La Novella

We had our wedding reception at La Novella on Sunday, August 31st, and it turned into a very upsetting experience. When we booked, Michael (the owner) was so friendly and offered us $50 per person, with soft drinks included and wine at $30 a bottle. We had 40 guests and 10 bottles of wine. The math is simple: the total should have been around $2,300, maybe $2,500 with the extra drinks. Instead, we were charged over $4,000 plus tip. The wines weren’t even finished, and the “included” soft drinks were never provided. We had already paid a $500 cash deposit, but it’s obvious he didn’t apply it to the bill. My father-in-law was only given a credit card transaction slip that night, not an itemized receipt. When we went back to ask for a copy, Michael lied and said he had already given it to my father-in-law (he didn’t). He flat-out refused to provide one and hung up on me when I called back to ask him to review the charges. This is shady and dishonest behavior. On top of that, the room was roasting hot even though we were told there would be AC, and several guests complained but nothing was done. Our wedding reception should have been a happy, stress-free memory. Instead, we left feeling cheated, disrespected, and extremely upset. Michael was rude, dismissive, and refused to double-check his own mistake. ⚠️ Stay away from this restaurant. If you care about honesty, transparency, and professionalism, this is not the place to trust with your special events.

We had an excellent experience in the garden room for our niece’s first holy communion. The whole celebration was excellent, the staff positive and helpful through out. The food was good standard Italian served for large parties, fresh ingredients and well seasoned. The bathrooms remained clean and well stocked through out the event.

Was invited here for a luncheon with family. The portions were big, the penne a la vodka and chicken Parmesan were delicious. The wait staff was attentive and friendly. Definitely stop in you won't regret it

La Novella is the best in town! If you’re looking for amazing Italian food with incredible staff , this place is a must! Owner Michael and Ivette are two of the sweetest people I’ve ever met! They are always there and their love for what they do shines through!! A secret gem with a huge party room for all your events and parties!

Wow, we were looking for a restaurant on they final evening of our honeymoon. We discovered here and it was amazing, the staff were very friendly and the portion sizes were very generous. We had artichoke stuffed to start and mains were seafood linguine and salmon fettuccine. We had two glasses of red wine also. We enjoyed the night as was music on and we sat outside under canopy. The waiter was Italian and so is my wife so they spoke about where from and family. It was the best place for our last night. Shame as we would have gone back. I highly recommend this place for Italian food and great atmosphere. Thank you again and hopefully we can return again one day.

La Novella throws amazing parties! The patio always looks gorgeous, the staff are top notch and the food is delicious. They treat you like family and make sure your guests are enjoying themselves. We’ll continue to use them for parties.

This was our families first time here. The food and service were great tonight. Their red sauce is delicious. We had it with the fried calamari. We also ordered Cesar salad for 2, Penne alla vodka with grilled chicken, Penne alla nona & Pollo Al Novella. Great portion size as well. We will definitely be back.

I drive past LaNovella as my mom lives in East Meadow. I had never been here before but it was such a nice experience. The food was so delicious and enough for 2 meals. Baked clams were so awesome. Our waitress, Kendall was just a doll. Definitely will be back!

After attending 2 parties in their spacious party room my wife and I decided to hold our 20th Wedding anniversary party there. We met with the owner Michael who could not have been more receptive to our needs. He gave us a tour if the place and helped us form a complete menu from appetizers to entrée selections to a choice of open bar options. He and his wife Ivette were always available to discuss changes that needed to be made without any hassles. They are both exceptional party hosts and I say this before any guests arrived or and food touched a plate. At party time ( sept 27,2025) we walked in 2 hours early to set up decorations to find that the tables were already dressed and our homemade centerpieces already in place. He had music that we requested already going and his staff gave assistance when we requested. When food service started the staff brought out an endless parade of appetizers of fresh hot foods that were delicious. Next came salad followed by pasta ( vodka sauce was fantastic). Next came the entrées( which we had a choice of 8 dishes) my veal marsala was perfectly seasoned and cooked as was all the entrees served to my party guests (52). Bar service was on point and fast. Michael had another party scheduled to start about 2 hours after mine ended but did not rush us to leave. This place is a gem to hold a party at. I am now organizing a reunion of my former workmates and will not think about going anywhere else. Many thanks to Michael and Ivette for making my anniversary a complete success. I'm still getting calls about the great food and service.

Old world to outdoor restaurant all in one place. Food was very good, service was exceptional. Clearly a well trained professional staff. Nice Italian treats before and fruit after the meal on the house. Long list of daily specials along with a nice menu makes us wanting to go back soon.

So I've been here at least three times the food is amazing and I always order something different and I was NOT disappointed... The servers are very friendly and patient... I love the way he has the outdoor indoor ... also look out for live music night. They had this guy there. His voice sounded like Andrea Bocelli along with his hot sidekick kept the 70s 80s music going all night ... also found out that Michael is a former Yugoslavian countryman and we shared the grappa so delicious

There were three of us there for lunch. Service was excellent, the kitchen served up complimentary bread and pizza wedges plus a plate of antipasto. Lunch portion was large and arrived piping hot.

Food is excellent! Very tasty and always fresh! Service is way above par and ambiance is intimate and small inside, but has an outdoor tent that is very open and spacious

Great food. Large portions. Owner very friendly family restaurant. Staff very attentive, friendly. Fast service. Comfortable atmosphere decor matches the restaurant style Italian

Came here for a Xmas party and was met by professional staff and was able to run into the owners Michael and Ivette. They treat their customers like family you can tell they take pride in their business thats why they do so well. The food was amazing so tasty and fresh . Nice night with friends and family and we also had a special guest singing Mauricio and Ana they were amazing. This is a must go to for Italian food . The place is decorated so nice for the holidays. Parking is available and location is perfect right off the parkway. You can have lunch dinner or even take out. Kid friendly also . When you have the owner that comes around and serve you and checks to see you have a great Experence and the food was good that tells you a lot about the owners. Thank you for an amazing night out. If in east Meadow this is a must to stop by and have an amazing night out with great food and drinks.Thank you Michael and Ivette . Love you guys .

My brother and I had a fabulous dinner at La Novella in East Meadow last night. The place is warm, cozy and very welcoming. They have a main dining room and bar (which is where we dined), another room mainly for business lunches/dinners, and an outside area enclosed in plastic to keep the cold out. The owner, Michael, is a dream. He is the consummate professional. And he is so friendly and accommodating. After dinner, Michael offered to buy us an after dinner cocktail. Such a nice man. And he was very appreciative of our comments and tips. Our server, Sal, was terrific. He followed our instructions and our entrees came out just as we ordered them. We could tell from the moment he took our orders that he really cares about his customers and wants them to be happy and satisfied. The food was delish! The Italian egg rolls we had for an appetizer were scrumptious. And our entrees were wonderful (I had the best farfalle pasta, with grilled chicken, broccoli and garlic and my brother had a fantastic breaded chicken cutlet with a side of spaghetti and marinara sauce). All of the guys that waited on us were extremely proficient in what they do. Each one of them was great and they worked hard. I wish I knew all of their names as they worked so hard to serve us perfectly. One of them, David, brought our food to the table. He was so nice, and so handsome, and he had a really good sense of humor. All in all, I highly recommend this restaurant. If you like a classy ambience, white tablecloths, excellent service, and exceptional food (their chef makes magic happen in the kitchen), try La Novella.

Omg. What a find. We are from Amagansett NY, the "Hamptons ". This place is heads and shoulders above the restaurants out east. I had the halibut. Delicious. The homemade pasta was sooo fresh. Love the sauce. You must have the cheesecake awesome. The service was 5- star. The best around

I had my daughter's bridal shower on 6/7/25. Everything was fantastic! There were many dishes of food being served before the main dish. The drinks were good too. All the food was delicious & the servers were very attentive to my guests. Just the room was a little warm because they had to keep the doors open to go in the main dining room & the other party room. Everyone loved the food & had a great time. The owner Michael also let us come in 2 hours before to decorate. He & his wife were wonderful with making my daughter's day so special!

A true gem! The owners greet guests by name and make everyone feel like family. Beautiful ambiance, thoughtful service, and consistently delicious food--perfect for any occasion, from family gatherings to intimate dinners.

Mike and his amazing staff of Marcella, Rosie and Sal always show us the love. Today we were celebrating our daughter getting ready to move on to college life at Ud. We had our family together for one last dinner before the big move. This place is like home. They always make us feel so welcome and loved. The prices here have not skyrocketed like so many other places. The food is always consistently great. I had the por

Went to a party here recently. As soon as we got there everyone was complaining how hot it was. We kept asking to please increase the A/C. There was 1 bartender serving a party of about 70 people where the majority of guests were in their 20's. She was a nasty woman! Rude to so many! Then it came time to have the buffet dinner. Every plate I picked up was dirty. You could see they weren't cleaned well. You could feel the dried caked on food with your hands under the plate. I went through 6 plates till I found one I was happy with. The food was cold! The food was terrible as well! The mini meatballs were yellow inside & were awful. The piece of chicken I had had a bloody vein running through it. The bread was like a rock! Terrible! I'll never go here again.

Food, Service, Ambiance, and the owner is amazing!! He comes to your table and greats you like your family!

You ate treated better than family at La Novella. Visiting Long Island always includes dining here. Michael and staff make you feel welcome and makes for a delicious and comfortable meal. I had Halibut stuffed with crab- so good! The rest of my party also enjoyed there entrees. Also satisfying was the bread basket,cheese nibbles and sweet slices of fruit. I highly recommend this establishment!!

Not sure what happened to this restaurant but it has gone way down First they sit you their indoor "garden" room which just has a bunch of portable tables. Strange because the indoor restaurant was open adjacent to where we were. The menu is small with a mixture of different dishes along with the usual Italian standards. There were several specials. We ordered an appetizer of stuffed mushrooms which were bland They brought us bread which looked like it came from the supermarket My fish dish was tasteless as was my wife lasagna. No side dishes were included everything ala carte. No wonder there were only four tables filled on a Saturday night There was a singer playing Italian songs which were ok. The best part of the dinner was when they brought freshly cut fruit and some type of a after dinner along with the check All in all the dinner was not worth the $100 costs. There are plenty of other Italian restaurants in the area which are much better. All in all La Novella which was good years ago is not anymore. The menu and pictures of of the food are not even close to what we received I do not recommend

Was looking for a new place for dinner and came across La Novella in a search...was easy to make reservations day of...actually within 30 minutes on a Saturday... Valet parking here. they have indoor and outdoor seating, along with a party room for celebrations. Service and staff were good.. Surprisingly my friends and I had the entire inside room to ourselves. There was big party celebration going on and outside dining included live music. Spacious inside with full bar...nice family owned restaurant. For appetizers: shared baked clams and fried calamari Dinner entrees included: seafood dinner special: linguini with lobster, shrimp, crabmeat, mussels ($45 special) - was good and filling and would have been good to share with another person. Fettucini giardino, chicken al novella, and chicken mezzaluna. Food was good and filling...too full to have dessert. two gender neutral restrooms inside..

Beautiful and cozy restaurant. Nivesh gave us a very friendly and caring service. Would recommend!!

Home in a nutshell. Service is unmatched. Atmosphere is amazing. The food brings me from Brooklyn to East Meadow weekly. The folks at La Novella make you feel like family. Great for kids and large groups/parties. Live music on fridays and weekends.

The cuisine at La Novella is quite exceptional. I had read a review on La Novella that a Yelp Elite friend had written and decided to sample the Italian cuisine myself. When we arrived, we were greeted by the owner, and we had a long, pleasant conversation with him about his investment into expanding and upgrading his outdoor dining patio. It was a stormy evening to dine outdoors, but the covered outdoor patio successfully protects us from the windy rain. Since it was our first visit, I genuinely wanted to sample many appetizers, but I chose their special eggroll stuffed with broccoli rabe and sausage, that appetizer was particularly good! We passed unfortunately on any other appetizers, but the grilled calamari and big-hearted stuffed artichoke is on my target list next time we visit the restaurant. For dinner I had their red snapper which was delightful, and my partner had the Chicken Al Novella, which was very tasty, but too filling for my partner which was perfect for me. I had the rest of her plate. We were fortunate to have a marvelous waiter that was humorous and quite attentive to our table. Long Island has many Italian restaurants to choose to dine, but this restaurant enlivens the competition with a special flair, energetic atmosphere, and delicious food. The live Italian music added an ideal backdrop to an enjoyable dining experience.

We had an after funeral meal, which was excellent. Every course was delicious, and the service was also excellent. They were capable of handle 50 meals in a private area, while the rest of the place was crowded. We had a choice of main dishes, along with many separate courses. We will come back for private dining, and I highly recommend La Novella for large family gatherings.

Absolutely terrible! I will never come to this restaurant again. It was my first and only time and I went with a friend. We we walked to the front door which then directed us with a sign to go to the patio door which was an out door enclosed space where they were playing very loud music and people were dancing people ...very nice but we did not feel like listening to loud music and or dancing. yet the server was almost forcing us to sit on the patio which we did not want. We reiterated that we would like to be sad inside and it seemed that he sat us there reluctantly. The menu was nothing spectacular... We decided to order a bottle of red wine. They did not have the wine that I like which happened to be the only decent wine on the menu. So there was this very first disappointment... No worries we will order another bottle of wine. The the server named Salvatore seemed nice enough. He said he'd bring us a bottle of his recommendation. He brought us a bottle of Chianti... I can't remember the name of it but it was not very good at all the only difference is that at least he kept the new bottle in the same price range as the first. So we are told the specials we end up ordering an eggplant appetizer with balsamic vinegar that was drowning the entire plate. I had a bite. Inedible! Also the bread they brought to the table was not wonderful crusty rustic Italian bread. It was Italian white bread from ShopRite. Or at least that's what it tasted like. And it was ice cold. Onto the mains... initially I had ordered I believe the Bronzino but I'm not sure ...it was a bone in fish. The server informed me that they would not debone the fish.. which I found very strange... I wasn't in the mood to clean the fish myself. He tried to get me to order tilapia which was not wild caught. I'm not eating farm raised tilapia in an Italian restaurant. I opted for the red snapper. I wish I never had. It was offered in a light sauce with some frozen vegetables on the side that were warmed up and some very strange looking potatoes that were tasteless. I took one bite of the fish and nearly couldn't swallow it was so fishy. I sat eating nothing watching my friend who had ordered some sort of calamari and marinara sauce over pasta. I asked him how he liked it?. He said that the calamari was very rubbery but the flavor was OK. Finally Salvatore returns to check on us and it's quite a while after he dropped the mains. My friend told him that I did not like the fish which I had one bite only because it was extremely fishy. He takes my plate And much to my surprise he doesn't offer to make me another dish or anything ...he runs off with the dish and as he's running through the dining room towards the kitchen he is saying "it's fishy fishy fishy". The entire dining room is listening to this!! I found that appalling. And I'm sure the other diners didn't want to hear that either. At this point the server returns to ask us for our desserts and his demeanor has changed demonstrably... He seems irritated with us now. And I sensed this and declined any dessert. Although he did take the fish off of the check , I didn't like the way he handled my concern with my entrée. It's not the most expensive restaurant but it's not cheap either. We took the leftover wine home with us and will never go back.

Ordered quite a bit of takeout, most of which was disappointing. I'd use the proper name of the most disappointing dish but their website is non-functional. It was supposed to be pasta with eggplant and ricotta. There was no ricotta - zero - don't tell me they forgot, it's a main part of the dish, the eggplant was three indistinguishable blobs of seed and the sauce was, frankly, disgusting. The portobello mushroom app tasted off. I wish I had something nice to say. The linguini with garlic & oil wasn't bad I guess?

Hubby and I came here for a bridal shower party. Yes they invited the men too, so that the women sat in one section and the men in another section. It was a nice party for everybody. There's a big private dining room or party room surrounded by glass windows. The main dining room isn't sunny as the private party room. We're in a private party room between the main dining room and the outdoor dining area. We had a pretty good meal. There's an appetizer, salad and pasta for everybody. Mozzarella, tomato and basil was a good start. The salad was good. Then the server read to us the specials for the day. Quite a few options to pick from and I ordered the snapper. It served with mash potato and sautéed vegetable. It was not bad. The snapper sauce includes capers, which gave a bit more taste to the fish. Hubby had a veal entree. He said it was good, but he forgot to take a picture of the dish for me. The restaurant has outside seatings as well, complete our tables and chairs and an outside bar. I'm pretty sure they hold many parties outside too. So there're 3 sections to hold a party: main dining room, private party room, and outdoor seating. Any section you pick is a win-win.

Ate here in June. Only thing good was service. Food was terrible. Chicken rollatini so salty- barely edible. And have you ever heard of French fries being served as a side dish at an Italian restaurant? No veggies or pasta. Tried the roasted artichoke appetizer. I always enjoy these- like to dip the leaves in aioli. This artichoke was like mush- have never had any artichoke like that- awful! Aperol spritz - same thing- have these all the time and this one was mediocre at best. Not sure what's going on at this place. Owner Mike was very cordial, and I've had good meals there before. Don't plan on returning there.

Food is always delicious. Unfortunately the website does come up when you tap on it. It's a gambling website for the foreign. The other menu button comes up as menu unavailable. Just thought you like to know.

Aftwe reading so many positive reviews on Yelp! I decided to take my daughter-in-law here for a nice Sunday dinner. What a mistake! Upon arrival, we were taken into the "garden room" so that we could enjoy the humidity and flying insects. The food was near inedible when it finally arrived- baked clams (actually chopped clams from a can mixed with barely seasoned breadcrumbs) joined the stale bread on our table, then a chef's special-- osso buco drowned in a barely edible sauce that was cold outside and near frozen inside! The service was horrible with the Maitre 'D and waiter taking turns intruding on our conversation before disappearing for long periods, mixing up our orders with other tables, etc. In short, a real clown show. I nust say that this restaurant experience was altogether horrible, with no redeeming qualities whatsoever. Even the cost, cheap by most current standards, was too much: any cost would be too much for this stuff. My advice: go anywhere but here!

The small dining room gets quite loud, but in a kind of boisterous family way. Italian popular standards are cranking out too, and we had a little trouble hearing our waiter. He was kind of a low talker. It's an old school atmosphere. We enjoyed it. The owner made the rounds and seemed genuinely concerned that we were absolutely satisfied with our meal. They start you off with a nice little dish of caponata (actually caponatina) with the bread. This was delicious and the owner had a second helping sent when I told him how much we enjoyed it. Then followed the shrimp and calamari grilled app which was wonderfully seasoned, nice and lemony with sliced garlic. But it was a little on the stingy side. Richard had a special, stuffed orange roughy which he raved about. I never did get to taste it, I was too busy with my Scallops Il Moderno. Superb dish. Lots of plump perfectly cooked scallops perfectly accented by fresh artichokes and mushrooms in a fragrant brown sauce that was rich without being overpowering. I highly recommend this dish and would order again. The waitstaff wear the classic black and white. They were abundant and a little bit too hovering. You know how sometimes you feel like they are ignoring you? This was the opposite extreme. (As in, yes everything is fine just like it was five minutes ago and five minutes before that!) But I was pleased that the young man with the grated cheese bowl was willing to leave it with us so we could help ourselves. Food was well above average, atmosphere fun and welcoming. Yes I would return.

Food was ok, staff was nice enough, and setting is fine. Not my favorite place around but not bad either.

Food was delicious, large portions and very fresh. Services was excellent and very attentive. Ambiance was simple but nice.

Don't order the Lasagna! The worst I ever had. The meat tasted very odd. It was sour tasting. I couldn't eat it.

The food was bland. But that wasn't even the main issue. The server was ABSOLUTELY awful. He threw the check at us and refused to look at us the whole time we were there. It was only the three of us at the table, we all looked at each other wondering what happened to piss him off. He didn't ask us if the food was good either. We ordered the food, ate, and had to get his attention for the check. We came all the way from Maryland and stopped here because we thought it looked like a nice restaurant. Never had a check thrown at us like that. The server was a tall man with gray hair. He was also tending to the Bar. I think the owner came to talk to us and he was very nice and welcoming.

The staff and food are fantastic. Family owned and operated. They treated this southern boy from Alabama like family Any time your on the island this is a must place to go

My family took me out for my Birthday, my 60th. I had mixed emotions to say the least. I must say that Michael and his staff made my birthday special. Not only was the food excellent, from their hot anti pasta for two, their homemade pasta was excellent, each sauce a perfect match for the ingredients, whether shrimp, salmon or meat. The chef owner, Michael was very attentive to all his customers making them feel at home. We had been looking for a local, family owned fine Italian restaurant to make our own, and in La Novella, we have found it.

Went with family this Saturday. Food always great!! Micheal the owner is a wonderful host. Wish we lived closer to restaurant I would have every occasion there!

We had an event here last week and Michael and Ivette treated us like family. The staff was on top of everything and the food was delicious.

A step back in time. Beautiful restaurant and a great menu. The veal was outstanding and the service by Sal equally impressive. Not you typical young server who knows nothing about what a tip means... To insure Promptness!!! A professional waiter!! The short ribs looked amazing and I will be going back!! Bon Appetite....

If I could give this place 0 stars, I would not hesitate. My parents threw me and my fiancé an engagement party here. The owner, Mike and my parents discussed a price per head which did not include open bar. They negotiated a price for the alcohol as well. My mom had expressed that because he was giving her such a phenomenal price for the headcount and the bar, that she would come back to La Novella for my bridal shower, as well as for when my sister's engagement party/ bridal party considering she isn't far behind me as far as getting engaged. As the guests were arriving, Mike and his staff were demanding everyone immediately sit down so they could take everyones dinner orders. They had 2 waiters taking orders for 12 tables of 10 people so you can imagine how much time that took. To start off the afternoon, my mom and Mike had discussed that they would have bottles of wine on the tables and at the end of the night only pay for the open bottles. When we got there the waitstaff was already opening one bottle of white and one bottle of red wine per table. He charged us $20 per bottle, so that was nearly $500 in wine. When my fiancé explained that this wasn't what we discussed he told him "I gave you a good price, leave the bottles alone or cancel now." Cancel our party a half hour before guest we're coming!?! Our appetizers consisted of half a slice of tomato and half a slice of mozzarella at each place setting. They served a plate with 4 mushrooms, 4 baked clams, and 4 mozzarella sticks for tables of 10 alongside a 10 inch plate of fried calamari. When it was time for dinner, it was served cold and the waiters didn't remember who got what entree aside from the fact that they wrote down everyones order. Heres where it gets insane... Mike and his bartender did everything the could to ring up the bar bill. He only had one bartender for 100 something guests, she wasn't filling the cups up all the way with the mixed drinks. When people asked for a mixed drink, Mike told his bartender to use the "cheaper" alcohol before opening a new bottle of the better stuff. The bartender was extremely rude, rolling her eyes at guests when they asked her to fill the cup up completely, which I don't think is an unreasonable request. At the end of the night they tried to hit my parents with a 5,000 bar bill. At 100 guests, drinking 5,000 worth the alcohol all my guests should have beens stumbling out of there. But we know that's not true because most of my guests were from out of state and had to drive home, and there were 15-20 of those guests were underage. They kept track of drinks by tallying on a piece of paper and multiple guests told me they sat at the bar for lengthy periods of time and did not see her tally once. Towards the end of the night, the owner Mike had allowed random customers to sit at the bar in the area we rented out. How do we know their drinks didn't get counted in our tallies? He told a couple who was planning to book a party to sit down at one of our tables in the middle of our party. Mike was extremely unprofessional, he walked around with a cigarette in hand all night and was behind the bar drinking. He got into a blowout argument with one of his waiters, screaming and cursing in the middle of the restaurant. Lastly, at the end of the night when my dad questions how the bar bill could possibly be so high, Mike got so defensive and pulled out a badge claiming to be a police officer. My parents put so much time and effort into trying to throw my fiancé and I an amazing party only to get taken advantage of and lied to.

On Long Island, where there's an Italian restaurant on virtually every other block, one rarely knows which are good or bad without first taking a chance. There is no taking any chance in fine dining when you make a reservation at Mike and Yvette's LaNovella in East Meadow. You will be very pleasantly surprised. Food: Tastefully, carefully prepared. Abundant portions. Varied menu, plus anything else consistent with Italian cuisine. All fresh and delicious. Service: Attentive wait staff, management very interactive, head waiter Sal is a professional perfectionist, knows what you want before you ask for it. LaNovella is one of Long Island's best and consistently reliable, consistent gems! Delizioso.

Just returned to this restaurant after 10-15 years. Same old, same old. Surly waiter, stale bread, and watered down cocktails, Caprese salad was terrible, ie, mozzarella not fresh, tomatoes not in season, bottled balsamic and olive oil. Basil was practically nonexistent. Entrees were marginally better. Music so loud we couldn't hear each other speak. Oh, and complimentary fruit (watermelon) was warm and mushy. See you again in 10-15 years!

This review is based on being part of a group of 14 people celebrating a birthday. The staff was great in deceiving the birthday boy to another table and by doing so helping us surprise him. We appreciated it and the service throughout the night was friendly and competent. There were mixed reviews on the food. I ordered the seafood special with spaghetti in white sauce. The portion was fair with lobster, clams, mussels, shrimp and spaghetti. I felt the seasoning was not stellar but fair with a glass of wine to pair. My partner ordered the red snapper and he was upset it tasted like bland tilapia. His portion was also small. Overall, this restaurant managed to provide good service, good food and drinks to a large group while also letting us feel normalcy in outdoor dining again. We also stayed for 3 hours and did not feel rushed. They gave us Italian vibes by offering us Limoncello and espressos after dinner as well.

Great atmosphere and the food is extremely fresh. Try the stuffed mushrooms as an appetizer. They have an outside sitting area that is fully covered protecting you from the elements. Friendly staff and they do not rush you.

La Novella is a true gem, I returned tonight after a 5 year absence because I moved residence's and it was slightly inconvenient to get to. Let me say one thing the owner Michael Novella and chef is putting out great dishes. He actually remembered us and said "where have you been?" His patrons are mostly locals and everyone is treated like family(sincerely). The restaurant has been updated and has a very cozy atmosphere. The waitstaff is so friendly and knowledgeable regarding the specials and menu items. With Michael running things you never know what he may bring out comped. He said here's a little something while you wait for your entree. Tonight was an Italian chicken croquette with tomato sauce, simply delicious. All the food is prepared made to order, with the freshest ingredients. No matter what you desire, the menu is diverse and there are always outrageous specials to explore. I'm so glad we drove a bit because it's well worth it. I shall return, thank you Michael for a great culinary delight. Ciao

5 stars for service! Service is more than how fast they take your order. I brought my mom here for her 70th Birthday and her first outing to a restaurant post Covid. It was a big deal. Yvette made it absolutely effortless. My mom has a 16 year old dog who she can't leave which makes it even more challenging to find a place. Without hesitation Yvette was yes to live music, yea to outside, yes to bring your own cake, and yes to allowing her dog Lynda. Salvatore was our waiter and he was an absolute sweetheart. Things do take time but in the magic of enjoying the moment and not rushing. We have such rare opportunities to just sit for a few hours and share time with our loved ones. Don't lose that by trying to rush a chicken parm. Thank you so much for making her first time out and her birthday magical.

Authentic Italian restaurant in East Meadow. The have traditional favorites, as well as seasonal specials

We love this place! Great atmosphere and the friendliest staff ever. Don't go if you're in a rush. Take your time and enjoy the delicious food. This is a small family-owned restaurant with delicious food and a chef that can pretty much make anything you want. They also have a really nice outdoor space and two fully stocked bars. Portions are huge and they have an amazing selection. You won't be dissapointed.

I had my boyfriend's 30th birthday party here this past weekend and from booking with Al, to the food, the bar, the service, everything was perfect. I had to change the venue of this party with less than 3 weeks to go due to issues at another restaurant.Thankfully La Novella had the same date and time available that I needed. We had 30 people and 2 full size casino tables and there was ample room. All the courses of food were delicious and the drinks were also great too. The price was reasonable and I am so thankful that La Novella and their wonderful staff was able to make this very stressful experience into an amazing party. All of my guests raved about what a great space this was. Thank you Michael, Al, and the staff at La Novella! Your warmth, professionalism, and hospitality is so greatly appreciated!

Held my daughter's 1st birthday party today at La Novella in East Meadow and I have to say we couldn't be happier. They were super accommodating with everything and anything we asked for. The price we were given per person was beyond reasonable and the food was beyond plentiful. All of our guests were raving about the whole thing. They also recently had a gorgeous covering built over their outdoor patio which kept the space cooler and well protected from the sun. The staff was all amazing and the servers did a wonderful job. Finally the owners Michael and his wife could not have been kinder. Michael booked the party with us and was around all afternoon for anything we needed and his wife was behind the bar all afternoon being super friendly with everyone and helped us with planning through the whole process. We will absolutely book with them again and could not have been more pleased.

We didn't plan to dine here but decided to stop on our way to NJ. Small cozy dining area. Very nice atmosphere. Feels Italian. Appetizers: Asparagus, shrimp cocktail - very good. My wife ordered sole filet - very good. I ordered salmon fettuccine with red source - average. Salmon was too dry. Red wine - I am not a big fan of Italian wine but this one was very good (forgot the name). Espresso - good. Service - very good. If we are in the area next time we will definitely visit again. Salut :)