Strada Italiano

Eat here, we all have great food and the prices are reasonable.
4 of us ate here last Friday night. All of us had a great meal. My wife had the grilled ravioli and I had the chicken Marsala. She loved her meal and my Marsala was one of the best I’ve had.
We also had the calamari which was fantastic.
Was also happy they had domestic beer options.
The icing was that the prices were around $ 16 a plate, but was better then many $ 30 plate restaurants I’ve been too. They also have roof top dining, but the inside has great atmosphere.
Our waitress was also great. I’ll be back.

Great food and service. Owner has a place next door too. Ask for TOMMY… nice guy.
I got the spinach lasagna and tomato soup…

Great waiter, good wine, fresh, delicious salad. Sat upstairs, it was cozy. The kids loved the pizza but the shrimp alfredo had too much pepper for them. Overall good experience and we will be back!

Ok, we made a reservation for six food lovers during our girls’ weekend to Asheville. What an experience!
First of all, Martina, our waitress, was absolutely one of the restaurants best features. She was on it! She recommended the Tuscan Duck. It was perfect and served with a fabulous risotto. Couldn’t have been better.
The cannoli for dessert was so fresh! Hard shell, tasty inside! The chocolate dipped cannoli was good but I preferred the classic.
One of my dining companions scored a peak in the kitchen for some chef-​chef talk. It was truly a special night out.

We ate here for the first time last week and I was very impressed. My wife is 100% Italian and makes all here pasta and sauce from scratch. I will just say she was impressed so I was impressed. She had the ravioli and I had the calzone. Both of which were amazing. It was very well made and very fresh. Great Italian food with a twist of the Asheville culture thrown in.

The food and service were excellent! The food did take a little while to come out but defiantly worth the wait!

This place has been on our list for a while to try. The menu is not terribly exotic which can be refreshing in Asheville. The décor is pleasing, very trattoria-​inspired. The service was excellent. We each got a seafood pasta dish. Mine was mussels, octopus and whitefish in a spicy tomato base. Very good. There must have been two dozen mussels in it so for the $ 22 price tag I’d say it’s quite a deal. The fish was a little chewy and the pasta was a little soft but the flavors were nice. Slightly spicy tomato.

I hosted a group dinner here and it was OK. I think everyone enjoyed their food, but from my perspective it didn’t seem like they had their stuff together. I appreciated the fact that they gave us space in their upstairs area and accommodated a group of our size at all. I think couples and smaller groups are definitely their bread-​and-​butter. The grilled romaine salad is an offering that I like, but don’t see on menus very often. The grilled Florentine ravioli looked amazing. I know that everyone enjoyed the tiramisu and cannoli.

While walking down the street looking for dinner on a trip, we stumbled across this place and I’m glad we did. It’s a quaint little Italian place with great food. The menu is traditional with some different options. We sat at the bar and had a very attentive server/​bartender. The sauce is homemade and perfect on the pasta. Finished it off with their crème brûlée (a new flavor every week!)

My husband ordered the Portofino seafood dish and almost couldn’t finish it! Huge portion with no skimping on the seafood. He rated it“excellent”. I had the rigatoni bolognese — small portion. It was very tasty, a little spicy with tons of sauce. This dish was quite good as well. The Greek salad was an excellent presentation with a slightly different flare. A delight to the eyes and palate!
Our only disappointment was in the salted caramel cake which we found to be dense, a little stale but delightfully sweet.
Matt, our server, was very friendly and helpful and always at the ready.

We were planning on eating @ over easy café but the hour wait & rain drove us across the street to Strada.
I’m going to start out by saying our server Riley kicked ass. Total sweetheart. The 5 $ mimosas were good. Everything else was simply dreadful.
I ordered the Manhattan cowboy, fried egg, steak, fontina cheese, caramelized onion & cherry pepper aioli sounds good right? What I got was not even close to that. Basically I got a dried out croissant with cold scrambled eggs, I slice of un melted sweaty cheese, no onions, no aioli, & zero seasoning. The «steak» was & I dare them to prove me wrong nothing but steakums. Worst plate of food I’ve had in Asheville. The tots also sounded good. Tater tots with maple glazed onions. What I got was Luke warm tots with maple syrup poured all over them turning them into a limp excuse of what could have been delicious if done how they were described. My friend ordered the soup & a tuna sandwich. The soup was clam chowder passed off as some kind of fancy old world Italian delight. Her tuna was hands down the most bland/​dry sandwich I’ve ever tasted.
Now mind you during the ENTIRE TIME WE WERE THERE, the «executive chef» (which is total BS BTW) was sitting @ the bar on his phone trying to razzle dazzle 2 girls. You would think that an «executive chef» would come talk to a table that refused to pay for the worst meal I’ve had in recent memory & try to make things right. Nope, not a snowballs chance in hell. & I know from first hand experience that he is not a chef, it’s an insult to a trade that Ive dedicated my life to for almost 20 years. His actions were simply appalling. Your not a chef/​cook. You’re an embarrassment to the trade. FAIL !!
So to sum it up. WORST DINING EXPERIENCE IN ASHEVILLE EVER !!! Thank you Riley for being an awesome server, you deserve much better.

I have been to Strada tons of times. I’ve had dinner, I’ve had lunch, brunch and everything in between. I am a big fan. I go less and less often lately partially because as the employees change, I know less and less people who work there. Because of that though, I have had the chance to really enjoy and critique my dining experiences there as a customer and not just as a friend.
I have tried almost everything on the menu and feel extremely strongly towards a few dishes. The Grilled Ravioli and the Bolognese are ABSOLUTELY DELICIOUSLY AMAZING. They will rock your taste buds every single time. The Ravioli consists of three giant raviolis that are literally grilled so they have an awesome smokey flavor. They are served with a Sherry Tomato Cream sauce and balsamic vinaigrette. Smokey, sweet, oh yes. The Bolognese has a rich, dark sauce of tomatoes, garlic, demi-​glacé, onions, mushrooms and meat for days. The sauce is thick as it should be and is served with penne pasta. It is spot on. I also highly recommend the Tuscan Duck and the Gabriel Salad.
The pizza is sometimes amazing and perfect, but not always. Do not believe the menu saying «exotic blend mushrooms.» They are cremini’s-not very exotic. I hear through the grapevine that the bread is no longer home made, bummer.
The bartenders whip together some great cocktails and the wine list is long and awesome if that’s your thing. They also carry some local brews.
I love the atmosphere here and the decoration as well. The unique crafted wine racks near the bathroom are gorgeous and the bar is really pretty.
I am a big fan and will always be.

I had the joy of finally checking out Strada with some other Unilocalers doing a UYE last night.
Seriously, it has taken me this long.
We started with drinks, Old Fashioneds to be exact, and they were spot on. The bourbon shown through but was gently softened with muddled orange and luxardo cherries. Totally on point.
The interior here is very nice. One of the little touches that really made Strada shine was that they adjusted the light in the room as the sun began to set. As things outdoors got darker, the interior lights dimmed as well. I didn’t realize how seriously I take lighting, but I feel like I mention it in 90% of my reviews.
Our server Jonathan was a true delight. He was pleasantly present whenever we needed him, soft spoken, but direct. He was efficient and charming even when dealing with 12 diners who all asked for separate checks. No problems, no sigh, not phased for a moment.
I was CRAVING mushrooms in a crazy way before I arrived. As my wife and I were walking down I mentioned how I was going to order anything that had mushrooms on it. I found in this the La Strada pizza, pepperoni, EXOTIC MUSHROOM BLEND, green peppers, and onions. Exotic mushrooms? Pizza? I was all about it!
When my pizza arrived I was a bit perplexed. I found the pepperoni, the onions, the green peppers, but no mushrooms. Maybe they were under the cheese? I poked around… but nothing. I ate a slice… maybe they were in the sauce? As I sat there chewing in a perplexed manner one of my fellow diners received the exact same pizza, theirs with mushrooms! «Mushrooms!» I exclaimed. Jonathan was quickly beside me and looked equally perplexed. «They missed the mushrooms on your pizza? One moment.» He headed to the kitchen and returned to inform me that they were sauteeing up some mushrooms. A minute or two later Jonathan came carrying a dish of mushrooms to save my pizza and sate my craving.
I have to be honest and say that the mushroom incident kind of bummed me out. What could have been an awesome experience was now overshadowed by the delayed gratification of mushrooms. I caught myself being hyper critical… Are these really exotic? They look like sauteed white caps… not even portobellos. they’re not seasoned… my pizza is only luke warm… Snap out of it Kipper, they’re trying their best and you’re with friends. You could NOT be eating pizza. True!
Although the pizza wasn’t my most optimal experience I have to give it high marks for the crust. Perfectly thin and cracked when you bent a slice. I was impressed.
As for the other items on the table, my wife ordered the grilled ravioli which are a real treat. Especially with the balance of the peppery fresh arugula. One of my other friends ordered the bolognese which blew my mind. It was dark, not that standard ripe tomato red, the flavor of dark roasted garlic permeated the dish… and what’s that with all the meat? Mushrooms! In an alternate universe I’m sure that I ordered that dish and then won $ 500 on a $ 2 scratcher and had a truly kick ass evening.
All in all I had a nice time at Strada. Good friends and company make for a great meal, even if things aren’t perfect. But what really earned this place a 4 star rating rather than a 3 was Jonathan’s service. He saved the day with his courteous and quick service and really made myself and my wife feel taken care of.

We got a chance to sample Strada during a food tour a few years ago and wanted to come back for the full experience. They have a great wine list, the servers are knowledgeable about the menu and helped us order. I went with the spinach raviolis and they were INCREDIBLE. I especially loved the tomato cream sauce. We will definitely be back!

This was part of a Unilocal,Eating Asheville Tour. With Hank our host. The taste of strada that was part of the tour was the spinach ravioli… DELICIOUS!
The atmosphere is vintage Manhattan, San Francisco-​ish. Not what you would expect in Hipster/​Hippie Asheville. The bar is speak easy esque:-) A fun, local gem that I wasn’t expecting. A VERY pleasant surprise.
I will be returning to try their full menu.

I thought this day would never come, but it has. My first one-​star review. Sorry, Strada. You kind of had it coming.
To compare the food at Strada to, say, Olive garden, would be a terrible disservice to Olive garden. Strada’s food isn’t just average, or even poor. It’s gross. I ordered a slice of pizza (listed on the menu at 7 dollars, but I got charged 8 for some reason), and some chocolate covered bacon.
The pizza was everything pizza should not be. Runny, gummy, bready, obviously pre-​baked and stored in the fridge, before it was covered with raw vegetables and then run through the oven again to achieve a lukewarm temperature before serving.
The chocolate covered bacon was limp, sickly sweet, slimy and horrifying, served on a refrigerated plate. It tasted like death. I took one bite and pushed the plate as far away as it would go.
My table had a direct view into the kitchen, and I kept peeking back there to see what kind of monsters and reprobates might be back there, charging me an arm and a leg for food I would most days have paid good money *not* to eat. It looked like most of the food was being prepared by a lanky white fellow with a massive crown of dreadlocks. I’d respectfully suggest he might consider a career in politics, banking, or securities law as a more appropriate use of his skills, because he was clearly far out of his depth in the kitchen.
The ambience resembled a 1990’s homemaker’s attempt to copy a page out of a doctor’s office issue of Good Housekeeping. Very fusty, somewhat clumsy execution. The soundtrack for the day was annoying eurolounge music, kind of like being placed on hold with the insurance company.
The nearest parking is about 5 blocks away, uphill both ways, and expensive.
Usually, places in AVL with terrible food and ambience make up for it in excellent service. This is why I’ve never been in a position to give any restaurant less than 2 stars before.
Strada might, likewise, have gotten off with an extra star… BUT… before I left I tried to use the restroom, and noticed that, not just one, but both restrooms were occupied for the better part of 10 minutes. Finally, losing my cool, I knocked on one of the doors. A woman server cracked open the door, lip gloss and mascara in hand, her entire wardrobe for the day strewn around the bathroom willy nilly, and snapped «just a minute» before closing the door back on me. The other restroom was similarly occupied by a server changing clothes.
I should have just done my business right there in the hallway, because clearly they don’t give a care about anything.
On the sidewalk when I left, a chipper tour guide stood in front of Strada, telling a group of 15 hapless, sweaty tourists about the exquisite menu created by Strada’s «executive chef» Anthony Cerrato. Let this be a lesson to you, credulous ones: Don’t believe everything a tour guide tells you in Asheville.

I had such mixed feelings about Strada. I almost would give another star because our waitress was so wonderful and easy-​going. However there were a couple things that made it more average.
We started off with wine and asked for a glass but it appeared to be more like a ¼ of a glass… with still the full glass charge. I ordered the fruit and cheese board and it was a joke. Almost ALL fruit and literally 4 tiny triangles of provolone cheese and a little blob of a cheese dripping of the side of the board that had no flavor. For $ 12!!! I wanted some delicious soft cheeses so bad and that was very disappointing.
The calamari my friend ordered was a very small portion too but good.
I ordered the vodka tortellini as my entrée and added shrimp. There were only 4 – 5 overcooked pieces of shrimp for an extra $ 8. The cheese tortellini and sauce was divine though and I was sad to give my leftovers to my husband back home!
My mom ordered the grilled florentine and that was tasty as well.
For dessert I got the strawberry cheesecake and it tasted good– it looked like a mess and I’ve had better cheesecake at Olive Garden.
Overall a cool place to try but skip the appetizers… the bread and oil is delicious enough!

My husband and I were first introduced to Strada during a food tour in Asheville. It’s a cozy place, with pretty good ambience. It also has nice rooftop seating to enjoy your meal and a good glass of wine. The small plate we received during the tour made us want to go back for dinner… really glad we did!
If you’re a regular to Asheville, then you already know there is no shortage of great restaurants around town. In fact, with my husband and I being from arguably the best food city in America – NYC, we have truly fallen in love with the food in Asheville :-). Strada is not necessarily the best Italian, but it was completely 100% on point for what we were looking for – tasty, well-​cooked, comfort food.
Ok, I ordered the Zuppa di Pesce Fra Diavolo, which may have been a special, so I’m not sure that you will find it on the regular dinner menu. The flavors were nicely balanced and the dish had good body. I also had the Grilled Ceasar Salad, as an accompaniment. My husband had the Marsala with Chicken, which he thoroughly enjoyed. We had to save room for Tiramisu at the end of the night… can I say, «Seconds, Please». Verdict – we will definitely be back. Happy Eating!

I came to this quaint little place for lunch during restaurant week. At 2 courses and a drink for $ 15 shortly after noon I assumed they would be pretty busy. Luckily for me that wasn’t the case. There were only people at 2 tables.
I walked in and stood there for a second because there was no host/​hostess. I was kind of in a hurry, so this was not the greatest first impression. Once my server walked out from the kitchen I was seated promptly. Everything on the menu sounded great, so I just asked my server what he’d order. That turned out to be the Tuscan figs and the grilled ravioli.
The figs came out pretty quickly. It was 2 figs stuffed with goat cheese and wrapped in bacon. They were served over arugula and had a wine reduction sauce. Tasty, but it seemed like something was missing. I’ve had similar plates before at other places and thought it was one of the best bites of my life, but that just wasn’t the case. Maybe it was the chianti sauce instead of a balsamic? I don’t know, good but not great I’d say.
The grilled ravioli came next. I have never even thought about this being a thing before, but what a great idea. Although, I have no idea how you’d keep it from sticking. That little bit of char gave it some smokiness that cut the fattiness of the tomato cream sauce. They were spinach stuffed and served with arugula. With cheese on top. This didn’t really pair well with my super cheesy appetizer, but all in all was a great entrée. I just should have had a salad first.
I didn’t see my server a whole lot in between my food being served, but the 1 other server seemed to pick up the slack. When my server did finally bring me my check I was charged for my drink. I guess it was an innocent mistake, but this wasn’t the first day of restaurant week, I’d assume they get used to it being part of the deal.
I rarely eat Italian in Asheville, so I don’t have much to compare this place to. I’ll probably check out Cucina 24 before heading back to Strada, but I will come back and check out the normal menu. It looked reasonably priced for Italian food in downtown being that most entrees are under $ 20.

Strada Italiano was a great find during my visit to Asheville. I was happy to find that they were actually open on Monday and they offered gluten free options as well.
Strada’s menu offers a nice variety of options that can be made to accommodate a gluten free diet. I was happy to learn after asking and verifying that the chefs cook the gf pasta in separate cooking pots. To some this may not be an issue, but if you have any allergy or are Celiac, this is huge. It was also nice to see that there was no up-​charge for GF pasta; however, it is noted that on the pizzas that there is a $ 2 up-​charge. They do also offer a gf variation of their pre-​dinner bread for a $ 2 up-​charge as well.
I ordered the GF version of Shrimp Scampi which was served with the GF pasta of the night, which happened to be a rice based ziti. The white wine sauce provided a light and flavorful tasted when pared with the shrimp and the ziti. The ziti was cooked extremely well. If you have never had to cook GF pasta, it can be tempermental and difficult at times to get the noodles to cook evenly. In most cases it either will come out tasting like mush or hard to bite into and stomach. Strada’s chefs were able to cook the noodle evenly and they were actual enjoyable and easy to eat. One of the down sides to the dish was that the shrimp tails were left one. This is more of a pet peeve, be the shrimp was cooked in away that the tails were able to be pulled off with easy and the meat wasn’t left inside the discarded tails.
If you have left room for dessert, they have a decent menu. Like the regular menu, they also happen to make a gluten free variation of many of the items. They make many of the desserts in house. On my visits, I was sad to learn that two of the gf options hadn’t been made, but luckily there were some others that were still available.
If you happen to be looking for good gf Italian food and good service, Strada’s is a good option.