Ama La Vita

Oh. so. good. Friendly, charming, welcoming ... great indoor AND outdoor seating. The food was delicious. - tasty appetizer, - entrees (eggplant parm, fish of the day, and chicken dish) - All were wonderful - top it off with a gelato and espresso dessert (the owner makes the desserts) and you have an excellent meal. A good place to have a good experience.

Waitress OVER demanding...Their way ONLY....NOOOOO deviations AT ALL...if that's the case ...PUT NOTES ON MENU BOLDLY...Gives clients at least heads up...

I've been wanting to try this restaurant and tonight was the night. I didn't have a reservation but was able to sit at the bar which is interesting because of all the action behind it. I was able to speak with the waitresses while they poured wine (a generous pour) and did various things to serve their customers. The owner, chef's wife brought my bread with a special treat - come and find out. I ordered a bottle of red wine which was chilled properly unlike so many restaurants that serve reds at room temperature which is too warm. My dinner was the pasta carbonara cooked to perfection with ample amounts of guanciale in a relatively light but delicious cheese sauce. I believe this was the first time that I've eaten the whole bowl. I'm anxious to return and try some of the appetizers and their special deserts. Tonight some of the specials sounded wonderful, but I was determined to have the carbonara. Looking forward to dining again!!

Nice small restaurant with a great menu. Meals were good, not spectacular. We enjoyed the evening and most likely heading back for another try.

Authentic Italian food in Sarasota Florida. The pasta at Ama La Vita rivals what I've had in Rome. The Cacio e Pepe is incredible. While traditional recipes call for using pasta water, cheese, and black pepper, here they use stock with cheese and pepper. The extra richness from the stock is a fantastic addition. Pasta was cooked perfectly and was a great way to start the meal. Another stand out was the broiled flounder on spinach. Perfectly cooked and expertly seasoned. Save room for dessert! The homemade coconut cake is rich and fresh and sweet. I'm not even a coconut lover and I could devour a piece of that any day. Service is very attentive without being overbearing. It's a tiny place and fills up, but that is because it is so worth a try. Vegetarian options: With an entire pasta section on the menu and several vegetable based appetizers, vegetarians have several dishes to choose from here. And the coconut cake of course!

Third time for dinner, won’t be back. First time, waited 35 minutes past reservation time; staff wouldn’t ask 6 top to leave even though they were finished & had their check. Second time was fine. Third time, two flounder meals were inedible (wasn’t flounder, tasted like catfish) & shrimp on another meal was rubbery. Halibut, @ $45, came out so plain, it looked like things were missing on the plate (no sauce, no garnish, no vegetables, etc). Owner offered free desert which was appreciated, but for fine dining at these price points, there are better options.

Enjoyed the New Years Eve special event. Great experience.

We were a party of six. Our waitress was terrific but the food was mediocre at best. But the coconut cake was outstanding.

Had such an enjoyable experience here when traveling. The food, the wine and the service were all top-notch! Owner was super friendly and helpful, made our entire group feel welcome. I highly recommend! I would travel back just to go here again!

Amazing authentic Italian! The artichoke oreganata was incredible! The white wine sauce with the artichoke was exquisite. The founder oreganata was cooked to perfection! Pasta was perfect and delicate. The service was outstanding. The waitresses were sooo nice and accommodated my garlic allergy which I very much appreciated. Also everything is made to order I’ll be back tomorrow night it was soo good!