Went to the new one in Mall of America, what a total disappointment! Took 12 minutes for waitress…read moreto come over. She brought wrong garnish and proudly announced she has ADD!! The deep dish pizza was Dry and tasteless, salad limp not cold or fresh!! The manager was too busy bussing tables to manage his staff!! Definitely won't be back!

Service was great the whole time we were there, prompt, smiles and kept checking on us…read more We went for just apps to give the place a try. The menu looked fun, on line. When we arrived we were seated quickly at a nice table in a themed Italian space. We had the Calamari, an the Escargot. And finished with a piece of their homemade Tiramisu. All were very tasty: Calamari was a crispy, well flavored rings (darn I like the little squid) with a good sauce. The Escargot were plump and the garlic butter they came with was delicious, used the bread (very nice Baguette) to sop it up an hold an Escargot! A finished with the Tiramisu which was everything a good homemade desert should be ! The only suggestion would be to up the presentation on the plate of both of the dish's; the calamari and the escargot But had nothing to do with taste, which was excellent.

Grabbed a seat at the bar at Olio in Bayport and had one of those meals that reminds you why bar…read moredining can be just as good as a full table setup. I started with a glazed dish of what looked like tender bites of pork over sweet potatoes, topped with crispy quinoa and fresh mint - the sweet and savory combo with that herby crunch on top was addictive, and we scraped the bowl clean. For the main, the crispy skin fish was the star of the night. The skin was shattered-glass crispy, the flesh underneath flaky and perfectly cooked, and it sat on a bright, punchy salad with radicchio and shaved fennel that cut through the richness perfectly. The cocktails were just as thoughtful. I had a beautifully balanced sour-style drink with a soft foam top and a dusting of spice, and it was easy to see why the bar program here gets so much love -- the shelves behind the bar are stocked deep, and it shows in the drinks. The whole vibe at the bar is relaxed but polished, with the bartenders keeping an easy pace and clearly knowing the menu inside and out. Olio is proof that Bayport has some serious culinary talent tucked into it. Already thinking about what I'll order next time.

If someone had a teleporter and suddenly dropped you off inside this small, cozy Italian restaurant…read morewith a really positive vibe--and didn't tell you where you were, or in which part of the 19th century--based on the houses, buildings, and a river flowing just a few steps away, I'd say I'm in some very obscure little town in 19th-century Italy. But no, I'm in a town that I really like and visit often--one that's very welcoming and always makes you feel at home: Bayport, MN. As an Italian, a chef, and someone who has great respect for winemaking, I can say that after a long time, I've finally found a restaurant that calls itself Italian and cooks Italian food--because it has the passion to be Italian. I've experienced a lot of frustration after many Italian restaurants with Italian roots closed down. Imitators have emerged, claiming to be Italian, but they aren't. You can tell when they prepare the passata--the authentic tomato sauce. I tried the Rigatoni with Sausage; everything was very well prepared, but the tomato sauce really stood out. The casarece and the potato croquettes were also delicious. Another thing that shows this place has an Italian spirit is that one of the desserts, the Affogato, is very well prepared. To find out what it is, I'd say go and discover it for yourself.... The only thing I'd suggest, just to help them improve, is the espresso. Either there was a problem with the machine or with the coffee. I don't know what brand of coffee they use, but I'd recommend Lavazza. The machine doesn't produce the "crema"--that typical, delicious foam of Italian coffee. The temperature was fine, but the coffee's flavor was very light and lacked that "soul" of an espresso. An espresso has three distinct layers at most: the crema on top, the body in the middle, and at the bottom, the heart--a very dark and delicious concentrated coffee. Until next time!

All in the spirit of catering to the softer side of me, I took a drive up to Pepin, WI, and wow,…read moreVilla Bellezza is a whole vibe! This beautiful winery gives small Italian village energy, and the atmosphere felt so serene. It's the kind of place that makes you want to slow down, sip wine, and just soak it all in. I had the penne al forno paired with a lovely red blend (I forgot the name, but trust me, it was delicious). And I have to give a special shoutout to Alexis, my waitress, she was absolutely amazing! Super friendly, knowledgeable, and made the experience even better. I can't wait to come back when the weather breaks to tour the vineyard. If you're looking for a little escape, Villa Bellezza is worth the trip.

You go to the counter to order and get your wine -if that's what you want. They have a nice menu of…read morepizza and a few other Italian entrees, salads and apps. Itnwas just delicious. Second time I've been here. Sitting outside in the piazza us just heavenly. Great service. Super nice people. Highly recommend

Had breakfast there on Saturday! It was delicious. We loved the billion dollar bacon, the burrito,…read moreeggs Benedict and the crêpes! Our new favorite spot for breakfast!

Great place if you like shitty service and dirty silverware. Food wasn't anything special. Staff…read moredresses like carnival workers. Could be a cool place if the owners took some self pride in their business and had some standards.

it was my birthday and we chose an Italian place near my son"s college home in St. Paul. When we…read morearrived they were closed with no notice or explanatio. We shifted and found this place and called to verify they were open and could serve us. They said they could probably accommodate us. We did have to wait a bit and keep our eyes on a table to grab in the bar, but it wasn't a long wait. It was a Tuesday evening. We had cheese bread, house salad, Tortelloni and Lamache. We had a tarumisu dessert. Everything was fresh and delicious. The service was great and prices were reasonable for the food quality. We will most definitely be back .

The best authentic Alfredo you'll ever have in your entire life. My favorite type of noodles are…read morethe Mafaldine noodles and they have this here for most of their pasta dishes. It is a slender version of the lasagna noodle, and I absolutely love this type of noodle. Their pasta is made al dente and it's absolutely just perfect. I am super picky when I order chicken at Restaurants because I feel like most places it taste almost like it came from frozen and you will not get that feeling or taste at this place. All of their entrées comes with side bread. I did get a Caesar salad and it was very good. The Caesar salad dressing is super delicious.. Their parking lot is very small, especially for dinner time. It is packed and you could find yourself waiting 15 minutes before someone leaves. There are street parking, but those spots are usually all taken. The neighborhood is only for residential permit parking. You may find yourself walking 2 to 3 blocks to get to this restaurant if they're parking lot is full.

Food is excellent. The ambiance has much to be desired. So loud. Can't even hear the piano player…read more Service was great. Server suggested requesting sitting in other room as quieter. Will do that next time. We love it here. Love in the neighborhood,

Best Italian place in Woodbury hands down. Right across the street from the worst Italian in…read moreWoodbury (*cough Carmines cough*). Have been coming here for years and never disappoints. Staff are welcoming and friendly and the food is delicious.

I placed an order for delivery and DoorDash is the service this restaurant uses. After more than an…read morehour, I called the restaurant wondering the status of my order. The manager, Natalie, found that my order has been picked up by DoorDash, but never arrived. She had the order re-made and am employee offered to bring it to my door personally even though they don't offer delivery. It arrived quickly, hot and fresh, and was wonderful.

Had an earlier dinner, service was good and started filling up as it got closer to 6pm. Our server…read morewas friendly, checked on us but gave us space to enjoy our meal and conversation. The raspberry lemondrop doesn't pack a punch alcohol wise but I enjoyed it. Portions are large and definitely easily sharable. There was good lighting at each table to be able to see your dinner companions but dimmer throughout to give a sense of privacy, not sure if that's what they were going for but it was nice. Ample parking since it's in a strip mall. My only critique is that the containers for leftovers are the compostable clamshell containers; great for the environment but for butter and fat heavy foods. The containers absorbed the oils and leaked onto each other and the bag relatively quickly so keep that in mind if you're taking your pasta home without a bag or your car seats may be stained.

Wonderful restaurant and service was impeccable. Loved the comfy atmosphere. Ravioli meals were…read moreloved by all.

It should be noted that I've never actually set foot inside Bella Ciao Pasta Bar and Ristorante. I…read moreonly experienced it today through the lens of a takeout container. For lunch, I ordered the Chicken Marsala. You get to choose a side; options ranging from Alfredo Fettuccine to Green Beans to Mashed Potatoes to Spaghetti Marinara. I went for the Spaghetti. The meal also came with two breadsticks. Overall, the dish was decent but not remarkable. The highlight was the mushrooms in the Marsala wine sauce. They were flavorful and well prepared. The chicken itself was just okay. Without the sauce, it lacked seasoning, and the texture varied throughout the breast, with some parts tender and others noticeably tough or chewy. The spaghetti was good, though comparable to standard spaghetti you might find anywhere. The breadsticks, however, were disappointing; they were extremely hard and not enjoyable to eat. I also wish the Chicken Marsala and the spaghetti were packaged separately. Because of the amount of sauce, everything blended together in the container. I don't mind my food touching, but separating the items would make for a better presentation and texture. I do think other menu items may have more to offer. One mediocre experience isn't enough for me to write off the restaurant entirely, so I would consider trying something else in the future. However, I wouldn't recommend this particular dish based on today's order. Overall rating: 3/5.

Finally, I got to check out Broder's Pasta Bar and it was so worth…read more Our server was nice, attentive, and gave great recommendations. I got the Spaghetti Al Limone with shrimp and it was so tasty. It had an amazing balance of citrus that didn't overpower the rest of the plate. We also sat outside and it was lovely. There were ceiling fans to help keep us cool. It was great to see lots of families there too. You know the restaurant really takes pride in being family friendly. So, if you're looking for a place to treat yourself and curb your pasta cravings, go check them

Well let's start with parking and move to the inside…read more Parking is limited in their parking lot but there is plenty of street parking around so overall it's not bad but some times you do have to walk a block. Their food is worth it though. I have never had a bad meal here but it has floated from just good to great. So a little more consistency on the great would be preferred but still good is nothing to shy away from. The service has been great except for one time recently where I really felt the server was trying to upsell everything. Usually that's not the case but it was a bit annoying. They have seating both inside and out and we try to sit outside as much as possible before the snow flys! Definitely worth a try!

Food was very good and authentic. The in house made breads and pastas were the star of the show!…read more The atmosphere is very comfortable and quaint. The service was great, we had a party of 12 and they accommodated us with great attention. Definitely recommend the gelato for dessert as well as a beautifully made cannoli enjoyed with a macchiato.

We stopped in for coffee and pastries. Our coffees were great. The almond croissant was massive…read moreand, while I intended to save it for later, I needed to eat the whole thing after the first delicious bite. Stop here! It's a delight.