Small, family-run real Italian restaurant?

[moonseeker]

Any hints where to find a smallish, personal Italian restaurant in Central Pattaya. Authentic, simple

Italian dishes, prepared with love and not @ 480.-- a plate. Fully aware that good food costs good money,

but some of the bigger places are just going over the top and are not even very good.  Max used to

have a great little place near Soi Exite.....Thank you.  MS>

 

[NormanW]

I like La Bocca just over the hill towards Jomtien. 

The lasagne is epic at around 300 baht. 

[tonray]

Do you mean run by a family or "The Family" ?

[KhunBENQ]

I still miss the little place that was near the corner of Soi Excite and Soi Chaiyaphum.

That was an authentic Italian place.

They had to close due to the new construction.

[JamJar]

A simple place is La Taverna del Passatore off Soi Bua Khao

 

Location

[StanOgden]

8 minutes ago, JamJar said:

A simple place is La Taverna del Passatore off Soi Bua Khao

 

Location

 

Seconded. Mama does the cooking and excellent value. Good size portions of simple, quality Italian food.

Edited May 11, 2017 by StanOgden

[topt]

29 minutes ago, StanOgden said:

 

Seconded. Mama does the cooking and excellent value. Good size portions of simple, quality Italian food.

Tried it once and was reasonably impressed. Not sure why I have not been back and will have to give it another go.

[Pattaya46]

3 hours ago, KhunBENQ said:

I still miss the little place that was near the corner of Soi Excite and Soi Chaiyaphum.

That was an authentic Italian place.

They had to close due to the new construction.

If you talk about Pizza Italy, it moved a bit South in a small Soi opposite Pattaya City Hospital, just North of Soi 15. Unsure if it's still running because its new location was a very bad one. It clearly lacked of customers at my last visits (about 2 years ago) and - consequence? - I found the quality went down a lot, so I stopped to go there.

[JamJar]

1 hour ago, Pattaya46 said:

If you talk about Pizza Italy, it moved a bit South in a small Soi opposite Pattaya City Hospital, just North of Soi 15. Unsure if it's still running because its new location was a very bad one. It clearly lacked of customers at my last visits (about 2 years ago) and - consequence? - I found the quality went down a lot, so I stopped to go there.

 

La Taverna del Passatore is also in a soi opposite Pattaya City hospital.  Almost at the end of the soi that has Mai Thai at the head. Yet they always seem to have Italian customers there.

[NanLaew]

Thanks for the tips and updates. That's tonights dinner sorted!

[chakatee]

not small, not family run but good food and not expensive: Grottino, soi 33 off Naklua Road

[KhunBENQ]

9 hours ago, Pattaya46 said:

If you talk about Pizza Italy, it moved a bit South in a small Soi opposite Pattaya City Hospital, just North of Soi 15. Unsure if it's still running because its new location was a very bad one. It clearly lacked of customers at my last visits (about 2 years ago) and - consequence? - I found the quality went down a lot, so I stopped to go there.

I am afraid they are gone.

I walked there more than once looking for the well know chef to no avail.

I give it another try when in Pattaya.

[champers]

1 hour ago, chakatee said:

not small, not family run but good food and not expensive: Grottino, soi 33 off Naklua Road

I think the owner is an Italian gentleman and there is a falang (Italian?) on the pizza oven. Directly opposite Grottino is Little Bella Italia which I can reccommend. I don't think this is Italian family run, but great pasta, pizzas and gnocci. They have another larger outlet on 2nd Road near to Soi 6.

[seasia]

Hi

 

Grottino soi 33 naklua ( 5 minutes stroll from the Dolphin circle, if that). happens to be my favourite.

 

For those who have not been, has indoor air con eating area as well as outdoor eating area.

Big place overall.

Italian owner and at least 1 Italian chef.

Menu quite extensive.

I especially like the lasagna there ( 285 baht I think.)

 

Cold cuts platter, cheese, ham salami, decent size maybe around 330 baht.Good quality.

Glass of house wine about 135 baht, reasonable size, also do bottles.

Beers, unsure of prices but maybe either side of 100 baht depending on brand.

 

Pizzas from around 260 to 380 give or take.

Limited desert range but had a lovely Italian chocolate based one at about 130 baht.

 

For the quality ( good ) it is reasonably priced.

Staff are fine.

Open until midnight I think, unsure of opening time.

 

Been many times, also handy for me as I live just a few minutes walk away.

 

Been in business many years.

[jimmybkk]

I've always quite liked Da Max on Soi Post Office. Not been for a little while but they used to do great pasta, and it's an interesting spot to watch the world go by. Always seem to be a few Italians eating there also.

[champers]

23 hours ago, JamJar said:

A simple place is La Taverna del Passatore off Soi Bua Khao

 

Location

Gave this place a try today. Turned up at 4.30 to see they don't open till 5. I had to go to a bar and drink a beer to pass the time.

I thought I would try the lasagne but it is not on the menu. Duck was dish of the day, but I am not a great fan, so I chose Spaghetti Carbonara, at 240 Baht and very nice it was too. I waited a while but it was made from fresh, so that is fine for me. I prefer the bacon crisped up more, but that is just a personal preference. Some fresh bread was served prior to the meal. I ate it with an olive oil that was a bit bland. I tried the coffee semifredo to finish and this was served with a drizzled chocolate sauce. Very pleasant but a rather small portion for 160 Baht. A free shot of Sambuca came with the bill; Limoncella was another option. Service, from the young Italian owner, was first class and I will call in again when in the area.

Put my arm up my back, and I would have to say that Little Bella Italia gets the nod from me. La Taverna del Passatore has a limited menu ( no pizza, no lasagna or gnocci) but I think the limited choices mean that quality of the dishes served is at a premium and that is a plus. 25 covers, or so, so that intimate feel is acheivable.

I don't think restaurants on Soi Buakow are in direct competition with those near Naklua Rd. It is good to know there are enclaves of quality accross town.

 

[StanOgden]

Glad you enjoyed it overall. I used to live near the Avenue so ate there regularly but sadly I'm some distance away now so it's been some time since I've been able to make it there. They occasionally do/did lasagne as a special and whilst it was good, I found it a tad dry. My favourite pasta dish there (and one that might work for you if you like carbonara as it is also a little creamy) is their pasta with Italian sausage, which I used to ask them to add asparagus to (no extra charge). Outstanding. You may or may not have noticed but they make their own pasta albeit this option is, from memory, a 40B surcharge. Well worth it - especially the fusellini.

[JamJar]

I think that is it's forte. That it's more like eating with an average Italian family than a formal restaurant. So one doesn't feel uncomfortable eating alone. Not gourmet, just simple fare.

 

The main issue in Thailand is that you can't obtain the highest quality ingredients without paying through the nose and therefore that would be reflected in the prices.

So most of the restaurants I have visited in Pattaya have to compromise.

 

You don't see too much Mozzarella di bufala  and decent Parmigiano-Reggiano  is expensive. 

So these ingredients and others are often substituted with inferior products.

I take my own ingredients with me when on holiday for a longer term, so my home made Italian food is invariably better than what is offered in restaurants in Pattaya.

But there are some things I cannot or don't want to make at home, so they still have a use for me. 

 

[ThaiBob]

Casa  Fellini, just off Pattaya Beach Rd, Soi 13/3.