Osteria da Bartali — Restaurant in La Spezia

Serious problems with both the food and the service.

We got a basket of (cut) focaccia which was really old and dry; asked for fresh one to which first we got the answer that it is actually fresh and then we were told that actually in Liguria this is the preferred way of making/serving it.

Three people ordered spaghetti alle vongole. Instead of bringing three separate plates of the aforementioned, the waiter served one big plate so that the guys can divide it among them. The thing is: this was not known, nor was it mentioned. Matter of fact no one was happy about it. Again: "this is how do in Liguria", so we asked him to serve the pasta equally. Turns out the amount of pasta was simply insufficient. Let's face it: it was good for two. Also it was way dry, only 3-4 vongole were served per plate and the vongole were not cleaned properly as we found sand on the plates. Guess this is the way the locals are eating?

Since you cannot show any criticism towards the place we just asked for the bill. The waiter was kind enough to add two plates of pasta...

If you are ever in La Spezia, this restaurant is most definitely a must try! We were super lucky to get a table a few hours prior because the restaurant was packed, and walk-ins were turned away. Not only is the food impeccable, the servers were all very friendly and approachable and we had such a great experience!

We ordered the paccheri calamari e olive, and boy was it a treat for the taste buds. And that is saying something, because I usually shy away from tomato-based dishes. The sauce was the perfect level of saltiness, and you can actually taste the sea. Yes, it was that flavorful.

The polpo was absolutely delightful as well, lightly crispy on the outside and tender on the inside.

The tiramisu is also a must try, we have been travelling around Italy and so far this is the best that we’ve had! The cream is so creamy and fresh but lightly sweet, and that combined with the special crispy...

We were absolutely amazed by this restaurant! Haven’t had such a good meal in a long time! Even though we had to wait for a bit to get a table, they made sure we were looked after while waiting! Once we got a table, the service was impeccable, the restaurant had a wonderful drill - everything working perfectly. We chose for the primi the seafood spaghetti and the pesto pasta - explosion in our mouths! Wonderful flavors, complementing to perfection! I will think about the spaghetti dish for a very long time! 🤤🤤 As a secondi, we shared the tuna with herbs : wow! Perfectly cooked - juicy but also dry enough - hard to explain! And to make sure we have the full on experience we ordered the tiramisu and the millefoglie. The tiramisu was too sweet for our taste, not having enough coffee, but the millefoglie - amazing! 🤩

If I’d live here I would keep on coming back and make sure to bring all my...