Osteria la Spiga

Great example of fine Italian right here in Seattle...

Pros: Everything

Posted 10/28/09

I am a huge Italian food fan, I was not impressed with the food, it was lacking flavor. Our table was covered in dust so much that my throat is still itchy. There are many Italian food places in the Seattle area that are less expensive with much better flavor.

Pros: Atmosphere

Cons: VERY Dusty and only mediocre food

Posted 09/27/09

the food was realy BAD, under cooked Lamb! bleeding! discusting, i tried one bite almost through up!. i ate pasta. instead. they charged full price for both plates.
Forget it, stay home hungry, dont go there!

Pros: good looking bar tender

Cons: every thing els

Posted 06/24/09

I ate at La Spiga for the third time just recently (after staying away for quite a while) and sadly, came away with the same conclusion I had the first two times. The atmosphere is fabulous, the menu and wine list are intriguing, and the food is very good. Unfortunately, this all gets overshadowed by the attitude that seems to be pervasive among the wait staff and management. Basically, everyone seems to be just a little put out, too busy or simply snotty about being in the customer service business. Considering there are literally hundreds of excellent restaurants in the city I would rather take my hard earned money somewhere that makes me feel welcome.

Pros: great food, great atmosphere

Cons: service that makes you feel indignant

Posted 01/11/09

We stopped by on a Saturday night, no reservations and they were able to seat 4 of us in the bar right away. First time I had been there, food was excellent, server was helpful and friendly. I highly recommend the lasagna, probably the BEST I have ever had.

Pros: great atomosphere, fabulous food

Posted 10/19/08

Went here for the first time and loved it. We sat at the bar and had a great meal. Loved the simple entrees and fabulous flavors from each dish we tried.

Pros: Flavor, fun, fabulous

Cons: A little expensive

Posted 10/18/08

I had dinner there yesterday and I ordered affettati misti as aptetizer and malfatti as entree. The food was good (not excellent) however the malfatti dish was half of the standard portion. I had to eat more at home since I was starving when I was back. Considering that a dish of malfatti costs $15 (plus taxes and tips goes up to $20), I'd expect a reasonable portion to fill out my stomach.

Pros: nice location, food from Romagna

Cons: service, size of the entree

Posted 09/29/08

We arrived on Sat night during the busiest time, were seated and waited 20 minutes for anyone to acknowlege our presence. Our server was very apologetic and very nice, but she kept on having to apologize throughout the evening... We ordered the tasting menu and the wrong wines were served, the meals took a while to arrive, etc. She just seemed like she was in the weeds. The back up help did not seem to be so helpful. How about putting more servers on the floor when they have to trek so far from the kitchen to the upper loft?
The food was fine, we enjoyed the tasting menu. I enjoyed the mortadella and the taglielle w/ truffle butter... there were a few too many onions and not enough peppers served with the sausage, and the sausage was a little overdone.
Not sure if we will go back on a busy night. Maybe it would be better if it were not so busy.

Pros: Beautiful restaurant

Cons: So big, servers can't keep up. Bathrooms in the basement, far from seating.

Posted 09/28/08

I finally tried La Spiga last night. I had heard mixed reviews from friends ranging from absolute adoration to complete disgust. My thoughts?: Yes, fine, the interior is great looking but it just makes me that much more pissed-off at the quality of the food. Do the owners think that a good looking restaurant will dupe people into believing that what they're eating is tasty? Based on all the rave reviews...clearly the optical illusion works and tricks your tastes buds! Between my friends and I we shared two appetizers, the fried seafood mix and this flatbread thing with spinach and cheese. For the entree I had the tagliatelle with truffle butter. On a scale of 1-10 (1 means I wouldn't eat there if I was starving, 5 means I could eat there again, and 10 being I'll crave it all the time) I would rate the restaurant a 3.5. I will not be going to La Spiga again. The price and the taste do not match up. I would rather pay a little more and get something tastier and/or pay less and eat somewhere not as fancy. Blah!

Pros: None that I can see.

Cons: Read the review.

Posted 09/24/08

I live just a few blocks from La Spiga and go there, each time hoping the service will improve. It never does. We consistently feel like we're inconveniencing both the hostess and wait staff by presuming to eat. Food tastes great, but I've given La Spiga its last chance. Hire some service staff that don't consider themselves better than the clientele.

Pros: food

Cons: service, wait staff

Posted 09/03/08

After being ignored, glared at and purposely seated at the worst table in the empty restaurant, we opted to leave before ordering any food. If you're looking for a fine dining experience with service to match, avoid Spiga.

Posted 09/01/08

I had to pop on and review after seeing some of the angrier reviews on here. I stopped in to see the new space and have a drink, and the service was so good I had to order some food. The food was so good I had to order some more, and by the end of a couple of hours I just had to talk to the charming Pietro and congratulate him on his wonderful restaurant. It just reminded me how a simple dish, lovingly prepared and served can really change your whole night around. The food, service, and ambience were all 5-star. You NEED to eat here.

Pros: Simple, well-priced and great dishes, happy and knowledgable servers, astonishing variety of seating options

Cons: Umm...lemme think...bathrooms downstairs, maybe?

Posted 06/24/08

I ate dinner there with a friend last night, and unfortunately what we were expecting based on the positive reviews was not what we experienced. I made a reservation a week in advance and specifically requested a windowside table, but not only did we have to wait 10-15 minutes to be seated but it was also a couple tables away from the window (note: I think this was due to age discrimination - my friend and I are both 19 - because while we were waiting an open windowside table was given to two older women). We shrugged it off as it wasn't that important to us, but then we had to wait another 15 minutes or so for any waiter to even stop by our table. Service I can only describe as curt, and though we appreciated how quickly our food came out, the food was pretty unimpressive. We both got the veal and split the crostini appetizer. For a $60 meal, there are many, many better options for Italian restaurants in Seattle.

Posted 06/14/08

Remember the old la Spiga? Comfortable atmosphere, knowledgable staff, authentic food. The food is still there. If you don't mind asparagus or meat in nearly every dish. But don't try any substitutions or additions. You will be scolded. We got seated right away and then waited and waited for someone to take our drink order, only to have the server inform us about what we couldn't eat, add or substitute. She promised bread and olive oil but in the end our actual salad came first. When the bread did arrive it came in a kind of drive-by-throw-down by a staff member who didn't make eye contact and turned his back immediately, running off in another direction. We tried to ask him for olive oil but he was already gone in a flash.
My poor husband wanted the heartiest meal on the menu and our server suggested the sausage dish but when it arrived he got 3 measly pieces of cubed potatoes among bell peppers on the side. Hardly a sizable side dish. When he asked for more potatoes, the server was put out and later let us know that his potatoes would take some time as they were "made to order". It's always a bad sign when the staff goes out their way to tell you what a PAIN you are as a customer. A pricey meal from which we both left ticked off and mildly hungry. Too bad. The previous restaurant by the same owner was outstanding.

Pros: homemade pasta, large seating capacity

Cons: Service, menu selection, snobbery

Posted 06/07/08

I was WOWWED from the moment i walked in - yes we did have a reservation, for 7 of women for a birthday - but looking around there seemed to be lots of couples and close conversations... the breathtaking ceiling, the wooden beams, the huge windows - and the wine list are wonderful. there is a tasting menu - very resonable $, that is put together and made for 2 people, and includes 3 antipasti (you don't choose, you get them all!) and 2 pastas, and 1 meat and 1 dessert - and the with wine it was only $55! wow
go, run, make a reservation and park somewhere safe!

Pros: Building, lighting, wine list, tasting menu

Posted 02/27/08

La Spiga restaurant - FANTASTIC! The new location is beautiful... much bigger, with an open, airy, warm atmosphere. It's now two levels. The food was excellent; we took advantage of their Valentine Day special Chef's Choice menu including a 4 course meal with wine pairing and we were not disappointed. The service was attentive but not hovering or smothering (Bracy was our waiter and we took his recommendations without regret). Be sure to also try the Lasagna Verdi sometime!

I highly recommend this place to you and your friends. They are located on the corner of E Pike and 12th. You won't be disappointed!

Pros: ambience, service, food

Cons: parking

Posted 02/14/08

Ate here the other night with a few friends--I think there was a wait for some people, but we were lucky as they'd just had a cancellation, so we got to eat at one of the coveted downstairs booths. The pasta was unformly excellent; I had the ragu which suited me just fine and my friend had the buttered truffle tagliatelle which was divine. One of us got the duck second course, which was small, especially considering how much it cost--it was just a few slices of duck breast and endive, with no startch or anything. Potatoes or something would have been nice. But the servers were good about refilling the bread--really a form of flatbread that tasted rather biscuit-y, a nice change from the usual baguette slices. Our waiter was super-nice, but aggressively pushed appetizers and dessert. We didn't experience any of La Spiga's legendary bad service. All in all, a completely "nice" evening all around.

Pros: Handmade pasta, gorgeous dining room

Cons: Sometimes pushy servers

Posted 01/07/08

I do not recall if I have ever eaten as food as disgusting as the food I ate at la Spiga. My gnocchi looked like a plate of cat terds and tasted as if it was heated left overs at best. The squash was soggy, mushrooms canned, portions tiny. They wanted to charge for olive oil. The service was horrid. Our waiter actually laughed when my friend commented on her pork tasting bad. To make matters worse, there is only one toilet in the restaurant. Not only is the restroom not clean, it is located in a hall with a dumpster with a couple of rolls of toilet paper on it. We both left feeling sick to our stomachs vowing to never eat at la Spiga again.
The food is an insult to Italy and all things Italian!

Pros: hard wood floors

Cons: food, service, cleanliness

Posted 11/29/07

Oh La Spiga. I loved you in your old location, that tiny dive off Broadway. I'm in love with the looks of your new location, all sweeping dark wood and gorgeousness. And I'm in love with certain items on your menu on certain nights--I had the lasagne once and it totally knocked my socks off, practically melted in my mouth, made me eat the entire thing long after I was full--but had it again a few months later and found it completely lackluster. What happened? But I do love your bar, and your prices, so I'll be back. But you also need to work on your service: Once we were left for 45 minutes after dessert waiting for our check, up int eh upstairs overflow section. That's just not right.

Posted 11/08/07

The food was good. Really enjoyed the truffle butter pasta and the braised pork. The fried squash blossoms were a little too greasy. Server was stretched and there were very long waits between courses. Over a half hour for the entrees to arrive. Will try again in a few months.

Posted 11/05/07

The new location for La Spiga was definetly a great move. The essence of the space is amazing and feels like a place you want to call home. And I think its all built "green" which is a major bonus. The pasta is all amazing and made fresh in the pasta room and you can actually see your pasta being made! Definetly try the lasagna. The menu is updated from time to time so get in enough to notice the changes. One caveat -- a friend of mine was asked to leave so others could be seated, apparently they were lingering over their few last drops of wine a bit too long -- MAJOR ERROR -- while this has never happened to me personally, be warned, and never return if someone interrupts your experience no matter where you go.

Pros: LASAGNA + AMBIENCE

Cons: BUSY, COULD BE ASKED TO LEAVE

Posted 10/28/07

I am amazed and rather surprised at all the bad press La Spiga gets here. Ok, I was never there when it was Spiga, and yes, I've been to Italy and do see how in a smaller venue, La Spiga would be very close to the Osterias my wife and I visited on our trip across Italy last month. We've eaten here twice, once with my wife and mother in May, and then last weekend with my wife to celebrate our 4th Anniversary.
We had 7pm reservations on a Friday, (bad idea when you live in Bothell, make it later) and arrived late, and rather than us going to the back of the queue, we were seated within 15 minutes. Our server was fun and friendly, and brought us that little bread basket with the yummy bread within a couple minutes. For a Friday, service wasn't awful, very relaxed, the restaurant was pretty busy and yeah, it was loud. (but we live in America and talk in loud booming voices on this side of the world)
Our salad came reasonably fast, and my wife and I had time to talk, relax, and enjoy our meal. The gnocchi my wife ordered was probably the 3rd best she's ever had (the top 2 being in Italy) and my pasta and meat sauce was delectible, and the right amount of sauce and meat (I hate when it's drowned, you can't taste the pasta). Our server complimented us on our selection of the dessert wine and cookies, and with the pecan brickle ice cream we ordered as well, it was a great ending to an excellent evening. The bill wasn't staggering, in fact, 70 bucks for all of that was really pretty reasonable.
So those of you who want a relaxed evening, excellent food with great wine, good conversation (albeit in an atmosphere with lots of talking) check this place out. Get reservations, and try to arrive on time. I don't think you'll be disappointed.

Pros: Great wine, excellent food

Cons: parking is a little tough, if you're coming from out of town

Posted 10/17/07

Have been twice to the new location for dinner, and though I really did want to like it, unfortunately the food is revolting and the service muddled. It's an attractive location, though, and the decor is tasteful. Last time, we ordered a main course that (ostensibly) invovled calamari, but what appeared looked almost precisely like a shallow bowl of pinto beans (!?), and it reeked like a koi pond in need of cleaning. Completely inedible. The other dish was roasted pork, which I'd give a C+. A sad and weird experience from a restaurant that, in its former incarnation, was exceptional.

Pros: Doggie bag can be used as a barf-bag

Cons: Food

Posted 09/08/07

I dined last night for the first time at La Spiga despite reviews on bad service and friends letting me know the service is not great. They were all right. Service is horrible! I am wondering if the owners simply think this place is too busy to care about service? Possibly. But, I know I will never return. Food was excellent however dessert was very mediocre (nothing special at all). But the overpowering bad service fought with the even worse music that made it impossible to talk and was completely inappropriate for dinner. It was just plain terrible all around. I thought towards the end of our meal that the music was simply meant to drive away customers. (It worked!) If you want to go for the food and don't mind the service then this place is for you. However, there are a lot of good italian restaurants who actually care about their customers.

Pros: Food

Cons: Bad service, dessert, bad service, music, bad service oh and bad service

Posted 09/07/07

We are regulars at La Spiga, we've been going there since they were at the old location.
The new location is very, very nice, modern decoration, young look, outstanding wine bar.
There are 2 problems: service is always slow, the waiters desaper from time to time and you may be seated waiting for your drink for 20 minutes. Parking is also a chalenge.
Best Tiramissu I ever had.

Pros: Food and ambience

Cons: Service and Parking

Posted 09/01/07

La Spiga is in my neighborhood and it has taken me forever to finally eat there...but a friend took me for my birthday dinner this last weekend and I will be back! The atmosphere is hip and yet inviting, the service was friendly and prompt (even though we were brought the wrong appetizer and then also charged for it) but really - it's all about the food. We had the insalata Caprese to start...which was great...but I had the pasta in truffle butter...and I literally have never had anything so good. It doesn't look like much on the plate...but the taste was amazing. My friend ordered the lasagna and said it was the best lasagna she had ever eaten. I have recently been to Italy and never ate anything close to as good as what we had at La Spiga. Bravo!

Pros: the food, ambience

Cons: parking

Posted 08/20/07

it was cozier and the food better. I hate all the hipsters at this place and the "smooth jazz" they play . I feel like I should be wearing a stupid black turtleneck all the time. And the food at the old Spiga was divine but now (growing pains, i guess) the food isn't as consistent. The piadina is still a sure bet, however, and the rest of the food, even inconcsistent as it is, is still a step above the rest of the italian joints in town.

Pros: piadina, prosciutto

Cons: hipsters in dim lighting

Posted 08/15/07

I really liked this place at it's old location up on broadway, but this new location is so cool! I love the patio area right now that it's nice outside. The food is always amazing, and I have found the wait staff that I get is usually very knowledgable.

Posted 07/23/07

We wanted to try this place so we gave it a go for a big birthday celebration. The food was good but part of our order came out after we were done eating; we sent it back. Interestingly enough, the waiter shared with us that often he has to deliver incomplete orders and that our experience was not uncommon. We had to wait for drinks; the waiter was not attentive... although our water glasses did remain full thanks to the water person. The small salad (which was big) would have been good had it not been totally drenched in dressing. The 8 people at our table all had the same thought when we left for the evening...the food was not good enough to over-come the bad service. La Spiga... get more staff or at least find staff that can multi-task. It?s a great space but your lack of service is gonna hurt you. There are many great restaurants in Seattle that provide great food and service... sorry La Spiga...you just lost 8 customers.

Pros: Food is mostly good

Cons: bad service

Posted 07/19/07

I came to La Spiga with great expectations, and was not entirely disappointed. The space is excellent, though I think the lounge couch in the middle is a bit odd and out of place (round tall bar tables would be better). It is clean, hip, and friendly. However, the service is lacking. I felt like the servers had too many tables so they were rather rushed and inattentive. It took a very long time between courses (the kitchen?) and they should have checked back more on our drinks. That is a way to really do up a bill so it is the restaurant?s loss if they are over stretching the servers, thus making them less effective. I have to say, if you are attempting to have a multi-course, complex menu, you really have to make sure the service matches. I think with fewer tables per sever, or better skills, the service would up the bill and improve on the feeling you are interrupting. I think they feel by having many busers they can cut back on servers, and the busers did a great job, but they obviously knew nothing about the menu and when we asked one if we could get another drink she replied, ?I will have to get your server.? Fair enough ? but it took 20 minutes. Our overall dinner took three hours, which was nice because we were having good company, but with more attentiveness our table could have been turned quicker and just as much money (more?) made than having servers running all over. They need to work on sections and staggered scheduling. As for the food, I had the gnocchi in marinara. It was a little ?prego-ish? but not bad. My friends had the pork and game hen, but said they were excellent. The roasted veggie appetizer was great. Overall I would say this is a diamond in the rough. Food is fine, they need to work on operations?

Pros: The Space

Cons: The Service

Posted 07/12/07

La Spiga clearly has the vibe... great new space and an "it" crowd. It's a place when you look inside from the sidewalk that you want to experience. Others have mentioned poor service, and I'm sorry to say the same happened with me, though the staff were truly friendly and tried hard to make amends. I made reservations at 8 PM, arrived on time, but it was 20 minutes before my friend and I were seated. After seated and waiting another 15 minutes, I finally flagged down a water girl and asked where our waiter was. A floor manager arrived shortly, apologized for the wait, and took our orders. It was another 25 minutes before our simple salad arrived... thus, over an hour had passed since our arrival before any food touched our lips. Granted the food was generally outstanding. Highlights were the porcini sauce on my pork, my friend's delicious beef tenderloin, the outstanding asperagus wrapped in prosciutto. Our friendly waiter finally made her first appearance midway through our entrees. She said the manager would comp our desserts for the extra long wait, which I thought very generous. The panna cotta we ordered was incredible---highly recommended. There's so much good food and atmosphere at this place. I really hope they can turn around their service issues.

Pros: food, interiors, atmosphere

Cons: extremely slow service, too noisy

Posted 07/06/07

The scent of truffle oil as we walked in the door should have been the first tip-off. I confess to being a bit sensitive, and it is definitely one of my "issues". Too much truffle oil is, well, too much truffle oil. Having been fortunate enough to have had loads of fresh truffles, truffle oil pales in comparison and should be used very judiciously. Bad harbinger for the food, well borne out. I miss the old Spiga, I really do. The salad with carcioffi in particular, was very disappointing. Tasting of day old fry is no good, when a carcioffo should be tender on the inside and crunchy tasty on the outside when fried. Please trim the artichokes...otherwise it's like dental floss, Just a few more of the outer leaves off, trimmed a little tighter. Fry oil changes get to be important too... nothing worse than old tasting oil used for frying on what tasted like day old carcioffi. The secondi nearly redeemed the evening, the lamb chops cooked nearly to perfection, if only they had been trimmed better. Frying does not render the fat like roasting would. The steak was also cooked well. Accompaniments were tasty, especially the rapini. The big turn off was the staff member sitting at the bar. A staff member competing with a customer for space while eating is unforgivable. Unfortunately this staff member lacked the skill required for eating at a bar, elbows down and tight. Why he felt that it would be OK to muscle in on a paying customer I'll never understand. Worse, my companion was uncomfortable that staff would be sitting in the dining room or bar, and it stifled conversation. When other staff members who were actually still working (dining room is still going strong) would come by to chat and share the food, well, my companion went into a near apoplectic fit. Amusing for me, but not for him. Perhaps it would have been one thing if we or I had been engaged or acknowledged by this staff member (bar etiquette, to say the least) perhaps it would have caused less discomfort.

Posted 06/28/07

I went there on Sunday night and had an amazing experience. I am a restaurant snob. I go out all the time. I have not had such a delightful experience for a year. The owner came over to our table and we asked him to order for us. And the food was Fantastic! I mean Fantastic! It is a restaurant to wine and dine. I would not recommend going there if you are in a rush. For me it was like a nice romantic trip!!!

Posted 06/25/07

I was there on a Friday night supposedly a day when food should be fresh and well done. Instead there was a hair in the mashed potatoes on the side of the steak and my girlfriend's lamb was practically raw. As if it was not enough, the bread arrived 40 minutes after the appetizers, whose portions were ridiculously small and barely enough for two bites. We ended up spending $150 with wine, way too much for the quality and quantity of the food we ate. An experience we are still trying to forget.

Posted 06/23/07

Been here three times... trying to give the place a fair enough chance to pick up... great wine list... but the service is mean and vindictive two of the three times I've been here. Yes... vindictive. We were made to wait at the bar for 1 1/2 hours for a table, the waitress smiled the whole time, but pointedly avoided eye contact half of the time - such that we had to ask the bus people for water, wine refills (one glass had cork pieces in it! We sent it back), and bread. A ruined night when we were made to feel guilty and cheap for needing sevice. Not coming back. Am warning people about this place for sure.

Pros: Good space... but bad service.

Cons: Mean, pretentious, vindictive service people who avoid eye contact.

Posted 06/05/07

I went there with a large group, and despite having a reservation, we had to wait for our table. The atmosphere was nice, except that we were in the loft where all of the heat seemed to join us. Took a while for our drink orders to be placed, and then even longer to get the drinks. After finally ordering our starters and meals, they all seemed to come at different times. I received my starter at the exact same time as my meal. The food was okay....one of my dining companions asked how my "Hot Pockets" were....a starter of spinach, proscuitto and cheese in a dough. One member of our party didn't receive her meal until the rest of us were nearly done. So despite the great location and atmosphere, I think they need to work on their process in the kitchen quite a bit!

Pros: Great location and fun atmosphere

Cons: Service

Posted 06/03/07

The room at La Spiga is beautiful and fun. It's a wonderful place for a group. There are lots of intimate spaces and a patio. There is not enough patio dining in Seattle. Even though there is only 3 or 4 months a year when the weather is nice. The patio at la spiga is great. And the Ragu even better. Gorgeous handmade pasta and a sweet and meaty tomatoe sauce. The wine list is good too.

Posted 06/02/07

Went with a group for my birthday and had such high expectations. Restaurant was recommended to me by Times food critic afterall. The atmostphere inside was ok, we had a large table in the middle of the restaurant but it was strange to be looking out the beautiful windows onto a giant cement wall. Anyway, the salads came and what an amazing let down. It was mixed greens from the grocery store with a no-taste dressing. That's it - lettuce. The little pillows of spinach topped with proscuitto were a little better but still bland. Next came the mains. I ordered risotto, one of my favorites. It was the WORST I've ever had. Rice soup is what it was. Raw rice with rice soup. I don't know if the cook (not chef) has ever made it before but c'mon... My guests had better luck with the lamb, declared "amazing" by several of the guys. The gnocchi was ok but sauce was just plain Ragu out of a jar - not much taste.

Overall I'd say if you want to be seen and don't care much about true, good Italian, then La Spiga is for you . If you're really in to good Italian and a great atmosphere, go somewhere else. I'd go to this place for drinks but that's it.

Pros: Very nice atmosphere

Cons: Food was awful, service is spotty, no parking

Posted 05/09/07

I have been twice now, and have found the service to be very warm and professional (charming even), especially at the bar. The food is very tasty (lots of selections for meat lovers like myself), and the wine selection is quite good as well. Beautiful space. I will go back again and again . . .

Posted 05/05/07

I've been looking forward to trying La Spiga ever since they moved into their new location. Needless to say, the restaurant space is stunning. It might be my favorite space out of any spot in Seattle. BUT, the food leaves so much to be desired...it was downright dissapointing. A starter salad (a little lettuce and not much more) with a few fried artichokes for $10? Lukewarm rabbit parpardelle that tasted like it came out of a can? Waiting over 30 minutes for our main course, another 15 mintues for our plates to be cleared and never getting our water glasses refilled? It just shouldn't happen! There seemed to be lots of waitstaff buzzing about, so there's no excuse for the lousy service. Our server seemed completely oblivious. All in all, I wouldn't bother going back. It's a shame because the restaurant is so gorgeous asthetically, but in every other way it misses the mark.

Pros: Ambience

Cons: Service, food, expensive

Posted 04/15/07

First, let me start my review with the following telling items: 1) I've never bothered to write a review of a restaurant and 2) the best thing I can say about La Spiga is the setting is gorgeous.

Enough with the superlatives. With my Mom in town and offering to take us to dinner, we went with high expectations based on word of mouth and reviews in local weeklies, etc. Dinner started alright, with a nice white wine and a cheese plate. Ordering my drink late as I had to step out, it took upwards of ten mins to get the drink.

Upon receiving my meal, the lasagna, I was immediately struck by the sickly look of the food on my plate. It resembled lasagna you'd get in a high school cafeteria--dry on the edges, with a thin cheese film on the top that looked overcooked yet luke warm. One bite into this anemic bastardization of an Italian classic and I knew what i had to do--send it back. First, I asked everybody at my table to look at it and take a bit--everybody agreed it looked bad and didn't taste much better.

After a bit of a pause from the waiter, he agreed to bring me another piece. Unfortunately, this one wasn't much better--only slightly less dried out and "under the heat lamp" looking but still pretty flavorless and bland. My fiance's taglitalle with wild duck ragu wasn't ragu at all, with the duck appearing to have been pulled off the bone and thrown on the plate. Surprise, surprise, there were bones in the ragu. Not terrible, but not great either, particularly b/c it was bland and tasteless as well.

The service was the kick in the provebial ___ that forced me to write this. My pre-dinner cocktail glass remainded on the table until dessert, the white wine glasses that we were using anymore stayed as well, and the service was slow. The kicker--at dessert, while we were enjoying (gasp!) our desserts, they brought the check. Wow. That's a big "never coming back" in my book. Too bad, b/c the space is one to behold.

Posted 04/15/07

I just celebrated a birthday dinner at La Spiga with a modest party of 8 and was extremely disappointed. We arrived at our appointed reservation time, and had to wait 45 minutes to be seated. The host staff did not apologize or offer to take drink orders, although other parties that arrived after us were being seated and served beverages. The new location is stunning, the wait staff was friendly/knowledgeable and the quality of the food is authentic, but the overall dining experience was ruined by the slow and questionable service (overall we were at the restaurant for three hours). This was my second time at the restaurant since its relocation and both times I've experienced bad/quirky service. I thought I'd give them a few months to work out the kinks, but obviously management either isn't aware of the front of house issues or doesn't care.

Pros: Ambiance & food

Cons: Wait time & service

Posted 04/10/07

I went to the new la spiga for my b-day. The food was great as was our wine, until our waitress spilled part of our bottle of wine and then didn't even bother to clean it up or give us a free glass. My husband had to tell her she was spilling to make her stop pouring. Then she just looked embarassed and walked away. Maybe because we were a young crowd they didn't bother with us too much. It took a lot to get their attention. I definately thought it had a great atmosphere and the interior was beautiful. Definately reccomend it for the food, not the service.

Posted 04/06/07

La Spiga was an old haunt of mine when I worked nearby their old location. It was very small, non descript space with the best gnocchi in Seattle. The new space is very large and several steps up in decor. The food was still good but the food has been a bit inconsistent. I imagine it's hard to make the leap to such a large space with which seems to be triple the number of tables and a much larger menu. The gnocchi is still the best that I've found.

Pros: gnocchi

Posted 04/05/07

My only issue with the restaurant is the current popularity. It's harder to get a seat. The ravioli in sage and butter is devine. Light and fluffy with a perfect amount of buttery richness to cut the filling. The eggplant, while pricey is worth it. The lasagna was a bit too cheesy and mushy, but definitely had good flavor. The wine list is long and difficult, but they are willing to pour and let you taste until you settle on a wine that fits your food and mood. Vegetarian wait staff is a bit of a bummer. It's annoying to ask about a dish to hear "I've heard it is good, but I don't eat meat" when most of the menu has meat in the dishes. Great atmosphere and ambience. Large tables are also good for groups.

Pros: Solid pasta dishes, extensive wine list

Cons: Long wait, parking

Posted 04/04/07

Reading all the positive reviews for this restaurant, I can only assume I went on a horribly off night. Most dishes were uninspired at best and some were terrible. The service was excellent however, and all servers were friendly and efficient. The recommended eggplant app was fine, but at $7 for 4 thin slices of vegetable, way overpriced. Another tasty appetizer, a salty cheese wrapped in grape leaves, was very good, but again only offered a few bites for $9. Pastas, supposedly the strength of the kitchen, were uniformly bad. A dish of tiny gnocchieti with sausage was a pile of flavorless mush. Gnocchi al Pomodoro looked and tasted like the frozen version in a bag from Trader Joes. Finally, excellent fresh tagliatelle noodles were ruined by a way over salted truffle butter sauce. Whoever was manning the pasta that night must have been asleep at the switch, as two of three were overcooked and mushy. Desserts were a mixed bag, with a tasty strawberry/rhubarb tart offset by a dry, flavorless grappa chocolate cake. Finally, the "insalata misti" appeared to be "Fresh Express Romaine w/Carrots", looking and tasting exactly like something that came out of a refrigerator bag, ridiculous at $5. In short, I can only conclude that either I went on a bad night, or Seattleites are so starved for decent Italian cooking that just offering fresh pasta is enough to swing a good review.

Pros: Good service, nice atmosphere, some good appetizers

Cons: Pastas were overcooked, overpriced

Posted 03/30/07

I went to La Spiga in the new location a few weeks back for what I refer to as my "last supper". I was embarking on a no wheat, no dairy, no sugar diet by Doctors orders in 24 hours, sigh. After looking here for the address to pass along to a client today, I was completely shocked by the reviews. When I walked in, they were busy. But it was a fun jostling busy, with smiling people, and welcoming staff. I sat at the bar, and I LOVED the bartender, he had great reccomendations, checked in with me frequently, and didn't act like he was as busy as he truly was. I had the cheese wrapped in grape leaves, the eggplant (to die for, competes with my Grandmothers, and where can I buy the sauce?) and the truffle tagliatelle (melt in your mouth goodness). I, personally, love the bread- I can see how people who are used to huge cut loaves of dense baguette may be confused, but the flavor and texture have me craving it often, I find it traditionally Italian in the homemade way- flat and full of a flavor that is remniscent of soda bread. I also have to stress that my food came out coursed, beautifully presented, and perfeclty executed on taste. The ambiance made me feel warm, the service made me feel welcome, and the food made me feel really Italian again. I would go and decide for yourself. I hear the gnocchi is to die for. The lasagna I brought home for someone was also fantastic, rich with meat and thin layers of pasta- thank goodness someone doesn't overdo the cheese in this! The wine list is perfect, and not overwhelming. They even have reasonably priced 1/2 bottles of wine! I will go again, and lo and behold all y'all over at La Spiga- I have reccommended you every chance I have gotten, and I will continue to do so. I will combat these other reviews with my postivie one- by word of mouth, which is the strongest review I can give you. KUDOS!!

Pros: Beautiful room, lovely bar, excellent food.

Cons: Parking, but sheesh, it's Capitol Hill.

Posted 03/29/07

Having known owner Pietro Borghesi and his wife for several years, its great to see this hard working couple having such great success with their wonderful new restaurant. Like any new restaurant, they are going through some sorting out issues to get things running smoothly but they are making good progress. My wife and I have been to dinner 5 times since La Spiga has reopened and have enjoyed each time very much. The expanded menu is a great improvement over the old location. The Fritto Misto antipasto is sensational and probably should be outlawed as it is truly addictive. We like the simple straight forward approach to the preparations and the portions are right sized. One can have a nice meal for a reasonable price. It is definintely a place we will be returning to on a regular basis.

Posted 03/23/07

I lived in Emiligia Romagnia (Forli) and I worked at this restaurant briefly years ago (ciao pietro!) so I'd like to say a few words about this wonderful piece of italy here in seattle. The place is small, the food is unique and takes time to make this can create long waits at times so patience is always required there. Piadinia and Tagliatelle are an art form to those that have ever been to this region of Italy. I was never a waiter at la Spiga (worked in the kitchen) but it was always my impression that the wait staff was excellent, unfortunately, they are way over worked because the place is really understaffed. It is just as frustrating and busy for the wait staff and cooks as it can be for the customers so cut them a little slack!

The solution: In Italy, Piadina is not really formal dining cuisine. You find piadina stands on the side of the road, they are cheap and considered delicious mid day snacks analagous to a taco truck or gyro stand. I love la spiga and it is truly great that we have such specifically authentic food here in our city but my advice to you is to take your Piadina to go. This is truly Italian way of eating it (unless of course you came for the tagliatelle) then Ill guess youll have to wait for a table.

Pros: perfect piadina, even placed the way it should be in the basket.

Cons: a little pricey for those that have grown up with the real thing.

Posted 06/27/06