Osteria La Civetta: A Culinary Gem in Falmouth, MA

Ate here over memorial day weekend and perhaps the kitchen is just not up to speed yet.. But that doesn't excuse the portion size ,and pricing. The $22 burrata appetizer last summer was a generous whole burrata with lots of marinated cherry tomatoes on a bed of arugula...this year the burrata was a third of the size the pesto on the dish was brown and unappetizing, and the cherry tomatoes were quite flavor less, and the prosciutto with the dish was too thickly cut. The arugala was fine, but really, can you mess up arugala. Two of the pasta dishes, the Bolognese and the pasta pomodoro, were exceedingly small, just a few bites. The spring vegetable ragout pasta was so overspiced with red perrer flakes that it was practically inedible. in addition the cheese promised on the menu was nowhere to be found in the dish. The service was poor overall. The drinks took a very long time and were warm. the waitress was dismissive and not very available. She never showed up with the promised parmesan for the pasta dishes. I don't write many reviews but I felt this experience warranted one.

My wife and I have been finding ways to dine at Osteria La Civetta for almost a decade. We live on the Vineyard, so dining in Falmouth often has been adjusted for ferry schedules. We also have ordered trays of what we think is the best Lasagna in the US, giving us a taste of La Civetta for weeks at home. It is a sign of our realized expectations for La Civetta that we have made it a date for an excursion and a rendezvous for meeting friends from off island. Osteria La Civetta is excellent; don't miss it.

Update 2024: excited to come back this summer again and it was delicious! Last year the olives in the salad were the same castlevetrano and this year they were not which was disappointing. I was also able to switch pasta for the pomodoro dish as I get sick of only spaghetti. The rigatoni was delish! My partner was so looking forward to their basil pesto dish again but unfortunately they switched it to a sun dried tomato pesto, which was delicious and creamy, but not as good as the basil pesto. Another couple nearby also said they were disappointed the basil pesto was not available as well. Please bring back! Also, please put some gliders on the outdoor chairs as the scraping across the stone floor on the patio was so annoying; the noise is overwhelming when it’s full of people out there. Oh and the affogato dessert was delish! Definitely get that - the espresso was so yummy!! 2023: Wonderful place and atmosphere. They make their own pasta in-house! Yay. I definitely only love to eat homemade fresh pasta, if feels better in my system and this place was delish. Their pesto was yummy as well. Oh and the olives they have are my favorite olives (just a funny coincidence). The only thing was that I thought the bread and olive oil was on the cheap side. Not the best in comparison to everything else. Sadly. The Rosso di Toscana wine was absolutely lovely! Get a glass! Sitting outside was very nice but a little warm. Wish they had some oscillating fans above to help move sit around in the summer. Our server was wonderful as well. Very lovely. Can’t wait to go again next summer.

Lovely restaurant in downtown Falmouth. Tried the buratta and the bolognese. And finished with an interesting dessert special. The bolognese was tasty but could have used a larger portion. Great serf

All the staff deliver a truly outstanding experience all around. From the service to the food, to the understated elegance of the decor, it's a restaurant for all occasions for families, friends, first dates and old lovers, and anyone who appreciates old world hospitality.

Osteria La civetta is such a gem! I have been four times and the food is always amazing! The ambiance is romantic and quaint. We went last night on the Fourth of July and were able to sit on their patio, which is beautiful. Last night I got their ricca salad, which was delicious. I also really enjoy their homemade pasta, which I got the night before. They had a special that came with lobster meat. Their wine selection is great. They have a wine from Puglia that I really enjoy. If I get dessert, I usually order the affogato. Last night, they brought my husband and I limoncello at the end of our meal. I highly recommend dining here if you’re looking for an amazing Italian meal.

Great espresso. Direct from Italy. Can't get this taste of espresso anywhere. Have it in their Cremino drink with whip cream and chocolate. Heaven! The staff is superb.

Lovely ambiance, our waiter Jordan was great. Jordan was knowledgeable about the menu and helped us with our choices. We were not disappointed. The five of us shared the Taglier for an appetizer. It was just enough to get us started. We all enjoyed our meal.