Very nice atmosphere and staff! The food is excellent however their mozzarella cheese on the pizza needs to be upgraded to a better quality. It honestly takes a really good pizza from a 8/10 to a 5/10. The mozzarella has that block quality with a little bounce and squeak to the cheese rather than a creamy pull. That's my only complaint. The sauce is nice as well as the toppings and the dough. Crust is thin with a little sag, it's not new haven pizza, no char and not a lot of crunch or blistering. Most items are well portioned and enough to share between at least 2 people if sampling. Caesar salad is enough to share between 2 people if you want to sample the menu. Great lettuce quality and better than most restaurants. It's not the bagged precut garbage with all stalks. They use little gem variety. Fries are shoestring and oh so delicious to snack on. Not an insult, but if you like McDonald's fries, these are even better. IYKYK Meatballs were ok, nothing super special. Nice texture, but not dry. Doesn't really have a fresh flavor. The meat flavor reminded me of a mass produced meatloaf from a diner. Don't get me wrong, it's not bad, but for someone with a very refined palate, I think it needs a little "life" mixed in. The sauce helps that a bit. Cocktails were nicely done. You could taste all the flavors listed in the cocktail. Not overly strong and not weak. Definitely would come back to sample more food. For you native CT and Lakeville natives, be prepared to pay NY prices... read more

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Fern is located in an old fire house. The building and inside are beautiful. There is a U shaped bar as you walk in with tables to the left and to the right. I went on a warm day with friends and sat at the bar. It was a little too crowded. The seats are close together. I loved how the fire house doors were open and you can see outside. As a gardener I did notice that the hydrangeas bushes were not taken care of. I do think things like that matter in a business. I was a little disappointed with the service. I did have to ask for a menu and I also had to get the bartenders attention to place an order. I got fries and pizza and they were both really good. I loved how small they cut the slices and how there was rosemary on top of the fries.My mocktail was also delicious! read more

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ORIGIN: Fern is located in a former firehouse that has been recently renovated and redesigned for commercial and residential use (an apartment is located on the second floor). Although largely serving Italian dishes, the chosen name of the restaurant -- Fern -- refers to the abundant flora of the surrounding landscape. Nature is woven into the design of the restaurant's interior, with several glass garage doors inviting streams of sunlight and fresh air into the space. Potted plants line the walls. ATMOSPHERE: The design is eclectic. The dining room has a concrete floor and is lit by industrial pendant lights that hang from the high ceiling. Chunky large plank wooden banquettes divide the space, mixed with several tables surrounded by hefty wooden library chairs. Mirrors, paintings, and dainty fabric-shaded sconces adorn the walls. The result is an innovative mix of simple, industrial, and graceful elements. Near the entrance, a long C-shaped bar connects two dining spaces. The design supports interaction between guests. The bay doors that once allowed volunteers to zip into action now allow fresh air to drift into the restaurant's dining rooms. Patios with cafe seating line two sides of the building and are marked by fragrant herbs and shrubs. During a summer evening visit I enjoyed the sweet honey scent of mature Sheep's Head Hydrangeas that was captured thanks to the verdant boundary at the restaurant's entrance. FOOD: Contemporary Italian cuisine is served at Fern, with house-made pastas and wood-fired pizzas dominating the menu -- gluten-free options fully available for both. Sample menu items include: Bianco Pizza (ricotta, mozzarella, pecorino, crushed pistachios, thin slices of crisp garlic, spicy honey drizzle) Garganelli (hand-rolled tubular pasta surrounded by blistered tiny tomatoes, roasted garlic, mozzarella, and basil) Fluke Crudo (slices of fluke and radish, topped with basil oil, crispy shallots slivers, and begonia flowers) Chocolate Budino (Valhrona chocolate pudding topped with whipped creme fraiche and toasted coconut) SERVICE: Service is uneven, and at times unwelcoming. You will find others here have reported the same. read more

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Had a wonderful meal here solo and the place was packed. Lovely reuse of old firehouse. Staff was friendly, efficient and knowledgeable. I had the olives and almonds with parmesan to start, the puttanesca as my main, and the Swiss chard. All really good. They offer daily specials as well. I was so full I skipped dessert, but those looked good too. Was thrilled to find this on the other side of the lake from the Interlaken Inn where I was taking a class. Recommend a reservation at night. read more

The host was very welcoming. The space is lovely with high ceilings and a nice view of the pizza oven My cocktail was very weak..sadly. Our waiter was kind and tried to make things right. We split the salmon carpaccio..delicious. We ordered the rib eye which was slightly over cooked more medium than medium rare. It came with a mountain of delicious fries and a nice dipping sauce. The Little Gem Ceasar was not good. It was overwhelmed with dressing and was not crisp - I would not order this again. We did not have dessert but we hear the budino is quite good. read more

We have had two exceptional meals at Fern. Located in a converted firehouse, the atmosphere is high end, but still fairly casual. Most of the food was bursting with flavor (no extra salt or seasoning needed). Unlike many other restaurants, I thought the mains outshined the starters. The ribeye, pork chop, and pappardelle with seafood were outstanding. I highly recommend the caramel ice cream with popcorn, peanuts, and fudge for dessert. It's decadent but worth it. Service was outstanding. We had the same server on both visits and he went out of his way to make sure we were happy. read more

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We've eaten at Fern four times and have always been extremely pleased. The ambience is pleasant with very high ceilings and a variety of seating arrangements. We had different wait staff each time we were there, but they were all personable and well-informed about the menu. I'll just write about our last dinner there in the month of November 2025. For an appetizer, we chose something we had had before because it was SO good -- wood fired carrots with aleppo yogurt, and pistachio herb oil with finely chopped pistachios. Truly delicious. My husband's main course was Penne Puttanesca. It was made with tomatoes, garlic, olives, capers, hot pepper and parsley. He has lived in Italy and told the waiter that it tasted as good as in Italy, and maybe even better! All their pasta is house-made. I ordered garganelli pasta with wild caught shrimp, oyster mushrooms, leeks, and truffle butter. It was a genuinely robust and flavorful dish. The memory of it is making my mouth water as I'm writing this. read more

The person at the door sat us all the way into the dark corner away from the windows when no one else was in the restaurant because it was allegedly a "busy night." Later that day, they adjusted the seating at other tables to seat other people , so we knew that they purposely put us in the corner and were not actually anticipating larger parties. The food also came incredibly late (~50 minute waiting time). read more

Great service. Food was delicious. Nice atmosphere. Would definitely recommend. Make reservations. The place filled up quickly and it was a Monday night. read more

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Ordered linguine w/mussels online 11/4/25. Food was not quite ready when I arrived, but in 5 minutes emerged from the kitchen. I live 5 minutes away, food was on the plate 5 minutes later and food was lukewarm (generous statement). Half of the mussel shells were empty and no loose mussels to be found in the linguini. What was left, after making edible by sticking in the microwave, was full of broken shell particles. Ended up eating leftovers from my own kitchen. Need to do better for $29 takeout dish. read more

Tonight's experience will be our last at Fern. It's now overpriced mediocre food. $47 for a fatty rubbery steak with fries is insulting. Cabbage salad was not prepared with any thought to texture and combination of flavors. With no fault to our server the wait for food was much too long especially as we arrived to an empty restaurant. The ambiance is welcoming for those willing to experience the anove read more

Great food. Attentive service Love coming to this restaurant !!! I love the gluten free pizza at this place read more

Nice ambiance, ideal location and upscale surroundings. Service was very slow and the portions were very small in return for price charged. We wanted to love the restaurant as it is in a desirable location but we walked away disappointed. read more

The food always knocks it out of the park here, especially for the Northeast Corner. We go every time we race at Lime Rock and the wine selection as well as the menu never fails to disappoint. The service is attentive yet unobtrusive. Highly recommended. Outdoor seating is nice, weather permitting. read more

I love every single thing about Fern! Have dined here now four times. Every time, the wait staff has been phenomenal. Most recently today when we took my Mom with dementia out to Easter lunch. The server could not have been kinder or more patient with her. Exceptionally so -- I have taken her to many restaurants, and he was the best. They are always friendly and helpful, and genuinely seem to love what they do. I find the food to be excellent. This is Italian food as it is prepared in Italy, not an Americanized version. So yes, pasta portions will be smaller, etc. But every dish is best of its kind. A special note as to how gluten-free friendly they are: hands down the best restaurant in the area! So many choices! Hand-made wood fired gf pizza crusts! Every pasta dish available as a gf option! Let alone more usual gluten free dishes like salads, steak, fish. The cocktails are sophisticated, creative, and delicious. Finally, I adore the buzzy ambiance with the cozy lighting and clean decoration, the stylish curved bar, the oriental carpet in the dining room. I might be Fern's biggest fan, though I am in good company -- it can be hard to get a weekend reservation in the off season, so plan ahead! read more

A weekend trip to Salisbury/Lakeville. We went early on a Saturday. The Caesar salad was very good, though I don't know about the $1.50 plate-sharing charge. The pasta and pizzas were very nice, though the portion size for the fusili was a bit on the small size. The staff was delightful. The ambiance was lovely with its high ceilings. There were several families with well-behaved kids. read more

This is our second visit to Fern. This time we brought one of our college kids with us! Lucky we had a reservation, because it was busy! Got drinks right away...always a good start! Got the burrata appetizer - a lot of cheese and not much toast, but the flavor was lovely. Maybe another wee bit of bread to go with the ginormous piece of cheese? And pesto on each piece! Moving on. Dinner was terrific...we all had pasta: gnocchi, cavatelli and rigatoni...all delicious, not sure which I liked best and with a glass of red wine, now that is perfection! Kid got the budino aka Italian chocolate pudding. Not too sweet, which is perfect! She loved it. Michael was our server and did a splendid job, he was on point the whole time! A wonderful evening was had by all and the bill was reasonable too! read more

Great service, ambiance, and pizzas were tasty. One server was a little rude and bumped into me twice. Overall a nice night out in the area. read more

Fern - two pizzas on a table with plates of food - Italian Near Me - Lakeville, Connecticut

Sad to say...expensive Caesar salad 18 $, soggy pizza, bad cocktails watered down had to ask for another one. Service totally teenage waiters not very understanding of restaurant ettiquette...oh..don't forget that parking is tough..drove to another street but they don't tell you. It was a hot and humid night..no AC. Manager insisted AC was on!! How can you just lie to customers. Everyone sweating. People were waiting for their food forever. Sad!! read more

The best pizza north of Brooklyn The special when we went in was pepperoni and artichoke. It was so damn good we had one made to go to share w friends who were coming to our home the next day; could not have been more perfect. The meatball appetizer was equally as delightful and the staff was super attentive. We have been a few times already, traveling almost 40 minutes each time - it's that good! First time I've every written a review of the same place twice. read more

Great addition in Lakeville! Owners perfected the decor and layout to create a familial and inviting modern space. And food is great. Love the cocktails, roast chicken and all the seasonal salads. Pizzas look great but didn't love flavor of sauce and consistency of crust. read more

Love the loft storefront vibe. Go early to avoid noise. Had an appetizer with a balsamic glaze, sweet/tart and delicious. Had excellent rib steak as good as any steakhouse. I am not usually into French fries, but ate every last one as they were the best ever- thin and each one extra crispy. Look forward to returning soon. Already have a reservation. read more

Great atmosphere. Food is excellent. Have to try the pizza. I had the pasta and the wife had fish. Both were delicious. The 5 year old loved the French fries. read more

We want to like this place more, but the lack of consistency is a real problem. We ate there with friends on Nov 18, and the server was a slob (please tuck shirt in and wash hair), who didn't seem to know how to pour beverages. He poured our cava to the very top of each glass (until we put a stop to it) and poured our sparkling water without asking if we'd like ice. The $1.50 charge to split a salad is really ridiculous and petty, and the pasta portions are ludicrously small -- would it kill you to add and extra 10 or 12 rigatonis to the $24 dish? The pasta Butera, which is a favorite, was a bit on the dry side and lacked the creaminess it usually has. I know you say you have trouble getting good help, but somehow other places nearby manage. As I said, we want to like this place more -- get it together. read more

We go here once a week. It's a happy place with great people and really really good food.

was excited to hear about the opening of a new spot in the old firehouse of Lakeville and they did a great job. we sat at the bar which was great, spacious and comfortable. we started with the cacio de pepe bread delicious and i would have been happy with a second order. I went with the rigatoni which was cooked perfectly al dente with a nice sauce that exploded with flavor, my girlfriend went with the pork chop which was also great. drinks were also good and service was top notch! great to see a new addition to the area read more

Fern - a bowl of pasta with meat and peas - Italian Near Me - Lakeville, Connecticut

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One n done. The "Group" might consider concentrating their efforts in one, perhaps two restaurants. Overpriced and underwhelming , some dishes were quite good while others fell flat. The specialty cocktails were creative and delicious. I wonder if this is true of their other restaurants. I for one will never know. read more

Fabulous new restaurant in Lakeville. Highly recommend! Delicious food, friendly & efficient staff, quietly chic dining room, very well managed. if you haven't been yet, go! read more

Great new addition to Lakeville. Attentive service and great ambiance with delicious contemporary italian food read more

Fern - a dining area with a large window - Italian Near Me - Lakeville, Connecticut

We have really enjoyed this restaurant. The pizza, ribeye, and chicken are great. However, I think the menu is too limited. For example, I think they should add a burger to the menu, lamb chops, more pasta dishes, another fish dish. The desserts could use some additions. read more

This is a lovely new place in Lakeville, the design is pleasing and upscale. The owners are on site and really doing a great job getting it up and running. I've eaten the fish special here twice and both times were stellar. The Roman bread appetizer is a great way to start and is the cheapest appetizer option. I also thought the 2 deserts I had were good... even the simple biscotti were a nice light finish to a hardier meal. The service is good but casual which I like. Yes some of the staff are still getting up to speed but even then they are pleasant and trying to please which is what is most important. It is a little expensive by local standards but I think the quality of the food is also way above local standards. Plus they are open on Mondays which no one else is doing. read more

Fern is a decaf cappuccino with skim milk - a 'Why Bother'? Go. Anywhere. Else. We went once with friends pre-holidays 2023. Totally underwhelmed and sound blasted. Sicilian wife didn't bother to eat after one bite of soggy, over-charred pizza and won't go back. My first meal there was 'Meh' and I can't even recall what I had. So, I landed from Spain on 21 April 2024 and decided to give them one more try by myself. My plan was to order a pizza to go and have a glass of wine at the bar while waiting. Seemed simple enough. Walked in ~8:30 pm and tried to take a right to the hostess station. Wind curtains were across the entrance and to the right, drawn and closed with oversized Staples paper clips, and a voice says, "You can't go in that way." I turn left and see a disinterested waiter - let's call him ManBun - arms folded, leaning against a table in an otherwise empty portion of the restaurant. I smiled and replied, "I can see that." ManBun, still leaning, responds, "You have to come in this way." Given that it was the only portion of the curtain that was open and not clipped, I said, "I can see that, too." Dim bulb, this one. No welcome, no hello, no move forward to greet me, no 'are you here for dinner or drinks? or 'are you meeting someone'. Bupkis. He didn't flinch or give an airborn fornication. So, I showed myself to a seat at the end of bar, leaving room for other diners/groups to sit, as I would be staying briefly, and sitting in the middle of the 4 remaining bar seats would be discourteous. And I sat. I looked at my watch. Then I sat even more. The bartender did not greet me. He avoided eye contact with me every time he moved around the bar to the register or other guests. He did not acknowledge my existence (I felt like I was trying to date in high school again). No cocktail napkin, no menu, no glass of water, no 'I'm jammed but will be right with you'. Zilch, zip, zero, nada. A barback came to restock clean glasses in front of me. Glanced up to see me sitting there. Not a word, no hello, no 'have you been helped', no 'are you waiting on an order?'. Apparently the kid was trained by the bartender and ManBun, because he executed their particular form of hospitality to perfection. Fourteen, count 'em, 14 minutes later, under the wordless, disdainful gaze of a still-leaning ManBun, I left. I'm never going back. I won't even so much as use their driveway to turn around. You shouldn't, either. I had no idea 'Utter Contempt For Hospitality' was a hiring requirement at Fern. When I was 20, I trained under both a master and another prominent chef. By 23, I had been on kitchen teams that received multiple stars each from NYT (Mimi Sheraton, 2.5) and Boston Globe (Anthony Spinazzola 3.5).......yes, I'm that old. I then helped to write front and back of house training manuals for what would become a significant and enduring $B+ restaurant company that today boasts 50+ locations in the US, CA and MX. I'm not criticizing randomly, here. Some readers may naively attempt to blame this on a tough labor market up here. Bull. This is an ownership/leadership problem. Every organization takes its tone and tenor from the top. Fern is no different. They haven't made an investment in training their staff nor has their management held the staff to any visible form of dining/hospitality standards in the kitchen or on the floor. Save your money, your taste buds, your sanity and wallet. GO. ANYWHERE. ELSE. Literally. The single star was required to post, it was not earned read more

Wonderful space, attentive staff--and delicious food. The rigatoni with sausage is spectacular and the steak with shoestring fries is juicy and satisfying. Great cocktails too. Just what the area needs--elegant, elevated Italian comfort food in a chic and appealing setting. Check it out! read more

Mexican food posed as Italian. Don't recommend. From a real Italian chef it's bullshit and over priced the steak is only 10oz and u pay 40 for a 14 Oz with sides. Don't be fooled read more

Not kid friendly. Do not have high chairs and looks like they don't plan to. Claim family style, but portions rather small. Prices are high for what you get, quality ok. Hidden charges, be careful to split any dishes. Emailed management with concerns, no response. read more

The food and service were excellent. The space is lovely. The only complaint we had was the volume in the dining room. It is very loud and hard to have a conversation. Some noise dampening installations would improve that. read more

We've been coming up for the weekend several times a year for 15 years so we know the area well. Food was ok, nothing special for the prices. For a starter we had the warm olives and cheese. The olives were ok but the cheese was mostly the rind. We had the chicken and osso buco. Both were on the dry side and flavors were meh. Drinks were expensive and were done in 3 sips. The decor was nice but it was very loud. Waiter was slow with clearing plates and the check. Other restaurants in the area are better and more reasonably priced. read more

Less than impressed. The place is beautiful, service was fine, but the food was just okay and the prices for what you get were very high.

Experience was poor, when asked a question about the menu the server did not know what was in the dish. Also was given the bill, plates were never cleared or offered coffee or dessert. Fine dining should also include fine service. Very loud atmosphere. read more

Another excellent experience at Fern! Highly recommend this Restaurant to anyone in the Lakeville area! The pizza was so delicious from there brick oven in basically the middle of the dining room! Our server was very knowledgeable while suggesting dishes to us! read more