Acqua e Farina (AeF) is an interesting Italian joint. First of all, you get this “mafia” style entrance where it is dark, it has a corridor to the inner dining, and a separate dining hall. It feels like a bit out of the Godfather where you are led to the room behind the room type of feel. The interior also is “classical” per se. Not sure whether they were going for the homely vibe but then you get this weird neon and holiday lights dangling (in the middle of July). The restaurant also has a unique scent which I couldn’t make out what it was. Definitely not food. It could’ve been the cleaning detergent or some type of an air refreshner. But definitely not “Italian food” per se.

At this point, I’m getting a bit worried. I saw 4.6 stars on Google Maps and was hoping a bit more classical yet “proper” Italian joint for my business lunch. The menu also looks a bit dusty or rusty. Clearly it was getting a bit confusing as to why AeF was scored so high. I was seriously contemplating to just walk out.

But then the bread came. The warm focaccia with olive oil immediately put me back into my seat. So good. So well done. Whether they baked it fresh or bought it fresh that day and warmed it up, it didn’t matter. The bread was lovely.

The bruschetta was also nicely done. Freshly chopped tomatoes and top of fresh baguette toasted to perfection. Very homely. Not pretentious. Just honest good food.

Finally, I went for the risotto special with shimp and scallops. Now I tend to not order scallops unless I can fully trust the establishment as scallops are the first thing that goes bad when ingredients are kept in the fridge for an extended period of time. The risotto was not perfect. But it was the type of risotto you would get from your mother’s kitchen. It definitely could have had more mushrooms. It could’ve used a bit more butter. A bit more thicker. But somehow, you feel good when you eat in to the spoonful of hearty rice. And yes, the scallops were just fine, and so was the shrimp.

Unlike the facade and the interior, there is something really hearty and homely about AeF. It just feels like a restaurant you can visit week after week, time after time. No frills. No pretentions. Just go enjoy the good food.

Was my very first time ever! Atmosphere was amazing! Service was extremely friendly from the moment we walked in and sat at the bar. Cocktails were good! I had an Old Fashioned and would rate it a solid 6.5/10 I’m picky when it comes to my drink. My girlfriend got the espresso martini and we both gave a 9/10. From presentation to taste. We started with an order of Bruschetta and Calamari. Absolutely no complaints from quality to flavor 10/10 on the appetizers. For entrée we ordered 3 because we couldn’t decided. We ordered the Gnocchi Della Casa, Fettuccine Gamberetti and Tortellini alla Panna. Me and my girlfriend have gone back and forth on which one was better than the other and which was our least favorite. At the end of the day although our order may be different we both agreed nothing was bad. We ate everything or took home what little was left. We would order everything again over in a heartbeat but also are planning to try different things next visit. If you are looking for amazing Italian with great flavor and awesome quality and quantity you found the spot. I look forward to our next meal

We made a reservation but we got there 20 minutes late due to parking. The hostess was really nice and seated us right away. The food, atmosphere, and service were excellent. Table spacing gives a lot of privacy. Our server was very attentive and recommended a good wine to match our order. The only food that we did not like was the side polenta.