Farm to Table, Eclectic Italian Chef Vittorio Ettore, owner of Bistro 5 has opened a new Restaurant in Winchester. A Tavola, literally translates to “at the table”, an expression used in Italy as a dinner calling to gather everyone around the table to enjoy delicious food, and each other. Born to be the more casual sister restaurant to Bistro 5, A Tavola will be serving an eclectic Italian menu featuring “Piattini”. These small plates will be used to showcase an array of charcuterie, artisan cheeses, fish and vegetables, to pair perfectly with an exclusively Italian wine list. Additionally Chef will be offering unique catering options.
"With the exception of the appetizers which can be skimpy and a bit overpriced, the food here is wonderful and the service great. We will go back whenever we are in the Boston area."
Dined on 5/18/2013
Special Features: fit for foodies, neighborhood gem, notable wine list, special occasion
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"Enjoyed Mother's Day at A Tavola. Got to relax and chat with friends through three tasty courses - I especially enjoyed the lamb ragu! We look forward to coming back when the restaurant is getting produce from their local garden."
Dined on 5/18/2013
Special Features: fit for foodies, great for brunch, notable wine list, neighborhood gem
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"Some things defy logic like going out of your way to highlight "local fresh produce" but serving every veggie pickled or roasted to within an inch of their lives.
The Profit plates- I mean "Tasting Plates" are no benefit to the diner, but must be a real boost to the bottom line when you serve 5 razor thin (no wait- that's too thick) slices of prosciutto for $7.
You won't need to be reminded that clams are dug out of the sand. Bertucci's preps shellfish better..
There were moments of brilliant taste, but it was greatly diminished by miniscule portions. I counted 6 cavatelli placed in the bottom of a bowl big enough for 600. Do you think I was fooled into believing I has a a bigger portion?
Back Bay prices with room-service execution."
Dined on 5/04/2013
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"The food was amazing. I'm a fan of the owners other restaurant, Bistro 5, and A Tavola continues the allure. I do think the proscuitto tapas are too expensive for what you get but there are plenty of other items to select. The homemade ricotta was delicious. We smeared it on the bread given at each table. I could make a meal of that alone as it was so good. We ordered 2 half orders of pasta (malfalde with pesto and rigatoni with bolognese) along wih an order of the roasted chicken and we shared all the entrees. Everything was phenomenal, delectable, and scrumptious. I can't wait to go back again."
Dined on 5/03/2013
Special Features: fit for foodies, notable wine list, romantic, neighborhood gem, special occasion
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"I have been day dreaming about my pasta dish since Sat nite....it is now Tues. It was our first time visit to this fabulous local gem, and what a find! We shared an app of sauteed mussels that was cooked in a delicious broth of tomato, ginger, & sage. My husband devoured his rigatoni bolognese, while I savored each bite of my bucatini (hollow spaghetti w/ all sorts of seafood). I had never tasted a more delicious home-made pasta. We shared a bottle of Montepulciano & finished with chocolate ganache.
We sat at the chef's table & enjoyed the experience thoroughly. It was a lot of team work in the servicing department & very efficient. Staff was warm & friendly. Thanks so much!! We just loved our experience!"
Dined on 04/27/2013
2006
Special Features: fit for foodies, good for groups, neighborhood gem, notable wine list, special occasion
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"A decent place with solid entrees and dessert options. We were a bit disappointed by what we thought was going to be the evening's highlight...the piattini. We ordered five selections and sadly found none to be very interesting. In fact, they were all a little bland.
A note about service: While it wasn't awful, it also did nothing to elevate the experience. Halfway through our meal we heard another waiter telling some diners about the specials. This was news to us. And then there was the lost 20 mins where we sat without food and without drink while our waiter stood by the host stand.
On the whole I would say this place is good for a glass of wine and some pasta, but I wouldn't treat it as a spot for a special occasion."
Dined on 04/27/2013
2010
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"The food was great! We had the oysters fresh flavorful and the chic pea app was paired perfectly with the slightly slated toasts. The decor made the restaurant feel warm and inviting, we both enjoyed our main courses. The chocolate ganche was so dark and rich and went with the gelato perfectly. Great night out from the kids!"
Dined on 04/20/2013
2010
Special Features: fit for foodies, neighborhood gem, romantic, special occasion
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"Mediocre at best. The staff are pleasant, but the food just doesn't work; it is boring, and the room is crowded and uncomfortable. There are so many better choices, don;t waste your time here."
Dined on 04/20/2013
2008
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"Food was a little expensive for the amount of food we got but very tasty. The waitress was helpful in recommending dishes and was very knowledgable of her wines."
Dined on 04/18/2013
2013
Special Features: fit for foodies, romantic
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"This is our second time to A Travola - and it did not disappoint. We had the chicken dish (a staple on the menu) and Lamb. Both were terrific and the EVOO cake is to die for."
Dined on 04/05/2013
2006
Special Features: fit for foodies, neighborhood gem, romantic
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"We went for brunch and we discovered a nice menu! Plenty of options and we decide to try a little bit of everything. And the result was good! Every plate was done beautifully and we have a very kind waitress, that keep an eye on us without being intrusive. Place was pack with families having a nice Sunday brunch together, like the ambiance."
Dined on 03/31/2013
2006
Special Features: good for groups, great for brunch, kid-friendly, neighborhood gem
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"Bistro 5's sister restaurant has done a great job! The food, service and overall experience were wonderful. Great appetizer and entree choices with a well thought-out Italian-only wine list. Fresh pasta made in-house along with local ingredients. Friendly experience from the moment we walked in to the moment we left. Will return soon for the delicious Rigatoni and Bigoli dishes. We were very happy to see a Brachetto choice on the menu to enjoy with dessert!"
Dined on 03/22/2013
2008
Special Features: fit for foodies, neighborhood gem, notable wine list
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"No where near as good as Bistro 5, their sister restaurant, which has been consistently good. The mussels were NOT completely cleaned in both the mussel appetizer AND in the seafood pasta main course. Several mussels retained their "beards" and some were unopened. This is, in my opinion, sloppy. They were cooked well however. Sadly, the clams in the pasta dish were extremely chewy, the pasta lacked flavor and was overcooked. The pressed chicken dish was good and plentiful, the pudding dessert was very good, but too tiny. So I give it a mixed review, maybe the chef was "off" that night."
Dined on 03/24/2013
2007
Special Features: neighborhood gem
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"We ate at Atavola during restaurant week. The food was really fresh and expertly prepared. The service was also very good. The fish of the day was fluke- not necessarilly one of my favorites but the preparation was flawless and I will definitely order it again. The roast pork was well prepared - the preparation was elevated by the presentation!"
Dined on 03/24/2013
2013
Special Features: fit for foodies, neighborhood gem
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"This is our new favorite local italian restaurant. Our only complaint was that, although we had a long-held reservation, we were seated by the door and it was quite cold whenever the door opened, which was quite often.
Otherwise terrific food and pleasant service."
Dined on 03/23/2013
2008
Special Features: fit for foodies, neighborhood gem
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"Glad we went during restaurant week. The food was good but not worth the price on the regular menu. The service was horrible. It looked like other servers were fine but ours simply dropped things on the table without any description. When you order an appetizer sampler it would be nice to know what is what on the plate, though we were able to figure it out. The worst part was that we ordered a wine pairing and had to ask the server what the wine was as he was leaving the table - he poured our glasses without saying a word. The second glasses were brought over with a low mumble of what they were. Maybe he realized we actually cared to know what we were being served. Wanted to like A Tavola but probably wont be in a hurry to go back."
Dined on 03/22/2013
2010
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"This was our second time here and this time we brought our 8 and 5yo kids. We booked an early table so we weren't too disruptive of later diners. The food was wonderful, in particular the piattini- we loved the eggplant puree, anchovies and house made ricotta. We had the 2 pastas- bugatoni and the mushroom pasta- both excellent, although I think the mushroom one was my favorite. The kids had the children's meals: pasta and steak- they seemed to really enjoy them. Service was excellent..will definitely be back."
Dined on 03/08/2013
2004
Special Features: fit for foodies, kid-friendly, neighborhood gem, romantic, special occasion
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"My husband and I are big fans of A Tavola's sister restaurant, Bistro 5, in Medford, so we decided to give A Tavola a try for Valentine's day. We weren't disappointed. We found the warm, wooden, and metal decor of the restaurant very charming. The food was outstanding, from the Salumi and cheese plates at the start of the meal, to the rich, rustic rabbit and pasta entrees. Our service was fantastic. Our server made an excellent wine suggestion and offered a sample of it to me before I purchased the full quartino pitcher. She also offered to freshen the ice in my husband's Italian soda, which I thought was unusually thoughtful. The EVOO dessert was inventive and fresh. We can't wait to return!"
Dined on 02/13/2013
2007
Special Features: fit for foodies, neighborhood gem, romantic, special occasion
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"Went for a special Valentine's dinner and was not disappointed. The prix-fixe menu was outstanding and the wine parings were spot on. The veal breast was tender, delicious, and had a wonderful sauce that had obviously been cooking all day. Deep rich flavor and the meat was incredibly tender. The desert combo plate was also outstanding. This is the second time I have gone here for a special occasion and the service has been absolutely perfect. Wonderfully attentive, great knowledge of the menu and super friendly. Just great! I guess it's time to try this on a non-special occasion. Our server mentioned homemade porchetta. That's sounds too good to miss."
Dined on 02/14/2013
2009
Special Features: fit for foodies, neighborhood gem, notable wine list, romantic, special occasion
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"It was a so-so experience. For an pricey limited pris fixe menu the food preparation should have been a lot better. Our two entrees themselves were either too dry or way too salty. However, the seasoning was interesting but overwhelmed by dryness or saltiness. I was rooting for a great local restaurant experience and do genuinely hope it was just one bad night we just happen to hit."
Dined on 02/14/2013
2008
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"Appetizers and dessert were excellent. However, we felt that the entrees were lacking. Both my husband and I enjoyed the side dishes that came with our entrees more than the actual entrees. I'm not sure whether this is typical of the restaurant, as this was our first visit."
Dined on 02/14/2013
2006
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"Our server did an outstanding job. It was unfortunate that the restaurant had run out of one of the pre-fixe entrees early in the evening.(Valentine's Day) A substitution was offered but it did not meet my expectations based on the description for the sold-out item. The pre-fixe price of $85 per person did not represent quality or value."
Dined on 02/14/2013
2009
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"We eat out often but not usually out of Boston. We would definitely go back to A Tavola again! The food was fantastic, service was terrific and it was a casually elegant and fun neighborhood restaurant. Well worth the trip out of the city!"
Dined on 01/26/2013
2008
Special Features: fit for foodies, neighborhood gem, special occasion
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"I met a friend for dinner on a quiet Tuesday night. Local farm to table is the theme and the atmosphere is small, quiet and country. I had the braised veal stuffed with prunes and arugula and it was excellent. My friend loved the cocoa pasta and rabbit; even the bread was superb. On a weeknight we never felt rushed but the weekends must be crowded given the small number of tables. The staff were all friendly and knowledgeable. I would definitely like to return and try other dishes."
Dined on 02/12/2013
2012
Special Features: fit for foodies, neighborhood gem
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"This was my third time dining at ATavola and I was disappointed with the food quality. The toast points that came with the eggplant puree were burnt to a crisp and my main entrée the cocoa pappardelle with rabbit was fair at best. This was a disappointment."
Dined on 02/05/2013
2007
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"Honestly it was not a one but maybe a 1.5 star place. This was my second visit to this place and I really wanted and needed to like it since there are so few places in Winchester center to eat in. The wait staff was not very knowledgeable about the menu or wines. The farm to table concept is AWESOME but the food on most of our plates was either under or over cooked or poorly cleaned. I had mussels and the beard was left on more than one, lemon seeds in my main course which was also doused with more olive oil than needed. There was 2 tablespoons at least at the bottom of my bowl which is a portion I would use for 1 pound of pasta. I so wanted to love this place !"
Dined on 02/01/2013
2008
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"The starters, wine and dessert were very good. The entrees were OK, but not as good as I had hoped. The ambiance is delightful - very cozy and inviting, even on a very, very cold night.
We started with the oysters and the mussels -- both were very fresh and fantastic. I also had the beet and burrata salad, which was good - although it is a lot of beets for one person. I had the tagliatelle and shrimp for an entree. It was OK, but not great. Very salty, which hid any other subtle flavors that may have been going on. My husband had the chicken, which he said was fine. The polenta was quite tasty.
For dessert we shared the chocolate torta, which was fantastic. It came with some salted caramel gelato and the pairing was wonderful."
Dined on 01/25/2013
2005
Special Features: fit for foodies, neighborhood gem
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