Serafina Scarsdale — Restaurant in Town of Eastchester

Serafina, a name that often resonates with Italian authenticity, presents a curious case at its Scarsdale location. The experience here is a rollercoaster, with highs that soar and lows that make you question the ride.

The food - The special Appetizers, was the Fried Zucchini Flower. What should have been a delicate and flavorful treat turned out to be underwhelming, missing that signature Italian flair. The Lasagna, a staple in any Italian eatery, was a letdown. It seemed hastily thrown together, with little to no attention paid to its presentation. It's as if the dish was an afterthought, slapped onto the plate without the love and care one expects from an establishment of Serafina's reputation.

The Drinks - If you're hoping to wash down your meal with a refreshing beer, you might want to look elsewhere. The beer selection is, to put it mildly, uninspiring. However, the real kicker was the Espresso Corretto alla Sambuca. Priced at a whopping $18.25, (Single Espresso &4.25 + Sambucca pour $14.00) it felt more like highway robbery than a luxurious sip. Outrageously overpriced would be an understatement.

The Ambiance at Serafina shines. The interior is a delightful blend of modern Italian aesthetics, exuding warmth and sophistication. It's a space where you'd want to linger, sipping on a glass of wine (because, remember, the beer selection isn't great). Italian food is very versatile, and it can be paired with a wide variety of beers.

The Service - Efficient and attentive, the service was one of the redeeming qualities of the evening. The staff ensured a smooth dining experience, even if the food didn't always hit the mark.

The Not-So-Great - A significant dent in the experience was the seating arrangement. Placed close to the open kitchen, it offered a view that was less than appetizing. Watching a line cook munch away while preparing meals is not the behind-the-scenes peek one hopes for.

While the ambiance and service are commendable, the food and drink leave much to be desired. And while one can overlook a lackluster dish or two, witnessing kitchen etiquette (or the lack thereof) is harder to forgive. Hence, the generous three stars might raise eyebrows, but it's a nod to the potential that Serafina holds. Here's hoping they take note and elevate the experience to match...

Blessed with a lovely, warm late fall evening we met my sister and brother in law at Serafina, a place that they had eaten at and liked it so much that they wanted to return We were seated immediately at an outdoor table and a few seconds later we had water and bread (a perfect hard crusted bread that managed to be light and airy yet with a great "chew") and then given a few moments to make drink decisions. Menu selections were varied and include salads, hot and cold appetizers, fresh pastas and entree choices of seafood, chicken and steak options. and a large and varied Pizzas. As a life long lover of Veal Parmesan, I was mildly disappointed that there was no veal on the menu. However, that has absolutely no bearing on the quality of the food. I ordered a NY Strip steak that came cooked to a perfect medium rare and was clearly a good quality steak. My wife had a pasta with shrimp in a lemon cream sauce. The pasta was cooked to a chewy Al dente, the shrimp also well cooked and the sauce was a nice blend of lemon, cream and butter. She said it was nice, but after a few bites, she was looking for something to spice it up a bit. This is not a comment on the quality of the dish just personal preference. We had no desserts. Walking through the dining room to get to the bathroom I saw a lovely large dining area that managed to look and feel warm and cozy, sort of like a homey, comfortable living room. Service was terrific, attentive but unobtrusive. Prices for this quality of ambience, food and service were quite reasonable. Overall, Serafina is a solid, above average place for a family dinner, a night out with friends or even a romantic dinner with...

This place is a joke. Owner is a joke. Look at the “owner comments”. They responded to all of the comments - good or bad — in the last few days. I emailed them. NO response. They know business is bad and trying to look to be responsive to customer complaints. No response. Please skip this restaurant. It was bad then and is still AWFUL. All the way from the owner…and down.

Overall, the food was average, at best. Meatball appetizer tasted like they were made yesterday and microwaved to bring to table. Bread was stale, cold and bland. Pastas were warm, not hot - again, re-affirming the microwave strategy of this chain Italian restaurant. Service was not great, but I will give them the break due to Covid.

When I mentioned our experience to the manager on the way out, "sorry" was not in his vocabulary. He sat at the bar sipping his drink, mask down and clicking on his computer. All he could say was that “the chef was from their 61st and Madison Ave location” and the "best chef". No “sorry”. No apology. Oh - and by the way - the manager never even made it over to our table during the evening...and it wasn't even busy.

This was the Applebee's of Italian restaurants (and I’m being kind). Beautiful physical location - but the food was far from matching. I knew there was a reason I never went to their White Plains location! There are SO MANY better local Italian restaurants - Cafe Alaia, Moscato, Sapori to name a few. There is NO good reason to go back to Serafina. Modestly better than the awful Fig & Olive that was there for many...