We went to L'inizio during Hudson Valley Restaurant week. Got there at 7:30. By 8:15 pm we'd only been served appetizers (a serviceable carrot ginger soup and some microscopic "cuisine petite" baked oysters). After being told repetitively that our food was on the way, we basically lost patience, paid $60 (?!?) for what we ate, and went home. The server was a pleasant guy, but it appeared that he was the only person, outside of the hostess on the floor and the room was full. Just got a very bad vibe from the entire affair. To add insult to injury, we were celebrating our anniversary. Bummer (not the anniversary part). This is my first ever Yelp review. I'm just not a big fan of saying uncomplimentary things about restaurants, because it's such a tough go as it is running a business, but this really stuck in my craw. Even waited until the morning to see if I felt better about things. We heard such wonderful things about L'Inzio, and sadly were greatly disappointed. We won't be back. Too bad, because we live so close. read more

This is a great restaurant that uses seasonal ingredients and presents delicious food combinations. They use a lot of fresh vegetables and the meat and seafood is high quality. It's a small restaurant but well-appointed and intimate and it has a nice atmosphere. There is an adjoining bar, which we didn't try, but it looked like a great place for a cocktail or glass of wine in the small village of Ardsley. Try the specials - we had a great market fish and lamb, and the regular menu is pretty great too. The service can be a bit slow when it's very crowded, but either way it's a great place to spend an evening. Also a lot of choices for vegetarians. read more

Phenomeal!! The food is truly amazing! I love how creative they are with everything! They will make rocks taste delicious if they have to. Service is impecable! I highly recommend this restaurant! From the moment you walk in until you leave, it is a wonderful experience. read more

I am thrilled that we finally have a gourmet restaurant in Ardsley. The dining room is small and quaint!! We started with the Special cocktail of the day which was very tasty and fresh! Our waiter was very knowledgeable, friendly and attentive. We all ordered our appetizers I had the clams and although the sauce was amazing there were only 4 small clams-- really?? Definitely MORE sauce then clams I tried not to eat the bread but I had to and dunked in the sauce because I was hungry :( My husband ordered the salad it too was delicious but small. Our friends ordered the Burrata which was tasty and fresh. Unfortunately, nothing was sharable which I enjoy doing..... The Wine list was extremely limited and the least expensive bottle was $45.00+ When it came to the wine selection, the third tasting proved to be a charm as the first two bottles had to be returned. We had the one Spanish wine on the list which was good. For our dinner entrees, I had the striped bass; it was cooked to perfection very tasty but the fish portion was the size of a small stack of credit cards. My husbands fish had a small amount of clams a small piece of bass and was salty, our friends ordered the ricotta pasta was mediocre and portion was the size of appetizer 1/2 portion size come on!!?? The bargain of the evening was the desserts they were interesting, creative yummy at approx $5.00 a piece ... My overall impression is that this was a nice dining experience but it's expensive...dinner for four with drinks and wine will run around $400...for that kind of money...they are going to have to step it up a bit...either give you a little more portion size or throw in after dinner drinks or do something to get people to be repeat customers...personally, I want to see this place do well because it really is unique and the food is really very good...I'll give them another chance in a few weeks...and we'll see what happens read more

We arranged for a special dinner with friends. The space is nice, and the tables are huge. The noise level is low enough to chat. We ordered a lot of food. The appetizers were the prosciutto , octopus salad, fried clams - we all good not great. We got the pasta special, scallops, lamp chops, and fettuccine with kale. Not bad but not awesome, the scallops were very salty and the pasta portions were on the small side. The desserts were good, the Italian doughnuts especially. We didn't pay but it seemed too expensive. read more

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Pretty place, enticing menu, well-trained staff, but utterly joyless. We could only imagine a tyrannical chef behind the kitchen doors, scaring the living daylights out of everyone. When we asked for more grilled bread, our server appeared stricken. But we needed it to chase down the miserly-sized burrata; it was so small, it was hard to get the right proportion of creamy-inside-to-cheesy-outside. It made us imagine the chef as a deeply angry, controlling person. Not kidding - all that from a ball of cheese. Maybe we're wrong, maybe it's the manager, but something is not okay here When one of the pastas arrived, we had to ask if it was the full or half portion; at $29, there should have been no question The owner of this place needs to be reminded that people go out to eat for pleasure, to celebrate and to have fun. It's hard to do this if everyone is clearly under duress and - - terrified. It's gotta be bad if my family unanimously decides to leave without that 2nd bottle of wine or dessert (heck, we even took a car service just so we could drink without worry) Food was good enough, but not a good value. Especially with that ambiance. And not when there are so many more cheerful, fun environments that make you feel happy to be there and welcome that offer great Italian food at a fraction of the cost It's hard to imagine returning to such a sad, uptight environment that should be energetic and enthusiastic read more

I don't know where to begin, this place has left me SPEECHLESS. The food is completely out of this world. The octopus melts in your mouth, the combination of ingredients is nothing short of GENIUS. I have never eaten food close to this anywhere else. This place is "white table cloth" quality without the tacky white table cloths. Service was fast, friendly and delightful. I will definitely be returning. Hands down the best restaurant I have ever been to. read more

A real restaurant that uses real farm fresh ingredients and prepares insanely delicious dishes. House-made pastas, ricotta, etc. A true farm-to-table restaurant that I would compare to the liking of a Restaurant North, Arethusa al Tavolo, Community Table, etc. We will definitely make this a regular stop. Bravo, Bravo! read more

My friend and I were fortunate to discover this gem of a restaurant when we attended the Westchester Food and Wine Event at the Ritz Carlton. They were hidden in the back and what a surprise to taste their delicious octopus carpaccio. We immediately reserved a table same evening. Service was impeccable from the moment we sat down and the chef could not have been more gracious. The wine list was short but excellent choices. The charred octopus was perfectly cooked . The Seared tuna over frissee was outstanding and the home made pasta with funghi & Kale was delicious. One of our diners wanted a simple red sauce on her pasta and it was no trouble at all. This is Italian at another level. Worth a trip and the desserts were special especially the bomboloni and caffe panne cotta. Best of luck to the Fratangelos!! read more

We truly enjoyed L'Inizio. Our meals were very good and the service was excellent. Our server, Joe, was a riot. We had a terrific time. And the price was totally affordable, which made the cost to value exceptional. read more

Having recently moved to the area I couldn't wait to taste L'inizio's delights, and I wasn't disappointed! David took great care of me over the telephone and I picked up my dinner to go. L'inizio's Gouda Burger is the best I've eaten in Westchester - and its accompanying parmigiana reggiano smashed potatoes could not have been better. I must admit - I splurged, and also had a side of their famous crispy cauliflower which also scored a 10 out of 10. I'm looking forward to exploring much much more on L'inizio's menu - thank you David & Staff. read more

Can't say enough good things. As good as North in Armonk but cheaper and easier to get a reservation. The branzino and sea bass had amazing complementary sauces. Best fish we have had in years. That includes top NYC restaurants. Great service and friendly staff as well. Enjoy!!!!! read more

We have had two very enjoyable meals here, one with my in-laws and one with my husband. Cozy, rustic Italian with good music playing in background (cool alternative). Menu has a lot of appealing farm-to-table options: sweet pea ravioli, brussel sprouts with aioli, creste do gallo pasta with wild mushrooms and scallions. Chicken liver pate on toast with apples is unusual and very good. Service was attentive but not hovering. Wine list had several very good reds by the glass, a Barolo. The atmosphere is great for a weekend casual dinner when you want to eat something a little bit nicer but don't want to dress up. read more

Wouldn't come back. The "baked" clams were raw, had to send them back to be cooked properly. As for my pasta, simple I asked for no bacon, I got bacon. Then when they remade the pasta is was gross and watery. Very disappointed I had high expectations but this place was a total disappointment. Long wait for nothing! read more

Went here with another couple for our first try of the place. They heard great things and suggested we go for Hudson Valley Restaurant Week. We were not disappointed at all. Since we went on a Tuesday also were able to enjoy their half price wine bottle special. Their blood orange mixed drink was great as well. Not normally a gin lover but this drink was an exception. The staff was attentive and everything arrived with good spacing between the courses so we never felt rushed at all. The food was seasoned just enough to have a good impact but not take away from the main components of the dish. I had their pork shoulder on their restaurant week menu and it was tender and not dry at all which some restaurants struggle to get right. Will be returning here again as they run a regular price fixe special as well on Tues/Wed/Thurs. Parking is a bit of a challenge since the place is so popular but this is more so a minus for the town of Ardsley as a whole than the restaurant. read more

All around terrific meal. All dishes had great flavor. We enjoyed being able to split a full pasta portion. That with one appetizer each was a nice amount of food. Special dessert of Pana cotta bread pudding was terrific. Nothing was heavy, or greasy. One of the best restaurants in teh area, for sure. read more

Excellent Italian restaurant with great ambiance, good service, and delicious food. One of the gems in westchester. Everything we ordered was well executed and the server was very attentive. Perfect spot for a date night, special occasion, or just anytime when you want good food. read more

Absolutely the most spectacular "New Italian/ New American" food in Westchester. Hands down. Fish entrees wonderful.....pasta perfect........delish salads......great quick service on a Sat night...Bravo !!!!!!!!!!! read more

The place has a cute atmosphere and the menu is well-balanced, I wish I could give it more stars. However, an establishment thrives not only on food quality, but also quality of service, and unfortunately one person can make or break the experience. After making a reservation for a birthday dinner for 2 at 6, I realized we'd be running about 20 minutes late and called late morning to see if we could move it back. I was greeted kindly by the gentleman on the phone and told there'd be no problem - he'd write a note that we were running late. I thanked him and told him I was a prior hostess so I'd understand if we needed to wait. Upon arriving at 6:20, we were greeted by a hostess who not only kept pushing us toward sitting at the bar, but who also told us we would need to be up and out from our table in an hour if we sat. After answering that we would like a table and that the restaurant was presently completely empty, she proceeded to ask me how I would do it differently since I was a previous hostess (something the gentleman must have told her?). I replied that no matter how swamped we were, at the minimum we never would have made anyone aware of a time limit for a table. I was so uncomfortable, that I whispered to my husband that we should leave, we quietly thanked them for their time and we chose a different venue for dinner that night. While I am happy to say Harvest on the Hudson (a beautiful place everyone should try) was more than accommodating and the service made up for the disappointment we felt about L'inizio, I just cannot help but to be bewildered. Maybe it had been an off day? A good place thrives on great hospitality, and I would gladly eat subpar/"okay" food if I am being treated respectfully. Not only were we not treated like we mattered, but we felt entirely unwelcome and even - dare I say - belittled?? How disappointing. I would have lost my job for treating guests as a mere number. This is my first and only review I have ever written, and I wish I could be writing about their food, but unfortunately I don't think we'll be returning :/. read more

Cozy little space. Great home made food and friendly service. We had a pre fix, and for $30 you get a salad, main dish and desert. Bibb lettuce salad was light and had delicious dressing. Home made pasta with the ramp and arugula pesto was fresh and wonderful. Bronzino was good too. I had chocolate mousse for dessert but it was too heavy for my taste. I would not recommend it. Portions are moderate size, you will not leave anything on the plate, but I like it that way. Good wine list with several Italian and Cali wines. They have specialty drinks but we did not try. Full bar in a separate room. On the night we went (Thursday) there was only one waiter and he did his best but we felt a bit rushed. That did not spoil the experience but was a bit annoying. The place is good for small groups 4-6 people. The restaurant filled up by 8 pm and it created a nice buzz. Ambiance is modern but low key and relaxing. Will be back. read more

Really great hidden nook. Friends had been to week one of brunch and were so impressed had to return for week two! Only two weeks into a new time slot and new menu they are already nailing. Walk into a small personable bar with a bunch of friendly faces, including owners, manager, servers and chefs there to greet. No days off in the name of good food. Ordered a round of Bloody's while we waited for our party. They were just fine, one member of our group couldn't get over the Fennel salt on the rim, a unique touch. Bar was pumping old school jams and we all were having a blast hanging out. The way we felt in the bar between the service and ambiance, I thought we had the whole place to ourselves. When we were seated, at our leisure, we walked into the dining room and were surprised to see a few tables already seated very early into brunch hours. (People we not missing their chance to have brunch there!) The rap music subsided and had more of a fine dining feel with no stuck up pretenses. Seated at the rear in a half booth half chair table near the kitchen and serving stations and only steps in a separate from from a party of 18. Very comfortable and intimate for our party of 4. There was no noise or annoyance from being by kitchen and serving stations or form the party, very impressive! As advised from our previous patrons, we started with a bread plate. All bakery items, I'm told are hand made in house and all delightful. Maple bacon donuts, corn beard and a biscuit all amazing, but the clear winner on the plate was the honey butter. That added the much needed moisture and subtle tastes needed on any bread items. I would buy that in a container if offered. Could have stood to had two plates for our hungry party however. I chose to do the Prix fixe style for $27. I had the Pork belly in a apple jam. I have had pork belly more in the recent past and this certainly stood among the best. Smaller bits than usually served, which turned out to be a blessing. Making the dish last longer and more shareable. The fatty pork and the sweetness of the apple with the crunch of the Hazelnuts, this dish was a slam dunk. There was enough to share with my date and we were both satisfied with the portion. Her starter was Polenta and was very pleased. My main dish was pepper rigatoni and was extremely tasty. Other dishes included a ham and chicken sausage breakfast bowl. The ham appeared to be an average ham steak pan seared and cut into triangles stuck in a bowl with an egg. Boy, can looks be deceiving! The ham was outstanding with excellent seasoning, proper texture and preparation. The chicken sausage was a great addition and the whole dish came together perfectly. Overall we all very very impressed with the level of quality of each dish. As others have stated the service was exceptional and we felt like we were treated like friends not customers. I am excited to try for dinner I hear they have a killer broccoli rabe! read more

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Went here last night with my boyfriend for our anniversary dinner. I made a reservation and was seated promptly. The staff was so polite and attentive and even happily filled my annoying request to switch tables since ours was by the door (it was 5° outside & the windchill was brutal!). The staff was also very helpful in helping me decide what to order. Our food came quickly and was absolutely delicious. The baked clams appetizer is to die for and their specials are great as well. Dessert was great and so was the coffee afterwards. The restaurant provided the perfect atmosphere for our anniversary and I'm so happy we ate here! read more

We had dinner here. They sat us down right away. The ambiance was nice. The food came out quickly and to our surprise was very delicious.

Hands down one of the absolute best restaurants in the lower Westchester/Rivertowns area! Their attention to detail and customer service is unmatched by any restaurant I can remember patronizing in my near and distant past! I was amazed at the attentiveness of the wait staff that myself a wife received the night we ate there. I was so impressed I had to write this review as soon as possible to get the word out so others can experience what we had the pleasure of enjoying! The amazing service wasn't where out fantastic night ended. The food was equally as enjoyable and absolutely delicious! I have zero complains and cannot believe it took my wife and I over 2 years to finally enjoy a quiet peaceful dinner at this fabulous establishment! Lastly, the cocktails they have are TOP NOTCH! No negatives in my honest opinion! read more

This place is always great , even though I only been here like 3 times . Great service and excellent food . It's 3.36 am and I am thinking about your octopus and scallops. I will definitely go back next week ! read more

On the approach, it's important to know you can park in the auto body lot next door. The first thing to make note of is the bread sticks, a Fratangelo speciality, wow. Don't forget to order a pasta, we had 2. The spaghetti with clams and the chefs handmade sausage rules (special last night). We split the duck, also a winner. Then of course dessert, oh my g**. doughnuts to die for. read more

We went here the other night with friends. The waiter showed us to the table and left. We had to ask the bus boy to have him come back to our table. We ordered two octopus appetizers to share. They were $16 each. They arrived, there were 5 thinly sliced pieces of octopus. The dish contained lots of croutons and beans but almost no octopus. We complained to our waiter who offered to bring us more octopus for an additional charge. We spoke to the manager who agreed to delete one of the appetizers from our bill. We ordered a bottle of wine and when we finished the bottle asked for a glass of wine which was the smallest glass of wine ever. They only served one slice of bread and never offered any more. We all ordered the special which was salty. We also had to have the bus boy find the waiter again. We had to ask several times for water. We all ordered cappuccino. The waiter offered us 2 very small biscuitis for an additional charge of $1. Most restaurants serve them with the cappuccino for free. Overall the service was very poor, the food overpriced and insufficient. We eat out very often and have never been to a restaurant that ask for an additional fee for food that should have been in the dish. read more

This is seriously one of the best Italian restaurants I've ever been too. Get the Burrata!

I am shocked at what has happened to this restaurant. We visited this restaurant years ago when it first opened and it was fabulous. Excellent service, outstanding food and nice atmosphere. We went last night with a group of six for a 7:45pm reservation. It took us forever to get drinks and even longer to order. By 9:45 PM we had not received our main course. Even after we received our food, the staff forgot to clear our table . Simply, it was a mess! The staff was not apologetic. In fact they told us after waiting for our main course for over an hour, we were "third in line" to get our dinner. Amazing! The food was mediocre at best. Sad to see a good thing go. read more

Casual atmosphere very good food Great wines and meal superb Fish special great perfectly cooked Pasta with cockles also very different but excellent appetizers a twist on traditional but very tasty Baked clams and rice balls very tasty delicious meal will be back read more

Had such a great dinner here! Had the meatballs and polenta, the cucumber salad and the roasted cauliflower salad. Had the pork chop, the chicken and a carbonara pasta special. Everything was delicious! We will definitely be regulars here. read more

I decided to pick L'inizio for my birthday dinner last night and it did not disappoint. From the second we walked through the door we were greeted by a friendly hostess who immediately wished me a happy birthday. She sat my friend and I at a nice table. It's extremely cute inside, with a nice homey feel. When the waiter came over, he too wished me a happy birthday. The night only got better from there. The waiter was attentive and friendly, making sure through out the night that we were comfortable and every thing was okay. We ordered the baked clams (so delicious) and the grilled octopus, which was cooked perfectly. My pasta was AMAZING. I got the fettuccine with wild mushrooms, kale, and parm. My friend got the white bean and lardo mezzaluna with balsamic butter, which I think I need to get the next time I go. We also ordered a side of polenta which was creamy and cheesy, also a star that I recommend. To top off an amazing dinner, we had the chocolate soufflé tart. It came to the table with a candle and "Happy Birthday Christina" written on the dish. L'inizio really knows how to make a girl feel special on her birthday, such a nice touch. And the tart itself. WOW. It was gooey chocolate inside when you broke into it but the crust was nice and flaky. I dreamt about it last night. I can't say enough good things about this little gem. I can't wait to have my next meal here !!!!! Thank you for making my birthday dinner one to remember. read more

Went here Saturday night for the first time. We were meeting some friends and chose here because it was the half way point. A 30 minute drive for each of us. It was fabulous!!! Loved the warm rustic ambiance. I had the pate appetizer. It was very tasty but came already o spread on the toasted bread. presentation was beautiful but the spread was very very light. I had the scallop special entree and it was divine. Everybody was very happy with their food and desserts. Really a gem. We will definitely be back and not only to meet those friends. This restaurant is totally worth the 30 minute drive. Wish we had this place in Stamford. It would become weekly for us. read more

Absolutely perfect! Romantic, tucked away restaurant and their menu is fantastic. Artisanal pastas including a seafood black linguini and pepper rigatoni carbonara. Pronounced wine list and farm to table offerings. Absolutely superb! Did I mention super romantic and dark read more

First, this place is TINY, so make sure you make a reservation. As few tables as there are, ours was still ready and waiting for us when we arrived. We went for Restaurant Week in March, and there were three choices each for apps, entrees, and dessert. I went with the fried calamari as a starter, it was okay, but I didn't like the preserved lemons in it plus it was a tad salty due to the anchovy aoili. My pork entree with risotto was also decent but not something that left a lasting impression (I had to look up what I had, I usually remember everything. I think there is some passion going on in that kitchen and they might not have put their best foot forward for Restaurant week, so I would be interested in going back and trying things off the main menu. read more

This place is a fancy, expensive Italian fusion restaurant. Ignore the reviews who bring there children here and are upset there is no $5 foot long option. Not your grandmothers Italian, this is very foodie with a great atmosphere. If you're looking for a west village feel in Westchester, this place is the cats pajamas. Clams app and cavallini bolognese were amazing. Gnocchi wasn't my favorite. read more

I came here for a wedding the other day and I was told this place was absolutely awesome. I loved the feel of the entire place - decoratively perfect in many ways. They set up the private room for the party which was lovely, putting a congratulatory message on a chalk board for the couple - AND SPELLING IT WRONG. The service was amazing and so were the staff - super friendly and knowledgeable. The food was pretty good too. The potatoes were out of this world and so were the desserts. I had the ricotta and honey appetizer - smokey and tasty but not amazing. For the meal I had halibut which was nice, but didn't wow me. As I said before, the desserts are where the money makers are. I would love to come back here for a non- party event to try their other dishes. read more

Wow what a great addition to westchester county. This cute restaurant is located at the heart of ardsley. Parking is not bad at all always able to find a spot. Now upon entering your greeted by such a wonderful staff always welcoming. They have a $5 bar bite which consist of aged liquor and amazing appys I tried the pork belly with brussel sprouts it was out of this world. Perfectly crisp and the flavor was mouth watering. Although it could have more brussel sprouts instead of the radishes it was def perfect. I took advantage of the pre fixe meal. The arugula salad was fresh and watercrisp the grapes added a beautiful touch. The half chicken with salsa verde was so juicy and tender I literally think the best chicken I ever had. The meat fell right off the bone and the skin to the chicken was yummy. Although I think the salsa verde could've been spicer but still 2 thumbs up to the chef. We had the s'mores and donuts for dessert.both tasted fresh and not too sweet I would definitely return and recommend to others a must try. read more

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We've been sitting here now for 40 minutes, and have received no appetizers -- we ordered Brussel sprouts and a salad. One only knows why that should take so long. We've had people come in after us order after us and receive their food. Quite insulting if I do say so myself. Our server came over and asked us if we've had our appetizers, so clearly she's not paying any attention to us. Won't be coming back, and definitely will not be recommending to my friends. read more

Went Sunday with my husband and 15 yr old son. Considering that the restaurant only had 3 other tables the wait was well exorbitant for entrees to be served. To be clear I always want new businesses to succeed, and was surprised with this experience.. I cannot stop wondering what are the owners/chef thinking in regard to the portion size of their pasta entrees. The pasta can be ordered as an appetizer or entree. Asked the waitress as I was not very hungry, she suggested the entree size which I ordered. I was shocked when it arrived. it was gnocchi with duck ragu. Quite good, but there were probably 15 pieces at best of gnocchi. Checked with the waitress who indicated it was entree size. Our son ordered full portion of pasta marinara also very small. He is a typical 15 yr and had already eaten two dinners before we left so it was no problem for him. They also charged $22 for his pasta, which was surprising since their elaborate pastas were $22 and his was plain pasta and sauce. Tried to discuss this, not so much because of my dissatisfaction, but because being such a new restaurant I thought they would be interested in constructive feedback. The chef who I had previously seen wandering around did not bother to come out to address the issue. The brought me additional pasta which was the right thing to do but made a weak acknowledgement about the problem. Disappointing for a place I thought would want to cultivate their business. I actually explained my intent not necessarily to get more food, but they did not seem to get it. The food was decent, not extraordinary. Overall felt ripped off for 2 glasses of wine one appetizer, one chicken dinner and 2 minuscule pastas over a hundred dollars. wishing them the best of luck,but it was a disappointing experience for us. read more