ZAZA Italian Gastrobar

My first time recently and I was extremely happy with our dining experience. From the food to the service and the personal attention of the manager. It hits The Sweet spot between fancy and comfortable. It was a guy's dinner so we did drink and eat a lot what our bill was not a surprise. They already understood that we were there for a show and got us out quickly. I will definitely be back!

Service was spectacular. The happy hour deals were so good it felt like stepping back 10 years, and honestly even the regular priced drinks are worth it. The food was amazing. I had meatballs, mozzarella sticks, and mac & cheese bites, and every bite was delicious. But the bread? Absolute showstopper. I probably ate 2 pounds of it. The bartender even poured me olive oil with cheese, pepper, and chili flakes to go with it. That touch alone sealed it. If I didn’t live so far away, I could have stayed here for four hours easy. Definitely keeping this place in mind next time I’m in the area.

Updated November 22, 2025 I’m updating my review to reflect the constant amazing service I receive every time I go to Zaza! This time, Santiago took care of us on Nikky’s day off, and it was an incredible experience (not that I’d ever doubt the team!). He was running the bar, which was super busy, yet he handled everything with such grace and professionalism. THANK YOU! Sanitago for making my very first Lemon Drop. Amazing drink and amazing service 10/10!!!!!! Zaza NEVER disappoints! The espresso martinis are out of this world — smooth, perfectly balanced, and truly some of the best I’ve ever had. ✨ The service here is phenomenal — warm, attentive, and genuinely caring. Nikky is an absolute STAR! She always goes above and beyond to make every guest feel welcome and taken care of, and her energy lights up the entire place. You can tell the whole staff takes real pride in creating a memorable experience. The food is consistently delicious, every dish packed with flavor and beautifully presented. From the appetizers to the entrées, everything is fresh, flavorful, and perfectly cooked. If you’re looking for amazing drinks, incredible service, and food that always hits, Zaza is the spot. Can’t wait to go back!!! 🤍

best espresso martinis in town! who else personalizes your drinks with chocolate love ❤️ happy hour menu is unbeatable and the food & drinks are delicious! nikky is the sweetest bartender and we always feel at home when we’re here!

The waiter was very polite and helpful. The ambiance is very delightful.

Very cute place. The food was amazing and the service was impeccable. Our servers Angelo and Michael made me feel very welcomed and made my experience at this restaurant great. I will definitely be coming back and recommending this place to all my friends. Absolutely love this place!

The absolute BEST espresso martinis, made by Nikki herself!! She is a master of her craft. 12/10 recommend! 👑🍸

Went there for a quick bite before a Halloween party. The food was delicious and cooked properly—a standout. The service, however, was ridiculous in a terrible way. We had a different server approach our table every time then, when things calmed down, my and my friend got mojitos and a coffee. The mojitos took forever to come out and were disgustingly sweet and barely had any taste aside from goopy syrup—the coffee never made it out and I asked for it to be removed to another server who came by. The server I had asked for the coffee made a snide remark about impatience when leaving the check (despite us not asking for it yet, but we felt kicked out at that point). Left a tip to whomever our server was, but service was absolutely horrible. And, if you’re doing a Halloween music playlist, make sure it is not the same 6 songs repeated in a loop as it gets very old very quickly.

Best pizza in Stamford hands down! It's an absolute gem of a place. The food was unbelievable, like i'm at a loss for words it was that good! Every bite was bursting with flavor! Can't forget how great the service was- very friendly and attentive which really just added to the whole experience. But the real showstopper... The pies. WOWc seriously just so delicious! I'm already looking forward to going back for more.

I came in with friends and we were seated right away on a Saturday afternoon. We ordered a few apps to share. The bread was fresh and delicious. Our drinks came out quickly. The place is somewhat big and there are big booths in the middle. Since there were several other parties it was a bit noisy. My friend got the shrimp and corn bisque and I got the pasta fagoli. The pasta fagoli was good but lacked flavor. The shrimp and corn bisque was more flavorful and I wish I had gotten that instead. We enjoyed the goat cheese cakes and truffle sprouts. The calamari was perfectly cooked. I had a meatball which was good with some of the bread. My friend and I split the pesto gnocchi which was perfectly cooked. I also tried the beets with feta which had nice flavor. The service was good very attentive.

Wow - what to say?! I came here for dinner on a Monday night with a friend. First of all, amazing to find a place that's open on a Monday! And sangria? I'm in. But really, it's about the food. Let's discuss. Mozzarella sampler?! Sign me up. It was a delightful selection of 3 types of mozzarella that really hit the spot and were each tasty in their own ways. We followed up the Mozzarella sampler by sharing the vodka pizza and gnocchi chicken pesto. The pizza was good, but the gnocchi chicken pesto was unreal. It was creamy, flavorful, and delicious. I would come back just for this dish.

Stopped here for lunch one day after meeting a friend in Stamford for coffee. It was a random stop but a good one. The interior was cute and retro looking. The food was tasty. Hubby got the steak & eggs, I got the octopus salad. Also got a shirley temple. Everything was good. Nice spot for a meal.

I cant believe what im going to write. I never ever post a review but its time. I had a server.. he asked for my drink.. martini, I asked for SUGAR around the cup.. he brought salt. Asked for SUGAR AGAIN he put sugar inside the drink and MORE SALT around the cup. I GOT MAD BECAUSE HE STARTED ARGUING WITH ME THAT I SAID SALT AND I CLEARLY SAID SUGAR. 3 other people in the table heard me say SUGAR. I payed.. I did not leave ANY TIP IN THE BILL yet we left some cash.. I GOT CHARGED EXTRA 20$ ON THE BILL FROM ORIGINAL 134$ BILL I PAYED. I wish I could have saved the recipt.

This place is so good!!!! The food is amazing. Amazing pizza and pastas! The Caesar salad dressing is out of this world! The staff is very nice and the atmosphere is super fun! A great spot for any dinner occasion! They also have a great happy hour!

Spaghetti Allo Scoglio was great. The plates were large enough to split. Same with apps. Drinks were a little pricey, but the happy hour menu is lengthy

Great little Italian restaurant in downtown Stamford. Zaza is close to the Palace Theater and its convenient to those hitting it prior to the show. Great, speakeasy atmosphere. Awesome menu with personal pizzas. Our party of six thoroughly enjoyed the meal. Salads and drinks are top notch!

I believe this place has the best pizza in Stamford!! I had the Burrata and it was DELICIOUS! I went with a friend who got the mortadella suprema and it was also mouth watering. The pizza is thin but incredibly flavorful. I wish I ordered appetizers or fun drinks, but we were only there for a quick pizza dinner. My only complaint is that we felt very rushed. We were being asked what we wanted to order within 2 minutes of sitting down, and the staff kept coming around asking if we were ready in about 30 second intervals. Other than that this place is great, excellent access from the parking lot just behind it, and great places for dessert to walk nearby. I would totally go back!

The four of us enjoyed good food in what unfortunately was a terrible atmosphere. Zara's is a relatively small restaurant that, at least on this night, had a number of families. Not surprising given that it was Mother's Day! The restaurant was only 1/2 to 3/4 full, which wouldn't have been a problem had they not been blasting music into the room. All of us felt it was uncomfortably loud, so much so they we could barely carry on a conversation. We didn't have much of a relationship with our non too friendly waiter so we didn't feel like we could ask him to turn the music down. Surprisingly, the food was served incredibly quickly, which in the end was probably a good thing because by the time we were finished, we couldn't wait to leave and return to the relative quiet of a traffic heavy Broad Street. It boggles my mind that the staff wasn't conscious of the temperature of the room and didn't establish a friendlier ambience. There's a fairly good sized bar there, but there were only four people sitting around it so maybe they were catering to a bar crowd that hadn't yet materialized. It was clearly a family atmosphere that evening but the restaurant didn't adapt. Honestly, what got me off on the wrong foot was the fact that I ordered shrimp scampi, but the waiter refused to accept it. Granted, they offered it as an appetizer and not as a main course. But really? He couldn't talk to the chef and ask if they could prepare it as a dinner? Whatever. We were there for my wife on Mother's Day so I wasn't going to make a big deal of it. Still, we won't be returning.

Came here with a group of flight attendants and had a pretty good time. The owner had a VERY dry sense of humor, as we could never tell if he was being serious or joking. Once we got more wine in us, we didn't care LOL! We ordered way more food than we could possibly eat, and besides one other group and some folks picking up Togo orders, it stayed pretty empty. Which we didn't mind as we were a very raucous bunch. As for me, I ordered the steak with chimichurri and fries, as well as a side salad. The portions were HUGE and I had enough left over of my steak and fries to take home. We ordered truffle fries for the table, zucchini (which was strips instead of slices), and some bread with oil. All were delicious, except the truffle oil on the fries was a little overpowering so we sent it back. This was only my second time here, but it was honestly better than the first and I can't wait to return!

Veal milanese delicious service is great nikki is a great server . Veal was thin didn't even need to use a knife

Went there for lunch. Food was very good and our server was so nice and also created a dish for us when something we wanted was a combination of two things on the menu. Lamb was delicious. The salad and dessert were solid. We will be back!

Food and drinks were so good, but the experience was even better because of Nikki! She is top notch!

EVERYTHING was amazing!!! Nikki is the BEST!!! We tried the best espresso martini in town tonight! Can't be beat!!

The happy hour specials were amazing!! The food was delicious. Would definitely go back. Also the bartender was sooo friendly and awesome!

I've been coming to Zaza since 2019 and it never disappoints! All of their food is amazing and they make great cocktails - best espresso martini in Stamford by far! The service is always great and it's a cozy spot for dinner. On a busy night, it can get a little loud, but it's always a great experience for us. Highly recommend!

What a great meal. I had the chicken Parm and she had the chicken risotto. Excellent, just to my taste and the red sauce was so well balanced. Perfect flavor from the tomatoes and nice consistency to hold onto the chicken and the ziti. Francesco came by for a photo bomb and checked in on us regularly to make sure are meal was to our liking. Next trip down to Stamford there are some other things on the menu for us to try....Oh and the Old Fashion....nice!

We always have a fantastic meal. The staff is so friendly and welcoming.... they make you feel like family the moment we walk in! Love it!

Best bartender! Fantastic dirty Martini! Preceded by his Cosmo- one and done! Highly recommend for a happy hour!

Still freakin awesome! I swore I was going to get something new but got some old favorites - Burrata Pizza & Lobster Ravioli. The pizza could easily have been split between 2 people, possibly 3, and the ravioli portion was absolutely perfect. They had some amazing sounding specials as well. The first night I went the service was fine, nothing super outstanding but no complaints. The second night it was outstanding - super friendly & attentive.

I felt welcomed as soon as I walked in. The service was great and the food was even better!!!! I love the booths and the entire decor!

Great food, service & atmosphere. I had the chicken Parmesan with pasta and a Cesar salad.

Zaza has good food and a great happy hour special but the manager can be a bit off putting. He's sort of abrasive and very loud to where guests can hear him from the kitchen. Though it's a fairly small restaurant, it shouldn't be heard over guests and music. Service is fast. I recommend the meatballs, pizza, and penne allá vodka. Can't be a bit pricey for quality and quantity. Truly only worth it for happy hour.

AMAZING !!!!!! everything about this place is perfect from the owners who run the restaurant to the amazing food . Fresh and delicious I would recommend anyone who is living or passing through Stamford CT to stop!! Trust me!!

Food is ok, pretty standard Italian food you find in downtown Stamford. It's a nice spot, but the owner is a complete or manager is a complete jerk. He's an older foreign man who sometimes stands at the hostess podium and yells at people as soon as they walk in that they cannot be served..... He also is so mean if he's waking by your table and you ask him to get a wait staff or ask for something small ( silverware, napkins, refills). For this reason, I've never gone back. I gave it 2 try's and he is consistently rude. He even parks illegally in the back then yells at people who block the space. Why subject yourself to this when you can eat the same food or even better down the street at Bari or any other place within a 2 minute walk.

OMG . I love this place . Everything is so tasty, the food is gorgeous, wine and cocktails are sooo good. This is our anniversary spot so it's always special for us.

Visiting from NYC with my boyfriend and we always stop here when we're in town. It's hands down the best food in the area. For one, the owner is so pleasant and completely involved in his business (it shows)! & the food is AMAZING! We've been here twice now, have always tried something new, and have NEVER been disappointed.

I had made a mistake ordering my dish as the pronunciation was tricky, and the staff were EXTREMELY accommodating and kind about the whole situation. The dish was absolutely delicious and the staff, Giuseppe, and owner were all lovely to chat with- my partner and I had a wonderful time in the lovely ambience. We're definitely regulars now!

We had a wonderful meal last night. We started out with the bruschetta and the arancini. Then followed by a fresh mixed salad and we shared the linguini vongole. Everything was fresh and delicious! And topped it off with the cherry gelato. We even ordered food for our next night's meal. The service was impeccable!! We love the ambiance and understand that the restaurant is under new management. Everyone was so attentive but not overbearing. We will definitely be back and Francesco did a wonderful job! Thank you Zaza for the excellent experience!

We just had a 30 person corporate event and the owners were very accommodating and great to work with. We had trays of Chicken parm, penne bolognese, crispy artichoke hearts and it was unbelievable. Their salads and calamari were fabulous. I would highly recommend this place as it was a great experience and food was top notch.

Went with my girlfriend during the week. Service was good. We decided to share a salad , pizza and pasta dish. Food was prepared fresh and was delicious. Atmosphere is nice and clean. All around we enjoyed .

I must admit the ambiance here is very nice the service is A1! Everyone makes you feel very comfortable. I ordered the the Spaghetti Allo Sogglio it was one of the best dishes I've had in awhile. I'm a very honest food critic. Add Zazas to your list!

This is my third time eating here and this place is pretty good. If you're in the mood for pasta this is a good go to spot for it. Waiting staff is attentive and friendly as well.

The food is INCREDIBLE! I have been here twice and both times my food has been consistently good. However, the service has been so underwhelming. On my second trip the hostess was acted as if we were a chore in a place that was almost dead. The waiter never asked us how our meal was and had no energy. I guess them congregating in the bar area with each other was more important. A guy came behind me and they were responsive and friendly. So, I'm wondering is it my race or that I'm gay. Who knows? But, I will not be back!

A must before or after a show at the Palace Theatre. We were a party of four who dined prior to the show. The food was excellent . We ate a variety of appetizers, pizza, penne pasta dish, the shrimp & scallop dish. They have a great selection of wines and cocktails to accompany the food. We will go back, actually three of us went back again two nights later!! The staff were very accommodating, overall a great vibe - Well done Zaza.

We were trying to go somewhere else, but it was closed so we walked down to Zazas to see. It was packed on a friday night, with all the vibes. We ordered the caprese salad and brussel sprouts appetizer to start. they were both delicious. plus they brought bread and olive oil. For dinner we had the the orechette which was amazing and my bf had the short rib. lastly we enjoyed the creme brulee cheesecake which was also yummy, but a bit sweet.

First time coming here. We sat outside and they had a few tables to choose from. They have such a sexy photo on the tables of a woman eating pasta for advertising which is awesome! We had the goat cheese cakes, butternut switch gnocchi, spicy chicken and the burrata pizza. Everything was delicious! I had the pomegranate martini and it was made perfectly. Service was a little awkward; maybe the staff was new or in training. They seemed to be a little nervous or just not familiar with the atmosphere. Which is not their fault maybe they just need more training or experience. Overall, I would definitely recommend this place and come back. The interior looked very cute and welcoming.

Zaza's is the first place I've ever tried burrata pizza and WOW MY EYES HAVE BEEN OPENED!! Literally what have I been doing missing out on this flavor. Burrata cheese is excellent and their burrata pizza is wonderful. Came here for lunch twice in one week and I really do miss this spot. Quick service, cute ambiance, wonderful food! Love love love.

I went here once with a friend and another time for my birthday with a group of friends. The time with my friend was much better service, probably since it was not a busy time that we went. I ordered pesto, which was average compared to other pesto I've had. My birthday dinner was a Saturday night and we waited despite having a reservation. The service was average. I caught myself and friends waiting for another round of drinks and to order food. We felt a little forgotten about in the back. Drinks were good, food was okay. I like the location of downtown Stamford, which made it easy to walk around after.

I call this place the McDonald's of Italian food, the flavor isn't authentic, the mozzarella they use is cheap and not fresh, bread portions are skimpy, service is horrible, owner is rude and arrogant, and the drinks take forever to get to the table..there are 3 other Italian food restaurants in the neighborhood that are real authentic cuisine. Come here if you want to be neglected and over pay for cheap food.

Good food, staff is attentive. Perhaps a little crowded, but hey, real estate is expensive and they got rent to pay. Or maybe they don't, maybe they own the land, in which case, space the tables out a little bit more yah cheap bastards. Ay oh, i'm just breaking balls here. Solid food, there's abundant municipal parking right nearby, I been several times and I'll be back at some point once someone cures this frigging covid, am I right?

Ate here on NYE really good food, the portions were a bit small for the $$ though. Flavor, presentation and variety definitely five stars, portion size -1 star. So net four. Had a salad, and linguine & clams (they only offer white clam sauce) and it was delicious. I highly recommend Zaza, I'd go back in a heartbeat next time I'm in Stamford.

fair nothing special portion a little small probably won't go back Feels like a diner atmosphere

Downtown Stamford's restaurant row has a lot of options and world cuisines. Opting for ZaZa Italian Gastrobar and pizzeria was an easy choice when looking at the humming action and nice plates from its floor to ceiling windows on Broad Street. As we entered, our lovely hostess walked us to our booth which can easily seat 4-6 people comfortably. While strolling through the aisles on the way to our seats, we gasped at the rather unique decor of the space: gothic red leather seating with Count Dracula style crystal chandeliers to shabby nouveau chic overtones throughout; and, a fully visible open kitchen from Every seating angle. As soon as we sat down, a white ceramic plate containing complimentary thick cut bread slices arrived to the table ready for skinny dipping In the extra virgin olive oil to get things started... The housemade soup of the day ($8), Chickpeas and ham, had a fantastic presentation and tasted homemade like it was made in the back, nice! Next came the first spiced calamari ($11) which was non breaded but was sautéed and had an ultra tender texture; it also contained beans... ZaZa's different minimalistic gastro take on this classic staple dish. To round out the appetizers, the meatball sampler trio ($9.50) was a nice teaser in the 3 house varieties, my favorite being the spicy One! For our mains, we kept it simple with linguine and fettuccini bolognese ($14) and a skirt steak over anchovies Ceasar salad ($18). We couldn't help but notice how the pasta was fresh and again, like it was just made or something like that. From presentation to portion and taste, everything was terrific! We were too full to indulge in any desserts, next time! On our way out, we asked the owner about the pasta, and he proudly stated that it is made fresh right in his open kitchen with the Imported Italian Ferrari branded pasta making machine. He was a little Protective of it when I asked if I can take a photo. Owner: "Is it to copy what I have going so you'll open a restaurant and compete with me?" Me: "No! It's to talk about it to my friends at Yelp" Owner: "Ah...then let me tell you about the machine, it's a Ferrari, you know...." Nice story but we really had to go! Not for Long though...See you again very soon ZaZa!

Fun and lively atmosphere. Food is pretty good. Very cool vibe and ambiance! Very fun place!

I came in here on a Friday evening for dinner with a friend. We sat at the tables by the bar area and it was definitely very loud in here. We had to scream to hear each other, even at a small table. However, the food was pretty good and definitely made up for it. We started by sharing a burrata appetizer (add prosciutto for $4!). It was fresh and creamy and works well with the table bread that they give you. For my main course I had the Spaghetti and Spicy Meatballs. The waiter warned me that it's very spicy but I found it to only have a very tiny kick. Either way, it was flavorful and the meatballs were super tender. The spaghetti was also cooked perfectly al dente. Price-wise, I feel that this spot is a bit on the high side for what it is, even given the area.

Ordered "tapas". They clearly don't understand the word. Huge servings. Way too much sugar/sweet in almost everything. The brussel sprouts were nearly candied and the gnocchi (under cooked from frozen) was swimming in an oddly sweet sauce that was more suited for topping a cake. The "butternut squash" in the gnocchi was just a few semi-firm cubes added to the sweet sauce. Very strange. The lamb tapas was a good dish - again a lot of sweetness but it worked. The fried artichoke was decent - slightly over battered and so more about the fried part than the artichoke part. Worse than the food was the service. Our waiter was about the worst we have ever experienced. Too many negatives to detail all of them. Here's an example: My companion order a glass of wine. We had to ask for it twice. While we waited for it, we watched the surrounding tables (all 3 seated after us) get their complex drink orders. When we asked a second time about the simple glass of wine we ordered, the waiter talked back to us and man-splained that we "had to understand" that the bar was very busy. When he finally brought it to us, he seemed to think he was doing us a huge favor. He said, "I had to go to the bar and get this myself." What? It arrived halfway through our meal with no offer to comp us. We had to ask multiple times for several other things. We can forgive mistakes and we never blame bad food on the waiter. But there is no reason to talk back to customers and be rude. If you are in downtown Stamford, there are better choices. Skip this place.

THE BEST ESPRESSO MARTINIS!!! Food is decent, nothing life changing. Pizza is good, only down fall is Remos is around the corner and they are cheaper.... Definitely under cutting zaza to get more customers but Zaza is better quality and Serivce.