Il Farinaio Grille - Bradenton

The restaurant was empty when we came to lunch, and there was a long delay to get our food. in addition, one of our party received her lunch long before the rest, so was almost finished when the other food arrived. the meatball sandwich was moderate.

2nd visit to this restaurant for the express purpose of trying the pizza which turned out to be good, but nothing extraordinary. Ordered large salad which was fabulous. Wonderful service including a stop-by from the owner.

The restaurant was empty when we came to lunch and there was a long delay to get our food. In addition, one of our parties received their lunch long before the rest, so was almost ready when the other food arrived. The meatball sandwich was moderate.

Once seated, our waitress was delightful. Although she was in training, she handled everything competently. We took advantage of the happy hour special, ordering the meatball with linguine for $8, garlic knots for $2.50, drinks for $2 each, and shared a Greek salad for $8. The meatball and linguine dish was delicious—tender and flavorful, with a nicely balanced sauce. The garlic knots were quite good as well. Though the Greek salad was decent, it could have used more cucumbers, and unfortunately, the tomatoes weren't very ripe—a common issue in restaurants. The dressing was tasty, and the greens were a lovely variety and very fresh, despite being from a Coca-Cola source! Overall, while the food and service were commendable and the prices reasonable, I believe I will seek out places that better appreciate their customers.

The food was very good, and my overall rating would be higher if we had dined on a less crowded evening. Unfortunately, the restaurant was under-staffed, and our waitress struggled to manage the situation, coming off as a bit abrupt. It took an hour for our meals to arrive, suggesting that the kitchen was also not adequately staffed. We plan to return, but not on a busy Friday or Saturday night.