Alta Strada - Wellesley, MA

Literally one of the best prepared meals I've had in ages. The food is outstanding. Wine list is wonderful as well. A modern twist on authentic Italian cuisine but nothing is pretentious or out of the norm. Just creative, delicious and worth every penny. Matt is behind the bar and he is fantastic. Him and everyone right down to the bussers are excellent.

Had a great dinner at Alta Strada last night. The food was delicious from Cesar salad to garlic bread (best ever!) to chicken Milanese to spaghetti. Everything was delicious and prepared wonderfully. Service was very good. The restaurant is charming. We sat outside on a beautiful summer night. The only reason I gave AS 4 stars instead of 5 was the periodic smell of foul trash. The dumpster must be near the back deck and periodically we smelled trash. Next time we’ll sit inside.

A charming Italian restaurant in Wellesley We have been pleasantly surprised with Alta Strada. A recent visit was welcoming, congenial and relaxed. Further to this point, our family of four dined on the patio, which bolstered the appeal for fine-casual dining. Despite located in the back parking area, its terrace was adequately cached but still airy, providing for a comfortable and intimate experience. We appreciated the attentive staff. The recommended specials, which provided an authentic Italian experience. Worth a visit if not heading to the North Shore or Boston.

Well located Italian restaurant in Wellesley city center with ample parking in the rear and street parking in the front. Outdoor seating is available in the rear. Overall, a good experience. I think food is pretty good. Service was good. Servers checked in adequately. My only gripe was that they didn’t serve any bread, which in my mind quite odd. We did see other tables with bread so we inquired about it. The response was shocking. They said they were out of bread but will check if they can scrape some up for us. How does an Italian restaurant run out of bread during dinner time? It makes no sense.

Came here for an anniversary dinner and absolutely loved it. The service was fantastic and the food was perfect. Got the filet mignon which came with an irresistible wine sauce. The potatoes and asparagus that came with it were also some of the best I’ve had. Cooked to perfection! Would definitely come back for any special occasion.

First time trying this restaurant and looking at the prices, I had high expectations! We ordered to go, food was prepared and ready to be picked up at promised time. We ordered eggplant Parm, chicken Parm, seared salmon and gnocchi. First problem was, when I was double checking the order on a table, the content of the eggplant parm were all shifted to the side of the box, like all of them all the way to the side. No biggie The major issue I had was the food were so SALTY! Not just one dish, all of them were so salty that you cannot taste anything else but saltiness. To a point that burns your lips! We threw away half of the food and I don't think they seem edible. For a meal that cost more than $130, underwhelming is an understatement. The Italian food at our local restaurant is a lot better than this place and definitely cost less. The wait staff at the front helping me to get my order was very friendly, that's the one plus I can think of the experience here. I don't think I will go back to this restaurant to be honest.

I will echo what some of the other folks on here are saying in that this restaurant feels expensive for what is delivered. I am certainly no stranger to fine dining, and I will pay a premium price for premium food/service/experience. It is to be expected. I also don’t feel that huge sides should necessarily come with a dish, and that some dishes justify their price tags. All that said… I feel some sort of side should accompany a main course like a fish dish. I don’t need a giant plate of potatoes, but I ordered the broccolini on the side. My friend did not order the broccolini with his branzino, and he just received a plate with a fish on it. It seems a bit odd to me that they wouldn’t put any sort of accompaniment with it. Often chefs pride themselves on what side to pair with the fish or beef or poultry. Again, I’m not wanting a huge plate full of food, but some sort of side with the main dish (carefully considered by the chef to complement the main dish) is to be expected. To be fair, the waiter told me there were no side, and that is why I asked for broccolini. It was not a surprise, but a $42 dish should have a little green offering! (Capers and parsley don’t count) ;) Now for the good points. Fish was fresh and cooked perfectly!! It was served filleted but with head and tail on. I love a whole fish! My husband enjoyed his chicken parm, but did not feel it warranted the $29 price tag. I mean… it’s chicken parm. It should hover in the $10 to $20 range unless it is spectacularly large or comes with a bunch of sides (neither applied here). Service was fair. We were meeting friends we had not seen since Covid, and it was difficult for the waiter to navigate our excitement and our talking.

I was definitely underwhelmed by the food. chicken Milanese had no seasoning or flavor and was not crispy . I've had better eggplant parm almost anywhere. Beet carpaccio was bland. Also one appetizer, two entrées , and one glass of wine cost us $100 before tip -which just seems outrageous. I know food is expensive when eating out now, but I don't know. Even for Wellesley this seems excessive. The space is beautiful and the staff was incredible, but I don't see myself going back .

Came back here for an anniversary dinner after many years and this spot is the same great food and service it always has been. Although very crowded on a Friday night, the service here is impeccable and the food is always really good. I told them ahead of time it was an anniversary dinner and they could not of made it more special. Very attentive and complimentary with even a glass of limoncello at the end. The menu here has not changed much from over ten years ago, same selections pretty much, pasta, steaks, seafood and of course chicken etc. The meatballs here are delicious and so is the chicken parm. The dessert again of my favorite mascarpone and wafers was also a nice treat. Prices are very reasonable here and this is a definite treat...highly recommended.

I was definitely underwhelmed by the food. chicken Milanese had no seasoning or flavor and was not crispy . I've had better eggplant parm almost anywhere. Beet carpaccio was bland. Also one appetizer, two entrées , and one glass of wine cost us $100 before tip -which just seems outrageous. I know food is expensive when eating out now, but I don't know. Even for Wellesley this seems excessive. The space is beautiful and the staff was incredible, but I don't see myself going back .

The best chicken parm in suburban Massachusett. Nice vibe, and fun waiters. Great choice of your looking for quality Italian food.

Fine service and incredibly delicious food. I enjoyed sage pumpkin tortellini and the absolute best most fantastic salad I have ever eaten in my life: some kind of shaved mushroom with truffle oil, arugula, and back pepper and Parmesan. Just perfectly seasoned. I have dreamt about this salad since eating it, which is troubling since normally my dreams involve Brie Larson, Zoe Saldana, or such similar. The young lady who served us was definitely a foodie, whose knowledge was extremely impressive. Please build one of these restaurants in Vegas, or expand your Door Dash delivery radius by about 2,800 miles.

Food excellent. Service excellent. Ambiance not so excellent. Noisy. Especially when a table of 12 thinks it is necessary to overtake the room and shout loudly during their meal. The scene was chaotic to say the least.

Significant group dinner of about 16 people. We shared several appetizers. Garlic Bread and Meatballs appetizers, great, but the prosciutto with Fig Jam, fantastic. I tried the chicken parmigiana, probably ended up being the heartiest of all the dishes selected at the table , sans the lamp chops. Done very well, odd coupling with Roasted Broccoli, but that was so good it worked. A little conservative of the drink service, would have been open to additional offers, however not overly concerning, had room for desert calories. Table shared two of everything of the desserts menu.Tried several, the standout was the Tiramisu. Really, really, enjoyed this meal.

All around amazing food, service and ambience. A must visit restaurant for a fabulous night!

I love Italian food. Food was good but for the prices I would have expected a larger portion or for the spaghetti to be handmade. Kinda wish that the tables weren't so close together. Not a very private experience. That being said the sauce on the eggplant and the spaghetti was incredible. Lots of garlic, very flavorful. Service was 10/10. Arabella was sweet and attentive, extremely friendly. Made the experience for sure. It was my partners birthday and the whole staff signed him a birthday card and brought a lit candle with his dessert.

We visited this place for dinner. Loved the service, food and ambience. Kids menu is good as well but a bit expensive.

Had dinner first time at Wellesley location. Was a very good experience. Everyone enjoyed their meals. We had fedelini vongole, bolognese, mama Zeccas eggplant, and rigatoni alla buttera. All came out piping hot and delicious. The sauces were all very tasty. Tiramisu was fabulous for dessert. The service was excellent and all was reasonably priced for the quality we received. A definite place you should try.

Excellent spot for a great meal! Have been coming to Alta Strada for several years now. Recent renovations are a fantastic improvement on a very solid restaurant. Most significantly, lovely blue cushion chairs, modest area rugs and overhead noise abatement treatment bring down the noise level at this usually pretty loud spot. Food is always spot on. This night I had the seared salmon over some quinoa and veggies. Well seasoned and perfectly cooked. My fellow diners had the Halibut and Chicken Milanese. They all raved about their dishes. From my seat I could see long table of extended families & friends having a great time. This is the kind of place where people come to enjoy themselves and the restaurant staff are perfect guides. Not sure what is keeping me from awarding the 5th star actually. Maybe it is just because I've come to expect this level of food and service from Alta Strada that it almost comes off as ordinary. That's probably not fair. Great job by everyone. Go here. Enjoy the drinks. Enjoy the food. Enjoy your friends. You'll be pleased. You decide if they get the 5th star!!

Best clam pasta I had since I left Italy 12 years ago. This is my second time and the place is consistently superb, really don't understand the average review score. Totally recommend it!!

Had dinner here in the service was great. I'm happy. But I'm trying to eat gluten-free and the only type of pasta they had was gluten-free but it had corn in it and I can't eat corn.. I did order the salad I think it had brussels sprouts, and it was absolutely small in terrible for the price. My friend had the pasta dish and it wasn't all that great again the staff was excellent but the food does not match up for the prices so I probably won't be back here.

Overall not great- the food was too salty and overpriced for the quality. Won't be returning.

Great food, reasonable prices. Extremely attentive staff from the host to the bartender to the waiter to the manager. We felt well taken care of. The food was excellent.

The food was good. I had the filet, which was very good; however, you'll want to err on the lighter side. I'm from Texas, so "rare" means wave it over the grill. I ordered medium, and it was a little overdone. Certainly not their fault, but it's noteworthy. Service was a little slow at times, but overall a good dining experience. You should definitely check it out!

It's lively here and our waitress Jess was a gem. The food is ok. I had the spinach fettuccine with pancetta, corn and peas. But the pancetta was not cooked so what it was was fatty and ham like. Rookie move for a restaurant that specializes in Italian. Nothing food wise was a "wow".

Hands down the best bolognese sauce with pasta ever. It's worth coming just for that dish. The Manila clam pasta with garlic was delicious too. Great service.

Almost swallowed this metal wire in my pasta dish. Speaking with the manager, it happened last year to another customer.... They use scouring pad scrubbers to wipe down the pans and apparently they don't rinse them after.

Much better than I expected! The appetizers and special were the stars of the show. For apps we had the ricotta crostini, garlic bread, and burrata -- all delicious. Regular pastas like the tagliatelle bolognese and lune (with mushrooms) were pretty okay, but two handmade pastas were really delicious. One was a pasta that used to be listed on the menu, handmade with prosciutto and spinach and tomatoes. Very fresh and delicious. The other was a special the day we were visiting that was a vegetable medley -- a light sauce of broad beans, tomatoes, squash, and other vegetables on a pink tomato or beet pasta. This was made hearty with beet breadcrumbs and a generous shaving of pecorino, extremely fresh and tasty. Most main dishes are not worth the price, but the "fresher" or house-made choices are worth the couple dollars more.

The service was mediocre, my wife's drink was not drinkable and her fish was ok but way too expensive for what she got with horrible vegetables.

This is our local go to place. Love it. I've tried most the pasta dishes - which gave occasional seasonal modifications (like the pappardelle or tagliatelle which I love). Mushroom lune also fantastic.

Casual Italian restaurant with a relaxed and peaceful atmosphere. It's an easy spot for Wellesley students to take their parents for a nicer dinner off campus. It can be loud during dinner so it's not the best choice for intimate dinners. I loved the mushroom lune which was cooked perfectly with truffles. The blanca pizza was decent but I wouldn't get it again. There are a couple good vegetarian options as well. I've had a couple great experiences here but each time I've come with a group larger than four I've gotten stuck waiting for a long time for my reserved table. The most recent time one of my friends was there early and checked-in they said it would be ready shortly. When we checked again it was over 20 minute wait! Luckily they were able to turn this around quickly. Good for smaller groups but not big ones.

Alta Strada - Welesley, MA - 6/16/2016 As soon as you drive by the front of the restaurant you get a sense that you will be in for a gastronomic adventure of epic proportions... Plenty of off street parking and a large lot behind the restaurant makes this a prime dining destination... As you walk up the stairs and turn left into their large open dining room, you start to get the vibe... The palate awakens and the senses start to prepare... My server, Alex was absolutely perfect! Knows the menu, makes recommendations and with the obvious passion and love for what he does, paints a picture that perfectly describes what will be coming out of the kitchen... When I listen to him describe the wines to the next table, he knows exactly what he's talking about right down to region and factors affecting the growing of the grapes... I'm not much of a drinker but it was a pleasure to hear him answer their questions with such exacting detail... Tonight they put together a tasting menu for me... The bread they bring in from a bakery in Boston par-baked... I would have devoured the entire loaf had it not been for fear of not being able to sample all that Alex would bring out... And the pace, also perfect being completely accommodating to my desires... The Truffle Salad with shaved mushrooms, arugula, lemon, capers and shaved Parmesan was nothing short of amazing. The capers really add some snap to this salad and give it a whole new dimension! Crunchy Meatballs in a spicy tomato basil sauce... These meatballs were completely different to what you would envision meatballs at an Italian restaurant to be... More like croquettes carefully placed on a bed of this wonderful sauce with herbs and chunks of tomatoes... Now, when you cut into one and take your first bite is when your palate screams its first OMG! On the inside, it was like the diner scene in when Harry met Sally... Moving onto the Mama Zecca's Eggplant Parmigiano... Again, not what you would ordinarily expect but I'm fast learning to appreciate the unexpected here... Firm in body yet soft to the forks touch... The sauce and cheese, just exactly the right amount of everything leaving nothing to chance... A bit of lemon sorbet to cleanse the palate and onto the main event... At this point the dining room is completely full and abuzz with conversation... From my table I see a room full of diners enthusiastically enjoying their meals... All this lead up to the grand finale of Spicy Chitarra with shrimp, tomato and basil... House made pasta similar to a spaghetti cooked in a seafood stock... Seasoned, spicy shrimp meticulously cleaned, tails removed and pressed in a savory sauce unlike any I've had before... It's a dish you simply don't want to end... There are no words to sufficiently describe how delicious this was! Then if that wasn't enough, add an order of Mushroom Lune... More mushrooms, truffle and Parmigiano ravioli... Totally different than the previous Pasta dish yet counterbalancing the Flavours... Who comes up with these concepts?! Wow! With a wide variety of offerings to satisfy the most discerning of diners, this is a place you need to put on your list... Rachel, the manager works the room serving drinks and making sure that everyone's needs are properly tended to... A hands on manager that clearly loves her profession... Then the icing on the cake is the general manager, Richard who comes over after dinner to make sure that they hit the mark in offering the type of dining experience I was expecting. Ambiance... Cuisine... Service... All top shelf! Thank you for a wonderful dining experience... I'll certainly be back...

Definitely a solid go-to for well done Italian I honestly miss their lunches because of how on point their steak tip and chicken parm sandwiches were. That said, I totally understand why they only serve dinner now and I respect it Overall, the quality of food is on point, if you're looking for a classic, make sure you go for the bolognese or the chicken parm. I've heard that they 've got a new bianca pizza and I can't wait to try it when i'm back home Really hope they bring that parm back..

VEGAN/ VEGETARIAN friendly. I love this place! I highly recommend this place! I came here for my Mom's birthday because she loves pizza but I hadn't tried this place. My diet is gluten free and vegan so I was a little nervous trying. Luckily, they were so accommodating! I called three days before and spoke with Casey - such a nice guy! He suggested the plates Id be able to enjoy. What I ordered: Beet salad -[(shared)-no cheese)] Arugula salad (Gluten free, no cheese) Gluten free spaghetti, pomodoro sauce, mushrooms, brócoli rabe, asparagus. Our waiter was Josh and was awesome!! Two thumbs up to everyone! Thank you!! :) Pomegranate martinis Champagne strawberry sorbet ALL was delicious!!! HIGHLY RECOMMEND! The service was top notch!

We were there on a Sunday in August so not too crowded. Our server, Katherine was amazing in helping us order and being an all around delightful person. The food was very good. The pasta is exceptional, all the sauces are flavorful (our table got the Lune with mushrooms and truffle oil, spinach fettuccine with corn and fava beans, the bolognese, and spaghetti with a basic tomato sauce.) We all shared, all delicious. The meatballs (appetizer) were also great - nice soft texture, beef/pork/veal, and the tomato sauce had a bit of ricotta mixed in to add texture and dimension. Don't miss the fried baby artichokes appetizer in a white pesto sauce. Perfectly crisped on the outside, tender on the inside. Pesto made it. The Salmon was perfectly cooked. Desserts were a bit underwhelming. Gelato was too icy and under flavored. The tiramisu a little bland. Perfect espresso. Wine list is good - kind of basic, but a nice mix of Italian reds and whites. We will definitely be back!

We had a wonderful meal at Alta Strada on our recent visit to the Boston area. We've been there on numerous occasions on past visits but haven't been for a while. The food was excellent and the staff was outstanding. The staff, manager and waitstaff couldn't have been more accommodating and helpful. We would go back just for the bread but everything we ate was very well prepared and fresh.

Honestly I do not understand the low reviews of this place, my experiences here have been nothing but positive. Most recently I had a special which was homemade whole wheat pasta with pesto which was absolutely amazing. We got the ricotta as an app and it was so good. It paired perfectly with the crostini. I also had a bite of the bolognese which was delicious. In the past I've had the burata which is really good. The ravioli is really good as well. Our waitress was great, attentive but not overbearing. Do not let the average reviews deter you, I thought this place was great!

As the closest restaurant to campus, the location itself is very convenient for Wellesley College students and visitors. Service was okay and our water glasses were always full even though it was busy. The Cinque Terre style grilled octopus had a smoky char flavor and the texture was surprisingly smooth, not rubbery at all. It came topped with some sliced red peppers that added a little heat but it didn't overwhelm this starter dish. I've yet to travel to Cinque Terre but thought this was a decent dish. We also ordered the mushroom lune and the tagliatelle bolognese for the mains. The lune was mushroom heaven...the creamy sauce, mushroom filling, and truffles can satisfy most fungi fanatics. That said, I did find the pasta a little too al dente for my taste. The tagliatelle was well spiced and accompanied with beef. I didn't love the sauce but thought it was enough to interest the palate more than a regular red sauce. An okay experience, but for what we paid, I wasn't wowed and would probably would choose a different place next time.

Our family of five ate upstairs. We had two salad apps along with two pizzas and two entrees: Tagliatelle alla Bolognese $24, and Grilled Branzino with Lentils, Confit Fennel, Radishes, Grape Mustarda $29. The service was poor. They were annoyed and infrequent to fill water, never inquired on empty sangria glasses, and our waiter spent his time on the phone (doing take out orders, it seemed) after we asked for our check... we had to get the manager after we waited and then all of the party left except me. Sitting there alone, I still had to flag down the manager. Once our food arrived, our waiter asked how it was -- before we had a chance to take a bite. He never inquired again. The food was unremarkable. Fish was fishy, lentils mushy, and pizza bland. We will not return. It was not busy and the plentiful staff did their thing, which was not customer service.

I've had better cafeteria food! Massive FAIL. I could have sworn the THIN slab of chicken breast was sliced off a processed loaf. Sauce was very ordinary, Fresh mozzarella they use is inferior to any I've ever had. The broccoli was good, and the bread crust (Iggy's) was excellent. SO DISAPPOINTED!

We were their first guests for lunch. Neither of us had ever been there before, but when driving through Wellesley, we've both noticed it in the past, and so we took the opportunity of a $20 for $40 voucher deal to make our first visit. A 2 hour parking lot is available out back for patrons of this block of businesses, which was really nice. The entrance to the lot is available from Cross Street, and it exits conveniently onto Weston Road. From here, the entrance to Alta Strada takes you past their small patio of three tables and into their take-out market in the basement where they have a case of prepared foods or will make a sandwich or pizza for you, amongst other things. They're open down there from 11am-9pm daily, so they're an option for either lunch or dinner, or anything else inbetween. The bathrooms are located on the same floor, a long stairwell from the rather sizeable dining room at street level. Service here was a pleasure. I love it when specific options are made when we've made it evident that we are are interested in it, and we ended up with a most enjoyable meal. My water glass never went empty, although I'm not sure when or how often it was refilled. She also offered to pace out our dishes for a more leisurely meal, if we were interested, and to make better use of the real estate of our two top table. Throughout our meal, we were probably serviced by at least 3 individuals. Sour dough in the form of a generous chunk arrived shortly to tame the edge of our hunger along with a nice pour of olive oil. For starters, from the antipasti table at 3 for $15 we went with her highly touted Summer Corn with Smokey Bacon, and added the Chilled Calamari with Cucumber and Citrus, and the Roasted Beets with Grana Padano. With them arrived a gift from the kitchen of fat sliced tomato and fresh mozzarella along with a pair of beautifully grilled toast. All were yummy, yet we had plenty of leftovers since we knew we still had two courses yet to go. The Fingerling Potato, Spring Onion and Taleggio pizza $15 was thin crust sliced in four, sans tomato sauce (which was considerately pointed out to us). With it we were served fresh plates and utensils. Not quite cracker thin or crisp, the pizza had a light crisp chew, and was quite good. My only suggestion would be a slightly longer visit in the oven to brown it a tad more. The Mushroom Filled Lune with More Mushrooms, Truffle Oil and Parmigiano $21 that was our server's top choice from the menu even though she herself is not a mushroom lover (hey, me neither!), was helpfully served in two dishes for us, with fresh ground pepper or Parmesan offered separately (Cheese, please!). Four pockets of fungus apiece enrobed in creamy cheesy sauce and lots of the thinly sliced mushrooms which I extrapolated to be a bit light as an entree on its own. This was good too, but I restrained myself in order to save room for dessert. Reminding ourselves that there is a second stomach for sweets, we decided to order two whole desserts: Millefoglie; chocolate cream, sweet cherries, crunchy pastry $11 and House Made Gelati and Sorbetti $6. That day's options were Hazelnut, Vanilla, Chocolate and Peach, Watermelon, and we could have two scoops. We went with Hazelnut and Peach, and asked if they could be served in separate dishes so that the flavors wouldn't meld. Our taste buds were truly delighted! The flavors were so intense and so good, the coolness of the treat melting easily and gloriously on our tongues. Sure, the scoops were on the small side, but the flavors made up for the portions. I don't normally order such a simple dessert in restaurants, but I was so glad that my DC had suggested it. The Millefoglie was good too, but while we thought it was nice that they had put in the effort to punch out the pit from the cherries, it didn't make quite the same impact on us as the frozen scoops had. Even after the voucher, it cost us each $33+ out of pocket. Sure, we each took home a doggie bag, but still, it is a bit pricey for lunch since the prices and menu are about the same as for dinner except for the swap of luncheon sandwiches for dinner time entrees, a buck extra for some of the pastas, and a few additional options on both sides. 4 stars for lunch, 4.5 for dinner, rounded up to 5. I'll base my rating on dinner even though we actually came for lunch. Reminder to self for future reference: (other recommendations made by our server) Salads Grilled Scottish Salmon and Spinach Salad with Pancetta Vinaigrette, Almond Pesto $18 Sicilian Tuna Salad "Italian Riveria Style"...like Nicoise but better $15 Pasta Fedellini with Tiny Clams, Smashed Cherry Tomatoes and Parsley $22 Dolci Mascarpone Cheesecake; Lemon Curd and Vanialla Tuille $10 Butterscotch Budino; Brown Sugar Cookie $8

I have always had great experiences at Alta Strada. I keep going back because the food and the customer service is amazing. Each time I've eaten there, the owner has come by the table to make sure our meal was enjoyable and he even brought free dessert for my friend's birthday (the tiramisu was delicious by the way). Their homemade pastas are divine, and even there slow roasted salmon was succulent and went perfectly with the pesto panzanella. They have the best appetizers, especially the fig and prosciutto tartines. The pizza is great, essentially everything here is great. You really can't go wrong. Alta Strada is a great place for any size group for special occasions or just a fun night out. The only thing I would not recommend are the pancakes. They were very underdone and rubbery.

Have definitely had much better Italian for cheaper. For $80 (including some door dash fees which I obviously know has nothing to do with this restaurant at all): meatball appetizer, garlic bread, mushroom ravioli, Bolognese. Meatballs are tiny. I think we got about 8-9 very small ones. Garlic bread is absolutely *loaded* with butter to the point of being soggy and unenjoyable. Mushroom ravioli got a thumbs up. Bolognese was nothing special at all. The pappardelle pasta actually just stuck together. Bolognese sauce had minimal flavor. Needed a decent amount of salt & pepper. It was a little spicy which was a plus, for me. Honestly, go somewhere else. Or at least don't waste money on takeout from here.

Food is good but I felt like I was in McDonalds. They brought out the food so fast, we could have been in and out in 15 minutes. I had to ask them to slow down. At their prices they should be better at pacing the meal. Also seem to be weirdly opposed to providing serving pieces for shared dishes. We used to go there a lot but will not be returning.

Alta Strada has a nice upscale, semi-casual atmosphere with a great staff. It's definitely one of the better restaurants in the Wellesley area. The food is pretty decent, with some dishes being better than others. Not a fan of the carbonara, but the bolognese is a restaurant staple and is what I would stick with when I go. Flatbreads are okay, nothing too great about them. You'll find better Italian at North End, but Alta Strada is a good go to neighborhood restaurant for Wellesley

Had a 7 pm reservation New Year's eve, arrived on time to find a huge crowd waiting to be seated and was told there'd be "a wait." Pressed for an idea of how long, was eventually told 30 minutes. We sat at the bar instead but were eventually moved to a table. The crowd at the entrance only grew during the evening. The food was very good, the service impeccable, and our meal's courses from the Prix Fixe menu arrived quickly. I learned since that overbooking is, apparently, a chronic issue with Alta Strada. It is really too bad that an otherwise fine meal was spoiled by the owner's / manager's poor planning and consideration for customers. I won't go back: no meal is good enough to warrant such arrogance by the restaurant.

Got up and left before we ordered a drink. Do not go to this restaurant if you don't want to be constantly monitored and yelled at for not wearing your mask the WHOLE TIME except in between sips of your drinks and bites of your foods. The people running the restaurant shouldn't even have it open with their level of cautiousness (watching their customers every move) and people who find these protocols acceptable shouldn't be eating in restaurants period. It's May and 30% of population are vaccinated, God forbid we have a social meal with our friends. This is dinner not a chaperoned middle school dance!

Be sure to get something with prosciutto in it! Their stuff with prosciutto is beyond amazing. My favorite is the appetizer that is crostini with fig jam and you guessed it...prosciutto!

Alta Strada made the best of a bad mistake by DoorDash. DoorDash failed to show up to pick up our order. That was a DoorDash mistake. Alta Strada failed to call me or notify me of the DoorDash mistake (1 star off for that), so I called Alta Strada about 45 minutes after my delivery was scheduled to appear. Alta Strada sent one of their own employees to deliver my order, stepping up when DoorDash fell down. Everyone agreed the food was great, after we warmed it up. We'll order from Alta Strada again, for sure.

I went here with a group of friends for brunch. I ordered the blueberry pancakes with whipped Nutella, and it was absolutely delicious. I also had a peach bellini, which was quite good, but it was tiny and definitely not worth the $12. Overall the service was very fast, our cups of water were always full, and the waiter came by often to check on us. It was also a Sunday morning, though, and pretty empty. Everything on the brunch menu sounded very good, but was way overpriced for what it was (think $15 for a salad), so I don't see myself returning here any time soon.

Dinner on a Saturday night - the place is hopping (and loud). Great wait staff, very attentive, and overall a very good experience. Started with the Antipasti Table: Golden Beets (fantastic flavor, solid consistency), Chilled Calamari (Very nice, our favorite), and Spicy Green Beans (crunchy and good). I would say that you could probably order 2 Antipasti's per person and have a meal out of it if you wanted. Decent proportions. I have heard the pizza is excellent (they also serve all day for lunch at the counter downstairs) but we chose Secondi courses. The local Swordfish with gigante beans (basically giant lima beans) was wonderful, great flavor. The Linguini Amatriciana with pancetta was tasty, but be warned that it is a bit "spicy" with pepper flakes (you may be able to request them without them). The Fedelini with tiny clams is good, but could use more clams and a the sauce was sparse. One of the more fun items was the Spicy Chitarra (literally guitar-string pasta) with lobster and shrimp. Drinks menu and by-the-glass wine selection is good, and the bread and olive oil is awesome. It was a busy night and it took about 20 minutes for the second drink order to come, but overall the service was very good. I'd go back and probably next time try for lunch.

Alta Strada is our new go-to for Friday night take out! The meals are piping hot and perfectly prepared. My children love the pizza (thin crust!) and caesar salad. My favorite gluten free pasta with shrimp and spicy tomato and asparagus is always delicious and packed in it's own "GF" bag, which is much appreciated! My husband loves the chicken parm for it's thin, but crispy crust and garlicky broccoli. He always orders a side of pasta for that (pro tip). Management is very responsive; we once had an issue with their 3rd party delivery service and the manager promptly delivered to our house.

Ok but disappointing. Drinks were outrageously priced. Broccoli was burnt. Tomato sauce on chicken parm was bland. Overall not good for the price and limited menu. I guess you need to make your own opinion but we would never go back.

I last went to Alta Strada around 3/18/21. Before the pandemic, Alta Strada used to be my family and I's go to and our favorite casual restaurant in the area. Our favorite dishes were the spicy chitarra, the pizzas and my personal favorite, the secret menu ravioli (proves our regular status). We even had become familiar with some of the staff. As I walked in this most recent time, I noticed the differences due to COVID. When we sat, I had lowered my expectations somewhat because of how badly hit restaurants. We ordered the burrata and meatballs as our apps. I was waiting on the usually delicious bread until I was told that it is now upon request. When I got the bread, I kid you not, the bread was refrigerator cold and I was certainly disappointed. I understand if you want bread to be per request, but at least take the time to warm it to at least room temp. The burrata and prosciutto was a reduced portion from pre-pandemic, and the meatballs were nothing to write home about this time. As mains, I ordered the lune with truffle and mushrooms, and my family ordered a margarita and truffle and three cheese pizza to share amongst the rest of them. My pasta was delicious and so were the pizzas, although with all the food, the table was quite crammed. The dessert we got for my mother's birthday was this make your own Oreo type of thing which was to say the least, NOT GOOD. I rated this a 3 star because I was disappointed about our apps and also it honestly wasn't nearly as good as it was before COVID. I highly recommend you go but once Covid dies down. Peace out.

I have celiac so I never go out for pasta until I discovered Alta Strada serves gluten free pasta if you request it. I think your only choice is spaghetti but you can use it will almost all of their pasta dishes and it is amazing. Love this place!

Margarita pizza tasted like a piece of cardboard. Absolutely no flavor.

Had a lovely dinner with family, eggplant appetizer was the best! Pasta cooked perfect!

Well, I had a good time with friends and the service was fine. Food was fair and they way overcharge for beer - $11 for an 8 oz.