We liked this place so much we came twice this week. The ambiance is so pretty and classy. Gelato is great. Coffee selection is great. They have an amazing breakfast hand pie with sausage or bacon, egg and cheese. The people working are super friendly and helpful. I would highly recommend going here at least once :) read more

The food here was nothing short of amazing. But the waitress we had was the worst I've ever experienced. Took the food over and hour to come out but that wasn't our issue. We had asked the host if the waitress was around just to check to see about how much longer on the food. None the less she came up right away to the table just staring at our party... not saying anything, just making things very uncomfortable. Then after that she gave a fake smile and made things very weird after every interaction, then proceeded to add 20% gratuity on our party of 6. A little ridiculous considering she didn't deserve more than 10%. Would go back, just would love one of the other waitresses that seemed more pleasant. read more

3.75 stars. good food and drinks, little seating, so took a while to sit/ wait for call back for a ready table. for the little seating they had, food took about 40 mins. read more

I had the penne alla vodka with shrimp and crab. It was very good and a generous portion that was enough for an entire meal the next day. Quickly seated with good service. Only minor downside was that while the back patio was nicely done, the view of mini golf and go kart background noise (not too loud though) was eh. read more

A great Italian restaurant. Large portion sizes and great service. The s'mores desert was delicious!

Visited on their first night back open for the 2021 season! Nice ambience, breath of fresh air compared to some other places in the area. Nice wine choices. Crab cake is the best I've had outside of Baltimore and the Clams Bianca: addictive with just the right heat. Staff is all very friendly. Will definitely be a repeat on our next trip to the area. read more

See all

Good food and the chicken Alfredo was great! We have been here multiple times and always enjoy it.

Came in for dinner as a party of 10; waited about an hour. Loved the decor of the restaurant. My family ordered chicken Parmesan, veal Parmesan, the spicy seafood pasta, pizza, and veal saltimbocca. I had a hard time finding something due to my dairy allergy, so I went with the antipasto salad minus cheese. My order actually came out with cheese and our server, Liz, quickly fixed that. I also shared an order of crab cakes, as I was informed there wasn't dairy in them. Portions were very large, most thoroughly enjoyed their meals. Some did not like the marinara, as it's very garlicky. Liz was an excellent server and it was an enjoyable evening. read more

See all

Excellent food and service. We went with family of five and they were very accommodating to all our needs!

Nice place and good food. The pizzas are delicious. It's definitely pricey and although the food is good, I am not sure if it's worth the price. But I am giving it 4 stars because being overpriced is on par with Outer Banks anyway. read more

Came for apps and drinks around 3:30 and it was fantastic! Only place in the Corolla area open between lunch and dinner. Great service! The limoncello martini, espresso martini, charcuterie board, crab cakes and fried calamari were all delicious! read more

La Dolce Vita - Limoncello martini - Italian Near Me - Corolla, North Carolina

See all

Really really good atmosphere in here, went here for date night with my boyfriend and it was perfect. Not TOO fancy but not casual either. The staff are friendly, polite and leave a litre of water at the table for us. The bread they give you with pesto olive oil dipping is YUMMY. The bread has a crunch outside and super soft inside. Which actually helped us decide on getting pizza since the bread was so good. We also got the spaghetti and meatballs ! The food was delicious, they box the rest for you which was unexpected and really nice. Will definitely be back here for Italian food/ when I'm craving their pizza! read more

La Dolce Vita - Bbq pizza w/pineapple and spaghetti &meatballs - Italian Near Me - Corolla, North Carolina

See all

Hello everyone, I am a grandmother of 5 who recently visited La Dolce Vita this weekend. It came at the recommendation of my grandchildren who wanted some cultural food to eat. In my almost 90 years of living, I have never witnessed such a horrible display of customer service. My own nonna taught me to treat people with respect regardless of their skin color or gender. But I can see some of the individuals in this establishment lack home training and are hard of hearing as well. Throwing out an African American family and telling them there is no space when there are empty tables around me is quite heartbreaking. I hope that these staff members have children that will treat them with the same level of disrespect that was displayed today. The level of sickness seen in La Dolce Vita could have sent my sister to her grave! Such a shame truly. read more

I went on vacation and tried to attend this restaurant, but unfortunately, I was rejected service. I was also stared at by other customers as soon as I walked in (my family and I were the only African American customers in the restaurant). I spent some time trying to negotiate for a table, but I was then suddenly asked by a worker at the bar to wait outside the restaurant for availability because my family and I were apparently "taking up the space." Keep in mind, we were the only black family, and the two other WHITE families in the waiting line were also "taking up space" yet they were not asked to leave; they left on their own. If you are black, I DO NOT recommend you come here unless you want to be stared at and discriminated against. read more

No reservations but can put your name in and they'll hold a table for you. Restaurant was clean and friendly staff. Food was fresh & delicious. read more

La Dolce Vita - 10 Oz. Bone In veal parmigiana over spaghetti - Italian Near Me - Corolla, North Carolina

An excellent meal. The service is as amazing. Great ambiance. Please give it a try. You will not be disappointed.

We have been here a few times and absolutely LOVED it!!! Travis was our waiter and he is such a cool character! Our food came out perfect and amazingly delicious! if anyone asks where to go in corolla, I would absolutely recommend it! We got the roasted red pepper pizza and the BEST chicken parm i've ever had!!! read more

Well decorated interior. Greeted and seated quickly with a reservation. Some difficulty understanding staff with face masks. Food was delightful with ample portions. My only complaint, no side salad available and I wasn't going to pay for an entree salad. read more

Great food and drinks. The only bad thing was the male server, terrible service. Blamed drinks late on bartender (got drinks too long after appetizer) and blamed food late on kitchen when people around us got food first (they had good waitresses). Had to ask manager/host for bread that we notice all the waitresses were bringing out to all the other tables. Had to ask manager/host for our entrees. Go but... request a waitress not the stoner. This type of job isn't for him. It was comical and sad to watch him. read more

This place is a diamond in the rough. We had Superoni gourmet pizza and the Chicken Alfredo. Both were outstanding. So much so, we will be making trips from Norfolk just for the pizza. Wait staff were knowledgeable and accommodating. Outstanding. read more

La Dolce Vita - Chicken Alfredo - Italian Near Me - Corolla, North Carolina

See all

This past week was our 10th summer vacation in Corolla and we've dined at Dolce Vita every year since they opened, they're THAT good (which says a lot coming from a very picky Italian! ). We were pleasantly surprised this year to see that they've remodeled and expanded their space - its beautiful! The food was amazing as always and cooked to perfection, and the service was top notch. When we placed our order, my oldest told me she was sad that they didn't offer a kids chicken alfredo on the kids menu - our waitress overheard her, and offered to have one made! :-) We've never had a bad meal or bad service here - just be sure to get there when they open to get seated quickly, otherwise you may have to wait a bit for a table. Such a hidden gem in Timbuck II! Our favorites: Calamari, Bruschetta, Basil Pesto Gnocchi, Chicken or Shrimp Alfredo, Lasagne, Baked Ziti, and Mushroom/Spinach Ravioli. Their daily specials are always really great too! read more

La Dolce Vita - Shrimp Basil Pesto Gnocchi - Italian Near Me - Corolla, North Carolina

Best Italian place in OBX ! Food and service outstanding. This restaurant is beautifully decorated with delicious food. My husband and I had the bufalina pizza it was crispy fresh yum! The penne pasta with crab and vodka sauce is to die the best! Great wine selection. I very much recommend this place:) The Tiramisu was also one of our fave dessert, very creamy. read more

This place is outstanding. We are staying in Southern Shores but this is the only restaurant in all of Corolla that we are willing to drive 30 minutes for. Our waiter (Vincent? That's the name on the receipt) was very good. I always appreciate when the experience has a personal touch and he told us a couple quick stories one of which was that he's from Ohio and his two brothers also work at the restaurant. They actually made a mistake on our order. My wife eats gluten free and part of why we came here is the nice selection of dishes that suit her dietary restrictions. She ordered the Hawaiian Pizza on gluten free crust. They accidentally brought her the Hawaiian on regular crust. They not only apologize profusely, they also gave us the revival pizza free AND the gluten free pizza was removed from the menu. One thing I want to mention and the reason I am lowering my review is because it was my wife's birthday. I mentioned this to the hostess and asked if they by chance had a good dessert that could get a candle. She said yes and also told me they would sing happy birthday to her. Well, there was no candle and no staff singing happy birthday. Only Vincent casually saying happy birthday. That was truly disappointing to me and I wish they would've done what they said they would do. Oh well, they still get my vote as a must try spot in the OBX. read more

La Dolce Vita - Chicken Parm is enormous and delicious! - Italian Near Me - Corolla, North Carolina

We go here every year while on vacation in Corolla. We are a large group of adults, we spend a ton of money when at the restaurant. They need to come up with a reservation system that can accommodate a large group. Every year it is the same song and dance "call at this time we will see if we can accommodate, we can't do a group that large" ( we are usually 10 to 15 people) We explain we are happy to split the group. It is always 3 phone calls and show up and they hand you 2 buzzers tell you to wait outside for 2 groups..Why not just take the reservation take a credit card charge the group for a no show. Service is pretty good for a beach town, food is pretty good also, but charging for bread is not cool when you are already dropping a grand on dinner with a 20 percent tip .... read more

The food was delicious! We tried going to another restaurant first but their wait was hours long. Came to La Dolce Vita and there was no wait at all for a party of 10! read more

If I could give this place zero stars I would. The man at the front was such a dick. We called and they said they don't take reservations. We get there, asked how long the wait was for a table outside and he said 1 hour. We then asked how long for a table inside and he proceeded to tell us they were fully booked for the night. Will never come back. He was so rude. read more

Have been coming to Corolla for almost 20 years and La Dolce Vita has been a typical stop. The food is good (probably not worth the prices you pay but good enough for a vacation meal). Ambiance is good and you can get a great sunset view; However, getting a table at this place is next to impossible. In the five or six times we went, we never had a fluid seating experience. We called and asked to make a reservation but were told they don't take reservations. But when we arrived, we were told that you can call ahead and be put on their list...which is basically a reservation by definition. Then we were told that they were sold out of "parties of three" for the night. So it's not that they didn't have the seating, but wanted to keep the tables open for bigger parties and bigger checks. Our experience was like a Seinfeld episode. Plenty of other options out there. We went to Mike Dianna's grill room around the corner. Didn't have to deal with any "selective seating" nonsense, and we had a great meal. Avoid the frustration and go elsewhere. This place is not worth the hassle. read more

This review is long overdue! This restaurant the food and the staff are unbelievable! I can't even describe how great the food is how great the service is and how great the atmosphere is. You seriously have to get into this place and try it for yourself. The pizza is out of this world best pizza hands-down on the beach! The cheese pie is to die for! The Italian food is authentic as all get out the chef is unbelievably amazing. The flavors that she puts together and marries and the seasonings can I just stop right there and say rosemary bread! Rosemary bread and oil! You have to have some of their fresh bread might be the only fresh bread on the island! To say that I'm a raving fan of this place and the food and the people and the atmosphere would be a huge understatement. Guys if you haven't been to this joint you need to make it one of your regular stops every time you're in the OBX! While you're there tell Tommie I said hi!! read more

La Dolce Vita - Fettuccine Alfredo "Authentic & Amazing" Fresh baked Rosemary bread w dipping oil Peroni on draft Magnifico - Italian Near Me - Corolla, North Carolina

This place felt like it tried to be a higher end Italian restaurant, something that would've been a nice dinner out at the beach if it delivered. The finishes in the waiting area felt a bit cheesy, but overall the place is nice looking. We sat outside, which is directly next to a mini golf course, which can bring noise from the children (not their fault, but something to note if you're seeking a quiet evening). The restaurant felt overpriced. I understand there's a premium for everything in a tourist area, but this wasn't worth it. The mozzarella sticks were clearly defrosted from frozen (~$12), the shrimp Cesar salad was good (~$18), and my friend's pasta dish was gross (the tomato sauce was overly sweet and unappealing) and he ate very little of it. My dirty martini was overpowered with too much olive juice and too little vodka; maybe a 50-50 ratio. If this place cost 20% less, I'd give it a higher rating, but given how busy they were, their business is probably doing fine as-is. I will say our server (pretty blonde, hoop earrings, in her 20s) was EXCELLENT and very attentive. read more

As soon as the hostess heard a table for 2 she said they were all booked. Even though they had tables for 4 that stayed empty while we sat at the bar for our dinner. For a restaurant that bills itself as upscale, at least have cloth napkins not paper napkins. The food was ok. Nothing wow. And the service was ok. All in all it wasn't a good experience read more

The staff is top tier, and don't even get me started on the food omg it is the greatest thing that has ever touched my tongue!!! I recommend this to every family visiting Corolla NC. read more

The best Italian restaurant I've been to in years. Fast service, great customer service. Will be eating here often

They had Gluten Free pizza and the pizza was good however picking it up was a long wait even though we ordered it by phone. The wait staff where slow and not particularly friendly. read more

Was in the outer banks for two days and the husband and I were craving pasta. Oh thank the heavens we decided to come here! There was a little wait because we wanted outdoor seating- man oh man the mosquitos came for dinner. We had to wait another 15 minutes to get seated inside instead. Ended up sitting at the bar. I ordered the seafood diablo and drooled the whole time. It was the best pasta I've ever had!!! So much shrimp and crab meat. The sauce was chunky due to how much crab meat was given. The husband got one of their specials for the night. And he also loved his pasta. The portions are huge so we couldn't try any desserts but man does the tiramisu look good. We ended up packing up some leftovers and had it for lunch the next day. We wanted to go back for dinner again that night!! read more

La Dolce Vita - Italian Near Me - Corolla, North Carolina

Everything about this place is amazing! Beautiful decor, friendly and efficient staff, and excellent food from the bread and oil to the entrees. Crab cakes and calamari appetizers were delicious. Then the grilled romaine salad, Chicken Alfredo, and seafood fradiavolo were some of the best we've ever eaten. Will definitely keep coming back each year we vacation in the OBX! Stopped and fed the turtles on our way out too! read more

Went to dinner here last night for the first time since we are out of towners. I cannot say enough about this restaurant. The food was PHENOMENAL!!! Absolutely one of the best meals I've ever had. I had the shrimp and crab pasta. The portion sizes were huge and definitely worth it. Everything was cooked perfectly and had an amazing flavor. We sat at the bar and Travis was our bartender and he was so personable and friendly. Highly recommend!!! read more

La Dolce Vita - Chicken gnocchi and shrimp and crap penne - Italian Near Me - Corolla, North Carolina

We wanted a nice meal out with the family while on our OBX vacation. Reading reviews, we decided on La Dolce Vita. Atmosphere was very nice. Clean place. Waiter was pleasant and attentive. Food was good. Portions were great but overpriced. It would've been nice if the bread and salad was included in the meal as most Italian restaurants do. Having said all of that, we will not be going back. We called ahead and were on their 30 min waitlist. As soon as we got there, they sat our party of 7. Took our order fairly quickly. Then we waited and waited and waited. The waiter brought us a loaf of bread "on the house" because they got backed up. We waited again and waited and waited. After an hour and a half (yes, you read that right), my daughter talks to one of the hostesses and tells her at that point, we'd been sitting for an hour & 25 mins! The hostess apologized and said she'd tell the manager who never came to our table to apologize or accommodate us in any way. (I did call him with my complaint when we got back to our house because I felt he owed me a little of his time since he took so much of ours). Anyhow, after about 10 MORE minutes, we got our food. By that time, the enjoyable meal experience we were hoping to have had left us. We were so tired of waiting, we just wanted to eat and get out of there. The wait was so over the top and nobody seemed to care. Very disappointing evening at this restaurant. read more

We had a awesome meal and experience with our server Victor last night. As a party of six, we all have previous Food industry experience and each one of was extremely pleased and enjoyed all of our dishes. Victor brought out two loaves of crusty warm bread with an olive oil dip. We tried the creamy and dreamy asparagus soup and the bruschetta that was one of the specials, simply delicious. We also had the grilled romaine salad that was perfection. The bone in Veal Parm was ordered and even as a very healthy portion was eaten up. The other dish that was outstanding and highly recommended by Victor was the Seafood FraDiablo was outstanding as well the Clams Bianca with tender beautiful white clams and pasta perfectly sauced in a delicate lemony garlic broth. The Lasagna and Eggplant Parm were also both traditionally and expertly well put together and married with a fresh marinara sauce. We are all looking forward to returning to Corolla just to experience this wonderful Italian restaurant. read more

Really fantastic pizza and pasta. We spent the last few months in Corolla, and really enjoyed all of our to-go orders from La Dolce Vita. They just reopened for the season and introduced online ordering. Super easy and convenient, and Tommy at the bar always provides fantastic and friendly service. They also takes Covid protocols seriously, which I can appreciate. Our favorite Pizza is the Buffalata. The cheesecake and carrot cake are also super tasty! read more

Not too shabby, but a little over priced. We ordered a charcuterie tray (a favorite in my family) it had a ton of crackers, but the rest of the tray was seriously lacking, I basically paid $30 for some crackers. The pizza was pretty good, we ordered two, leftovers!! My oldest ordered spaghetti and meatballs, which was pretty good. Total bill $200 with tip. read more