La Dolce Vita

now that we know how good it is, we'll be dining at La Dolce Vita again more

My wife and I were intrigued by the wide variation in reviews of reviews of this restaurant at this site and others. We were going to view a film on a very cold evening. As I suspected, we were not in any way disappointed with our dinner. The restaurant is small and we were fortunate to find a table for two with no reservations. The waitress who served us was friendly, courteous and helpful. The decor is comfortable and the lighting subdued with table candles. The food was good. From reviews here and elsewhere, I suspect there is an effort to hurt this business by some. It is not deserved on the merits of the restaurant itself, We will definitely return again. more

This restaurant has excellent food, great service and reasonable prices. I have found every time I go there a wonderful old world ambiance that is not pretentious like so many Buffalo restaurants that does not have either La Dolce's food or service. A great place to eat dinner and actually RELAX both inside and outside. I often go there for lunch where I have a fine Italian dish , gelato ice cream and a beverage for about $11. Just incredible!!! It is one of the reasons that this area of Hertel is the "new Elmwood" and without the drunkenness of Chippewa. A great place to bring a date or the whole family. I have found a little table in the back just the best when I want to have a romantic evening. Mamma Maria's home made cookies are great as is the home made bread. The chef is one of the most talented in the area with distinctive Italian sauce. The word is spreading so make RESERVATIONS especially on Friday and Saturday. more

I was really surprised to see all of the negative reviews on here! I have eaten here multiple times and had really good experiences. This is my #1 place to stop and eat on Hertel shopping days with my girlfriends! I was last there in Autumn and had an insanely delicious spinach and berry salad for lunch. Our server was adorable and we all got yummy iced coffees to bomb around the boutiques with. I have never been here for dinner before, but I would absolutely return again! I would say try it before you knock it! more

Very pleased. Only the second time here but still delicious. Mid-range on the pricing, but service and food are excellent. Definitely recommended. Careful, they're not open Sunday or Monday. more

Went there with very little expectations, personally, not a huge fan of Italian Food but the descriptions of the pizza on the menu sounded amazing. We also had a $25 off of $45 certificate, so even if it was a total failure, I wasn't worried about the price. The pizza crust was exactly New York Style, the only in Buffalo that I've had correctly made with the perfect crispiness and consistency. Just amazing with perfectly fresh ingredients, one pizza (about $10) is perfect for two people. Since we wanted to use the coupon, I ordered the Pork loin which came in an astonishing brandy reduction with yellow raisins, pine nuts, freshly blanched spinach and unique onion risotto. The wine list was also impressive, and everything was paired with a bottle of slightly sweet American Riesling. Service was great, our waitress was incredibly sweet and there was also another waitress/busser buzzing around. All in all, fantastic. Next time, we just plan on getting the amazing pizza, two beers and enjoying the evening. more

We were just walking down Hertel looking for a place to eat and came upon La Dolce Vita. Being new in town, we had no prior knowledge of it and wanted to give it a try. The bottom line is that we liked the food and the atmosphere (we ate outside) and will likely be coming back. My husband had the Spaghetti con Salsa Rossa (with meatballs) and I had the Pizza Bianca. Now, we are not experts in Italian food, but I'd have to say the spaghetti was very good. The meatballs really added a lot. The pizza was excellent; the ingredients tasted very fresh and the flavors blended together well. We also had chocolate cake for dessert. The cake was a bit dry, as if it had been sitting out all day. But the rich frosting helped mask that. The service was very good as well. I'm always a fan of waitstaff who are attentive but know when to leave diners alone to enjoy their meal and talk. That was the case here. The option of eating outside is also a plus. This will likely go on our list of places to revisit. more

Well, of the restaurants I've tried so far in Buffalo this has to be my favorite. First of all everything on their menu looks delicious, interesting, and very much to my tastes. They have a nice wine list and it seems reasonably priced to me. The two dishes I've tried so far were both excellent. First I had the Petto di Pollo, which is chicken with portobello mushrooms, onions and tomatoes in a "chardonnay wine chevre cream sauce" on top of onion risotto. This was really a perfect dish; all the flavors complemented each other really well and along with the wine suggestions (they list them for every entree) made for a really delicious meal. The last time I was there I tried the Filetto, which was sirloin steak with mushrooms and risotto. The risotto is excellent and I must say they do something with those mushrooms that makes them just unlike any mushrooms I've ever tasted. It was another delicious dish. The food a little expensive but I think totally worth it. more