Paretta's Italian Ristorante — Restaurant in Delphi

With the restaurant being new, I did not want to judge too quickly or on one experience alone. So this review is based on two very different experiences, one for dinner and one for brunch.

Dinner: I went with a group of 6 adults. Our reservation was at 6:00. We got there way too early, but asked if there was a table for us available or if we needed to come back. There was a table in the bar area. Perfect. After being seated, we were told we could order drinks, but we couldn't order food until our reservation time. Strange, but ok. Finally time to order food, but the waitress informs us that we can only order appetizers. If we want to order an entree, we will need to wait another 15 minutes. We were all stunned. We were finally able to order food, but they were out of the one thing I wanted, the gnocchi. I got the pork ragu, which was fine, but not what I went there expecting to get. The waitress had no idea what she was doing. Very young, didn't know the names of any of the alcohol, after showing her the names of them on the menu she still couldn't find it on the ordering pad. She also didn't have any idea what the items were on the food menu, how they were prepared, or what they were served with. First experience not great, but I wanted to give them another chance.

Brunch: Went back about a month later for brunch with our young kids. The waitress this time was amazing. So sweet and helpful with our kids and finding something on the menu they would enjoy. The problem is that they don't have a kids' menu, and there isn't much on the menu that is kid-friendly. For advertising as a family-friendly restaurant, this was unexpected and disappointing. One of the items I thought the kids might like, they were also out of. With the help of our waitress, we figured out how to modify some of the menu items for our kids, and the chef agreed to the changes. The meals, once again, were ok. Everyone enjoyed the bread that was served with the dishes. My biggest issue with the food was the description vs. what was served. For example, I ordered the Fried Polenta with Sausage Gravy. I guess their version of sausage gravy is sausage tossed in pesto? Why wouldn't it say that on the menu? The same thing happened with my husband's breakfast bowl. Neither of us really likes pesto, but it was ok. If the description had clarified pesto, I definitely wouldn't have ordered it.

I really want to like this place, but unfortunately, I'm not excited to try it...

Let me start with a statement from them. “ This isn't a quick dinner. This is a 1 to 1.5 hour experience, thoughtfully crafted so you can truly enjoy the company of the people around you. Every dish is made with homemade love. Every detail is designed to help you slow down, connect, and savor the moment. If you're looking for a fast bite or a quick in-and-out meal, we may not be the right fit. And that's okay. But if you're craving something more - something intentional, warm, and memorable — we'd love to welcome you to the table.”

Love the concept and must admit they never rushed us. So they are true to their word there!!! Now where my issue is, yes they don’t rush you but it shouldn’t take 1-2 hours for the food to come out from when someone orders. Nothing like socializing over food and drinks. But to wait that long for it?!? So if you want something to snack on while you wait over an hour you need to buy an Appetizer because there is no complementary bread or anything. Which is fine, but try sitting there that long while others eat and food comes out to people around you.

Now comes the best part! For as long as it takes for the food to come out, You can not substitute, remove anything, alter or modify ANYTHING on the menu. It comes as described, including the sides. You want a different side. You will not be able to change it and you have to pay extra for a side you actually want. Even something as simple as no cheese on a salad, Nope sorry can’t do!

To sum this up, food was good and staff was friendly. It’s not about wanting to be in and out but more about how long it takes for stuff to come out. For any high end restaurant maybe I’m out of line but over an hour for food to come out after I put in my order is excessive, especially since my plate is no different than anybody else’s because I can’t change it, so it’s not like mine had to be specially made. We plan to give it some time and try it again and see if anything changes. If not, then maybe this restaurant is not for us or for anyone that does not like to wait forever for food. On another positive note, if you’re not hungry When you get there, By the time you get your food,...

I always try to give a fair review of my visits. I made a reservation and we were immediately seated by a wonderful hostess. The atmosphere was small but charming for a small town. My only critiques were that I wish the lighting was more appropriate and perhaps some music. We were seated downstairs and all we could hear was the kitchen noise. I will ask to be seated elsewhere next time. I had the eggplant parm and the eggplant was delicious, but the pasta and sauce left something to be desired. He ordered the lasagna and enjoyed it. We both enjoyed the stuffed pepper appetizer. Both of us would have liked some cheese offered on our dish. The lowest score I gave was for the service. The hostess was great. The server was the main reason I did not enjoy my experience. Immediately after being seated, she came up and told us she was doing her best and would be with us as soon as she can. She was running around frantically and huffing, puffing. We put in for limoncello drinks and waters. Our appetizer was delivered to us by the hostess WAY before our drinks (including water) arrived. Our hostess/app deliverer noticed we did not have water and brought some. Our server came to take our order and was frazzled and unprofessional. Our food took awhile to come, which I am okay with since we had drinks and apps. Food was delivered hot. We were not checked on again after someone else delivered our food until we were obviously finished and the server asked it we wanted more cocktails, when we said no, she said “oh, well okay” and walked away. We were not asked any more, offered dessert, etc. In summary, we will be back. I want to try the mushroom risotto and the stuffed mushrooms. I will asked to be seated away from the kitchen door. If we receive the same server, I will not return. My suggestion is that to market as a higher end eatery, tweak the ambiance a bit, but DEFINITELY hire and train your staff to serve appropriately for the setting. I would expect that from an Applebees but not a higher-end...