La Mucca Ballerina

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ My dining experience at La Mucca Ballerina restaurant in Sarasota was nothing short of extraordinary, and I can't recommend it highly enough. From the moment I walked in, I was greeted with a warm and inviting atmosphere. The ambiance of the restaurant is charming and elegant, with a cozy yet sophisticated vibe that immediately put me at ease. The menu offerings at La Mucca Ballerina are nothing short of exceptional. Each dish is crafted with care and attention to detail, showcasing the finest ingredients and flavors that Italy has to offer. From traditional pasta dishes to mouthwatering seafood options, there's something for everyone on the menu. Not only is the food delicious, but the presentation is also exquisite. Every plate that came out of the kitchen was a work of art, almost too beautiful to eat (but too delicious not to!). In addition to the phenomenal food, the service at La Mucca Ballerina is impeccable. The staff is friendly, attentive, and incredibly knowledgeable about the menu. They were more than happy to offer recommendations and ensure that every aspect of my dining experience was perfect. The attention to detail and dedication to excellence at La Mucca Ballerina truly sets it apart from other restaurants in Sarasota. Whether you're looking for a romantic dinner for two or a special occasion celebration with friends and family, this restaurant exceeds expectations on every level. In conclusion, if you're in Sarasota and craving authentic Italian cuisine served with elegance and charm, look no further than La Mucca Ballerina. You won't be disappointed!

From the focaccia bread to start, to the incredible AUTHENTIC Italian main courses, to the delicious desserts, Mario and family have created not just a memorable meal, but one of the most welcoming family experiences you could ever ask for. Visiting from out of state, but if I lived local to Sarasota, we’d be here at least two nights a week without fail. Amazing. Don’t make the mistake of not trying this amazing family restaurant.

I’m from Venezuela and I grew up surrounded with Italian food, to the point I could wake up at 2 AM and go cook some pasta with it’s sauce from scratch. Since I moved to this country I’ve been struggling to find good Italian spots where I can go sit down and feel like home. Mucca Ballerina has been the most amazing recommendation my friends could’ve given me so far. Pasta is home made, breads are fresh. They do their oils with pesto, which makes it perfect for the quality of the bread. I tried the lasagna from my friend and I tasted the pasta’s flavor, the sauce, the meat and the spices. Everything had their own delicious taste and it was just wonderful. Pizza sizes are perfect. My carbonara wasn’t what I was expecting, since in my country we do the white sauce instead of the eggnog sauce, and we also use a different pasta, but to be something authentic from the Roman chef I simply loved it. I’ll love to try it again with a different pasta and extra ingredients. Vegetables. Drinks. Their water it’s good, even though I don’t like that type of water too much. I loved the way they serve Coca-Cola. And I’m definitely trying the wine next time. About customer service: they were very busy at the time we got there. We got a perfect seat. But food, drinks and check were a little delayed. This wasn’t happening to just us. They only had 2 servers and almost every table was full. What I loved about this fact, and the reason why I couldn’t even be upset about it, is because the chef and owner came out to help his boys. He talked to every table asking how they were feeling and how everything was. Maybe what could be better? I’m not sure. He seems like a very good man, and it made all of us feel like this place is more than just a restaurant. Going back next day off. Next time there will be wine and I hope to meet the owner too so I can congratulate him.

Stunning little gem in the heart of Sarasota. I think the staff must be the children of the owner as they are all citizens of Rome and at least bilingual. The food is off the charts good. The menu is varied. We ate on the street side and it still had atmos. The staff were attentive yet not in your face. All the pasta and bread is freshly made daily on the premises. This place was recommended to us and now we recommend it to you!

After having a great lunch, we returned for dinner a few days later. We started with a fabulous antipasto that had a variety of cold and hot appetizers. They were rolling and cutting ravioli as it was being ordered. Instead of pasta, I received a plenteous side portion of sauteed spinach with my veal saltimbocca. This place does a great job with eggplant. It was all delicious! This is a great family run place....Don't miss it!

I have mixed emotions on this place. First time we ate here was on March 17th. It was a table of 3 and it was one of the best Italian meals I’ve had in this country. My husband had the Bolognese, my friend Lasagna and I had a chicken dish. Service was charmingly slow but worth the wait. Owner Mario came out and introduced himself and we had a great chat with him. I went as far as referring several friends to this place. I went back on March 29th with my daughter and son in law. We had a reservation for a table of 5 at 4.45pm. When we arrived the restaurant was empty. It was a cold evening and we asked to be seated inside the response was that we would have to be out in 30 minutes due to their other reservations. I understand and had no issues eating outside till we realized that when we left at 6.45 there were still 3 available tables inside that had not been seated. I ordered the special with short ribs it was okay, my husband ordered the same Bolognese sauce it was great my daughter had Carbonara and it was really over salted and below par we were unable to eat it. My son in law who builds restaurant for a major Italian restaurant group in the Chicago area had pizza that was okay. Overall the service was slow non attentive and really list its charm. I apologized to my guests several times for the food and service it was disappointing at best. Personally I will not be returning. I feel they have a good clientele that specialized attention this is not transferred to all clients.