Sardinia Restaurant: An Authentic Taste of Italy in Sarasota

I am from Sardinia and the food here is authentic! The staff is friendly and professional. Thank you!

We walked in without a reservation, the place was packed. Delicious food, great servers and wonderful ambiance! So looking forward to going back again soon! The flavors are authentic and the wine from Sardinia is just devine!

Three of us went for dinner on a Tuesday night. We had the Sardinian Gnocchi, Sea Bass, and Chicken Milanese. The first two were very good. The Chicken Milanese was cooked well, but it had some arugula and chunks of tomato piled on top, dry. A very basic preparation for this caliber restaurant. The server came back with olive oil and balsamic vinegar for us to dress our own. All in all, we enjoyed the meal.

This intimate authentic Italian restaurant has just 11 white tablecloth draped tables in the main dining room. A few more in the bar area and outside, but we only make reservations for the main dining room which is decorated with authentic Sardinian decor. The waitstaff has remained the same for years and we are always remembered and greeted as though we are seeing old friends. The chef/owner Dino Carta bakes traditional Sardinian bread daily as well as all pastas /dishes are homemade. There are several traditional Sardinian meal selections on the menu as well as local fresh fish options, pasta, and some amazing mushroom dishes. I often order “Fettuccine ai funghi selvatici e pecorino fresco” / Fettuccine with wild mushrooms and fresh pecorino as it is one of my favorites , but I selected the Halibut, one of that evening fares which isn’t usually on the menu. (It was amazing. The fish was delicate and flaky and the flavors subtle.) I added a side of pasta because I can’t pass up homemade pasta! Carlos had the “Paella di fregola con pesce misto e bottarga,” / Sardinian Paella with fregola, mixed seafood and bottarga which he said he won’t order again as he thought it was too rich as a main dish and was wishing he ordered one of his two standards the Lasagne or the Chicken Milanese. We shared a bottle of Vermentino a Sicilian white wine somewhere between a Pino Gregorio and a Chardonnay. It perfectly complemented our meal and a nice diversion from our usual Sauvignon Blanc. We skipped dessert as we were celebrating his birthday and went home to eat cake on the dock!

The best authentic Italian food in SRQ. Place is immaculate and a very nice place for a romantic dinner. The food is excellent and so is the service. I eat here at least once a week! Love it.

We had the veal ravioli and asparagus gnocchi. Both were simply…not good. the ravioli came out in a watered down gravy-like sauce and the asparagus gnocchi was mushy and overwhelmingly asparagus flavored. The service was great and the atmosphere was pleasant. The bread was stale, but free at least!

One of our most favorite meals in Sarasota and Siesta Key. We stumbled on this restaurant after trying to go to another restaurant. So happy we did! First, the homemade Carasau (super crispy flatbread) was delicious and our entre was even better. Paired with the wild mushroom appetizer the, Carasau is even more heavenly. The Linguine Ai Frutti Di Mare was one that challenges Boston's Little Italy and Providence's Federal Hill district for deliciousness. The pasta was cooked perfectly al dente, the sauce was light, but perfectly salted and flavorful. Recommended!

Fantastic! Chef makes his own Bottarga. Carpaccio di pulpo, linguine with clams and bottarga, vitello Al forno all excellent with a Sardinian wine pairing… Can’t wait to go back and try the fregola pescatore.