Sapori D’Italia
11865 N Saguaro Blvd, Fountain Hills, AZ, 85268
Sapori D’Italia Menu
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Visit below restaurant in Fountain Hills for healthy meals suggestion.
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Address :
11865 N Saguaro Blvd
Fountain Hills, AZ, 85268 - Phone (480) 816-9535
- Website https://saporidiitaliaaz-hub.com
- Click To Get Directions
Opening Hours
- Tue
Specialities
- Takes Reservations : Yes
Delivery : No
Take-out : Yes
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Good For : Dinner
Parking : Private Lot
Bike Parking : No
Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
Good for Kids : Yes
Good for Groups : Yes
Attire : Casual
Ambience : Casual
Noise Level : Average
Alcohol : Full Bar
Outdoor Seating : Yes
Wi-Fi : No
Has TV : No
Waiter Service : Yes
Caters : Yes
Categories
Italian Cuisine
The immense popularity of Italian cuisine globally isn't unknown. You can find an Italian Pizzeria around every corner of almost every city in the United States. Not to forget that in every house, people enjoy mac and cheese as comfort food. But it would be wrong to believe that Italian food starts with pizza and ends with good pasta as this Mediterranean country has much more to offer other than these two dishes. In Italian Cuisine, there is a high use of fresh tomatoes, all kinds of herbs, great quality of cheese, all types of meat, seafood and fresh handmade pasta. Many find it hard to believe that Italians have been making noodles long back.
Italian and Greek cuisines are always mistaken to be same, but they are poles apart. The primary difference between the two cuisines is the use of cheese in most of the Italian dishes. Italians love to cultivate their own cheese and process them as per their food requirement. It is believed that some cheese is so expensive that cheese producers secure them in lockers.
If you are bored eating the same old pasta or pizza, you can try some of the authentic Italian dishes like Risotto, Polenta, Ribollita, Lasagna, Fiorentina Steak, Bottarga, Ossobuco, Carbonara, Focaccia, Arancini and Supplì. Another item which Italians love to relish every morning is a good cup of Italian Coffee. Once you taste a freshly brewed cup of Italian Coffee, you might not visit Starbucks ever again. Authentic Italian food is made with heart and soul, so go find a restaurant where you can relish Italian cuisine in your city.
Pizza
Pizza is a famous Italian dish savored around the world. The entire credit for the popularity of Pizza in the United States goes to the chain of pizzerias all over the country. While the base and the texture of Pizza remains same across the globe, it's the toppings that differs from country to country. In the United States, you will find the top pizzerias serving pizzas with the toppings of mainly beef, bacon, chicken, ham, and sausage for the non-vegetarians. Other than these famous meat options, Pizzas with veg toppings such as mushrooms, pepperonis, garlic, tomatoes, spinach, etc. are also famous in most restaurants in the United States.
Irrespective of your locality, you will find a variety of different restaurants in your cities offering pizzas of all different types. Pizza is hot favorite among people of all ages in the United States. A large size pizza is enough to feed a family of 3 or 4 at large. Pizza is also the most preferred food whenever a group of friends is hanging out together. Pizza gained popularity in the United States after the American soldiers stationed in Italy returned from World War II.
Over the years, different pizzerias in the United States have developed their own respective regional variations. Pizza gained popularity as the iconic dish in the United States in the second half of the 20th century. Whether you prefer thin or thick crust pizza, you can find a pizza of your preference at the best pizza restaurants in your city.
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Kim D.
We went to Sapori Friday night and it was a delightful experience. They have a beautiful outside patio and a more than decent wine list. Also love that they have Peroni on tap :-) I got the Siculi pizza which was delicious and the lobster ravioli also got rave reviews from the group I was with. We'll definitely be back!
(5)Suzanne B.
4/7/2013 We went there for my 66th Birthday today and the food was fabulous. Best Shrimp Scampi I ever had. There were 4 of us and we each had something different. Each of our meals was fantastic and the service was great. We drove all the way from San Tan Valley and we will definitely be back, the long trip is well worth it. I saw the program on Restaurant Impossible and new we just had to try it. I am so glad we did. Had the wine, and dessert, it was all great.
(5)Lorrie S.
My husband and I stopped in after going to Casavino Winery, and thought we'd give it a try. The service was very good... everyone was very friendly. It is family owned and run. Then the food came and... WOW!!! I found the best Lasagne Bolognese in Arizona!!! Even my husband, who doesn't like lasagna tried a bite, and liked it! I guess they only have it as a special on the weekends, but, it was AWESOME! My husband had the Chicken Marsala, and was very pleased. He said it it was in the top two of the best he's ever had. We were so full that we had to take the homemade raspberry cheesecake to go... just had a bite, and it is AMAZING! We will definitely be back! =)
(5)Michele R.
Food is excellent! Their salads have decreased in size, but not price. The service needs drastic improvement!
(3)Mike M.
Excellent Italian Restaurant! Best NY style brick oven Pizza in AZ with fresh mozzarella. Great new sauce with the calamari. Fresh hip atmosphere. Drove by and stopped in during an episode of Restaurant Impossible from the Food Network. Great work!
(5)Mindi s.
My husband and I are big Restaurant Impossible fans. We live across town but have been wanting to visit this place since we saw the episode and it is the only location the show has filmed that was even remotely close to where we live. We were greeted as soon as we entered and given our choice of seating. Initially, when we watched the show I remember thinking it looked better before the renovation but the decor was very nice. Our server had a great personality and chatted with us a bit, smiling the whole time. We ordered the Italian Meat Plate. It was so big we could of had just that for dinner! It was seriously an appetizer built for 6. I had the Veal Piccata with a side of vegetables. You could tell the vegetables were fresh not frozen. My husband had a pizza. At first I thought maybe we should send it back so the cheese could be melted better but when I tasted it I understood why they served it that way. It was really fresh and light and I really got a taste of all the ingredients. At the end of the meal, Maria came out to ask us how everything was. We were very happy to report we loved everything! We even thought the prices were very reasonable, especially compared to the portions. In the past, we've been disappointed by restaurants that the "magic of television" has coaxed us into trying but not this time. If we didn't love so far away we'd definitely go back. Oh and I forgot to mention, if you buy a bottle of wine and don't finish it you can take it home with you. What a great perk!
(5)John G.
Wow what a great dinner my wife and I had. Gaspar started us off with a small bowl of flat bread that was lightly cooked and seasoned My wife had the Chicken Marsala and I had the Angel Hair with Bolognese and sausage both were outstanding. Our server, Nikita, made sure that we had extra bread for our meal. My wife and I ate about half of our meal to save room for dessert. The home made dessert was huge and delicious. We had the chocolate chip cheesecake and the tiramisu of which we again saved some to take home. Sapori D'Italia would be a great place to take family and friends.
(5)Alexandra M.
so, like many of the other reviewers, my family (parents, in particular) saw this restaurant on Restaurant Impossible. as my mother prepared to graduate from Grand Canyon University with her double major in Special Ed and Elementary Ed (can you tell i am proud?) we prepared for a trek across the U.S. for a mere 3 days, to force her walk across the stage in a cap in gown. we made reservations for 7:30 p.m. on Friday evening and somehow, even after the long drive -- or what seemed to be like a long drive, hey! it's the desert -- we were early. we were sat immediately outside in a corner table. a party of 5 we ordered a bottle of wine as i tweeted away to Robert Irvine, the host of Restaurant Impossible. ecstatic when he tweeted back to me, he told me to say hi to Gasper and Maria. at the conclusion of dinner, we asked our server to say hi (i was fulfilling Robert's request, okay? i'm not always this toursity-- have you seen those arms? i'm not going to cross those!). Gasper came over in his whites and Maria with her smile and glasses on her head. as i showed them the tweet, they were so excited. you can feel the warmth and true love they have for the hospitality industry and how proud they are of their restaurant. that, my friends, in itself is a great reason to dine there. now. the food. the bread was delicious as i cheated on my diet the entire time i was in AZ. 2 orders of calamari later, with empty plates, we definitely enjoyed it. we are calamari-loving italian family, and we've certainly had our fair share of terrible calamari. my dad had the clams linguine. what looked like a small portion was not. mom and sister split the prosciutto flatbrea pizza and my mom thought it was amazing. GG also had a flatbread pizza that she devoured. now, as for me. laugh all you want. if charcuterie is an option on a menu, i'm ordering it. no questions asked. so i did. i was pleasantly surprised at the amount and variety of meat AND they even had not one, but TWO cheeses on the board -- this was not an additional request, but many restaurants make you have the cheese separate. what ag great surprise and worth every.single.calorie (i just need to remember that at the gym this week). post-photo, maria insisted on her homemade chocolate cake although we were going to forego dessert. oh well. i dont even usually like chocolate. and i definitely ate it.
(5)Don B.
Cheesecake is killer!!
(4)Steve S.
Just left Sapoi's the food was fantastic. The waitress was very slow but the food made up for the wait. We have found our new favorite restaurant can't wait to go back. Wish there was sixth star!
(5)Pat C.
Our family was in Fountain Hills during the weekend of November 16th, and we ate at Sapori D'Italia - twice. It was fantastic! The first night I had the seafood pescatore and hubby had the housemade pasta special - both were excellent. The chocolate cake we shared for dessert was to die for. Two nights later we brought 7 other guests with us, and again the food was great. I had the scampi and my husband had spaghetti and meatballs. Both were yum! When in Fountain Hills, I shall definitely return. This place is a winner!
(5)Jenny M.
SAD! So much potential, but missed it completely. Many times, when I first drive up to a place and I see 3 or more of the staff outside the back door smoking cigarettes I will hop back in my car and leave, but this place had really good write ups and we were in the mood for some super Italian food after working all day so we decided to give it a try anyway. We were readily greeted and seated, and water was brought to the table in no time at all. We had a few minutes to look over the menu. My husband and I decided we would each get a salad and then share an entree of linguine with clam sauce. I ordered the mixed green salad which was supposed to have greens, tomatoes, cucumbers, onions and olives. I kid you not, there was only about one fourth of ONE olive on my whole salad and there was no onion whatsoever. There were greens, tomatoes and three half slices of cucumber with a tasty balsamic dressing for $8. What it should have cost was $4 at the most. My husband ordered the arugula salad topped with Gorgonzola cheese. The arugula greens were nice and fresh and the he enjoyed the balsamic dressing as well BUT his salad only had a minuscule amount of Gorgonzola on it ( three small pieces to be exact) $9 I must give credit where credit is due, their bread was really quite good. It was a flat bread that seemed freshly baked right out of their wood fired oven and then lightly brushed with olive oil and dusted with black pepper. Then linguine comes out. First thing I notice is there is no spoon served with the pasta dish. Well, I figured out real soon why there was no spoon because there was NO SAUCE (unless a tablespoon of sauce counts) also, about one third of the clam shells that were served with the pasta were void of any clams. One of the clams was still shut too. So, the tablespoon of sauce we did get was tasty, but really...how hard is it to add a bit of garlic, butter and white wine and put it on the pasta....there was no sauce! The whole meal was so sad because components of it were so good but then it was so messed up by the huge oversights. The homemade pasta noodles had delightful flavor yet so very very dry. I wanted to try the tiramisu for desert but by this point I knew what to expect so we passed. So very very sad. Bummer! It seemed like a restaurant that was skimping on everything because they were struggling not to go out of business. I would not return.
(2)kay r.
After reading a few reviews my husband & I decided to go to Sapori D' Italia for dinner Saturday night. We were very impressed with their friendly & knowledgeable staff. Our waitress was also the manager and she was very helpful and informative. We started off with bread baked from their wood-fired oven drizzled with olive oil, which was nice. We had calamari with fresh marinara sauce for our appetizer. It was excellent! The calamari had nice flavor, not too salty and the marinara sauce was homemade with little chunks of fresh tomatoes, not canned. I ordered the pesto sausage pizza. It was absolutely delish! It was made with fresh mozzarella and pesto. My husband ordered the salmon with lemon butter. The salmon was nice but a little dry. It would've been better with more lemon butter drizzled on top of the salmon. It was overall a delightful experience and we look forward to our next dinner there with our friends.
(4)Ahana M.
Went here for a birthday dinner in the beautiful Fountain Hills area. The atmosphere is warm and friendly . However, me and my 30 something year old friends were easily the youngest people there. :-) The wine list is good and the waitress very helpful in making the choice. For appetisers we had the eggplant olive dip and bread and it was very tasty. Whenever, I try out any italian restaurant, I have to try the tiramisu and the chicken marsala to add to my search for the best. While the tiramisu was good, the chicken marsala was disappointing as the sauce was very thin and lacked in flavor.The chicken also seemed bland. (The marsala is the only reason I give the restaurant a 3 instead of a 4). We had a good time and would recommend the place if in Fountain Hills. Given I live in scottsdale, I may however not repeat the drive to visit again. However, it looked like a favourite with the residents and was pretty crowded at dinner service. ps: The restaurant has a good view of the fountains , so I'm a little surprised why their seating arrangement isint such that diners can see the fountain while eating.
(3)Gary F.
Good service, good food. We sat outside on a pleasant spring night. I had the egg plant Parmesan and a nice glass of wine. My wife had spaghetti and both of us were happy with our meals. Fountain Hills has a few good places to eat and this is one of them.
(4)John C.
Excellent calamari and linguini but overpriced and with terrible service. Won't be back.
(2)Alicia Y.
Returned to support the local business and also because the view from the patio is pretty darn nice. Only got the eggplant parmigiana. I can't remember how it tasted. There you have it. Thus, although I dug deep but I just can't remember a reason to return. Should have just stuck to the dessert.
(3)Mark S.
Small little Italian place, only about 15 tables total. Family owned, huge wood-fired pizza oven, nice but casual ambiance. Food was excellent, service was meh. We started off with a bottle of their Super Tuscan and the calamari app. It was good and big enough to feed 4. Our server overfilled our glasses and kept them too full all night. Had the gnocchi bolognese and a pizza, both were excellent. Finished with a cannoli. (cannolo?) So yeah, food was really really good, our server was super nice but he just didn't seem very experienced. Also, granted it was a Tuesday night, but we were easily the youngest people in the place when we arrived around 7:30, and we closed the place down at 9pm. So expect an earlier, more elderly crowd. We'll go back.
(4)Vince G.
Been there twice after our favorite Italian place did not have any openings. Liked it so much it is now tied for our top spot. Had the seafood pasta the first time and the chipino the second time. Both were incredible. My wife loved both of her veal dishes. Vary casual atmosphere. Like the fried seafood sampler as an appetizer. Nice area patio dining. The inside is unspectacular but it is fun watching the chef make the pizzas. The first time we went the service was fantastic the second time we could have used a little more attention but it was not bad. The food is so good however I will cut them some slack. If you are looking for a reasonably priced casual Italian restaurant with incredible food you can't go wrong here.
(5)Tara K.
My husband and I have lived in Fountain Hills for 8 months now and have been by this restaurant several times. We had heard from other locals that it was a good place to eat and that their cheesecake was to die for. Then, of course, we did happen to see the restaurant featured on Food Network's "Restaurant Impossible" so I was a bit curious to try it out. A few weeks ago, we decided to go out for a nice dinner and chose Sapori D'Italia. The server was very attentive and friendly, and she was able to answer any questions we had about the menu items. Our food was quite good. My husband had the Chicken Parmiggiana and I had the Trianacria wood fired pizza (with roasted garlic, fontina, sundried tomatoes, and basil). I am a pizza lover and it did not disappoint - it was an outstanding combination of ingredients. The homemade cheesecake that we'd heard about certainly lived up to the hype - my husband and I agreed it was probably the best cheesecake we have ever had (hands down better than the Cheesecake Factory). This is a cute little restaurant with very good food and overall made for a very pleasant dining experience. We will certainly eat here again.
(4)Bill V.
The best Italian Food, atmosphere, and service to be found inFountain Hills. Plus, the most wonderful deserts. Always a great time.
(5)Rebecca T.
Excellent food and the homemade cheesecake is to die for! Great wood-fired pizzas with very fresh and tasty ingredients.
(5)Leslie M.
Was styaing at the Radisson at Ft McDowell. This place was recommended by the concierge at our hotel. We did have a large group and were happy that we were seated in a private patio area. Once we sat down things went downhill from there. Two tables NEVER yes NEVER got their food. Our reservation was at 6:30 and at 8:45 pm we finally left. Once they were not bringing our food out, they went into hiding. Never came back and offered drinks, appetizers etc. We had eaten SO much bread that we were sick and had no desire to eat. Worked out well when at least 12 of us never got our entrees. Paid the bill for what we had eaten so far and left. Would NOT reccomend this place at all!
(1)Brian C.
We held my company holiday party here and the experience was amazing. After meeting with the owners over the last month, we opted to have the party on a night the restaurant is usually closed (Monday) and had the restaurant all to ourselves. The owners, Gasper and Maria, put on a cooking demonstration of each course. The food was excellent. It was truly a great experience.
(5)Janet P.
My husband and I always look forward to having dinner here. We had some friends from out of town join us for dinner and they said they want to come back. They really enjoyed their meals. Must make reservations. The waitress was just so so, a little slow but the food is worth it.
(4)Allison L.
My husband and I, are from NJ. He makes a fabulous gravy so we rarely go out for italian food. On the rare occasion that we do dine out for italian food, we have excellent italian restuarants in our area and some are very hard to match. So hence the reason for being sceptical. And just because a few reviewers wrote a glowing review, we took it with a grain of salt. The waitress suggested a combination appetizer, which we ordered. Yum - perfect calamari and gravy. We shared the pasta bolognase plate for dinner. We were more than happy with our choices. I was just starting to think about dessert when the waitress brought us a big piece of cheesecake & another glass of wine! I TELL YOU WE WERE FLOORED! If I am ever back in that area, I will go back. I am home 2 days now and I'm still thinking about that dining experience.
(5)Don B.
I went to Sapori D'Italia last Saturday evening and had a dinner that was incredible. My father and I split a pizza and the cavatelli bolognese, and both were incredible. The richness of the pasta with the rustic quality of the wood-fired pizza made for a wonderful dining experience that I would rate second to none.
(5)Jen S.
This place is AWFUL! Service was absolutely terrible and very rude. Took over an hour to receive our check, as server was getting the checks ready for almost entire restaurant at once, and they have no computer system, they write everything down and add up manually. Wow, isn't it the year 2012? Anyways, if you want a drink refill, don't come here because you won't get one. I ordered an iced tea and never even received it, even asking about it a second time! But, sure enough she added it to the bill. ha. It took our check even longer to get back because it had to be subtracted off manually by hand. Food was not worth it, food was better than the service...but that's not saying much. It was luke warm to cold upon its arrival to our table. Bottom line, this place lost our business and we will definitely not be returning. Beyond horrible.
(1)Mitchell L.
Yummy - everything is!
(5)Charles D.
This restaurant used to be called La Piazza. It now serves mostly appetizers and pizza, but also has pasta specials. Be sure to ask your server. Even tho' the service was less than desirable. Our server was knowledgeable, but had to work on getting information out of her. She was slow in getting us water and refills. BTW, I was charged for my soda refill and we had to ask the bus boy for the water. We started off with the Caprese salad which was large enough to split. My wife had the Margherita pizza, but the server forgot to bring the extra plates and red peppers. My order was, clams with linguine ... it seems our server forgot my order, which finally came 10-15 minutes after the pizza. It was well worth the wait, it was just the right portion, hot and lots of clams. I'll go back to this remarkable restaurant, But the next time I will find another server.
(5)C N.
Excellent wood fired pizza that we had for take out. Looked like a great atmosphere (darker, cozy/romantic, a couple TVs, and a smallish bar area with bar seating and a few high top tables). Good service.
(5)Andrea A.
Great food as always...waitress a little abrupt. Pizza is amazing! Definitely worth a return trip.
(4)Darius F.
What a treasure in Fountain Hills... Now I know a lot of you in Scottsdale probably went, "ugh, it's so far away." But let me tell you it's well worth the 3 extra minutes it would take you to get anywhere else! We were greeted quickly and treated like we'd been eating there for years! As you walk in you are surrounded by beautiful murals with neutral colors that just makes the restaurant feel big and open even at night. Wine list was simple and reasonably priced and tons of menu choices for dinner and starters. We ordered the caprese and out came 5 huge pieces of homemade buffalo mozzarella nicely seasoned with balsamic on the side. For dinner my date and i split the pizza with capicola and mozzarella!!! Great crust and amazing sauce! All in all had a great experience and loved the fact it is a family run restaurant! We need more of them here in the valley.
(5)Dirk M.
This place is great!!! The food is amazing and the quantities are large. I can say it is one of the best Caesar salads I've had. The family owned business is great and the come by and chat with you.
(5)G. G.
I feel that Sapori D'Italia offers a very authentic "Taste of Italy"...food that you would experience at a trattoria in Italy. The menu is very simple, the food is uncomplicated and of very high quality. Portions of very ample size and I would highly recommend to all. Wood-fired pizzas are the mainstay of the menu, but they also offer several daily specials, with an emphasis on seafood on Fridays. The restaurant seemed to be a bit over-capacity during the opening weeks, but I think they have a winner here!
(5)carole o.
We ordered the pasta bolognese and linguine pescatore and a salad. The salad was extremeley fresh with a nice surprise - a decent little wedge of fennel. The dressing was quite tasty - not overpowering - just enough. The hot focaccia crusties were excellent. The pasta sauce was good - not crazy good - but good. The linguine pescatore lacked pieces of fish, was more tomato saucy than soupy - not a zuppe di pesce I guess. We ordered cheesecake and cannoli for dessert. The cheesecake rivals any I've had in New York or anywhere else for that matter. Great cheese flavor - superb! The cannoli used ricotta and something else as the filling, but you could definately tell it was ricotta - not that nasty whipped cream some restaurants attempt to pass off. The cannoli shell was super fresh - crunchy and tasty. Both desserts get an A+. Our server was nice - had to get used to his style - but quite attentive and friendly. All in all - this is a good restaurant. Nice Italian atmosphere. We will certainly go back again.
(4)Vinit R.
And they have Peroni on tap... ! wow !
(5)Elizabeth W.
After discovering the unattrative buffet in the Fort McDowell Casino, we were scrambling to find a place close and that would serve us after 8PM. I called Sapori D'Italia, and they were happy to accomodate us. It's easy to miss the entrance to the service road, but you won't miss the fire on the building. Our waiter, Eric, was very nice and knowledgeable, and we had two dietary customers. A great wine list, tons of food and daily specials. With 9 of us dining, we tried a lot! They started by bringing us some bread hot from the pizza oven, drizzled with Olive Oil, along with a variety of sauces. I ate the Ensalata Mista, and then the Eggplant Parmesan which came with a huge side of my pasta of choice - Penna with Vodka sauce. Everyone loved what they ordered, and loved the ambiance and service. If I didn't live out of town, I would be back soon!
(5)Kathy B.
Excellent authentic Italian pizza. After living in Italy for a while, this is one of the closest pizzas to what I ate there - great crust and toppings without too much gooey cheese. Had one with proscuitto, arugula and fresh mozzarella - wonderful! The foccacia bread was also awesome. The pasta bolognese was good, but more typical tomatoey that what I found in Italy. The homemade sausages were great. Meatballs okay. Wish they made their own pasta. Server was very friendly and helpful, but they seemed understaffed as she had to keep running. Will definitely go back.
(4)Jeff M.
This was our first visit to this restaurant. We arrived on a Friday evening around 5:30 and were greeted warmly by several employees. The place has a very friendly, comfortable feel to it, very different than the big chain restaurants. Our waiter was helpful, patient and attentive. The bread came out first. It was great! It's actually the thin crust they use to make their pizza. It was a tasty change from the usual bread. We shared the chicken parmesan and fettuccine alfredo. The chicken was large enough to share. They had also brought us a bowl full of fresh grated homemade mozzarella. We put some on everything, even the bread. We loved everything about our experience and will be back for more.
(5)C H.
We really like this restaurant and have been to it many times. Our favorite dish is the pasta of your choice with sausage & peppers. This dish is not on the menu - you must ask for it! The sauce is one of the best we have ever tasted with succulent sausage and sweet bell peppers in a perfectly seasoned tomato sauce. We also like the pizzas here - the crust and the sauce are so flavorful. Our favorite pizza is the Capricciosa. The staff is very friendly and the Italian décor is warm and inviting.
(5)Mr. and Mrs. F.
High quality, fresh, delicious Italian cuisine! I've had nothing that was short of excellent here. They offer an ample but not overwhelming variety of pasta dishes and other entrees, all of which are incredible. The handmade wood fired pizzas are perfect, and a hard to find treat in the valley. Don't miss the handmade deserts! My favorite is the lemon cheesecake. Maria and Gaspar are gracious hosts and will treat you like family. The staff is consistently professional, attentive and courteous. Great place for families too. They always give our kids pizza dough to play with. The prices are very reasonable for food of this quality.
(5)R Z.
Although there were a few minor problems, this place produces wonderful pizza. We started our meal with a wine and small bites special. The wine was pretty good but the server indicated that the small bites included meatballs but included fried raviolis instead. I think it is generally bad form to make such substitutions without informing the customer ahead of time. The fried mozzarella and zucchini were not very good. The breading was very oily, as if the oil temperature was too low, and not flavorful. The marinara was fresh tasting, but needed additional seasoning. The pizza was very good, simply done and cooked to perfection. We had the arugula, prosciutto, and Parmesan pizza. It was very tasty, but could have used a bit more salt. I also would consider putting the pizza back in the oven for just a few seconds to wilt the arugula. The crust is good, not the amazing sourdough that you might get at Bianco's, but much better than some other pizza places in Scottsdale. The interior of the restaurant is very comfortable and nicely decorated. The many bar seats and well-spaced tables make for a nice dining experience. Overall, this is a great place and worth a return visit. While not the best pizza in town, it is certainly close and with a few tweaks it could be close to the best.
(4)Neil L.
They would not honor their advertised special offer! The appetizer combination, especially the bruschetta was excellent. The veal dish was too salty. The pizza was served about 10 minutes after the veal. (not what good restaurants do) It was good, but average wood fired type pizza. Friendly staff
(2)Bruce W.
Had Veal Parmesan and my wife had Veal Marsela Cherry Cheesecake with Chocolate. Yummy. Still and always the best.
(5)Anne W.
Sapori D'Italia is the best Italian Restaurant in Fountain Hills- hands down! This restaurant is owned by the nicest lady and ( I think) her husband. All of their staff is wonderful! We always take my mom here for her birthday dinner. They have amazing spaghetti & meatballs, Chicken Parm, Pizza, and so much more. Everything is authentic and tastes like you are back in Italy. Both times we have been there, they gave my mom a free dessert for her birthday. It really is a welcoming restaurant that has delicious Italian food. You should try it!
(5)Marie C.
This is where you have great Italian food in FOUNTAIN HILLS! First we were treated wonderfully. Service was top notch. Always checking for drinks and the food was great and fast. I didn't realize that they had a makeover several years ago.They have made a great place I had the pan seared beef w risotto. It was very good. We also had the eggplant parmesan. Freshly made! The happy hour looked like a great deal! Definitely returning and looking forward to having more dishes there. The cheesecakes are made there and are awesome. Super service! Maria spoke to us and was very welcoming. And don't think of leaving this place before having dessert! Cheesecakes, carrot cake and other goodies! All made fresh!
(5)Stacy G.
You will not find an experience like this elsewhere! The food out of this world! Each entree is hand made, even the deserts! I have been coming here for 2 years and truly have fallen in love with this place and the owners. Hidden gem and luckily right here in Fountain Hills but even if it were an hour away I would still make the drive! Love supporting small business and keep support in our local community! Thank you Maria for always providing my daughters and I such wonderful meals.
(5)Paul K.
No better place to dine. Owners are fantastic. Food is top notch deserts are out of this world. Pork shanks tenderloin all very good.
(5)Charlene D.
Hubby and I recently moved to Fountain Hills and were in search of a close-by GOOD Italian restaurant (no Olive Garden-type stuff for us!) so we stopped into Sapori D'Italia, and were so glad we did! The atmosphere was nice and cozy, size-wise. The main dish was EXCELLENT. I am picky about my alfredo sauce, and they nailed it! The homemade cheesecake was the second best I've ever had (hubby's is the first ;-)) and I am dying to try the tiramisu. The owners are very very nice. We were impressed by how they each came and sat with us and talked for a long while. That proves that they really care about their customers. The service was also great, and I regret that I forgot the server's name, but I was told she'd been there for a long time. I would have given 5 stars but the interior noise was almost unbearable (bad acoustics?). At the end of our visit the restaurant pretty much cleared out and even with minimal people there, hubby and I still had to yell-talk to each other. Also, I would much rather be served warm Italian bread before my meal rather than the bread that was served (like a pita/wafer type bread). Other than that, everything was sooooooo great, we will definitely be back and recommend this restaurant!
(4)Harvey S.
This area isn't my neck of the woods....was coming out of a play nearby and was STARVING for something to eat. Checked Yelp and found a few places, but the wife and I love Italian, so here we come. Plus just a few minutes from the play. Place looks nice from the outside, several vehicles parked outside on a Sunday afternoon, so it was a good sign. Friendly greeting at the door and promptly seated. The decor wasn't very complex, but it looked fresh, inviting...so we took our seats. We reviewed the menus. Nice solid classic Italian food, nothing fancy. We ordered the salad with the arugula, cherry tomatoes, and gorgonzola to split. Plenty to split. The salad was nice and fresh. A nice "breadbasket" was comprised of something like cut up pizza crusts from their wood-burning oven brushed with olive oil, herbs, and maybe a touch of garlic. Yum. A few minutes later, dropped in that bowl are some garlic knots, hot and fresh out of the oven. YUMM! We gobble up all and ask for more. C'mon, it's too good! After we finish the salad, the entrees arrive right on time. The wifey gets veal piccata, which she says is very good. I got mussels in marinara sauce. We both substituted mixed veggies for pasta. The veggies were carrots, broccoli, and summer squash lightly boiled so as to leave them al dente. Perfect! Everything tasted delicious in the tasty marinara sauce, which I'm sure would be excellent on pizza. I only thought the mussels could have been cooked possibly so as to leave them a little more tender. But they definitely tasted fresh. For dessert, we split a house-made tiramisu. This was the real deal, with good flavors of rum, coffee, cocoa dusted on top, and constructed with lady fingers. Our waitress was friendly, checked on us just the right amount, and came with the check in good time. Unfortunately, we don't live near here, so it's not too likely we'll return soon, but I highly recommend it to anyone in the area. This is excellent classic Italian food served right.
(4)Jimmy G.
This place is fantastic! Gasper and his wife definitely have a passion for authentic Italian cuisine! The pizzas are hand tossed and the most authentic pizza I've had in Arizona! On another occasion I had a lamb Marsala with fettuccini which was outstanding! The house made bread bowel. The house made mozzarella. The pizza sauce. The Marsala. All fantastic. The service? Perfect. The atmosphere? Well this place is super noisy. The acoustics are such that one loud obnoxious drunk woman can ruin the experience for the entire place. I hope that's not a regular occurrence as that will keep me from coming back. Happy to try again! And I'll gladly get food to go if the noise is a problem for me.
(4)Debbie R.
Had dinner last night there with my boyfriend ! We both had the specials which we should have shared ! So delicious we didn't ...thank you Chef Habby for amazing dishes once again ! Maria for your outstanding cream puffs & cheesecake ... A must try in the Fountain Hills area ... Open Tues through Sunday night ! Gasper & Maria put so much love into this restaurant & always make you feel like family ! Also great happy hour in bar area :)
(5)Erin H.
Delizioso! Love Sapori D'Italia - and even more so because I can support local businesses in Fountain Hills. I've been here several times since moving in 2010, and most recently, about 4 weeks ago. I see they have redone their dining room - such a nice, inviting change. Love the color scheme. Feel like I'm sitting in a family member's dining room. I'm a bit of a creature of habit and always seem to order their calzones. Why? Because it works for me and meets my needs. That's why. I feel like I have a 10-pound brick in belly post-consumption, but that's my choice. This only happens when I'm craving Italian/heavy foods. Noise level in dining room is up there, just because it isn't a huge space either. Plus my ears are a tad sensitive. I dig their fire torch outside of their entrance too -love how it looks at night. Fancy-schmancy! Can't wait to go back.
(5)Elizabeth A.
Wonderful meal here this evening. A little bit of a wait but showing up at 630 on a Saturday it is to be expected. Caprese salad with fresh ingredients was delicious. We order pizza for the kids which came out first and they loved it! Crispy crust and a sweet sauce that tastes authentic and homemade. Eggplant parmigiana did not disappoint with a generous helping of pasta. We took cannoli to go and those were good although not the best I have had. Next time it's cheesecake and tiramisu. Will absolutely be back for another genuine Italian dinner.
(5)Marshall W.
Went again and this was just as great an experience as before. An added attraction was the older gentlemen playing tenor saxophone on the patio on a warmish April evening. Food was excellent. Gaspar was there to make certain everything was gonna be perfect.
(4)Yvonne B.
Service was top notch. Pizza was great. Pasta (calamari linguine) was fresh but bland. Environment was clean and pleasant. I went there with Yelp coupon for a 12" pizza and a selected bottle of wine for $20. It is a deal. However they limited us to only margarita pizza which I felt a bit cheated. Overall experience average to good. Decent place but no as classy as I expected.
(4)Holly R.
I was not really expecting to find good restaurants in Fountain Hills but I was pleasantly surprised. I actually found a couple great places, one of them being Sapori D'Italia. The boyfriend and I visited Sapori on a Sunday night. It was busy but we got a table right away. It was a little loud but overall the atmosphere was comfortable and our waitress was great - very friendly. We couldn't decide between pizza and pasta so we got both - especially after we learned that we could do a half and half pizza. I can't remember the names of the pizzas but essentially we got half pepperoni and half prosciutto and arugala. For the pasta we ordered fettuccini with bolognese sauce. The food came out very fast. First the pizza, then the pasta. Both were excellent. The pizza had ample toppings and the crust was nice and crispy. The pasta was tender and the sauce was awesome. Normally I don't like a ton of tomato sauce on my pasta but this was an exception. This was sop it up with a piece of bread good. It really hit the spot. I would definitely go back next time I'm in the area. Good stuff!
(5)Malcolm P.
So third year in a row in town with the golfing buddies and each year we are certain to eat here at least once. The food and service are terrific and the pricing is very reasonable as well. Maria makes the desserts and runs the restaurant. She also takes the time to stroll the tables and meet and greet the patrons. She even toasted our group with some Lemoncello after our meal. A very nice touch I must say! We had the chicken Marsala which was very tasty and the meat tender. The pizzas are terrific and made in a wood fired oven. The best! Be sure not to overlook this restaurant when in town!
(5)Wayne And Bobbi C.
We love Sapori!! This is a wonderful, family-run Italian restaurant - excellent food and drink, friendly owners and staff, great atmosphere. The lasagna is delicious, as is the pizza, chicken marsala, and everything else on the menu!! The cheesecake is absolutely amazing. We had our son's 21st birthday party on the patio and they did a fantastic job of setting it up and feeding a party of 20! You can always find Maria and Gasper in the crowd making sure everything is perfect. Don't miss the music on the patio on Friday nights!!
(5)Vita G.
Good food. Good service. Nice owners. Very nice and cozy space. It is fit for groups, .specials ocasions and every day dining. I wish it was not so far from where I live.
(5)Sandra K.
The service was below average. I received a glass of water that clearly had a large black item floating on top. The waitress never apologized and claimed it was simply parsley. The food was not that great either. The calamari was over cooked and rubbery. The pizza was under cooked, and me and my date both became ill from the food. It is unlikely that we will return.
(1)Denise D.
My parents had eaten here before its makeover by Restaurant Impossible, and they were interested in checking it out again, so we went to dinner here on Tuesday night. The decor was nice but it was very loud--we had to shout at each other to hear and it wasn't even very crowded. I wished we had sat outside. I noticed that the restaurant seemed understaffed or perhaps it was just that our server was inexperienced. Our server was hardly there. We were brought water very quickly (by a busser or host) after being seated, but did not see a server for quite some time. We put our dinner orders in on her first visit to the table, but we hadn't chosen what to have to drink. I told our server I was going to pick out a wine, expecting her to check right back, but she didn't. Our food was delivered by a food runner and we ordered our drinks then. After we got our meals, she didn't check back with us for quite some time, even when she was with the tables next to us. This tells me she was new at serving (and not down with multi-tasking yet. I remember that vaguely from when I first started waiting tables). I ordered the chicken ossobuco because the description in the menu was delightful (braised chicken legs with roast herb pan sauce over mushroom risotto). Unfortunately, the flavors weren't very subtle and the risotto was greasy--plus, it had a yellow cheese on it, which turned me off. The chicken was good, though, and I got to share it with my dad, who only ordered a salad. The others in my group, by the way, enjoyed the food more than I did. My cousin had the pizza gattopardo, my mom had veal piccata, and my dad had the della chiesa salad. I didn't taste their meals, but based on my experience, I wouldn't want to return.
(2)Paul C.
What a wonderful place to eat and enjoy the family atmosphere!! Maria is a great host and owner. You know you are in loving arms when you come to eat here. The food is the best you can get outside of Italy. You won't be disappointed!!
(5)Jason H.
Great service, excellent food, wonderful atmosphere. All the food is very good! Must try the lasagna! Fresh, made in house pasta. Need I say more...
(5)Maria L.
First time here, excellent pizzas best meatballs!! I love love this place!!
(5)Kevin H.
Love this restaurant. The owner's are super friendly and their food is delicious. My favorite is the Chicken Piccata and their wood fired bread. Ask for it fresh and hot if it is cold. The owner is a great artist, look at the beautiful mural he painted on the wall on the patio.
(5)Yvonne E.
Biting into DEAR PIZZA IS SHEAR HEAVEN....I WAS JONESING 4 one of Gasper Pies..That first bite ....2 the moon & back ....xxoooo love them xxxoooo Best Italian Restaurant in FH..!
(5)Cindy F.
Disappointed. Overly priced and boring except for bread and Alfredo sauce. Pasta was overcoked and eggplant tough. Wasn't a good value.
(2)Harry S.
This place is amazing. They owners are very nice! The Lasagna is AMAZING! The Chicken piccata is also phenomenal! Beautiful atmosphere as well. I absolutely recommend this place!
(5)Bailey G.
Went here for husband's birthday and wanted to try a new Italian place. Disappointed by some things, the server was slow and not attentive at all he kept our drinks with him until he was done talking to people he knew- 10 mins later... Let's start with the lemonade which our daughter said was more tart than sweet- had to add sugar to make it drinkable. The bread they gave was ok- although some pieces were burned. Dinner- I have to say the portions are quite large- the caprese salad was good, husband's spaghetti with marinara sauce had a strange aftertaste, chicken piccata was pretty good, daughter's buttered noodles were good although how could you get that wrong.. Really wanted to like this place based on what we read, maybe an off day for them not sure.
(3)M P.
5 Stars is not enough for this restaurant! Best Lasagna in the Phx area, hands down. Made fresh from scratch, even down to the past. Pizza is amazing, doesn't matter which one you order. Chicken Parm - execellent. Gasper and Maria are absolutely wonderful! They make every dish with love and passion and it shows. Service has always been excellent. Atmosphere is wonderful and they have a beautiful patio. We don't live in the Fountain Hills area, we drive an hour and it is well worth it to spend an evening at Sapori D'Italia.
(5)Karla H.
My only regret is we can't give this wonderfully Family Owned restaurant more than 5 stars. Simply Amazing - Gasper and Maria put their heart and soul into everything they do - and it shows. Fresh, fresh, fresh.... Handmade from family recipes. Lemon picatta, handmade-to-order wood oven pizza with homemade mozzarella cheese and Italian meats, lasagna made daily, seafood entrees, wonderful variety of fresh salads, AND not be missed delicious steaks w/salad & starch - (no ala carte here.) Steaks are the find of the valley. Hailing from the Midwest, we have spent three years dining at top tier steakhouses throughout the valley in search of a wonderful filet of beef like we have at home - and we found it at Sapori D'Italia. Don't leave without trying one of Marias specialty desserts - they are big enough to share with the table (cheesecake...oh my). After 3 years of dining there at least 2x week - we have yet to make a bad choice. Regardless of your party size - from 1 to 50... Maria and Gasper have a wonderful way of making you feel like a part of the family. If you are dining solo - grab a spot at the bar and make a new friend... at Sapori D'Italia you are never alone. The atmosphere is family orientated - for kids of all ages (1 to 100). The décor is fresh - and if you are lucky enough to score one of the 6 cherished bar stools in front of the pizza oven you are in for a treat. Sapori D'Italia is a precious gem.... Food is incredible, service is top notch and the lifelong friendships with owners, staff and fellow patrons are priceless. It is the top dining request whenever we have guests in town. Scottsdale and Fountain Hills have many dining choices - be good to yourself and dine at Sapori D'Italia. Open Tuesday thru Sunday for dinner.... Well worth the trip to Fountain Hills.
(5)Gretchen S.
What a charming place with great food and personable staff!! I ordered the chicken piccata, and it did not disappoint!
(5)Carla P.
Fabulous food, service, and atmosphere! I had eggplant parmesan that melted in my mouth. The chianti was a perfect wine to complement the meal. Maria is a perfect hostess.
(5)Doug T.
Sapori D' Italia is the best restaurant in fountain hills! I had a specially made Kit Kat cheese cake and it was the best! If you have a sweet tooth, the desert is awesome! The food is fresh and tasty! My son loved the linguini and clams and i got their special which was duck. Awesome i would recommend this. The staff is great and they are very friendly. Place is clean and nice not too expensive.
(5)Van L.
My husband, daughter, and I saw them on Restaurant Impossible, so we've decided to check them out. The foods were absolutely amazing, and the service was great! I had the shrimp scampi, my husband had the chicken parm, and our daughter had the spaghetti. Hands down -- everything was delicious! If we didn't live in LA, we'd be here all the time.
(5)Linda H.
Despite having run out of mint (for a mojito), linguine, knots ( I embarrassed myself and the very adorable Nikita by calling them "balls" when I asked for seconds), a particular white wine, and beef (a weekend-festival slammed them early and we had a late reservation), we raved about what we did end up ordering. The mussels with capellini in white wine sauce is a new standard to rate all others by. The caesar salad was tossed and coated perfectly with dressing that nailed the subtle bite. If you like caesar salads, you know what I'm referring to. As a group of five women celebrating 30 years of friendship, the stars couldn't have lined up more perfectly for us when we chose this place. Nikita charmed us with his bashful smile, Maria with her gorgeous vitality and side-splitting Dorito story, chef Gaspar personally chatting with us and other diners as the last of the evening's orders came out of the kitchen, and the overall rustic warmth of this family restaurant kept us in our seats until we realized we were the last of two groups. If you are offered cookies that are not on the menu, jackpot! You only get one, so enjoy each bite s l o w l y. Delicious food and great people make for a 5 star experience.
(5)John G.
I have to say that this is a great authentic Italian/Sicilian restaurant. It's as simple as that... if you like great food, you'll definitely like this place. My favorites are the Ramano pizza (ask the owner Gasper to put an egg on it!) and the chicken piccatta. Oh yeah... the desserts are homemade too.
(5)Deb B.
Nothing like a true mom & pop Italian restaurant ! Maria & Gasper Excel in there own way ...Maria with her amazing desserts Especially the cheesecake !!! Gasper with his brick oven pizzas & Sicilian specials of the day !!!
(5)Larry L.
We watched the Restaurant Impossible episode and decided, how many chances do you have to go to a place that's been on a reality TV show? So off we went... The food was actually amazing! I'm talking lick your plate clean amazing! Too bad it's so far away.
(4)Amber C.
Was in the area for a play at the Fountain Hills community theatre last Friday and stopped in with a friend for happy hour. Can't beat the happy hour prices and it's always nice when it extends all the way to 7 p.m. We sat at the counter in front of the pizza oven... the chef was friendly and the pizza was delicious! Bar service was slow, but the staff was very polite. I would go back again next time I'm out there.
(4)Walter C.
Sapori is rapidly becoming our favorite place for Italian food. Gaspar makes the best pizza my wife has ever had - even I like it. It is also great to watch him making them and putting them in the wood-fired oven. Their eggplant parmesan is the best I have had in a restaurant, and their lasagna was superb - also the best I have had in a restaurant. The wine and ambience are so delightful We LOVE it
(5)Rob B.
Just left, service was less than acceptable. The waitress kept telling us how crazy it is. I am not sure if she is aware but I have no control over their staffing issues. The food came out wrong and I let them know but with the delay in service I gave up and picked apart the food to make it acceptable. They did not offer to compensate the mistake. Drinks were not kept flowing but the excuses for poor service sure did.
(2)Sara P.
This was fantastic and flavorful Italian food. The decor is charming and there is a gorgeous wood fire pizza oven in plain view from the dining area. I had the eggplant parmigiana and it was so delicious. The eggplant was crispy on the outside and had melted HOMEMADE mozzarella on top. My only complaint was the drink menu. I know wine is traditional but we were not offered any other adult drinks and I would have loved a spritzer or cocktail of some sort to enjoy while we waited for our meal and had bread. The owners were incredibly gracious, friendly, and welcoming. It was a great experience and I'd definitely recommend!
(4)Joseph S.
got there bye 4 -430 pm. one other table in the restaurant however bye the time we left it was full so if you want to avoid rush be in bye that time !. very nice in the evening hours when sun is sitting great for dinner dates or other happenings.very friendly polite staff had pinot really good. And half spinch feta and parma my half was really great high quality feta cheese. I saw some of there desserts and didn't realize they had a dessert menu espic come to find out they had canolis ill try that next time. Overall very nice and friendly place welcoming deff. will be back
(5)Carolyn G.
I this is one of my favorite places in Fountain Hills! I like to go to locally owned business whenever I can and this one is owned by the sweetest family! I look forward to getting my hug from Marie every time I go. Now about the food, the reason we use yelp to begin with:) I've liked everything I've ever had there but my favorite things are the Eggplant Parm perfectly cooked, the eggplant is tender and full of yummy flavor, or any of the pizza's, you can beat wood oven pizza's in my opinion! Everything seems to be made with fresh and high quality ingredients.
(5)Shari S.
My husband and I tried this restaurant for the first time last night. We just saw it on Restaurant Impossible a few nights ago and needed a place to eat before hitting the theater. As soon as we got out of the truck I was scared. It smelled SO bad, like a sewer smell. Once inside the noise was almost unbearable. Maria came over and said she would clean a table for us. The place is very small inside. She grabbed a rag and wiped the table. When we got to the table my chair had food all over it, and it looked like the floor had not been cleaned as there was food all over. Nowhere to put my purse except on the floor...yes, on the food! The waitress came over and told us they were out of the specials so she wouldn't waste our time telling us what they were. It was a Friday night at 6:45 pm and they're already out of the specials?? I ordered a lemonade. It smelled funky and when I tried it, it tasted like dirty water. Had my husband taste it just to be sure. Traded that for a soft drink. I ordered the chicken parm. Not too bad. Veggies smelled and tasted horrible!! Like burned plastic. Had hubby try too and yep, they were gross. He ordered veal parm. It was rubbery and over cooked. He thinks they used lemon juice on it which gave it a bitter taste. Even when the restaurant emptied a bit, we were yelling at each other to be heard. Way too loud!! All in all it was a huge disappointment. We will not be back.
(2)jenny d.
Went to this place after visiting a friend inFH. WOW, the food is amazing. We had a party of 4 and all ordered different dishes to share and not a single dish was unfinished. A friend of ours told us that they make pretty much everything from scratch/fresh and you can definitely taste it. Their desserts were especially OUTSTANDING! Will definitely eat here again the next time I visit FH, AZ! Oh, and the service a excellent. Looked like mom and pop dine, hence, very personable.
(5)Bob B.
Very good pizza, then it's time to leave. Absolutely clueless for even basic southern italian dishes. Eggplant under cooked, slced too thick, skin left on. Tasteless sauce. Pasta dishes were poorly prepared.
(2)Jamie W.
Sat at a table outside. Perfect time of year for that. The service was excellent and prompt. The food was even better. Pizza, pasta, & beef, all were amazing. The only complaints were that they almost gave our table away because we weren't all there 5 minutes before our reservation and my husband's pork (the special) was under cooked . They tried to cook it more but still was raw. So they brought him a beef meal free of charge. Overall we loved our meal and came away satisfied.
(4)Barry P.
excellent italian food from sicili. owners are from pallermo. great pizza and clams with linguini.great atmosphere too
(5)Kimberly K.
Fabulous experience on jan 4 for my b day. Food amazing plus the homemade cheesecake and Italian cookies were outstanding. Thank you Maria and Casper for making my b day very special.
(5)Nancy W.
Gasper has yet again knocked it out of the park!!! He made the most amazing dish with homemade pasta, baby octopus, olives, capers, tomato paste, caramelized onions - holy cow it was awesome! Then there were a few extra octopus that were served on the side with just olive oil and some lemon. If you are not an octopus fan, you have probably already moved on from this review, but if you love it like my husband and I do, it was truly phenomenal!!! You will never be disappointed eating at Sapori D'Italia!!!
(5)Marcia H.
Excellent! We consistently have the most amazing pizza, lasagna, desserts. When we arrive in Phoenix we head straight to Sapori. Thank you Gasper, Maria and David.
(5)Vanessa C.
First time visit, saw the Restaurant Impossible show and decided to give it shot...and are we glad we did. It was AMAZING! The food was delicious. We had chicken parm and shrimp scampi and we couldn't get enough. Maria's homemade cheesecake was to die for. Finally, we were lucky enough to meet Maria and Gasper and they are wonderful. We will be back on future dates for sure! This place has a wonderful atmosphere, great staff and amazing food! Can't wait to go back.
(5)Dick G.
Disappointed. Getting our meals after ordering took too long and the last of seven meals came 8 minutes after the rest. I had the calamari marinara, the sauce was NOT homemade and fresh. It was served on linguini NOT the angel hair pasta I requested. The person ordering the pizza said it was only average. The Caesar salad I had was only OK. We would not return here.
(2)Georgette- GG G.
This used to be our favorite Italian Local Restaurant... I am Italian and I am very hard to please for Italian food. We moved to Fountain Hills a year ago and started to going to Sapori once a month or more.. food was delicious and large portions! Well apparently that was not a profitable enterprise because a few months ago- Robert- Restaurant Impossible- filmed a show there and transformed the restaurant and it's menu to be more profitable.. I like the way it looked before- very Italian Village look- the transformation happened- it does look much cleaner- trendy and beautiful now.. I prefer old world Italian but I get why they did this. The portions were cut in half and they somehow ruined the Tomato Sauce- the meatballs were overcooked.. They used to bring out hot garlic rolls with olive oil etc. no more olive oil and the rolls were so tiny I thought they were mini cream puffs and they were ice cold.. The owner was there and she is delightful- her desserts are the best in the world-- I would go back for her Cheesecake and espresso.. The Calamari was good but half the portion. I had the pizza and it was just OK- It used to be sooooo very good-- the crust was tasteless- no olive oil on it it was dry and not good... When we moved to Fountain Hills we vowed to support all of our local restaurants and we do as much as we can - we will continue to go to Sapori D'Italia but will try other items on the menu- I love the Show" Restaurant Impossible" and recognize what they did to help was much needed but I don't think messing with good home style Italian food is their forte... Service was great as always! Please bring back your old recipes!
(3)Diane K.
On our drive from Chicago to Palm Springs we decided to alter our route to Fountain Hills, AZ to eat at Sapori D'Italia (saw it on Restaurant Impossible). What a wonderful detour! The food was excellent. Service prompt and friendly and enjoyed talking with Maria about the RI experience. Wish I lived closer. This restaurant would be one of my favorites!
(5)Jennifer O.
So let me start by saying I only got dessert here, so I can't speak to the food. I was a huge fan of Gasper's when it was open, and was so sad when they closed. I was in Fountain Hills and thought, why not go get a piece of that delicious tiramisu I used to get at Gasper's (same owners, so same cake, right?). Anyway, I got the tiramisu to go and took it home. When I had it, it just didn't taste as delicious as I remember it being at Gasper's. It was still ok, just not amazing. So I probably would not go here if I were not in the neighborhood, but if I were in Fountain Hills, I would give it another shot.
(3)Tonja T.
Let me compliment the chef and staff!! We were going to try another restaurant based on reviews and recommendations from hotel, but as we drove passed I could not forget the excellent meal we had last month, and my car veered into the parking lot! May I say I am so happy we did! My mother is going through chemo treatments and a few moments of culinary bliss were in order! Again both entrees were excellent ( veal piccata & pan seared beef tender with mushroom veal sauce and risotto ) heavenly!!! We could not help our selfs but to order the lemon cheesecake(2nd time) and the red velvet cake which was so wonderful we had to take some home! Last but not least, don't forget to have some illy coffee, my fav!!
(5)julian a.
Unbelievably good. Everything home made. Steak the best we've had outside of a $60 steakhouse. Incredible value . Great service. All in all quite spectacular
(5)Barry S.
First time there - went before a play the other night. Nice lively place. Vey nice people. Food just OK. Looked like wonderful bread and flatbreads, but they were not warm, like I expected and thought should be. Mixed appetizer platter nothing special. Eggplant parmigiana just ok, but they got the angel hair pasta fine. My wife had Chicken Picata. Tender, flavorful, but a small portion. Shared a bottle of house Chianti for 3 of us. $70 per couple oveall seems pricey for what it is. But not being familiar with Fountain Hills restaurants, not sure if this fair, or even one of the better possibilities there.
(3)Betsy D.
If there were more stars to rate this restaurant, I would! We have been frequenting this restaurant for a few years ... and it never has failed! Maria greets us at the door and makes us feel so special. I have never had something that didn.t knock my socks off. Maria is always having us a taste something she has made, whether it be an Italian cookie, cannoli or pesto, for example. The food, staff, ambiance and prices make it a fabulous evening!
(5)Rob E.
Arrived when it opened, but the doors were locked. so i called and dude said they are open right now! and he came outside to meet me, and locked himself out! lol. he opened the door for me, and on i went! very nice remodeled place by restaurant impossible. i have not watched the episode yet, and wanted to come here first before i watch to give it a more raw review. it feels nice and comfy. i ordered a pizza because of all the good reviews. and i have to admit, the pizza is good, yummy sauce, chewy soft yet has a crunch to it. i like the basil leaves on it, and the wood fire taste. but i'm sorry it will never top Grimaldis Pizza... and honestly it was a little to burnt for me, tasted burnt. i'm sure the other dishes are awesome. but they just opened for lunch so i'm sure it will get better. would prob come again. i would like to try some other dishes:) thank you sapori d'italia!
(4)Lisa M.
I LOVE Sapori! Back in September, a couple of friends were visiting from out of town, and we were trying to figure out what we wanted to do for dinner. One friend asked if I like Italian restaurants, and I replied "As a rule...not really." She then mentioned that Robert Irvine had come to Fountain Hills for Restaurant Impossible and I was stunned. I had heard nothing about it! So, we agreed to give it a try. Arrived around 5, while Happy Hour was still happening. It was busy, but not so noisy that we felt overwhelmed. We were led to a table with a nice, low candle that was lit as we sat and was brought a swing-top bottle of ice water (very nice touch). We're grazers, so we ordered several things to share. First the Trinacria pizza - brought to our table in just a couple of minutes, right out of the oven, super thin, super crispy crust, with roasted garlic, fontina cheese and basil that lit the whole pizza up! SO very good! We then shared the calamari - beautifully battered, perfectly cooked and lemony; the meat and cheese board - which I could happily graze on for days; and the Caesar salad - with a very clearly in-house made dressing. I think I said "I'm in my happy place" at least a dozen times while we were there. Too full to attempt dessert while there, we ordered a slice of the chocolate cake and a slice of the cheesecake to go. I'm very glad we did, because each slice was a meal unto itself! Been back a couple of times to do take out pizza and each time it's been wonderful. I have yet to try the fresh pasta - but it's on the to-do list!
(5)Craig J.
The service is generally good, can be a bit slow at times, but the food more than makes up for it. Everything we've had there has always been excellent. I'm particularly fond of the pizzas and calzones. The breads served as appetizers are always fresh and flavorful with excellent texture. We didn't visit before the Restaurant Impossible show, and probably wouldn't have, because Italian restaurants outside of New York City generally aren't my thing, but a friend saw the episode and told us we should try it. We are glad we did and have been back a number of times over the last year. The atmosphere is very comfortable and casual. But... the cheesecake. OMG Maria's cheesecake. Words cannot do it justice. The cheesecake is fantastic. The lemon being my favorite.
(5)Jon T.
We've been regular customers since they first opened. As as fans of Pizzeria Bianca and Grazzie, but not always up for the drive, we are entirely satisfied with the pizzas here. Friendly atmosphere and consistent quality are hallmarks. Service can be a little uneven, but they always manage to pull it off under Maria's watchful eye. Highly recommended.
(4)jenny h.
I really want to love this place, but I just can't. My friends and I have given them two chances and both times we left feeling underwhelmed. Both experiences were after our wine making and bottling experience at Casavino Winery down the street. The first time, we knew nothing about the restaurant except that it looked warm and inviting from the outside. The ambience is lovely; it feels cozy and intimate. When you get that vibe from a restaurant, you just know you're in for a treat, right? I wish. We had a ditzy waitress who clearly knew nothing about the menu. I asked her what the lobster ravioli was like, and she responded with "I don't think there's actually any lobster in it." Really? No lobster in lobster ravioli? Choosing to play it safe, I opted for the cheese ravioli (which was quite tasty). I also thoroughly enjoyed the pizza crust bread they brought to whet our appetites. However, the service for the remainder of the evening was consistently mediocre. We decided to give them another chance tonight since the food was decent the first time. This time, our waitress was friendly and kept a good eye on our table. I once again inquired about the lobster ravioli and she confirmed that yes, it contained lobster. I ordered it with the vodka sauce, while my boyfriend selected it with the lemon garlic butter sauce that she highly recommended. Our friends both ordered ravioli as well, albeit not lobster. ONE HOUR LATER our food arrives. Our waitress was very apologetic about the wait and ensured our bread bowl was continually replenished, but we were quite anxious for our entrees....which showed up COLD. At least, the two lobster dishes did. Mine tasted fine when it was finally heated up, but my boyfriend and I definitely didn't care for the lemon butter garlic sauce. Once again, our waitress was very apologetic and assured us that she served us as soon as the chefs were done, but at this point, considering we're rarely in the area, we're done giving Sapori D'Italia chances. It's a shame - there are so many rave reviews, and the little family run business has a lot of potential....but they have some kinks to iron out.
(2)Katie L.
The food was very delicious. I had a clam pasta and a prosciutto pizza. Both were delicious. I'll have to come here again!
(5)Karen W.
Dinner there for my birthday....wonderful fresh pasta. The fettuccini alfredo with shrimp was excellent. Fresh handmade pasta, succulent shrimp, and an excellent creamy alfredo that wasn't overdone with too much cheese like I've been served in other restaurants. Then Maria brought out my birthday cake....3 layers of red velvet with cream cheese frosting topped with fresh red raspberries. The most beautiful cake that tasted as good as it looked. Gasper and Maria make you feel like you are surrounded by family and friends and serve you authentic Italian that can't be beat!
(5)Ebony K.
Myself and my friend Soraya stopped here after finishing our wine making/labeling over at Casavino. We were starving after all the work we had to do ( not really lots of work but starving nonetheless) We noticed it and decide, why not? It's cute. OMG!! This place was awesome! From the time we walked in and sat down, everyone was very friendly. Our waitress, who's name escapes me, was fabulous. She told us about all the specials, let us know what was on happy hour, and even gave us her favorite picks and most popular dishes. We decided to order the appetizer for two which included the most amazing bruschetta ever, calamari that was fried to perfection, fried ravioli and the biggest pieces of mozzarella and tomatoes I have had in a long time. We also decided to split the Mussels in Marinara that also came with penne pasta. OMG it was so good and we had more than enough to share. We got pizza crust to eat before the meal and I swear it took everything in us not to devour it all before our meal came. We each ordered a glass of wine and I swear it was a very generous portion. Even better is that they the classes of wine ended up being on happy hour. SCORE! This place is seriously a little gem. They have a cute little patio that is covered and has heaters for the winter so I can imagine how gorgeous it is in the spring. If I lived closer, I would definitely put this place on rotation. The portions were generous and the service was spectacular. If I am in the area again, I will definitely stop again for more eats. Seriously delicious!!!
(5)J P.
Maria (the owner) served us. Very nice person, but clearly a bit overwhelmed by the volume of diners. I enjoyed the RI show and think the place has great potential, but it seems some of Robert's advice has been disregarded. The shrimp scampi simply was not the same dish that Robert cooked up for a tasting on the show. It seems the owners decided to go back to the old tomato sauce that Robert found bland and uninspired. We wholeheartedly agreed with Robert and were quite shocked to find that even after his explanation on the show about the importance of that sauce, it was undeniably below average. People will fill seats in that restaurant for a few months to come due to all of the publicity, but it will not last long term if they don't address that sauce. Gasper was not where Robert thought he should be. He was outside doing pizza's instead of in the kitchen. Not sure if this contributed to the bland sauces in the dishes or lack of consistency. The place is too nice and has too much upside to take a turn downhill again after another 6 months to 1 year. That's where the business is headed unless the sauces are addressed. The old decor was nice and the new decor is nice. The place is inviting and the people are friendly. The service was solid. It's really all about the food, which is simply not where it needs to be. There are too many good Italian restaurants around. The owners cannot tolerate bland food if they want to be around for the long haul. Maria's cheesecake - NOT BLAND! It was terrific. Pleasant experience overall and we want to see this family do well, but in this reviewer's opinion, taste is lacking.
(3)Seth K.
We came here after going to Casavino Winery and reading all the great Yelp reviews. Typically I'm in agreement with fellow Yelpers, but this time I feel like they lead me astray. The food was good, but not good enough to make up for the terrible service. They were fairly busy, although not in a crazy way. When we walked in the owner seemed more annoyed that she had another table to deal with than excited to have our business. We asked for water when we sat down, which never came. The food and wine was very slow to come out, and our server didn't come to check on us that often. There were a few times that it felt like they forgot us! There are a ton of great Italian restaurants out there, you may want to skip this one.
(2)Ron R.
Wood-fired pizza and authentic Italian food right here in Fountain Hills! My wife ordered the prosciutto, arugula, and Parmesan pizza. The crust was crispy and the center was not soggy. I ordered the eggplant Parmesan. To me, this dish is the deal maker or breaker when we dine out for Italian. The eggplant was tender, the sauce well balanced with just the right amount of cheese between. More importantly, the dish was not oily at all. Major pluses - Obviously very fresh ingredients, the pasta here is made fresh, and the marinara sauce is extremely well prepared. The staff is friendly and the restaurant is very clean. I do wish that they updated their daily specials on the website. Had they, I wold have also ordered their mushroom and ravioli special which sounded scrumptious! We will be back!
(4)Jill W.
My husband and I went for an early dinner, sat outside on the patio.... nice, but unfortunately the road noise was a bit distracting from the ambiance. Inside was stuffy and very noisy, so outside was a better choice, The flat bread and garlic balls bread basket was good, served warm. Now the main course, my husband ordered linguini and clams... When it came, he honestly said "we need to go to McDonald's". The portion was incredibly small.... We counted 7 small, super tiny clams.... and maybe a half cup of linguini. I ordered the chicken marsala, it was a good size portion, huge compared to the linguini, flavorful and tastefully done. I shared my food with my husband and skipped McDonald's. Service was super slow.... Not sure we would go back with do many other places to try.
(3)Sally C.
Food was good, but service was Terrible. Called ahead to make reservation and was assured a round table for 6. When arrived on-time, they said they gave table to some friends and it would not be available for another hour or so. Then, rude waiter acted like he had a real bad day. Time To check out other good Italian in fountain hills..
(2)Sandra D.
Any Italian entrée will blow you away. The wood fired pizza is to die for with fresh ingredients and consistent results. Believe it or not, the steaks here will outdo the, The Keg or Firebirds. Simply seasoned, cooked and absolutely delicious. Wine is more reasonable than most and high end taste. Service is friendly and hats off to a family run business. Maria makes the best desserts ever, Gasper the best pizza, David best bartender and didn't catch chef's name but can grill a steak like no other. When we move soon, we will drive back up here. Definitely worth it!!
(5)Gabby R.
We just had the most fabulous meal. Best shrimp scampi I have ever had, so fresh and delicious. All desserts are made by the owner, cannolis wonderful! The prices are very reasonable. We'll be back for sure!
(5)Chris G.
Decided on a simple dinner: chicken breast in white wine and capers, the dry Chianti and Sicilian salad. The tomatoes were in winter ( after all today is Jan 3), but all else was delicious. It's one of those unusual places where you can get unburnt espresso and a cheese cake that matches the NY, not mucky, jellylike or too creamy. The dishes were not pretentious, but ++. This was an unexpectedly pleasant dinner after some good hiking on the Apache trail. We'll be back next time we're in the region.
(4)Robert K.
We had driven by the restaurant in the past but never tried it. We found the service to be warm and helpful. Our food came promptly and was of good quality. We very much enjoyed the calamari fritti. We found the Caesar salad and the arugula salad to be of good size and quality. We had the Etna pizza and our friends had the veal piccata and we we all satisfied. We also found the prices to be reasonable. Mark K
(5)Jackie B.
My parents were in town for the Christmas holiday and since I have been to Sapori twice before and had a great experience, I thought I'd take them there for a nice Italian dinner. I was pretty disappointed this visit. It seemed like they were short staffed, but when you looked around there were 4+ servers running around, plus the owner bussing tables. Our server was friendly, but I think he was also waiting on the patrons sitting at the bar as well as waiting tables. We didn't see him much... My mother ordered the Chicken Parm and got Veal Parm served to her by mistake. The "bread" was served in ceramic soup bowls?? It was oddly shaped really small rolls..? The last time I was there we were served oven baked flat bread and it was delicious. We waited and waited for our check when we were finished and our server walked by a few times and never stopped when we were clearly sitting there after our empty plates had been removed. We ended up walking to the front desk and asking for our check there. I was pretty bummed that we had this experience, I talked so highly of this restaurant to my parents and walked out of there feeling kind of embarrassed. I wish I could give a better review for this visit, maybe the next time I stop in there it will be more organized.
(2)