La Piazza — Restaurant in Amsterdam

Review of La Piazza, Amsterdam

My visit to La Piazza in Amsterdam was highly anticipated, given the numerous positive reviews I’d read online, praising its authentic Italian cuisine and inviting atmosphere. Unfortunately, my experience fell far short of expectations, marred by disappointing food quality and lackluster service, making it a regrettable dining choice. We ordered two dishes: the lasagna Bolognese (€19) and the pollo pizza(€17). The lasagna was a major letdown. It arrived unevenly heated scorching hot in some areas and stone cold in others, strongly suggesting it was microwaved rather than freshly prepared. For an Italian restaurant, this is particularly disappointing, as ingredients like Bolognese and béchamel should be staples, making it straightforward to assemble a fresh, flavorful lasagna. The price tag of €19 for what tasted like a reheated dish felt unjustifiable and left a poor impression.

The pollo pizza, topped with tomato sauce, mozzarella, marinated chicken, and onion, was equally problematic. The sheer volume of onions overwhelmed every other flavor, drowning out the chicken and tomato sauce entirely. The onion taste was so potent that it lingered unpleasantly, forcing me to rinse my mouth out later. While the pizza was visually appealing and well presented, the overpowering onion flavor rendered it less enjoyable. I’ve had pollo pizza many times elsewhere without this issue. Another diner echoed complaints about the onion-heavy balance, suggesting a consistent problem. A simple warning about the onion intensity or a more balanced topping ratio could have salvaged the dish.

Compounding the disappointment was the staff’s response. Despite politely sharing our concerns, we received no offer to remedy the situation. We were charged full price for what was, frankly, a subpar experience.

While La Piazza may have earned its positive reviews for some, our visit highlighted significant flaws in food preparation and customer service. For an authentic Italian restaurant, the reliance on what seemed like pre-made, microwaved dishes and poorly balanced flavors was unacceptable. I hope they address these issues, as the potential for a great dining experience is there, but based on this visit, I cannot recommend La Piazza and would not return.

Rating: 2/5

Note: This review reflects my personal experience on the date of my visit. Others may have different experiences, as reviews suggest, but these issues were significant enough to warrant caution.

Additional context: La Piazza, located in Amsterdam, is often praised for its cozy ambiance and Italian classics, with many reviews on platforms like TripAdvisor and Google highlighting generous portions and friendly service. However, some scattered reviews mention inconsistent food quality, particularly with pasta dishes, and occasional service lapses, which align with my experience. The restaurant’s menu emphasizes traditional Italian fare, but my visit suggests a need for greater care in preparation and ingredient balance to maintain...

This place was pretty chaotic. We were placed upstairs where 3 employees mostly just stood around and chatted. We ordered drinks which came pretty quick then starters and mains. My main came by itself, almost to the wrong table, before any starters showed up. The waitress blamed that we changed tables on why it was almost delivered to the wrong table but she seated us and we never moved.

We waited for a long time before my friends food came. Still no starters, which was just garlic bread and foccacia, nothing fancy. I asked where they were and the waitress just asked if she should just take it off the bill, it didn't seem like she wanted/cared to chase it up (heard another table get the same treatment).

One of the waiters finally came to us as we were about to finish asking if we still wanted the starters (seemed like they were never in the making and hoped we would not care). I want to note that foccacia was not a foccacia, it was a pizza bottom without anything on it which made it dry, flat and crispy like flatbread. No oil or oregano in sight. It was so sad. And bland. Staff tried to be apologetic about the wait but at the same time they didn't seem to care. Only the woman we paid with downstairs seemed genuinely apologetic.

Overall, we won't be back, it's a shame because the pasta I had was great, but it was not worth the...

I couldn’t get more disappointed! First, the place was crowded and noisy. You have to talk loud to be able to be heard. They put more tables than fit in their space. I was on the second floor and I felt quite uncomfortable in the middle of two tables. They were basically 5 cm apart. It’s like you are having lunch with strangers. So, of course it makes hard to the waiters to walk around. They have to cross with the food over your head to serve other tables. I ordered some pasta Alfredo and it was tasteless. The sauce tasted like pure single cream, with no seasoning at all. I didn’t find the service good either as the waiters didn’t offer any salt or grated cheese. (There was no salt in our table and they didn’t put any grated cheese on my pasta, which might help adding some flavour on my food.) When I was leaving I noticed there was some cheese on the bench, but we never got offered any, so I wouldn’t know.

My husband lasagna didn’t have any seasoning as well. The calamari fritti was pretty standard. I left with an awful feeling after spending more than £50 euros to have such a bad experience. I would not recommend and would not come back. If you are looking for a true Italian restaurant experience I don’t think you will get there. There are MUCH better restaurants in Amsterdam for a more...