A Tavola Bar + Trattoria

The dough in pizza is airy with a crispy crunch. it's delicious and worth trying. But seasonal pizza with peas is too salty and greasy for me.

On a Wednesday evening five of us stopped for dinner. The restaurant was busy but we were seated within minutes. Our waiter was very helpful and pleasant. We had a few pizzas, tagliatelle, and cacio e pepe. The pizza and tagliatelle were very good. The pasta in the cacio e pepe was under cooked and it lacked fresh ground pepper. The service was very good.

This somewhat-upscale Italian restaurant offers delicious food and great service in a unique atmosphere. It was a nice change of pace from our normal choices. Probably the only negative is the lack of a real kids menu, which can be a nuisance when trying to feed younger kids. It makes a great date night option though, or for meals with a more mature crowd, and would even be fine for families with older kids. If you are just looking for affordable regular pizzas, this is probably not the best place, but they do offer a wide variety of offerings for those seeking something different. We will certainly be back some time our tiny daughter is not with us, to try more of their offerings. I found the tagliatelle to be a hearty meal, the flavor and textures of the noodles and beef good individually and together. My wife really enjoyed the pizza Francisco, which is built on a vodka sauce she loved. Our very young daughter was not a fan of the chicken meatball we tried to feed har, although she happily ate a good portion of the bread served with it; my wife and I did enjoy finishing off what she wouldn't eat.

The food was decent, but nothing exceptional. The house-made gelato was the highlight—absolutely delicious! The service was also solid, which I appreciated. However, the chicken parmesan was a bit rubbery. While it looked good and the flavor was good, it didn’t quite live up to my expectations, especially given the price and the glowing reviews. Maybe the restaurant’s popularity has more to do with its great location? 3 to 4 stars

I went with the bartender's recommendation of Chicken Parm with vodka sauce (off menu tweak) instead of the traditional tomato sauce that it comes with and it was a delight. For the price, two pieces of chicken and the light flavorful vodka sauce was such a great value. My wife got their potato gnocchi with vodka sauce and it was incredibly tasty and filling. Paired with a bottle of Moscato and Caesar/House salad respectively, it was a perfect night out. We left with a take-home pizza kit and a pint of dark chocolate gelato that was super rich. Can't wait to try the pizza after reading the rave reviews and with dough balls going for 4 bucks, if it's remotely good it won't be our last.

Well I guess if you have any sense about good ingredients and wood fired pizza from the pics you don’t need this review but my 2 cents follow. This place is lovely for a casual date night because the service is impeccable, kind, and the whole place is low lit and jet black. My bill was less than 100$ even though we were quite extravagant getting a very delicious glass of chilled prosecco which complimented the absolutely perfect cuisine. The chicken meatball is a pleasure. The huge wood oven sparkles in the corner enticing you for that perfectly fluffy airy crusted pizza. My guy loved the way they had crumbly sausage on it, and the Lettuce chosen for the buttercrunch salad was heaven. I don't usually like salads much but there's clearly strives to be as good as the rest of the menu. The gnocchi with vodka sauce was my favorite and I brought home leftovers 😋 if we had any constructive criticism- give us a option of crushed red pepp or your take on that because we love spicy but know not everyone does. Glad I don't live any closer or I'd be there weekly. A pleasant surprise 😮 that feeling from the first bite that you know these people know what they are doing!

I thought that the food at this restaurant was very good and the service was excellent. Although I rated these areas highly, I gave this a three-star because of the price. I ordered an appetizer; mozzarella wrapped in panko coated zucchini with a sauce, which was very good, but I got two of them for $9. My entree was spinach ricotta ravioli of which I got maybe 10 raviolis, no bread or salad added for $19. I would never go anywhere and pay $2 for one tiny, square ravioli. If a side salad was included or bread was served with the entree it would make a difference. I can't imagine it would be that great of an expense to add a small side salad. Although I thought the food was good, the expense is a deterrent to me.

The food and service is always typically very good. The atmosphere, especially on the patio, is always great. I don’t remember there being this many kids here but it is a pizza place, so it makes sense I guess.

"Take a bite" ok ok ok... although I want to eat everything here, the Sleep Token lyric from 'The Offering' might not be the best lyric to start with since that song isn't about food... or well, maybe it is about food but it's inviting the god/goddess figure to take a bite of him(the singer-Vessel). lol. So if the pizza and food at A Tavola is my vessel... then yes. I'm going to "Take all the bites" This place has been on my list for the better part of 3-4 years after a friend visited and posted pictures. I never had a chance to visit, so when it was halfway between the art museum and the castle, I jumped at the opportunity to go for lunch. Food: Zucchini Mozzarella - Panko crusted zucchini, fior di latte, tomato sauce, parmigiano, basil -- It's probably best that this came in 2 balls. One for me and one for my wife, because I could easily fill up on these things. Perfect app. Pizza - So many to choose from, but we went with the Fig + Prosciutto - Fig jam, fontina, prosciutto, arugula, balsamic, parmigiano. I've had pizzas similar to this, but this one beats all of them. What a treat of a pizza! They have two sizes (small, large), and we went with the large. I finished half, and my wife finished her half. Afterward, she said it might be the best pizza she has ever had. The crust was light, so no need to take a nap after the meal. The service was great! It was busy at lunchtime but not packed. They have so many pizzas we want to try that we'll certainly be back. The next trip will have that apple manchego salad on the list to try as well. *drools* So as this review started, it will end with: "This is a given, an offering Take a bite" If you're near, try this place!

One of the best pizzas I have ever had! So fresh, crispy, light, and balanced. The tagliatelle was very sweet and tasted like brioche bread, I think if it was a tad more savory it would be even better, but it was very good. Our service was good, nothing stood out but they were quick and kind. One bummer was we were asked if we wanted crushed red pepper and parm and we said yes and then got a $1 charge for parm. I understand, but I wouldn't word it like that because it was deceiving and sounded like it was complementary. The place itself had a HUGE outdoor area but a relatively small inside area. It was more moody with dark colors and lighting. Unfortunately, they have those metal bar chairs that always dig into your hips, so try and snag the booth!

The space is very nice and perfect for a date night! The service was mediocre hence the 4 stars, but the food was phenomenal!! I will definitely be back to do takeout for their pizzas because mine was delicious. All around good food that doesn't break the bank, worth checking out!

A Tavola has great homemade pasta!! We usually go for the pizza. And they have a killer old fashioned cocktail. But this time we had the chicken parmigiana--and it was great! Bartender Jack is great and gives good recommendations on wine.

Love coming here for dinner! It especially great if it's just the two of us, since we can sit at the bar. Loved interacting with the bartender and watching her prepare drinks. The cosmo they make here is my favorite! Not too sweet. It's perfect! Tonight we split the asparagus salad. I love the crispy prosciutto and pine nuts. SO good! Also shared the chicken scallppine al limone. The chicken is cooked perfectly, juicy on the inside and just the right crispiness on the outside. Also shared a pizza francisco with vodka sauce, spinach, mushrooms, and crumbled sausage. All was delicious, and the service was great!

Authentic pasta dishes and arguably the best wood-fired pizza in Cincinnati. The wife and I shared the beef ragu tagliatelle and a red sauce pizza with homemade sausage. Both were delectable! Attentive service in a small - yet tasteful and inviting - dining room. Conveniently located in old downtown Madeira new Kenwood Towne Center. Can't wait to return and try something else!

What a surprise - we were looking for something Italian on a Sunday and many of the Italian restaurants in Cincinnati were not open. We found A Tavola so we booked a table for eight in thirty minutes. It's Sunday, and my Italian friend and his wife were looking for an Italian good meal to start the week since they were not in their own kitchen making Sunday gravy. We started with the Caesar salad, they I had the tagliatelle with rags at the waiters recommendation. Wow - freshly made pasta is soooo good. A few of us had the same dinner, my wife had the spaghetti and meatball, and a couple of our diners had the pizza which they loved. Most of us finished off with a scoop of gelato. Great meal.

Snuggled in the heart of Madeira is some great Italian cuisine. The chicken meatballs are a must have. The drinks fail flat but it wouldn't stop me from returning. Service was good, and the decor is cozy. It's not huge inside but there is an outside option as well. No reservations but the wait is quick. I didn't have the pizza but it's very popular. They have vegetarian options as well. Try something new.

Madeira is so lucky to have this authentic Neapolitan pizza and trattoria. We have always found the service exceptional particularly when we sit inside. The handmade wooden tables and artwork are terrific. The neighborhood ambience is great. We try other pizza but this is consistently the most authentic Neapolitan in the region!

Great stop for a quick yummy bite! We couldn't decide between pizzas so ordered two to share. Fresh and in house made sauces were a plus. Arancini app was small (think dime diameter balls), but crispy from the ratio. Good attentive service and easy parking.

So I've had this establishment bookmarked since 2014 when I was visiting Cincinnati. Unfortunately we never made it then, but fortunately we made it today lol. We came here for lunch to celebrate our wedding anniversary because it was going to be less busy which was good because we had the baby with us. Our server was really nice and attentive. So I'm not a big alcoholic drinker but I actually ordered one of their cocktails because it sounded pretty good. I ordered the cutie honey and it was very tasty and I could have had another one lol but I was already a little bit tipsy with the one lol. Arancini - we ordered this appetizer because it reminded me of the suppli that you would find in Rome Italy. It was pretty good but was a little bit smaller than I had expected. Nonetheless it was good. Margarita pizza - My husband ordered the margarita pizza and it was really good. We really enjoyed the Neapolitan style pizza and he loved that they were generous on the basil. Would highly recommend! Cacio e pepe - this is a must order for sure. This tasted really legit - I really love the pasta that they use, it was cooked perfectly. Legit! Definitely coming back here for sure.

The portions were very small. I had the vodka fusilli ($19). Very tasty. Room temperature when served. My wife had spaghetti ($24) which was hot when served. She liked it. We had the risotto balls appetizers, 6 each. They were very small and average tasting. We each had 2 coctails. The bill before tip was $86.00. Service was very good. Definitely not worth the $100 I dropped.

We had heard that A Tavola had been named the best pizza in Cincinnati (according to Cincinnati magazine). I will say, in terms of high quality ingredients and flavor, they are correct. Wood fired pizza is always the best crust, and they had great options. The Pizza Francisco has onions, mushrooms, sausage, and spinach. It was delicious. We also ordered the zucchini mozzarella, which were also good. Overall we wished the portions were a little bigger. There are small and large pizzas. The large can be split between two people, but any more you'll want to order extra. The outside back patio was very nice, and our service was great. Will absolutely come back again.

Food was good but not great. The pasta was a little bland but was still good. The pizza was a little too sweet but adding salt made it better. The pizza is better than the pasta. The wait staff was great and the drinks were good.

Stopped in on a Saturday afternoon for lunch. We went at noon and it was pretty empty, so we were able to be quickly seated. I've been to A Tavola before, but it's been a while. The menu is still similar with options of appetizers, pizzas, pastas, and salads. One of my favorites has always been their Gnocchi with Vodka sauce, so that was my order. We also ordered the Meatball Duo. While the service was great the food just didn't seem as tasty in visits past, specifically for the Gnocchi which was just undercooked. I still enjoyed it and the Meatballs were delicious. Its a spot I'll keep on my list and will go back, we may have just had an off day for the one dish.

Lovely ambience and wonderful food! The burrata appetizer was delicious and both pasta dishes were wonderful. Will be back soon!

I liked this lunch! The food was pretty tasty, and at a good price. It's my first time trying the pastas, since normally I go there for pizza. I liked them. I thought my Tagliatelle Ragú was too sweet, and I was expecting for more flavor. It wasn't bad at all, and the fusilli alla vodka was also good, but I think I was expecting for more flavor on both. However, next time I'm getting the Gnocchi in crema parmigiana. Those were DELICIOUS. Service and ambiance is always good at this place. We went around 2:00 pm so it wasn't busy at all. Next time I'm staying for some gelato.

We loved A Tavola Bar and Trattoria, and we only had a taste of their offerings so I'm sure we'll be back. Daughter and I wanted dinner but something light and appetizer-y. We found it here! We had a charcuterie board for two and a warm date appetizer coupled with lovely apple and manchego salads. A glass of wine each and we were set! The menu indicates a much larger offering, so we'll be back to sample some of the more traditional fare. It's a pretty small restaurant, and looks popular. Very cozy atmosphere...not a basic pizza joint. It was full and with people waiting for a table on a Monday night, so plan your timing strategically if you don't want a long wait. Our waitress was wonderful - attentive and friendly. There is a small parking lot -- full when we were there but we found street parking.

Best authentic Italian pizza in the city. Took me back to Italy 1000%. Their food is so good and I affordable for the quality you get it's insanely good.

I treated my mom to mani pedis for Mother's Day in Madeira. We wanted a casual spot for the family to join afterward and this seemed a good spot. We enjoyed a nice charcuterie, meatballs and cheese balls. They were devoured. Next courses included a salad, pizza, and various pastas. Everyone was satisfied with their meal and had plenty of leftovers. There's a great selection of wines, beers, and cocktails and while we are indoors for faster seating, the outdoor patio is an option.

My wife and I had dinner with friends and arrived around 5:30pm. We got seated promptly and our server was very nice. Food was just okay, portions are very small given the price. Ambiance is pretty poor; seats are very uncomfortable and it was very loud in the restaurant making it hard to carry on a conversation. My wife and I's bill (with tip) was $60, and we both walked out still a bit hungry. Doubt we go back, just not worth the money.

Sweet Pea tortellini was not edible. The sauce had so much lemon juice w little or no butter flavor or light texture. You couldn't even taste the Sweet peas in the tortellini because you could barely see any filling. The sautéed asparagus was 9 pieces of the bottom stem 1/8 inch thick. I had two bites and threw it away. I never leave bad reviews, but a $19 pasta dish that is their seasonal feature??? Disappointed.

Very very good. Enjoyed the charcuteri board. Prosciutto was delicious. Had apple machego salad and hubby had warm asparagus salad For entrees I had the fig and prosciutto pizza and my husband had the chicken parmesan with spaghetti. It was my birthday and I got a delicious scoop of gelato! Yummy

Really cute pizza place with good food great for dates. The service was good as well with frequent check-ups from the staff.

I'll start with the positive, the food was very tasty. We got the paccheri, gnocchi, and tagliatelle pastas. While yes a bit small for the price, flavors were great and the pasta was clearly fresh. We also got the arancini as a starter. Taste was good, but the arancini balls were very small, like the size of gumballs. The experience was not so positive. First of all, we arrived at 10:45 on a Saturday. They refused to give us a lunch menu (even though they would start cooking that in addition to brunch at 11) so we just sat aimlessly and chatted for 15 minutes. The service was pretty slow and inattentive given the empty restaurant. Water refills lacked (which were needed given the small glasses). When my meal came I asked for some salt and pepper, as these are normally just present on the table. The server seemed reluctant but ended up bringing me grinders (but stood beside me to grab them back once I finished). Last thing is I'm pretty sure they serve dessert, but we were never offered a dessert menu at the end. Almost like they wanted us to leave. I really wanted to end the meal with something sweet, so we went to nearby Ferrari's Little Italy instead for dessert. Net, get the food, but takeout only.

unfortunately, they decided to break tradition and start using crappy non-authentic olive oil/canola blends... for the life of me i don't understand why you would ever do that in such a nice place. id happily pay to know im eating quality ingredients instead of seed oils when coming to an italian restaurant

I was looking for a halfway spot to meet a friend up north and found this location that I otherwise may never have known about. We had a very nice charcuterie board (that i do wish they included a few extra toast points or crackers with, as 4 was NOT enough for the size). And I had the Chicken Scaloppine al Limone ... that i think they may have forgot the sauce on (or maybe that was the intention, unclear). It was good but would have been so much better with a lemon butter sauce.

We arrived to our hotel later than expected and decided on carry out. We were with my 87 year old MIL so the only options for us had to be "basic" food. We opted for A Tavoli because the menu offered basic spaghetti (turned out much better than "basic"but more on that later) and then some interesting pastas for our more adventurous palates. We started with a large asparagus salad - bibb lettuce, tender, lightly grilled asparagus and pine nuts with the house dressing made for a wonderful start. The large would have been big enough as a light meal and was just enough for the three of us to share. We then moved on to the spaghetti and meatball. While smaller than the "average" American serving, there was plenty to share. House made pasta, just the right amount of sauce and one giant meatball were absolutely delightful. "Basic" enough for MIL yet special enough for my husband and I. We also ordered the tortellini in brown butter and sage. Indescribably delicious. This was a dish that I will crave for a long time. We finished off the meal with the garlic focaccia. While tasty, it was burned around the edges which really did take it down a notch. (It was much too chewy for MIL but don't let that influence you at all. Order it!) Because we were eating at the hotel, I asked for plates and utensils which were kindly packed with our order. The only problem I had was finding the restaurant. My GPS was right on but I still missed the rather faint writing and not well lit building. The entrance was on the side which didn't help my directionally challenged self. Since this was just a random stop on our travels, I doubt we'll be back. But, if we are ever find ourselves in the area, it would definitely be worth going out of our way if for nothing else but the tortellini.

Brussel sprout pizza and salads are really good. The vibes are good, it's a small cool room. Service was also really good.

What a lovely place for lunch with my sisters. The restaurant is on a corner lot in Madeira. The interior of the restaurant was calming, rustic with natural edge wood tables. We were greeted by a wonderful server, Berry, who was prompt, efficient and very pleasant. The potato coquettes were crispy on the outside with a smooth potato/cheese filling. Very yummy for the three of us. We all enjoyed an asparagus salad, especially the pine nuts. Their pasta was filling, homemade and rustic. One of my sisters had the lasagna, the other had spinach ravioli/tomato sauce and I had the beef ragu tagliatelle. Awesome meals. Great place for Italian food.

Love the food, atmosphere, and the drinks. For us it's a top 5 place in Cincy. The pizza is top top notch and everything else is delicious as well

Good food and drinks! Very nice place for a date night. Very nice service. Will be back for sure

This place is always first class. Food, drinks, atmosphere, service never disappoint !

One of our favorite spots in Cincinnati! We never have any complaints coming here. The Gorgonzola pizza is the best pizza I've ever had! We love everything we've tried so far

We have always loved this place. Went last night and service was awesome, but food was just ok. Seems like prices have gone up quite a bit and portion sizes (including) wine are smaller.

The service was delightful and attentive, but the food was less so. Who in the heck burns gnocchi and thinks that is good eats? The pizza was sub-par and the gnocchi was in-eatable, disgusting in fact.

I met a friend who was in town for Thanksgiving week. He always says another place has the best pizza - I wanted him to try the pizza here! The server let us catch up. We each got a small salad and shared the large margarita pizza. If you haven't tried the thin crust pizza - GO HERE!! Their sauce is amazing. Fresh tomatoes with great seasonings. Good food! Good service!

We read some great reviews and decided to try this place for the first time. Everything was amazing. Will definitely be back.

The staff was friendly and helpful but the food was poor in my experience. I ordered a sweet pea tortelli and the asparagus was under cooked along with the tortelli. The old fashioned was served in a cracked glass as well. I'd rather go elsewhere especially for the cost of the meals.

My favorite pizza place in the Cincy area. Such a cool little place. A must-get is the fig pizza. My sole reason for existence is to eat that pizza. The service is always speedy too! Waiters are very attentive. A must visit if you're in the area.

A Tavola is a staple for my fiancé & I when we want delicious pasta! I would always recommend the beef meatballs, they are always great! My fiancé gets the Tagliatelle, every time, without fail. It's served piping hot & the portion size is large. I decided to get the special tonight, tortellini with brown butter & sage sauce. So good! A Tavola is a favorite in our neighborhood!

I love A Tavola! I first tried them in OTR and then tried their Madeira location. This location is just as good as OTR. The quality of food is the same and the staff is always nice. I came here for dinner on a Friday night with my husband and our two daughters. It wasn't super crowded but crowded enough that we had to sit at the community table. It wasn't that bad. It was one other family of four. There was still enough space and no one was crowding the other family. There was one chair on each side of the table in between the families. My husband and I started off with drinks. He ordered a Pinot Noir and I ordered the Fantasia. Apparently the Fantasia is off the menu but I asked for it and they made it. I love this drink! It's housemade sorbet with Prosecco. The more you swirl the drink it melts the sorbet and makes this creamy Prosecco drink! Divine! I started with a side salad which I picked their Apple and Pecan salad. It was so good. The apples added the sweetness and the pecans added the crunch. I don't remember the dressing, but it was light and played well with all the other ingredients. I had been craving pasta and decided I wanted to try something I normally don't get. I always eat pizza when I come. I ordered the Ravioli and added sausage. I actually got this idea from Tiff D. She did it and had just posted it to our Pursuit of Delights stories on ig. It looked delicious so I had to try it! Y'all this pasta was Aahhhhmazing! Do you hear me? Sooo good! It consisted of ravioli with ricotta cheese and parmigiano reggiano in butter sage and parmigiano reggiano with sausage added. That sage butter with the sausage was the cherry and icing on top! You have to try it! My husband and daughter shared a pizza. They got half Gorgonzola and half Cheese. As always, their pizza is amazing! We normally get the Sausage and Sage pizza, but my husband wanted to try something different this time. Overall, I love A Tavola, their food, and their Fantasia drink!

We dined here the other night because we had heard good things and we had a coupon from our Cincy foodie deck. The place was packed, I'd say it took about 30 minutes to be seated which was expected. We enjoyed a drink at the bar while we waited which was good, they do not have bloody Mary's just fyi. Upon being seated service was prompt and we ordered the meatball duo as and appetizer which was good but not great it was one chicken and one beef meatball accompanied with garlic bread, sauce, and ricotta. Our main course was the fig and prosciutto pizza which was great and would highly recommend if you go. Surrounding tables pasta dish portions looked small but everything looked good. I would say overall it was good but nothing I would have to go back for.

I absolutely love the food at this restaurant. The arancini is definitely my favorite dish. I also love the pasta and chicken dishes. The servers are very attentive and the food comes out quickly. The only thing I would change is the awkward table sizing. With a table of two, depending on how you're seated it either feels like you're very far away from each other or just a little bit too close.

I've tried A Tavola in OTR many times before and have always been a fan. However, that location is currently closed, so we tried this location in the heart of Madeira for the first time. It's good to see someone take over the prominent location on the corner of Laurel and Miami where an Indian restaurant formerly resided. I called ahead and ordered curbside pickup. The person who answered was upbeat and friendly and had no trouble taking our order and properly instructing us on how to receive our order. They also took care of payment upfront, simplifying the whole process. When I arrived, I pulled into the drive just beyond the restaurant building; you can't miss it. There was a 10 minute pickup space immediately to the left side. I parked, called into the restaurant, and could see my compatriot on the other end of the line peering through the window towards my pickup space. I gave her my name, described the car, and she brought out my food within a minute or two. She re-confirmed my name and handed me my order. We were in-and-out in less than five minutes. For dinner, I enjoyed the arancini with marinara, cacio e pepe pasta, and a small artichoke pizza that I shared with a friend. Everything we had tasted great. I was especially a fan of the arancini, and though they don't use a lot of it, A Tavola has one of the better marinaras in the city. I would not hesitate to visit this location again, particularly if their OTR locaiton remains closed.

This place was soooo good!!! My friend was raving about it being her favorite place and wow it did not disappoint at all. We tried two appetizers, ravioli with vodka sauce, and took a large Margherita pizza home with us. It was so filling and the ravioli was cooked perfectly! The two appetizers we tried were the arancini and eggplant mozzarella and both tasted perfect. Their apps are on the smaller side though. The cocktails also were yummy we both tried the bramble and it was one of the best cocktails i've had in a while. Our server was very nice and it was very nice they changed out our plates for both appetizers. We were there on a Friday evening so it was a little busy and loud but that did not over-shower how great the food tasted!

First time coming here and it was nothing less than perfect. The two hostesses at the front were very welcoming and helpful. Said it would be a 30 minute wait so she took our drink order and brought them straight to us. It was only about 10 minutes before we were sat. We ordered and our food came out briefly after, hot and fresh. The pizza was great. The gnocchi was fluffy and flavorful.

Been to the Madeira location twice now. Love the Brussel sprout pizza so much. Also the sausage and sage. The appetizers are all amazing! You cannot go wrong with this little charmer in Madeira. Their other location is great too when you're in OTR. The Madeira location has an awesome outside patio.

update: get the fig and prosciutto pizza, love love love it. perfect sweet and savory mix with great crust. also their gelato is some of the best i've had