Maestrale Restaurant and Pizzeria — Restaurant in Siesta Key

We had a marvelous evening at Maestrale. You can really just feel the family vibes when you arrive. We arrived about an hour or so before close so we didn’t have trouble finding a spot. They were very accommodating of our baby as well. We started with some wine and my wife had an aperol spritz which was very good she said. My buddy and I enjoyed our wine. Just had the house. They bring out complimentary bread and oil with some seasoning in it which was very good. I started with a Caesar salad which my wife and I both really enjoyed. I had the fettuccine boscsiola, very very good, noodles cooked perfectly along with the mushrooms. They grate the cheese on top at the table too which is a nice touch from a fresh Parmesan block. My buddy got the chicken parm said it was good not the best he’s ever had but real solid. My wife got the gnocchi Gorgonzola, said the flavors were awesome enjoyed the gnocchi but wish she had my noodles with her sauce. The gnocchi was prepped perfectly from the couple bites I tried. We finished the night with the affogato. They use 3 different gelatos, vanilla, strawberry, and chocolate. My wife was skeptical of anything besides vanilla when ordering but absolutely loved the options. Strawberry was her favorite I loved the chocolate super rich. Our servers were great, sons of the owner. Gave us a little history of the restaurant and coming over from Italy. They also didn’t rush us at all towards the end of our meal to leave as closing time approached. Definitely will be back and hope you...

My husband and I went last night with friends. Three of us had the seafood on pasta and it was delicious with clams, mussels, calamari, shrimp. I can’t remember all that was in it but last night they included a surprise addition for us little squid. The dish was not fishy tasting but had a very good seafood taste. My husband had the special which was lamb chops and he loved it. He also had a Caesar salad. He said it was the best Caesar salad he’s had yet in Sarasota. The dipping sauce for the bread was so good we asked for another helping of bread be brought to the table. The restaurant had a traditional ambiance with tile flooring, white tablecloths, and quiet background music. It is in a small strip plaza on Tamiami but when you walk in you are transported to Italy. A family from Sicily owns the restaurant and the mother cooks and the sons wait tables. The waiter we had was very good he cleared the dirty plates as we were done with them, remembered who ordered what, refilled our wine glasses and, put our leftovers in the to go containers. At some upscale restaurants we have been to they don’t clear the dirty plates as you eat and have you put your own leftovers in the to go containers. I recommend going on a weekday evening as the restaurant is less busy, especially off season when the population decreases. Go. You...

This used to be the location of Palermo Pizza....when we walked in, the transformation was amazing. It is now a lovely restaurant run by a family from Puglia, Italy. Nice ambiance, wonderful service - very much European style - and the food is very good!! My husband had lentil soup that was seasoned wonderfully, I had the caesar salad - just the right size and not overwhelmed with dressing...just the right amount. My chicken pizzaiola was lovely with olives and capers. I opted for veggies instead of pasta and it came with grilled asparagus - I cleaned my plate! My husband had spaghetti and meatballs - the portion was huge. He loved it - the pasta was cooked perfectly, just enough of a tasty sauce and two large meatballs. He took half of his home for lunch tomorrow. We shared a dessert that was a lot like a profiterole, but smaller and just perfect. The wine list is good and not overly pricey. We had a super tuscan for $54 that was really nice. In fact, I photo'd the label to see if I can find it to buy. Overall a very nice experience.....next time, I'm going to try the pinsa romana. Check out the menu on...