osteria natalina

intimate and authentic italian experience. some of the best italian in tampa. the food always is fresh and the service is excellent.

the menu itself is uninspiring, but, as the owner will tell you, they can make just about any pasta dish. and the specials are numerous and always excellent.

it also is an intimate restaurant (seating for around 50 people) so be prepared to wait for a table if you don't go early or a little later. but it is worth the wait.

amazing!!! one of the best italian restaurants i've ever been to. the service was incredible, very nice staff. very reasonably priced, will definitely recommend and come back. a+++

omg! little italy has finally arrived in tampa. authentic italian food in this tiny, tiny storefront with maybe 10 tables. fresh foods, lots of seafood, oral menu, and happy to modify any dish. vegetarians can rejoice as well. beer and wine only, but when in rome ... large dinner party of 12 and everyone raved about the food. only issue was could not do separate checks nor divide up total. we will be back, and bring new friends. shhhh, don't tell everone, capisce?

if you are searching for authentic northern italian cuisine you have found the right place. osteria natalina is a hidden gem in tampa. i had the opportunity to travel throughout northern italy and ate plenty of food that was a delight for my eyes and taste buds.  there isn't one italian restaurant in town that replicated those dining experiences except this one.  the service is impeccable, friendly and warm. the dining experience is similar to european customs. don't expect to rush in and out.  rather, sit back and enjoy your time here.  the restaurant is very clean, small and cozy. it's not loud like so many restaurants are these days.  the menu has many delicious options.  if you can't find what you are looking for ask the waiter to see if the dish you are requesting can be prepared for you. i have been here at least four or five times and can't say enough positive things about it.  the food is consistently excellent, full of flavor and the portions are just the right size.  i assure you i always leave completely satisfied and have discriminating taste in good food.  i highly encourage you to try it out if you have never been before.  you will be pleasantly surprised. ciao!

i've been wanting to try this place for awhile. like all the restaurants over in those shopping centers, it is a mission to find parking. the restaurant itself is tiny and cozy but definitely gives you that warm feeling of a really friendly italian family making you homemade dishes. they were extremely accommodating as my friend was debating between two dishes and our waiter (which also could have been one of the owners) surprised us with both. i had one of the specials which was a very interesting seasonal twist on four cheese raviolis, this one had pear and walnuts. the texture and taste was awesome. portion size for me was perfect but for people who are used to olive garden portions, this might not be the place for you. i highly recommend if you're looking for authentic and delicious italian food in south tampa.

great little spot in the crowded restaurant scene in this area of tampa. small cozy inside so if this is not your bag then look elsewhere. if you do tyou will miss a truly italian experience in service, food and ambiance.very romantic as well for a date night, special occasion or other worthy woo the babe event.food was excellent and we even got some personal attention from the ownership on our visit. wish there were more like this one around, in tampa and other places as well.well done.

i have been eating here with the same chef since it was called spartico's. they always make what i want and it's always fresh, well made and delicious. worth a try if you've never been here and if you don't want to come back there is something wrong with you.


-----01 jun, 2013-----

my favorite italian in tampa by far. have been coming here for years and have never had a bad experience. highly recommend the calamari app. it's not deep fried but grilled which i now love.

sophisticated italian at its best. the cooking, ambience, and service here manages to strike that very difficult balance between "authentic" italian comfort and upscale sophistication. if you don't know what i mean by this, you will quickly understand when your server brings you bite-sized slices of freshly baked bread to be dipped in a deliciously acidic olive tapenade and explains that the chef will cook you almost anything you want even if it is not listed on the menu of signature dishes. whatever you order, you will experience italian classics elevated into the realm of special. this is hands-down one of the best restaurants in the tampa bay area.

rude!. i called the restaurant to reserve a table and the guy who answered rudely told me no reservations, first come first serve. so i thought, i'll give it a try regardless. my friends and i show up at the restaurant at 5:30 for dinner and went to open the door, which was locked. strange, i thought, since there were two men sitting right at the entrance looking outside at us. i knocked and a guy opened the door and asked what we needed. i said, uhh, dinner? he said we're not open; i explained i had called and was told 5:30. he said it's not 5:30; my friends and i all have 5:30 as the time. i said, ummm, it is 5:30. he said not by my watch and went to close the door. i said wait a minute; you are the same rude guy i talked to on the phone (the owner i'm pretty sure). he said you don't like it go somewhere else. jesus are you kidding me!? clearly, we left...

a lot like italy. customer service is outstanding and enough to keep coming back. the food is also outstanding. lived in europe, visited italy and this is very close.

best italian in tampa. we love this neighborhood spot. it's tiny and often packed, but if there's a wait they'll send you a couple of doors down to bianchi's wine bar for a glass of wine and will then call the bar when your table's ready and tell them to send you back over.
food at osteria is fantastic. i tend to get linguine with seafood in a pink sauce just about every time--it never misses. the special pear, walnut and cheese "purses" are also excellent.
i see some other reviews knocking the personality of the owner and/or staff, but we've always found everyone there to be very pleasant.

friendly and delicious. i have had nothing but positive experiences at osteria natalina since it re-opened under spartaco's management 2+ years ago. i have dined with my husband, our kids and groups from my office. each time, we are warmly welcomed and offered wonderful specials which we can customize as our taste buds demand. i am really shocked to read any negative words about spartaco who is such a wonderful guy and really makes the experience so special. there are few places in this area where you can go and be sure of having a great meal featuring fresh food with great wine in a friendly setting. this is one of my favorite spots in so tampa. if you haven't tried it yet, don't be put off by a few negative words - this is one of the best restaurants in the area.
don't order off the menu - wait to hear the specials. they are always amazing.

i am floored by the attitude of the owner of this restaurant. my husband and i arrived to an empty restaurant at 5:45 on a friday night with our toddler. as locals and former new yorkers we have been searching for good italian food- we thought this might be the spot... too bad we will never know! we wanted to sit at a 4 top and after the waiter settle us at the table, the owner told us we had to move to a tiny two top. i told him that my son eats real food and needs his own place setting. anyone with kids knows you can't spend an entire meal with your kid arms reach from your wine glass and food!!! he was so rude and told us that he needed the table.... for his empty restaurant. i mean we would have been out of there well before his dinner rush! i will not spend a dime here. and to think i've felt bad for this guy every time i see his empty place when i go to yokos!

truly the best italian food in south tampa. the specials were all outstanding and they went out of their way to accommodate special dietary requests. will be back as often as i can.

authentic. osteria is nestled away in a tiny nook of a establishment in palma ceia and is quite easy to miss. this however would be a shame for this is certainly one of the best italian places i have visited in tampa. the owner is directly from a small italian town off the adriatic sea and as expected, the menu reflects this rich pasta and seafood heritage. its easy to taste after one bite that the pasta is handmade and incredibly fresh. everything from the lively owner to the fantastic simple adjustments to otherwise mundane dishes (black olives crushed into the olive oil for bread for one) makes osteria natalina a must visit.