We spent an evening at Tavera last week, on a whim, looking for a good spot for dinner in…read moreSaskatoon. It was absolutely fantastic! We shared the Bruschetta (my husband thought it was the best he'd ever had) and each ordered a different pasta dish so we could try one another's. I had the Tagliatelle Alla Marinara - it was loaded with seafood, the white wine cream sauce had layers of flavours and those fresh noodles were top notch! My husband had the Tagliatelle Alla Bolognese that was equally delicious! Both meals were huge servings, so we ate as much as we could and took the rest home to finish up for supper the next evening! Our server, Madison, was just a joy to deal with. Thank you for a terrific night, my first time in Saskatchewan :)

This restaurant's space is huge. Ambiance is rustic Italian. Lighting a bit dim. Front reception is…read morevery good and accommodating. We didn't have a reservation but he was very clear on the amount of wait times. Asked us to sit and we were seated quite quickly. Food is decent but not amazing. Good portion for family style sharing. The Brussels sprouts were very good and crispy, making it the winner of the night. Calamari Frutti were a bit bland and crusty which tasted floury. Insalata di Cesare could use more garlic. While the Capelli d'Angelo con Gamberi has only a few shrimps for the price.

Small town. Small minds…read more I heard a couple say that as I was walking down the street toward this restaurant. It's such an unfair statement, especially when applied to Saskatoon. This is a wonderful little town that punches above its weight. The meal I had here may have been the best I've had in 2023 (or at least tied with the one I had in Marfa, Texas). From the scallions to the pasta to the fish to the pudding like dessert paired with a sweet wine, each course complemented the next. The folks here were all so nice and I trusted them to surprise me with each aspect of the meal. I love it when I can hand that decision to experts. In such a short time, I've come to love Saskatoon. The people here have been great and with a meal like I had tonight, I'll put up this small town against much bigger ones anytime. No small minds here.

Great food and service. Loved the Ambiance too…read more Cool to watch the cook prepare the meal.

As it can reveal itself somewhat gradually, La Cucina is yours to uncover. The heavier design of…read moredark wood tables and black leather chairs framed by brick walls are nicely balanced by candles throughout and the lighting sparkle repeating in mirrors. We started with well-executed cocktails and perfect calamari paired with artichoke hearts that began to expose the thoughtfulness of the kitchen. The Linguine Alla Pescatora was perfectly portioned and delicious and my wife left no noodle behind either. We were fully stuffed, but couldn't resist ordering ricotta doughnuts to take back to the hotel. They could likely run a food truck with those doughnuts alone. Traditional Italian fare is not uncommon. Getting it right however is much more rare and La Cucina is ready for show. All of this would be enough but the remaining layers are the wonderful people operating this somewhat new offering to the city. Don is attentive, fun and intelligent, giving you his full attention while still noticing the subtle beckons of nearby tables. He's a fly fisherman who feels life deeply and has great care for all. Then we met Norma who opened the restaurant with her brother. Given the opportunity, I think Norma could run a country. She has managed a variety of businesses, is huge fun and I'm willing to bet she's as strong as the stone wall out front. La Cucina is Italian authenticity pressed by a big heart into a beautiful small space.

My mother in law made a reservation here last night. I haven't been, and I didn't know it was a…read morepretty, date-night, cool little place-- we brought my two toddlers, ages 4 and 2. Ambiance: What started out as quiet and intimate around 6:30pm became somewhat lively (a good kind) around 8:00pm. I loved the vibe. Dark, candle-lit tables, bricked wall, bar all the way in the back and cute and clean little bathrooms downstairs. Tight cubicles if you are to pee with a child but it's ok. No change-table if you are to bring a newborn. Service: Tony, our server was excellent. He was very pleasant and kind and told us we're awesome for taking our kids to dine with us because not a lot do. He also praised us for having very well behaved toddlers! The hostess did too, which i loved. She said no one would even be able to tell there were children in the restaurant. Food: Sadly, this is where I took my 3 stars off. We were all craving for pasta, so I could only speak from the pasta perspective. Prices ranged from Mid to High $20s which for the portion size was pretty steep. Taste-wise, here's the breakdown. *Bolognese: serving super small, and sauce very salty. *Crab Tortellini: i got this, serving portion was decent on this one since tortellinis are a bit heavier by the piece. The filling of crab was basic. Not sure if they use fresh Dungeness to create the filling, it sadly didn't taste as expected. However, i did like the subtle buttery sauce and the accent of fried basil to garnish. *Carbonara: bland and could be a bit creamier with the right egg yolk ratio. My father in law says the pasta was undercooked. *Ravioli: my kids had this to share. Pasta square to ratio filling was off. It could use more filling. Ravioli pillows were tiny. *Cannelloni: excellent. This was yummy. We got meatballs and bread for appetizer. Bread isn't part of dining. Never been to an Italian restaurant that does NOT serve complimentary focaccia or baguette. Also, i noticed that they don't come around the tables to offer fresh parmesan or freshly ground pepper. Because of the service and vibe of the place though, I'd give it another shot and try the variety of meats. I got a glimpse of ribeye from the other table and it looked amazing.

Alfredo was curdled and lumpy. Only 1 employee on floor and he is useless. Manager was "out…read more... running errands" and wasn't available. So disgusted, will never order from here again. And will let everyone I know also

We were there for lunch on a Saturday, don't go. it was bad!! it's not an Italian restaurant! and…read morethe food is long way from what was served a few years ago. The food came cold and the gravy was jello brick. Don't go and waste your money!!! It is not worth the one star!!!

This is one of the best restaurants in Saskatoon. Food is fresh, healthy, and delicious.read more

Absolutely worst dining experience ever. They have no idea how to handle large groups. The food was…read moreterrible. Service started out good but they were incapable of figuring out how to divide the bill. Unprofessional and incompetent woukd sum it up.

It took the server my friends and i had ,Nada , the entire hour to clear our empty plates and cups,…read moreone of my friends asked for another bowl of gnocchi soup and did not get it, I had asked for a bowl of salad and did not get it. Additionally I ordered Chicken Alfredo and the chicken tasted like rubber and the pasta was less breaking when I tried to pick it up and more sloughing apart.

7 of us for a special dinner, 7 courses including a veal chop as #6, all wow, chef is excellent,…read moresee photos for 4 of the dishes

It was odd, we were there at 7:15 on a Friday night and we were the only two people there for about…read morean hour. Perhaps everyone was enjoying the hot weather and folk Fest. None the less our meal was great, as was the service. An excellent pianist entertained us while we dined, the bread and appetizers were fantastic. The spicy bell pepper and olive penne was super (although quite spicy!), and my gf enjoyed the mushroom risotto. My cannoli wasn't the best for dessert, but overall the service was superb, as was the atmosphere and the food. A tad expensive, I suppose.