Best Italian Restaurants in Safety Harbor

I'd never heard of Casa Ludivechio until a friend told me about it last week. I've lived in the area for twenty-five years. It's the best Italian restaurant we've found in Tampa Bay. Our server, Tabetha, was delightful. We sat down, ordered the calamari appetizer, then dinner. I had the rigatoni with sausage in a red sauce; it was incredible. (I will order it every time I return it was so good) My wife enjoyed the cod, and the other couple with us ordered the ravioli and something else. We enjoyed everything, including wine and drinks by the glass. Exceptional experience, we will be back very soon.

Great place for a date night and it is extremely romantic. Either what appears to be the manager for the owner walks around and greets everybody in is extremely nice. The food is amazing and the staff was great. Don’t let the outside judge you being in a strip plaza when you’re inside you feel like you’re in a true nice high-end Italian restaurant.

Great food and service as always . Had live dinner music but not loud as we sat right next too the duo playing . We will be coming back again on a Weds night as the local singer , Dino , plays on weds nights and he dies great Sinatra songs

It was our first time dining at Valentino Ristorante Italiano but it will certainly not be our last time. We were warmly greeted the moment we stepped inside the understated yet elegant interior. We immediately knew this was not going to be a “typical” Italian dining experience. Once seated, the staff were abundant, attentive, accommodating and genuinely friendly. In fact, after expressing our delight over the vongole appetizer (clams), our server brought the chef, Ciro Mancini, to our table so we could share our thoughts and compliments with him directly. With so many delicious options on the menu, we were challenged to make a selection. We opted for the Fettucine Bolognese to enjoy as an appetizer (along with the clams) and felt satisfied we had made an excellent choice. The fresh pasta was al dente and the sauce was complex and rich enhancing,but not overpowering, the wagyu beef. We followed up with Zuppa Di Pesce, served in a bowl loaded with a fresh assortment of seafood. Thankfully it came with crostini to absorb the delicious broth and because it was so tasty we moved on to dipping in with the bread we were served upon being seated. Our server recommended the Veal Marsala and it did not disappoint. The sauce was full bodied and the mushrooms were firm and flavorful. Perhaps the best we’ve ever had! The dessert menu was limited and if we hadn’t overindulged on the other dishes we had ordered, we might have opted to try one. Perhaps on our next visit we will better pace ourselves, if possible, so we can sample their sweet offerings. Overall, we had a wonderful meal in a tastefully elegant setting with great service. Now that’s AMORE!

Our favorite restaurant anywhere. Massimo greets diners. Food always superb. Wait staff best ever. We always start with an appetizer and finish with dessert because we want to get the whole experience.