The Little Store — Restaurant in Marblehead

Amazing little gem of a neighborhood place in the heart of historic Marblehead. Seats about 22 people total inside, so get your reservation locked down and bring your favorite bottle of wine to complement the meal. Some of the occasional negative reviews of this place are shameful and totally unworthy from my experience.

The gnocchi in “the Little Store Gnocchi” dish was melt in your mouth perfection. Best I ever had in the USA (I have been to Italy 40+ times). The mushrooms, truffle oil and Alfredo-like sauce (it’s better than classic Alfredo … smoother, less sticky, less fatty, more garlicky - and scrumptious… it was so tasty, I could drink the remnants like a divine soup — and frankly, I did!

The Veal Marsala was tender and seasoned perfectly, coated in tasty mushrooms and a dark Marsala sauce that was done with just the right balance of sweet and savory.

My wife had the Seafood Di Mare that was piled high in a skillet full of calamari, shrimp, mussels and scallops on top of homemade fettuccine. The white wine sauce this was bathing in was a little tame for the magnitude of the dish - good, just not spectacular.

All in all, we loved our food so much that we ordered a Haddock Francese “to go” so we can have it the following night and expand our Little Store palate.

The ambiance is cute and quaint, old school pictures on the wall in unmatched frames that you would find at a garage sale. I felt like I was in a neighborhood ristorante in Tuscany. We saw only 1 employee all night and she was a hustler (in a great way). She did everything … never stopped buzzing around to take care of a full restaurant— not to mention a thriving takeout business (folks … please tip this gal even when ordering takeout - she is busting her tail for you!).

I love the BYOB approach because I always have lots of wine at the house - I don’t need to spend an additional $100 on a $40 bottle of wine when I go out.

One last comment - this is an adorable romantic place - unless the guests who visit make it otherwise. I was there with my wife, as were several other husbands enjoying a relatively quiet night out with their significant others. One younger group of 5 friends took the center table, and as the alcohol consumption rose, the conversation volume crescendoed to the point of shouting just to be heard across the table. A neighboring gentleman intervened and asked one particular girl to please stop shouting. He was right to do this - and to the girl’s credit — she apologized, took it down a couple notches, and the rest of the evening was so pleasant for everyone. I am appreciative that she took it so well (enjoying one’s self is a sign and the GOAL of any great restaurant). I say this just to remind people - restaurants are only as pleasant and romantic as the guests who honor them. By all means - celebrate life and friendship … but be wary of your surroundings when your neighbors are just an arm’s length away.

God bless the Little Store — Marbleheaders are sooooo lucky...

FOOD AND SERVICE: Let me first say that the food is excellent and the fact that the restaurant is BYOB is a huge plus. The BYOB bottle must be unopened and your waitress must open it for you. The waitresses are efficient but not overly friendly, which is fine with me.

ATMOSPHERE: Inside, is quaint but there are only seven tables: five tables of four and two tables of two. However, the tables of four are set up to be tables of two if needed. The last few times that I have eaten in the restaurant, there was ALWAYS one or more very noisy table of four (or group of two tables of four put together) talking so loudly or yelling back and forth to others in their group that I could not hear the conversation, for the entire meal, at my own table. The acoustics in this little restaurant are horrible. During good weather, they have a few tables outside that preclude this problem.

There is also a genderless bathroom that opens right into the dining area. The table of two next to the bathroom should be the last table seated REGARDLESS of the number in your party; in other words, if you are a party of two, and a table of four if available, it should be separated to accommodate the party of two. In no uncertain terms should a party of two be seated next to the toilet if there is somewhere else for them to sit. Several diners used the bathroom and not one of them closed the door when they left it. Also, if you arrive with a reservation and there are three or four tables empty, split the tables for that party because chances are you will split them for a later party which is kind of insulting and happened to me.

My suggestion: if you are a deuce, don't go on Friday or Saturday nights, get your food to go or sit outside in...

My fiance and I went in for a bite, and the waitress was very forward, asking if we had reservations? We stated no, of course not aware we needed any as tables were completely empty, not 1 table was occupied , she then stated with an attitude well you need to make reservations cause we are all booked up. We already had sat down . she stated that the first reservation was at 515pm. We got there at 340pm. she dropped off menus and walked away. Then, she asked us if we wanted something to drink, not knowing it's a BYOB place . She stated we are a BYOB again. Very forward, she says We have coke and water , ginger ale." Ok, so we got a coke and a water. I asked her if we could place appetizers, and she said yes, I placed an order of calamari, order of meatballs and ceaser salad and garden salad, she states thats alot of food. So we tell Ok NO ceaser salad. Food comes out she brings dishes out and pretty much slams the plates down on front of us . She did not check on us as we ate ,never asked if we needed more water. My fiance says I'm still hungry. I said we were done, as she made me feel very uncomfortable, and we were disrespected . She was rude and mean. I work with the public. I have 2 jobs serving the public, I would never treat someone as she treated us in a public restaurant. Shame on you. And on top of it all, the 3 meatballs were horrible dry. The calamari was very salty. I am very disappointed and angry our first time there. We will NEVER EVER RETURN THERE AGAIN, AND I WILL EXPRESS MY EXPERIENCE WITH YOU . As we are well known in town. By the way, you're lucky you got tipped. Very...