Scarpa's Italian Restaurant

Scarpa’s may be small, but boy is it mighty! One of Lakeland’s best restaurants for many years, hands down. If you are at all a fan of Italian food, you have to come here. Since it is a small restaurant, you usually want to get a reservation ahead of time because it fills up quick. But it makes for a more intimate dining experience that’s really enjoyable. Dress a little nicer and expect the prices to be a little higher- but it’s really quality food so it doesn’t feel as bad to pay more. Everything I have tried here in multiple visits has been outstanding. I am especially a fan of their creme brûlée dessert, they have other options too but I can’t turn that down. You’ll want to also listen closely to the specials they have, they change every so often and are always delicious and unique appetizers & entrees. Seriously, love this place. It’s fantastic for special occasions or just an extra delicious dinner here and there. Couldn’t recommend more.

I'm from out of town. Miami Fl. We have very good Italian restaurants all over, but this place by far is the best. Service food was amazing. Similar was attentive and informative. I would recommend to make a reservation Sunday night at 6:30 packed house. Yummmmmy

My wife and I came here for our anniversary and hands down one of the best Italian restaurants around in all central Florida. We love Italian food and have been to so many "authentic" establishments but this place blew them all away. Where to even begin, the food, the service and attention to detail, the atmosphere; you feel like you're at a Michelin star restaurant. They took care of us so well. This place gets busy so recommend getting a reservation.

This place is GREAT for a date night. We were looking for a nice, quiet place to eat as we just moved to Lakeland. Scarpa’s did not disappoint. Actually, it exceeded our expectations. We ordered the Sausage and peppers, and Fig Brie to start, and they were both amazing. I had some of the best Pasta Fagioli I’ve ever had (I’m Italian and have ate many different recipes). For entrees, I got the Veal Saltimbocca and she got the Tuscan Chicken. Both dishes were cooked and plated perfectly. The Tuscan Chicken was very unique with blackberries and was to die for. When I tell you that we were FULL, we were very full because it was so good that we almost couldn’t stop eating. I have been a fine dining server for a while, and can see things that are done right, and things that are not done right when I go out to eat. Everything here from the ambiance, service, to the food was done to what I’d call perfection. Our server for the evening was Cody. He did a great job, was very welcoming, and was very knowledgeable about specials and normal menu items. Also, please excuse the pictures that are not the best, they were much better in person, but I did not want to use the flash while dining. I will definitely be back.

Very quaint, small restaurant. This restaurant is owned by a wonderful family and the food is spectacular. The Lakeland location offers and Italian cuisine and it is all delicious. They have another location in Boca grande that an Italian/seafood mix. I highly recommend both locations. The Lakeland location is wonderful for special occasions.

This was a wonderful dining experience. The atmosphere was comfortable, food was excellent, and the staff were the best. We will return and bring our friends!

We were from out of town and our birthday girl had chosen this place of the good ratings. Our server recommended the 2 appz and it was good but our 3 different pastas with white sauce had way too much wine in them. The veal was too salty with the pasta but the lasagna was good. Choose wisely. The dining room noice level was low so it was pleasant to have conversations. This is a first that we did not order even a glass of wine at any Italian restaurant, the prices were much higher than the wines listed on their menu and we are seasoned travelers in and outside the states.

We had a wonderful dining experience at this charming restaurant, and the service truly deserves a five-star rating. For our entrees, we chose the grouper paired with pasta, which was nothing short of fantastic; the fish was perfectly cooked and the pasta complemented it beautifully. Additionally, the ribeye steak was rendered to perfection—juicy, flavorful, and expertly seasoned, it was definitely a highlight of the meal. However, I must mention that the appetizer we selected—a raspberry brie cheese—was somewhat disappointing. It lacked the expected flavor profile and resembled plain brie more than anything else. In hindsight, it might have been better to stick with a classic plain brie, which would likely have been more satisfying. For dessert, we opted for the orange cheesecake, but it fell short as well. The cheesecake lacked a pronounced orange flavor unless you managed to get a bite of the orange slices placed on top. This made it feel somewhat basic, and I believe a more robust flavor or an alternative dessert might have elevated the dining experience. Overall, it was a good meal, albeit on the pricier side, especially with our bottle of wine bringing the total to around $200. If the appetizer and dessert had been crafted with more attention to flavor, it would have made the entire experience truly worth the price tag.