Today’s side of ranch is on…

La Tavola is a hidden gem in the small town of West Sayville. It is the perfect stop before embarking the ferry to Fire Island. We decided to stop in for lunch on a Monday. We entered and did not expect what we saw. We saw a beautifully decorated restaurant that felt like home. We were greeted immediately and asked if we preferred a booth or a table. Now I love it when restaurants ask this as it shows that they care about our comfort and preference. I was eagerly waiting for what the menu would offer.

Food quality: The menu at La Tavola is very strategic. They offer a variety of appetizers. I decided to just order a bunch of appetizers since I was not too hungry. I ordered the long stemmed crispy artichokes, crab tots, mozzarella di fresca, and a fig salad! The crab tots were out of the world. The sauce used to dip the tots was seasoned perfectly. The salad felt like it was freshly tossed in Italy.

Overall Service: Our server was Kelly. She almost felt like my best friend by the end of our meal! She always asked how we were doing, if we needed anything, and informed us about the days La Tavola offers live music, Happy hour times, and some of the specials they usually offer on Fridays and Saturdays. This was very kind and smart of her, as it clearly made me want to return soon!

Ambiance: La Tavola had a rustic Italian feel to it. It is decorated with paintings that were actually painted by the owners brother, one of the DeNicola brothers. Which makes the place feel like we were dining in the home of family or a close friend.

Cleanliness: This restaurant offered place mats, which made the dining experience easy and clean for everyone. As soon as we were done with each course our place mat was immediately replaced with a fresh clean one. It definitely kept all of the crumbs away which was a bonus! The servers were dressed casual but still presented themselves professionally, they wore dark wash jeans, and a black shirt with the La Tavola logo on it.

Value:  La Tavola offers an affordable $12 Lunch Menu and $5 glasses of red or white wine for lunch. This was an amazing deal that I could simply not pass!
Overall Experience:  What I loved the most about this restaurant is that we were treated like family, and learned a lot about the origins of the restaurant. For example the server always kept a conversation (which I love) and shared with us that La Tavola is actually one of the many restaurants the DeNicola brothers. The also own Ruvo, Del Fuego, and Liberty.