My husband and I housesat for friends in Athens, and they recommended we go to Tavolino for a weekend dinner. This place functions primarily as a daytime café, but on Fridays and Saturdays, the chef/owner crafts a rotating four-course menu that changes weekly. There is a shared bread or antipasto course for the table, then a choice of soup or salad, two entrees, and two desserts. We went the Friday of Memorial Day weekend. The bread course was a delicious focaccia, light and pillowy and infused with rosemary flavor. When we told our server how much we loved it, she offered us a clamshell with two additional slices to take home. That was such a nice gesture! I had the soup (a cream-based Italian soup with sausage, kale and potatoes), while my husband had the salad with homemade balsamic dressing. Both hit the spot. The dinner options were a choice of pastas. I had the puttanesca, which was bursting with big flavors from the garlic, anchovy and olives. If I had one slight criticism, it would have been that I'd have loved a touch more red pepper -- but I'll freely admit I have a higher spice tolerance than most people. My husband had the "summer fettuccine," which was prepared with bacon, corn and sun-dried tomatoes in a Gorgonzola cream sauce. I didn't taste it because I'm not a fan of the Gorgonzola flavor, but he raved. Both desserts were superb: a strawberry cake and an apple cake that our server informed us was also vegan. We never would have known. It was not dense at all in the way some vegan desserts can be. The server and the chef/owner were both so lovely and welcoming to two non-locals who stumbled in for dinner on a rainy night. It seemed like they knew everyone else there by name, so this is definitely a warm and inviting neighborhood place. The four-course dinner is a steal at $38 per person (plus tax and tip). It's also BYOB. We will surely be back on our next trip to Athens! read more

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We had a private dinner for a social group, and it was amazing! We had the place to ourselves, and we could speak openly without the normal restaurant distractions of other customers. Food was fabulous! And surprisingly reasonably priced. Service for a group can be challenging with all the discussion, but our server was perfect. read more

Tavolino - Italian Near Me - Athens, Ohio

At Tavolino it's like you've lived in the same small town in Italy your whole life and you're coming in to your family's restaurant. The service is beyond top notch and the food is to die for. An experience like non other! I can't recommend the experience highly enough! read more

Make a reservation! It is a small restaurant with a small menu so look ahead if it's for you. The food is made from scratch and you can tell! There were 5 of us and we all loved what we chose. Loved that they were dressed up for Halloween too They were very personable. We'll definitely return when in Athens read more

The food is amazing as well as the service. Great little restaurant. Emily and Traci are great! Highly recommend. read more

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This was a wonderful, memorable experience. I especially loved the delicious, moist focaccia, the incredible apple cake, and the friendly, fun service. read more

Tavolino - Mushroom Bolognese - Italian Near Me - Athens, Ohio

What a joyful experience this was - the staff was the sweetest, the food impeccable, and the atmosphere intimate enough to enjoy great conversations for a reunion with 5 other women. Thank you for taking care of us all! Couldn't highly recommend this more to everyone - rush there to enjoy a delicious experience. read more

An absolute gem of a restaurant. The food is amazing and the presentation is wonderful. Emily is an amazing chef and every course was a 10/10. Tracy is a great server who answered all of our questions including a brief history of the restaurant. read more

Nowhere on Google and here on Yelp did it say that this restaurant prefers reservations only. This situation negatively impacted a family celebration for us earlier this month and we were really looking forward to eating here. read more

One goes to Tavolino for the really enjoyable and exquisitely prepared meals. The ambiance is as welcoming as friends getting together for a big meal. Service is so polite, courteous, professional, caring and human We plan to drive an hour again soon to enjoy a meal at Tavolino's read more

Super cool, absolutely delicious, fresh, home cooked meals everyday! Emily makes each dish to order and has vegan options. Meatball day is THE BEST! "Soup on hold program" You can also buy soup for anyone who needs it. Write an encouraging note and help someone in need. read more

Need a reservation. Can't speak for the food but walking in was dark and crowded space. Felt unappealing and unwelcoming. No parking.

Tavolino is a delicious restaurant with made from scratch entrees. Emily is a fantastic cook and will make any meal vegetarian and/or grain free (a great option for gluten free and primal eaters). Lunch Mondays-Wednesdays are a great bargain. Fresh, delicious meals go for $5 for half serving and $10 for full serving. She is closed on Thursdays, but serves a 4 course meal on Friday evenings and a divine 7 course dinner on Saturdays. Check it out for yourself. You won't be disappointed. read more

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Excellent food, service, and community care. Have been there many times and always been treated as if I were the only client that they had to care for. Ordered Take Out for Covid-Graduation 2021 and the food was excellent. Emily and staff are FANTASTIC! Support this local business anytime you are in or near Athens. read more

Just had the best lunch ever at Tavolino. I've been meaning to check them out forever and I'm so glad I did. You know you're going to be well taken care of when you walk in because the chef is right there! The staff were all so kind and the restaurant itself had great vibes. I had the half order of the fried mozzarella panini and tomato soup for lunch. Perfect size and a perfect price at $7. The tomato soup was the best I've had, ever. So many layers of textures and flavors. The sandwich was also incredible - who doesn't love gooey cheese and bread?! I got a slice of cheesecake on the house since it was my first time in (also delicious) but this experience really reminded me how much I'm going to miss Athens when I graduate next year. I can't wait to visit Tavolino again. Local ingredients and a special care for people with GF or vegan diets. Check em out! read more

Tavolino - Italian Near Me - Athens, Ohio

You have very few options here. Basically, you have the choice of soup or salad. If you have a family that has varying tastes, don't go here. They have one entree option a day. This is a very hipster sort of restaurant. It has a tiny dining area. If I wanted no options, I'd go home to my mother's kitchen. I honestly cannot believe that I parallel parked for this. read more

I thought I knew all the restaurants in Athens but we saw this on Yelp and called to see if they had an opening a few hours later. They were able to accomodate our party of 5. What a fantastic experience! From my first phone call talking to Emily (owner/chef) to the time we walked out it was top notch. The food was incredible and Emily is an absolute delight. We ranged in age from 18 to 80 and everyone left happy. Can't recommend this place enough. It's off the beaten path and worth it! read more

Amazing food. We did a four-course menu. For the quality it was an excellent price. The portions were perfect. The service was fantastic. The desserts were nummy. Even our picky 10-year-old loved almost every bite. Plus, they were such nice people. read more

Emily makes the best meat balls...ever! Her ravioli is amazing, the desserts are fantastic, and the price is right. You won't find a better meal in Athens Ohio. read more

Loved it. Excellent food, great service, and a wonderful ambiance. Will be going back again...and again.

If visiting, new to the area or lived here for entire life, visit this amazing place! I convinced my picky eater husband that I was going to have dinner here, with or without him. I've tried for months to get him to go. Im not a spontaneous person either and tend to settle for what I know rather than try new things. But I trust Emily (the owner) and trusted what she was, literally, bringing to the table. So tonight, we jumped off cliff and we were NOT disappointed. My husband and I spent time enjoying each other, enjoying the atmosphere and most of all, the food. The papperdalle with pork ragu was amazing. I hadn't had it before and it was fabulous. I kept getting "thumbs up" from my husband. He also enjoyed the squash-potato soup-a lot. For dessert, he had the Affogatto and I had there- cheesecake with a caramel espresso topping. Again, thoroughly enjoyed the desserts. The atmosphere is also an important element to note. It is a smaller restaurant to allow the owner to keep up and manage on the personal level. It allows Emily to see all of her customers, keep her food fresh (made while you are there) and reduce food waste. We will definitely be back in. read more

The young woman that owns and cooks here is a very sweet and caring person.Her food is professionally made with love.She also has a program where people can donate soup for low income people to eat at no cost.Menu is different everyday.Stop by for a wonderful meal. read more

Great food , friendly fast service . Parking is a little lacking but we park down the road by the school and it's a short walk.

Awesome place to eat! If you haven't tried it yet GO! Emily is great and she makes delicious food! She also teaches really fun cooking classes. read more

I don't know why it took me so long to finally try Tavolino, but oh my goodness I am so upset that I wasted so much time NOT eating there. EVERYTHING was so so delicious and tasted and felt like a true home cooked meal. Even the side salad was to die for. So excited to eat there again! read more

This place feels like you wandered down a side street in Italy. Emily is owner/chef and delightful. Food was excellent, service friendly and prompt. They accommodated gluten and dairy free with ease. Highly recommend. read more

I love not having to choose from a menu and knowing that whatever she is serving that day is going to be delicious. Excellent and affordable food for lunch, and the dinners are great for a special night out. read more

Stopped in for lunch on a Monday. It was lasagna day. It was excellent. Very fresh and authentic. We had a chance to talk with the chief/owner Emily. She was very friendly and engaging. It takes a little adjusting to understand that you're not going to have a menu with multiple selections. You check Facebook to see what being offered that day for lunch. There's usually a soup or salad option to go with your entree. The offering changes each day. On weekends she's open for dinner. It's a four course offering. On one weekend each month she does a seven course meal that requires reservations. Since Athens is like Death Valley when it comes to good Italian, this place, even with the limited options, is an oasis. I say give it a try. It's fresh and authentic. read more