and imagining all of the past goings on in this restaurant. It's been watching over Brooklyn for well over 100 years now! That in itself is a Herculean feat! From what I was told it was very popular with the mob as they say... And that's why the kitchen which is at the very back of the restaurant has full glass windows so that you can see exactly what's going on in there. I guess some of these mob guys were paranoid and rightly so consider considering their history. I arrived with my friend on a Wednesday evening about 6 PM and there were some scattered tables but by 7 PM it was mobbed (pun intended ) in there!! our waiter was affable and patient and a quite enjoyable fellow. As a sidenote, you will not find any female servers they are all male which l lends to the old school vibe in my opinion. My friend ordered the lamb chops with broccoli Rabe. He enjoyed them but did mention that though they had great flavor one of them was slightly tough... It happens... My meal was pasta with Bolognese sauce with a dollop of fresh ricotta on top. It was delicious actually the sauce was excellent. I would've liked to have a different pasta shape but they did not have it. No biggie. I could really say the food was very good but it was not excellent but for me that was not an issue as I fell in love with the place itself. The service was excellent and the ambience was fantastic! I would definitely return again and I highly recommend it if you have never been you must at least go one time!!

    Photos
    Bamonte's - Interior

    Interior

    Bamonte's - Breast Chicken Parmigiana

    Breast Chicken Parmigiana

    Bamonte's - Fried Calamari

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    Fried Calamari

    Dolce Vita - bars - Updated October 2026

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