Scarpa's Italian Restaurant — Restaurant in Lakeland

September 2021: Scarpa's Italian continues to impress! What a fantastic dining experience in all respects! Right from the moment we walked through the door and were seated at our table by the host, the attention and genuine concern for our complete satisfaction and total enjoyment was evident. Our server, Eric, was extremely personable and attentive. His knowledge of the menu and detailed description of their specials, sauces and and flavors was impressive. He made sure our glasses were full and our meals were to our satisfaction making our evening totally pleasurable. Knowing it was our anniversary, he served our dessert with a candle and the flair of "Happy Anniversary" written in chocolate on the dessert's plating. An extra special touch! Sarah, the restaurant manager, made sure to visit our table to make sure we were happy and being treated well. She was engaging in her manner and made us all feel like we were family making sure our every need was being met. The food, from appetizer to dessert was delectable. Every morsel was savor-worthy and superior in quality and freshness. Each dish had its own unique and delicious sauce and/or seasoning and each was cooked to perfection. Bravo to the Chef Andy and his staff! Our entire group highly recommends Scarpa's for your absolute dining pleasure. Definitely a 10 Star Experience. Jim and Mary K September 2019: Our son and daughter-in-law bought us tickets to a special event (Classical Italian Dinner and Wine Tasting) last week and it did not disappoint. The food and wine pairings were absolute perfection. Every morsel of food was "melt in your mouth" delectable ...unmatched in quality and presentation. TEN Stars to Chef Juan and his staff (Five Stars are just not enough.) The wine tasting was an experience in itself and added to the exquisite, stellar menu. The servers were incredible as they seamlessly delivered each course of food and glass of wine. KUDOS to Glenn and Ashley Scarpa and all who worked on and/or contributed to this prodigious event. It was one of the best dining experiences we have ever had and will not soon forget. A delectable, intimate dining experience! Great place for celebrating a special occasion or treating yourself and your family/friends to authentic Italian cooking. We are originally from the northeast where ethnic foods reign (in our humble opinion).... but nothing compares to the food we enjoyed at Scarpa's last night! Our waitress, Joy, was very knowledgeable, attentive, accommodating and a delight. Ashley Scarpa made it a point to visit our table to welcome us... making sure that our dining experience was top shelf. No problem there! There were three of us celebrating ... different beverages, salads, entrees and desserts....each as exquisite as the other. All of the ingredients were fresh and prepared to excellence. The marinara sauce was magnificent....best we have ever had; all of the food seasoned to perfection. The portions were more than ample, leaving us with luscious leftovers to take home. KUDOS to the chef and his cooks; the entire staff made our night out a truly amazing,...

1st time here...looking for a new local date night spot. We were greeted kindly by a hostess at the door. Kristen was our server and although she had some knowledge of the menu...she was not able to answer all of our questions. The more we asked...the more annoyed she became. "Are you guys appetizer people or what?" This was the type of terminology being used at a place that is supposed to be more high-end. She didn't even thank us at the end of our evening or wish us well. Literally just grabbed the bill off the table and took off. The dinning room is small and dim. Interestingly weird decor for an Italian place. Music was a mix of Christmas with some Italian music mixed in. I thought that was nice. We tried 3 apps, a glass of wine each, and our entree. $200 out the door! Expensive!! And honestly it was just ok food. We were trying to explore their options to get a good feel for it. For the price...we were definitely expecting better. (Including service) They advertise that the pasta is made in home. I got a penne dish...but was given a slightly curled macaroni noodle that was literally all different sizes. I had a 4 inch noodle in my bowl! My husband got the veal...hoping to find his new spot to enjoy this dish often. The cauliflower that came with the dish was completely awful and the veal was the wrong texture and taste altogether. He ended up with a stomach ache at the end of the evening. I don't know for sure...but maybe some re-teaching from an actual authentic Italian chef might get you guys on track. (We've been working in the restaurant industry for over 20 yrs, 10 with an Italian background.) There is no shame with sprucing up your kitchen staff, re-teaching and updating things every now and then. Also the commotion made in the dining room when a couple regulars came in was astonishing. It was like a mini party...so disruptive to us and other tables around. And then they were the only couple sitting on their cell phones the entire time lighting up their little dim area with zero communication amongst each other or acknowledgement of the other guests around them. I was like...these are the people you celebrate!? I guess we won't be one of the locals coming back. Best of...

Scarpa's Italian restaurant was a wonderful dining experience, truly. The atmosphere, music, food -- all superb and exactly what you want at this hole-in-the-wall joint. The menu consisted of perfect classics without being too much (as in both trying too hard and too many options). Not having been able to go out much due to the pandemic, this was a welcomed & refreshing change of pace. No issue of understaffing from what we could tell either --- that's the bonus of having a small/moderate sized menu & dining room. Service was excellent - plenty attentive & kind & offered delicious, descriptive meal suggestions. I enjoyed a sweet & tangy caprese salad with burrata (to die for!) & chicken marsala (perfectly tender, seasoned, and sauced). Highly recommend Scarpa's & returning with more family & friends.

^^^That review was from a year ago. I recently went back and would love to share the excellence at Scarpa's remains steady. Our server, Jessie, was beyond wonderful. She had such a knowledge of the menu and her description of the specials was not only enticing, but so eloquently described. Her professionalism shined through her noninvasive, but timely call backs and attention to detail, such as when my party needed more wine or bread. Prebussing of our table was appropriate and nonintrusive as we dined on our delectable courses. Service and atmosphere maintain a 10/10 for sure.

Our dishes from appetizers to dessert across the board were ultimately delicious - 9/10. This may be nit-picking or just personal preference, but for the three out of five of us who had pasta included in the meal, it was more al dente than regular al dente. Additionally, we went the very first night the chef had braised short ribs as a special (January 27th, 2023), and while it was mostly well received, they tasted very much on the sweet side considering the expectation was savory. Otherwise our overall experience at Scarpa's this particular evening was extremely satisfying and we will...