A Tavola

You can deduce immediately after reading the menus (wall and paper versions) that this tucked away restaurant is pasta based, which for us on this occasion was ideal. I read about the communal dining situation beforehand but still being confronted with the reality was quite disheartening, I’m not a «communal table with strangers» type of gal but hey putting up with it this once… the food better be sensational.
As aforementioned, they have a small paper menu plus a consigli menu written on a board on the wall outlining their fresh handmade pastas of the day. The options did look delectable until I found out everything had chilli heat in it, despite it not being outlined on the menu. In fact our strong Italian accented waiter whom was explaining the entire menu to us, proudly described it as «we put chilli in everything». After I politely detailed chilli was death to me, he counter offered that the chefs could whip up a simple pasta dish of spaghetti, buffalo mozzarella, basil and tomato based sauce which they serve to the «gluten free customers». So because I don’t eat chilli I am suddenly classed as gluten free? Apparently this option wasn’t even on the menu. I was curious what they’d charge this dish as and sure enough on the bill at the end it was totaled up as «GF pasta». Ookay then.
My partner was less complicated; he went for the ever popular lamb ragu pappardelle pasta, which was quite good accordingly to him but not chilli enough– if at all.
For appetizers we went for the buffalo mozzarella, rocket, tomato & prosciutto and fried salame veneto, polenta & parmigiano, served with bread starter + dipping oil. These dishes were well made and fresh, especially all that rocket but average tasting.
In the end I didn’t mind my GF dish, the pasta did taste gluten free ish (you can taste the difference) but it was the sauce that truly made it. Tomato based sauce pasta dishes are a dime a dozen but so many are hit or miss. This time worked well and if I had the capacity to finish the plate I would’ve. Although it was slightly more sauce drowned than pasta.
It was still over $ 100 for the two of us but we didn’t have a bad experience. Just not going to be jumping through hoops to make another reservation.

It ain’t cheap. My last meal there came out to a touch over 90 a head. although that included wine. If you don’t mind shelling out $ 30+ for a pasta main, please continue. If you a visceral reaction against paying that much for wheat and water (and that I can understand), then I don’t suggest you come here.
Now, if you’re still reading, I can recommend A Tavola very highly. I am a great fan of intimate dining and the restaurant upstairs is sufficiently divided into small spaces that you can enjoy your meal without being overwhelmed by noise or by crowds. The light level is low, good for romantic dinners (although I have yet to enjoy that personally. It’s been friends and colleagues thus far).
The service is generally excellent. Food arrives at regular intervals; the meal is not rushed, but there are no gaping spaces between courses. Most of the proficient wait staff is Italian, from up and down the peninsula, and they seem fairly familiar with details of Italian cuisine: I’ve had a couple conversations with them about regional dishes and variations thereof. Their wine list, while not extensive, shows a fairly broad selection of Italian varietals – and again, the waitstaff seem quite familiar with what’s on offer. The prices for the vino are perhaps a trifle high, but I understand that alcohol often subsidizes the cost of the food.
As for the food itself, I must base my review on the three meals I’ve had here. In addition to some pretty standard but tasty antipasti, they have some regular mains (the Bucatini all’ Amatriciana, Rigatoni al Ragu and a few others) that are first rate. In addition, there are always a number of specials of the day that all look devastatingly edible. I’ve yet to try their ratatouille (which was on offer on two occasions) nor their fish soup (what my nonna would have called a cioppino). But on my last visit, I had a black linguine with lobster. Pasta, sauce and meat were all superb.
And that brings me to the pasta in general. It is actually quite difficult to get proper al dente pastas outside of Italy. Why this is the case, I am not sure. Whatever the reason, their homemade noodles are perfectly cooked. This alone to my mind makes coming to A Tavola worthwhile.
I wouldn’t call this restaurant an every day affair, given its price. But I’ve no objection to paying a fair amount for really good food. Too often in Sydney and elsewhere, you can pay a lot for mediocre fare. Fortunately, A Tavola delivers.

Fantastic authentic little itallian place in Darlinghurst. Book ahead to get a private table upstairs or try your luck at the door like we did.
We arrived without a booking and asked if there was any chance of getting a table, the guy assisting us was very friendly and indicated to a group of men on the communal table and said they are about to leave if we could wait 10mins or so. he directed us across the street to a cocktail bar and took our number. we were happy to wait with a cocktail and within 5 minutes he had called to say the table was ready when we were.
We ended up on the HUGE communal table that takes up the entire lower level which was fine and we made friends with the people around us.
Entrée salad was fresh and delicious. both our mains were perfectly al dente and full of flavour. We decided to share their signature dessert — a layered chocolate, salted carmael and itallian meringue dish that is served in a cup and looks like a cappuccino! So much that when the waitress pout it down we said We didn’t order that! She said, no, that’s your dessert and turned the cup upside down to show that it wasn’t a coffee! too funny. Anyway, be warned, this is not for sharing. get your own!
Wonderful night with fantastic food and service.

Gorgeous little restaurant with simple but authentic Italian food. Wonderful and friendly service.
Be prepared to be seated at the long communal table downstairs, and chat to the people sitting close to you if you feel inclined.
This place does amazing things with mushrooms. But aside from that, excellent pasta and excellent salads. I can’t wait to go back to try more!

This is a very quiet, classical, romantic Italian restaurant with perfectly executed, mostly traditional Italian food.
We were seated upstairs — I think if you’re dining with friends, being downstairs at the communal table is a lot less «intimate».
The service was impeccable. Very attentive, polite and knowledgable wait staff.
The food was great — dessert was a standout for me. A modern twist on a classic affogato served in a cappucino cup. With salted caramel sprinkles on top. I nearly lost my mind eating that thing!
Also they predominantly (or perhaps ONLY) have Italian wines here, so if you dislike an earthy Italian red… well, fair warning!

Simple Italian meals. Hand made pasta drying on racks around the restaurant — sometimes on the backs of the chairs. Meat plates as entrees with enough meat to stuff you silly.
We headed here with another couple at Valentines (highly recommended to escape the cliché that is the lovey dovey couple) and braved the queue of people at the second sitting. Had a great entrée of mortadella, bresaola and prosciutto and a main of papardelle and shredded wagyu and finished off with their chocolate dessert (of course). Exceptional food.
Wine was not the best except for the dessert prosecco, would have liked some Australian wines. Good service.

Excellent service, always evolving menu with quality fresh produce, words can not describe this venue you just simply have to visit and enjoy… Although this is at the higher end of price it’s certainly worth it for the attention to detail and freshness
Main part of restaurant is communal table but out the back has excellent romantic tables for small groups of four or two.
The wine is a little expensive but enjoyable.
All the staff here go out of their way to make you feel welcome…
I’d talk about the menu but there is no point as it changes weekly :-)
Great for a romantic date or with friends

A Tavola, Bondi Beach
Vibe
Open, airy and crisp. It doesn’t need much else, the freshly made pasta drying on the large 10.4m marble tavola (table) in the middle of the restaurant speaks for itself. Lovers of authentic premium pasta and hungry people in general. I was surprised to see hungry ‘little’ people (children, not dwarfs) slurping on spaghetti. Initially I wouldn’t have picked it for a family restaurant but A Tavola very much is. My boyfriend and I came here with his mother and her partner for Sunday lunch and we were all thoroughly impressed by the food and the staff who are incredibly knowledgeable, friendly and come with a charming Italian accent.
Spend
$$$ It was an expensive lunch — Thank you Denise and Searly for your generosity
Dress code
The place carries the casual Bondi vibe. Lunch was very relaxed and comfortable, I’m sure dinner would be along the same dress code.
Must try dishes
The pasta is freshly made every morning and left out on the marble table to dry. The menu changes daily and the specials are written on the chalk board, this is where you want to order from. We ordered (images clockwise) the mezzelune con piselli e ricotta (ravioli), Orecchiette Con Fegatini di pollo, Pappardelle con ragu di manzo. The ragu was my favourite followed by the ravioli. We also had the Calamari Fritti, very nice and soft. The baked olives was something I hadn’t tried before it was an arancini-​esque ball with a baked olive in the middle, really delicious!
The best part
The dessert! The tagliatelle con maiale in latte — so understated. Its served like a latte but it’s incredible, the table fell silent. You have to dig deep to scoop up all the layers of chocolaty/​cream goodness — MUST TRY!
Love Bangers x
See my blog for photos :)

A Tavola has been a favourite of mine for years. It is one of the very few Sydney Italian restaurants that still serves authentic Italian food (no fusion or foams here) and kept its sexiness.
There are a few restrictions due to the size of the restaurant. They have a small capacity and you may end up on the communal table, which I actually prefer but not everyone does. But once you get past that you’ll see the high quality and consistency of their food, drinks, as well as their service (wish I could say the same for some of the other popular celebrity chef affiliated or trendy Italian restaurants). They’ve even now got cheat sheets for those who cannot read the Italian menu or remember what the waitstaff said.
Definitely recommended for a first date, or in our case… any excuse we can come up with date. Did I mention they are sexy?

In a romantically lit townhouse-​come-​restaurant, with a delicious glass of a Sangiovese, a slow cooked baby goat parpadelle and an Italian waiter with passion for the menu, you could fool yourself into thinking you were in Italy.
Enough said.

A Tavola came highly recommended and now I know why. Wow, what an evening. Our table of three shared apps of fresh pasta and then mains of mezzeluna stuffed with ling cod, a chicken/​veal/​pork mince bolognese-​style pasta, and parpadelle with short rib meat sauce no room for dessert, only two bottles of wine All was served to us by handsome Florentine-​born Phillipo on the back patio
Can’t wait to come back.

A very romantic night with my love…:)
We both hv starter n main, I had polenta baked with salami with Pam chz on top… I love polenta so I order it. It taste good with truffle oil n chz mixed with polenta but it so salty of the salami… My love had one is pouched veal he said it very salty too as the sea salt in it. Main i had pasta with mussels n love had lamb Pasta both pasta was handmade it’s wonderful same as the mussel n lamb

Aaaahhhh Taaaavooollaaa
The space, that buzzing communal table, the courtyard outback — in either position, you’ll just want to stay all night.
Our waiter was so wonderfully Italian. We could hardly understand what he was saying. But we didn’t want to tell him to stop, as he rolled of the specials with such passion and animation– we just let his rolling rrrrrrrs and sweet accents be music to our ears. Engaging service to say the least.
Wines list — bellissima. Food — billissima some more. Chef could not have cooked my salmon more perfectly if he tried. That parpadelle number won’t be forgotten any time soon either. Soft ribbons of pasta swathed in a rich sauce of slow cooked pork and figs. No room for dolce!
My favourite dinner experience in Sydney to date. Get me back there soon!

A Tavola came highly recommended, and we found our 5 dishes ok, clearly made with care and fresh ingredients, but nothing stood out for me as exceptional except the marshmallow-​y dessert served in a coffee cup which was quite good. Tried the polenta and crab pasta, and the ricotta starter — both ok, but not something I would crave or seek out to have again. I also found the dishes quite pricey ($ 350 for a dinner for 5, 1 bottle of wine, 2 desserts and three starters).
The primary menu only lists the names of the dishes — so ask for the menu with the descriptions of the dishes so you can make an informed choice …
Perhaps I am spoiled by Trovata’s Italian food just down the street which I had earlier in the week, or the wood-​fired pizzas at the lovely Puntino Trattoria on Crown which I personally prefer and found much more reasonably priced, though neither of these places is as trendy as A Tavola.

I came here with a group of friends after hearing so much about this place (Baader-​Meinhof phenomenon, anyone?) We made a booking (you will have to) since this place is no stranger to customers. It’s definitely on the romantic side, so if you need a date idea you can’t go wrong with A Tavola.
There’s a standard menu and a special menu that changes often. Our server knew his stuff, and gave plentiful recommendations in regards to portion sizes and what most people order. My good friend recommended the pappardelle saying it’s the best he’s ever had (apparently they go through different meats like lamb, turkey, beef, and so on… we had the turkey version.) I have to agree with his assessment… but full disclosure, this is the first time I’ve ever had pappardelle, but it was damn good.
We went on an ordering binge as you can see from the photos uploaded… highlights were the Olive all Ascolana, buffalo mozzarella, pappardelle, bucatini, taglioni, and carpaccio. The other dishes were also very good, but those stood out. Our server somehow knew to come by just when we needed him to, so bravo on that.
One of the best Italian places in Sydney.

recently went to A Tavola with a group of friends as it was highly recommended to us. we were not disappointed with the food at all. the venue itself was somewhat small with 2 floors. we were seated upstairs and it was a bit on the warm side. luckily we were next to some windows and had some air to cool us down.
we started with some delicious entrees — Buffalo mozzarella, rocket, tomato, prosciutto | Fried salame Veneto, polenta, parmigiano | Baked olives. the baked olives were by far the best.
i went with the spatchcock which literally melted in your mouth. it was prepared wonderfully over risotto. they have a good wine selection and the staff were very helpful with explaining each dish thoroughly.
they were able to handle our group of 8 without issues.

WOW! Amazing pasta, great but subtle service and divine deserts. Wine list pricing is somewhat hefty for what is on offer, but on the whole worthwhile. Definitely heading back here soon.

This is possibly my favourite Italian restaurant in Sydney. Trendy restaurant in a converted terrace with courtyard, on Darlinghursts vibrant Victoria St.
Open during the week and on weekends (closed Sunday). Friday and Saturday it has two sittings — 6:30 and 8:30. You must book to avoid disappointment.
A Tavola has consistent a la carte menu and always boasts an impressive seasonal list of specials. It is on the pricey side, but worth every cent.
All pastas are made on site and are simple exceptional.
You must try the pappardelle dish at least once. I have tried it twice now, once with beef and once with pork. Zuppa de Pesce is also outstanding as is the Osso Bucco. Complement your main with the crisp red cabbage salad, you won’t be disappointed!
The wine list is comprehensive and if you don’t know your Italian wines then the wait staff are knowledgeable and make great recommendations based on your dishes.
The dessert selection caters for different palates and the cheese platter are divine.
Staff are knowledgeable and passionate about excellent food and wine and this is reflected in excellent service.
I highly recommend A Tavola for both a romantic night for two or for a social night out with friends.
Bellissimo!
Tip: If you do want a more intimate experience, make sure you ask for a table in the courtyard or upstairs rather than on the communal table.

ATavola meaning ‘to the table’, is a smart and cute Italian bistro, that’s been a firm favourite of mine for years. The entrance to the restaurant is dominated by a large marble communal dining table, while the back room and the upstairs sections provide more intimate seating with smaller tables. You can always be assured of friendly efficient service and consistently good quality food, at reasonable prices.
The restaurant’s main menu is printed on a small piece of paper tucked into your napkin. Take my advice and immediately put this to the side. Not that there aren’t some great options on this menu, but you’re after the good stuff. You want that Blackboard menu. The Blackboard menu contains their ‘specials’ — especially their homemade pasta selections for the evening. This is where you’ll find those true gems.
Mr T and I dine on a Friday evening, and immediately set our minds to the Blackboard menu. I was pleased to see the Buratta entrée was still on the menu — a dish I can never go past. Also, the Pappardelle (which I order every time) was a pork ragu this evening. My choices were made. Easy. Mr T chose the Quail entrée and the Fish Ravioli. As expected, all the dishes were amazing and my reputation was upheld.
When it was time for dessert, I tentatively asked our waitress if the salted caramel dessert, which was served to look like a cappuccino, was still on the menu. Turns out it was! Take it from me. This is a dessert you will remember for a long time to come and it is well worth those extra calories.
Love this place!

I may not have been to every Italian restaurant Sydney has to offer, but I do know that this is some of the best pasta I’ve had in any restaurant in the world (although I’ve only been to Italy once, and I was 9 or 10).
If you don’t book in advance you’ll likely be seated at that the large communal table at the front of the restaurant, so you’ll likely be seated next to your partner as opposed to opposite, which personally, I’m not a massive fan of, but guess I’ll let it slide!
The highlight of the menu for me is the Pappardelle con Ragu di Manzo e Rafan (slow braised beef in red wine, rosemary and tomato — $ 34). The handmade pappardelle is fantastic and the sauce is rich and thick. Washed down with half a bottle of the Steffano Massone Gavi ($ 69 — the dining partner had the other half), and it was a filling meal even without an entrée or dessert! Although the appearance of the Cremino al Cioccolato
(chocolate and hazelnut crema, salty caramel gelato, Italian
meringue — $ 14) at our neighbours proved too tempting, so we got one to share. Totally worth it!
It may be a little pricier than many of the other choices on Victoria St, but you certainly get what you pay for here!