Alta Via — Restaurant in O'Hara Township

We'd had a less-than-stellar experience here before and hadn't been back for awhile. We ordered take-out during the pandemic and were disappointed by the quality and amount of the food, so hadn't tried it again. Tonight was better.

We both had pasta -- my husband had the short rib tagliatelle and I had the mushroom Bolognese. Both were tasty and well-prepared. He had the tomato salad and I had the summer beans, both good. The small portion that I got was more than half as big as my husband's large; the prices are doubled for large, so you expect bigger portions. When we asked before ordering, the waitress said that the amounts were 3 oz. for small, 7 for large, though she then admitted that wasn't much help. I assume the measurements are of the pasta before cooking. My portion was plenty.

Drinks were good, though pricey for Pittsburgh ($14).

Our waitress was hustling; I don't know if they were short staffed, but she was all but running. She got everything right, was appropriately solicitous and attentive, and deserved the larger-than-20% tip I gave her.

I'm still not a fan of the focaccia, which is insubstantial, but the olive oil it comes with is a nice touch. Not sure how the big crystals of salt are supposed to be added to the bread, since they give it a rather unpleasant and hard crunch. The carafe of water was warmer than room temperature, and I had to ask for ice to be added to it.

The room is quite noisy; there are no soft surfaces, no rugs, tablecloths, or wall hangings to absorb sound. The ceiling looks as if it was designed to deflect noise, but it doesn't do a very good job. When we walked in, the maitre d' shouted at us, and the waitress shouted at us, and the whole room was an assault on the eardrums. The music being played can't compete, so it just adds to the cacophony. It makes for an unsettling evening; we didn't want to sit and enjoy the scene, so we skipped dessert and left as soon as we could.

For the cost ($112 before tax and tip), I'd rather skip the noise, cook pasta at home, make my own drink, and have...

The food is really good - we had 2 starters, 2 entrees and 2 desserts, all very very good. But as mentioned in other reviews, it comes with a price tag. For example, I had the pasta special and when the bill came it was $32. It was very good, but for $32, my expectations are set high. The cocktails on the other hand were not very good. Aviations are one of my favorite cocktails, so I was excited to see it on the menu. But the gin and marashcino flavors were subtle to absent and it was heavily floral from the creme de violette and floating flowers. Strike 1, so I moved to a $15 GnT but the tonic they use is special with a note "floral botanicals" on the bottle's label. They don't have regular tonic, so I had to ask for extra lime juice to salvage this one. For my last drink, I had a draft beer, figuring that a pour from a tap would be safe and it was.

The coup de grace is their seating policy. Upon arrival, we were walking by the hostess stand to go to the bar. The hostess smiled and I said that we were just going to the bar. I was told the bar was full and they would put us on a wait-list. I said that we were going to order a drink and look for a seat at the bar, not the seating aroud the bar. The hostesses said they would put our name down. I suppose I was slow to realize that they meant a wait list to go to the bar not a wait list for seating. We waited and then seated at a two-top in the bar area. Not being able to order a drink at the bar while I waited for a seat was a new experience and not one I want to repeat.

So, prices are hefty, food is terrific and lives up to the price, drinks do not and seating policies are not acceptable to me (or to at least 3 other groups of patrons that we overheard complaining as well). We don't drop $60-80 per person on meals every week, so when we do we want it to be worthwhile. There are other places in the same price range in Pittsburgh that accomplish the...

I really thought hard about this one. I have been to the restaurant now 6 times. I think that’s enough for an honest review. The food is very good. Nothing to go out of your way for, but certainly above average. The pasta is always fresh, and the meatballs are very good. The price is why I say it’s not worth going out of your way. Is it better than Olive Garden, yes, by a mile. And costs 3x. The dining room isn’t great. None of the seating is comfortable. You are either in a weird half booth, which I have never liked, or you are seated uncomfortably close to the people next to you. Not an inviting atmosphere to relax and take your time enjoying the meal. The final piece is why the score is so low for me……service! At their price point, service is EVERYTHING. The level of service I have received on my visits has never been up to the expectation from the price. At times it has been better than others, but never good. Reaching over the table without an excuse me, or letting drinks sit empty for extended periods then having to “flag” someone down. On multiple occasions I have been seated by the host and the menus simply placed on the table. No “enjoy your meal”….nothing. On my most recent visit, the menu I was given was disgustingly dirty with sauce and food. I had to ask for another and wash my hands. Again, Inhave reasonable expectations, but when I am paying almost $40 for a bowl of pasta, I expect better! The big burrito group needs to send their staff to alla famiglia or Capital Grille for an evening to see how service should be done! I realize the challenges of our current workforce, but other places are figuring it out. I get more thank yous and smiles from the chick fil a next...