Little Venice — Restaurant in Sand Springs

The best little experience we could've stumbled upon. Watch out and don't sleep on this gem that's in Sand Springs. A very unassuming exterior almost made us miss the entrance two times around. Once inside, we realized we were in an establishment that was there to take care of us. Walking in, to the right, was a pianist who played amazingly... two of our favorites were Billy Joel's Just The Way You Are and the main title from the movie The Godfather.

We were immediately seated at 6:15 in the evening on a Friday without reservations. But something tells me this was a fluke, so call and prepare. The waitress we had, I believe her name was Mac, was super attentive but not intrusive. She knew the menu and all of its delicacies well. She paired us with an excellent Cab Sauv that took us through the meal.

She suggested two variations of essential appetizers, antipastos....we chose Antipasto Classico, which had just the right variety of cheese, meats, and salad. For the main dishes, I chose the Ossobuco con Pappardelle, or best called Braised Veal Shank, with wide noodles and vegetables. The meat was just the right tenderness, and the sauce used to coat the dish was to die for, full of body and flavor. The hubs chose Branzino al Forno, Mediterranean Sea Bass which was deboned at the table. Light and cooked to perfection. Not over powering and melted in your mouth.

Between the full bottle of wine and all of the amazing food, we were feeling the vip treatment with the hosts /owners visiting with us a few times through the meal. It felt like they wanted you to stay and fully enjoy the experience as if you were part of the family, I loved that.

A chilled Limoncello was a nice touch to finish off the dinner. And while so much food is presented, I implore you to keep room open for dessert. Their tiramisu is so silky and divine, you will wonder why you just didn't start with that from the beginning.

I truly loved this find and cannot wait to return. Thank you to Candy and Walter along with their amazing staff, Mac being our main waitstaff, as everyone made us feel...

Oh my goodness. Such a gem in the oddest of locations. I am always surprised to see something this magnificent in Oklahoma. We had just finished a long day of work, and were headed back from Cleveland OK to Tulsa when I found I was hungry. Looking over at my wife, I asked her if she was hungry. As we were close to Sandsprings, I suggested Napoli since we were familiar with it.

She found this place called Little Venice. Never heard of it and we decided to check it out and if it was a dive, we'd just leave.

Old country! As in, not this country old country. The manners of our server, a lovely blonde haired young woman, were impeccable and she was dressed in the livery of a 5 star restaurant in a much different part of the world.

She treated us with dignity, answered our few questions, took our drink order and left us to decided what to eat.

This was one fancy place for Sandsprings, and I was getting very comfortable with it.

Later I found out that they prefer reservations on the weekend, because they tend to get busy, and after we left, I could see why.

Shannon, my wife, ordered Ossobuco con Pappardelle... braised veal shank with egg noodles. The wine reduction sauce was amazing and tasted as if my mother had made it. And she had... 40 years ago. Time travel on a plate.

I ordered Arrabiata... Italian sausage with Rigatoni and a spicy tomato sauce.

Perfecto! Bravissimo! I cannot exclaim enough about this place, this tiny island of Italiano. The food was perfectly cooked, and to my palate wonderfully seasoned, needing nothing at all to add or subtract from the multitude of flavors as they burst across my tongue.

For dessert, I had a cherry crisp with a dollop of vanilla bean ice cream. The crust was so reminiscent of my grandmother's. Shannon had a Banana Foster, so she could relive her childhood. Both were excellent.

Highly recommended. Do keep in mind that this is an upscale restaurant, so the prices may surprise you. However, do not let that deter you, you can find them on their website, and it is darn...

It’s been a very long time since the last time my Wife and I had a “dining experience “ that was memorable and still puts a smile on our face when we talk about our meal, staff, service and ambiance. Little Venice is a highly polished gem hidden away in downtown Sand Springs. The owner, Walter and his lovely Wife, Candy, add the personal touch to the friendly and yet efficient and professional staff of waiters and waitresses. The menu is a delight of impossible possibilities and choices. If you are a regular diner, you know that each made from scratch dish will be delightfully delectable and there are no bad choices. If you just cannot decide, Walter will visit with you and make an offer you cannot refuse. For us the first time it was the lamb chops for my wife and lobster ravioli for me. The second time we could not resist the sea bass and flounder. The server brought the fish to the table for our approval, and after cooking, deboned it with the delicate, practiced hands of a surgeon. Our meal was epic, iconic, raised the bar for all other Restaurants in the Tulsa area. Each meal is a masterpiece of joy with the aroma of what is coming, winding its way out of the kitchen teasing and tickling your anticipation of the deliciousness to soon follow. You simply must treat yourself to this dining experience, it’s too rare and exceptional to let pass by. You deserve...