BIAGGIO’S — Restaurant in Newton

5 STARS! I rarely offer a 5 star review, but I was really impressed with this little gem. The atmosphere was quaint and unassuming, with the typical Italian genre music playing in the background. It was pleasant.

We stopped in during lunch and it wasn't busy at all. ...Which my wife and I came to realize was a genuine Greek tragedy. This place should be packed.

The waitress was brisk and attentive. She and a gentlemen from the back I assumed were cooks or management, both check on the quality of our meal and asked us intently if we were pleased. She helped us with a few questions and we ordered. Bruschetta as an appetizer, fett alfredo for the wife, and I order the Biaggio's special.

I also had a Peroni, which I appreciated, as they were often found while we spent time in Italy years ago. The bruschetta wasn't oily or laden with things that sat for periods of time in the fridge. Rather, fresh chopped herbs and more a semi-dry presentation. I really liked it. Heavy on herb and cheese flavor with a departure from tons of oil and garlic. Well done.

My wife remarked immediately that the alfredo was homemade, and it was. It was hinting at separating during the meal, which is a tell tale sign it was brought together recently under heat. It was flavorful and well presented. She loved it. I had a quick taste and it was worth the price of admission and then some.

My dish??? What can I say... I'm a sucker for sun dried tomatoes, Italian sausage, mushrooms, and chicken breasts... Those combined with a semi-red sauce over a linguini was a bit of heaven. There was a shade too much salt for my personal taste, but it didn't detract from the meal. It truly was a well developed and plated dish.

Now... We hadn't planned on having any kind of dessert. Who would? It was lunch and we needed to get things done besides a nap, right? Well, we had reason to celebrate, and my wife is a sucker for anything lemon. So, she ordered the limoncello cake. DUDE... So very good. It was poetry on a plate. There was just the right amount of citrus to balance the sweetness of the drizzle. The contrasting flavors were spectacular.

There is no reason this eatery shouldn't be full all the time. I hope the locals support it and the word gets out. What a great little spot with really appropriate pricing! We're going back and we're telling others.

WELL...

My wife and I are traveling to the Iowa State Fair tomorrow, but we are staying in Newton to avoid paying exorbitant hotel prices.

We hemmed and hawed about our dining options. I usually avoid Italian restaurants in small towns as they tend to be bland and cookie cutter. This little gem is not cookie cutter or bland.

I ordered the Cannelloni with Alfredo sauce and a salad with Blue Cheese dressing. My wife ordered the Chicken Jerusalem. My salad was fresh and crispy with fresh croutons. We also received four garlic breadsticks. The breadsticks were the perfect compliment for the sauces in our dishes without being overwhelmingly seasoned with garlic.

The Cannelloni arrived boiling. Based on the time it took from order to delivery I imagine the dish was mostly premade then fresh sauce and cheese were added before placing in the oven to heat the dish to temperature, brown the cheese and get the Alfredo to boil. (5-7 minutes). The alfredo sauce highlighted the textures and flavors of the spinach and ground beef nicely. The sauce also cleaned up nicely with the breadsticks.

My wife's Chicken Jerusalem also had some pre-made components to speed up the delivery to the table. Her cream sauce complemented the artichokes, mushrooms, and chicken. The chicken breast was cooked perfectly: tender, juicy, and moist. The artichokes tasted like they had been prepared in EVOO before joining the dish. The artichokes were tender and melted in one's mouth.

The serving staff is young, polite, and attentive. Polite and personable serving staff make or break a restaurant, Our server did an awesome job!!

The ambiance of the restaurant inside was a muted classic Italian style. Not overwhelming, subtlety romantic, without being pretentious. It was a great dining experience. Something I did not expect for a local Italian place in the middle of Iowa.

If I am in Newton again on our travels we will return to this little gem to try another dish and support a local business rather than a chain.

Thank you ladies and gentleman for a pleasant dining experience with flavor on a budget!!! Keep up...

We drove here from Grinnell to try something new and special for my birthday. The reviews were good online, so we gave it a shot. It is converted from a sports bar, which you can tell by the interior decore, but I think it's done very well. It's respectfully decorated and warm to present a nice italian ambiance with good background music. I suspect as they get their feet under them as a new restaurant. They will upgrade the decor. Now for the food...it was fantastic!! They have a nice soda and beer selection and a broad menu. We started with a nice-sized salad with their delicious creamy parmesan, then chose their Hot Shrimp and Biaggio's special. They were both nice portions, spiced and cooked splendidly. I hoped the Hot shrimp would be spicy as described, and it was! Yum! And though we were full, since my wife conveniently addressed me as "birthday boy," they served a complimentary slice of also-good raspberry cheesecake. And the price?...hard to believe I'm saying this but in 2023, it was ONLY $49, including a 20% top! Give it a try! Were going back and I'm sure...