A few weeks ago my colleague and I had an incredible night at Viva La Mamma. We arrived late in the evening and entered the warmly lit restaurant. Just past the host stand, the bar extends well into the back, making it an ideal spot for drinks with a larger group. The black-and-white stone floors were a sturdy contrast to the soft velvet on every chair. The walls are filled with mismatched frames and photographs, with a few wall-to-wall, graffiti-style portraits mirroring the picture walls. The organized clutter on the walls helped draw the eye and make the large space with high ceilings feel intimate.

Once we were seated, I was immediately fascinated by the use of vinyl records as menus. Yes, I did try to pull out one of the records from the menu to see if they had music but was unsuccessful. Nevertheless, we perused the menu, calling out dishes we thought sounded good. I started with the Lost in Italy drink; it was refreshing and bubbly and came with a delightful fizzy lemon candy. Overwhelmed with options, it was suggested we order The Ultimate Antipasti Mix Per Due. The dish came with four of the appetizers and a piece of Focaccia della Mamma. My favorite of the four was Balls Meat Tomatoes, lamb and beef meatballs served in Mama’s pomodoro sugo. Following our dips, we had also ordered a pizza named Some Like It Hot with San Marzano tomatoes, fior de latter, salami picante and fresh basil. Our last savory dish was aptly named Broccolicious, with broccoli pesto and crispy broccolini in orecchiette, gremolata breadcrumbs and Parmesan.

Our last course consisted of two desserts, tiramisu and ricotta cake with fresh berry compote. I believe this was my first time trying ricotta cake, and I was not disappointed. The creaminess of the ricotta was perfectly cut with the tart sweetness of the berries. We were completely full from ordering more food than we needed, but I am so grateful I got to try so many amazing dishes in one experience. While we were leaving, there were markers and pens outside and other patrons had started to sign their names, so we had to add our own names to the wall. From start to finish I felt taken care of at Viva La Mamma, always my biggest takeaway in any dining experience. I would enthusiastically recommend this restaurant to anyone looking for an underlying classic Italian meal with modern flare.

— Fiona Stewart, account executive