La Famiglia treats, feeds diners like family

DESTIN — There’s a new Italian restaurant in downtown Destin, La Famiglia. It opened Oct. 3 and has quickly developed a local following.

The food

When you visit La Famiglia at lunch time, you are offered both lunch and dinner menus, and you may choose to order from whichever you prefer.

After being shown to our table, our server brought us a basket of hot, fresh homemade bread with olive oil dipping sauce.

La Famiglia’s lunch menu is comprised of several pasta dishes, salads, paninis and pizza.

Looking over the menu, we decided to order from the dinner menu.

La Famiglia has a nice selection of appetizers to choose from. Our choice was the calamari, and it was a wonderful choice.

The rings of squid were tender; the crust light and crisp. It was served on a bed of lettuce with slices of lemon and a cup of light, yet tangy, marinara sauce.

On our next visit, the Mussels Alla Diavola is definitely on our must-try list.

The couple at the next table finished off their order of mussels and asked for more bread to get every drop of the broth.

Other appetizers include Mozzarella Della Casa, fresh mozzarella, arugula, ham and basil; bruschetta; caprese, fresh mozzarella and sliced fresh tomatoes; shrimp; an antipasto plate and soup.

Salads include Caesar, Greek, house or spring.

A house salad comprised of a spring salad mix with tomato, cucumber and kalamata olives is served with entrées. The salad is complimented by their homemade Italian dressing.

Our choice of entrees included a veal dish and a seafood pasta dish.

The Scaloppini al Limone was tender and had a bright, fresh taste with the addition of lemon.

The Ravioli Profumo Di Mare or cheese ravioli with mushrooms, shrimp and scallops were served in a pink sauce, a delicious creamy tomato-based sauce that just asks for additional bread to get every bite.

In addition to veal and seafood, La Famiglia also offers steak and chicken as well as a wonderful selection of homemade pasta dishes; everything from lasagna, cannelloni, fettuccine, Bolognese and gnocchi; with and array of sauces.

LaFamiglia also offers pizza and calzone.

The pizza may be ordered off the menu, like the Piccante which comes with tomato, mozzarella, pepperoni, sausage and mushroom or you can create your own by ordering a cheese pizza and adding toppings.

A create your own calzone is offered.

Homemade desserts vary each day at LaFamiglia.

On the day we visited, we had the choice of tiramisu, canola or rum cake.

We ordered a tiramisu to share, and it was a perfect finish to a wonderful meal.

The atmosphere

From the first hello when you open the door, to the goodbye as you leave, La Famiglia is a friendly, welcoming restaurant.

The restaurant is divided into three areas, two dining areas and a bar area.

The owners have done a nice job of renovating the strip mall space into a quaint, rustic ristorante Italiano.

The service

Our server was attentive without being intrusive. Courses were spaced appropriately, and our drink classes were always full.

A final taste

La Famiglia is a family owned and run business and that really shines through in the food, atmosphere and service.

If you would like an authentic Italian restaurant experience, look no further than La Famiglia and find out what the locals have known for several months.

QuickBites

La Famiglia Ristorante Italiano

Location

300 Harbor Boulevard East

Destin, Florida 32541

424-5795

Hours

Daily 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Reservations

Not necessary

Handicap accessibility

Good

Children’s menu

Yes

Price range

Lunch $3–$9.95

Appetizers $5.95–$8.95

Salads $3–$6.95

Entrees $10.95–$16.95

Payment

Credit cards accepted