Scarpas Italian Restaurant - Lakeland (FL)

5 /5 R Lin: 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.

4 /5 Deenie: 1st time eating here. Staff was very professional and attentive. The crab cakes were top notch. I ordered the Penne Polo for my main entree. Although the flavor was good, I wished there was a little more sauce. My friend who joined me was a little dissatisfied with her dish, the Chicken Francese. It came with polenta and green beans. She had to order a side of pasta because thats why she was craving with the dish. The polenta lacked flavor and the beans severely undercooked, basically raw. My other friend had the fettuccine Alfredo with chicken and loved it. I would dine here again, but I would order something different next time. The price we paid was good for appetizer, wine, salads, and entrees.

5 /5 Laurie Berger: What a wonderful experience eating here. Finally found a REAL Italian Restaurant!! Menu choices were ample, excellent service ( Frankie was our waiter) and the atmosphere was intimate, pleasant, and white table cloth clean. They only serve beer and wine but the wine selection was ample. We had the prosciutto wrapped shrimp for an appetizer which was the perfect amount to start our meal off. My husband got the Grouper Casino Special w Calabrian chili aioli and I got the Chicken Francese. Both portions were perfectly sized and both were cooked to perfection. They also make all their pasta (yummm) Finished off the evening w a cappuccino and an espresso. Excellent evening out. We happened to get lucky ( a Wednesday night) but they say to definitely make a reservation next time.

5 /5 Dylan Maiani: 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.

5 /5 Christine Ahlsten: 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!