You must visit Viola Cucina. This food is among the closest of Italian dinners - like I've grown up…read morewith - that we've ever enjoyed. The pasta e fagioli soup was delicious and tasted as it should. We savoured it. Our salad tasted garden fresh. I asked for a basic spaghetti with meatballs. Delicious. Their meatballs meet my approval. And that is saying a lot because usually no restaurant meatballs measure up. Except for the meatballs my Grandmother, Mother and I have cooked. This is why I'm tentative about eating Italian out since we grew up making it, ourselves. Everything we tried here falls under the "did not disappoint," category which is an A all around. Even the rustic dining style with sentimental interior home furnishings and decorations. All of it speaks to the heart. They are a warm bunch and will talk to those just passing through. When I'm traveling the Eastern seaboard, I will make it a point to dine at Viola Cucina.

Mostly Smoke and mirrors.... At first glance, their website…read morelooks impressive, their menu looks authentic, and their staff promised 'everything' made fresh and to order. But upon tasting their food, it was clear, 'Viola' is just another Americanized Italian restaurant. We started with an a la carte order of: 'House made focaccia, roasted garlic spread, evoo, craft butter' This was fresh and tasty. We then shared the 'Caesar: traditional romaine hearts, foccaccia croutons, shaved pecorino cheese. classic caesar dressing.' This lacked any flavour, the romaine was cut into too small pieces, there was no hint of garlic or anchovy in the dressing. But the most disappointing dishes were the pasta dishes: 'Fettucini bolognese, house made, beef, pork, veal ragu, pecorino, basil, calabrian Chili.' 'Scampi viola, squid ink linguini, shrimp garlic, white wine, julienned vegetables, preserved lemon butter.' Although the pastas were freshly made, their textures were compromised; both pasta dishes were not 'al dente'. In fact the Scampi viola was drenched in a dark gravy and greasy. This is just not a very skilled preparation of pasta. A fresh pasta needs very little sauce, and should be dressed very simply so the 'textures' can be enjoyed. I ordered the: 'Zuppa di vongole: fresh little neck clams, vino biqnco, fresh herbs, crostini.' But this dish was replaced by a fried calamari dish. This was well prepared, actually the only star of the evening. This restaurant may succeed on its 'blandness' but will never attract the discerning diner who wants and appreciates authentic Italian cuisine. ~tiaotse~

everything is delicious and the staff is always pleasant get there early - it always get busy.read more

Bettola is a VIBE!!!! The staff are always friendly and fun! I think I pretty much ordered 90% of…read morethe menu and NOTHING has disappoint. My ULTIMATE favorite is the Short Ribs and Risotto. The meat is sooooo juicy, tender and flavorful! Next would be obviously their pizza and their salad! (please note: their salads is topped to the BRIM! And if good enough to share with 2-3 people) Depending on the day in the mood would determine which pizza I get my top 3 are/ Gold digger, the San Genaro, and the Marilyn Monroe/Fign' a (I can't decide LOL) don't let the commotion of Rolfe square Seder you from visiting, there is plenty of parking in the back, the restaurant is such a vibe with the decor (learn some Italian LOL) and hilarious placemats. And lastly, what I think is so cool and unique about this place is their Themed Weekend specials! They always have fun drinks and witty names for the items. Oh and don't forget to swing by the dessert case on your way out- they have LEMON TIRAMISU!!!! You heard right! LEMON TIRAMISU!!

Marchetti's is an absolute staple for a reason. The food is flat-out incredible, the drinks are…read moretop-tier, and the portions are so massive you're guaranteed to leave with enough leftovers for tomorrow's lunch and dinner. It's a little pricier, but when a single entrée feeds you for two days, you more than get what you pay for. The only real obstacle course is the parking lot. People park so tight in there you'd think they were playing a high-stakes game of Tetris, so you might have to suck in your gut just to squeeze out of your car door. Tight parking aside, the incredible food and huge portion sizes make it 100% worth it every single time. Just bring an appetite and leave the oversized truck at home

This place is delicious every time we go. But this dinner special has quickly become my favorite…read moredish! Sausage, rabe, cannellini beans and cavatelli. Meal starts with salad and bread. Salad is usually swimming in dressing - which is tasty but too much for my liking. Service is pretty good. They squeezed five of us into a booth like sardines so I ate with T-Rex arms, lol. The outdoor patio is enclosed but has no AC. Highly recommend a reservation for a larger party. Portions are still huge and I had another meal to bring home! Unfortunately for me, my son came home hungry and devoured my leftovers! Lucky him! Until I get back, I'll be dreaming of this dinner!

I know Providence has Federal Hill and Boston has the North End, but this place is still definitely…read moreworth a stop for Italian food! My boyfriend and I stopped in for a quick lunch, and the wait staff was super friendly. They were also really thoughtful about getting us the check quickly since they knew we had somewhere to be. We split the chicken parm, and they brought it out already split onto separate plates, which I really appreciated! Definitely want to come back and try one of their cocktails next time.

We had a lovely lunch at Avvio. This seems to be the location to 'lunch with the ladies' if their…read morelunch clientele is any indication. Parking in this are is shared with all the other businesses in Garden City, so you may have to walk a bit on busy shopping days. We were seated by a hostess with menus and our waitress came by in enough time that we knew what we wanted to order for lunch. The menu has everything from salad entrée to full bar. I went with a salad with salmon added. My dining companion chose a pizza. We were both happy with our choices. The lettuce was fresh, the portion size of the salmon good and it was cooked perfectly. Restrooms are at the back, past the bar. Seating is comfortable with a variety of banquettes and chairs. The dining room was bright with large windows. The bar side has more subdued lighting. Our waitress was not often available, but when she stopped by she was 'present'. Food was brought out by runners.

Food and service here never disappoints. But our most recent visit tonight, has me leaving my first…read morereview for any restaurant and that's all due to our server, Rob. For only being a server at Vanda for a week, you would have thought he started when the restaurant opened. He was personable, his attention to our table and surrounding tables, he never missed a beat. We will continue to return and ask for Rob for when we go. if your visiting Vanda, ask to sit in Rob's section and you will not be disappointed! Thank you for making our experience that much better!

This is probably one of the only places I'd give a 10/10 Italian experience for. Every food item we…read morehad was delightful. The flavors were deep and portions good. The service was awesome. I can't speak highly enough of all of the dishes. The vibe is cozy and comfortable. Service was attentive, kinda, and helpful with answering questions. If you are looking for a spot to try, you will not be disappointed by coming here.

I really did love the flavor of everything I got! The margherita pizza omg the the flavor…read moreWas phenomenal but it was SUPER undercooked. I'm not sure if it was just a freak thing or happens all the time but next time I go I'll definitely ask for it to be well done! Staff are all super friendly!

Solid classic American-Italian fare at moderate prices…read more I enjoyed the Eggplant Parmesan ($22) which came with soup or a side salad and a side of pasta or potatoes & veggies. The salad was basic but cold & crisp. Dressing was served on the side, which I appreciate. The eggplant was tender with a tasty gravy. The pasta was fine. I ordered a glass of Cabernet Sauvignon for $10 which was a decent sized pour. The complimentary bread basket came with butter but you can ask for olive oil if you prefer. Nothing fancy here but the the service & food is good. Plenty of leftovers to bring home for another meal.

This place is the best ever for Italian food and the fish is wicked good too! One of my favorite…read morethings to eat there were actually their mashed potatoes! Whatever they put in their potatoes are the BEST EVER that I ever had in my life! The Calamari ala-mM style is also the very best I ever had too! It's delicious! you can't go wrong with anything you order here! I am not one that likes Spaghetti red sauce and it's one thing I would never order out at a restaurant, but I would here! I went to Antonio's several times and was never disappointed! In fact, I have been amazed at the excellent way everything was cooked! I look forward to going to Antonio's again very soon! It's worth the trip! I honestly can't say enough about it and loved it every time!

I've been going to Antonio's Trattoria for years now, and one thing I can say is the place is…read moreincredibly consistent. In a world where restaurants seem to either reinvent themselves every six months or completely fall apart after a few good years, Antonio's just keeps doing what it does well. Good food, solid portions, professional service, and that old-school Italian restaurant atmosphere that Rhode Island somehow still manages to preserve better than almost anywhere else. My wife and I went recently for dinner and had one of those meals where everything just flowed the way you want it to. We started with the fried calamari, which was excellent. Light, crispy, not drowning in grease, and actually seasoned properly. A lot of places phone calamari in because it's such a standard appetizer, but this tasted fresh and well executed. The hot peppers mixed in gave it a nice kick without taking over the plate. We also got a couple espresso martinis because it feels almost illegal to eat Italian food in Cranston without at least considering one. For dinner, I went with the chicken parmigiana after hearing people rave about it for years, and honestly, they weren't wrong. The chicken was tender, perfectly breaded, and the sauce had that slow-cooked flavor that tastes like somebody's grandmother has been guarding the recipe since the Reagan administration. My wife ordered the seafood fra diavolo, which came loaded with shrimp, clams, mussels, and enough garlic to keep vampires away for the rest of the week. Spicy without being ridiculous. The portions were generous too. Not "food challenge" oversized, just satisfying. Dessert was tiramisu for the table because at that point you're already committed to the experience. Really good balance of espresso flavor and mascarpone without feeling overly heavy. Sometimes tiramisu can feel like eating sweet drywall. This wasn't that. Service was also great all night. Attentive without hovering. Drinks stayed filled, plates disappeared quickly, and the pacing of the meal felt relaxed but organized. You never felt rushed, but you also weren't sitting there wondering if your waiter had moved to another state midway through dinner. The place itself has that classic Rhode Island Italian restaurant energy. Comfortable, a little lively, people talking loudly across tables, waiters who look like they've worked there forever, and the smell of garlic and red sauce hitting you the second you walk in. It's not trendy or trying to become some minimalist foodie experiment. Thank God for that.

THE PORTIONS!! I love how large the portions are here-- we were all satisfied and three of us had a…read moremeal for the next day. The place is massive and the only downside of that is parking-- it's hard to find a spot! We did a couple laps until we got one. Even at 6:30 on a Saturday, we were sat within 5 minutes and had an enjoyable meal. We were there for probably about an hour and a half, so I'd say it's a place to go for a slower meal as opposed to a quick bite. (While waiting there was also a very nice bartender who got me a glass of water so I could take a medication I needed to-- I really appreciated that!) We'll be back!

I've been coming to Twin Oaks since I was a child. I remember going with my grandfather and never…read morewaiting in line. That was such a flex back then. My wife, I've never been and I wanted to take my uncles out to a nice dinner. They don't set you until your entire part is there, which I like. We do have to wait a little bit, but they are very organized and went quickly. Mind you, we went on a Wednesday night and it was packed! I always recommend using the valet here as the parking lot can be kind of a nightmare. It was just as I remembered. I know things have been updated, but the ambience is exactly the same, even though all male wait staff. It was very nostalgic. Our waiter, food runner, and busser were fantastic. Our waiter greeted us and brought us our bread and some oil. I ordered a spicy tequila Cosmo and was apparently all the Talk because no one had ever ordered that there before. This seemed pretty impressive considering how long they've been open! My drink was fantastic. I love a place that can make a drink that they've never made before and make it a 10 out of 10. I ordered the Chicken Milanese as that's my favorite Italian dish. The lemon vinaigrette was one of the best that I've ever had. The chicken cutlets were also cooked perfectly! I was really happy that this place is still remain the same, with the same great service, same great quality and just a little bit more expensive than when I remember. Absolutely worth it.

Absolutely loved Andino's! The food was amazing - so amazing that we actually ordered takeout the…read morenext day because we wanted it again! But honestly, our waiter Eric made the whole experience. What an amazing human. He was so kind, genuine and just one of those people you don't forget. He remembered it was our son's birthday and surprised him with tiramisu with our take out order- candle included!! Those little things are what make a place special. Amazing food, great atmosphere, but even better people. It's rare to come across someone who genuinely makes an experience better just by being themselves. Thank you, Eric! We'll definitely be back the next time we're in Providence!

My wife and I reserved a table for this past Saturday…read more We got our table on time but there seemed a lot of rushing in getting us to order our starter and drinks. The bread that was brought to the table was very doughy so I asked the server to arm it up. It came back burned. I let this go and tried to it eat it, but in the end I left it and we ordered our drinks and an antipasti. The antipasti was very good, absolutely no complaints there. We ordered our main course and that is where it really went downhill. I was very disappointed with the service we got from that point forward beards and the food was just not up to par as in our previous visit. I even told the server about the veal I ordered that was tough and overcooked and he just said I'm sorry about that and left the table. He never came by to ask us if the food was OK after we first started eating. To top it off the drinks were really expensive. $15 for a glass of red cab, and then to charge you for using a card vs cash, and to suggest a 20% tip.. We are not going back and would not recommend this place again. There are plenty of other Italian restaurants on Atwell Ave to try out.