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Al & Stella
Category: Restaurants Italian Italian [Edit]
483 Mandalay AveSte 106
Clearwater Beach, FL 33767
(727) 461-7000
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- No
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Beer & Wine Only
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Romantic, Casual
- Has TV:
- Yes
- Caters:
- Yes
34 reviews for Al & Stella
Review Highlights
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"The sea bass is a nice light dinner choice and all the..." In 1 review -
"The pasta is homemade on-site." In 3 reviews -
"Our dishes (pasta & gnocchi) were very good." In 3 reviews
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34 reviews in English
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Review from Joe M.
Tampa, FL
5/20/2012 1 Check-in Here
Al & Stella's had the best authentic Italian food I have had since my grandmother passes. We started off with the Gorgonzola gnocchi, It was fantastic and fresh rolled. If you are an gnocchi snob you know very well it has to be made fresh to be good and this was. It was served with a Gorgonzola cream sauce, similar to Alfredo but with that Gorgonzola bite. The most amazing thing about the sauce was that it was how thick yet light it was. For entrees we had goat cheese ravioli, linguine with clams, a special that was chicken and sausage with a spicy marinara and grouper, calamari and shrimp sautéed with a spicy marinara and angel hair.
All of the entrees were bursting with flavors of garlic, pepper, Parmesan, and fresh basil. The sauces all had a perfect consistency and flavor, they were simple yet bursting with flavor. The pasta was all fresh and cooked to perfection just a little al dente but still soft .
For dessert we had tiramisu, cannoli, and a lemon custard. All three were outstanding but to my surprise the lemon was my personal favorite.
Some of these reviews complain about the service, ours was great. We mentioned these reviews to the waitress who we found out was Stellas daughter. She explained that her mom cooked all the food and didn't allow others in the kitchen. So when they are slammed the food does take a little while to prepare.
My suggestion it to sit back order multiple courses, take your time, uncork a nice bottle of Barolo, and take advantage of the time given by actually enjoying time spent with friends and loved ones at the table. Homemade food, great wine, and entertaining company. Now that's Italian dining. -
Review from Carson S.
Madison, WI
5/5/2012
We decided on this place based on all the positive Yelp reviews. Turns out the 4 1/2 stars is very well deserved. Our meals were absolutely fantastic!
We started out with the mozzarella caprice, which was very very good. After that, we had our main dishes... I ordered the lobster and crab ravioli, and my uncle ordered a penne dish with red meat sauce. Both dishes were out of this world! All the pasta is homemade, and you can tell. It is so good! The food was fabulous!
As far as the service, everyone was extremely courteous and helpful. Our waitress definitely knew her stuff, and was quite helpful in providing information on the different dishes, and helping us order something we would like.
The atmosphere was also quite nice. A quiet little place, with seating both inside and out. Nothing special, but definitely good enough.
All in all our experience at Al & Stella's was top notch! My uncle and I both agreed it was the best Italian food we have ever had! I highly recommend you give it a shot if you're in the area. -
Review from Scott M.
3/17/2012
We called them last minute on a Friday night to see f they could handle our group of eleven. Pleasantly surprised that they had room. There is a sign out front that says "ask us about our kids menu". When you ask, they say they don't have one. When I pointed out the sign, the hostess said, yeah that needed to be changed. That said, they were very accommodating for kids special orders.
The atmosphere is weak- tiled floors, and bright paint with little authentic decor. However the smells from the kitchen were compelling.
The menu seemed slightly seafood-heavy, but hey, it's Clearwater Beach. Many pastas with seafood, veal and chicken done two ways (picata and marsala), seabass, salmon gorgonzola, and grouper.
Tried the Bruschetta (outstanding), and Calamari (too heavily crusted, good marinara). Followed by a fresh signature salad with bococini, olives, tomatoes and a vinaigrette.
The entrees came in a large individual platter presentation, nicely setup. I had veal picata over gnocchi, and there were several other pasta dishes ordered. Everyone had the same comment, the chef likes her chilies. Almost an overpowering theme to her entrees. The chef did stop by the table to check up on us, a nice touch.
The service was attentive, but timid... needed a "command and control" approach to a large group... but polite.
I would go back. -
Review from Sneekee S.
Irvine, CA
5/19/2012 1 Check-in Here
My girlfriend and I went here based on the reviews and were very happy with our meals. We started with the caprese salad, very fresh, then the Neptune's soup loaded with mussels, clams, shrimp and calamari in a rich garlic buttery bisque that make my mouth water just writing about! For the pasta course we shared the crab and lobster ravioli, very creamy and rich, decadent! Then for the final dish we had the veal masala with portobello mushrooms, it was awesome! So tender and thin it just melts in your mouth! Unfortunately we didn't have room for dessert, but we were very tempted by the home made cannoli and tiramisu. We got to meet Stella and her staff. They were super friendly and have been doing this for about seven years so they really have their act together. I would definitely recommend this place, cozy, romantic, but also family friendly and very authentic Italian fare
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Review from Toni M.
San Diego, CA
5/11/2012 1 Check-in Here
Thanks yelpers, it's my first night in Clearwater and we were looking for good food, came here based on the star rating and it is 2 blocks from the hotel. Was very happy, we both had ravioli and each were fabulous in their own right. Pasta tasted fresh and sauces were not too heavy and very flavorful. Staff was pleasant and wine was good. Total included 18% gratuity which I thought was weird for 2 people, maybe its a florida thing.
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Review from Dex L.
Boston, MA
5/10/2012
Went here in with my family. Not really much on the menu for kids but my meal was outstanding. Great food.
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Review from Alanna A.
Houston, TX
4/21/2012
Amazing! Pasta was very fresh! Excellent service. We had the Neptune soup and seafood pasta with red sauce. Tierramasu was really good too. It was a nice take on italian for Clearwater Beach
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Review from Holly L.
Chicago, IL
1/16/2012
Al and Stella's food rivals Quartino's in Chicago. I never thought I could find something that could possibly taste better than Quartino, but am I ever glad I am wrong! It is incredibly worth the drive from even Orlando, just to eat here.
After my husband and I explored Honeymoon Island and the antique shops in Dunedin on Friday, Jan 13, we were incredibly hungry and craving something delicious. I remembered stumbling across this place on Yelp, so my husband, Jeff, called to get a reservation. Their phone message said that they opened at 5pm, same for most other places in Clearwater Beach. I don't know if it was because it was off-season, but I found the late start rather odd.
Parking was incredibly easy to find when we arrived in Clearwater Beach at 4:30pm. All the spaces I saw were metered--but they stop enforcing the meters at 6pm, which made for cheap parking. One quarter for every 15 minutes is a bargain compared to parking in Chicago.
When we arrived at the restaurant a few minutes later, the place was dark. There were no signs of anyone preparing in the kitchen or the dining room, so I was afraid that perhaps it was closed for the off-season. Yet, all the good Yelp reviews raved about their delicious food, so we decided to wait by going to the beach and watching the sun setting. Just before 5pm, we headed back to the restaurant to find the employees and I think the owner opening up shop. It was very cold out, so they let us come in and warm up even as they were still opening up the place.
Some people complained about the decor, but it wasn't actually that bad. It's not Olive Garden level, but they have some beautiful paintings and pictures on the wall of scenes from Italy, and white lights were strung across the ceiling. The ambiance was quite nice--not cheesy like tourist trap restaurants, nor is it over the top like some faux-Italian places like the Olive Garden. There is beauty in simplicity, and it let us focus on the food and conversation.
The waitresses were very friendly. They seemed slightly confused that we didn't order wine or sangria (I was tempted by the latter), but I wanted to have full facility of my senses while driving back to Orlando in the dark, and my husband wanted to be able to help me navigate. They do sell Coke products, and we each ordered a can of Coke.
We ordered the bruschetta with fresh tomatoes and basil. It was delicious--the best bruschetta I've ever had.The seasoning was perfect--not too garlicky and not too plain. We then ordered the gnocchi, little potato dumplings in a marinara sauce. Again, the seasoning was perfect, not too strong and not too weak. They even gave us two plates to help us split the meal. 1/2 serving each of the gnocchi more than filled us up because it was so rich and flavorful. The meal came with additional bread and olive oil, which we also devoured.
When dessert time came, my husband ordered a tiramisu and I had a lemon torte. The lemon torte was also amazing. Perfect texture, perfect flavor, perfect sweetness. I wish I had the recipe, because I'm craving it right now! I'm not a fan of tiramisu so I didn't sample my husband's dish. He said it was absolutely divine, though.
Altogether, the meal for the two of us added up to about $42.59, not including tip. Incredibly delicious food, and it is definitely worth the drive from and to Orlando, where we were staying at a Disney hotel. Skip the faux-italian Disney restaurants, and come eat the real stuff. Yes, Al and Stella are real Italians, from southern and northern Italy, respectively. -
Review from Alan C.
Pittsburgh, PA
2/20/2012
Short Story:
Awesome food, slow/confused service, with a forced 18% (post-tax) gratuity on a party for 2 despite the slow/confused service.
Long Story:
Wandered over there for dinner from our place at the north end of Clearwater beach, having driven by it numerous times, but never having wandered in.
After a few mix-ups on seating (first we were told we'd need to wait, then were guided to a table inside, then informed it was reserved, then seated outside, then re-seated inside as another table opened up a minute later), we eventually got situated.
First inquiry from our waitress (for drinks/appetizers) took 15 minutes, but we put in an order for some clams as a starter. The loaf of bread with olive-oil was great, and once the clams arrived, the sauce was delectable and light, my toast point was burnt, and the clams were tasty.
My main entree (veal marasala w. portabellos) was wonderful, as the white wine sauce was light and brought out the flavor of the veal. I had it with linguini ($3 upcharge), but it definitely went well with the texture.
My girlfriend's pasta dish was excellent as well.
In short, the food was great, but forcing a fixed tip, then underdelivering on service kinda rubbed me the wrong way... -
Review from Dana L.
12/29/2011
The food here was pretty good. Actually, it was probably the best we've had among the moderately priced places in Clearwater. I thought the gnocchi with Gorgonzola was quite good. Very heavy - even though the portion didn't seem huge, I was pretty stuffed when I finished.
The service was also pretty good. They didn't have the first thing that I ordered, but they were friendly about it and offered a substitution. Our food came out pretty quickly. Also, the seafood soup is more of a cioppino than a soup (pretty much no broth).
The decor is TACKY. They need some serious interior design help. Don't come here because you are looking for great ambiance - it's good food at a pretty decent price (the bill came to just under $50 for two people without alcohol). I would probably come back if I were looking for Italian.
Also, some of the other reviews got it right when they said it's hard to fine. I missed it the first time we tried to go here (fortunately there are a lot of places within the block). -
Review from Jo S.
Houston, TX
3/11/2012 1 photo
I chose this restaurant based on Yelp reviews...thanks y'all!! There were six adults in our party, with some dietary needs and different tastes. and Al & Stella make us all very happy! We enjoyed the decor; eclectic and comfortable. They have a few tables outside, and these are good for those who want to listen to the live music coming from the club at the corner, which was pretty good.Definitely make a reservation. The staff was very nice, not just our waitress, but every employee greeted us as we passed them. We enjoyed a very good Caprese salad, and fried calmari; one serving was plenty for us to share. They also brought us some good bread and dipping sauce, while we waited for our food, as well.
The table ordered fruti di mare, a seafood pasta,clams,and shrimp and lobster ravioli, with an accent of black caviar, and really enjoyed the combinations of flavors.The portions are generous without being impossible, but perfect for sharing, if you plan to fit in dessert. We didnt have dessert, but after I passed a waitress carrying a tart-style key lime pie, we wish we Had ordered dessert. They also have daily dinner specials, which your waiter will tell you about, when you are seated.
We were happy with every aspect of our dinner, and look forward to eating here again, when we travel to Florida. -
Review from Michael T.
Largo, FL
4/23/2012
Great food, loved the outside seating
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Review from S. D.
South Windsor, CT
2/25/2012
Excellent Italian food - Homemade pasta
Service can be spotty at times.
Plan to enjoy your time there.
Our dinner lasted 1.75 hours :-) - they were busy
Personally I don't mind a longer dinner versus being rushed out in less than an hour.. -
Review from Mandy M.
Bellingham, WA
7/4/2011
People, run; do not walk to Al & Stella. Oh my blue heaven what a wonderful little gem this place is. I went to this restaurant over 4th of July weekend and it was so good. I felt like a hog at a trough - I wanted to just shove my face into my plate and go at it.
I had a special of chicken cutlet with grilled/chilled eggplant and peppers with a balsamic glaze. And then I had a side of fettucini which was the stuff dreams are made of. My goodness gracious this was some seriously good food. It's a good thing I don't live in Clearwater because I would be as big as the broad side of a barn! Do not miss Al & Stella.
The staff was attentive and very friendly. And Stella will alter your meal however you like....if you see it on the menu and it can be made she will do it for you. -
Review from Heather N.
Sugar Land, TX
12/18/2011
Although this place was pretty hard to find. No real signage from the street, we walked right by!
Ordered a bottle of wine and listened to the specials... Everything sounded amazing and there were a lot of specials! I order goat cheese ravioli and shrimp and it was outstanding. A garlic cream sauce that was just a bit spicy to round out the favors.
My only complaint would be the atmosphere. Pretty much non-existent. If you need someplace to set the mood for you this place won't do it. But the quality of the food is always my top priority so thats why this place gets four stars! -
Review from Susan B.
Clearwater, FL
3/10/2012
Italia-icous, she is amazing. Had my son's rehersal dinner there, everyone was impressed. Love her sea bass and her sausage is fantastic. You will not be disappointed.
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Review from Stacy D.
Los Angeles, CA
10/25/2011
Was on vacation for a few days in Clearwater and was so happy to find this place on Yelp. Our hotel (Marriott Suites) recommended another place that we tried but it was nowhere as good as this place. The service was excellent, but most importantly all pasta was homemade! It did not seem easy to find good Italian food in Clearwater, but I would highly recommend this place. The only disappointment was we arrived at 730 on a Saturday and they were already out of a few dishes.
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Review from Kelly T.
Evanston, IL
7/9/2011
I made a Yelp account just to review Al & Stella (that should explain a lot!). I had dinner here tonight with my family, and we were already recommending it to the people outside the restaurant on our way out. Everything from our appetizers to our various entrees (gnocchi, ravioli, sea bass, chicken and sausage pasta) to our desserts (tiramisu, key lime pie) was delicious! It's just Al and Stella in the kitchen, and everything is fresh and homemade. They're also open to customization - different preparations, kids meals, you name it.
A GREAT end to a vacation. HIGHLY recommended. -
Review from Sabine N.
Dallas, TX
We walked by Al & Stella and decided to give it a try.
The setting inside is fairly formal (white table cloth) so we decided to sit outside, which was very nice.
Our dishes (pasta & gnocchi) were very good. The ingredients are fresh and flavorful. The gnocchi was very good. My only complaint is that the pasta was very thin, so much so that you couldn't really even taste it, and unfortunately overcooked. If the pasta hadn't been so thin it probably would have been cooked to the correct consistency.
Mica male! If you like clean flavors and seafood, I'd highly recommend you give it a try. -
Review from Randy S.
Allendale, NJ
8/29/2011
Visiting from out of town. Read the positive reviews and our family of 4 went last night. The food was excellent. Very good pasta dishes and the service was exactly right. We had sangria to start and then a nice bottle of Chianti.
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Review from Paul M.
Clearwater, FL
3/29/2010
This is a hidden gem of a place on Mandalay Ave. in Clearwater Beach. The storefront restaurant is casual and comfortable with outdoor seating as well.
The thing that makes Al and Stella's exceptional s the food. The ingredients are fresh and incredibly well prepared in a very original and flavorful manner. The pasta is homemade on-site. This is a taste extravaganza for the palate.
Last night I started with the zuppa pescatore which had mussels, clams, shrimp and calamari in a fabulous garlic buttery broth. As testimony to the delicious broth we needed extra bread so everyone at the table could sop up a taste. After the house salad I had Veal Marsala. This veal was buttery soft and the marsala sauce was made with with portobella mushrooms - unusual but effective. My dining companions had spinach tortellini and seafood linguine, they raved.
The wine list is limited but very reasonably priced with few acceptable Italian reds and wines by the glass. For dessert you can order gelato from the bar that colorfully greets you at the entrance or one of the finely prepared concoctions from the menu.
Service is friendly, attentive and efficient.
I can't say enough about this delightful place. I'll be bringing all our guests there during their stays with us in Clearwater Beach. -
Review from Marc H.
Melville, NY
8/14/2011
My family left our Clearwater vacation days ago and they are still raving over the delicious food and wonderful service. We have many excellent Italian restaurants back home and we didn't expect anything spectacular at Al & Stella's. But, we were completely pleasantly surprised.
The special Chilean Sea Bass was magnificient. I was also pleased that the ravioli with lobster and crab special was allowed to be ordered as an appetizer. Everyone else's meals were as pleasing.
Our experience is reason enough to return to Clearwater Beach for another vacation. -
Review from Anita M.
Merritt Island, FL
4/23/2011
Home-made pasta! I ordered "whatever the cook wants - vegetarian with home-made pasta" - squisito! Simple, pure flavors - very italian!
I agree with Doug F. - put salt and pepper on the table.
We ate outside and had a great time. Laughter and vino...just like italy. -
Review from Al M.
Palatine, IL
7/15/2011
No doubt AL & Stella has very good food, however the service was VERY slow and I thought it was usually that they did not provide bread and olive oil on the table when we sat down!
Overall Very Good Homemade Food! -
Review from Amy W.
Tampa, FL
9/4/2011 3 photos
Hidden gem in Clearwater beach. Not much to look at from the outside and even the inside is somewhat weirdly decorated but the food is absolutely amazing. My boyfriend and I went there we ordered the bruschetta, seared scallops appetizer with sauted spinach and a gorgonzola sauce, for our entrees we had Chilean sea bass with a side of angel hair pasta with assorted vegetables and also a gnocchi with a tomato sauce. Everything we ordered was delicious. The tomatoes in the bruschetta was very fresh and the bread was very crispy, not soggy at all. The seared scallops were melt in your mouth amazon and with the gorgonzola sauce made it even creamier. The sea bass is a nice light dinner choice and all the portions are good size. The fish was flakey and the pasta was full of many different veggies, very light but still just enough flavor. The gnocchi was very soft and pillowy and the tomato sauce was like a vodka sauce. Overall the meal was wonderful and servers were very attentive. Will definitely come back here.
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Review from Will M.
Lancaster, PA
2/28/2011 1 Check-in Here
The food was GREAT .. all homemade dishes. We had a new server, who did the best she could to try to pace our meal.... the Food won us over however
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Review from Graeme J.
Miami, FL
6/15/2011
Probably the best Pasta my wife & I have had n Florida....... As was the Bruscetta appertiser. This is the exact type of restaurant one hopes to find, great food, friendly service at reasonable prices and with a wine list that is not going to break the bank. Great place....... highly recommended.
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Review from Cecilia A.
San Diego, CA
8/14/2011 1 Check-in Here
Love this place! Ive been here twice now and i have to say, its the best Italian food Ive had since moving to Florida bar none. The first time I went I had the fettuccini al frutti di mari w/white sauce and it was absolutely amazing!! First of all the white sauce wasn't a heavy alfredo sauce like i was fearing, Stella herself suggested i get the white sauce as i usually gear towards red sauce, she said the white sauce was light and complimented the seafood so i opted for her suggestion and was IN LOVE with my food. This place isn't at all like a chain italian place with heavy portions and cheese and sauce dominating every meal, the portions are appropriate and the plates are rich without being heavy, generous with out gluttony, and the prices are great as well. Last night i had the chefs crustini that had a combination of toast with smoked salmon and black caviar, a classic brusceta with tomatoes and basil, toast with pan seared mushrooms and toast with the classic mozzarella and tomato and basil one of each and each one was delicious. We also ordered the fried calamari which was good but i prefer baby calamari as opposed to the strips. For my meal i had the portobello mushroom ravioli with pink sauce which was supposed to have portobello mushrooms on top but actually there were just regular belle mushrooms and the sauce was more red than pink, but it was very very good. Also there was supposed to be gorgonzola cheese on top and that was missing too, however it was 5 minutes to closing when we walked in and they welcomed us with open arms anyway and it IS a smaller more authentic european style place with fresh ingredients so i wouldn't be surprised if they ran out that and actually ,doesn't even bother me at all. My meal tasted fresh and flavorful, tasted like home...which is weird cuz im not italian nor have i ever been to italy. I am well traveled though and i dine out more than regularly and i know good food when i taste it, this place is top notch. Service is fast, friendly helpful stafff and that welcoming feeling that hirer end places lack. You get the feeling they want you to enjoy your experience, theres no rush even when they're busy. And you leave feeling full and satisfied not bloated and gluttonous. Go try this place yourself, you wont be disappointed.
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Review from June D.
Wakefield, MA
11/5/2011
Excellent Italian food!!!
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Review from Anthony D.
Cohasset, MA
3/26/2011 1 Check-in Here
Wonderful home style Italian food. Prepared in the classic manner.
Casual and polite good service. Simple and good. Give it a try. I'm Italian and know the difference. -
Review from Doug F.
Overland Park, KS
3/22/2011
Poor service stopped me from giving it 5 stars.
We loved the food. Everything was fresh and tasted homemade. My daughter said it was the best meatball she has ever had. Ravioli was excellent. I had pasta with homemade sausage and it was excellent. Gnocchi was light and excellent. Caprese salad was just ok. Mozzarella was fesh and light but it is served with too little EVOO and no balsamic which I like on my caprese.
Tiramisu was awesome and light.
The service was terrible. We got the "everyone sat down at once" excuse. Not really, you're just a bad waitress. I also hate the pretentiousness of not putting salt and pepper on the table, especially when the waitress is not around to bring it when needed.
Overall, I would go back for the food. -
Review from Shelley J.
Clearwater, FL
6/10/2010 1 Check-in Here
As a chef of over 20 years, I must admit that this place sits at the top of my list for best places to eat. The food is authentic Bolognese. It is not pretentious or Americanized in any way. It is the food you would eat if you went to this region in Italy and went to someone's grandmother's house for dinner. It is simply prepared using the freshest ingredients with very clean flavors that are just divine!
Although I highly recommend it for adults, if my kids were still young I would eat outside on the patio as I feel the inside is too quiet for young children. -
Review from kate p.
San Diego, CA
10/9/2011
I went the Al and Stella's with a group of over 20 people...The food was great. Everything came out together. The staff were wonderful and the lemon limoncello was delicious. Highly recommended:-)
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Review from Karen S.
Tampa, FL
8/15/2010
Fabulous meal, served by owner/chef's daughter - excellent service! Enjoyed veal marsala, sea bass picatta, grouper, lobster ravioli and angel hair with spicy olive & pepper red sauce. Topped off with espresso & gelato - everything was wonderful. Highly recommend!!
