La Lanterna

The food was absolutely delicious every dish was flavorful and well presented. The ambience was lovely too, with a cozy vibe that made the experience even better. The staff was friendly and service was smooth. The only downside was the bathroom, which had a slippery floor and felt a bit unsafe. A little attention there would make this place perfect. Overall, a great spot for a meal just step carefully in the restroom!

This place is fantastic! If you can get a bar seat, the bartenders are fun, nice, and make great drinks and there's always people to talk to. All the food is delicious. The best are the limoncello wings, unsuspecting for an Italian place but the sauce is scrumptious and the wings are crispy! Pizza is great, pasta is great, just all around great. It's usually pretty busy but wait times are never crazy.

Probably my favorite Italian restaurant in Detroit. The meatballs are the start by itself. All pizza options are great. The Chicken Parmesan was not pictured, but was taken to go. The marinara sauce is beyond amazing. Would not have known about this spot had it not been for my United mileage plus credit card. Overall 10 out of 10 would recomm

It’s safe to say I’m still dreaming about how fantastic my chicken piccata was. From the first bite, the flavors were absolutely unforgettable—perfectly tender chicken, a bright, buttery lemon-caper sauce, and just the right touch of seasoning. It struck that beautiful balance between comfort food and fine dining. Honestly, I’m already planning my next visit just to relive it. A true standout dish that I’ll be raving about for a long time.

Came here with a few coworkers while traveling in the area. We had a great time. The food was amazing. I had the spaghetti frutti de mar it was amazing my peers got the chicken parm and other things everyone enjoyed their food too. For apps we had calamari which also was amazing. We also got burrata they enjoyed I didn’t eat burrata so couldn’t try it. Service was super friendly. It was pretty packed in their so service wasn’t as fast but still reasonable time and friendly

Best Italian restaurant I've eaten at in the mid west! Had the meatballs and gnocchi both of which were splendid. Pretty rich, so just had that between 2 of us. Quick attentive service. Small restaurant for detroit, but we got a table quickly 1 hour before closing on Friday.

We got the pizza and pasta with garlic, herb and lemon with prosciutto. Both were fantastic! They were slammed, but the manager got us in with a minimal wait. The special bourbon drink my husband got, he said was fantastic (my apologies, I cannot remember the names of any of these items)

Went here with my uncle a couple of weeks ago. I love the garlic wings, brick oven pizza, and wine vibes. It’s also a great spot for 1-1 time, bar area for sports games, and close walking distance to other shops & eateries.

Food is excellent, but last night, four of my friends and I went for a birthday celebration. All was good, until we found out, next day, that two of four cards were hacked. I called them to share what happened, and I have been assured the owner will call me back to get to the bottom of this. Well, she did call a day later, and she assured me she will get to the bottom of this, and I appreciated it. Hopefully, this will be resolved. Again, food is excellent!

La Lanterna offers up authentic Italian food in a sleek, cozy space in downtown Detroit. They get busy on the weekends, especially if there's an event nearby! Their pizzas and pastas are fantastic, and they also have a large list of Italian wines. I find the prices on the entrees and pizzas to be quite reasonable, though the wine list is on the high side. Still, all in all a good value. La Lanterna is always a go-to whenever I'm in Detroit!

La Lanterna is a casual Italian restaurant conveniently located in capital park in downtown Detroit. I popped in on a whim with a friend for a Thursday happy hour. The space was bustling with families, couples and solo diners enjoy an after work drink/bite. We were able to grab a couple bar seats and hour before happy hour ended. I enjoyed the house cab and a couple of meatballs which were on special. The wine was great value and smooth sipping. The meatball was cooked a little too hard on the exterior but flavorful throughout. The meatball, bread and cheese make for a great bite. My friend enjoyed the seafood pasta...this was a light pasta dish perfect for summer months. You can order it without clams as she did if you want to avoid shells! I enjoyed their version of chicken parm. It is super flavorful but note the sauce is a creamy tomato bolognese as opposed to a traditional marinara sauce. Super tasty but I like more tomato so ordered a side of marinara and liked it even better! All in all we walked away spending no more than $50 per person after a couple HH drinks, meatballs, pasta and tip. Best part is the pasta portion was large enough to have leftovers the next day! Highly recommend if you're in the area looking for a reasonably priced meal in a chill atmosphere with great hospitality.

I've dined here twice before. No issues. This visit will be my last. Two of us in our party. Both vegan/no meat eaters. Sat at the bar which is the most fun in my opinion. It's about 10 seats. The regular bartender who is always there was very chatty with coworkers and definitely took his time getting to us. It was not busy. I know this place can make plant based options. Pasta and tomato sauce is easy. Hold the cheese. They even have a veg pizza option. We didn't feel like pizza, so we ordered pasta with mushrooms and marinara sauce. The bartender assured us this was "as vegan as it gets" when he dropped it off. Plate looked good with noodles, mushrooms and red sauce. I took a bite or two and began to chew on little pieces of ground meat. I picked them out of my mouth and started to make a pile on my plate. Definitely meat in the sauce. We clearly were given bolognese sauce with our VEGAN mushroom pasta. Flagged the bartender. Asked him to ask the kitchen. He takes my plate. Walks it back up the kitchen. Tells me the owner made this sauce and it's definitely vegan. Also says the chef or owner says those bits I chewed on were mushroom gills. I realize no one there understands the texture difference between a mushroom (likely button, cremini, Bella...nothing that would be grissely/chewy and ground meat. And they don't have Impossible or Beyond faux meat which can fake a ground beef texture. I take another bite because both the bartender and chef must be right and I'm wrong. Same weird texture I haven't eaten in eight years. No thanks. I flag another bartender. A nicer, more empathetic and compassionate one. He listens to me, apologies several times, and takes both our barely touched plates away. He brings the bill back and has taken 10% off our two glasses of wine. Nice gesture and his attitude was 200% better than the other guy, but still. So we left hungry and very disappointed. The original bartender never came by, never apologized, and certainly wasn't wrong. Hard to hide in a bar as small as this one, but he did a great job ghosting us. Two stars because the food could be great if they listen to what their customers ask for. The interior is fun. Location is great. Zero stars for contentious service and delivering meat to vegan customers. They've lost my business.

Absolutely delicious!!! Happy hour is Tuesday thru Friday from 3pm-6pm. The happy hour menu is fabulous. I enjoyed the Margherita pizza. Their meatballs are amazing! I love the sauce, and it came with yummy burrata and a crostini. The fries were crispy and seasoned well with rosemary. The wine here is fantastic! I tried 3 red wines: Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, and El Primitivo. All were excellent. The Primitivo was my favorite and really special. For dessert, I thoroughly enjoyed the Frangelico cappuccino. Perfection! I received the most excellent service from John. He was so kind, took great care of my table, and made fantastic recommendations. He said he was new to working here so I wanted to make sure to shout him out. Thank you, John! The restaurant is located in the lovely Capitol Park neighborhood in downtown Detroit. My window seat had a lovely view of the park. This was a wonderful experience! I will definitely become a regular. I look forward to trying everything on the menu.

Just went back a couple days ago and ah, is always so delicious. Our server was also the bartender and even though he was super busy he was super attentive and sweet, even giving us recommendations! And of course our cocktails hittttt. Always will be back, by far one of my favorite restaurants in Detroit and somewhere I always recommend to friends

Very small and intimate restaurant. The food here is absolutely phenomenal. I haven't had gnocchi that good in a long time. Our server was super friendly. This is a great spot to check out in Capitol park

Fun environment, great bartenders & drinks, fantastic pizza, and good prices. A gem in the city!

Perveyors of a fine cocktail. Rob the bartender is a fine gentleman and makes a great bourbon drink. The menu is Italian. They have a brick pizza oven in back and menu is complete with some reds and white wines. Look forward to having a margherita pizza or some antipasti here. For now enjoying the 1956 bourbon cocktail.

We also had Penne Porcini, espresso martini and Summer in Amalfi. Everything was very good. Service was fast. Our waiter was excellent and very knowledgeable. I had a couple for gritty bites while eating the penne porcini, which was a turn off. The biggest downfall was the size of the table. It was very challenging to share our meal together.

Small intimate family run atmosphere. Great pizza! We got the rocket and I was worried it would be thick crust but it wasn't - it was pretty thin! & everything fresh! We added sausage to it. It had lemon zest on the rocket and was a lil spicy - perfect! They had a bowl of fresh Parmesan and a bowl of pizza sauce to dip! 1956- this is smoked and a little sweet but complex so the sweetness didn't overpower. Excellent. Margarita- it's spicy and has a kick. It's good. Caldo Inverno- is sweet and a little bit spicy. Very good. Meatballs- amazing! Huge meatballs. Was actually full eating just one. But everything tastes so good here so made room for pizza !

This place was so busy but we lucked out and got a seat at the bar! We ordered the Polpo alla Griglia, Liguria, and Papperdelle con Pesto e Pomodori. The appetizer was very good with the fresh greens and the octopus and shrimp were cooked perfectly. The pesto was good but could have used a touch of salt but we loved the creaminess of it and the pasta was so good. The pizza doesn't have sauce but it didn't need it! It was delicious! The portions are big too! Can't wait to go back!

My partner and I stopped in here randomly on a Friday evening to grab drinks and a quick bite. We decided to sit at the bar and the bartender was really friendly and made really great drinks. It's pretty small inside, but it gives off a mix between classy, but also similar to a small pizza joint. We did order pizzas and wings. The pizza was great, and so where the wings. It's honestly a pretty nice date night spot; behind the bar they have two person seating and larger seating arrangements in the back of the restaurant. If you want a quick bite in a great location in Downtown Detroit, this is a really good spot to do so!

This is an amazing homestyle Italian restaurant in Detroit. Don't miss out. The Housemade Grandma meatballs, Caprese salad and pizzas are top notch.

Their service is great! Not many options to choose from on the menu but the taste of the food makes up for it. The dessert cheesecake was very good as well, nice and rich!

Have only ordered takeout but their service is great with to go pickup. The food is absolutely delicious. We had the lasagne and the pizza and enjoyed both. We also had the calamari which was delicious.

My good friend and I wanted to grab dinner before heading to the Lions game on this particular evening. Foolishly we went to a different restaurant without making reservations, which made the wait unreasonable since we were on a tight schedule. So after searching around the area we found La Lanterna, which in retrospect was a blessing in disguise. The place was quite small and busy, but luckily we were able to grab two bar seats in no time. We didn't feel like having Italian before, but once we looked at the menu we were definitely sold. My friend got the margherita pizza and I got the spaghetti with clams and shrimp (Frutti di Mare). Everything was absolutely delicious and the service was amazing given how busy it was. The best part was there was a televised football game playing over the bar so we were able to enjoy a different game before we headed to the Lions. I cannot recommend this place enough whether it's for a game or for a more intimate occasion.

Very busy on a Friday nite, but it didn't take us long to get seated. Parking, on the other hand, took me at least 25 minutes because I didn't feel like paying $15 at the nearby lot. I ordered a glass of white wine, and I swear they brought me a tasting. It couldn't even have been 2 oz. We had the calamari appetizer. The addition of yellow peppers gave it nice flavor. However, there was an excessive amount of oil in the dish. I had chicken parm. The bolognese sauce was really good - VERY basil-forward. My friend had the lasagna and was in the "clean plate club". They loved it. Tiramisu is not on the dessert menu, if you're wondering. One other thing - when super busy, it is VERY loud in the restaurant. Difficult to have a conversation.

Ino always makes our visit to La Lanterna so much fun and "easy" ! La Lanterna treats us like family. Wait! Did I mention the food and drinks are TOP NOTCH?! Well they are ! 100%! If you haven't been here....well ....you really should!

This is our SPOT! Chicken parm & Burrata starter are the favorites but don't skip on trying the pizza! I could not say enough good things about the pizza. Service is always amazing and ambiance is great for date night!

Super bummed - we often stop for treats a couple doors down, had it on our list forever and finally made a point to get a late lunch... it wasn't too busy, I grabbed a table but the parking app didn't work, hubby uploaded a new one, but neither it or the machine wouldn't take amex or discover and we dont carry a visa around. The meter cops don't play around here, - didn't want us both to leave the car. I was told by a server we could go next door and get change to feed the meter, so we just decided why not just go to Ottava Via instead as we normally do. Bartender seemed friendly. Good job, Detroit.

I really hate to write this review as this is my hidden gem in downtown Detroit. But, this place is the best hidden gem in Downtown Detroit. The service is always spot on and the food is tremendous. What I really love about La Lanterna is that the dishes are not huge as with some Italian spots. So, no reason to not clean your plate! Pizzas are excellent thin crust pies. Pastas are all wonderful and as mentioned, the perfect size. Everyone that I have sent here sends me rave reviews. Just all in all a very enjoyable experience!

Hmm... I called to ask a basic question about the food. I was told: "I don't have time to tell you about that right now, I'm busy" by the hostess, who then promptly hung up on me. Needless to say, I won't be visiting and don't expect the service to be great if that's the first interaction you receive when entering the restaurant.

I don't frequent La Lanterna often but we had a tasty lunch here last week. The gnocchi was just great! The sauce was most excellent. It's hard to mess up a gnocchi with tomato sauce but people do. If you're a gnocchi lover I'd recommend La Lanterna. I love their location and the bar too. It's sunny and cozy.

So came back-finally-for dinner. So so glad we did. My friend had three things on one plate-it's an Italian place so let your imagination roam. He loved every bite. I had the lasagna bolognese (while nothing like the lasagna I had in Bologna) and it was outstanding. It cam in three pieces, each about the size of a Twinkie. I ate two, my friend had half of the other-he loved it. So, it is LOUD!!! But the food is great, service is European slow but very nice and they did have a full house with two large parties.

On this day I declare these are the best wings I've ever had. Limoncello wings. The right amount of Parmesan and garlic.

The best wings I've ever had. Amazing. Such a Unique's flavor. I wanted to order 2. There's about 9 in an order. Dominican cool AF bartender, he was chatty and made really cool, IG worthy drinks. More like a mixologist. Knowledgeable, friendly staff. Good music and good vibes. Idk about price since Ai didn't pay but for those wings I'd pay a cute price.

Cozy little Italian restaurant with a bar and bright red pizza oven. Great place for a date night, although it can get a little raucous on weekends. Reservations only accepted for groups of 6+. Several signature cocktails are available - including the bourbon-based 1956, referencing the year they opened. Good wine list also. Fried artichoke heart appetizer, served with a dollop of cream sauce, was delicious and easy to share. For dinner I enjoyed the ricotta and sage ravioli - large pockets of perfectly al dente pasta covered in a rich cream sauce. The lasagna, made with a rich homemade meat sauce, epitomizes classic Italian comfort food. For dessert we split the raspberry cheesecake - light, fluffy and served with fresh berries and a bit of carmel sauce. We'll be back to try the pizza!

Thank you -Susie I appreciate the fast response, I'll take my review down I understand, and thank you for reaching out- Food was still Good ! -

Dined here the night before the Freep 1/2 Marathon and we were extremely lucky to get in! Seats opened up at the bar that we snagged right away. If we had to wait for a table it would've been at least an hour. It was a Saturday night, lots of people were in town for the races, AND it was Sweetest Day. Not only were they completely packed, but the phone rang off the hook the whole time we were there with people trying to place to-go orders (which they were declining at that point since they were so busy). Shows how great they are since we did walk by a few other spots that were not that full and could've seated us right away. So, it was a busy night. Service was pretty slow. We anticipated it wouldn't be quick, but it was definitely slower than it could have been. It probably took 30 minutes to get drinks, and another 20 to get our food order placed. (Our bartender also sustained an injury while we were there which added to the timing issues, which was totally understandable. Thankfully he was ok!!) They had an ok beer list; they are obviously more geared towards wine, which was fine. Lots of pastas and pizzas on the menu. I would love to go again and try some of their other food, but we ordered pizzas. I had a pizza with prosciutto and arugula. OH. MY. GOSH. I ate about half of it. If I weren't running 13 miles the next morning I probably could've crushed the whole thing. You can tell it's made fresh, and the ingredients are really high quality. The presentation was also nice, though it made it difficult to eat. Thankfully I eat my pizza with a fork and knife anyway since there was no way to pick up a slice with the toppings all piled in the center. Oh, the crust was really tasty too, though a bit dry. If it hadn't been so busy I would have asked for some dipping oil. Overall super happy with the food, mostly happy with the experience. I'd love to visit again on a night that is hopefully not so chaotic!

We tried several dishes. All were top notch. It's an easy 4.5 star spot all around. A must try! Ynocencio was a great server and host. A true pleasure.

It was raining, we were hungry, we were right in front of La Lanterna and I feel like I was at the right place at the right time. We sat down and my friend and I split the La Lanterna Chop and a basic pepperoni pizza. The former was fresh and delicious and the latter was really good considering how basic our choice was. I would've gone with something a little more bold but I was with a picky eater. The pizza we had was thin crust and delicious. I was really impressed with the great service here, our server gave my friend and me some awesome suggestions for things do in the area and provided us with great directions so even someone like myself couldn't get lost. If you're in the area, definitely give this place a try.

Went to this place for the first time and it is in a great location, was walkable from our downtown hotel which was nice. The ambiance is also great; it was very cozy and intimate. We got the calamari as an appetizer and that was amazing. Our drinks were also good, I got the Traverse City cherry cocktail which was unique and excellent. The pizza however was a bit disappointing. I loved the concept and how many choices of pizzas there are, especially having so many options with prosciutto and arugula. I just think the pizza may have not been cooked enough- by the time we got it it was so soggy we couldn't pick it up. The cheese and sauce are tasty but the dough ruined it for me. I would maybe get pasta next time to see if it is better but I was a little disappointed.

Yummyyy! La Lanterna really hit the spot. The pizza was a delicious surprise. Cocktails are good too. Love the profiteroles as well. Welcoming environment.

We had a few hours to kill in Detroit and wanted some good Italian. We stumbled across this place and I am glad we did! We got the meatballs, trio pasta, and the special which was a tortellini in a garlic cream sauce with peas and prosciutto. It all was delicious and fresh tasting! The meatballs literally melt in your mouth! We both loved the fettuccine Bolognese the best on the trio but all were delicious. The servers were great: Larry and Jamie. Very friendly and helpfulness! The customers inside were regulars which really solidified how great it is. This place does not disappoint! Only thing that could have been better was they had no salads that day due to only having two cooks. Which I hate even bringing up because they were making it work with what they had. That's how life is right now. But if it happens again, this place is still great without a salad. You can skip a salad for one meal!

Great little spot to cozy up next to the bar with a glass of wine and bowl of pasta. The food great an service/bartender was super friendly. Started with the burrata which was so good and a huge portion size. Entree was the chicken park and it was delicious. Definitely recommend a stop in here or out on the sidewalk seating on a nice night!

This is a nice place for good Italian food and wine. I like the pasta with pesto and the pizzas.

LOVE THIS PLACE! Came here on Friday with a large group, called ahead for reservations. We were seated right away. Fairly small restaurant, so I'd recommend making reservations because it was full! Service was outstanding! Family run restaurant, operating a few other restaurants around Detroit. Our server was great and recommended some appetizers that you NEED to order. Order tapas style so you can try everything! Everything is really affordable too. STAND OUT ITEMS Appetizers: -Limoncello Wings- such a unique flavor. Chicken was ridiculously juicy! -Calamari Arrabbiata- "best calamari I've ever had". Perfectly fried calamari, tossed in a cheesy spicy pepper sauce Pizza -Rocket- goat cheese is superior Pasta/Entre -Gnocchi- nothing like homemade pasta -Chicken Parm- the béchamel makes the sauce creamy, almost like a blush sauce Our party ended up staying for over 2 hours, we had such a good evening. There is a really cool speakeasy in the back ally behind the restaurant too. If you're interested in going, also make reservations because it's very small. Can't wait to come back!

In town for the Detroit International Marathon, we were looking for a place to carb load. We were lucky enough to grab a table for two at La Lanterna where the service was excellent and the food was delicious. Highly recommend this for a casual Italian dining. Jyssika was great!

If I could give ten stars, I would. Eno, Steve and Rob were outstanding. Cocktails are thoughtfully prepared and the food is top notch. Two meals in two days and perfect both times.

Came here on a whim. We ordered burrata and pizza and oh lord oh lord! It was A-MAZING! I can't wait to go back and try the pasta dishes! Such a great little place!

Great food and portions. Italian club was fantastic, very flavorful with a nice soft ciabatta bun and the rosemary fries were great! Service was very attentive and the ambience has a fun vibe yet quaint! Great place to stop in and get a pizza, sandwich or pasta before the game!

Food and service was great! Server recommended the rocket pizza which was absolutely incredible. Both plates were light but very filling! Will definitely be coming back!

Food was excellent. Had the tres pasta. Hubby had lasagna. No leftovers. Excellent service. We will be back.

Wonderful service and fabulous food. Great date night place or just a drink after work.

Small place but we sat at the pizza bar. Everything was delicious! We had pizza, chicken Parmesan, and the pasta trio. Will definitely go back!

Solid four-star experience. We ate outside near a heater, as there was a chill in the air. We started with a meatball appetizer as well as a calamari starter. I would say the meatball was a four-star taste. But the calamari stole the show. I can't quite describe the sauce that it was in, almost like a creamy buffalo... Super hard to describe but it was one of the better calamari dishes I've had. And I would definitely order it again when I come back. I also shared white garlic pizza and chicken Parmesan with my husband. Both were very tasty and flavorful. If you're in the area, it's definitely worth your time to eat at La laterna. Friendly servers, wonderful ownership, and a great chef.

The best Italian restaurant in Detroit. Great service and delicious food. Do you're a favor and stop in when you're downtown!

I called about a month in advance of when I was hoping to visit the restaurant and I was told that they only take reservations for parties of 6 or more. I definitely understand that as I would want to ensure I had space for my walk in customers if I was a business owner. The date I was planning to come to dinner I made sure to arrive earlier than dinner rush. Me, my two kids, and my husband arrived at 5:15 to a half empty restaurant and was told that they were completely full with reservations and couldn't seat my family until 8:00 pm. I proceeded to ask about the kitchen bar in the back and was told that was being "held", not reserved. I then asked if there were any tables held for walk-ins and was told they couldn't do anything for me. Meanwhile multiple couples and people without children walked in and sat down. I was told I could speak to the manager but he was too busy to turn around and speak with me. Thankfully there are other restaurants in the city who were happy to seat a family with kids who enjoy great food and wine.

Food was tasty, service was excellent and the ambiance was comfortable. We had cocktails, rosemary fries, the arugala salad, penne alla genoa, and penne porcini. All of the dishes were made well. We truly enjoyed this meal. If in the area, make an effort to stop in. Highly recommend.