Wonderful experience, as always. We were serviced immediately, got a table top, during the busy rush. I ordered the sausage ragú calabrese. It was a wonderful combination of spice, warmth, comfort, and wonderful pasta texture. It was loaded with sauce! Wonderful presentation and I topped it with table side Parmesan, as I requested. read more

La Dolce Vita - Sausage ragú calebrese - Mediterranean Near Me - Dover, New Hampshire

This is our favorite restaurant. But we were disappointed today. We took my mother in law for lunch today. Normally when we go their lunch, at least once a month. They let us order off from the dinner menu. The chef said no today. The lunch menu is quite small. My husband ordered the tuna. The waitress came back and said they didn't have any. We had asked for the charcuterie board for an appetizer. They said no. It wasn't on the lunch menu. Then the waitress asked us if we wanted an appetizer. They didn't have any for lunch. Only soup or salad. We wanted something to share. The waitress was great, but We were very disappointed. We will go back eventually but not for a while. read more

My brother and sister-in-law who live in Durham took us to celebrate the 50th wedding anniversary of my wife and I this past Saturday. La Dolce Vita is a gem. The owner welcomed us. His daughters were our wait staff. The decor, acoustics and cleanliness were impressive. Best of all was the food. I had the frutti de mare. Each morsel was perfected cooked and the sauce was spicy without obscuring the flavor. We will be returning to La Dolce Vita in the near future. read more

The restaurant is really nice. Very nice staff from the moment you walk in. Highly recommend reservations. There is parking nearby, but you do pay a meter for it. Great selection of beverages and food. The food was delicious. There were 6 of us. Their portions are huge! We shared 2 appetizers and still brought some home. They provide as much yummy toasted bread you want with an oil and spice combo that will have you wanting for more. All of us thoroughly enjoyed our meals from filet mignon, lamb, chicken and shrimp with a cream sauce and sundried tomatoes, chicken parm, eggplant parm and a few dishes of pasta, etc. The waitress was incredibly attentive and sooooo nice. Great prices for what you get and not just because of the portions. The food is really, really good. The only thing that was disappointing was the Sicilian Cannoli. It's possible they pay another company to make their desserts, which is not uncommon. It makes a good dessert, but it is NOT a good cannoli, by far. It was shocking to eat a subpar cannoli at a restaurant that had such fantastic food, but that one flaw does not impact my review overall. The calamari is delicious and huge! Highly recommend! It comes with 2 sauces. I didn't try the marinara, but the other sauce was really good. We will be back. read more

This is Americanized Italian food. My wife had pomodoro pasta had fresh tomatoes, but lacked any seasoning. My chicken Marsala was very sweet and made with canned mushrooms. There are better choices in the area. read more

We have passed it a.number of times and they do not do reservations online. The olde fashion way of calling. :-). We decided to bring my mother in law and her boy friend. The space is nice. Bar seating, small tables and intimate dining. Just very comfortable. They had a couple of larger groups coming in after we were seated and the server wanted to make sure that we got our orders in before the larger groups, which was nice, but we ended up finishing our meals in less than 40 minutes. So a little rushed. But in all the food was good and the evening was a success. No doubt a return visit is in the future. Street parking is available and the city does ticket up to 8:00pm. read more

See all

Italian food disappointing in favor. Started with the calamari appetizer with bell peppers and jalapeños. The portion was huge but seemed not fresh. The $10 side salad was good with a vinaigrette dressing. I had the (not-so) tower eggplant over penne pasta it was overcooked and extremely bland. My husband ordered the short ribs which he said were a little tough and salty. The pistachio cheesecake was just ok. Service was impeccable and friendly, which made up for the meals. The ambiance was nice and pleasant and not too noisy. This was a one and done. read more

Several things to cover here in our first experience with La Dolce Vita. Our server was obviously new to being a server. Key points got missed like making a round with a pepper grinder and/or Parmesan. While he made a very serious effort to do a great job a few things fell short. While we saw multiple five star reviews, with what it seems like they are trying to achieve as an atmosphere it seems a bit off of that. If you are a restaurant that is bold enough to not have salt and pepper on the table then you need to make sure the flavors are what they should be using the menu as a template for what your serving. An example is if you say a dish has a Sage Cream sauce then maybe use some sage? A cream sauce with a very dull hint of sage is not that. While we thoroughly enjoyed everything we ate this isn't a five star review for a restaurant that should be hitting every point in every area. For what we were charged for a full dinner we were underwhelmed. While we say this most everyone will really enjoy the food here. read more

See all

All in all an average place that has a ton of potential. A few things on the negative side and then some positive things. I ordered a dirty martini, I swear it was half olive brine, my daughter ordered surf and turf which was the fillet and scallops. The waitress bought it out there was no scallops on there and told us that the surf was in the sauce and that was it. Two minutes later at the manager came over and bought the scallops that were supposed to be in it. Lastly, we ordered two other desserts to go and the pieces of cake that they gave us were half the size of what they were delivering to the table. I had the rack of lamb which was cooked perfectly and everything on that dish was really enjoyable. A place like that that charges so much money you just expect higher end service without those type of issues. My sense is the staff and entire staff seemed to still be training for some reason. read more

Visiting around Dover for 2 weeks. Best dining restaurant experience in this time. Food was tasty delightful and surprising. Strongly recommend. You won't be disappointed. read more

La Dolce Vita - Mediterranean Near Me - Dover, New Hampshire

See all

The atmosphere here is quite pleasant, but the food is mediocre. We've dined here twice now, and I'm growing increasingly unimpressed. Most of the dishes we ordered were either bland or simply not up to par. The service is generally good, and their charcuterie board is quite impressive, but I've been disappointed with my pasta choices. The chicken piccata was particularly disappointing--it was bland and watery. I was hoping to find a solid Italian restaurant in Dover, but unfortunately, there's nothing truly exceptional in the area that I can really recommend. read more

La Dolce Vita - Blueberry Mule - Mediterranean Near Me - Dover, New Hampshire

Very good meal here today. There was a group of 8 of us today for lunch. Appetizers were excellent to share ( meatballs and shrimp). Everyone enjoyed their entrees and the service was outstanding. Great job La Dolce Vita! read more

What can I say! I feel like Im in Italy! Ambiance is just Wonderful...if just sitting by the fireplace with a glass of wine..., FOOD Is spectacular... staff is SPOT on...whatever you need..they are there...I recommend La Dolce Vita 100%. read more

Great Italian in Dover!! Nice interior with amazing acoustics. It's nice to hear my date! Staff was pleasant and attentive. Food was great! Gnocchi was large and the veal saltimboca was too. Wish the food was a little warmer when served and if the pasta was homemade - look out! Bread and oil was a real nice touch. Deserts were tasty. read more

See all

My new favorite restaurant! We had been wanting to try this place for quite a while and finally made it for our anniversary this year. We were blown away by the amazing experience right in the town next to us. I had noticed before on the menu that it said you had to call to make a reservation. When we decided to go here it was kind of a last-minute decision. I was looking up the website on my phone and saw the option for Google Reserve, which worked perfectly. I was even able to modify the reservation without issue to a little bit later, when we were running behind schedule. There is no parking lot; parking is metered on the downtown streets, or in the public parking lot on the next block. The space is small but so elegant. You could dress up like we did, but we also saw casual families with kids and people of all ages. They had many different types of seating, from high top to banquet to tables of all different sizes and combinations. There is an elegant bar with a large TV with no/low sound showing National Geographic. We were amazed that with all the people in the room it was incredibly quiet and it was easy to have a conversation, which has not been the case it some other nice restaurants we dined at recently. The wine list is enormous. The sangria on the cocktail menu was a seasonal fall one, but when I asked if they could do a regular red sangria that was not on the menu they happily complied and it was fantastic. My husband also enjoyed his old fashioned with giant ice cube. We were served complimentary bread with olive oil that had yummy garlic, rosemary, and red pepper flakes. Everything on the menu sounded so good it was hard to decide on an entree. I usually get lobster ravioli but decided to go with the shrimp Florentine instead. It was deliciously tangy with lemon and artichoke. My husband was blown away by the enormous serving of short ribs, with a delicious potato au gratin and crisp green beans. Prices were completely reasonable for the the quality and size of the meals. We were so full that we weren't able to order dessert. However, when we were leaving we passed several desserts being served and were sad that we had not been able to try them that night! Every single staff member was pleasant and attentive. The bathroom was beautifully decorated. I'm counting the days until we go back so I can try more items on the menu! read more

La Dolce Vita - short ribs, shrimp Florentine - Mediterranean Near Me - Dover, New Hampshire

See all

We had reservations for 5:00, but when we arrived, the hostess seemed unsure where to seat us--even though only a handful of tables were occupied. After a few minutes, we were placed at a high-top table. I ordered a house red wine, which was $16, and was surprised to learn there was no children's menu. I requested Alfredo with chicken and broccoli for my 7-year-old, and that dish ended up costing more than several of the adult meals we ordered. The portion was large, so we took most of it to go, but the flavors were bland and not worth the price. Chicken Marsala is my favorite dish, so I decided to give it a try. When it came out, it had the wrong pasta, so the server had them remake my dish. It was by far my least favorite Marsala ever. The pancetta was overpowering and there were very few mushrooms in the dish. I really had high hopes for this place. I loved the atmosphere but the food was overpriced along with the drinks. Definitely not child friendly. read more

Went on a Tuesday, thinking it would be quiet and easy to get a table. WRONG! The place was as busy as a Saturday and we ended up on a high top, but it was in their main dining room so that felt just fine. I had the Chicken Marsala, which was the second best I'd ever had (first: somewhere in New York City over 20 years ago), with four cheese fettuccine as a side (also very good). My wife got an Eggplant tower which she said was "delicious". We both finished with coffee and slices of pistachio cheesecake topped with pistachio mousse. If you like pistachio you can't do much better than that. Service and atmosphere were also very good. Verdict: this is a great new restaurant in Dover and we'll definitely be back, despite living 45 minutes away. read more

Not impressed. First, there are major service issues. We had to request water for the table so many times that eventually the owner popped out and poured it for the overwhelmed server. You made reservations? Even on a slower night like a Thursday? That's nice. You're still going to wait a very long while for that table. Bathroom out of paper towels. Entrees all came out at different times. Next, the food was inconsistent. The lobster bisque was great! The veal picatta was very chewy/tough and bland. The Caesar salad was watery. The mussels were meh. The cocktails (and bar tender) were excellent. The ambiance is stellar. I won't be back. read more

Excellent Italian food. Beautiful dining room. Large wine list. Very polite & efficient staff. read more

Went for NYE dinner, they were very busy and was a bit of a wait even with a reservation. The food was very good and tasted fresh. Loved the Alla Vongole and Caesar salad. Our server Josh was friendly and helpful. read more

La Dolce Vita - Alla Vongole - Mediterranean Near Me - Dover, New Hampshire

I enjoyed my dinner and the pistachio martini was my favorite. The service was ok. Bartender appeared to know the other person at the bar so it took a little extra to get his attention. read more

Such a great spot! The ravioli is delicious everything we ate is so good. We'll definitely be going back!!!!

Very cool ambiance, relaxing vibe and good lighting. The service is great and attentive, and the food is on point. The veal osso bucco was incredible, i could not stop. Some of the best italian on the seacoast in my opinion. read more

Delicious!! Attentive servers and cozy atmosphere. We will definitely return when we come back to St Pete's

I've heard nothing but wonderful things about this restaurant but was a bit disappointed after I tried it. For the price portions were small and the little necks did not taste fresh. Best part of the meal was the dessert. Nice atmosphere and friendly wait staff. read more

La Dolce Vita - Mediterranean Near Me - Dover, New Hampshire

See all

100% recommend this restaurant. Having been a regular patron I can honesty attest to the outstanding food prepared to perfection. The atmosphere and ambience is also very nice. Staff is very attentive and efficient. The owner is always present and welcoming. read more

The service was not friendly, and the wait times were long. The server confirmed others waited almost an hour for an appetizer. I can't confirm the food quality because we gave up waiting. read more

We Started our meal with a caesar salad which was large enough to share and very good. My husband had the rack of lamb, and I had the chicken alla dolce. Both dishes were outstanding. Our server was attentive and very pleasant. The meal was a delicious experience. read more

Excellent food and attentive service. The atmosphere is wonderful for date night or they have a bar for a more casual experience.

We had extremely high hopes of this place since we have heard great things about it. We were sitting at a table next to two people that mentioned their chicken wasn't cooked properly and politely asked the server to send it back to the kitchen. The server was extremely rude with the request and after the manager caught wind of the situation he came out yelling at the couple saying there is nothing wrong with the chicken since "it was his grandmothers recipe from Italy" and "the chef tasted it and it tasted fine". We will not be coming back after seeing this is how the staff treats their guests. read more

Went last night for a birthday. First time there. Ambiance was nice. Upscale price for downscale performance. Food was mediocre at best. I had the eggplant parm which came out warm. The veal in the veal parm was tough. Two orders of the Carbonara were ordered one was dry and the other was over sauced. The tiramisu was dry and absolutely no flavor. The chocolate salted caramel dessert was good, New York cheesecake was mediocre. Many places we've been to offer complimentary dessert for the birthday person. Made it known and they got a candle and full price. read more

Outstanding restaurant not only for Dover, NH but just plain outstanding. Wonderful, helpful service in a very comfortable setting. The food was wonderful and I have to say that there are so many great sounding dishes that we'll just have to go back several more times to try! Extensive, and interesting wine list though many of the wines are not available by the glass that I would have liked to have tried. I had been to the owners previous restaurant in Portsmouth, NH Cafe Mediterraneo many times and am so pleased to see that, to me anyway, they have outdone themselves with La Dolce Vita. read more

I personally stopped in to make reservations, for a birthday dinner for my friend. We felt rushed the whole time we were there. It was very busy, I was not told when making the reservation that we would have only 1 1/2 hours to dine. The food was fine, basic Italian pasta. We had to ask the waiter for wine with dinner he didn't ask. I was so embarrassed we weren't offered dessert for my friend's birthday and the hostess came over and apologized and said they needed our table for the next reservation! My first and last time- that's not how to get repeat customers! But they obviously don't care. read more

Second time I have eaten there, food was fabulous! The best red marinara sauce I have ever had in a restaurant in NH! Mussel appetizer with gorgonzola cream sauce was to die for! Don't miss out on this special Italian Restaurant in Downtown Dover! read more

La Dolce Vita - a perfect new addition to Dover's growing restaurant selection. This was our 2nd visit and both times our waitperson, Josh, was knowledgeable and attentive. I ordered the Shrimp Florentine and my husband the Veal Piccata. Both dishes were beautiful to look at and even better to eat, evidence of a great chef. The Triple Chocolate Mousse and cappuccino were a lovely end to this wonderful meal. We're happy to add La Dolce Vita to our list of favorite local restaurants. Go and eat well! read more

The restaurant is quite nice . Beautiful atmosphere and friendly staff we're are first impressions once we receded our views changed. We were met by a very nice waitress and placed a drink order. Took a little while to come, but that was OK. We then ordered an appetizer salads in our own time. It seems like it took quite a long time for our appetizer. It came out but when it finally did, it was very good we got the bruschetta, after quite a long wait our salads came out probably about 25 to 30 minutes later. At that time, she told us to tell her when we wanted her to place our dinner orders it was when we ordered them over an hour ago we had expected the dinner order to be placed. After about a 45 minute wait our food finally came out. My fiancé got the filet mignon, which looked to be an end cut not the beautiful round pieces. You see other restaurants with a minimal amount of potatoes and three pieces of asparagus. He said it was very good. I on the other hand ordered chicken Parmesan with no cheese and a side of Angel hair pasta. My plate came. The pasta was underneath amount of sauce the sauce seem to engulf the whole plate and the chicken was on top. Taking the first few bites I realized that the chicken needed to be cut with a steak knife. It was very rubbery and dry. When I looked at the outside of the chicken, the edges were all overcooked. The sauce was overwhelming and very acidic and there was very little angel hair pasta underneath. We had spent most of the time we were there, wondering and asking each other where our food was. We did not receive our dinner until about 8:45 in the evening. We had arrive there at about 7:15 in the evening. We were very unhappy with the service as the waitress seem to pay no attention to us, but kept coming back and asking my fiancé if he wanted another drink. We did not want more drinks. We wanted our food. We were very dismayed as we had read great reviews on this place. It was our one time experience there, and it will be our last. read more

went there fo 53 anniversary .had done some research on Italian restaurants and menu. we both had drinks and charcuterie board to start. since some reviews said service was slow, so we ordered immediately when waitress promptly came over to table. prior to that, warm bread, olive dipping oil and water were brought to our table. within five minutes of meeting our waitress, our drinks and charcuterie board were brought over was a delightful selection of fruit cheese, meat, and assorted crackers. We casually ate, drank and people watched. When our drinks and board came over, we ordered our meals. My wife had a craving for Italian so she went with the lasagna, which was delightful and massive. I wanted to see if the restaurant did well with some of its other offerings. Although they got Italian, they also had steak and fish and poultry and lamb to offer. I chose a rack of lamb, which was wonderful. It had a sauce drizzled over the cut pieces of the rack of lamb It was wonderful. There were a total of line pieces of lamb on the bone to this rack of lamb along with roasted potatoes and asparagus. It was filling it was wonderfully tasteful. After that we had dessert my wife chose a pistachio cheesecake which was wonderful, and I had a hazelnut parfait flute, which was equally as good. So if you're going to eat, and you like eating or dining, I should say and enjoy the food. This was a wonderful place as it filled up and had a good mix of young people all the folks like us and families. The staff was attentive, our waitress, Allison was terrific, the front desk person was actually the daughter of the owner and Lina was so in touch with her clients simply wonderful dining experience . read more

The food here was amazing and the ambiance was even better. One of the best restaurants in Dover !! They have an excellent mixture of seafood dishes, Italian, and some Mediterranean. Service was fantastic as well. Highly recommend coming here! read more

La Dolce Vita - Mediterranean Near Me - Dover, New Hampshire

Meh. Food was decent but definitely mediocre. Pasta dishes were watery. The Waitress didn't come back to offer us a second cocktail after our food was served. read more

Very cute spot with easy parking access across the street! All of the staff was really great, respectful and really seemed like they enjoyed their job which is always nice to see! The food was delicious, all four of us got different plates and no one had any complaints! Cucumber mint martini was amazing for a drink choice as well! read more