Acqua Alta Ristorante

Acqua Alta in Clearwater was our pick for a new and recommended restaurant to try for a friends’ dinner, and this group of friends left satisfied. It’s a little Italian spot in a plaza with a few other interesting shops and restaurants that we may be adventuring to soon, but we will be back to Acqua Alta for sure! All pastas, sauces, and desserts are made in house- fresh and fabulous. Carpaccio, grilled artichoke, meatballs, rigatoni, tagliatelle, cacio e pepe, pistachio tiramisu, and a nice bottle of wine! Service gave us plenty of time to enjoy each dish and each other’s company- we weren’t in a hurry and neither were they, and it worked. Lovely people putting love into their food. Go and enjoy- they even have ready-to-cook pasta and ravioli you can bring home for your own delicious creations!

Our family has enjoyed Acqua Alta for several years now. It is the pure definition of a hidden gem, offering some of the greatest authentic Italian food one could ever find. The owners and staff are charming, personal and definitely know what they’re doing when it comes to Italian cuisine. Five stars simply are not enough for this establishment. Highly recommend to anyone seeking delicious Italian food. By the way on Tuesdays, they do the cheese wheel pasta, which is nothing short of heavenly.

Absolutely the best food experience I had in America! If you explore the menu correctly and follow Paolo's advice you are going to love this place! The octopus appetizer was fabulous, the various pastas are great, but the pizza with mushrooms and homemade sausage was a spiritual experience 🤣 Love it, love it, LOVE IT!

This is a very popular place, so I was super excited to try. It is very busy and loud so make reservations. Our server Ashley was amazing. Very attentive and knowledgeable. The food was good. I think the pizza was the best part. The pasta was good, not out of this world. If you haven't been, try it.

We’ve been here twice so far and each time has been great. Today we ordered the octopus appetizer, which is big enough to be had as a meal, the pumpkin ravioli with sage butter sauce and a small salad. Everything tasted amazing and the service was wonderful. The food took a little bit to prepare and you could tell it was freshly made. The flavors were wonderful and the portion size good. If you’re in the mood for good Italian food, don’t miss this gem.

Hands down the best authentic Italian restaurant I have been to in a long time. Every dish was extremely delicious and you could tell it was all made to order. Such a great hidden gem in Clearwater/Safety Harbor!!!!

Stopped in for mid afternoon meal. Very quiet, owner chef took our order. Great homemade foods and pasta. He also gave us nice marscapone treat before we left. Highly recommend.

Wonderful food very traditional, Italian, and make sure you get the pistachio tiramisu

We had one of the most delicious meals ever last night at Aqua Alta. Nick took excellent care of us as we dined outside on a beautiful December evening. The artichoke appetizer was THE BEST artichoke either of us had ever enjoyed. Called carciofo grigliato on the menu under starters. The Lugana Italian wine we shared was the perfect compliment to our meal all the way around. From the soup of the day which was butternut squash soup to the grilled octopus to the eggplant parmigiana-all of the flavors jumped off the plate and into our mouths. Assistant to our server was Coren and she was so kind, so pleasant. We cannot wait to return soon for another amazing dining experience.

What a great experience .. Allesandro/Corrine took care of us .. Carbonara was the best I have had in FL. Everyone was happy.. party of 8! Intimate, small, perfect.. Salud!

Once again, excellent food and service. Tuesdays they have Cacho Pepe made table side by the owner Paulo. It is beautiful to see the pasta cooking and then thrown into the pecorino cheese wheel My friends had the lasagna and the Carbonara. , which they said were very good Their specials on wine are ridiculously inexpensive. Sophia I was server was attentive, but not intrusive. We love this place.

Not impressed at all, just plain Italian, nothing special , Won't be back, parking was a pain. Just not happy with the whole experience again no nothing special

Amazing authentic Italian cuisine from Italy! Fresh ingredients and great flavors. Excellent service, attentive server. Knowledgeable and good dinner recommendations. Homey italian flair.

There is a reason we come here every Friday night and more. Awesome awesome. Awesome. I will complete this review after dinner.

Delicious food, intimate atmosphere, great service. Specials were very tasty, and it was perfect timing before we went to see jazz Christmas concert. Pizzas looked delicious, but our food, sea bass, veal and lobster, were on point and a great part of the special menu. Highly recommend a visit if you get the chance.

Authentic quality Italian food made by Italians. The menu is organized as in Italy with the Starters, then First plate being for pasta and the Second being for the protein. But they do have specials that combine pasta with proteins. My wife had the fetuccini with shrimp and lemon sauce and I had the wild boar with fetuccini. Absolutely delicious. The tiramisu is amazing too. Service was great. We came between launch and dinner so it was empty and quiet with nice Italian pop being played. I do recommend it even if it's a bit expensive but definitely worth it in terms of quality. Tip: When they bring the bread, use a plate to mix olive oil, salt, pepper, red peppr flakes, parmesan, use what you have, even vinegar. Feel free to make your own dip. This is the italian way. Don't expect the server to do that for you!

Make sure you have a reservation as this place fills quick. The staff is very friendly and it is a very small cozy dining area. Very. The food is all fresh so definitely take advantage and order an appetizer to hold you over till the food comes. Chill with some amazing wine. Food came out smelling amazing and tasting amazing. Highly recommend can't wait to go back.

Ok Italian food with a large an extensive wine menu. Also the place is not wallet friendly Owner could be friendlier and seemed more interested in their take out business that night. Wait Staff was inexperienced to handle a large dinner crowd.

We arrived without a reservation tonite - early, about 5 - and there was only one table available, which tells you how popular the place is. We were warmly greeted as were others who came in after us, some of whom seemed to be regulars. As our main dish, we ordered pasta bolognese and the menu described the bolognese sauce, and when I went to write this review, there was a picture of the dish on their website, with a big mound of bolognese sauce on the top of the dish. What we got was such a tiny amount of bolognese sauce - not on top, but within the pasta - that it was about invisible and untastable. It really was unbelievably micro. When we got the attention of a staffer, they brought some sauce - but it was tomato sauce - still no bolognese. Then after we told another staffer, we finally got some, but by then we'd finished more than half. I've been here before and wanted to give them a good revue, and the other dishes were excellent, but this was just so chintzy and awful, this visit deserved 2 stars, but I gave them 3 anyway.

Great service! Wonderful wine selection. Homey feel to the restaurant. We enjoyed every minute. When I tell you I'm still dreaming about this dish! The pasta-homemade and fresh ingredients. I cannot wait to go back and indulge again

Went for the first time last night with a few friends. I ordered the artichoke appetizer, which was very good. I also ordered a margharita pizza for my main meal. When it arrived, I asked where the basil was. He explained to me that the basil wasn't any good so they didn't put it on it, but it was infused in the oil to make the pizza. I told him that I ordered a margherita pizza because I wanted the items that came on the Margherita pizza and they should have told me that they would not be putting basil on it. He just walked off after I said that. There was a bit of a language barrier there as well. The pizza was good regardless, but just not what I ordered. My friends had the chicken Parmesan and butternut squash ravioli with pecans. My friend really likes the chicken Parmesan, but my other friend was not too happy with her butternut squash ravioli. This was her second time there, and she said she probably would not be back. I would try it one more time.

Tantalizing and scintillating for the senses. The flavors, the ingredients, the kind staff and caring propietors make this little gem our local treasure. We only had time to order to go tonight. Can't wait to come back and enjoy the full experience again soon. Always a delight. Thanks for choosing Safety Harbor.

An authentic Italian Restaurant straight from Venice. Everything from the service to the food and wine were superb. Every day is wonderful but on Tuesday Chef Paolo serves up Tagliatelle Cacio Pepe made right at your table.

Great food, service and ambiance! We were very happy with our visit! Will be back soon!

Paolo was a great host to begin with. He cares about your experience and your table from the start of the evening. What a refreshing experience. Alessandro made a great wine selection and didn't upsell, he actually went below our suggested range with a great bottle. For our first visit we tried fresh pasta and enjoyed all the chef prepared. Be prepared for rich and tasty fresh food prepared for you to be enjoyed.

All of the above was very good,above all the pappardelle bolognese service was great as was all the entrees of the party of 4.

Just love it here. Went for the first time tonight. Great food and service. Our waitress was so nice, she was newer to the restaurant but you would've never known. I ordered the montanara and it was great. So this dish has sausage and bacon, both are typically heavy and greasy, but the light and flavourful red sauce balanced it out perfectly. I can not wait to go back. I'm our opinion the prices were very good but we recognize value is different for everyone. Atmosphere is pretty good too. Open and clean.

The service is excellent and the food is amazing. You can't beat homemade pasta cooked perfectly. The octopus appetizer is as tender and flavorful as you could ask for.

Excellent Italian food. Homemade pasta, fresh ingredients, and large portions. Our server Sophia was attentive and knowledgeable. Wine selection was varied and high quality. It truly felt like I was back in Italy. Hidden gem and my new favorite.

Best italian food around!! Our favorite!! Its like going to Italy for dinner!! Palo really is a Gem cook!! Love his staff Allesandro is a doll!! And his servers are so nice!! Excellent Place!!!!

We ate here for the first time recently. It is a quaint little spot with nice people! We had a lovely time and the food was great!! I will say, my husband ordered the lasagne which was fabulous, but it is a very small size and he was not full. So we ordered one of the little pizzas and that did the trick! Our server was funny and very good! The cappuccino I had after my pasta/shrimp was authentic and quite lovely! I definitely recommend Aqua Alta! Good atmosphere and authentic food!!! We will definitely return! I made a reservation online and it was very easy and convenient!

My mother was born and raised in Italy. We decided to take her here for dinner one night since she was visiting from Orlando. This place gets busy on weekends and it isnt very big so make sure you call and get a reservation. This is a family owned business and the entire family speaks Italian. Even the younger kids speak it. My mom enjoyed speaking to everyone there in her native language. The food here is as good as Itlaian food can be outside of Italy. Very Authentic and the flavors are super. Their pasta is cooked perfectly and is likely homemade from scratch. If you want italian food this is a great place to visit! This place gets very good reviews and deservingly so!

Menu had a really good variety. Our meal was very good. I had pasta bolognese. It was fresh, well balanced and just enough. Service was friendly but a little slow. This may have been because the restaurant was nearly full. They had reservations for the only two empty tables. We will be back!

Hands down this one of my favorite Italian restaurant in the entire world!! The food is incredible, super fresh and made with so much love! If you are dining in, you will enjoy a cozy, romantic, small dining experience with a great selection of delicious wines. Our go to pasta's are LINGUINE SACCA FISOLA and the RAVIOLI FUNGHI E MOZZARELLA ALLA CACIO E PEPE. We order take out all of the time and it's always packaged very nicely and made fresh. The business is family owned, and you will be treated very well by the staff. Do yourself a favor and make a reservation for your new favorite restaurant.

This is a hidden gem. We went on a Thursday night and there was not one empty table. Our server (who may have also been the owner) was friendly, attentive and checked in on us frequently. The menu is not typical southern Italian and has a wide variety of selections. Everyone in our party enjoyed their meals including the Branzino special, chicken parm and Tagliatelle (w/egg) alla Montana. The homemade pasta is excellent. I would highly recommend this restaurant.

Food here wasn't great. The bread tasted about as good as the sorry creation I made during quarantine in my dollar store bread maker, with nothing to dip it in. The cream sauce in the mushroom ravioli was practically black with the amount of whole peppercorns drowning in it. The seafood risotto was a watery mess with seafood that didn't quite taste fresh. The waiter left us zero opportunity to express our disappointment before shoving a tablet in our face to pay. If you want authentic delicious Italian food nearby I recommend Casa Ludovico or if you're feeling adventurous, Olive Garden.

Our party of 6 sampled 5 different entrees and 3 appetizers. No one was disappointed. Will definitely head back again soon. Service was great. Ambiance reminded us of Italian restaurants up north. Our waiter was from Milan.

Great service, great food, they really accommodate your needs! The place is always packed!

Disappointing We had eaten here 5 years prior. At that time I gave it 4 stars, even though it deserved 3.5. But the online reviews were positive and we decided to try it again. I'm sorry we did. They only have a beer & wine license, so we started with a wine-based cocktail. The Paolo Spritz is all show--at least at first. It is a pretty presentation with several layers to the drink. But once you stir it up a bit the drink turns an unpleasant grey-green. It is overly sweet with a floral mint flavor. For an appetizer we had the artichoke. It was coated in too much oil, but with some salt added, it was OK. One of our mains was the Fettuccine Carbonara. It was too light on the meat and the pasta was gummy. Our other main was the shrimp which was nice. It was accompanied by a nice portion of zucchini, but it was tepid, bland and way overcooked. I asked about replacing it but was told that it all came from the same pot. Atmosphere was pleasant and the servers were nice, if not very knowledgeable about the food. I won't be returning for another try.

This is a nice little Italian place in the middle of Safety Harbor. We came here for dinner before a show at Ruth Eckerd Hall. The atmosphere is clean and modern with some subtle rustic touches. I like that it is not stereo-typically Italian. I was running behind because of traffic but I had previewed the menu and had my husband ask the questions I wanted and order one of my choices. He ordered me the gnocchi. It was awesome! My husband had some amazing bolognese (at another establishment) and is now obsessed with it. He got the bolognese and said that while it was good, it did not compare to the other place he had it. The wine I had was also really good. I just asked for a house red and what the owner (I believe she was the owner) brought was exactly what I like, kind of like a Cabernet or a dry Italian red. Also, it was only $6! Bonus! I would certainly come here again.

This hidden gem was recommended to us and boy did it deliver! First, make a reservation. They were turning folks away but stick to the reservation book which rarely happens these days. So bravo #1! Cozy, white tablecloth restaurant with a great, perfectly priced wine list and old school service. Our server was charming, engaging, fun, knowledgeable and created an experience for us. This is a lost art these days! Now the food. It was amazing. The chef had the perfect hand and eye for garlic and salt. The sauces were absolutely delicious and balanced. Photos don't do the food justice. Just make a reservation and go! We took a tiramisu to go and my Lord it was perfection! This is on permanent rotation for us now!

Authentic Italian! I visited Italy soon after dining here and the homemade pasta at Ristorante Acqua Alta can stand on its own! All the staff was kind and made great recommendations, will absolutely be back for another visit!

You know the expression, don't judge a book buy its cover, it holds true for this restaurant. Small intimate setting, white table cloths and cloth napkins. The food...thats another subject. I ordered the mushroom risotto. What a mistake. The rice was a grayish brown color, clumpy and tasteless. Not creamy like risotto should be. The bread they gave us, 4 small slices, seemed like it was sitting out all day. Nothing to dip it in. We asked if it came with dipping and she pointed to the oil bottle and said we could use that. What??? For desert we ordered the Gelato. It only came in a pint size. We thought, oh a large bowl? Not at all! It came in a plastic pint container. You know, like the ones they sell in Publix! No bowl, nothing! WORSE EXPERIENCE EVER! Never going back again! Not worth the high prices!

BEST AUTHENTIC PASTA IN THE ENTIRE TAMPA BAY AREA...FULL STOP. Thanks for your wonderful birthday hospitality for my "white beard" man, Alexandro! We'll see you again.

Everything is home-made and has such flavor...we always love eating here. There's nothing on the menu that isn't great. I wish we had taken photos

If you are in the mood for incredible Italian food, this is it! They earned their 5 star rating! We pulled up at 7pm on a Thursday and there were 2 other tables seated in the restaurant. A little hesitant, we walked inside and were greeted and sat by the woman serving tables right away. The menu is expansive and full of amazing sounding authentic Italian dishes. What I loved the most was seeing whole wheat pastas and gluten free options! Italian food is my FAVORITE but I know it's not the healthiest option. I felt a little better having the whole wheat options. We ordered the mozzarella bruschetta and wow! It was two pieces of delicious bread topped with a slice of mozzarella and a slice of tomato with a balsamic drizzle served with a grapefruit and arugula salad. Delicious! My boyfriend ordered the cacio e pepe ravioli stuffed with prosciutto and ricotta. I ordered the veggie pizza. Both were mouthwateringly mind-blowing! I cannot praise this place enough. I hope it is around for years to come!

I decided to stop somewhere I've never been for my lunch break today. From the moment I walked in it was very clean, all the tables were set, and I was greeted right away. I ordered off the lunch menu, and built my pasta. Fresh, hot, and very delicious. It was prepared in a timely fashion. The serving size was good too.

This is very authentic Italian-it's awesome to be greeted by a handsome Italian gentleman. The roof is delicious, and options plentiful. Both times I've been there has only been one server, but he manages divinely. Tonight when we checked out they gave us a receipt with a QRP code-you scan the code and you can pay with apple pay or other options-didn't have to wait on server to return-loved that-hope to see more restaurants start using this-I had my credit card skimmed by a server before at another establishment and between the frustration of having to change all my auto payments and holding my breath to see if they were able to "get" any charges thru this way gives a lot of piece of mind.

My first time here and it was very authentic Italian, having been there it's the closest you will get to real Italy , the experience, atmosphere, staff speaking Italian to each over love it , the gnocchi is better than my moms , my next favorite was the octopus app, better than the sponge docks and a large dish enough for two or leftovers, Definitely be back Prego

This review is only for the tiramisu, my favorite dessert! I popped in and got it to go and it was delicious! I haven't been able to eat much in weeks due to a medical challenge and the tiramisu lifted my spirits! Yum! I look forward to returning for a full dinner when I'm back to 100%!!

TLDR: better then my nonna's recipe! Grilled octopus is a true taste experience & you have to try the black ink pasta! This place is easily my favorite Italian establishment of all time. From the personalized service to the balanced flavors in each dish, I am in awe of each new experience here. The staff all wore masks and started the meal asking if anyone had food allergies. They then offered to explain the specials of the evening. The restaurant has been recently updated with some beautiful scenery pictures, of course I didn't remember to get pictures of them. But they also double as dividers between tables, which makes your table feel even more private and less open to exposure. The food: the lamb special was perfect in every way, my side of zucchini was well seasoned and so yummy. The black ink pasta my husband has was as delightful as ever. My friends had the carbonara & the chicken parm which they really seemed to enjoy. If you are looking for a really special place to celebrate, call them make a reservation & enjoy all of the amazing dishes they have to offer.

Are here a long time ago and was not impressed. Have been wanting to try it again since it gets great reviews. Thought maybe we caught them on a bad night. Decided to order carry out. The food was 30 mins late. That is the picture of the "bowl of soup" that I ordered. I ordered pizza and there were barely any toppings, all on two of the slices. Doubt we try this place a third time.

What a mess.. too many issues to list. Save your money, horrendous service, bland food. Bus person was the only one that had an ounce of courage to ask about our meal. Condescending phony Italians. Would never last a day in the City!

I don't usually point out the idiocy of other reviewers, but I think Mike F. and his wife would be happier at the Olive Garden. In town for work, I decided to stop by Acqua Alta tonight and I'm glad I did. I didn't find the restaurant "overly lit" - I found it just fine. The owner greeted me warmly and I sat down, and was greeted again by I'm sure was the co-owner (possibly the wife) who brought me olive oil with toasted bread. I ordered the special - the Homemade Ravioli Cacio e Pepe and was very satisfied. Rich and tasty! Coupled with a large side helping for pecorino, the cream and black pepper were a perfect compliment to the spinach and ricotta. Later, as I was presented with the check, I was also presented with a delicious slice of chocolate cake infused with lemon that the owner informed me (with pride) that she had made herself. It was excellent. In the past, I have had some horrible experiences that I did, indeed, document for I feel it deserved it. What struck me about this eatery is that I am sure, without question, that if I felt my meal was "flavorless" I am sure they would have taken it back with no questions asked. There's a Carabbas around the corner and I'm sure the aforementioned Olive Garden is lurking around somewhere; if you want converyer belt pasta that is truly flavorless, go there. If you want true Italian prepared and served with pride, give your money to these people. And if you go and you don't like it, try sending it back to see if they can make it right before you besmirch people who put their life into something. If they don't want to make it right, they don't deserve a good review. However, don't eat "flavorless" food, not say anything and then hide behind your keyboard. Be a man and have respect.

I really enjoyed this small Italian place. Good authentic Italian food. Homemade pasta. Italian wine. Great customer service. Small staff. Small restaurant. Social distancing is great. I went with a group of 10 people for a birthday celebration and we had a great time. Prices are very good. Calamari was very good. I had the white fish split and grilled. If you like authentic Italian food and good Italian wine this is a great place for date night.

It was my first time here after tons of my friends and family have been multiple times! The food was AMAZING! I like their pizza way better than their pastas. Their appetizers were amazing as well. I brought my own bottle of wine to pair with my food. Service wasn't terrible but wasn't amazing. Will for sure be back for some pizza and appetizers. I would skip dessert.

Visited last week. Service was excellent. Food hardly so. A bowl of soup was filled halfway, tasteless, and bland. The ravioli was not made from scratch, it came from a bag. The lamb chops were not properly seasoned. The bread was the best part. I have frankly eaten here at least ten times - the atmosphere is good. Each time I think to myself it will get better, food-wise. But it hasn't. Something is amiss in the kitchen.