Massimo Ristorante

My girlfriend and I dined at Massimo Ristorante on Valentine's Day. Parking was difficult to find, but that was expected going into Providence on Valentine's day. We made reservations and were seated promptly upstairs. The environment was cozy and relatively quiet. Our waitress was great. Very knowledgeable and friendly. The drinks were great. For appetizers we ordered charred octopus and a stew dish. Both were very good. For the meal my girlfriend had fish. I wanted to try something new so I got duck over fig ravioli. The duck was cooked perfectly. My one complaint is the fig raviloi... it's not good. Overall great experience though and I would go back again.

My husband and I were gifted a dinner and I was truly impressed!! The food was amazing! I got the gnocchi al forno and they were absolutely delicious! The service was great, the waitress was amazing and very considerate of my diet! I didn't get any protein with the gnocchi so she warned me that I may smell or taste meat but it was the smoked cheese. I had put on the reservation that it was a birthday celebration, so once we were seated they put a beautiful quote sign and confetti on our table. The prices were unexpected in a great way!! We are always eating out and this time we spent way less than usual. I really can't wait to go back! The first floor is small so reservations are a must. Don't know about the 2nd floor. They also offer valet parking.

We had a nice experience at Massimo Ristorante. The Gnocchi al Forno (house made potato dumplings in a creamy four cheese pink sauce) was very good and filling, and paired well with the Italian Old Fashioned. The ricotta ravioli was also good, and we added meatballs, which were generously sized. The kids’ chicken strips were just okay and not a favorite. Our waiter was attentive and quick. Seating was the only downside, we were near the entrance where guests waited to be seated, which affected the atmosphere for us. The tiramisu tasted great and was nicely presented. Pricing felt fair for three people. We’d be happy to come back and try more dishes and cocktails.

On a Wednesday afternoon, I was greeted warmly and seated right away for lunch. I was shown the full menu plus the "Presto! lunch" menu. (I will upload a pic of the lunch menu.) Though I was not in a hurry, I found just what I wanted on the Presto! menu. The lunch menu is also a great value. My server, Kevin, was professional and formal. First came the bread. It looked like focaccia, but was more tender/chewy and less airy/crumbly. The nero d'avola wine that came next was acceptable but lacked the minerality that I like in Sicilian wines. Next up: the ribollita toscana. Bravo! This soup/stew was deep in flavor and healthy. I ate every drop. The gnocchi al forno was flavorful and arrived bubbling hot. I picked off most of the smoked (scamorza?) cheese. I found that adding back minute pieces gave just the right smoky flavor and texture. The third course canolo was the best I've ever had in the USA. It was filled at the moment I ordered it, and it arrived with pistachios, chocolate chips and a candied orange peel. A couple of things in my surroundings made the atmosphere less-than-perfect. 1) A soundtrack of silly pop Christmas songs. (Amy Winehouse, Alvin and the Chipmunks, etc.) annoyed me. To make it worse, one of the servers was moving around the dining area, singing along. 2) That same server who was singing, was loudly and informally addressing her customers and boisterously greeting/catching up with a friend of hers who stopped in and sat at the bar. Next time in Providence, it would be my pleasure to return to Massimo and sample more from their kitchen. Real Italian, not overly complicated.

One of the biggest perks of eating here was the massive gluten free menu - almost everything they would’ve served normally had a gluten free alternative (even the free bread). The gnocchi was great, and I got to try burrata for the first time here, which I found to taste so much like milk, not sure if that’s what’s expected.