For the area it's a no brainer. Must go. Probably the pizza, calzone, Stromboli is the best thing to order. Pizza oven and dough are working together very well in this place. Have no idea if the pasta dishes are worth trying but I'll pass. The strange twist here is a rotisserie chicken menu. That might be an option next time. Good solid place but would never go out of my way to go here. However, if the timing works out then it will work just fine
(3)
Cara M.
I am not one to be picky or give a bad review, however in this case it is well deserved. Let me start with the service. This is obviously a family owned restaurant, with that said the staff they have represents the family, the waitress I had was rude. I asked a simple question is the Caesar dressing made in house? Are there anchovies in the dressing. Her response with attitude was most Caesar dressing has anchovies. Now I am aware of that fact and I am a fan of anchovies. Her attitude was uncalled for. As for the food. The chicken was cooked most likely this morning as it was dry, over cooked and cold. Not worth it. I won't be coming back to this place.
(2)
Jumunji H.
Good pizza. Not the best I've ever had, but good. The calzones are just okay. The pasta dishes are the best thing at the joint.
(3)
Bosslady656 S.
I ordered the stuff shells you can tell that it's been sitting for a while it was okay it wasn't fresh ! I was disappointed I don't know what happened , I have been there before ,the food used to be really good now you can tell that they're not moving it as fast !! Good and quick service though I hope they change the way there food comes out, not Sure if we'll go back
(2)
Darlene R.
I have been back to Pasta Faire since my original review. This time I stayed away from the pasta dishes, since I was so grossed out from my previous veal "patty". Ugh. I had the fried calamari appetizer, a gourmet wood oven pizza with pepperoni, green peppers, onion & mushrooms, and a slice of chocolate marble cheesecake. Much better food this time! And the servers were actually friendly and attentive. I asked for my pizza extra crispy and they hooked it up no problem. It came out sizzlin and I generously sprinkled it with this mix of oregano, red pepper flakes and garlic powder. Dam it was good. Calamari were tender and sizzlin out of the fryer. Cheesecake was rich and yummy.
(4)
Brian M.
I'm giving this rating based on one visit but I couldn't ask for better food and service. My wife and I had the Grouper Piccata special and it was wonderful and my daughter had the spaghetti with meatballs and what I tried was great, very good meatballs. The decor was a bit upscale for the area I thought. They have a good selection of deserts and the service was quick. I'll try this place again for sure and update if anything changes but for now it's a two thumbs up!
(4)
Sheila M.
Likes: fresh bread with olive oil and herbs... Prob main reason I continue to eat there Environment- redecorated, good mood lighting, nice seating, decor, etc. Some dishes are good- lamb, rotisserie chicken Dislikes: not authentic Italian- probably a lot of prepackaged short cuts being made. Don't expect fresh homemade pasta, in fact the Italian pasta dishes I don't get Bc I haven't liked. A real Italian place is like Lorito's or even Big APple Eatery. I would rate it right down the middle... Basically, go there for lunch it's good enough and the fresh warm bread and cozy environment will make you happy at the least. Good if youre stuck in Belleview for dinner for sure. Just don't reserve a table for your 25th anniversary. You deserve better. :)
(3)
Sue M.
Recent restaurant inspection showed no critial violations. Fantastic service (Lisa). I ordered the Tues. Seafood Feast. Four different seafoods in sauce. You can request it 3 ways. I had it sauted over angel hair. Very good, but too much food. Found one bone in one of the filets. My companion had the Beef Tenderloin over Jasmine Rice special. It was dry & over cooked for me, but she didn't want to send it back. She enjoyed it. Also, never order the chicken stew soup. It is not a stew, and there was only 1 piece of chicken in it. The rest was chuncks of potaoes. The ministrone was good, but greasy. UPDATE-July 2012-Revisited and had the same item, the Seafood Feast. Entree was good, however the scallops were rubbery, a sign of being overcooked. Also, was unhappy with the salad. One cherry tomato, 2 olives, 1 piece of cucumber and the bottoms of the lettuce. Restrooms and table were clean, but the rug was filthy with food and paper pieces. Server Shauna's appearance was unprofessional and her service was poor. She delivered my entree while I was still eating my salad. She never asked if I wanted a beverage refill. She brought the bread to me cold. And as many times as she passed my table, she never picked up any of the dirty dishes that were spread out on the table. I could not finish my entree, so she bagged it up for me, but when she put the styrofoam container in hte bag, she put it in sideways so when I picked it up, all the sauce leaked out into the bag. Not good. Would give it 2 stars this time.
(3)
Rosemary L.
In all fairness (or Pasta Faireness...hehe) I did not have any pasta so I can't speak to if it is freshly made or not., but being raised on Barilla that's really of no consequence to me. I had the Antipasto salad without the meat and it was delicious. The Provolone was good quality as were the veggies used. My friend had the Eggplant Parm which she liked, commenting that the sauce was very good. The service was quick considering the place was packed and our waitress was very friendly. The prices were reasonable and they had a 2 for 1 deal on their pizzas. Altogether it was a nice dinner and I will be sure to head back there to eat next time I am in the area.
(3)
Val T.
I've always thought the food here was good. have stopped in for lunch and dinner. Love the new remodel of the place.. the original was very dated. My fav is the Chicken Stew !!
(3)
Ryan T.
My review is sort of in the middle of the previous reviews: the food is decent, the service is OK, the customer base is typical of the area. Having the very, very unfortunate displeasure of working at the uber-white-trash Winn-Dixie behind the Pasta Faire for five horrendous, mind-numbing years (bitter, much?), I often ate at Pasta Faire after my grueling days of work. The food was always decent; I always loved the freshly-baked bread with the olive oil; much better than the barely-baked and tasteless and weird bread at Carabba's. There are numerous pasta, pizza and calzone dishes to choose from, as opposed to only a small number at Olive Garden. The sauces and bread were always quite good, with good portions at a price typical of Italian restaurants like this. Service was fine, sometimes better than usual, sometimes worse. But just as Ted alluded to, it all depends on what those kiddies did last night. And in Marion County, it's never anything constructive or decent. So don't expect high-class service. And DO NOT expect high-class customers! It's Summerfield/Belleview/Ocala aka, redneck capital of central Florida, sans Polk County. Loads of nasty-looking young and middle-aged adults splattered from neck to legs with prison tats and reeking of cigarette smoke. I know; I had to experience it at the Belleview Winn-Dixie for five years, remember? LOL! I haven't been to Pasta Faire since February of '08 as I haven't set foot in that shopping center--or Belleview for that matter--since leaving W/D up there, so my review might be a bit outdated. But that's the way it was 2 1/2 years ago. Decent, but in a bad town with bad clientele.
(2)
Toni L.
Pasta Faire is our GO TO dinner restaurant. Service is always friendly and the waitstaff must like working there because they all have been there for a long time. I like their daily specials and their $10.00 dinner specials. They also own Francesco's in Summerfield and we like it there also.
(4)
Robin N.
At one point this was my favorite Italian food in Ocala, but after what seemed to be a management change, both the food and the service went down hill very fast (December 2011). Originally, the dishes came out hot and delicious -- especially nice was the warm bread, the seafood pasta special. However, after three meals where we received dried out pizza, lukewarm entrees and distracted service, we said good-bye to Pasta Faire. They also own Taverna Red, so I may give that a try next time I'm near The Villages.
(2)
Chen W.
awesome please...it was open christmas eve...the chicken alfredo and the angel hair pasta with chicken were amazing...good comfort food :)
(4)
Tedd S.
Yeoooww...we came by as a result of their HUGE radio-ad campaign and have NEVER been more disappointed in a restaurant locally, (guess thats why they have to advertise). Radio ad said "pasta made fresh daily..." I know the difference...this isn't fresh pasta. Sauces are decent and presentation was good...salads were "bagged" the - you don't know what they sprayed on it to keep it from turning brown salad...I guess they were too busy to make fresh salad with all that pasta making? "Tweenagers" pervade the kitchen and staff, so it's a mixed-bag (like the salad LOL) what your going to get - depends on their nightly mating rituals. Customer-base is scary mish mash of very few full sets of teeth, weary travelers and lots of tattoos. Sorry, I won't be back.
Takes Reservations : Yes Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Parking : Private Lot Bike Parking : Yes Wheelchair Accessible : Yes Good for Kids : Yes Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Noise Level : Quiet Alcohol : Beer & Wine Only Outdoor Seating : No Wi-Fi : No Has TV : No Waiter Service : Yes
The immense popularity of Italian cuisine globally isn't unknown. You can find an Italian Pizzeria around every corner of almost every city in the United States. Not to forget that in every house, people enjoy mac and cheese as comfort food. But it would be wrong to believe that Italian food starts with pizza and ends with good pasta as this Mediterranean country has much more to offer other than these two dishes. In Italian Cuisine, there is a high use of fresh tomatoes, all kinds of herbs, great quality of cheese, all types of meat, seafood and fresh handmade pasta. Many find it hard to believe that Italians have been making noodles long back.
Italian and Greek cuisines are always mistaken to be same, but they are poles apart. The primary difference between the two cuisines is the use of cheese in most of the Italian dishes. Italians love to cultivate their own cheese and process them as per their food requirement. It is believed that some cheese is so expensive that cheese producers secure them in lockers.
If you are bored eating the same old pasta or pizza, you can try some of the authentic Italian dishes like Risotto, Polenta, Ribollita, Lasagna, Fiorentina Steak, Bottarga, Ossobuco, Carbonara, Focaccia, Arancini and Supplì. Another item which Italians love to relish every morning is a good cup of Italian Coffee. Once you taste a freshly brewed cup of Italian Coffee, you might not visit Starbucks ever again. Authentic Italian food is made with heart and soul, so go find a restaurant where you can relish Italian cuisine in your city.
William S.
For the area it's a no brainer. Must go. Probably the pizza, calzone, Stromboli is the best thing to order. Pizza oven and dough are working together very well in this place. Have no idea if the pasta dishes are worth trying but I'll pass. The strange twist here is a rotisserie chicken menu. That might be an option next time. Good solid place but would never go out of my way to go here. However, if the timing works out then it will work just fine
(3)Cara M.
I am not one to be picky or give a bad review, however in this case it is well deserved. Let me start with the service. This is obviously a family owned restaurant, with that said the staff they have represents the family, the waitress I had was rude. I asked a simple question is the Caesar dressing made in house? Are there anchovies in the dressing. Her response with attitude was most Caesar dressing has anchovies. Now I am aware of that fact and I am a fan of anchovies. Her attitude was uncalled for. As for the food. The chicken was cooked most likely this morning as it was dry, over cooked and cold. Not worth it. I won't be coming back to this place.
(2)Jumunji H.
Good pizza. Not the best I've ever had, but good. The calzones are just okay. The pasta dishes are the best thing at the joint.
(3)Bosslady656 S.
I ordered the stuff shells you can tell that it's been sitting for a while it was okay it wasn't fresh ! I was disappointed I don't know what happened , I have been there before ,the food used to be really good now you can tell that they're not moving it as fast !! Good and quick service though I hope they change the way there food comes out, not Sure if we'll go back
(2)Darlene R.
I have been back to Pasta Faire since my original review. This time I stayed away from the pasta dishes, since I was so grossed out from my previous veal "patty". Ugh. I had the fried calamari appetizer, a gourmet wood oven pizza with pepperoni, green peppers, onion & mushrooms, and a slice of chocolate marble cheesecake. Much better food this time! And the servers were actually friendly and attentive. I asked for my pizza extra crispy and they hooked it up no problem. It came out sizzlin and I generously sprinkled it with this mix of oregano, red pepper flakes and garlic powder. Dam it was good. Calamari were tender and sizzlin out of the fryer. Cheesecake was rich and yummy.
(4)Brian M.
I'm giving this rating based on one visit but I couldn't ask for better food and service. My wife and I had the Grouper Piccata special and it was wonderful and my daughter had the spaghetti with meatballs and what I tried was great, very good meatballs. The decor was a bit upscale for the area I thought. They have a good selection of deserts and the service was quick. I'll try this place again for sure and update if anything changes but for now it's a two thumbs up!
(4)Sheila M.
Likes: fresh bread with olive oil and herbs... Prob main reason I continue to eat there Environment- redecorated, good mood lighting, nice seating, decor, etc. Some dishes are good- lamb, rotisserie chicken Dislikes: not authentic Italian- probably a lot of prepackaged short cuts being made. Don't expect fresh homemade pasta, in fact the Italian pasta dishes I don't get Bc I haven't liked. A real Italian place is like Lorito's or even Big APple Eatery. I would rate it right down the middle... Basically, go there for lunch it's good enough and the fresh warm bread and cozy environment will make you happy at the least. Good if youre stuck in Belleview for dinner for sure. Just don't reserve a table for your 25th anniversary. You deserve better. :)
(3)Sue M.
Recent restaurant inspection showed no critial violations. Fantastic service (Lisa). I ordered the Tues. Seafood Feast. Four different seafoods in sauce. You can request it 3 ways. I had it sauted over angel hair. Very good, but too much food. Found one bone in one of the filets. My companion had the Beef Tenderloin over Jasmine Rice special. It was dry & over cooked for me, but she didn't want to send it back. She enjoyed it. Also, never order the chicken stew soup. It is not a stew, and there was only 1 piece of chicken in it. The rest was chuncks of potaoes. The ministrone was good, but greasy. UPDATE-July 2012-Revisited and had the same item, the Seafood Feast. Entree was good, however the scallops were rubbery, a sign of being overcooked. Also, was unhappy with the salad. One cherry tomato, 2 olives, 1 piece of cucumber and the bottoms of the lettuce. Restrooms and table were clean, but the rug was filthy with food and paper pieces. Server Shauna's appearance was unprofessional and her service was poor. She delivered my entree while I was still eating my salad. She never asked if I wanted a beverage refill. She brought the bread to me cold. And as many times as she passed my table, she never picked up any of the dirty dishes that were spread out on the table. I could not finish my entree, so she bagged it up for me, but when she put the styrofoam container in hte bag, she put it in sideways so when I picked it up, all the sauce leaked out into the bag. Not good. Would give it 2 stars this time.
(3)Rosemary L.
In all fairness (or Pasta Faireness...hehe) I did not have any pasta so I can't speak to if it is freshly made or not., but being raised on Barilla that's really of no consequence to me. I had the Antipasto salad without the meat and it was delicious. The Provolone was good quality as were the veggies used. My friend had the Eggplant Parm which she liked, commenting that the sauce was very good. The service was quick considering the place was packed and our waitress was very friendly. The prices were reasonable and they had a 2 for 1 deal on their pizzas. Altogether it was a nice dinner and I will be sure to head back there to eat next time I am in the area.
(3)Val T.
I've always thought the food here was good. have stopped in for lunch and dinner. Love the new remodel of the place.. the original was very dated. My fav is the Chicken Stew !!
(3)Ryan T.
My review is sort of in the middle of the previous reviews: the food is decent, the service is OK, the customer base is typical of the area. Having the very, very unfortunate displeasure of working at the uber-white-trash Winn-Dixie behind the Pasta Faire for five horrendous, mind-numbing years (bitter, much?), I often ate at Pasta Faire after my grueling days of work. The food was always decent; I always loved the freshly-baked bread with the olive oil; much better than the barely-baked and tasteless and weird bread at Carabba's. There are numerous pasta, pizza and calzone dishes to choose from, as opposed to only a small number at Olive Garden. The sauces and bread were always quite good, with good portions at a price typical of Italian restaurants like this. Service was fine, sometimes better than usual, sometimes worse. But just as Ted alluded to, it all depends on what those kiddies did last night. And in Marion County, it's never anything constructive or decent. So don't expect high-class service. And DO NOT expect high-class customers! It's Summerfield/Belleview/Ocala aka, redneck capital of central Florida, sans Polk County. Loads of nasty-looking young and middle-aged adults splattered from neck to legs with prison tats and reeking of cigarette smoke. I know; I had to experience it at the Belleview Winn-Dixie for five years, remember? LOL! I haven't been to Pasta Faire since February of '08 as I haven't set foot in that shopping center--or Belleview for that matter--since leaving W/D up there, so my review might be a bit outdated. But that's the way it was 2 1/2 years ago. Decent, but in a bad town with bad clientele.
(2)Toni L.
Pasta Faire is our GO TO dinner restaurant. Service is always friendly and the waitstaff must like working there because they all have been there for a long time. I like their daily specials and their $10.00 dinner specials. They also own Francesco's in Summerfield and we like it there also.
(4)Robin N.
At one point this was my favorite Italian food in Ocala, but after what seemed to be a management change, both the food and the service went down hill very fast (December 2011). Originally, the dishes came out hot and delicious -- especially nice was the warm bread, the seafood pasta special. However, after three meals where we received dried out pizza, lukewarm entrees and distracted service, we said good-bye to Pasta Faire. They also own Taverna Red, so I may give that a try next time I'm near The Villages.
(2)Chen W.
awesome please...it was open christmas eve...the chicken alfredo and the angel hair pasta with chicken were amazing...good comfort food :)
(4)Tedd S.
Yeoooww...we came by as a result of their HUGE radio-ad campaign and have NEVER been more disappointed in a restaurant locally, (guess thats why they have to advertise). Radio ad said "pasta made fresh daily..." I know the difference...this isn't fresh pasta. Sauces are decent and presentation was good...salads were "bagged" the - you don't know what they sprayed on it to keep it from turning brown salad...I guess they were too busy to make fresh salad with all that pasta making? "Tweenagers" pervade the kitchen and staff, so it's a mixed-bag (like the salad LOL) what your going to get - depends on their nightly mating rituals. Customer-base is scary mish mash of very few full sets of teeth, weary travelers and lots of tattoos. Sorry, I won't be back.
(2)