La Dolce Vita

Try to envision the most ideal authentic italian restaurant: freshly made pasta, unique, flavorful ingredients, personalized service from the owner himself, amazing desserts. La Dolce Vita has it all. The antipastas including the artichoke, the truffle ravioli, prosciutto and burrata. And the pasta was incredible - my favorite was the Cacio e Pepe was the best I’ve had. The spaghetti with Ragu of lamb, and ravioli with short rib. And for desserts, get the tiramisu, amaretto mousse? And lemon cake all were so good.

This is true authentic Italiano food! As soon as I entered I saw fresh salads and food being served with pride! The owner is personable and wants you to enjoy and have a great dinner. I really enjoyed the atmosphere it was classy and space was spacious and uncrowded even though it was liveley and warm ambiance! The food was outstanding: Penne bolognese was the best I wver had so good i bought a to-go plate for leftovers!!! The Lamb ragu was fantastic I havent had anything like it I loved it! The lentil soup was delicious!!!Probably the best i ever had. I have to come back asap! Vito approved ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Delicious food and staff were wonderful. Very pricey, but they were extremely kind and efficient, wonderful ambience outdoors on the street. The octopus was much smaller than expected, but the lobster ravioli was on point!

A MUST when in Fort Lauderdale! Please do not pass up the opportunity to try this place. The owner is a delight. Makes you feel right at home. Food is to die for. Prices are great. I cannot say enough 💚🤍❤️

My first time eating at La Dolce Vita was good the atmosphere was not that good the temperature was perfect though. The food was amazing the appetizers were great and the meals were also very good. But if your coming to drink there is no bar! The service was pretty decent it the people were nice and fast. Also the food came out hot and fast.

A true authentic Italian restaurant. You will not find chicken Parmesan, spaghetti and meatballs or Alfredo sauce here. Fabio and Christian are the owners and waiters, they were born in Italy. Excellente, the best Italian restaurant in Fort Lauderdale.

Wow what an incredible restaurant! Couldn’t be happier finding this place and trying it out. It’s been on my list of places to try for around a year already and so glad I finally came. The service was incredible. Christian and Fabio were amazing hosts, also had great service from Augustina. The polenta was delicious, the octopus was great as well. Highly recommend the carbonara pasta and their signature dish dolce vita. Looking forward to coming back.

I love this little spot. It’s been around forever and updates are minimal. As soon as you walk in, you’re greeted in Italian and made to feel like family. The food is excellent. Pasta is handmade in house and melts in your mouth. Great prices on wine and food alike. Highly recommend for quality, Italian food.

Another visit to my favorite Italian spot in Fort Lauderdale, La Dolce Vita. The two owners are Fabio (from Abruzzo) and Christian (from Rome). Great food and quite authentic. Had a great wine from Abruzzo, Marramiero. A delicious medium bodied red. I ate the Pollo Alla Romana. It was fantastic. The tomato sauce is chunky with bits of tomato, roasted red pepper, carrots, celery and onion. Quite a delicious tomato sauce. The skinless chicken breasts were seared nicely and were cooked in the sauce for hours. The side potatoes were roasted in olive oil and accompanied the entree nicely. The meat was tender and moist. My new favorite dish here!

Truly delicious, authentic Italian food! Everything tasted very fresh, the pasta was perfectly al dente, and the wine selection was great. Service was friendly and quick but not rushed!

Everytime we are in the area this is our NUMBER 1 restaurant to dine at. We dine here at-least twice every visit (two-three times a year) -- besides the beautiful Italian ambience inside and out the service is on point. Friendly, knowledgeable and always the same staff (we enjoy seeing the same people everytime we dine here) menu is a decent size, everything is made in house / it is all unbelievably delicious. Wine and beer only (which is fine since I'm a wine lover !) owners are from Italy - please please add this place to your must visit list when you are in Fort Lauderdale.. you will NOT be disappointed. I promise !

Food, service and ambience here are outstanding. The wait staff is friendly and very helpful. The owner will visit you army your table to make sure all is good. This is a touch we adore in any dining experience. It adds familiarity to the restaurant and dining experience. There is nothing on the menu at this restaurant that is not perfectly prepared and delicious. Also, portions here are spot-on. We live in Galt mile, part of the year - and we always have a dinner here. (Please note - the owners go to Italy every year grim 1 Aug to 1 Oct (approximately). This is a must visit for any trip to FLL

Nice ambiance and great service. The food was just ok, however. I got the sausage pasta. I didn't expect the sausage to be ground up. It was very light on flavor and overall just ok. My friend ordered a different pasta and hers was better, but still not amazing. I'll probably be back to try something different since it's across from our new condo. But, it may be some time and nothing is drawing me back to try.

Great little Italian spot in Ft. Lauderdale. All of the spaghetti dishes are made with fresh pasta. We had the Ragu with lamb, the amatriciana with black pepper, and the lasagna which I'm not sure is made with homemade pasta. We also had the chicken which was like a chicken cacciatore if you like that, the pasta dishes were around $28 and the chicken was $38. The bread was fresh and they brought more if you asked. We also had the tiramisu and lava cake with ice cream. Both were good but the lava cake did not have any lava coming out. It was more like a rich moist fudge brownie though which was good. Service was quick and friendly. We celebrated birthdays there but they did not comp any dessert. The portions are not big but just the right amount. Minus one star for the prices of the food and wine. Parking is available right outside for $2/hr at the meter. Check it out if in Ft. Lauderdale.

Octopus was amazing to start and the Sunday sauce was delicious. The service was very good and the staff were very personable. The restaurant decor was very nice and inviting. I would highly recommend this restaurant as we went with friends who picked this restaurant and we were very pleased.

Came here for my mom's birthday. Glad we did, she had a blast. Host/owner is wonderful, provided us with brief history the restaurant, love for food and country. Food is flavorful, wine we selected was perfect. Great place to visit! Make sure to make reservations in advance. Parking can be tricky, plan accordingly. We arrived early, theres no waiting area so we went next door for drinks while we waited for our table to get ready.

Took a drive from South Miami to treat my mom to an early Mother's Day dinner at La Dolce Vita & it was totally worth it. Cozy, dimly lit vibe, amazing service, and the food was phenomenal. Loved the Lobster Ravioli and Garganelli Bolognese, but the Ravioli Al Funghi Tartufati was my favorite. Can't wait to come back!

Wonderful environment. I came with my family and grandparents, and the people who worked there were lovely and friendly - we had conversations about where my family was from in Italy, about dogs and vacations. The food was delicious - everything was flavorful and presented beautifully, we even spoke about the ossobuco (photo below) on the ride home.

Are you kidding me? This place is just like being in Napoli. They treat you like family (great service, love, and kidding). Fabulous food. Try the lobster ravioli - it's the best I've ever had; the sauce is amazing!!! Great service, ambiance, etc.

The service was amazing from the time we walked in the door, warm greetings and attentive service the whole night! Food came out perfectly temped and flavors were so fresh and delicious! Had the crispiest skin on a branzino in my life and the mushroom risotto was to die for!! Definitely would come back!!

What a cute restaurant tucked away in this unassuming strip mall! We stopped in late on a recent Saturday and they were quick to find out party of 4 a nice table outside which was great as it was freezing inside the restaurant! We started with one of the specials of the day which was the caprese salad- a lovely mound of buffalo mozzarella surround by fresh tomatoes. Delicious! For my entree, I went with the spaghetti carbonara, and my friend had the pork chop both of which were also very good. Another in our group had the pasta special of the day although I can't remember what it was Service was also quite good especially our server had to keep running in and out for all the requests that my party was asking of her. We never felt rushed even though we knew they had to be closing soon. And the wine kept flowing like it was much earlier in the day. A good evening out all the way around!

Mediocre food at ridiculous prices. Unfortunately there is not a zero star option. Small portions, service just ok. The waitress had no idea of what was in the menu. She had to call a guy to clarify what she was trying to explain. We were sat outside, almost on the street and there was a homeless person smoking a cigarette, so to add pain to injury, we had to smell the smoke during the whole dinner and the smoke of the cars trying to park in the area. Another special feature was the dog in the building across the street was barking no stopping for more than an hour. One of the lasagnas was completely burned and when sent back he just said oh well, mistakes happen ! Horrendous experience. The person paying the bill made a mistake and overpaid almost $100 dollars , good thing we checked the bill before leaving because the "owner- chef-waiter" who by the way seems to be Mr Know it all, never said a word! ... Did he really think that for the mediocre service he was getting a 45% tip? They were lucky that somebody else was paying otherwise my tip would had been a $000...Very sneaky!. . . I guess most of the Italian restaurants in the area must think: "we just said " homemade" and people fall for the BS".

Food especially and costumer service the best experience gourmet para recomendar a probar los ñoquis y spaghetti

We are from Michigan and came here in a recommendation from some locals. It is in a strip mall and what a perfect place! I had the mushroom risotto and my husband had the spaghetti with sausage. Wow! Just amazing. Proof that quality ingredients make food best. This is the real deal. A table of folks speaking Italian next to us! Busy on a Monday night! Be sure to give it a go!!

Food is consistently good Service could be improved with better training Management should be more involved with the operations of the restaurant & less time on mobile phones

If u want real Italian food this wonderful restaurant it's perfect for you! Amazing food, great service. The Italian owners are there to make sure you are treat like a king. The wine list is full of interesting wines. And their food is out of this world . Homemade pasta!!! The burrata , the tiramisu, Love it! I will come back and complain about the calories another day

Whenever we come to Fort Lauderdale, we always come here. The food is always fantastic. We had the eggplant appetizer. My girlfriend had the ravioli, wild mushroom black truffle creamy Parmesan sauce, and I had the veal chop black truffle wild mushroom cream sauce. To finish we had the chocolate lava cake. Excellent service and unbelievable food. Highly recommend.

Warm.Welcoming. Delicious Italian food...by actual Italian owners/ chefs. Picky New Yorker is neve disappointed!!

OMG. Awesome restaurant. Totally authentic. Everything we had was delicious. Most customers sitting were Italian so that's a good sign. We had the pulpio, carbonara and brasatta short rib ravioli. All the pastas are made in house and the red sauce is just like Nonna's. If in Ft. Lauderdale please go here. Most of staff is Italian so basically you can order in English or Italian. If I could give more than 5 stars I would.

La Dolce Vita is a spectacular restaurant. The service was impeccable, the food was delicious, and the vibes were great. I ordered the Ravioli di Brasato al Pomodoro for an entree and it was incredible. I was shocked by the fact that it wasn't nearly as heavy as I thought it would be. The pasta itself was fresh, the tomato sauce was light but flavorful, and the short rib filling was so tender and savory. When I say the tiramisu is the best I've ever had, I'm not exaggerating. It's not totally overpowered by espresso, the mascarpone is airy and sweet, and the lady fingers still have a bit of structure. If I were a Fort Lauderdale native, I would 100% become a regular at La Dolce Vita.

Came in late, told sit at the bar., Not the friendliest place. Saturday night and super busy. Two head waiters stern. Like we were lucky to get a seat. Things improve as food came. Service flows over the top. Sea bass and spaghetti with veal. Probably hard to beat anywhere. Stanley Tucci would approve. Originally I was a little concerned but they proved there way.Highly recommended. Wine very good. $10 per pour.

We had the pleasure of meeting owner, Fabio last night and enjoyed an authentic Italian dinner that honestly was our best meal in Ft. Lauderdale. We started with the polenta but we added tomato sauce and mozzarella instead of the truffle., it reminded me of the polenta I ate as a child! The grilled octopus was delicious. Our main courses were meat free since it was a Friday during lent, but that made no difference- the mushroom risotto and cacio & Pepe were outstanding as well! We didn't take any photo as we were having great conversation with Fabio- a true Italian gentleman. I highly recommend that you visit La Dolce Vita if you are in south Florida! The block it's on is fun too- live music and lively! Such a great way to end our trip! Grazie Mille Fabio! PS the lemon cake and tiramisu are a must!

This is a hidden gem and a must visit when you want authentic Italian food, clean with a cool vibe. The owner suggested some dishes and the dishes did not disappoint. The bolognese was silky smooth thick and hearty, yummmmmm, the ravioli was delicious, flavorful and scrumptious. Forgot to mention the burrata awesomeness. Finished out with a decadent tiramisu. Service was top notch Earned all five stars. Fantastic

This is a very cozy Italian restaurant. All four of us thought the food was excellent and we had good service. Even though the corkage fee is $30, I recommend bringing your own wine. The wines seem to be a bit pricy. The food is reasonably priced and there are lots of choices.

LA DOLCE VITA - THE SWEET LIFE! Trust me, LIFE really doesn't get any sweeter than this! If you are in the Ft Lauderdale area, you MUST make a dinner reservation at LA DOLCE VITA RESTAURANT. Authentic Italian cuisine all prepared on site with FRESH ingredients- each menu item more delectable than the previous. Wines direct from Italy also. We have been numerous times over the past few years and always look forward to going back - they never disappoint. The owners, FABIO & CRISTIAN, are there every night, serving you, visiting with you, treating you like family, because when you are there, you are FAMILY!

This is one of the restaurants that not only is the food delicious but the customer service is outstanding and a huge topic of discussion. Emilio took great care of my wife and I on Valentine's Day. Super friendly staff and they genuinely care about the people who come and dine in this beautiful Italian restaurant. We ordered the carbonara and the mushroom risotto. The presentation was great and the taste of the plate was one to remember! For desert we ordered the traditional tiramisu which was the perfect ending to our meal. Thank you La Dolce Vita!

What a gem! This restaurant is so charming and has a fantastic selection of Italian dishes on the menu. We called and made a same-day reservation for 3 on a Wednesday with no issues. The ambiance is perfect for good conversation - just the right amount of lighting and the Italian music playing was at a perfect volume. When we walked in at around 6:20 there were only a couple other tables with customers by the time we got up at 7:30 the restaurant had filled significantly and all of the outdoor tables were taken! My party ordered the artichoke tower and octopus as appetizers - both fantastic. Then for our main meals we each got a pasta. All three were with their homemade spaghetti. My mother got cacio e pepe, my sister got a lamb meat sauce, and I got a red sauce with guanciale. All excellent. This is certain to be a regular spot for us on our visits to Fort Lauderdale!

Food, especially sauces (gravy) delicious. Fabio very welcoming and caring. Definitely, we will be back Doug & Maria

Do you believe in fate? I believe I was here three years ago and I loved it. I randomly selected an Italian restraint close to the airport. I am not 100% but I'm close to it. I'm from BOSTON and we have outstanding Italians. La Dolce Vita reminded me of our North End. I got the lasagna it I was not disappointed. A gem!

Bellísima. A fantastic evening with exceptional Italian cuisine. A friend of mine has raved about this restaurant for months and we finally had the opportunity to dine here for a Sunday night dinner. A hidden gem to say the least. Fabio, the owner, truly made a valiant effort to make our dinner remarkable in every time way, start to finish. With a spectacular selection of wines imported from Italy we had no idea where to begin. Fabio insisted on samples thus we had a wine tasting of his best choices until we discovered the wine of our choice. For wine connoisseurs, you will appreciate the reputation and recommendations of a sommelier. As an appetizer we had the burrata and prosciutto. The best I've ever had. What I looked forward to the most was the pasta. Made in house from scratch THIS is how you do pasta. We went with classics: bolognese and cacio e Pepe. Deliziosa! Fabio regularly checked in on us and made us feel at home. He took his time to explain the menu and understand what we liked to ensure he met our needs. Fun fact: his accent is delightful and truly a nice touch to the Italian feel. To wrap up a spectacular dinner we were treated with their divine tiramisu. What a treat. This is for anyone who appreciates Italian cuisine, fine wine, paired with extraordinary service. It takes a truly authentic restaurant to cultivate the experience of La Dolce Vita "the sweet life". Grazie.

Came here last week for a birthday dinner after being on my list of places to try since moving here last year; SO GLAD I DID! This place is an absolute must for the freshest and most flavorful dishes and great wine, and truly amazing service. The owner, Fabio was welcoming and friendly as soon as we walked in. Drinks were served quickly and the wine that was recommended was absolutely fantastic! Needless to say we had about 4 bottles Appetizers were the truffle polenta, polenta with bolognese, and burrata with prosciutto; all absolutely excellent but that truffle polenta was life-changing and a must try. So rich, decadent, fresh and flavorful; sinful! And the little sooon included to savor the bone marrow was perfect. For my meal I ordered the pork Osso Bucco served over rissotto and it was really great. A nice Italian espresso to finish the meal was just what was needed. This place is a new addition to my "best restaurants" list and will definitely be back often. Check them out, you will not be disappointed.

We found no fault in La Dolce Vita: service, food or ambiance. The artichoke tower is exceptional.

What a quaint experience and so personal. The owner Fabio interacted with the customers and made it such an enjoyable experience. The Lobster ravioli was amazing! We will be back!

Excellent food and service with very generous portions. Good desserts as well. We are on vacation and this was recommended to us and we were not disappointed. Make sure to make a reservation- it was getting busy when we were on our way out.

My first time being at the restaurant, I was surprised how packed it was for a Monday.. the name of my server. She was a younger black lady. She was excellent... and very informative about the menu and the ingredients.. the food was stunning, and it was reasonably priced...

Covid kept us from La Dolce Vita for over two years. We were delighted to revisit the venue with friends after all of that time. We remembered enjoying the veal chop with a lovely truffle mushroom sauce, and roasted potatoes that are indescribably delicious. On our recommendation our friends chose to enjoy the veal chop. We joked and said we could form a new singing group,"the four veal chops!". everything was as we remembered, the intimate dining experience and the wonderful food. Fabio and Cristiano will make you feel welcome and make sure you're every desire is fulfilled. I am happy to be able to return to La Dolce Vita post Covid and will recommend it to our friends in the future.

Went to the bar for light bites and had a great time. Tuesday night prime dinner time, quick service, clean bar, nice people, not crowded. Never heard of the place so had no expectations. The drinks were amazing- 3 of us and the bartender thoughtfully gave each of us a different color edible flower. Loved the pizza, The calamari was OK (I'm picky). RAVIOLI AI FUNGHI was amazing. Will definitely go back and bring more friends.

I apologize that I don't have any photos as it was too dark in the restaurant to take them. This is a lovely little restaurant along restaurant row. It must be a kept secret or too early for dinner because they were not busy. They make their own pasta so that was a plus. Max and I shared the Tomato and Burrata nestled on a bed of arugula. For dinner, Max had the special which was pasta in a red meat sauce (Lamb, Veal and Sausage). I had the pasta with shredded lamb. Both were good, but Max's was better. For dessert, we shared the Almond Cake. The service is incredible and they take pride in what they do. What impressed Max was that they didn't seat the couple who came in after us right next to us. It didn't appear to be a social distancing choice. It seemed more like the desire to allow both of us to have a nice romantic dinner without hearing the other table's conversation.

Food simply doesn't get any better! Service is outstanding. I HIGHLY recommend this restaurant.

Excellent experience in this italian restaurant. This is my third time and it was amazing, I had the carbonara and shared Prosciuto con Burrata and Artichokes, the wine was super good Super good service, an authentic 5 star restaurant

La Dolce Vita, has the welcoming ambiance of a family restaurant. The decor is styled on the old movie by the same name. The service is great, they are exceptionally attentive, friendly and passionate about their craft. I have frequented this several times because their polenta is so amazing I can't stay away! It is with a trip!

I've been wanting to try this place for a long time and I finally did tonight. If I could give more than 5 stars I would. I've lived in South Florida for over 30 years and La Dolce Vita has the most authentic Italian food I've ever had here. We started off with the prosciutto and burrata over arugula. It was so fresh and delicious. I had the carbonara and my boyfriend had the lasagna. Both of our entrees were amazing. The food doesn't get better than this. The owner, Fabio was our server and he was very friendly and a true Italian!!! Service was spectacular. So happy to have dined here and we will be back.

Thought we were in Rome tonight. Been to Rome many times but found restaurant that is like being there in Ft. Lauderdale . Wonderful bolognese and ensalata with feta and cherry tomatoes was awesome. Service is impeccable as was friendliness of staff. Wish they were closer to where we live. Highly recommend for authentic Italian cuisine.

This place was phenomenal. Very pleasant staff, clean and nice atmosphere. The food was out of this world good. The octopus was so well prepared and tender. The pasta was delicious and the chef if you ask prepares a hot pepper sauce from scratch. This place is a great stop for anyone looking for a fresh and quality meal at a reasonable price.

This is my 2nd time at the restaurant. It's a small Italian restaurant off the beaten path. Authentic Italian food at its best... I ordered the CHITARRINA SALSICCIA & TARTUFO - Homemade spaghetti, crumbled sausage with black truffle cream sauce I've been thinking about this dish since last February. OMFG, it's was freaking amazing. I licked the plate by accident. The other plate was a nightly special with veal, chicken, and beef. All dishes are with fresh pasta...

Food was absolutely delicious! Menu items were somewhat different from the "normal" Italian fare-but very good. Food was quick, fresh & hot! Service was impeccable!

If you've been to South Florida, you know that it has no shortage of Italian eateries. After enjoying a big dinner with friends and family, it's safe to say that La Dolce Vita stands out amongst the crowd. Founded by Italian-born restauranteurs, La Dolce Vita offers fresh pastas and authentic recipes. The restaurant's namesake is an Italian film with a 96% rotten tomatoes score, which is a great indication of the standard that is held by the chef. Co-Owner, Fabio, deserves a special shout-out. He's charismatic and energized the dining room, stopping by every table and quickly turning patrons into friends. Appetizers pictured are the Prosciuetto e Burrata and Guazzetto di Cozze. Mains pictured are the Cacio e Pepe, Carbonara, Lasagna, Lobster Ravioli, Chitarrina al Ragu D'Agnello and some others. The sauces and recipes are surprisingly simple, but the combined freshness and execution by chef makes it feel like you're tasting each dish for the first time.