IL Paesano Italian Gourmet Food and Wine Market

Il Paesano is an absolute gem. Warm, quaint, and wonderfully authentic, this family-run spot feels like dining in a true Italian home! The food was outstanding, and the hosts bring a genuine sense of hospitality to the experience. We are vegetarians, and they thoughtfully prepared a special menu to accommodate us. Just be sure to mention any dietary needs when you make your reservation, they do an excellent job with advance notice. Pro tip: Ask for a table in one of the cozy dining rooms—there are only a few, and the ambiance makes the meal even better. Two thumbs up. Highly recommend.

Really enjoyed my experience here. Reservations were easy to make, we were greeted and seated as soon as we entered. Service was excellent; food was delightful. There were many imported Italian products for sale around the dining room. Wine is a pick it yourself style. Chilled white wine is also available. We loved it and will definitely return!

If you’re the type who enjoys an early dinner in a cozy setting, this little Italian spot in Lauderdale-by-the-Sea is perfect. The atmosphere feels like you’re stepping into a true Italian family’s dining room — warm, intimate, and welcoming. One of the highlights is the small wine room you can step into to choose your bottle, which adds a unique touch you won’t find in most Italian restaurants. It’s a small place, but full of charm. Great selection of wines and tasty appetizers make it ideal for wine lovers. As for the food, I’d rate the dishes around 7/10. My wife and I each ordered a main, and while it was enjoyable, the real standout here is the ambiance and overall experience. Worth a visit if you’re looking for a relaxed evening with that classic Italian family vibe.

We came here for my birthday and everything aspect of my experience from booking my reservation to arriving and dining ..was a dream. The food was literally life changing.Both of our entrees were delicious..perfectly composed. I left my dining experience wowwed and lighter..like my whole week has been better. We are truly grateful for the experience😇

I have been wanting to visit IL Paesano for a little while now, tonight I finally went with my whole family. The place is so cozy and feels like you are at la nonna’s house, the food exceeded my expectations (lamb ragu was to die for), and the vibes were immaculate. They have an excellent italian wine selection from barolo to amarone to Italian red blends. The owners served us and they were so incredibly nice! I’m so glad we chose IL Paesano as our late thanksgiving dinner, I will definitely be returning!

This was is a wonderful gem in Ft. Lauderdale. The host is very welcoming and the food was absolutely delicious. You can definitely feel the love that goes into every plate on the menu. Thank you

So disappointing! I have been looking forward to eating at Il Paesano since I saw it on Check Please and also upon a great recommendation from good friends who loved the cheese wheel. Since I live walking distance from the restaurant and my boyfriend and I cherish our date nights ( 3 kids) , when he said let's have an Italian night, I immediately thought of Il Paesano. When we were seated, the co-owner was not very forth coming with the details on the menu and did not tell us the daily specials. We never saw him again. Another restaurant staff member came and took our order and advised that our food may take a while, since everything is done fresh. About 2 minutes later, our food came, Grouper which was way overcooked and lukewarm, and Chicken Piccata, also overcooked and did not come with the correct side dish. No one came to check on us for a while, and we had to get up from our table and ask for cheese. When we related our concerns, the staff member said that we should have voiced them earlier, and if we wanted, we could order another dish and we ordered mussels and clams which were decent. She later mentioned that the co-owner and the staff were having issues and we appreciated her taking the time to explain this to us. However, the food was not good, the service wasn't either and now I have to deal with my boyfriend not trusting me with picking out restaurants for the next few date nights! I'd like to end on a positive note considering it's the holidays. We picked out a good Pinot Noir from their wine bottle selection from the back of their quaint space and there is no corking fee.

Our first time here and I was so surprised by the cleanliness and atmosphere, it was a real Italian restaurant. Food and wine 🍷 was delightful. And attention to detail throughout our lunch was 10 out of 10. Definitely making it my go to restaurant while at my local office in Real Estate. A little hidden gem.

The food is incredible. You won't be dissapointed. Great service from a wonderful family. You must try the Gorganzola pear and procuitto appetizer...it is a stupendous, melt in your mouth, explosion of creamy texture and taste!

Great place The food is wonderful Family owned and run, you feel like you're in someone's home My husband's and my favorite place to eat

We were in town celebrating a birthday and anniversary, this was our last night and we absolutely made the right decision. Everything was incredible!! The ambiance was interesting as this place is a deli and grocery store by day and restaurant by night. That said the tables were nicely dressed with lamps and wine glasses. The service was the best we had on our trip starting right at the beginning of the night...one of the owners helped us decide a wine from their wine room and educated us on some variations. The wine we decided was perfect for us. For the meal, we had some idea of what we thought we wanted but gladly allowed the owner decide for us...the pear and octopus were incredible for starters, the fish and lamb with pasta for the main course were also awesome, and just when we didn't think it could get better we had chocolate cake and cappuccinos. I've not been to Italy but my wife has and she said it was the first time tasting Italian food in America that reminded her of Italy. Only bad thing is that we don't live near this place, it would definitely be in monthly rotation. We're gonna try to stop by tomorrow before we leave town to get sandwiches from their deli.

Il Paesano is an extremely unique Italian dining experience and is now one of my favorite restaurants. It is a locally owned and operated Italian market, deli and restaurant. There is one small dining area with 4-6 tables, a table for four in the wine room, and 4-6 more tables in the market/ deli area. We were at a table in the market/deli area and we enjoyed looking at all the Italian groceries and deli items for sale. The menu had plenty of choices and there were several specials. We had lobster bisque as a starter. For entrees we had short rib papardelle, chicken Marsala, and poppio spiaggiole. All food was exceptional. There is an excellent choice of Italian wines at market prices (instead of restaurant prices). You only pay the market price and there is no corkage charge. We dine here often. If you like Italian food you will love il Paesano!

This is a small, family run restaurant that serves both lunch and dinner. The service by the owners and two of their long time helpers is always done with warmth and willingness to please. There is no noisy bar or loud music, so you can enjoy talking to your friends and family without resorting to shouts. The food is always reliably good. Each evening brings specials to enhance the menu. We have never had a bad experience or a bad meal in this little gem of a restaurant that has been continuously open for 14 years.

A true hidden gem in Fort Lauderdale (Oakland Park Blvd)! The atmosphere is cozy, modern, and full of charm. The host and staff were genuinely friendly and attentive, making the experience even better. And the food... absolutely delicious! Every bite was a win. I'd highly recommend this spot to friends, family, or even for a first date -- you definitely won't be disappointed.

This restaurant was family owned, quaint, and perfect for a nice dinner. We were served by the owners who were such wonderful people. Everything we had to eat was amazing. Even though the kids menu is not listed on the menu they do have kid friendly options (see the penne pictures). They serve fresh bread with olive oil when you are waiting for your food. They have wine & coffee (we didn't have wine but the coffee was delicious). They do have high chairs just ask. They also had many options for dessert just ask or go up and see the selection in the case. My husband and son loved the gelato. The truffle mushroom pasta I got was the biggest hit (we even had to order another portion for my husband because it was sooo good). If you are in the area you have to give this place a try if you want authentic homemade pasta!

Authentic Italian dishes that are very tasty. Great ambience and service. It gets very busy during "season" so be forewarned.

We love the people, the food, and the service - Always personal and spectacular! We have been regular patrons for many years and Il Paesano's is our first choice for special occasions, out-of-town guests, or a date night. Highly reccomend.

This is in a little cute store which has only a few tables with 6 PM and 8 PM sittings. All the dishes are superb. The owners are nice and the cook with the hearts and serve the best Italian food. Every dish is an artwork. Desserts are phenomenal.

Excellent food and service. This is a small but very good restaurant. We will definitely be back in the near future

This was one of our favorite Italian restaurants in Ft Lauderdale until yesterday. We came for lunch we had Lasagna and eggplant parm and a bottle of wine..Food and service were good so why the low score? Well you nickle and dime us that we ended up spending over $72 for lunch which should of been $65 with tax. We wanted tab water you charged us for bottle water You charged us a credit card fee And then you charged me for me to take my food home? that did it for us. Sorry to say that this is the last time we go here and it's a shame that you need to penny pinch your customers.

This restaurant is still great. It's small and cozy and clean and neat. Took hubby for his 65th birthday. We had the octopus and the seafood linguini, again. Hubby loved the short rib. I tried the veal saltimbocca but did not like it (the prosciutto made it too salty for me). The owner insisted on replacing it, and I had the branzino instead. The pistachio cheesecake was divine. Service, as always, is impeccable. And the food is way above ordinary.

Lunch menu limited and disappointing Waiter couldn't explain what "Fiochetti" were. One waiter for eight tables. But when the check was delivered, the prices were HIGHER than the prices on the menu. How can this happen? The waiter shrugged it off, saying complain to the boss.

LOVE. We had dinner here to celebrate my sister's birthday. I don't even know where to begin. The owners are so gracious and so welcoming. The food is beyond amazing. My sister had the chicken rolitini which she raved about. Her friend hahad the branzino with fresh veggies which she loved and looked pretty and I forgot what my dish is called but it was fabulous. It was a seafood linguine chock full of shrimp, scallops, clams, mussels, crabmeat, calamari. We all needed to go boxes. The owner came out with a slice of cheesecake topped with fresh berries and a candle and the cake was so light. We chose a bottle of pinot grigio from their wine room which was a very good choice. Anyway, spectacular experience. I cannot say enough about this restaurant and the owners. Highly recommend

We recently had dinner at Il Paesano. The website recommended to make a reservation, so I called the day before and made reservations by phone When we arrived the nice lady and gentleman at the front of the restaurant greeted us very warmly. We were given a nice table in a semi-private room, just behind the hostess station. The menu was really varied, although not extremely large. When the lady asked if we wanted still or sparkling water, we said, just regular water...she said, the restaurant had no filtration system, so the regular water was just old yellow tap water from Fort Lauderdale. That was odd....so she offered us a bottle of still water for $3. We decided to get some wine instead. This being a market, if I wanted a bottle of wine, I had to go to the back of the market and pick the bottle I wanted...all of them were priced accordingly. I picked a nice bottle of Chianti for about $25 and it was perfect for 3 people. The food we ordered was good. I had the grilled octopus, which was good but not great....not bad....and the cauliflower appetizer...that was filling and plentiful. Our friend got the lobster ravioli and he loved it. My husband got the pesto gnocchi and he liked it as well. Overall a nice place for a nice dinner. For desset, we all shared a nice chocolate mousse that was very decadent....

My favorite Italian Restaurant. Paula, Virgil and the staff treat you like family. Amazing food every time. Impeccable service. Highly recommend this restaurant if you want a relaxing time, great food and an awesome espresso with a delicious dessert. Reservation required. Can't wait to go back. Worth the drive from West Broward

I highly encourage people to go to Il Paesano. The food is fabulous, the atmosphere is amazing and the owners and staff are simply incredible!! 5 star if you ask me!

Love this family run restaurant, great service, feel like you are at your friend's house, enjoying a great night of food and conversations.

What an absolute delight! The atmosphere is so inviting, intimate & charming. The food was delicious. I had the veal, it was perfect. Don't overlook this hidden gem

About a month ago, I spent an amazing evening with friends at Il Paesano. What I remember most is the hospitality of the owners and their dedication to excellence. Il Paesano has their own wine collection in a small room in the back. I felt like I was visiting a treasure chest. They asked what I liked and made a suggestion for a bottle of wine that I'm still thinking about. It was that good! This place is rather small but impeccably clean and organized. Don't come here without a reservation. I called to make a reservation a few weeks ahead of time, I was asked if I wanted 6:00 pm or 8:00 pm. They don't take reservations at any other time at night. We went with 8:00 pm so that everyone would be able to arrive on time. You see, with a two hour time slot, they are able to offer the best of food and service. My meal was wonderful. I ordered Seafood Pasta al Cartoccio. The sauce was delicate, the seafood very fresh and the pasta was al dente. The presentation was truly special. Next time I really want to have to the spaghetti bolognese. I tried the bolognese sauce and it was excellent. Paola and her husband were very kind to us. It's always nice to get to know owners a little better. If you go, be patient as they are serious about their business but they might just stop by and tell you the story of how they started Il Paesano.

A family owned Italian trattoria with decor, eats and service to match. It's a casual welcoming homey ambiance with a traditional Italian decor. They have a small food and wine market along the perimeter and back of the restaurant. Their menu is condensed but they have plenty of nightly specials and a nice wine selection. We ordered a glass of house white, the stuffed pepper, pappadelle ragu, crab & shrimp tagliatelle Al vodka, and the frutti de bosco for dessert. It was an enjoyable meal. A quaint cozy spot for homemade Italian pasta.

Delicious, freshly made raviolis! The grilled octopus appetizer was also a hit. Selected our own wine from the wine room; that was fun! More than anything, we liked the atmosphere and the hospitality of the owners and staff which made our evening special. Feels great to support a locally owned restaurant.

Il Paesano is worth every single five-star review it has and now here I am adding another. I had had this restaurant bookmarked for ages, yet I never bothered going to it. I am often traveling and/or busy, and admittedly I have 3,000+ bookmarks on Yelp. Time is of the essence to me needless to say. Well, as it turns out, my friend, Mary Ann C., planned a get-together a few weeks back and I was set to go. Then as luck would have it, I got sick and had to cancel. Cue some weeks later and I speak to my friend, Carlos T., as to how much I wanted to go to this restaurant given the rave reviews and the fact that it made it to the Yelp 100. He was game, so I called for a reservation to find out they take reservations one week in advance. I call on a Monday and make a reservation for Saturday at 6 PM. It seems they're quite structured and have two dinner times. The 6 PM and the 8 PM. We chose the 6 PM but not without getting a few calls from owner Paola. As it turns out, another Marilu booked for the same time on the same day. This either had to be a confusion or by some miracle of God I was going to meet another Marilu (a first for me by the way!). I gave Paola my last name to avoid confusion and later I spoke to Vergilio, Paola's husband and owner of Il Paesano, and found out the other Marilu was Portuguese and sitting next to me. We spoke to her and her companion and it was just a funny coincidence. Maybe it's the heavens telling me to finally take that Portuguese class, no? Anyhow, the owners are very sweet, Paola speaking Italian and Vergilio speaking Portuguese. They both seem to put a lot of love into their business and we noticed there were quite a few regulars, just chatting away with them. It's a very small and quaint place, which I feel probably people know about by word of mouth. Yes, it's on social media, but it seems that more than anything people find out about this place and tell other people. That's how the other Marilu wound up booking a reservation anyway. As far as the food goes, it is downright delectable. I had the pear fagotini, which is essentially little bundles of pasta filled with pears. This was accompanied by bites of prosciutto and Gorgonzola. The portion seemed small at first sight, but if you ever eat filled pasta, then you know that's how it's supposed to be. Pasta expands readily, and if it's filled, that's even more expansion. You will feel yourself full before you know it. Carlos T. ordered the osso buco upon Paola's recommendation and the dish was so massive that he took leftovers home. Impressive honestly. He also bought a bottle of wine to go as they have a pretty decent-sized wine area. I just partook in a glass of white wine as I'm not much of a drinker. I do have to say I'm glad we didn't order appetizers because the pasta snuck up on me and I was beginning to feel full when we opted for dessert. Since we have different taste in dessert, we ordered two. I ordered a fruity cake with loads of berries and he had a chocolate mousse cake. Both were delicious, but I'm partial to my choice as I simply wasn't feeling chocolate at that moment. I don't think you can go wrong either way. Also, when you think about their other options, whoa baby - there is much to choose from! The other Marilu ordered nonna's cake, which I forget exactly what it contained, but it looked beautiful. But sincerely speaking, the entire place is a beauty. They have displays of food everywhere, from appetizers to pasta to cheeses. The list just goes on and on. I will have to return before moving, and even after whenever I'm in town to visit family and friends. My hope is to come again in a couple of weeks with my loved ones. No doubt I'll be calling to set up a reservation in a week or so.

Watch out about the wine list. The price on the shelf ($22.+0) is not what is billed after ($32.+)

Il Paesano I can see why this place made Yelp's top 100!  It's a different type of Italian Restaurant than most.  It's a small footprint inside with tables to dine-in and well as some gourmet items on shelves and refrigerated food items to purchase to take home.  That and a small wine area in the back room which they encourage you to head to choose yourself for your meal. Walking around is tight but a nice vibe.  Combine that with their only two reservation times 6pm and 8pm, make for coordinated balancing act as they quickly get everyone's order in,  then serving drinks and appetizers and eventually diner.  The two owners: husband  Vergilio and wife Paola were so pleasant in their interactions as they moved about!   Just a side note:  Don't take photos as you walk around at the beginning of your reservation as they request to wait until after the main courses are served.  It's because space is tight and they have to maneuver to serve the various dishes.   We were reminded due to our nature to take photos lol :)  but Vergillio did come back later to explain in more detail as to why. Thanks to Marilu F. mentioning this place how she missed out on a previous gathering there due to getting sick, so we were overdue to meet up and I said let's go! Glad we came two weeks ago for the first time.  Also quite humorous there was another Marilu there for dinner!   She and her busband were seated next to us!  What an entertaining conversation we all had!  LOL.  It was meant to be to dine here. Food: There were soo many good options to choose from from both the menu as well as the chefs specials which Paola spoke of at each table!  All so tastey sounding so had asked Paola for her thoughts to which she resoundingly recommended the Osso Buco!  It didn't disappoint! A nicely hearty portion of meat and fresh pasta all with rich flavors, that and a bone with marrow in it which Paola brought a tiny fork to dig it out.  Thanks!  It was all really so enjoyable.  I picked out a bottle of Montepulciano D' Abruzzo (Genisia) to pair with this dish and went nicely well, not too dry, just right.  The bottle was later safely wrapped up to-go at the end of dessert. Marilu F. ordered Pear Fagotini which came with Freshly grated cheese on the side.  Her dish looked very impressive with bits of prosciutto and gorgonzola.  A very nice looking dish!    She paired with a glass of white wine. All the while we are taking this ambience in as we were seated in this side nook of a room  that sits at their front window and just eclectic items all over the walls etc. Onto Dessert! Whoops wait a minute, first have to explain we skipped the tempting appetizers because desserts looked so delectable. Yup yup! I ordered their stunning looking Chocolate  Mousse Hazelnut cake and Marilu had the Fruiti de Bosco - a mixed berries ontop of chantilly.cream on a pastry crust.  The chocolate mousse cake was so devine, light with a slight gentle crunch.  Truly a work of art on the palate to savor each bite.  Note though, their desserts are direct from Italy but hey these rock! Ambience: A quaint place, the owners and staff super engaging friendly, the owners doing their best to engage in conversation and make you happy and laugh. Music wise, tonight.  there was plenty of Andrea Bocelli music over the speakers and very welcoming. Also, there appears to be some regulars here and rightfully so as this place is in a plaza and overlooked by traffic coming and going to the intracoastal and beach areas nearby.  Definitely word of mouth and reviews bring you here.  It's great to see some regulars enjoy themselves here. We are definitely coming back bringing more with us in two weeks (April 1st!).

Il Paesano came in at 95 on the Yelp's top 100 list for 2023! Translated from Italian to English, The Villager has long been on my list to try and I have heard rave reviews about it from foodies from multiple sites including season 16 of the PBS show Check Please! My girlfriends and I planned a Friday meetup to finally try it for ourselves. Things to note before you come, they have two dinner services a night, 630 and 8 PM. Make reservations before you come as they are mandatory. Thanks Mary Ann for taking the lead on that. Also free parking is on the street side of the plaza. There are meters on the shop side. Il Paesano is charming family owned restaurant, deli, and meat market. Owners and couple Vergilio and Paola Peixoto met in South Africa. When it came time to open a restaurant they wanted to serve simple authentic Italian meals like nonna would make. Il Paesano started out as a deli and meat market but customers wanted somewhere to eat so Vergilio and Paola accommodated them by opening a restaurant in the charming vintage style market. Once you are seated you are invited to the wine room by Vergilio where you can pick a bottle of wine or you can order by the glass. The selection of wines were well priced and varied. The menu includes the dinner mainstays and then Paola and stops by the table to go over the specials. I took Holly's advice and ordered the gnocchi with a Bolognese sauce. It was divine. I shared a taste with my friends and they all agreed it was heavenly. While we dined Paola stopped to chat with us and shared her passion and heart for her customers and the food she serves. She could not have been nicer and even took a picture with us. When you dine with Vergilio and Paola it is like being invited into their home. It is such a special experience to eat here. I honestly think they should have landed higher up the list. I am already thinking about when I can come back with my daughter for the pear pasta.

It's a nice, quaint little restaurant with delicious food and wonderful service! We all enjoyed everything we ate and can't wait until we can go back again!

Fresh delicious food. Such a great lil' Italian deli. Service and ambience was great too! Had the Eggplant Parm - loved!

Paninis are off the charts I haven't had one in years and this place brought back European flavors for me. Super good! I really like the vibe - very Europeanlike as well. Service is awesome, super friendly, putting their hart and soul in making sure that your food and experience are the best possible. This just became one of my go to places in Lauderdale.

I highly recommend calling and making reservations as it is a very small restaurant. Upon arrival, the owner sat us at our reserved table. The waiter guided us to a wine room with a great selection of Italian wines. We chose a beautiful full bodied Chianti and we took the bottle to our table where the waiter opened it and poured it for us. They also brought us very crunchy toasted bread. For appetizer, I loved the pear. It had a gorgonzola cheese sauce and it was very flavorful. I asked for a traditional Italian dish recommendation and the owner gave me some options. I ended up choosing Bucatini al'Amatriciana which is a red sauce spaghetti pasta with crispy pork cheek. It was pretty delicious, but it had a lot more oil than I would've liked, maybe because of the pork. My partner had a pasta with some crab sauce and other things I cannot remember and it was really tasty. It had a lot of extra sauce and no garnishing or special look to it. On our way out we got 3 desserts to go, a lemon pie, a berry tart, and I believe the last one was a sfogliatella. We enjoyed all of the desserts especially since they were very traditional. They also have other little Italian things you can buy there! The market is small but has many unique Italian things! Overall nice experience. I just wish the music was a little louder and the tables weren't so close so it wasn't so awkwardly quiet.

Food was delicious. A lot of imported Italian pasta products. Looked so good I bought some pasta and tomato sauce. Service was great and it's small and intimate so the ambiance was amazing. My son's kind I loved this place!

The service was good. The food is not as good as it used to be. Everything we ordered was bland. The zucchini blossoms were very boring.

Celebrated our one year wedding anniversary here With family. Not my first time, we're from DC and always make a point of stoping by this gem of a restaurant. Always fresh food, always good. Menu is sometimes hard to find online, that's b/c they change it based on availability. You will not regret a visit here.

Wow Updating my view to 1 star after response from the restaurant owner. She completely missed the point of my complain and an opportunity. What a shame! Some people should just not work directly with customers --------- This is a review based on my experince as a vegetarian. I really like supporting small family businesses but unfortunately I didn't have the best experience this time. It started great with a Caprese salad that was pretty good and beautiful, however for main course I mentioned I was vegetarian and asked if it was possible to replace the porcini sauce of the mushroom ravioli for a marinara or vodka sauce since I though there was pork in the porcini sauce. What I heard next was very surprising and disappointing. The person taking our order who was also the owner said she couldn't replace that because marinara or vodka doesn't match mushroom ravioli. I was not expecting that answer and smiling I said "I do that at home all the time" and then she said. " You can do it at your house then. Here we don't". I was so shocked that I didn't know what to say and ended up going with another option they had which was a tasteless ricota pasta. The only reason I didn't get up and leave when she said that was because we were with another couple and I didn't want to make a scene, but I was absolutely disappointed not only the way she talked but also for the fact that she couldn't accommodate my very simple request just because based on her opinion the sauce I chose doesn't match mushrooms ravioli. If I look online I see multiple recipes of mushroom ravioli with marinara or other type of tomato sauce so in my opinion is a matter of taste and if my customer likes that, why not make them happy by accommodating such a simple request. In the end I didn't like the ricota pasta, which had no taste, and therefore I only had the artichoke that came with it, but at no point she asked me if there was anything wrong with it. In summary that seems like a very unfortunate situation but that totally impacted my experince, therefore I don't plan to go back or even recommend a place where the chef/ owner does not care about the customer.

In town and could not wait to come back here for dinner. We ordered the Antipasti Misto as an appetizer. It was a board filled with amazing cheeses, lunch meats and stuffed artichoke hearts. We were brought a basket of bread that was so good I had to stop from eating so I would have room for my entree. For dinner we had had the Pear Fagottini / little pasta puffs filled with pear with a Gorgonzola cream sauce with prosciutto, and the osso buco pappardelle pasta. For dessert we ordered a cappuccino and an espresso and split the chocolate cake. Everything was delicious, we love the atmosphere here and the owners are sweet and very welcoming.

Had the pleasure of going back there again last night with a larger party and had a great experience again! The grilled octopus app was one of the best we've ever had. In addition to what we had previously ordered our group also really enjoyed the penne a la vodka, Fiocchetti Tartufo, & Cartoccio Linguini. The desserts were fantastic as well including the berry tart, taramisu, & lemochello gelato. We also enjoyed a few bottles of brunello wine. Will definitely be back as the owners are super sweet and was such a great dinner!

Second time around and it's still as good as the first time I came. I got the Stone Crab Pasta with Pink sauce and it's it the most flavorful dish I've gotten in a long time. The quality of the food and service is unmatched. 10/10

This place is a gem for a dinner meant to be intimate and intentional. The food is authentic and unbelievable. The service is incredible as this is family owned. Graduation dinner, date night, but if you just want good Italian food at home, order for pick up too!

Delicious and fresh, place has a cozy feel to it. When you enter it looks like you're walking into an Italian grocery store with tables. You get to get up and pick your own wine bottle from a huge selection which I thought was really cool, we got oroluce moscato and let me say it was probably the best sweet wine I've EVER HAD, took 3 bottles to go. The lobster ravioli was delicious and fresh The gnocchi was very rich but lacked a little salt Vodka penne was fresh but average We got vanilla gelato it was LIFE CHANGING The tiramisu was amazing Overall adorable place with sweet waitresses/waiters, homey atmosphere, and delicious fresh food Cons- you have to ASK for the bread , service is a little delayed ( but worth it )

Cute place but food not so good.. the linguini with clams was like eating a bowl of soup with a minimal amount of linguini with some clams thrown on top.. when you tell the owner there's very little pasta in the bowl he ignores the problem.. what's cheaper than pasta? when the food arrives the server doesn't know who gets what dish.. we were two people, that's not too hard to figure out in a professionally run restaurant.. BLAND

This is the best little Italian restaurant we've ever had with a fabulous Italian store in it. The second time we were there, we booked a private cheese. Will dinner for us and eight of our friends and it was a fabulous experience. I hope this place is always there every time we are in town.

Had dinner with a couple of friends because it was highly recommended and it did not disappoint. It is a charming atmosphere that is reminiscent of a small family restaurant in Italy. Every single meal in the group was outstanding if not the best dishes we've had. The owners are delightful and give the most personal superb attention to all the guests. This will be my new favorite Italian restaurant when I visit Fort Lauderdale.

Cute place and service was perfect! Had the lobster ravioli and pistachio gelato- both were amazing!

Delicious & authentic Italian food with excellent service! A gem of a restaurant. We had the seafood pasta dish and ground meat spaghetti special which both were absolutely delicious! We too had the bruschetta, a nice bottle of wine and a pastry dessert! All amazing! Service was excellent and could not have been better! Super well priced. Will be back again!

Great small mom and pop shop. Great meal, dessert and wine choices. It's an Italian deli/gourmet establishment during the day and you can see a they have to offer because you're literally having dinner in the shop!

Amazing food and service! Every time we have gone the food has been delectable! Wines are a fair price.

I've been to Il Paesano multiple times and each time has been amazing. This family owned restaurant has a cozy and comfortable atmosphere with great service. I've had all the appetizers and my favorites are the grilled octopus, baked pears wrapped in prosciutto, and the cauliflower grantinati. I love octopus and order it whenever I see it on a menu - this grilled octopus might be the best I've had in Ft. Lauderdale. For entrees, I've also tried almost all of them and everything is fresh and cooked to perfection, so no matter what you choose you'll be delighted. The branzino in a white wine, lemon garlic sauce and served with pasta is my absolute favorite. Since this is also a wine market, their selection is huge. You simply walk back to the wine room and select the bottle you would like to have with dinner. It's the perfect place for small parties or a fun date with your significant other. Make sure you call to make a reservation ahead of time.

Great place! Highly recommend! Service is awesome. A charming and different experience than your everyday restaurant.