Allegria Italiana

We visited Allegria Italiana this evening for my daughter’s birthday, and everything was amazing! The atmosphere was beautiful, the staff was so warm and friendly, and the food was absolutely delicious. We tried several dishes, but the Veal Valdostana really stood out, tender veal stuffed with Fontina cheese and prosciutto, sautéed with portabella and porcini mushrooms in a rich Marsala sauce. It was incredible! The tiramisu, made with Kahlúa, was the perfect finish to our meal. Everything tasted fresh and authentic, and the owner and staff made us feel right at home. We’ll definitely be back and highly recommend Allegria Italiana to anyone who loves great Italian food and wonderful service.

My girlfriend and I visited Allegria Italiana on a whim and did not regret it!! The atmosphere was cozy and romantic with excellent service and incredible food. Dining here was such a pleasure!! Shoutout to Frankie for the incredible service! Thank you for all you do! Amazing food and wonderful people, we will be returning! ☺️

Francesco was our server and he provided outstanding service—attentive, friendly, and professional. The food was delicious, especially the fresh bread, salad, classic chicken parm, and the dessert to finish. This is a welcoming, family‑style Italian restaurant with a cozy atmosphere. Highly recommend for anyone looking for great food and great service!

My girlfriend and I had our first date here 7 months ago and thought it would be a nice romantic evening to go back on Valentine’s evening for dinner as we had good food and good service on our first visit. I called a week ahead to make a reservation and was told they were already quite booked but could take us at 7:30pm. On Valentine’s Day I had forgotten what time the reservation was so I called the restaurant and they said 7:30 but could now take us at 7pm if we wanted to come in early which we did. When we arrived, there were 3-4 other couples waiting to be seated also. When we were seated, we were given a one page menu (not the regular menu we had during our first visit to Allegria that we were excited to further explore,) and it was a fixed price, very limited menu, that you could pick an appetizer from, a small salad, an entree and a dessert. And the cost was $90 per person! We were quite surprised and asked if we could order off the regular menu and were told no. The entrees were like veal parm, eggplant parm and a couple of others. Appetizers were caprese or some type of fried ravioli and dessert was a canoli or chocolate cake. They did have a lobster tail with clams also which is what we both ordered. But none of this was worth $90 per person and that did not include and beverages at all or gratuity. Not only was it way over priced, but no one told me either time I spoke to the restaurant that they were not offering their regular menu or that it was a fixed price deal. It said on the menu that seatings were 5, 7 and 9pm . Not sure what Changed when they gave me a 7:30pm reservation the first time I called? We could have left but on Valentines’ Day evening all the restaurants were booked plus my girlfriend had gotten all dressed up and didn’t want to have to go to McDonalds . The service was even so so as we had to ask the hostess to she if she could find our server so we could order two glasses of wine. The dinner with a couple of glasses of wine and tip was $315.. our first trip there our bill was $88 before tip and that also included a couple of glasses of wine each. We just felt ripped off.

We ordered the veal Valdostana and it was INCREDIBLE!!!! I can't recommend it enough. It came with potatoes on the side that had bacon and it was delicious! We plan on returning!

Greeted by Frank he was very nice, talk about extra service above and beyond. Great Segway into my meal, veal picante the plate is served with vegetables of the day but I substituted for spaghetti, great option. The lemon butter garlic wine reduction was amazing. Left a little room for the small canoli. Very good. Ask him specifically for the Mendoza Malbec 1. Very funny moment they weren't able to open the bottle.

Well this is a nice family run restaurant for Italians. The sauce reminded of sauce I had in Italy as you can tell it was made with love and cooked probably overnight. If you are a real person they have several options where you don't see very often. I had it and was tender and delicious. Calamari was not over cooked and lightly breaded with of course the lovable sauce. The staff is very friendly and makes you feel like one of the family. Inside is light lighting to feel cozy. It feels too good for a lunch place but just romantic enough for a dinner date. It is in a strip center so don't let the books cover fool you. It's a great little place. I had the veal and my wife the eggplant parm which she said was fantastic.

We had an amazing experience at Allegria Italiana! We were greeted with such a warm welcome, and experienced that same service over the course of the entire meal. We highly recommend the chicken marsala and gnocchi with vodka sauce! The entire staff was so sweet and friendly. Also be sure to get the tiramisu for dessert : ) We will definitely be back!

The food was excellent, best sauce great friendly atmosphere...they really go out of their way to make you feel at home.. cannot wait to go back..

4.5 stars. The Italian restaurant is a local favorite. I recommend reserve the seat because it may get fill up since the seat is limited. We got the Vongole with pasta. The little neck clam is not much. But the chop clam cover the meat that is lack off. The dish is good. My wife has salmon Dijon. It comes with potato croquettes. It Is a very interesting dish. Food is good in this restaurant. Service also good. Love the food there

Our server, Francesco, was fantastic. It felt like we were transported to Italy during our meal. The food was excellent, classically prepared Italian dishes. This restaurant has a homey and intimate feel with a quiet ambiance. A treat for a weeknight dinner or a special occasional alike.

We were able to make a reservation and we're immediately greeted by the owner. This was 7pm on a Friday night. Service was impeccable. We had Francesco who was from Italy. He gave us lots of stories and recommendations for Italy. He never rushed us. This place was very intimate and quiet. Very small family business. Our food was made to order and we loved every bite!

I just can't say enough about this restaurant. The owner/Chef is always friendly, food is rich, authentic italian. In a world of chain restaurants, and no continuity with staff, it's nice to have this establishment so close by. Same faces, same excellent service, great food, never disappointed! I dream of their mozzarella cheese appetizer and veal. If you are debating to go or not to go, go!

Some friends invited us to this place for dinner, so we gave it a try. Plenty of parking around the restaurant. You can make reservation or just show up and probably be seated right away. We were there on a Thursday, place was like at a 60 percent capacity, so for a Friday you might want to call for reservation just in case. Staff is friendly, location is kept clean and it feels cozy. Prices are medium to high side. I ordered a chicken parmigiana which is served with melted mozzarella cheese and spaghetti pasta. Now, because they did put a lot of mozzarella cheese on the chicken, it was a little bit salty. My wife had the Gnocchi Ai Formaggie Spinaci, which she said it was ok. Serving portion is on the generous side. If you like drinking wine, they have a pretty large collection to chose from.

I am writing to publicly share my personal experience during a visit to Allegria Italiana Ristorante on Friday, June 27, 2025, with my daughter, who is a minor. What I describe below reflects my perceptions of the events that occurred. My daughter, who is of Hispanic/Latino descent like me, was excited to try this restaurant after finding it online and briefly reviewing the menu. Upon arrival, we were greeted by a staff member who appeared visibly stressed and, in my opinion, unwelcoming. Despite this, we chose to stay in hopes of enjoying our meal. As I began asking questions about the menu, particularly due to my daughter's severe food allergies, the interaction with our server, Nancy, quickly felt dismissive. She interrupted me mid-sentence, regarding her desire to serve another party seated next to us, which I perceived as her being frustrated with us, with an impatient tone. I calmly expressed that her behavior made us feel uncomfortable and unwelcome, particularly as we did not seem to share the same background as all of the other patrons present at the time. When I asked to speak with a manager, she informed me that she was the manager. I then asked for another server to assist us instead, hoping to salvage the dining experience for my daughter. A second server arrived afterward and confirmed that Nancy was the manager. I asked for the name of the owner, but the server didn't know. Shortly after, a man (who was later identified to me as Vito Dragonetti) approached our table in what I perceived to be a confrontational and hostile manner, stating, "Who wants to speak to the owner?" I immediately extended my hand and politely introduced myself, stating, "I would like to speak to the owner. Are you the owner?" He left my hand extended for several seconds and finally replied sarcastically, "Maybe I am, maybe I am not." What followed was a series of interactions that I perceive to be condescending, accusatory, offensive, and verbally aggressive. His comments, in my opinion, minimized my concerns about food allergies. To my surprise, he aggressively stated, "Can't you read a menu? The names and ingredients are right there. Can't you read it?" I was taken aback by the tone used, particularly given that I was calmly expressing my concerns as a paying customer and parent. When I expressed that the interaction made us feel unwelcome, stating, "I feel as though you don't want us here." I was shocked when the individual, whom I believed to be the owner, angrily and openly yelled at us using profane "F" language in front of my daughter and other patrons. He yelled out loud, stating, "Get up and get out of my restaurant. Get the F-out!" My daughter and I were immediately frightened and quickly stood up to walk out as he continued to follow us and yell profanities at my daughter and me in front of the entire restaurant, shouting, "F-you, get out of my restaurant!" Upon exiting, I told the owner that I felt his behavior was racist and that I would be reporting him to the Better Business Bureau, when he yelled, "I don't give a F!" My daughter and I felt deeply shaken, humiliated, and alarmed by the interaction. As a mother, it was incredibly painful to see my daughter, who had simply been excited to try a new restaurant, be so distressed and shaken by what had just occurred. I want to emphasize that this review reflects my perception of our experience. In my opinion, the behavior we encountered was inconsistent with the standards of respectful customer service and hospitality. I have observed several other publicly available online reviews that described interactions with similar themes, which I find deeply concerning. Since then, I have reported this incident to the Better Business Bureau, and most importantly, to the Florida Commission on Human Relations (FCHR), in hopes that this never happens to another innocent child or adult!

The food and service at allegria italiana was outstanding. The ambiance was exactly what you would expect from a family owned italian place. It was decorated beautifully and the seating was very comfortable. I had the special and my husband had the gnocchi. The portion sizes were huge and you have to get the mozzarella toast appetizer. I will bring everyone I know here.

Came here for a family birthday get together. The staff were polite and accommodating. The beer selection was limited but i did find a blond ale from Sicily that was reasonable. I ordered the calamari with linguine in a garlic lemon sauce. The wife got the eggplant parm. Out our entire party of 7 the eggplant parm was the best choice. The rest of us came away a little disappointed. They did bring us free desserts for the birthday folks and I got a cannoli that was good. Overall I don't think ill be back with so many better eateries close-to us.

Having some of their food at a catered event, the staff was really nice and welcoming. My food was fresh and delicious. I do recommend and I will definitely return but next time I will dine in.

Food was excellent. Very attentive waitress. Went here for my wife's birthday and we were not disappointed. Small, intimate restaurant, lots of couples. Will definitely go back!

I am the easy to please customer. There's rarely a time where I'm left feeling like I've had bad food. However today I felt like that. I have eaten Italian food all over the country and even the world... this was not great. I ordered Bruschetta and a Rustica flatbread pizza for delivery. What I got was NOT what I was expecting. Even though the restaurant is only 6 minutes from my house, the bruschetta arrived completely soggy- to the point of it was falling apart... and the tomatoes had the strangest sourness none of my family had ever tasted before. 2/10 The rustica flatbread pizza was something else. Not only did it arrive in a 6" take out container (pictured below) but it tasted awful. I read in the description that there was broccoli and black olives... odd but I'd give it a try. Bad decision. It was barely edible and was the strangest pizza combination I've ever encountered. The flatbread was chewy, like it was from a bag in the grocery store. 1/10 I'm very surprised a true Italian restaurant would serve food like this. It left me feeling like I was ripped off. These pictures were taken after it was distributed to my family, hence the missing pieces. My husband couldn't even finish his slice and we threw the rest to the chickens. Overall very strange experience, I ordered based from these reviews but apparently it's very different than the actual product. By far the worst Italian food me or my husband has probably ever had, without being dramatic.

I love this place! A bit small, but that just makes it cozy. They usually have a chef's specialty that isn't normally on menu, and I like to go for it. I have never been disappointed. Just be careful, you can be having such a good time and great meal that the wine flows rather easily. Enjoy!

This is definitely a 5-star restaurant. Party of 9 for a birthday celebration. The meals were absolutely amazing. We had Lasagna, Chick Parm, Vodka Penne with Shrimp, Spaghetti & Meatballs, Pasta Carbonara, Salmon Dijon... appetizers and fresh bread. The service is phenomenal, ambiance is charming and romantic. Authentic, cozy...perfection.

Really great penne alla vodka. Really tasty food. Gnocchi was really great also takeout was always hot and delicious

Escaping the massive traffic delays, off the beaten path, met some folks for dinner in this strip mall storefront. Neighbors include salsa dancing and vitamin shop and a rather tight parking lot. Old school quaint best describes this location. Drop ceiling tiles in squares adorn overhead. The curtained off kitchen and wine shelving add a touch of days if old. Food is great! Traditional Italian done well. Shrimp fra diablo carries that spice well and offer a good supply of shrimp. The bread at the table, chefs kiss. I'd recommend oil for dipping. The limoncello cake is feather light with a citrus explosion! There was entertainment, an older woman singing to a generally old crowd. Judy Garland was coveted as we walked out!

To be brief, I am in agreement with all of the low ratings here. The food is horrible and the service mediocre. I simply cannot understand the high ratings. This must be the worst "Italian" food we've had, but then again, our dining party is spoiled since we travel and have the pleasure of eating fresh, authentic Italian cuisine. Such a disappointment.

The food was amazing, very cozy and the ambiance on point, the service was amazing, definitely coming back

Please be aware that the pasta fagioli here is terrible. The manager claimed I didn't like it but it was a couple of beans and seashell noodles in a watery broth. Of course she blamed me but I am Italian and my family is from Italy so I do have knowledge of this dish and the different styles that it is prepared. Their food is very good and expensive but ten dollars for 8 ounces of broth is ridiculous.

Great food and ambience. Authentic Italian cuisine. We will visit again. I love that u can make reservations but we still waited 30 minutes.

This little hole in the wall has been around for 10 years but we just discovered it this past weekend. We will definitely be back service was 5 stars food 4 stars the wine omg 6 stars it was so good. It is a hidden gem that we definitely recommend.

Everything was amazing. It's a small little place but it gets busy I can imagine. The food is unbelievable. I have never had a sauce that good and the lasagna was perfect

Awful food and vey expensive !! Charges for oil for dipping the bread in. My aunt asked for white wine sauce instead of red and they charged her $25.00 more!

This place is a rarity. The food here is amazing and the ambiance allows for real family dining or a true romantic evening. I have never had anything but exceptional service here and highly recommend it :)

Amazing, delicious food! Call ahead or you'll probably have to wait - but even if you do, it's worth it - and don't skip dessert!

i already had posted my review not sure what happened i noticed a picture was removed so i went to add and this is what showed up no review how funny is that. their bruschetta was ew never again and i've had some banging bruschetta before made by italians but just at how theirs made all dark like wow anyways was just trying to add the picture of front of the restaurant that some how was taken down not sure how but yup...remember everyone has their own opinion and is entitled to their own as well and this is mine..2 stars given employees very nice and friendly i give that much credit and an awesome sense of humor...fried shared with us ravioli were good first time trying...her spaghetti with sauce she didn't even eat it took home n in the trash it went i was upset it was a party of 10 all together...

Great dinner with several App s and dinners! Highly Recommend! Great family dinner the day after a family wedding as many headed south ! Great end to a busy week!

The Penne Alla Vodka is to die for!! So good everything here is amazing! And the hospitality and service is unbeatable I recommend this place to everybody looking for good Italian food

Horrible service. If I can give this place a zero I would. Get there at 6pm with my family (party of 6) to eat. Our waiter seems to be in a rush. Constantly coming back to our table and rushing us to order because it's "going to get busy". We ask his name and he's says you can call me "Bond, James Bond" which is extremely disrespectful. Once again he comes to the table after ordering a bottle of wine, a separate glass of wine, and an appetizer and starts asking us are we ready to order. I politely tell him he's being a little pushy and to slow down. A family member that flew in started having an anxiety attack because she felt as though she had to order right now and didn't know what she wanted but he was pushing us to order now. So we ask him to slow down and he starts raising his voice. I turn to someone bussing a table and ask for the manager and he says it's him. I say hey can you just ask him to slow down. His answer was "you guys are asking for too much, you can leave. Get out. Dont worry about the wine or food. Leave. Find some other place to eat." I've never been so disrespected so bad in my life. And to think I brought my wife grandmother and family here. I was embarrassed to say the least. Idk if it was because the majority of the table was a younger crowd or because we were Puerto Rican but we were treated like trash since we walked in. I'd avoid this place like the plague. Oh and I left at 6:26. So 26 minutes of service and kicked out. We weren't yelling, we were cordial and politely asked him to stop being so aggressive. Unbelievable.

On December 23, 2023 my husband and I tried to visit Allegria more than an hour before closing time. Upon our arrival, one other couple was in the dining room, and the door was open. When we walked in, the staff was surprised that we came in. A woman ran to the kitchen and asked the chef if he was still open, to which he replied the kitchen was closed. We asked why the kitchen was closed when there was clearly another couple sitting in the dining room and waiting to eat, and it was over an hour before closing. The response given was "it's not up to me it's the chefs decision and he says he's closed". We were escorted out of the restaurant. As much as we'd love to try to eat here, we cannot trust the hours posted online or on the restaurant doors!

The good was the food. Well prepared and great taste. Temperature on point. Food alone would give 5 stars. The bad was bread basket delivered dirty. See pic. The ugly was the waitress, complaining about her customers being rude to her. She declined use of yelp incentive. Left dishes stacked on table. When sprinkling cheese and pepper on dishes she did it at a long distance, covering the plate and the table. Seemed disinterested in working as a waitress.

Service was great and food was amazing. Enjoyed practicing my Italian with the owner! We will definitely be back!

After waiting over an hour and half to eat SOLELY due to uber eats issue, I called the restaurant in hopes that they would still be open to make the food all over again. Not only did they make the food and provide amazing service over the phone, they sent me a free cannoli for the wait. I am in Tampa to take the Florida Bar and I have been starved after 8 hours of testing. This is the only restaurant I wanted because their soup is to die for. Thank you for not letting me down when I needed it most. Best place ever!

The food is great. The wine is great. The service is much, much better when the owner is there. That's not saying it's bad when he's not. Support an independent family run business, you won't regret it.

I was lamenting there wasn't a good Italian restaurant in Brandon and Yelp gifted me this gem! A hidden spot off Brandon Blvd, would never have found it just by driving by. We made a reservation, which was good since it got busy after about 7pm. Seated fast, service was quick and friendly, we were in and out in under an hour. A tad rushed but the place is small so turning tables for the next group or reservations probably. Atmosphere is small enough to be intimate but still casual, and classically Italian. The food was a complete hit! The bruschetta was flavorful and the bread was crispy. My wife had gnocchi sorrentino and enjoyed it, portions are enough to have another meal to take home. I loved the lasagne, could definitely tell the quality of ingredients. And dessert was amazing. Rainbow cake (like a giant slice of rainbow cookie) was moist, flavorful, and disappeared in a flash. Would definitely come back as our go to Italian restaurant in the future!

I had ordered take out from allegria about one month ago and it was absolutely delicious, they give a very generous amount of food for the price. Recently I visited in person and the service was top notch ! an empty plate didn't last 5 minutes on the table without someone cleaning it up for us. Everyone is super attentive and incredibly nice and humble. Highly recommend.

We decided to try this local Italian cafe for Saturday night dinner. For dinner we started with appetizer Bruschetta Toscana, and for dinner we ordered Fettuccine Alla Giovanna which is a vegetable pasta and Shrimp Scampi pasta. Bruschetta Toscana: It was okay. Actually we didn't like the sauce which it had. Otherwise it was okay. 3/5 Fettuccine Alla Giovanna: The vegetable pasta was okay and we believe that it was missing the correct amount of spices. 3/5 Shrimp Scampi Pasta: Shrimp scampi pasta was also okay. 3/5 We will give this restaurant try some other time again.

INCREDIBLE!!!! Once again, if you have read any of my other posts, then you remember that after living in Sicily for a couple of years, I am VERY picky with Italian food. This place was DELICIOUS!!! You can definitely tell that the food is handmade and made with true love. We got to meet the owner, Vito. It was very authentic, and our server Nancy was incredible. We started with appetizers, mozerella, and eggplant rollatini. Big portions and delicious. The marina was made in-house. It definitely tastes that way. For dinner, I got Fettuccine alla Sorrento, but I didn't want Fettuccine and asked for linguini instead. Nancy stated that everything is made to order so that almost everything can be altered to taste. My husband got the Gnocchi Sorrento but was not in the mood for Gnocchi and had it substituted with penne. He raved about it. Although the dinners were delicious, We did saveroom for dessert. My husband got the Lemonicello marscapone and said it was light and very tasty. I got the cannoli, and honestly, it was the best I have ever had. This is easily our new favorite Italian restaurant!! Don't wait, go now!!

This was very very good! The baked clams good , the fried ravioli excellent , the gnocci beyond good as was the baked rigatoni .. i don't like Tiramuuseu , but that bc was excellent. Great service nice people !

Have had this place on my list for quite some time. Having such high expectations after seeing this Yelp community rave so highly about this establishment, to say I was excited would be an understatement. We ordered two cappuccinos to start. The owner let us know it would take a moment since the machine had to warm up. Perhaps prepping the machine to be ready for the lunch rush would be ideal. Our cappuccinos did not arrive until after our appetizer, which also took quite some time. We ordered the calamari to share. It was just okay. It wasn't bad, but it wasn't good. It came with a lettuce garnish, I'm pretty sure to just fill up the empty space on the plate. It was underwhelming. For entrees my friend ordered the veal parmigiana and I ordered a caprese panini. The sandwich was disappointing. There was a major lack of flavor in the pan fried chicken, and the worst part was the bread. It's almost like they used a hamburger bun bread. I just wasn't expecting that, I know paninis don't need to be grilled or toasted but I was just imagining a better quality Italian bread for my sandwich. The bread got soggy, the chicken lacked flavor, I'd pass on the paninis next time. My friend enjoyed his entree. The service was a bit slow, it was one person working the lunch shift, so that's understandable. Not sure if I will visit again, nothing that really sparked my interest to bring me back.

First time here, we came from plant city and ordered to go. The ambiance was nice when you walked in, was greeted by the owner as well which was a plus, saw a nice wine selection as I talked to the owner. Ordered two lasagna's and a penne vodka, I personally believe the price is worth the taste in my opinion, I had the penne vodka and added sausage, the portion on takeout was very good as well, I did not feel they skimped out on togo orders like some restaurants do, so that's another plus. Quality in the taste was there, and portions sizes hit home as well, I would recommend and drive from plant city just to have this Italian Resturant again.

This was one of our favourite restaurants so we ordered tonight for a Valentine's Day dinner via DoorDash and the whole order was disappointing. Lasagna not Available and wouldn't refund just for that meal. Waited an hour to tell us. missing Canoli food 30 minutes late food was cold calamari was soggy went to review on DoorDash and the restaurant is not available anymore

I just called to make a reservation for a party of 18. The man in the phone asked if it would all be on 1 check and I said no, there would be multiple checks. So, he very rudely proceeded to tell me that everyone would need to pay by cash then. I then thanked him but told him, I would rather find a place that would be willing to work with us. He then said ok, goodbye and f*^k you. WOW!!! If that's the way they treat their potential customers, I will never dine there. And recommend no one else does!

We went for a birthday celebration and the waitstaff could not have been more welcoming. And fun! The service was wonderful! They even had the whole restaurant sing happy birthday with us!! Food was great, too!

Molto Ben!. Italian food properly prepared, beautifully served. Vito and family gracious hosts. We arrived without reservation. Vito made us welcome instantly. Wine specials excellent and fairly priced.

We lucked out coming here without a reservation and only had to wait about 10 or so minutes on a Friday night. Note the place is kind of small, but it adds to the ambiance. Service was a bit mixed in the sense. It took us quite some time to get bread for the table. However, our server herself was pretty great at ensuring our food came out timely and our drinks. She also sold us on 3 desserts which were all amazing (limencello cake, tiramisu, and cannolis). Everything we had was delicious, from the shrimp appetizer, to the chicken parmigiana, to the special we tried. If you are craving Italian that is not a chain restaurant, please do yourself a favor and go here!

This is an absolute gem of a place. The fresh ingredients, flavorful dishes, and small family setting are worth the wait to get it. I recommend the burrata and the veal valdostana. We love this place and the food is amazing.

Have been to Allegria 2 times now, every time I have gone I have tried something new. Every single dish we have had here has been nothing short of delicious. Me my family and fiancé have never experienced some of the flavors we have had dining here! New and only Italian spot we will ever go to! Somewhat intimidating on the outside but once you walk in there's a cozy ambiance to it. Highly recommend the veal parmigiana, pene ala vodka (add chicken), and shrimp scampi!

I used Allegria Italiana Restaurant to cater my 50th Anniversary party for 60 people. It was fantastic, got so many compliments from my guest. I am Italian and I truly appreciated the authentic cuisine.