Al and Stella Authentic Italian Restaurant And Pizzeria ( Water Front)

Adorable little Italian restaurant that opens up in the back to a deck over the bay. Quaint and cozy. Stella waited on us and is a lovely woman who appears to take great pride in her restaurant. I had to pay a $40 deposit for our reservation, which I am hoping will be returned. They have a minimal wine list if you are looking to order by the glass. Warm bread was available with whipped butter. Garlic cheese bread was awesome. We also ordered mozzarella sticks. The marinara was so so... Not mich flavor. The gnocchi gorgonzola was very good. The chef salad was all field greens and the portion was quite generous. The chicken Parmesan was oddly prepared with fried chicken and some light shredded mozzarella that was barely melted all served on top of spaghetti noodles. The portions were reasonable and prices were as well. I can't say I recommend it overall but there were some portions of the meal that were lovely.

I am sad to give this review. Haphazard meal. I have never reviewed prior to last evening. We ordered simple spaghetti with meatballs. Charged $5.00 extra for the meatballs. We were charged $1.00 for the table bread, the spaghetti arrived looking as if it had been scooped out of a pot. Pieces of spinach dropped over the pasta, instead of basil, or even parsley. Asked for more sauce; it arrived, and I poured it on my spaghetti. It looked odd to me, so I touched it. It was ice cold; I had just poured it over the warm pasta. This is a simple dish. I found it very thoughtless to present like that. At that point we got to -go boxes and left. Very friendly staff, and view is great, but, seriously, they need to step up their game. As we paid, we had to remind them to refund our reservation deposit of $20.00. So disappointing. We prefer to give our business to local establishments, but won’t be back. Mio’s and Columbia are very good on that boardwalk. I love the food and quality of care at Mios! Had to give them a plug! We have been there many times.

I recently visited Al and Stella's Italian restaurant while I was staying at the Sheraton Sand key in Clearwater Beach. I had the pasta bolognese and enjoyed a wonderful class of Pellegrino with dinner The service is charming and the setting is quite unforgettable

Fantastic pizza and authentic Italian dishes with friendly servers. Waiter's recommendactions were yummy ! Outside waterfront seating also available. Will definitely be back

Delicious meal. The restaurant was pretty empty so we were a bit nervous but the food was very good. Pasta marinara, pizza, salad, garlic bread all delicious. Server was very polite and attentive.

Not a great place to eat. Pan fettuccine was watered down. Water and soft drinks came out with no ice in the glass. To top it off when you reserve a table they hold $10 per person. If you can’t make your reservation, they keep it. If you do make it, it goes towards your dinner so there’s that. Also, the service was slow. Lastly there was no kids menu. My recommendation is look for a different restaurant

Had a family & friends dinner and the food was excellent. Service was great and everyone had wonderful time. Big thanks for helpful advice on the dinner selections and great accommodation for one person who is gluten intolerant. They went above and beyond.

The food was good. Our server was amazing. The food took a long time and was just okay. We would've left but Jason was so funny and good. He made our experience. Only go there if a server named Jason is working. otherwise, order Togo or somewhere else

Was led into this cute place by the aroma of garlic and yumminess! Was so impressed by the staff as they greeted us with their smiles and friendly service. We ordered the mozzarella sticks, Penne Alfredo and Bolognese with Meatballs.. they knocked it out if the park! If you're starving and want an amazing meal, head here.. you won't be upset! Ciao!

We go here often! It's a great little place to have a glass of wine and some yummy food. I don't love the pizza sauce but everyone else does. The service is good the regular waiter was not there but the new guy was nice. The atmosphere is my favorite we have never sat inside; only out by the water and watch the dolphins!

Another great experience at Al & Stella's. Their meatballs and marinara are amazing! The service, as usual, was great.

Small family owned Italian restaurant and pizzeria in Sand key. There aren't too many tables. Our server was very sweet but overall I think they are short staffed, the food did take a while but it was very good. I had the Chicken Parmesan with spaghetti. It's located in a strip mall with parking or you can walk from the two close restaurants.

Terrible food, terrible Service. Rude waiter. Tasteless pizza. Watery pasta. Embarrassed for them.

We gave them last minute notice of 20 people for pizza and not only did they have the pizza ready when we arrived, they had a large table waiting for us in their perfect waterfront deck. The servers were friendly and the pizza was delicious!

The key here is patience. We made a reservation at 7 and waited 15 minutes to get seated. They only had what appeared to be husband and wife working with their mom helping. They hustled but only so much they can do. I will have to say the food is really good. We had the penne Alfredo, chicken parm and chicken and sausage with veggies. Can I tell you if you have the time go here. I can see why they are popular. We sat outside on the back deck , make sure you are under the portico otherwise the seagulls are a problem.

This place is within walking distance from the Marriott, which was convenient for us. Especially since the parking lot was full from another restaurant, including cars valet parked in the middle of the parking lot, blocking people in. So driving here may be difficult, but the walk was perfect. Service was great - Greg was very friendly and helpful! He welcomed us from out of town. We ordered the garlic bread appetizer, which was very delicious. The perfect amount of crunch. We also ordered the lobster/crab ravioli. It was 6 large ravioli, so a decent portion. I was not disappointed, but not the best pasta I've ever had. My husband ordered a pizza, which was certainly large enough to split, so we had so much leftover! He enjoyed the pizza, so we were happy with leftovers. Overall, this place is a little rough around the edges on the upkeep of the place, but no complaints with the food! We'd recommend giving this place a try!

Authentic and quaint Italian eatery. Reminded me so much of many places in Italy...great food, solid service and reasonable prices. Definitely order the gnocchi in gorgonzola sauce and tiramisu!

Service was slow. Food was good for the most part. View was great and the outdoor patio was good for kids, but I don't think I'd come back. Parking was limited and it was hard to find the restaurant.

We just had dinner here and it was delicious. The sauce was wonderful and full of flavor. I highly recommend this restaurant. The staff was very welcoming and nice to talk to.

The food was authentic and delicious and their service was great! The ambiance was on the water at sunset it couldn't be any better. Don't listen to other reviews. Those were impatient people. Dinner came out at the perfect time for us to enjoy our dining experience. Jason gave us fantastic service!

We've been searching for authentic Italian cuisine in the area for over 4 years and finally...we struck gold! From the wine list, through the hot baked loaf of bread, to the entrees, and topped off with dessert our experience was divine! Oh, and the spectacular water views too. The service was excellent. We will be back soon!

Well my first day in Tampa. Have not traveled since COVID hit. Staying at the Clearwater Beach Marriott Suites. I decided to walk down the little boardwalk and not eat at the hotel. It's a windy day but the temperature was good so I decided to stop and order. I chose the house salad and four cheese ravioli with shrimp. I have a glass of their Malbec as well. My waitress is not masked up and she said she was new as well. Umm used as well twice time to stop that. The menu is limited. It is paper printed on both sides with pizzas taking up a quarter of the menu. My salad arrived and with the wind the lettuce is blowing away. The taste is average really nothing special. Looking forward to the ravioli. There's the ravioli. It is very good and the Malbec works well with it. I'm giving 3 stars because of the lack of masks, limited menu, and average salad.

The food is delicious and they have a beautiful water front We had Spinach Ravioli ,penne Alfredo and bolognese they all was really delicious

Stopped in after being turned away from a more popular restaurant in the area. I'm actually glad we stopped in!!! We were seated outside on the deck with a lovely view of the water. The waiter was a hard working fellow Veteran, so we chatted about where we were stationed. I had a delicious sangria & ravioli stuffed with crab & lobster. My husband had gnocchi, which I don't like, but their sauce had my fork in his plate several times!!!! So glad he is a good sport when it comes to sharing. This place was a pleasant surprise with a beautiful view at the end of a wonderful day.

The food was very very good. We had a party of 7 and the ambiance was nice, outside on the deck. Our waiter was friendly and knew the menu well. While i/we would recommend this place for a good italian meal, there are a few minor things to mention so you are aware: 1) they bring you delicious warm bread but they bring it before the main meal arrives. Once our meal came and the bread was gone, we had requested more bread to soak up the sauces, but extra bread cost extra. That's a first for us - an Italian restaurant that charges extra for bread? So save the bread if possible for later in the meal or perhaps request it come later. 2) be sure to read the check. They added a "service charge" of 18%. That is the tip. But then they have a separate line for Tip. Had i not read the details, I would have likely double tipped by accident. I always tip well, but 36% would have been extreme. 3) all meals did not come out at the same time which was odd. 2 of them took another 10+ minutes. We insisted the others not wait and its a good thing since their meals would have been cold had they waited for ours. Made it awkward. 4) oddly enough, no dessert was offered. Maybe they don't have any but that would be a first fir me too. An Italian restaurant without dessert.

Excellent food, especially tomato sauce with the meatballs, and combo of four cheese and Margherita pizza. Stella is great and accommodated us as a large family with lots of kiddos with little to no notice. Ate outside on the waterfront and even watching the rain outside the awning was a great family evening!

We have walked past this place 5 times. Something told me this time to stop in. It was empty inside but a couple was there to pick up 4 pizzas to go. They told me it was a hidden gem. I took pictures of the menu and we came back the next night. We are so glad we did. It was an excellent low key date night while on vacation. We each had a beer and a glass of wine. We ordered the ravioli and created our own pizza. Our server was fantastic. In the end our server turned out to be the owner. The pizza was very tasty and crispy to our liking. The Ravioli was a large portion and a hit for any pasta lover. We sat outside and the romantic music was playing and the view of the water and perfect breeze was just perfect. Make this a dinner or lunch spot if your at staying at the Marriott Sankey. Stella the owner was so gracious and kind and really made the experience. She shared some details of Clearwater and the surrounding areas with us.

Food was great. Our server was also nice and attentive. My only complaint is that, after my family dinned there, (we paid good money and tipped well) I realized that I lost a very expensive earring. It must've fell out at our table. I called the establishment about 15min before closing and asked if they would mind doing a quick check on the ground at the table we were at. The person told me they couldn't but I could call back the following day. Well, the next morning when I was about to call, I realized that they don't open until the evening. Luckily we sat outside so I drove all the way back and looked myself. My earring was in plain sight, right on the ground where I said it would probably be. 30 seconds of customer service was all I asked for but unfortunately that didn't happen.

An amazing Italian restaurant. We were here in 2018 and continued to always think about our amazing meal. Tonight was just as good. The food is amazing. Greg was our server and he is great. All around one of the best Italian restaurants I have ever been to. Also, sitting with an amazing water view is just icing on the cake. Do yourself a favor and head to Al and Stella's, I promise your will not be disappointed!!!!

Dinner was delicious! Service was fantastic. Stella couldn't be more accommodating. Highly recommend!

Very disappointed that you took my online order for a pizza and then charged my credit card and then 10-15 minutes later send me text that you are cancelling my order because you are busy and that you will refund my money in the next 3 days. This is just wrong, if you are too busy, do NOT take my order and certainly do NOT charge my credit card. This is very poor business management.

Very disappointed...Ordered spaghetti and meatballs. Didn't come with anything, everything is à la cart, except the bread, which I wouldn't even consider it a loaf, more like a roll, cut into six skinny slices. No choice on salad dressing, (and by the way, the salad was 7.95) only the vinaigrette which is straight balsamic vinegar. Made me choke, done with that. Service was good only because we were the only ones in there. But our waiter was very friendly. Sorry to say we will not be returning.

Absolutely best kept secret in Clearwater !! Stella was amazing ! I called last minute looking for a place for dinner for 14 people ! Stella was so accommodating!The weather didn't cooperate at dinner time so we had to eat inside but still was amazed by the view! Food was absolutely amazing !! We started with the caprese tomato onto gnocchi's then meatballs with cheesy garlic bread along with spinach raviolis then chicken Parmesan! The homemade tiramisu and the espresso ended our dinner ! FABULOUS!!! Will definitely be back!

The first thing I noticed when walking in was the music authentic Italian. I've been to some so called Italian restaurants and you hear Celine Dion, no bono. The service was on point and the food came out pretty quickly. The food (chicken parmigiana) OMG, I shed a tear. It was as if I was back in Brooklyn 1981 on Knickerbocker Ave. The sauce was unbelievably balanced no after taste. The pasta, cooked to perfection al dente. To top it off a nice shot of espresso. Thank me later. Buon appetito!!!!

Amazing view, great food highly recommend for good Italian Cuisine by the water Friendly waiters

Great place and really good Italian food. The margarita pizza was awesome. Great service, courteous and professional. Beautiful view of the intercostal water way nice and quite atmosphere.

Visiting from out of town and ate dinner here one night. The lobster ravioli was absolutely delicious, just a small portion. My husband had a meat lover's pizza... it was ok. He enjoyed it, but I was not a huge fan of the sauce. Overall it was good and I would eat there again. The service was spectacular!

I'm staying at the Marriott down the street and walked here for dinner with my little brother. Super fast service and great waiter. Super sweet and casual. Small family owned italian restaurant. I had the bolognese and it rivaled some I've had in very nice restaurants. My brother had the alfredo and he said it was it was the best he had ever had. I asked to sit outside and he said absolutely. He mentioned because it was windy, we could just ask and he would move us in if we got cold. We ordered our drinks and food together and got drinks immediately. Food came out about 10 minutes later, when I asked about dessert he told me what they had and I asked for tiramisù. It came out 5 minutes later with two spoons (we forgot to ask for two) and he checked in regularly. He asked us about our trip and how long we would be staying. Over all incredible place will return!

The staff was amazing to my daughter on her 7th birthday. She enjoyed her meal very much. The water view is spectacular. Highly recommend.

We had the best experience here for dinner the other night. Greg was extremely welcoming when we called to see if arriving one hour before close was okay. And he was extremely welcoming and friendly on the phone and said "oh yeah, come on over"and was a great server when we arrived. The 4 cheese ravioli with shrimp we had were spot on delicious and so fresh. The garlic bread with cheese and salad were great too. Since it was late on a Sunday we were some of the only people in there. But the food was all so authentic Italian. People in the kitchen were speaking Italian. We were expecting to be treated like places usually do when they want to close but we were so hungry after doing a kayak tour. We were extremely surprised at how excellent Greg was at making us feel welcome in this situation. He even provided some great conversation during visits to our table to check on us. My only negative is that I wish they had table bread. But overall, a 5 star experience for sure!

A salad, two beers and an easy to cook entre took 1 hr 15 minutes. They were not busy when I ordered. Others sat down after me, were served , paid their bill and left before my entree was served - including pizzas and other entrees (i.e. usually takes longer to cook than what I ordered) Their house vinaigrette was straight balsamic vinegar (no spices, no oils, not aged, not blended. Straight up vinegar). Bread was served at the 45 minute mark ( after the salad, before the entree) $52 and you do not get value for your dollar.

By far the worst shrimp alfredo I've ever laid eyes on. We honestly laughed out loud by how sad and disappointing this dish looked. Given the option, I'd rather eat a three day old hotdog from 7/11

Great wood fire pizzas! Waiter was personable. Within walking distance from nearby hotels.

We just spent 5 days in sand key for spring break, we tried Al & Stella on the 4th day thinking it would be an easy pizza night. It was walking distance from our hotel in a strip mall, unimpressive from the road to be honest. We were in for a surprise. The back of this shopping plaza backs up to the bay and there is a very cute boardwalk and water front seating. We were pleasantly surprised with the menu as it offered lots of options and variety, this isn't just pizza night. They have some really delicious appetizers. We tried the caprese salad, jalapeño poppers, and mushrooms over the course of what ended up to be two visits. All fantastic. The first night we ordered a cheese pizza for one kiddo, and GLUTEN FREE spaghetti with red sauce and meatballs (alerted by the server that the meatballs are not entirely gluten free. We could have subbed for chicken or veggies if full GF were required) A regular chicken Alfredo, and a GF version for myself. I've never had better Alfredo sauce. I want to drive back to the beach for it now. I also tried the red sangria and it was very good as well. The portions are not massive but very satisfying especially if you start with a salad or appetizer. We were delighted at the sprinkles of spinach used as a garish on many dishes, it sounds strange, but it's beautiful and delicious. The second night everyone else opted for a repeat of their meals, I ask if they could make me an arrabiata sauce, a spicy red sauce, and not technically on the menu, with chicken and veggies. Our server immediately said the chef could absolutely do that. And he was right, it was amazing. and that's *just the food.* We were extremely pleased with the level of prompt, warm and welcoming service we received on both visits. (We did not find this to be common in the area for our stay. The service at al & Stella was head and shoulders above most of what we saw this week.) Micheal was our server the first night and he was very knowledgeable and helpful with navigating the menu with our food allergies. I believe our server the second night was Greg, also very good at his job. as a ex waitress I really appreciate when people seem genuinely happy to talk with you and appear to care that you have a nice meal. Long story short I will 100% return if ever in the area again and I highly recommend you try this place. My top pick would be the chicken Alfredo. Enjoy!

Wow; what a treat! My sister, two nieces and I were here for dinner. We sat outside along the water and the view was fantastic. Greg was a very knowledgeable and friendly server, and Stella the owner was so sweet. We ordered Mozarella Caprese and Fried Cheese Ravioli Antipasti and both were fantastic. After getting a recommendation from Greg, we ordered Pollo Parmigiana and Gnocci alla Romana. We scraped the plate of chicken parmesan with angel hair pasta bare and wished we had ordered a second one. My niece that is vegetarian enjoyed the gnocci. I would gladly eat here every night for the rest of our trip.

Honestly. This was one of the most disappointing meals on our trip. The pizza was missing something. Probably cheese. Very chintzy. Hubby got fish, wasn't impressed. Total of our bill was $75. We got meatball app that I disliked greatly. You know when you spend $90 on a meal and you just feel blah about it? Very very VERY disappointing.

Love this place!! Great food great location! Authentic Italian thin crust pizza. Sit on the back deck. Beautiful!! May even see a dolphin

I went with my cousins to Al & Stella's. Last time I tried it several years ago, I wasn't too happy with the food. This time, it was perfect. All authentic Italian, delicious and nice menu options. We're going there again tonight!

A trap for tired, hangry people who don't have reservations at Columbia. Box pasta with weirdly oregano laden sauce and a fistful of basil tossed on top passes for "homemade" here. The caprese salad was made with tasteless tomatoes colder than my heart. TERRIBLE service. I kid you not: one hour to get my measly pasta and my side dish of meatballs arrived in a sea of sauce. It honestly looked like soup. Don't get me started on the sorry looking basket of boring bread. Never ever again . . .

Ordered chicken parm dinner. The piece of chicken was small and the sauce was not great. I also wouldn't recommend the pizza. My husband got the meatlovers and not so good. Overpriced!! Sad cause the location and idea to have dinner on the water would be so nice.

Wallets and Tastebuds Beware! Never again. I typically don't leave negative reviews. Twelve of us arrived. They advised we would have to sit at 3 tables which was ok. We were told we MUST order family style and no separate meals as it would be too much for the kitchen. We advised it was ok if the food wasn't timed perfectly so we each could have what we want. We were told that would not work, family style only. We almost left. Hindsight, we should have! They said we had to pick 7 apps, 3 entrees, and salad. We declined apps as we just wanted dinner. We were not given family "pricing".  Each table ordered an entree for the table. We then were brought bread (warm), then a salad (average)...then my table had spaghetti & meatballs but ALL tables were given this entree, then ALL tables got the other table's entree choice, and then a 3rd.  The meatballs seemed cooked from frozen. The spaghetti seemed from a box. The chicken Parm did NOT have breading and minimal chicken. The ravioli was somewhat of a saving grace. They then brought our check. $767! $40 was our drinks. The rest was the cost of a family meal? In what way was $66 a person ok? It was not a lot of food either.  I can't find the words for the frustration.  We wanted a single meal per person, expecting $20-25 each. They told us the kitchen couldn't handle and it must be family style. Ummm and now they want us to spend $66 per person?! We talked to our waiter who said the owner would come see us. We waited 20 minutes. All 12 of us. The owner is apparently also the chef. He finally came out to see us and felt like what they did to us was ok... So pulling one over on us was ok and valid to them?? We stood up for ourselves, for the lack of family style pricing, for the fact it was for the kitchen's convenience. We were not a group of tourists who would just blindly pay an outrageous bill.  They eventually discounted our check as the restaurant was full and all patrons could hear. We still paid double per person than what we expected.  Find somewhere else.  You're welcome! Our group of 12 already paid the price for you.

Don't be deceived by outside strip mall entrance... this place is a wonderfully romantic place to enjoy an authentic Italian meal! The breeze from the water and view are a perfect addition to the quiet, relaxing atmosphere. Food was fantastic, and service impeccable!

We called made reservations doesn't open till late got there 630 pretty much empty , We prefer veal no veal , we ordered Chicken parmesan only to be told after we finished our 1st drink they where out of breadcrumbs ! Italian restaurant no bread crumbs no ricotta cheese , Waiter is bartender waiter bus boy , We paid for our drinks just left. Very disappointed . Sorry my friend had eaten there before , Waiter needs to be little bit more humble

Great service and atmosphere. My only complaint is they served us cold marinara for our raviolis and a pile of raw spinach on the pizza. Pizza was great otherwise. Thin crust and great flavor. Stella worked the outdoor area all alone and was quite busy. She did an amazing job! I definitely would recommend you try this cute place!

The food was very good. The service from our waitress was very good. The manager stopping by our table...not so good. My wife and I are in the middle of a conversation, the manager interrupts and starts going on and on with some inane story. I show no eye contact, hoping he would figure it out, no such luck. If guests are talking to each other, no excuse for the staff to interrupt, none. Detracted from an otherwise decent meal.

Excellent all around! We stumbled upon this restaurant on our first night. We were looking for something on the water and low key. We weren't even in the mood for Italian, but it was AMAZING! They did appear understaffed, but we were patient and they were very hard working. The bread and sangria were incredible..we got seconds on both! Would definitely go back!

Decent Italian food for Florida. Had the meatballs. Sauce was great. Little back seating area on water. Would visit again when in area.