Amelia’s Italian Cuisine
235 S Main St,Ste 107, Gainesville, FL, 32601
Amelia’s Italian Cuisine Menu
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Visit below restaurant in Gainesville for healthy meals suggestion.
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Address :
235 S Main St,Ste 107
Gainesville, FL, 32601 - Phone (352) 373-1919
- Website https://www.ameliasgainesville.com/
- Click To Get Directions
Opening Hours
- Tue
Specialities
- Takes Reservations : Yes
Delivery : Yes
Take-out : Yes
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Good For : Dinner
Parking : Street, Private Lot
Bike Parking : Yes
Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
Good for Kids : No
Good for Groups : Yes
Attire : Dressy
Ambience : Intimate
Noise Level : Quiet
Alcohol : Full Bar
Outdoor Seating : Yes
Wi-Fi : No
Has TV : No
Waiter Service : Yes
Categories
Italian Cuisine
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.
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Il P.
I had a mixed experience here. The marinara sauce is good, and the special lobster ravioli was pretty good too. It was real lobster meat, although the ravioli was a little less cooked. My friend had a red snapper with wine sauce and capers -- it was terrible. Dry and chewy fish with almost no seasoning. The muscle and portabella appetizer was excellent. The small mushrooms were filled with ground carrot and perfectly half cooked. I really liked them. For a moderately high price, I would expect to get homogeneously better food quality.
(3)Kim S.
Really good food and very nice atmosphere- highly recommend it.
(4)R And J.
We came here to celebrate a GATORS graduation this year! The staff was very accommodating and the server was great. We made reservations in advance for a large party of 12 people. Everything on the menu was delicious especially the calamari, sonoma pinot wine, and the fetuccini alfredo was spectacular! I will come back again if I am ever in the area (i.e. football season!).
(5)Jorge U.
Not perfect, but still good. Great food -- especially the specials. The service can't be beat. Not a huge wine list, but they've introduced us to a few new favorites. And you can't forget the limoncello ... absolutely delicious. The free parking in the Sun Center parking lot is nice. And although it might be said in the menu, it would still be nice to have it pointed out that you have to ask for separate checks in advance and also that they add an automatic gratuity for large groups. Trying to figure out the how to split a check among 10 people who all only have plastic isn't my idea of a fun way to end an evening.
(3)Gigi A.
This is a shame to Italian cuisine. Once I sat down and had the first bite of my salad, I wish I went to Olive Garden's. Actually, I was wondering if I could just pay for the salad and just skip out. I think the mushroom and the carrots used in the salad were canned? The dressing was off too. I was deeply disappointed. I ordered a suprema pollo marsala. It was the most disgusting thing imaginable. The chicken pieces were soggy and rubbery (that's after I was able to get thru to it after the disgusting marsala sauce). The sauce was watery and a totally different type of marsala wine I ever tasted. It was almost a florescent orange hue with a watery sweet taste with no depth; I managed to keep from gagging public. I, then, wanting to give the place a second chance, ordered the chicken parm, which too disappointed me. The chicken this time was cooked well, it was the house marinara sauce. It was very acidy, fruity, and minty. I was repulsed. The price for the chick. Marsala and the chicken parm were 15.99 each. For the same price, the food quality and the atmosphere at Olive Garden or Carabba far exceeds Amelia's. I was deeply disappointed.
(1)A P.
I am so disappointed! After reading the reviews, I had high expectations and wow were we disappointed. A few things people should know: they DO NOT make their own pasta and they do not have fresh pasta at all besides their ravioli! They use dried grocery store-style pasta. Gross. If I wanted to boil pasta from publix I would do it at home. No decent Italian restaurant doesn't make fresh pasta. The meat was low quality, and the fish was also subpar. The most disappointing part of the meal was the tiramisu! It was the most disgusting tiramisu I have ever had anywhere. Hershey's chocolate syrup on top, with some type of low-quality cheese and dry chewy flavorless lady fingers. No coffee to be seen. The table next to us ordered it too and they were saying how awful it was as well, "This is so dry and weird" is what we overheard. We definitely will not be coming back and will not be recommending it to anyone else.
(2)Eunice C.
I met a colleague for lunch here. She suggested it and I'm glad she did! I discovered a new place to eat in Gainesville that's affordable and delicious. I I had the Pomodoro Salad and it was awesome. I don't usually enjoy salad but this one was great. Really nice staff and the chef comes out and plays Happy Birthday to you on his saxophone for your birthday. Coffee was excellent, too. All around great experience, I will be back.
(4)Rebecca B.
This italian restaurant offers you authentic homestyle Italian cuisine. With their delicious food and great service Amelia's offer's you a fine dining experience that just explodes with flavor in your mouth. I was so thrilled when we found this place after it was highly recommended. As a lover of italian cuisine I was in my happy place. From the moment we walked in we were treated to excellent service and food. I am hoping to return soon and maybe next time convince Chef andy to give me a little tour of his kitchen.
(5)Nan T.
The baked grouper isn't cheap, but it is TO DIE FOR! Definitely the best meal I have EVER eaten. Nice outside evening seating. White linen tablecloths. The owner/chef visits each table to check on patron satisfaction.
(5)Ja G.
Yesterday dinner at Amelias (invoice # 4258, $ 94.34). The bruschetta bread has no consistency . Whith respect to the Other plates excessively abused use creams and sauces so that the plate see enjoy pasta it Seems you were taking a cream Shake. When they brought the Bill had a premium of $ 9. Upon observing the innkeeper give me she told us that dishes come with salad and as usual i brought cesar salad that was an upgrade. Se said that we would never notified and he told us that she would see what she can do for us and ejem she return again said that she cant do Nottingham for us. But we can do something and its: write it that people are prevented, the Other thing we can do is no go back anymore.
(1)Michel A.
Best Italian food restaurant i have tried in Gainesville so far. Nice place to take your girlfriend/wife for a little date. Our food was perfectly cooked and they had some pretty good wine. Staff was friendly and attentive. Will come back soon for some more!
(5)Aaron M.
5 stars for the service and entrees. Our grouper and chicken parm were perfect. We also got the bruschetta and our salads all of which were good but not great, thus the 4 stars instead of 5. Highly recommend. Will repeat.
(4)Karly G.
They clearly only value their older customers and made that very clear to us on our visit. My boyfriend and I, who are also servers at an Italian restaurant, were very excited to eat their famous food and receive excellent service. Since we are both knowledgeable of Italian food, we did not have any questions about the menu, but our server simply greeted us with "do you know what you want." What if we had questions or wanted to hear about the specials? Although the food was excellent, our server paid absolutely no attention to us and made it very obvious that her other tables were more important. We watched her give five star service to other guests next to us. We understand that some servers to do not want to give their full attention to "young college kids" but when we're buying a bottle of wine and spending money, our money is just as good as anyone else's. When we saw Chef Andy come out of the kitchen to greet his guests, we were very excited to meet him and were planning to tell him that we were shocked at our less than acceptable service. But as he was refilling tables water glasses and thanking the other guests, he simply skipped our table continued to go to the other tables. He then continued to just keep stopping by tables he already visited. This is very awkward since there were only four tables in the dining room, and we did not understand why our water glasses were not refilled and we were not thanked for our presence. Our sever never came back to our table, our food could have been raw and she would have never known. Our water glasses were empty while we were eating. After we stacked our empty plates to the edge of the table, she finally came back. We were ready to leave at that point. We watched her give the same service to a group of young girls that were looking for a table. Told them she couldn't get them a table for a few minutes, when there were only two tables in the dining room. Overall, it was very disappointing. Although the food was excellent (the only reason why I'm giving one star) , we felt insulted and not welcome. Moral of my review: if you are older than thirty and look like you have money, you will have a great time. If you're young, don't bother going to this place, you will get the cold shoulder. UPDATE: we emailed the owner about our disappointing experience and we never received a response.
(1)Brad K.
I'd love to give Amelia's 4 stars, but it's more of a 3.5. They are good, they have quality food, the ambiance is nice, and the service is good. But the prices reflect more of what I'd expect a 4 star experience to include, thus the 3.5 and given rating of 3. We've been in Gainesville 17+ years, and we don't go out of our way for Amelia's. We enjoy it when we go, a little sticker shock on the bill sometimes, but they are in a high rent location so I understand. All in all nothing great or bad to say about Amelia's. There are better places downtown when you're in the area.
(3)Lanise A.
Came here for a solo dinner and was quickly seated without having to wait without a reservation. On a Saturday night I would expect the restaurant to be busy, and it was. However the servers were very attentive and made sure that customers were taken care of. I even saw Chef Andy play "happy birthday" to a customer on the sax! I ordered the Ravioli al Forno, which comes with a garden salad and bread on the side. The food was delicious, but the cheesecake wasn't as good as I thought it would be, so I give this place four stars. I'd recommend.
(4)Sai Srivatsava V.
Best italian restaurant in Gainesville. Andy the chef is very cheerful and the staff are very great with the customers.
(5)Paul T.
No doubt my favorite restaurant in Gainesville. I have eaten there twice this week. Friday I had the surf and turf and Saturday I had the lamb shank. My two favorite dishes. Food , service and staff are amazing. The chef and owner frequents the dining room.
(5)Andrew V.
Absolutely fabulous! Love the food and love the service! Was cool when the Chef came over and checked on us twice. Very nice. And again, the food was amzing. Was a great date night.
(5)Ted N.
This restaurant serves just awesome Italian food and we will eat here again when in Gainesville, FL. Chef Andy is a great host and the wait staff is prompt, friendly, and knowledgeable. This is directly opposite of the TRIP ADVISOR opinion that there is no good food in Gainesville!! We are West Coast foodies who dine regularly in the top restaurants of Newport Beach, CA, so trust me when I say you must dine at Amelia's.
(5)Kate S.
In my opinion, it's hard to find quality italian food in florida. This place is one of the closest I've found to hitting the mark.
(5)Chad P.
This place was perfect. It is me and my wife's new fine-dining spot. Cute and quaint....just perrfect. The server was slow to warm up initially, but the rest of the staff made up for it (the other server and the water/host guy). Amazing first impression, I loved the open brick, such a WARM welcome from the owner (he gave me a hug on the way out - which I loved and happily welcomed). You can tell they have so much pride in what they do. This is probably the best italian restaurant I've ever eaten at. I was stuffed about half way through and JUST KEPT EATING because it was SO good. My wife asked the kitchen/server to make her favorite pasta dish, which they happily obliged. Everyone was so warm and professional. Mini-cons: I'm weird about bread crumbers - if I'm paying (Gainesville) top dollar, I would have liked to see them use this throughout the meal (in between each course) - but he did use it at the end - in case we decided to have dessert. The 2nd loaf of bread was inconsistent, but the third (it was that good - we got 3 loafs of bread!) was back to consistent. Other than that, it truly couldn't have been better. I would recommend this to the world. I can't wait to be back.
(5)Robert R.
Great Food. Great Atmosphere. Quiet. Doesn't get any Better! We come to Gainesville regularly to see the Dance Alive National Ballet and we have increased the frequency of our visits in the last few months. We love Italian food but had never tried this restaurant. It was recommended to us by some friends who are Gainesville natives. What a great place for dinner!! We went there with two dear friends. The Portobello appetizer was excellent as was the homemade bread. My manicotti was the BEST I have ever had. The meat lasagna was excellent and so was the gnocchi. The chef comes out to greet you and he is a very nice guy. We LOVED this place!!
(5)Asa D.
Some of the worst Italian food I've ever had. Some of the ingredients they used were incredibly low quality. The balsamic vinegar was very acidic and the Parmesan was not fresh. They do make some of their own pasta (ravioli, lasagna, fettuccine), but somehow they aren't very good at it. The ravioli we had was overcooked and filled with ricotta that was not house made. Their house sauce, which is described as a blend of vegetables, was surprisingly similar to V8 -- very sweet but not in the good way for tomato sauce, and I love sweet tomato sauces. Their grouper was terribly overcooked. If you're thinking of eating out, and this is your only option, just don't.
(1)Dennis C.
I think the last time I went to Amelia's was around 1999 for a work lunch. I remember it being good, but I just haven't thought about it since. I haven't heard anything bad about it, but rather nothing at all. In its defense, I haven't really given Italian food a whole lot of thought up until recently. We actually ended up at Amelia's on a fluke. A friend of mine originally set up reservations in advance for a party of 10 at Manuel's. That was all fine and dandy; I've heard mixed things about them, but I haven't been there myself and wanted to try them out. Well, Manuel's calls the birthday girl about an hour before our reservations and informs her it will be 1.5-2 hours later than originally agreed upon. In a last minute search, Amelia's it was. And what a pleasant suprise it was! The service we had was great and had no issues at all - considering the size of our party. Drinks were great and affordable. Wine list looked nice (didn't try myself). Beer selection was okay, they did have a couple obscurish "Italian" offerings - no, not Peroni. (I've been spoiled by all the craft beer around here lately). The bread was great; I want to say there were 2 or 3 different types. The calamari appetizer was awesome! I can't speak for everyone on their entrees, but my raviolis were great. I didn't hear any complaints from anyone else, and the table was very quiet while we ate. The chef came around and asked how everything was. Chef Andy was friendly and attentative....as well as a saxophone player! Unbeknownst to any of us, he's known for playing Happy Birthday on his sax to patrons celebrating their special day. Overall, I was very pleasently suprised. Food and drink were great and affordable (for a fine dining establishment). Service was attentive and friendly. Atmosphere was very nice (makes for a greate date night). Overall, we'll definitely be back.
(4)John P.
Pretty solid Italian food from what I've had. It's a relatively small restaurant, and it has a very quaint feel to it with an intimate atmosphere. I thought the service was solid. They refilled our bread bowls relatively quickly and were very polite about serving extra items like hot water. Speaking of the bread, if they happen to serve it while it is still hot, it's absolutely delicious. We had some of the fettuccine and the gnocchi, and they were both very good. Definitely would recommend it as an Italian place to go to in Gainesville!
(4)Sean R.
I am going to admit that when I went to Amelia's it was after my first restaurant of choice for the night was fully booked. At first glance it seems to be a very typical Italian restaurant. However, with a great wine list, delicious entrees, and excellent service it's really enjoyable. The restaurant itself is pretty plain. The servers are dressed well and all the staff are very courteous. The owner and chef, Alex, can sometimes be seen making the rounds checking on the service. It is nice to see that he takes pride in his ownership. He even plays "Happy Birthday" on his saxophone for guests' birthdays. The wine list has great variety in both selection and price. I'm a fan of pinot noir, which there weren't many of, but that's just a personal preference. House wine is priced at $7 a glass and $17 for a carafe. The house cabernet was nice. The food is great My friend and I had bruschetta as an appetizer and veal for dinner. The ingredients were fresh, the food was perfectly prepared, and the presentation was impressive. Overall I was delighted with my experience and I'll be returning to dine again.
(4)Crystal M.
Went here on a Tuesday night for a mini celebration with my mom. We made reservations and when we came, there was one couple dining outside and one inside and that was it. Sort of eerie, and we considered changing restaurants, but I really wanted to try it, so we braved the silence inside. The waitress was wonderful and kept our water glasses full at all times. She came by at perfect intervals and was always polite. I ordered the lasagna for $13 and my mom got some chicken dish with butter and wine sauce for $14. All meals come with bread and a side salad and if not a pasta dish, a penne with tomato sauce on the side. The bread basket came first. It had 3 different breads in it, a white, a stone-wheat and a herbed italian. Olive oil was provided on the table for dipping. I subbed the house salad for a ceasar salad for $3 and it was pretty good. The subbing fee is pretty high, but I really love ceasar salad (the sharing fee is $7!!!! Basically makes you order your own dish) The lasagna was really good, definitely home-made. It didn't have that addictive sweet sauce you get at Olive garden or the thick, fatty cheese at other chains, but maybe thats a good thing... I was too full for dessert, and our bill was $35 for two. i'd go back again, it was a pleasant experience. (will post pics eventually...)
(4)Meg I.
Boringgggggg. My food was so bland and dull... I could have drizzled olive oil on my own overcooked pasta at home. The service was slow, the atmosphere stuffy, and the food overpriced. Stay in, boil your own pasta, and add some flavor. Then give yourself a well-deserved tip for serving yourself in a timely manner.
(2)Cindy M.
If you want "real" Italian, this is your place. Chef Andy is an inspired chef. Forget the chain Italian restaurants. Treat yourself and enjoy a great meal. You'll think you're in Tuscany. If it's your birthday, make sure you let Chef Andy know. You'll be in for a surprise!
(5)Michelle C.
I was craving Linguine and Clams. I ordered the Linguine and Clams with the white sauce. My friend ordered the same dish with red sauce instead. It was definitely better with the white in my opinion. WIth the white sauce, the clams were able to shine and you can taste the seasonings in the pasta better. With the red sauce, all you taste is tomatoes. Dinner was served with a bread basket (ask for more if you love bread, who doesn't). From what I remember, each entree costed around $14 dollars. It's a decent price considering that there were clams involved but I couldn't help but wish there was MORE of it on my plate. As a poor college student, at the time, I just ended up eating more bread and butter. Overall, it was good. Just wish it was a larger portion.
(4)Shannon B.
I heard about Amelia's from a friend and looked up their menu online and decided to give it a try for date night with my boyfriend. We were promptly greeted and sat by the hostess and the first interaction we had at our table was with the chef and owner of Amelia's, who came by to give us waters and let us know our waiter would be with us shortly. Our waiter made a great recommendation to my boyfriend for an imported beer called "La Rosa" by the Italian brewing company Moretti. I ordered the Gamberoni Amelia (jumbo shrimp with linguine in a lemon butter sauce) and my boyfriend had the Suprema di Pollo Sorrentino (chicken breast topped with eggplant, prosciutto, basil & mozzarella). I'll have to admit that my bf won this round of "who ordered the better entree?", but mine was still very good. My only complaint was that there were only 5 jumbo shrimp in the pasta--I would've like a few more. The flavors in both our entrees were exactly what we expected and the portion size was extremely satisfying, but not Olive Garden-jumbo-size-overkill. After we were finished eating and waiting on the check, the chef/owner came back by to formally introduce himself and thank us for our patronage. In fact, he made it a point to stop by every table during the evening to say hello and thank each customer for eating at his restaurant. How often do you see that anymore??!! I thought is was extremely thoughtful and commendable, and I will definitely come back to Amelia's when I'm in the mood for a quiet, romantic dinner or when I want some fresh, delicious Italian cuisine.
(4)Coty S.
This was my number one place I would ask for go to on my Birthday every year. Inconveniently located in the Sun Center, they were once the only Italian restaurant that served gnocchi. A delicious potato dumpling. I love all of the pasta sauces here; they are not to offensive in sweetness and are rich enough to please. All of the appetizers are amazing and they have some great vegetarian options. Skip Carrabbas and spend the same amount on an excellent authentic meal, at a local business, in style, and make it an experience. Their entire menu is on their website, making a reservation is recommended.
(5)Scott C.
Nearby place we drove downtown for was too crowded. Checked Yelp and walked over to Amelia's. Result - great meal. Weekday night in July and place wasn't crowded. Owner/chef was working the hostess stand. Great meal and certainly enjoyed everything we tried. Thanks Yelp!
(4)Juan D.
Had a great dinner tonight! Hanging in the bar in Amelia's. So the bar is not typically used for seatings but I was humored and made to feel like part of the family. The special was on par and beer cold. The servers made me feel at home! Johnny, Mauricio, Emily, Jenn and crew were awesome. The hostess even shared a homemade dessert she had for the staff I apologize I didn't get her name. Who says eating alone is bad! Big ups to the great service!
(4)Kevin W.
Ok, so the disclaimer here is that I have only been to Amelia's for lunch. I cannot comment on dinner - yet, but I am sure I will eventually do dinner as well. I haven't yelped in a while because like Carol King I "felt so uninspired". And I had some preconceived notions on Amelia's. Food would be average, cost would be great, service would be slow. I was so incredibly wrong. On three occasions I have been for their lunch and each time it was a wonderful surprise. Amelia's has this deal where they do a quick lunch (comes out of the kitchen in less than 10 minutes) it's like 8 bucks and it's a giant portion that tastes divine. Carraba's? Seriously? Olive Garden? Really? Calling them Italian is like calling McDonalds a steak house. New chef/owner Andy Foss (or Fass) is amazing. I had the Fagioli and spinach salad on my last visit. The Fagioli was the best tomato based soup I have ever had! Ever. The Spinach salad was fresh and tasty. On my previous trip I had the mussels teresa. The portion was huge and the mussels were perfectly prepared and delicious. The service was nearly invisible until I needed something and then she magically appeared with whatever it was. What really annoys me is that Gainesville seems to be clueless about good food. I pass a packed house at Harry's (average on a good day) and enter an empty Amelia's. Twice as good, half the price and no one there. I guess everyone's goes to Olive Garden or Carrabas for Italian...really?
(5)Simon M.
Went with my girlfriend for a celebration, we thought we'd try out Amelia's since we were feeling fancy. We had reservations well in advance and were seated at 6, not exactly the dinner rush, but we were still seated in a tight corner, right up against the only other couple in the room. The tables were uncomfortably close together. Food quality was fine, but not for the prices. I could tell you all of the ingredients in each of our dishes, we were being charged at least 50% more than is reasonable. On top of the excessive prices, our waiter never put in our appetizer order (which was a special). When we asked him about it, he tried to blame us for the mix up, telling us we never ordered it. He offered to bring us the appetizer after dinner in a box in exchange for no charge for our two drinks. The drinks cost less than the appetizer! He was still charging us full price for the item we never received! The quality of the dinners, and especially the appetizer, was sub par, the service was horrendous. Steer clear and give business to some of the other other, more reasonable, restaurants in Gainesville, there are plenty of options.
(2)K W.
Chef Andy is so nice and his food is so good. The pesto tortellini is out of this world!!! Have trouble ever ordering anything else because I dream of the pesto tortellini. So good!!!
(5)Vicki M.
Fettuccine Alfredo is worth every single penny!! I get it every time I go and probably will never not get it. Comes with bread n salad...Drink cup is never empty n staff is always friendly along with the owner whom has greeted us at our table almost every visit. Probably best to have a reservation, but have walked in once and was seated. Yummy!!
(5)Brea G.
Having passed Amelia's countless times I was really looking forward to trying them out. From the menu posed outside I could tell they were pricey and the patio looked like a nice place to hang out. Unfortunately expectations and reality were once again on the outs when we went here. They weren't seating outside and the inside was a surprise. It was clean etc. but it looked like high tea at my grandmothers social club... seriously *not a comfortable setting (to me - maybe you're a senior looking for some action). I don't remember what we got for an appetizer (so I guess it's fair to say it wasn't memorable) but I do remember that it was tiny. I do remember I had gnocci as a main course and that it was something better than Olive Garden but not as good as Carrabba's. I don't remember what my wife got but I remember trying it and wondering if the sauce was Ragu. Way too expensive for what it is and I can make *way WAY better italian myself. I'll probably go back at some point just to verify that I didn't hit them on an off night.
(2)T W.
This is the worst Italian food I have ever had. I ordered a special grouper, which was caught the same day as they claimed, but really, it wasn't fresh enough. The mussels were sandy. They just charge way too much for what you get. The service wasn't good either.
(1)lance s.
had dinner there last night, brought our dog Layla too. our house salads were very fresh and filling my wife had the chicken with asparagus that she shared with me, it was fantastic! i had the pesto linguini that was very good and just enough, but truth be told i would love it with more garlic, but it was still great. our waiter was attentive, but relaxed and Chef Andy came out to say hello and we talked about traveling in Italy and of course the food there. we had not come here in a few years, no reason just did not think of it. we won't be away for that long again. a beautiful night, great food and great staff.
(5)Coni S.
Dinner was very good. We had a groupon. A little disappointed that we had a different menu than everyone else. The food was good and plentiful but, felt a little duped that we were not able to order from their regular menu.
(4)Katie A.
For the price, I expected food better than Olive Garden, but it was disappointing at best. I had an angel hair pasta with a light cream sauce. Others we were with seemed to like it okay, but also felt it was a bit overpriced for Italian food. You can get a better tasting meal and price at Carabba's. I wish that weren't the case, b/c I really prefer local places!
(2)Belle C.
Excellent food, especially the dinner specials, which tend to be more inventive than the stuff on the very traditional main menu. The appetizers can be hit or miss - I love the spinach/artichoke/garlic crostini, but Italian staples like bruschetta and prosciutto with melon are just so-so. What really stands out about Amelia's is the service. Everyone is so friendly and attentive. Five stars for that! And you must try their homemade limoncello. It's got cream and vanilla in it, which sounds odd. But it's fantastic!
(5)James B.
This is a little classic Italian restaurant tucked away behind the Hippodrome. They have a HUGE menu of more traditional Italian foods, which I feel can be a little overwhelming. As an appetizer I had the Rollatini di Melenzane which is eggplant wrapped around ricotta with marinara sauce. It was a nice, fresh, light way to start a meal. However, it was a little expensive for the portion size, and there are several offerings my friends had that were much better. As a meal I ordered the Veal Scaloppine with Artichokes, Capers, & Olives in Light Tomato. The artichokes were a great addition, but I feel like it needed something to balance against the capers and olives. I think having some pine nuts instead of olives would make take this to a new level. My veal was overseasoned for my taste, but it was very tender. The sauce itself wasn't anything to write home about, I expect this type of quality coming from this restaurant. For dessert I had flan - which was absolutely delicious. A wonderful blend of caramel and custard made it a great way to end dinner. However, it wasn't all bells or whistles. The bread that was served was lacking flavor, and they just gave us olive oil to dip it in. I would expect a restaurant of this caliber to have something else. The service was fine, but I felt misinformed when they charged $3 extra for replacing a house salad with a caesar salad, and that you can only split checks prior to ordering. Yes, it's in small print at the end of the menu about splitting checks, but it would have been nice to be informed. All in all, not bad, but pretty average as far as italian restaurants go (Olive Garden and Carrabas earning ZERO stars from me..gross). But definitly one of the only places in Gainesville offering real italian.
(3)