Avanti, a Valley tradition since 1974. . . Dramatic, crisp black and white interiors, candlelight and a quiet atmosphere. Vegetarians and Seafood lovers will be awed by the selections of homemade pasta from deliciously light Gnocchi Alfredo, Eggplant and Meat Lasagna, to seasonal hand crafted Ravioli. Fresh Fish and seafood dishes vary- from a Jumbo Shrimp Cocktail to an Italian crafted Cioppino. Avanti has also garnered numerous awards and accolades for our Ossobucco, said to be the best in town as well as robust steaks and chops (lamb and pork).Enjoy dessert and Cappuccino in the piano bar sweets that are carefully guarded family recipes include, Tiramisu, Cannoli, Creme Brulee with a crunchy burnt sugar crust but if your passionate about chocolate the chocolate mousse is infused with rum and whipped so fluffy and light you'll swear it's heaven sent!
"I found Avanti on the list of moms day brunches and the price seemed fair and the menu looked appealing, so we took a shot. Unfortunately not the best gamble. The restaurant hasn't been updated in 25 yrs at least. The buffet had a nice spread for a meat eater but since my wife and I are vegetarian, we had limited options. This happens many places but to pay 37.95 a piece for pasta and marinara, a few hunks of cheese And a piece of tiramisu, is a bummer. I wouldn't mind paying 10-15 bucks each for what we had but not anything more. I feel that this restaurant as well as many others, took advantage of the moms day hype."
Dined on 5/12/2013
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"You can't miss at Avanti! This is a classic Italian fine dining restaurant. The food and service are always superb. We went for one of their wine dinners, which are a great value and an excellent way to experience the menu and a new wine. You will never be disappointed at Avanti. Try it for lunch or a special occasion dinner. Bonus tip: ask for John as your dinner server."
Dined on 5/17/2013
Special Features: fit for foodies, good for groups, romantic, neighborhood gem, great for lunch, special occasion
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"We have sampled many brunches having lived in the Phoenix area more than 20 years. Mother's Day brunch was our first dining experience at Avanti. We were impressed with the large variety of cold and hot foods as well as the presentation and the VERY reasonable price. There is something for every palate here. We will definitely come back!"
Dined on 5/12/2013
Special Features: good for groups, great for brunch, kid-friendly
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"I took my mom to Avanti for the Mother's Day buffet. It was fantastic!! They had 5 separate stations. All of the food was amazing. I have to say the lasagna was the best I've ever had. The wait staff was quick to refill drinks, take out plates and check in to make sure we were doing well. I love going to Avanti because they all make you feel like a VIP every time you go there. Highly recommend!"
Dined on 5/12/2013
Special Features: good for groups, romantic, neighborhood gem, special occasion
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"This was my first visit and took friends from out of town. The owner met us at the door and showed us to a table. He was both courteous and entertaining. There were five in our party, everyone tried something different and all were happy with our meals. The waiter was attentive but not hovering. I will go back."
Dined on 5/08/2013
Special Features: fit for foodies, neighborhood gem
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"Visited Avanti on a Sunday night, so the place was relatively quiet--perfect for our purposes. The service was extremely slow. Food good but not exceptional. Appetizers of mixed pastas and bruschetta were tasty. Salmon and vegetarian lasagna were good, but the fillet ordered medium was served rare, and had to be returned to the kitchen for further cooking. Loved the decor and ambience, but given the poor service and good but not great food, probably won't go back any time soon."
Dined on 4/28/2013
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"My husband and I celebrated our 11 year anniversary this past weekend, and had Avanti recommended to us. The environment was definitely a throwback to the 80's, but the pictures of the stars along the foyer were testament to the longevity and potential quality of the place. The food itself was wonderful! The bread was this delicious toasty, pesto-infused basket of wonderful! The appetizer and main entree we got were amazing! Both of them were specials. they also gave us a complimentary tiramisu to celebrate our anniversary. the aspect of the restaurant that really impressed us, however, was the service! Perfectly timed food and very attentive wait staff. We are looking forward to going back!"
Dined on 4/27/2013
Special Features: fit for foodies, romantic, neighborhood gem, special occasion
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"My husband enjoyed his dinner (I think it was osso bucco) and I loved my cioppino. We both appreciate the authentic food. We've had our fill of the new innovations!"
Dined on 04/18/2013
2010
Special Features: fit for foodies, scenic view
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"A friend and I opted for lunch at Avanti's last week because we wanted to go someplace where the service was top notch. We were very pleased that Avanti's continues to meet expectations in this area. Our satisfaction level was checked several times throughout the course of the meal. The Caesar salad is authentic and not overly dressed. The special that day, halibut with lemons and capers, was very tasty. The accompanying mixed vegetables were nicely seasoned, but cooked a bit too long for my taste. All and all, a very enjoyable lunch."
Dined on 04/18/2013
2011
Special Features: romantic, great for lunch
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"Food was very good. Service was okay. Whenever waiter poured water he always pulled bottle back too soon and dribbled water on table or whatever was by your water glass. The decor was very outdated. Looks like I was back at my high school prom from 1990. I would try it again only because of the food."
Dined on 04/17/2013
2013
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"Parking lot was empty so my group was wondering where I was taking them but dinner was wonderful and everyone was happy when we left! And a number more cars were in the parking lot so we all thought that was great!"
Dined on 04/17/2013
2008
Special Features: late-night find, neighborhood gem, romantic, special occasion, great for lunch
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"Sergio is a terrific and attentive server. Caesar salad was tasty and served well chilled. Special menu requests were prepared as requested. A very enjoyable place for dinner."
Dined on 04/15/2013
2009
Special Features: neighborhood gem
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"Although the wine cellar was out of Cade, the Cakebread was a perfect choice for the light but crispy calamari and caprese. The specials were amazing; I had pork tenderloin stuffed with toasted red bell peppers and cheese. It was cooked to perfection and served with a baby-bella mushroom sauce and crunchy fresh sauté of vegetables. Do not pass up the 3 dessert special, go with everything chocolate and you will be very surprised. The near-flourless chocolate tart was lava on a plate. The tiramisu had that certain almond flavor you only get from someone that understands what it's supposed to taste like. Our new favorite, table 12. Ask for it."
Dined on 04/13/2013
2007
Special Features: good for groups, romantic, special occasion
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"Awesome food and service! Felt welcome from the time we stepped in the door! We were out visiting our Son, in Phoenix, and found this on Open Table, and I have always had great experiences with the restaurants on Open Table. We were there celebrating Easter dinner."
Dined on 03/30/2013
2004
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"The most notable feature of Avanti is the 70th decor. I liked it very much, but some members of my group thought that the place needs updating. So this place may not appeal to everyone.
The food overall was good, although for Italian standards the pasta was somewhat overcooked. I thought the veal chops a la Milanese were outstanding. The deserts were good, but too sweat (in particular the Canoli).
We ended up with a bill of 500$ for a party of five because the wines are ridiculously overpriced.
Overall a good experience though, I will probably go again if I want Italian food in central Phoenix, but this time order the house wine."
Dined on 03/29/2013
2007
Special Features: neighborhood gem, notable wine list, special occasion
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"Avanti on Thomas Road in Phoenix is simply the best Italian restaurant at which I have ever eaten. Food, service, and ambiance are all outstanding. Great appetizers, had the crab cake with shrimp on Tuesday. Skipped the appetizer on Thursday and had the linguine with red clam sauce, superb."
Dined on 03/25/2013
2005
Special Features: fit for foodies, good for groups, notable wine list
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"Was here on a quiet Sunday night. Food was quite good, service was very friendly and attentive. The decor is a bit dated (black & white, lots of mirrors), but hey it's an Italian restaurant. We sampled several different pastas as appetizers. All were cooked perfectly and made with excellent sauces. Two of us had a grilled veal chop (off menu) that was very good. I had the double pork chop - excellent and huge. The 4th in our party had the flounder which was also terrific. We sampled several desserts: the tiramisu, the spumone, the amaretto cheese cake, and the gelato. We enjoyed them all. We had a very nice dining experience at Avanti and would certainly be worth a return visit the next time we're in town."
Dined on 03/24/2013
2008
Special Features: good for groups
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"This was my first time at Avanti. The server, Sergio, was attentive. The bread was fresh and served as requested with olive oil and parmesan cheese was brought to accompany the bread. The appetizer caesar salad was crispy and the dressing was excellent. The shrimp risotto was moist, and the portion was generous. No room for dessert. We appreciated that Avanti also participates in the United Mileage Plus Dining Rewards Program too."
Dined on 03/23/2013
2009
Special Features: neighborhood gem, romantic, special occasion
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"Took a group of 15 for a business dinner. Everything was perfect."
Dined on 03/18/2013
2006
Special Features: good for groups, notable wine list
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Review 29 for Avanti
Overall rating
(Outstanding)5/5
Awesome Place
OpenTable Diner
Food
(Outstanding)5/5
Service
(Outstanding)5/5
Ambiance
(Outstanding)5/5
Noise Level
Energetic
"The food was outstanding and so was the service. The owner Angelo made us feel like had been friends for years. I would reccomend this restaurant to everyone. 5 stars. Homemade old world Italian."
Special Features: neighborhood gem
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"From the moment you walk into Avanti, you realize you're at a restaurant unlike all the others in Phoenix. The feel of the restaurant is like you just stepped back into the 1950s timeframe with the decor that's inside. The service was great even though we went on Valentine's and it was so busy. Loved hearing all the italian accents by the staff working in the restaurant, it added to the feel of the restaurant. Lasty was the food, all the pasta was made fresh and you could tell with each bite. I had the 3 pasta sampler and it was delicious. Definitely a happy find with this restaurant."
Dined on 02/14/2013
2007
Special Features: fit for foodies, neighborhood gem, notable wine list, romantic, special occasion, hot spot
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"We went on Valentines Day and it was very crowded. The service was poor but the food was really good. My water glass was never refilled and the waiter bearly spoke to us. My order was incorrect but I choose not to point it out because it took so long for us to get service at our table. I get it was Valentine's Day but this experience is not unlike my last few visits to Avanti's. Being a long term customer (20+ years), I disappointed to share that I probably will not be going back again."
Dined on 02/14/2013
2010
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"For an Italian restaurant, the food wasn't very heavy which was nice for a change. Even the lasagna wasn't too overwhelming. The wait staff seemed a bit over loaded and rushed (on Valentine's Day). Not very attentive to an individual table. The tables were small and very close to one another. I felt like I was dining with the next table. There are two sides to the restaurant. One seems to be a suit/tie required and the other is more casual."
Dined on 02/14/2013
2008
Special Features: neighborhood gem, romantic, special occasion
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"Delicious food. Old school Italian feel. It was quiet and not busy when we went. It was a tad pricey for the portions and the restaurant's setting/atmosphere, but the service was attentive and the staff was kind."
Dined on 01/20/2013
2011
Special Features: fit for foodies, neighborhood gem
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