Extremely warm and kind. As soon as I walked through the door, I met Nick. Host? I felt like he was happy for me to be here. Turns out he was the owner! Very kind, warm and handsome. I signaled my husband to come in. Lori was our waitress, also warm, happy, and accommodating. Generous portions and DELICIOUS food. We are only in town for a wedding and found la Padella on Yelp. It was exactly what we were looking for. Excellent!! We hope to come back someday! read more

Stopped by la Padella a few weeks ago for the first time and loved it!!! The calamari is some of the best I've ever had and the peppers add a special touch. The special short rib arancini had a great flavor and was a very large portion. My fiancé had the special which was a chicken piccata with homemade fettuccine and he still hasn't stopped talking about it. I had the stuffed chicken and I really enjoyed it. The polenta that is was served with was delicious. The homemade mint chocolate chip panna cotta was probably one of the best desserts I've had in my life and I wish I knew how to make it! read more

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When we called to see if the restaurant was busy on a Friday night, we were told they were and that we'd have a wait. Surprisingly, when we arrived, the only place that was busy was the bar. There were plenty of free tables. Being that this was the third time we've been to this restaurant, we found that the menu was still pretty much the same - nothing really exciting. The arugula salad (which was split) came out drenched and soggy. As I ate it, the overabundance of acidic salad dressing got caught in my throat, and I was practically choking. In the midst of a coughing fit, our server came over to ask if everything was ok, yet all I could do was push the salad away. My husband tried to explain what had happened, and I was brought a non-soggy salad this time. The salad was later taken off our bill. After 2 uneventful meals (scallops and pasta with peas), we decided to skip dessert. A check close to $100 sadly did not match the poor quality of the food. After 3 times, we're done. read more

This was our second time at La Padella. The food was fantastic. We had the fried meat/risotto special and the fried calamari as appetizers, they did not disappoint. We split a Caesar salad which was very good. We split due to them not having "side" salads or a smaller option. My boyfriend got the short rib entree, amazing flavor and so tender. He wanted steak but steak is not on their menu. I had the ravioli and sausage in the blush sauce. The raviolis were prefect and the sausage was cooked well. But there was WAYYY too much sauce. I could barley find the raviolis and sausage. It was almost like a soup. Waitress & staff were pleasant. The atmosphere was nice. Smaller in there so you could hear everyone's conversations but it wasn't over crowded. We had a total of 6 drinks. I had the peach Bellini.... so good. The check came to $125 for everything (not bad for everything that we got). Portion sizes were amazing, plus the bread & oil were delicious and fresh. We will definitely be back again. I might not get pasta but will go for an entree instead. read more

We had an amazing meal, great service and tasty cocktails. When we try a new place we take the over order approach and went with 5 apps. We have decided to get our holiday gift certificates from here this year. Try it. You'll love it too. read more

la Padella - Italian Near Me - Media, Pennsylvania

Good neighborhood Italian-- with warm "throwback" friendly atmosphere. The food was average and nothing more. Soups were under- spiced. Red sauces were bland and the pasta tasted as if it sat in the water too long (in fairness the waiter brought us a new portion). Potential is there, but the food tastes like every strip mall Italian restaurant we ever visited. Worth a walk, not a drive. The wine by the glass was well priced but the selection was not impressive. We did receive a response from the management and we will probably give it another try. Thank you read more

I was really excited to try a new restaurant off State Street. Unfortunately, la Padella missed the mark a bit. We had a reservation for 7, but didn't get sat until closer to 7:45 pm. We were offered nothing in return for this inconvenience. Then, we were sat the waiter took a long time to get things moving. Drinks were delivered in an odd fashion: wine, seltzer, then water. As he was pouring wine, he seemed thrown off when a guest said that she didn't want any (2 of us didn't). Then, the real disappointing moment came when we were ordering. When he got to me, I simply said that I would order last (knowing that I had a few questions). Then, he came back to me and I asked about how various items were cooked and what hidden ingredients were used. I have several dietary restrictions, so asking questions is important when I am dining out. During this exchange, he looked at my friends and said, "Who's going to claim this one?" At this point, we had waited 45 minutes to sit and approximately 20 more to order. It was not a moment for jokes, or a time to question someone's dietary needs. I have never had a more upsetting or disappointing interaction with a server. Typically, servers bend over backwards to ensure that the dining experience is exceptional. Then, when my food was delivered, the items I asked to be eliminated were on the plate. It was as if the joke at my expense wasn't even worth it. The server never acknowledged that this occurred or apologized. A food runner partially saved the day, so I could eat the meal. At the end of the night, I spoke with the manager (or who I presumed to be the manager) about this situation. We had a good conversation about the problem, and, in fact, he even sat down to talk. Unfortunately, he offered nothing in return, but a simple apology. At that point, we had already paid our bill, so it was clear that I wasn't looking for a free meal. I was looking for an actual gesture. He just asked that I give them a second try. Nope. No, thanks. la Padella needs to address their service issue, educating the servers on the ingredients, and making actual gestures to demonstrate that they value customers. read more

Insanely authentic. I am of Italian-American descent (I know, so what) but I've also eaten authentic Tuscan cuisine in Tuscany. The subtlety and yet strength of flavors at La Padella were fantastic. Don't miss the meatball or stuffed long hot appetizers. I had the gnocchi with ground beef bolognese and the bolognese was so rich and flavorful it reminded me of the wild boar ragu I had in Italy. We met Nick the owner who is very engaging and clearly loves what he does... next time I will have to meet the chef. read more

My neighbor Chip and we have been swapping take out dinners on Wednesdays and Saturdays for maybe the last two or three months during Covid. This past Saturday night was Chip's turn, and he took our orders for takeout dinners from La Padilla. At Chip's recommendation, I ordered the pork chop with roasted baby potatoes and asparagus. My dinner was exceptional: the pork chop was beautifully caramelized and seriously juicy with a spicey brown sauce (on the side) which I happen to love. Roasted baby potatoes were crisp on the outside and creamy on the inside, just spectacular. My asparagus were fat boys roasted just right. All in all, I enjoyed my take out dinner from La Padella to the nth degree. Outstanding. read more

Hybrid Stripped Bass--The bass is crispy outside and tender inside. The veggies are good too. Raspberry cheesecake is delicious. Very nice environment with romantic music. Perfect place for dating. read more

We just moved here from California and are so happy we found this place. Portions were amazing, flavor so delicious but even better, the staff were so kind and service was excellent. We will definitely be back. Fresh homemade bread to die for, sausage and peppers, my hubbies favorites I loved the chicken mushroom and broccoli pasta in a creamy white sauce not too thin and not too rich ...so good. Our server Danielle was the sweetest . read more

Beautiful location, beautiful restaurant, wonderful service. My only complaint is with the food. My pasta was drowned in sauce. Pasta is beautiful in its own right. It doesn't need excessive / calorie-laden sauce. My advice to the chef - keep it simple; keep it light on the sauce / keep it true to Italy / Italian fare. read more

Went for lunch on a Thursday. Everything was delicious. We will go back. Don't park in the front. There is parking in the back.

Absolutely not traditional Italian food. Spaghetti was over cooked, veal was definitely a frozen patty and the sausage was terrible. They chopped it up and tossed it in a dry rub. Coming from a "real" Italian family this spot is a one and done! read more

A great experience from beginning to end. 30min wait to get table with no reservations. Bartender made sure we were taken care of while we waited. Got 3apps, a dinner and 2 desserts. Apps we're meat/cheese tray, calamari, and caparisi salad. Meat/cheese tray had 2 different hard cheeses well balanced with peppers, olives and artichokes. Calamari had sweet and hot peppers with calamari, absolutely delicious. Capresi salad featured fresh tomatoes and motzarella. Dinner was braised short ribs. Full of flavor and delicious. Pancetta Custard and dome cake for desert. Custard flavor was well balanced with exacting consistency. Dome cake was exploding with chocolate. This was our first visit and will definitely not be our last. read more

I had high hopes but very disappointed. Owners were out of town so I couldn't talk to them about the underwhelming experience. The woman I did speak with was apologetic but did not offer to adjust our bill which would have been an appropriate gesture considering the lackluster appetizers. We ordered the calamari appetizer, and for $9, it consisted of about 10 or so pieces of calamari (see picture below). The flat bread was luke warm. The gnocchi entree was very small. The bread was brought to the table one dry roll at a time. The other entrees were okay but nothing special, and bc of that, they were overpriced. There was only one server on the floor (Monday night at 6) and although he was pleasant, he had so many other tables to service that we waited 15 minutes after asking for our bill and then another 15 for him to come back with it. La Porta and Spassos are so much better with bigger, tastier portions. read more

la Padella - Italian Near Me - Media, Pennsylvania

I'd probably give it three stars if it were the only Italian restaurant nearby. But, since there are two better places within a five minute drive, I can't help but compare. Food: OK. But, Fellini and Spasso are both better. [The owner and chef should check them out.] Portions are very small -- what I would expect at a fancy Center City or Main Line place. And, that's fine. But, why not go to the other two and get more, tastier food? Check out the picture of bacon-wrapped filet and the lamb chop that someone posted for representative examples of portion size. Prices: higher than Fellini and Spasso for significantly less food. If the food was of higher quality than that of the other two, perhaps that would be justified. [Example: Autograph in Berwyn. Worth the price.] But, not the case. Also, I don't understand any Italian restaurant that is stingy with the amount of pasta. Isn't pasta kinda the point of ordering a pasta dish at an Italian restaurant? Carb me up, please -- that's why I run. Service: our server was very friendly and wanted us to have a good time. But, she wasn't anywhere near as knowledgeable as the servers we have had at Fellini and Spasso. She had trouble answering basic questions about the dishes, a sign of poor training. [Don't get me wrong -- she earned a 20% tip by being nice, my key criterion.] So, to sum it up: OK, but why go here when you can go to Fellini or Spasso for a better, less expensive meal -- and then take a walk on State Street in downtown Media? read more

Went there last evening. We were looking for a good Italian restaurant near us. We failed. There is great, good, OK, mediocre, then LaPadella. I could spend paragraphs describing the food and bar...but why bother. It was a step below mediocre...sorry...so sorry. read more

La Padella is quickly becoming one of my favorite restaurants in Media! We have eaten there several times and each time is better. Whether you grab a seat at the bar for appetizers and a drink or sit at one of their intimate tables, you will have a wonderful time. They have an excellent appetizer selection, which you could easily pick a few of and make a dinner out of it. I enjoyed the mussels and their mushroom soup. For dinner, I highly recommend their meat lasagna(Not your average lasagna) or linguini with clams. Don't skip dessert! Be sure to try their chocolate cake with cappuccino cream. They also offer a full bar with delicious cocktails, wines by the glass and solid draft beer list. I love that this is a family run restaurant and each time I have gone, the owner has been there and so helpful. This restaurant is ideal for a date night or parent's night out. read more

We ordered take out last night , Saturday as we try to a few times a month . The veal stew special was so good , a perfect winter meal. I had the salmon which was also very good . Nice take out presentation and big portions. This is our go to because the service is exceptional and the food is always good.. read more

Great place! Love the ambiance and the food is amazing. Staff is wonderful and knowledgeable. Definitely go for the meatballs and the stuffed chicken. read more

We stopped in late on a Saturday evening with surprise, holiday guests for an appetizer and quick drink. We hoped to have a few minutes in a nice environment to visit with our company. We were seated immediately and the waitress was very welcoming. We didn't spend much, but we were treated like royalty. The waitress even run after us to return a scarf I had left accidentally. Best service I have had in years! The fries were great as well! read more

Really great atmosphere and love that it is an addition to media. We love to support local businesses, especially this one. We went on a weekend and were sat promptly with quick service that was very friendly. The food was good, menu and specials were nice. The cocktails wine and beer were very reasonably priced which is great!! The food needed a lunch in flavor, just some salt or extra flare, but would have elevated the experience to a 5/5! Will be back read more

Excellent food!! First time here our waitress was amazing as well. Small restaurant but very cozy and nice. Definitely will be back again!!

We have been to la Padella three times and it was wonderful. Delicious authentic Italian food, I think grandma is in the kitchen. Love it!

Went tonight for our anniversary and was not disappointed. Excellent mail, service and visit by owner. The food was delicious and plentiful with leftovers. The veal parmigiana was a huge portion as were the scallops. Owner "comped" us on the calamari appetizer for our anniversary. I was not expecting it and was pleasantly surprised. Very safe atmosphere with socially distanced tables. Need more people to be more rational and support these small businesses, it is their livelihood at stake under assault by irrational authorities. Kudos to La Padella. read more

My daughter and I came here as a result of a restaurant.com card. Wow! Were we impressed! I had the bronzino-- moist, tender, flavorful fish over sun-dried tomato orzo. My daughter had the shrimp diavalo over veggies that they substituted willingly for her pasta. The shrimp were perfectly prepared and sauce had just enough heat without it burning your mouth. Both of us were very pleased with our meals. In addition, the environment is warm and our waitstaff was very attentive without being in the way. Although it is not in the heart of Media, overall a great experience and will return! read more

With restaurants like Fellini's and Ariana down the road, why would you go anywhere else for Italian food? The apps are good, but we tried four entrees and didn't enjoy the taste of any of them (eggplant parmesan, ravioli, fettuccini, and the grilled chicken dish). Too bad because the waitstaff was very friendly and it's cozy and cute inside! read more

Ordered takeout on Friday night. Very hospitable service during the ordering and pick up process. Food was delicious! Had the mussels in red sauce for an appetizer & the spaghetti & meatballs entree. Great flavors and generous portions! Highly recommend. read more

Tried this place for the first time this evening for our anniversary dinner. The food was cooked great (scallops and tortellini). The staff were friendly. Our waitress Amanda was great! She was pleasant and checked on us often. We will surely return. read more

Great meal with friends here. We sampled just about every appetizer and salad, and everything was delicious. Ariancini was definitely the standout. For dinner, it was an an assortment of everything. My veal chop was cooked perfectly and everyone enjoyed their pastas and seafood! Great space, and really nice staff. Definitely seek this place out! So happy to have a nice place to go when I am back in the media area! read more

Excellent dining experience...very nice outdoor eating area, friendly owner and greeted us at our table, great cocktails, will definitely return especially for the delicious crab cakes and garlic mashed potatoes! Server was very friendly and helpful ~ read more

We ordered takeout tonight for dinner. We had a Caesar salad, shrimp with penne and eggplant parmigiana. The food was wonderful! The best Italian we've had since moving to the suburbs. Everyone we encountered, from the man who took our order to the woman who brought our food out, was extremely friendly. We can't wait to be able to eat in the restaurant after the Stay at Home order is lifted! If you haven't tried this place yet, you need to! read more

My wife and I were hoping to find a place where we could have a good meal and just sit in the bar area and relax. LaPadella came through in a huge way. We really enjoyed our meal and had a great night! I highly recommend LaPadella. read more

Love this place. Best service in all of media. Their menu forces you to redefine what Italian American cuisine is by offering twists on classic entries. The aranchini can come with a pea sauce, marinara or the latest peppercorn cream. The crab fries are REAL crab fries topped with huge portions of crab meat with an amazing old bay cheese sauce. It feels weird ordering crab fries at this kind of place but when you get them you understand. These are something special you eat with a fork. I've had several entires. The lasagna could use more ricotta but is still flavored perfectly. They have had several variations of sausage ricotta and rosa sauce and all have been delightful. The crab cakes are amazing but it's the sides that make them great. Garlic mashed potatoes and sautéed zucchini and squash. Wow This place is a gem and highly recommend read more

For starters, my dining partner and I shared a generous and very good green salad. Entrees - He had spaghetti with meatballs that were almost the size of baseballs and according to him, had too much filler and a so-so taste. The spaghetti was good. My ravioli's ricotta filling was delicious, although the ravioli themselves could've used a little more cooking. The sausage was tasty but could've been more tender, too. Our main problem during the meal was the noise - so loud that we couldn't have a conversation, and the man at the next table had the same experience, we learned later. Hopfully la Padella will correct this situation, (maybe cloth wall decor or something to soften the sound bouncing off hard walls, floors and furniture there) because the food has real potential, and it already seems like a popular place. read more

Had dinner here tonight and couldn't be happier! The meal was delicious as was the presentation. Our server Lisa was incredibly attentive and friendly. I highly recommend it! read more

Came here because the menu touts a seemingly good gluten free selection, and was thoroughly disappointed. Since the menu offers gluten free pasta, I asked my waitress which of the pasta dishes could be made gluten free. She replied "we have gluten free pasta so all of them." I had to explain to her that many sauces still contain wheat, and sent her into the kitchen to ask what sauces could be done gluten free. She returned without an answer and said "the chef thinks it would be easier if you just picked something and then she'll see if it's gluten free." Totally unhelpful. Now, I'm not feeling confident in this place's knowledge of gluten free practices, and don't want to chance getting a vodka or Alfredo sauce. I ask if the regular tomato sauce is gluten free, and she says yes. The dish comes with meatballs, so I ask if they're gluten free, and she says yes. I then ask if the meatballs have bread crumbs in them...she goes to check with the kitchen, comes back and says they do. So the meatballs are NOT gluten free, and she was ready to serve them to me anyway. At this point, I knew I'd be taking a chance of getting gluten-poisoned if I ate any of the pasta, so I just ordered the roasted chicken. Portion was super small for $23 and nothing memorable. If you're a Celiac, definitely do not go here. And if you're just a regular person looking for excellent Italian food, you're better off at Felleni Cafe a little further down the road. read more

I had the Arancini appetizer. It was rather bland. All they need to do is add red peppers for some flavor. I had the chicken ravioli special as my entree. Neat idea using shredded chicken as a filler. It was quite good. The sauce was good but nothing to write home about. My wife had the eggplant parm. Stay away from that dish! The eggplant was cut way too thick; they included the end piece (something a restaurant should never do); and the pasta was clumpy. If we lived in the neighborhood or close by, we might give it another try. The prices are very reasonable. But we came from Delaware, looking for a new place to try. Next time we will stick to the many offerings on State Street or in our own backyard. read more

I have never experienced escarole soup where there were entire, uncut escarole leaves in the soup. My dinner companion and I had to use a fork and knife to cut the leaves. They also left the tough base of the leaves on. In addition, there was one giant meatball served with it along with a weak, almost tasteless broth. This is the sign of a chef that is either unfamiliar with escarole soup (then it's the owner's fault) or is just lazy (again, the owner's fault). The remainder of the meal was uninspired (potato gnocchi and cheese ravioli-maaaybe 3 stars). Stick to Spaso or Fellini in Media for the price or Teca and Trattoria Giuseppe in Newtown Square. read more