La Novella in East Meadow
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East Meadow, Nassau County, New York, US
Site: https://www.lanovella.com/
- Monday:Closed
- Tuesday:12–10PM
- Wednesday:12–10PM
- Thursday:12–10PM
- Friday:12–10PM
- Saturday:3–10PM
- Sunday:1–9PM
It was horrible. We went there for a wedding dinner with around 25 sits. It started out okay but the groom drank a bit to much and got a bit drunk. So we decided to get him out of there right away. Everyone else was perfectly fine and was no where even close to drunk. When one person of our party went up to the bar to get a drink they turned him away right away because of groom getting drunk. Then a random person that didn’t work there was trying to hit him. A little bit later another person went up to get a drink and they turned her down as well. So she got upset and told us we were leaving right away. The owner got mad and put his hands on one of the party members. Overall a horrible place and okay food. The only good thing was the music which was live. Would never go back and don’t recommend.
10/17/21 We attended a party here recently and enjoyed our meal very much, the food was delicious. There were so many courses and OMG... I ate so much food, that I had to bring my entree home. (You know... So Id have enough room for CAKE! Lol... :)My only complaint(?) All tile floors (and no carpeting to muffle sound) so it was extremely noisy, and difficult to have or hear a conversation. (I guess it didnt help that there was (really good) live entertainment in the adjacent outdoor seating area, so a lot of noise... but a very enjoyable evening). Good food, good friends, and delicious wine!!!
My husband and I had the most amazing dinner at this lovely family-owned, warm, welcoming neighborhood restaurant. Our dinners were delicious which included a caesar salad for two, filet of sole with veggies and potatoes, and a perfectly cooked leg of lamb with veggies, potatoes and even a side of pasta. The newly covered outside section is wonderful and has a festive feel not usually felt in most restaurants. We were in town for a wedding and stumbled upon this East Meadow gem. We will definitely go back when we are in the area.
Everything time I come here I am reminded how great this restaurant is. The owner and staff are so warm and welcoming , this only is a great reason to come here. Add to that the best food and generous portions, and they also have a big, beautiful outdoor area, I will return sooner than later.
We ate at La Novella in East Meadow. Sat outside, linen tablecloth, brick patio and they are in process of constructing a beautiful wooden roof overhead with skylights. Waiter (Sal) welcomed us, told us specials and took our drink order. Dinner was delicious. Owner Michael came and spoke with guests to make sure all was good. Certain nights there is live music. We were not rushed and will definitely be coming back again.
Left the place thinking are Italians supposed to be mad all the time or something? Front staff didnt smile at all. Only the owner was smiling, and only when he was greeting customers. Otherwise he was just smoking it up with someone else right by what looked like an entrance that was decorated for a previous wedding but the decorations never got taken down.The waiter today was undertrained. Didnt pour water, didnt introduce himself, got my order wrong (I had asked for alfredo sauce on my pasta and just got the regular tomato sauce). He wasnt paid enough to be there and he wasnt trained enough to be there. Im not even sure he was supposed to be my waiter to be honest. I just said I was ready to order after 15 minutes had passed to the nearest staff and he happened to be the one and he took my order.Portobello mushroom appetizer (Portobello al Donatello): I know mushrooms can be juicy but this was just SOGGY. Lost all its texture and for the love of god all I could taste was the sweet balsamic vinaigrette. Overpowering flavor and no texture. At least the premade salad it comes on top of was alright.Seafood Risotto (Risotto Alla Pesatore): Salty. 30 minutes later and multiple cups of water after, all I can taste right now is salt. Seafood can be salty, thats why you must use other ingredients to balance it out. . Also one of the mussels wasnt even clean. Still had seaweed gunk on it. thought it was strange something was so tough until I realized I was chewing on gunk.Music was good quality but it was loud. I couldnt think straight nor enjoy a comfortable meal there.I came here to see if this was a good place to bring friends. Perhaps I came on a bad day but today didnt leave a very good impression.
OMG the food here is beyond exceptional!!!!! From the crab cake appetizer special to the muscles in white wine sauce, the red snapper is melt in your mouth delicious 😊 the stuffed salmon, pork chop Milanese the wine and the service is impecable the servers are right there to check on you and refill if needed but not hovering so you feel uncomfortable. The owner comes over to check on how you like everything and if you need anything. THE OWNER does this. I love love love this place and I am so happy they are close by and still open in this crazy pandemic, all staff wear masks and seating is over 6 feet apart so no worries there. Ive been here for big parties in the private room and dining room tables with friends and have never ever had a bad experience. I cant wait to go back 😀 I hope you try them youll be hooked I guarantee.
We sat on the beautiful patio on a Friday night and ordered a couple drinks and dinner. The snapper and all seafood is a must, along with the specials which are also worth it. Mike and the staff are super involved and the best hostesses. Great ambiance with plenty of space for everyone to feel comfortable
We held my daughters bridal shower here yesterday. Want to thank the owner Michael for doing such a wonderful job. The amount of food and choices offered at a very reasonable price was wonderful. The quality was excellent and the staff was great too. We had 45 people and everything ran seamlessly. Michael is a pleasure to deal with on all counts. I would highly recommend this restaurant for parties such as these as well as for dinner .
Absolutely love this place. It is the jewel of East Meadow. This is more of a northern Italian type restaurant. The food is fabulous especially their specials. The staff is amazing; extremely friendly and accommodating. The prices are very fair. Its old fashion Italian where they put the liquor bottle right on the table and you help yourself. You feel like family. I keep coming back. The owner is a special man with deep values. Keep up the great atmosphere and food. Ill be back soon. Thank you for a wonderful night!
Had a party for my son here and it was amazing. Friendly staff and great service. The food was excellent from preparation, to flavor and presentation. Everyone enjoyed it. In addition the restaurant was very clean, atmosphere was great and our party room was spacious and cozy. The Owner was very attentive to make sure everything was perfect. We will be back again for sure. Highly recommended!!
Special friendly staff and service. Waiter was very accommodating with a pleasant disposition. Atmosphere was formal and cozy with white table clothes and decorated with artificial gas fireplaces, beautiful pictures and dinner music. They also offer a private party room for special occasions. Food was very good and filling. I went for lunch and got soup, entree and dessert for less than $20/ per.
La novella is absolutely necessary to try if you are in the area! The food is not only out of this world but as well as the cocktails and wines! The owner Mike is wonderful as he comes to check on each and every table as well as gives you service if you need something. A true family experience you’ll receive if you come on top of one of a kind authentic Italian food.
La novella is absolutely necessary to try if you are in the area! The food is not only out of this world but as well as the cocktails and wines! The owner Mike is wonderful as he comes to check on each and every table as well as gives you service if you need something. A true family experience you’ll receive if you come on top of one of a kind authentic Italian food.
La Novella is very different from other places where Ive eaten in East Meadow. The menu varies from other Italian restaurants. I can attest to its exceptional quality, I personally recoomend the Salmon and Linguini in Red Clam Sauce.The staff is none like Ive ever encountered: super attentive to my family and I. My glass was always filled with water and I didnt have to wait long for my food. When the food came they immediately were attentive to detail ensuring I had cheese and pepper. As soon as I was done they took our plates immediately and served us a delicious Italian Cheese Cake, which I highly recommend.
Good portion sizes. Toasted bread served at beginning clearly toasted because it was too stale to serve any other way. Even then it was very difficult to eat. They could definitely up their game by serving olive oil and seasoning instead of cheap butter packets.Reason for 3 star is mostly the service. We wanted a nice single course meal after a weekend of over indulging. Waiter came and was clearly disappointed when we didnt order alcohol or apps. He came back once more before food arrived then never returned and never looked at us (we spent a decent amount of time trying to get his attention as he walked all around us. )We got another server to at least give us more water but when we asked him to let our server know we would like another soda, the drinks never came. Considering they dont even offer free refills on soda youd think hed at least jump at the chance to over charge us on a glass filled with ice and only a little soda.At the end we managed to get another server to bring us the bill. He asked whether we had been offered dessert and we told him we hadnt seen our waiter in 30 min. The new waiter brought our bill and gave us a round of very sweet prosecco as an apology. A nice gesture, though none of us wanted to drink alcohol that meal. But the original waiter glanced over when told but never came to apologize.It was very clear that only those wishing to over indulge were welcome. Funny thing is we are high tippers and usually very devoted customers to good restaurants. We however will not return to this one.
This place seems to be nice we had a party here and we used the outdoor party area. To our surprise its a nice place but the service sucks balls. We all came from 5 pm to 6 pm and did not even get out food by 900 pm I had pasta and some salad. We did not get our meal till 9:15pm. I would certainly not recommend this place for a large party the service was just absolutely horrible. If I could give a 0 star I would. The veal was just bad the fruit was old....
La novella is absolutely necessary to try if you are in the area! The food is not only out of this world but as well as the cocktails and wines! The owner Mike is wonderful as he comes to check on each and every table as well as gives you service if you need something. A true family experience you’ll receive if you come on top of one of a kind authentic Italian food.
I had the snapper, place was dimly lit, I took out my phone to look at the fish and it was Raw! My friend ordered a chicken dish and her food was cold! It was a big turn off. I expected our glass of wine would of been complimentary, they charged us. In addition the complimentary brushsetta the bread was stale. Once the food was recooked it was good. But the experience left a bad taste and the fact that they didnt give us a free glass of wine. Well didnt v seem they care about their clientele
Been here before. Was a bit disappointed with the food. The mashed potatoes were cold, the carrots were undercooked and the broccoli not cooked at all The orange roughy was tasty though the portion was very small compared to last time.The waitress didnt speak English that well and was confused when asked questions about items on the menu. Music was way too loud. For a place that I come for a romantic dinner, the music killed the mood. With so many restaurants, I dont know if I will go back
Excellent service and abundant food portions. Baked clams were awesome, full of clams. Penne a la vodka cooked al dente and a flavorful sauce. Red snapper piccata was delicious. We were here for a baby shower in the back room and everything was done tastefully and exceptional service. I will definitely return to sample the rest of their menu.
I have come to Know Michael and his family!They will go out of their way to help you enjoy your dinning experience.If you ever have an urge for something special you can call him and 9 out of 10 times with a couple days notice he will make it special just for you!They usually have more off the menu then on!The restaurant is not for those looking to be at the POSH IN SPOT but if you like made to order food and family service this is the place for you!!!Ask Mike about his cooking classes as well as private room for parties!!
We discovered La Novella three years ago and now dine their almost weekly. We never use the menu and prefer to order from one of the many specials of the day. We cannot leave the restaurant without the owner giving us an after dinner drink or dessert. If it is your birthday you will be treated like a king. Great Northern Italian favorites and if you dont see what you want on the menu, Michael will make it for you. He is truly a Master Chef.
Sometimes the local neighborhood places pleasantly surprise you. My wife and I decided on a whim to visit a local Italian restaurant we hadn’t visited in perhaps a decade, partly because we weren’t sure why we hadn’t been there in so long. It turns out that our absence was an oversight and a mistake. La Novella in East Meadow has been around for close to two decades, and I’ve been there over a dozen times, but not recently. Our entire experience last night will change that, going forward.Michael, the proprietor, could not be nicer or more welcoming. His staff is attentive. There was live music (keyboards/vocals) in the background on this Wednesday evening. We ordered two specials for appetizers: a delicious stuffed (with vegetables, not bread crumbs) artichoke and a creative “Italian Spring Roll” (phyllo pastry containing broccoli rabe and sausage). I selected a glass of reserve Chianti and then one of Rosso di Montalcino, while my wife opted for a rose. She had an Australian sea bass special entrée that was excellent, while I enjoyed my Shrimp Cardinal (sherry-based sauce) from the menu. We were too full for dessert, but Michael insisted that we accept a fresh fruit platter suitable for four. If you find yourself in mid-Nassau with a hankering for good quality Italian food at reasonable prices, consider La Novella as a very good option.
My wife and I travel extensively around the world but our home is La Novella. This family owned and operated business has a rare welcoming atmosphere offered by Yvette and Mike and their two sons Allan and Anthony. We eat there sometimes twice a week and it is like we are at the home of the owners.
I planned a big milestone birthday party for 16 people for my husband. I met with Michael about two weeks before. I didnt want people ordering individually. What a feast we had with antipasto, rigatoni vodka, salad, choice of veal or chicken marsala, Francese or Parmigiano, or red snapper, or filet of sole, or eggplant rollatine. I asked for wine on the table and a prosecco toast, and wanted them to get the cake. It was absolutely scrumptious. Everything down to the last detail was perfect, and our waiter, Salvatore, remarkable. He knew when to take time for pictures and even took some great ones for us. It has been over 2 years since we have eaten out, but with a private room and guests who tested prior to attending, and a perfect outdoor eating area, we felt safe.
Total reviews rating 4.5
177 Reviews for La Novella 2023:
Review №1
2022-06-22Wow, we were looking for a restaurant on they final evening of our honeymoon. We discovered here and it was amazing, the staff were very friendly and the portion sizes were very generous. We had artichoke stuffed to start and mains were seafood linguine and salmon fettuccine. We had two glasses of red wine also. We enjoyed the night as was music on and we sat outside under canopy. The waiter was Italian and so is my wife so they spoke about where from and family. It was the best place for our last night. Shame as we would have gone back. I highly recommend this place for Italian food and great atmosphere. Thank you again and hopefully we can return again one day.
Review №2
2022-01-23We arrived from out of town and were treated like family from the moment we stepped in the door. The owner greeted our party of 7 and showed us immediately to a table. The entire staff was welcoming and passionate about service, food and the overall experience. Not only did the wait staff check in on us, but the owner did as well. He treated us an appetizer, side of veggies and his after dinner speciality drink throughout our visit. All the meals we ordered were absolutely delicious! Be sure to save room for dessert, the homemade cannolis are a must!!If we lived closer we would definitely be back, but will be recommending La Novella to our local family and friends!
Review №3
2022-03-27This family owned restaurant is so welcoming. The service is excellent and the food is delicious. The owner will come out to your table and greet you. I highly recommend La Novella, especially for family or date night.
Review №4
2022-06-23Food is very good for what you’re paying for. Hostess was really nice and efficient. Super cute interior and exterior design. The brownie you can order for desert is a must!!!
Review №5
2022-03-14The food was terrible. The mussels had shells & very grinty. The chicken was old and tasted so tough. I couldnt swallow it. I also had a salad it was so small & tasteless. I will NEVER go back.Dont waste your money. Stay home.
Review №6
2022-04-03Had my daughters party there service was great and food was amazing. all family and friends said they had a good time and they loved the food. Talk to Mike if you want to plan your party!!!
Review №7
2021-05-10La Novella throws amazing parties! The patio always looks gorgeous, the staff are top notch and the food is delicious. They treat you like family and make sure your guests are enjoying themselves. We’ll continue to use them for parties.
Review №8
2020-07-18We were near here and decided to go for. a late dinner. It was empty inside and no one was around to initially greet us. Then we realized they also had outside dining, which is where other people were sitting. We stayed inside and enjoyed the quiet. My son got the penne alla vodka which we had read about and it was not on the menu but they gladly made an order. It was very good with not too much creame so not as sweet as some, which was a good thing. Aldonte pasta and came out nice and hot. My wife got the bronzino special over spinach which was two filets and very tender. Spinach was a bit oily. I had a lobster special which was served over a nice linguine in a white garlic sauce. It included clams, muscles, shrimp and calamari. A very nice dish. We split a tiramisu for dessert which was OK, but a small portion for the $9 price point. The cappachino was a better value, we just wish it was made with less milk and a larger shot of espresso. Overall a nice meal and great service.
Review №9
2021-09-15Upon arrival we heard music coming from a tented outdoor area, and we decided to check it out. After we entered we were greeted by the owner? Not too friendly. Our party of three were seated, and we sat for awhile before our waiter finally came over but, he was attentive after that. They also have indoor dining here. The food was okay. We became aware that it was an entertainment evening of kareoke singers (most were very good),.... and some girls dancing. As the girls danced the wait staff laughed and the taller waiter kept video taping them on his cellphone. I did complain, as I felt it was inappropriate of the waiter. I guess the owner didnt like my complaint and had the waiter tell them they couldnt stay without ordering dinner.... although they were drinking, they were not given an option of sitting at the outdoor bar that was under this tented area. Our waiter kept asking us if we wanted a bottle of wine with our meals or a bottle of sparkling water instead of the seltzer I ordered. We kept thanking him but said no. Only 4 drinks in total were ordered that evening. Not the most comfortable dining experience here and we certainly didnt think it was worth the $187.00. We will not be returning.....
Review №10
2022-04-23We had a great event in there food was great service was outstanding valet parking another words place to go for good food n atmosphere