Sean
Google
Beautiful Setting, But a Disappointing Experience
Fonte Alla Vena has the look of a refined, must-visit restaurant — a picturesque setting, strong reviews, and a limited nightly seating window that suggests care and exclusivity. But what we got was a meal that, while technically competent, felt unfinished and mishandled. Poor service follow-through and a lack of attention to detail left us walking away more frustrated than satisfied.
Food:
• Starters: The pork belly with leek and potato terrine had a soft, sweet contrast, but the overall dish was overly fatty and lacked any acidity or sharpness to balance it. The beef tartare with truffle was hand-cut and featured fresh truffle, but it was served with nothing — not even toast — just stale, dry table bread. A dish that should have been rich and punchy ended up feeling flat and underthought.
• Mains: The peposo (Tuscan red wine–braised beef) was tender and well-braised in a deep, flavorful sauce. The pork ribs were also well-cooked and nicely marinated — but that was it. No garnish, no sides, no sauce, no balance. Both dishes felt incomplete on their own.
• We had ordered a spinach side to go with the mains — clearly essential to round out such heavy plates — but it never arrived. When we asked mid-meal, we were told it was coming. It didn’t. By the time we finished eating, we had to cancel the order. That was the first time anyone acknowledged the issue. Only after we paid did another staff member explain that it had been given to another table, who simply ate it. There was no follow-up, no offer to make it right — just a quiet mention on the way out.
Service:
• Service started off well while the restaurant was empty. But once other tables were seated, it became harder to get any attention, and it felt like we were seen as an inconvenience for following up on missing items.
• One staff member, clearly in a rush, told us to “please wait” when we tried to speak with her — which is fine in the moment, but it reflected a larger tone shift. There was no real ownership of the mistake, no effort to fix the situation while it still mattered.
• For a restaurant operating at this level, we expected better communication, faster response, and at least some proactive service recovery.
Drinks:
• Limited to wine, beer, and water.
• Both house beers were served in white wine glasses — not a problem. The Blanche was light and pleasant. The Gose, however, was nearly flat and sharply sour, bordering on vinegary — not refreshing and not enjoyable.
Overall:
This meal wasn’t terrible — but it absolutely wasn’t worth the praise. The food was fine but lacked balance. The missing side was never handled properly. And the service tone shifted from warm to indifferent as the restaurant filled up. For a place that’s clearly aiming to be something special, the experience felt careless and unpolished. We left disappointed — and we wouldn’t return.
