La Pia — Restaurant in Unione dei comuni della Versilia

Probably one of the worst dining experiences I have ever had in the world, let alone Italy. We booked a table the night after my wife's 50th birthday (because they were fully booked on the day!) and we had great expectations because it looked like a setting for a special birthday dinner celebration. But we were utterly disappointed. From the moment we walked in we were greeted by rude and unfriendly staff who gave us the idea that we were a hinderance to them and just want to get us out a quickly as possible. We ordered sparkling water and mojito's to start with. After 20 mins neither had arrived and upon request it was clear that the runner forgot the water and the bar was just slow with the drinks. When the mojito's arrived it was definitely not made correctly. Very strong with something else (tasted like dark rum) added and virtually no mint leaves (Everybody knows a mojito is about the mint leaves!!) There was bread on the table but no side plates, olive oil or balsamic vinegar. We ordered seared tuna and medium cooked fillet with roasted potatoes for dinner together with a bottle of white wine. The main course arrived before the wine!! Steak was overcooked and dry and the roasted potatoes cold. Seared tuna was marginally acceptable. We asked for salt and pepper. The waiter/runner walked around for 10 mins which looked like he was trying to find a salt and pepper pot never to return. Not even an excuse of "sorry we don't have salt or pepper available" Absolutely a flat ignore. And what type of restaurant doesn't have salt and pepper readily available on the table. The main waiter which took or order was never to be seen again. When he finally walked past our table and I asked for the bill I was rudely told to pay at the bar and he walked off. Arriving at the bar they couldn't find our bill. After 10 mins of explaining where we sat and who served us it was still nowhere to be found. Finally the main waiter pitched with the bill, he clearly forgot to even hand it in at the till. The lady very hastily rang up the bill and upon closer inspection she rang up 2 bottles of wine instead of one. I paid the revised bill and left. There is not one thing positive to say about this restaurant. It looks the real deal from the outside but everything regarding hospitality and a good dining experience is a false note. I do not understand how they can be fully booked on any night. NOT...

While La Pia boasts a beautiful seaside view that sets high expectations, unfortunately, the overall dining experience fell short—especially in terms of service.

From the moment we arrived, the service was below standard. Despite being the first guests in the restaurant, it took over an hour to receive our first course. Throughout the entire meal, not once did a server check in to see how things were going or whether we needed anything. We had to ask multiple times—twice for balsamic vinegar for our salad, and three separate times just to get a bowl of water for our dog. Even then, it felt like our pet wasn’t welcome, which was disappointing.

The inattentiveness continued, with only one bottle of water provided during the whole dinner—no one came to offer a refill or take any additional drink orders. This kind of service is not in line with what one would expect from an Italian restaurant, where hospitality is usually a point of pride.

As for the food, it was generally okay, but nothing exceptional. Given the location and pricing, I expected more both in terms of quality and care. The dishes were decent, but certainly not memorable enough to justify the high cost—especially when paired with such poor service.

In short, La Pia may have the view, but unfortunately it doesn’t deliver the experience. With more attentive service and a stronger focus on hospitality, it could live up to its potential—but as it stands, I...

It was our first trip to Viareggio, and so we opted for a restaurant that we knew was well reviewed, as many of the other places looked very "tourist centric" - which is not really a surprise in a Beach town.

I'm sure La Pia is too... but it didn't feel that way. We walked in without reservations on a Sunday lunchtime, and were immediately greeted with a warm smile and seated. Our plan had been to just have a quick drink and a bite, but the menu and feel of the place won us over and so we decided on the whole primi, secondi, dolci thing plus a bottle of Rose Prosecco.

We very much enjoyed the food, the location, and the service. Honestly, it's been one of the best meals we've had on this trip so far. I would definitely do this again. The seating is all outdoors but well shaded, and the food is pretty legitimate - and the portions are great, we could easily have shared...