Delicious Italian! Best for the $ that we have found. A true "$$." The food is bold and flavorful. The sauces are authentic and rich. Everything is made in-house and fresh. Service is excellent and the atmosphere is great. Oh, the warm bread and a butter-pimento spread is fantastic. Portions are great!
(4)
Sharon W.
Excellent good. I am Celiac and they took special care to make sure everything was gluten free. The pasta was delicious and the Alfredo was fantastic.
(5)
Phil Y.
Yelp reviews made me try this place. I really wanted to like this place, but, it just didn't do it for me. We arrived on a Saturday night at about 7 AM. The restaurant was empty, so we were promptly seated. The food was okay. My wife ordered the smoked salmon pasta. I ordered the Prix Fix dinner of the Mixta salad, a funghi and beef short rib pizza, and creme brulee dessert. The daughter ordered a cheese pizza. The smoked salmon pasta was salmon mixed in with fettucine alfredo with some capers thrown in. Yeah, we have experienced better smoked salmon pasta. For some unkonw reason, I listened to the waiter and ordered a pizza to go with my prix fix dinner. I hardly ever eat pizza. It was good. It wasn't the best that I have ever had. I'm still looking for the short rib that they say was in the pizza. My daughter didn't like her pizza, so she ended up eating mine. The creme brulee dessert was probably the best dish of the night. Service was okay for us. $60 for 2 pizzas, a smoked salmon pasta, a salad, and a dessert. It didn't seem like a good value for what we got. It just wasn't that good. I expected more.
(2)
Val S.
Four of us went to dinner. Each meal so good. I had salmon piccata there also was mushroom ravioli, buffalo ravioli and a rib eye. We sampled each other's and they were all to die for!! We will be back. The service was fabulous and the wine great.
(5)
Katy L.
My family and I were visiting Park City and perused Yelp for a place to dine one night. The reviews for Buona Vita were good so we decided to give it a try. I should insert here the fact that my family is Italian and we have very high standards for Italian food. That being said, Buona Vita was just OK. Our server was new and you could tell. She barely checked on us throughout our meal. The ambiance was nice and cozy -- casual, but still intimate. The food was very mediocre. The best thing I ate was the appetizer of mozzarella, prosciutto and tomatoes. It was a delicious combination of creamy, salty, and fresh. I should have just eaten that and a salad. However I was tempted by the gnocchi. I'm always tempted by the gnocchi. I got the gnocchi al funghi and it was sort of like eating paste. The sauce lacked any flavor and the consistency was unappetizing. The gnocchi themselves were actually very well made and could have been delicious with a lighter sauce. My dad and husband ordered a pizza and it was a slight step above a frozen pizza. Very thick crust, too much cheese and again lacking in flavor. The place was packed and seems to be popular. Maybe we made faults in ordering, but the next time we are in Park City, we will probably dine elsewhere.
(2)
Travis R.
We had a lovely experience here last night. We were seated right away and our server who was very nice tended to us in a timely manor. The food was great! I got the chicken primavera, which was amazing! My girlfriend seemed to also really like her cheese raviolis. And it wasn't too awfully expensive compared to some other local Italian places.
(5)
Rich S.
I'm from NYC and consider myself a foodie. I love Italian food and have been to Italy many times. First off this Italian restaurant is owned or at least run by Spaniards. So right there the authenticity of this Italian restaurant is questioned. But owners don't make the quality of food a chef does, so I gave it a try. First off I ordered the "Buffalo" Mozarella appetizer and it surely was NOT "buffalo". It was mozarella that I could taste was bought in a supermarket even though the waitress told me it was "freshly" made. Where in Utah is there "water buffalo" to make this mozarella? 2nd I ordered a mushroom penne with meatballs. Tasted fine and the meatballs although good didn't taste home made. They tasted like the freshly frozen ones you buy in a supermarket. All in all it was ok but did it justify the 46 dollar price tag? Probably not....could I have made it at home for much less? Probably could. Was it more so a 20 or 30 meal? Yes. Bang for your buck I would try Vinto. Although as good as you get for Park City it's much more worth the price for what you get. Dollar per dollar this place wasnt worth it. Try Vinto.
(3)
Shauna S.
Wow. What a great dinner! You know it is going to be good when there are two big bowls of shredded parmesan cheese at the table but no salt or pepper. The hot bread with garlic butter was delicious, but our server never refilled the basket. The $10 mozzarella alla carroza appetizer was packed with flavor--the cheese was melted just right. The mista salad with mixed greens, candied walnuts, goat cheese and vinaigrette dressing was yummy and large (serves two easily for $10). All of the entrees were great: don bergante pasta with sausage and red sauce, gnocchi al funghi with creamy tomato sauce and gnocchi al pesto, also with a cream sauce. The waiter brought a complimentary tiramisu for my friend's birthday which we were celebrating. Even though the restaurant is on Main Street, there was a nice parking garage next to it that they validated. The manager asked us about our experience as we were leaving. Fun night!
(4)
S M.
Great service! Great food! Great ambiance! Prices were more than reasonable! What more do you need??
(4)
Steve H.
Four stars on my scale says this was a really good restaurant and I'd go back in a heartbeat if I had the chance. Our group was only three people, but everyone thought their food was very good to excellent. Service was very good, with timely appearances and enough breaks that we had time to chat, eat, and relax. The evening we were there they had a fixed price menu that presented three courses for only $20 - a very real value in Park City for excellent food. The wine list was also good. In some ways I felt like I was in a neighborhood restaurant in Italy.
(4)
Doug S.
Stopped in at 4:30 ish, didn't realize they opened at 5. Somewhat rude person greeted us and said "we're closed!" Very unpleasant sewage smell in restaurant, made it an easy choice to dine somewhere else.
(1)
Alex C.
Friday night in Park City, we needed some meatless dinner in observance of Catholic lent. Being from Chicago, we figured one of these decent places on main street could compete with our city's Italian notoriety. We made 8pm reservations, and were happy about that, as the place was packed and there seemed to be a logistics issue at the front door, with people standing around the entryway crowding an already busy area. We were seated quickly in the very brown/tan-colored restaurant. It was kind of small on the inside, with tables pretty close together, and an open pizza kitchen, which was interesting. Looking over the menu, there were a lot of options, even with our meatless restrictions. There were two cups of freshly-grated parmesan cheese on the table, but no bread or oil, which was weird, as you will find out below. Two elected to try a glass of wine. I will have to update which ones specifically, but I know there was a Chianti and something else, and we voted the other one was better. Sorry guys, brain freeze, I'll have to update this later.... Our dinner began with the Mozzarella alla carozza, which I could most closely describe as an Italian version of saganaki. Good, but probably not $9.95 good. The Bruschetta I spotted at another table looked much more appetizing. Three of us elected to get pasta dishes, while the other two split a salad and the Salmon Piccata. A traditional cheese ravioli, and Alla Checca were both decent, but lacking any uniqueness. My pasta dish was a tough call between the Gnocchi Al Pesto and Sapore Fiero (lobster ravioli). After inquiring whether or not the ravioli was made in-house, a disappointing "They are not, sorry" prompted me to go with my other choice. This dish was good, coming from a pesto fanatic. It was definitely more of a creamy pesto, rather than a really greeny pesto,. The gnocchi were fluffy, filling and tasty, not to mention cooked properly. The sauce would have been perfect if they adjusted the ratio a bit. Ideally, it would have been about 75% pesto, 25% cream sauce, but it seemed really creamy, more like 75% cream, 25% pesto. Not a huge issue, but the cream takes a way a lot of that green flavor that I have come to love from pesto, and additionally made the meal very filling and "heavy." Also, the menu listed there would be walnuts in this dish, unless they were really well blended into the sauce, I could not detect any walnuts anywhere, kind of a let-down. The Mista salad was pretty good. House vinaigrette dressing was nice, not too stiff, but not too weak either. Decent portion as well. Salmon Piccatta got great feedback. Nice consistency and flavor to it, especially with the sauce. The pasta it came with was cooked perfectly, and fresh capers made the dish all-around awesome. Now, unfortunately, there is a reason I subtracted a couple of stars. That reason alone would have to be the service. Our waiter was friendly, however I felt there was a bit of a cultural barrier and oddness between us. One member of our group usually tries to make small talk, and I'm not quite sure our waiter was getting it, or was very amused by our attempt at sociability. After we ordered and our food came out, he did not show up again to ask how everything was, or even check in, until we flagged him down for a couple of items we needed. Granted, it was busy that evening, but we needed a refill on water and a couple of extra plates (two people split the salmon) and he was nowhere to be found, the bus boy basically ignored our attempts to get his attention. I found this all weird, because the table next to us was receiving most of our waiter's attention, while we heard not a peep. The adjacent table was a group of Spanish-speaking people, and we overheard our waiter talking to them extensively throughout dinner (in Spanish). Maybe it was because they were a bigger party, or perhaps English wasn't his first language? Either way, we felt a little neglected, especially paying over $100 for dinner and seeing the table next to us have a better time. We never did get the water(s) refilled, and the couple of extra plates weren't exactly brought out in a timely manner either. Oh yeah, the other table somehow got a bread basket as well, maybe you have to ask, I don't know?? In summary, pretty good food, meh service. Not quite sure Buona Vita is up there in the ranks of Chicago's Italian cuisine, but it's also not the worst I've had. Will probably try Vinto next time I'm in Park City seeking out Italian.
(3)
Michelle K.
I've been here twice and I want to really like this place but it's really not great. The food is good but beware, overpriced for what you get. The plates are typically $15-$25 and salad is about $10-$12. So, dinner for two is about $60+. The worst part about this place is the hostess!!! Both times I've been there, it's the same hostess and she's not nice (I was hoping she had PMS the first night but nope, that's how she is). When I get there with my husband, she lets us stand at the front for a minute or two before she comes over. Then she tells us she needs to check on tables (ok, the room is half empty....). After 5 minutes she says she needs to get our table ready...5 mins passes, oh, that table is ready (which spoons, glasses and setting has been sitting there all evening). And she treats the other guests the same - making them wait! Otherwise, I would rate the restaurant higher...but won't be anytime soon!
(2)
Jennifer B.
Good enough food for the price. There is quite a range in Park City restaurants. You can get a decent Italian meal here. The wait time can be really, really long so have them call you and get a drink nearby. I got the gnocchi carbonara and it wasn't bad. One strange thing is with our big group the server added an automatic 20% gratuity. Who does that? I've always seen just 18% for big parties.
(3)
Lindsay J.
The good: lively atmosphere, decent wine list, nice salads, tasty bread basket. The bad: main course. No one in our party of 7 really enjoyed their dish. Sauces were heavy but lacking depth of flavor. Mine was too salty and the chicken over cooked. Good in a pinch but would plan to dine elsewhere next time.
(3)
Kris D.
This place seemed very promising but in the end I was disappointed. I shared a pasta with my sister and it was very basic and simple, it was ok. What astounded me was the price. I thought it was very overpriced. Another person in our party ordered a margherita pizza. Maybe they served us the wrong pizza I do no know but that was not a margherita it was a cheese pizza. The best part of the meal was the bread and the butter spread. The bread was fresh out of the oven when we received ours and it was incredibly good.
(3)
Tonia L.
Bouna Vita was the first restaurant we walked by on Main Street. We decided to look around main street to see what other restaurants were available for dinner. There are a lot of choices but after checking all the restaurants on main street we decided to go back to Bouns Vista. We are so glad we did. It was on a Thursday when they had their Tapas menu. We ordered the pear and gorgonzola salad, Caesar salad, calamari, two pizzas, chicken ravioli and the chocolate lava cake. Everything was delicious and the prices were very good for the area. To top it off the service was exceptional. I give it 5 star for the great service, excellent food, and reasonable prices.
(5)
Karl B.
Good food at reasonable prices. We all enjoyed our meals. I tried the wild mushroom ravioli which was excellent. Service was good. The atmosphere is comfortable. Their menu offers a wide variety to choose from. Will definitely return.
(4)
Corie J.
Our group of 6 the first time coming here and group of 10 the second time a few days later have unanimously claimed this is some of the best food we've ever had! The waiter was amazing, even made a bed of pillows for my sleeping 3 year old. The red wine he recommended both nights were amazing (can't remember the name). My chicken Parmesan was wonderful. Our group got Caesar salad, clams (my friend was drinking the broth!), funghi pasta, the ravioli, lasagna, chicken alfredo and everyone was so happy. Great menu options and the restaurant itself is really comfortable feeling. FYI don't tell them if you are going to share your salad with someone, otherwise they charge $2 to split the plate.
(5)
Lloyd C.
I don't write reviews very often but I have to say this place was a perfect date night dinner spot. We had Fred as out waiter who was absolutely fantastic. He was very knowledgeable (gave us his favorite pasta, chicken, and fish dish) and gave us excellent wine recommendations. We went with the carbonara and the chicken parm and the San Paulo Malbec. Wonderful food! We were celebrating a special night and Fred was very attentive but also gave us our privacy. At the end of dinner, we asked the staff how to get home and one of the other servers literally walked me out on the balcony and showed me where to walk to pick up the shuttle. They even surprised us with a dessert for being on a special occasion. From the beginning to the end, this was a fantastic experience that felt like a cozy family experience . We will be here again.
(5)
David F.
Small Italian rIstorante with excellent food and service. The ravioli al Nona is to die for and the salmon piccata is most yummy! Highly recommended!!.
(5)
Michael K.
Five stars for Ignacio our waiter who enthusiastically served us after we had a horrible experience at nearby Vinto. We were a group of nine that arrived 15 minutes before the restaurant closed . Ignacio was wonderful and made spot on recommendations . We thoroughly enjoyed our meal and Ignacio's caring service.
(5)
Stephanie B.
We had an excellent dinner here on Tuesday night! We were a party of 10 and our waiter was a delightful man from Uruguay. He knew the menu, answered all of our many questions and made recommendations with conviction. He even offered to take our family photo without our asking. He was great and the food was delicious. Everyone was happy with their meals. There were a lot of gluten free options and our waiter was very knowledgeable about how everything was made. The mushroom ravioli was excellent as was the chicken marsala. My kids loved their spaghetti and meatballs and penne alfredo off the children's menu. Our waiter heard that we were celebrating my sister and brother-in-law's wedding anniversary and brought them a complimentary dessert with a candle in it!
(5)
Katherine A.
I went to this restaurant with high expectations, it had excellent reviews on yelp and decided I'd take my family, visiting from Spain, to dine. However, sadly, I was shocked at how bad the service was. I encountered an unpleasant experience by first overhearing the lady clearing the table and our waiter making fun and speaking rudely about a nearby customer in Spanish -they had no idea we spoke Spanish. Then it started to rain and we decided we'd move our table a foot over so we wouldn't get rained on. Our waiter Alvaro, came out angry and started saying "I'm the boss, you can't move the table". We then asked if he would move it for us and he said "no". We were disgusted at how badly we were treated and how unwilling out server was to demonstrate first of all a professional demeanor and second a willingness to deliver and serve us with at the minimum okay service.
(1)
keith m.
Very pleased with the food and atmosphere, but the service is what impressed me the most. We had a group of 8. "Max" was very courteous, put split salads and meals on separate plates without even asking. Very good experience.
(5)
Lauren S.
We stumbled upon this place unexpectedly and had an absolutely delightful meal. Everything we ordered was excellent, especially the Ravioli Nonna as well as the chicken paillard and chicken Parmesan. The food was very well-priced and high quality. Recommend it highly!
(4)
Erika V.
Great food, great staff, great prices. This place was SO YUMMY! We will definitely be back. Make sure to get the beef lasagna!!
(5)
Jamie W.
I've had some bad service in Park City, but Buona Vita has the rudest service in town. I will never go there again.
(1)
Michelle R.
We had a great dinner here. The gnocci with bolognese sauce was fantastic. Service was great. Great ambience. No complaints!
Overall good, but service is lacking. It was extremely tough to get a table for 4 on December 29th, even though it was a weekday. The hostess was super stressed and frantic. The manager had an attitude, which was not appreciated. Prices were fairly reasonable for Main Street in Park City, most pastas about $18-20. All of the food we ordered tasted excellent...big props for the pesto gnocchi and the pasta carbonara. The flavored butter they bring with the bread is delicious! Service was a bit slow when we had asked for more water, etc. I would recommend this restaurant...make sure you have reservations if it is during a holiday!
(3)
Kate K.
Very good food and great value for Main Street dining. Nice wine list with several good and inexpensive wines. We loved the misto salad and it was big enough for two people to share. Short rib dinner was delicious and all the pasta dishes were large enough that our group of six all had leftovers.
(4)
Gary T.
Good food. They need to handle reservations much better during holiday period. They overbook and this puts a real stress on the staff.
(3)
S. C.
Great food. Priced fair. Neat location. Been there 2 x. Once over late summer. Sat outside. Once over holiday. Busy, but well managed experience. Going again tonight with larger group.
(4)
Ericah W.
Amazing food, service, and pricing for Main St! Try the Alla Nona, yum. And the setting is incredible for summer evening dining. Will definitely visit again soon.
(5)
Christine M.
Food was decent, decent prices for Park City. I got the Margherita pizza, which was very bland. Barely any sauce, way too much cheese and not enough basil. Boyfriend got the buffalo raviolis, he said they were good. I would go back, but not the best pizza or italian in town.
(3)
Peter L.
Really more than 3 stars but held back by lack of depth in the menu. If you expect Buona Vita to be a full Italian restaurant you will be a bit disappointed. On the other hand, if it is pasta or pizza you want then this is an excellent choice. Excellent choices of pasta, ravioli, gnocchi, etc with well flavored sauces to complement. Did not try the pizza on this trip but they looked good with a thin crust. An example of a less successful dish was the Chicken Marsala which was prepared with two fairly large pieces of chicken breast which were grilled and served with a bit of Marsala sauce. An excellent angel hair pasta accompanied the chicken but the overall dish was weak hence the reason I suggest to stick to the pasta's. Prices ranged from $13 to about $22 and a good nicely priced wine list is available. Overall very happy and will be returning.
(3)
Kerri T.
This is always a tasty and predictable place with a relaxed atmosphere. Yummy food.
(4)
Karen C.
Ate here during sundance and had a great meal. Much cheaper than other places in town and the food is good. I'd recommend it.
(3)
Yan M.
Attended the Blackhouse Production happy hour party here and tasted the housemade bruschetta and skewered chicken which were both very tasty appetizers.
(4)
Raymond M.
Perfect for a group or family looking for a good dinner, but doesn't want to pay Chimayo or Grappa prices. The interior is open and very inviting and the staff is very friendly. If you happen to be around in the summer, be sure to ask to sit outside and enjoy a summers night.
Takes Reservations : Yes Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Dinner Parking : Street Bike Parking : 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
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.
Mike L.
Delicious Italian! Best for the $ that we have found. A true "$$." The food is bold and flavorful. The sauces are authentic and rich. Everything is made in-house and fresh. Service is excellent and the atmosphere is great. Oh, the warm bread and a butter-pimento spread is fantastic. Portions are great!
(4)Sharon W.
Excellent good. I am Celiac and they took special care to make sure everything was gluten free. The pasta was delicious and the Alfredo was fantastic.
(5)Phil Y.
Yelp reviews made me try this place. I really wanted to like this place, but, it just didn't do it for me. We arrived on a Saturday night at about 7 AM. The restaurant was empty, so we were promptly seated. The food was okay. My wife ordered the smoked salmon pasta. I ordered the Prix Fix dinner of the Mixta salad, a funghi and beef short rib pizza, and creme brulee dessert. The daughter ordered a cheese pizza. The smoked salmon pasta was salmon mixed in with fettucine alfredo with some capers thrown in. Yeah, we have experienced better smoked salmon pasta. For some unkonw reason, I listened to the waiter and ordered a pizza to go with my prix fix dinner. I hardly ever eat pizza. It was good. It wasn't the best that I have ever had. I'm still looking for the short rib that they say was in the pizza. My daughter didn't like her pizza, so she ended up eating mine. The creme brulee dessert was probably the best dish of the night. Service was okay for us. $60 for 2 pizzas, a smoked salmon pasta, a salad, and a dessert. It didn't seem like a good value for what we got. It just wasn't that good. I expected more.
(2)Val S.
Four of us went to dinner. Each meal so good. I had salmon piccata there also was mushroom ravioli, buffalo ravioli and a rib eye. We sampled each other's and they were all to die for!! We will be back. The service was fabulous and the wine great.
(5)Katy L.
My family and I were visiting Park City and perused Yelp for a place to dine one night. The reviews for Buona Vita were good so we decided to give it a try. I should insert here the fact that my family is Italian and we have very high standards for Italian food. That being said, Buona Vita was just OK. Our server was new and you could tell. She barely checked on us throughout our meal. The ambiance was nice and cozy -- casual, but still intimate. The food was very mediocre. The best thing I ate was the appetizer of mozzarella, prosciutto and tomatoes. It was a delicious combination of creamy, salty, and fresh. I should have just eaten that and a salad. However I was tempted by the gnocchi. I'm always tempted by the gnocchi. I got the gnocchi al funghi and it was sort of like eating paste. The sauce lacked any flavor and the consistency was unappetizing. The gnocchi themselves were actually very well made and could have been delicious with a lighter sauce. My dad and husband ordered a pizza and it was a slight step above a frozen pizza. Very thick crust, too much cheese and again lacking in flavor. The place was packed and seems to be popular. Maybe we made faults in ordering, but the next time we are in Park City, we will probably dine elsewhere.
(2)Travis R.
We had a lovely experience here last night. We were seated right away and our server who was very nice tended to us in a timely manor. The food was great! I got the chicken primavera, which was amazing! My girlfriend seemed to also really like her cheese raviolis. And it wasn't too awfully expensive compared to some other local Italian places.
(5)Rich S.
I'm from NYC and consider myself a foodie. I love Italian food and have been to Italy many times. First off this Italian restaurant is owned or at least run by Spaniards. So right there the authenticity of this Italian restaurant is questioned. But owners don't make the quality of food a chef does, so I gave it a try. First off I ordered the "Buffalo" Mozarella appetizer and it surely was NOT "buffalo". It was mozarella that I could taste was bought in a supermarket even though the waitress told me it was "freshly" made. Where in Utah is there "water buffalo" to make this mozarella? 2nd I ordered a mushroom penne with meatballs. Tasted fine and the meatballs although good didn't taste home made. They tasted like the freshly frozen ones you buy in a supermarket. All in all it was ok but did it justify the 46 dollar price tag? Probably not....could I have made it at home for much less? Probably could. Was it more so a 20 or 30 meal? Yes. Bang for your buck I would try Vinto. Although as good as you get for Park City it's much more worth the price for what you get. Dollar per dollar this place wasnt worth it. Try Vinto.
(3)Shauna S.
Wow. What a great dinner! You know it is going to be good when there are two big bowls of shredded parmesan cheese at the table but no salt or pepper. The hot bread with garlic butter was delicious, but our server never refilled the basket. The $10 mozzarella alla carroza appetizer was packed with flavor--the cheese was melted just right. The mista salad with mixed greens, candied walnuts, goat cheese and vinaigrette dressing was yummy and large (serves two easily for $10). All of the entrees were great: don bergante pasta with sausage and red sauce, gnocchi al funghi with creamy tomato sauce and gnocchi al pesto, also with a cream sauce. The waiter brought a complimentary tiramisu for my friend's birthday which we were celebrating. Even though the restaurant is on Main Street, there was a nice parking garage next to it that they validated. The manager asked us about our experience as we were leaving. Fun night!
(4)S M.
Great service! Great food! Great ambiance! Prices were more than reasonable! What more do you need??
(4)Steve H.
Four stars on my scale says this was a really good restaurant and I'd go back in a heartbeat if I had the chance. Our group was only three people, but everyone thought their food was very good to excellent. Service was very good, with timely appearances and enough breaks that we had time to chat, eat, and relax. The evening we were there they had a fixed price menu that presented three courses for only $20 - a very real value in Park City for excellent food. The wine list was also good. In some ways I felt like I was in a neighborhood restaurant in Italy.
(4)Doug S.
Stopped in at 4:30 ish, didn't realize they opened at 5. Somewhat rude person greeted us and said "we're closed!" Very unpleasant sewage smell in restaurant, made it an easy choice to dine somewhere else.
(1)Alex C.
Friday night in Park City, we needed some meatless dinner in observance of Catholic lent. Being from Chicago, we figured one of these decent places on main street could compete with our city's Italian notoriety. We made 8pm reservations, and were happy about that, as the place was packed and there seemed to be a logistics issue at the front door, with people standing around the entryway crowding an already busy area. We were seated quickly in the very brown/tan-colored restaurant. It was kind of small on the inside, with tables pretty close together, and an open pizza kitchen, which was interesting. Looking over the menu, there were a lot of options, even with our meatless restrictions. There were two cups of freshly-grated parmesan cheese on the table, but no bread or oil, which was weird, as you will find out below. Two elected to try a glass of wine. I will have to update which ones specifically, but I know there was a Chianti and something else, and we voted the other one was better. Sorry guys, brain freeze, I'll have to update this later.... Our dinner began with the Mozzarella alla carozza, which I could most closely describe as an Italian version of saganaki. Good, but probably not $9.95 good. The Bruschetta I spotted at another table looked much more appetizing. Three of us elected to get pasta dishes, while the other two split a salad and the Salmon Piccata. A traditional cheese ravioli, and Alla Checca were both decent, but lacking any uniqueness. My pasta dish was a tough call between the Gnocchi Al Pesto and Sapore Fiero (lobster ravioli). After inquiring whether or not the ravioli was made in-house, a disappointing "They are not, sorry" prompted me to go with my other choice. This dish was good, coming from a pesto fanatic. It was definitely more of a creamy pesto, rather than a really greeny pesto,. The gnocchi were fluffy, filling and tasty, not to mention cooked properly. The sauce would have been perfect if they adjusted the ratio a bit. Ideally, it would have been about 75% pesto, 25% cream sauce, but it seemed really creamy, more like 75% cream, 25% pesto. Not a huge issue, but the cream takes a way a lot of that green flavor that I have come to love from pesto, and additionally made the meal very filling and "heavy." Also, the menu listed there would be walnuts in this dish, unless they were really well blended into the sauce, I could not detect any walnuts anywhere, kind of a let-down. The Mista salad was pretty good. House vinaigrette dressing was nice, not too stiff, but not too weak either. Decent portion as well. Salmon Piccatta got great feedback. Nice consistency and flavor to it, especially with the sauce. The pasta it came with was cooked perfectly, and fresh capers made the dish all-around awesome. Now, unfortunately, there is a reason I subtracted a couple of stars. That reason alone would have to be the service. Our waiter was friendly, however I felt there was a bit of a cultural barrier and oddness between us. One member of our group usually tries to make small talk, and I'm not quite sure our waiter was getting it, or was very amused by our attempt at sociability. After we ordered and our food came out, he did not show up again to ask how everything was, or even check in, until we flagged him down for a couple of items we needed. Granted, it was busy that evening, but we needed a refill on water and a couple of extra plates (two people split the salmon) and he was nowhere to be found, the bus boy basically ignored our attempts to get his attention. I found this all weird, because the table next to us was receiving most of our waiter's attention, while we heard not a peep. The adjacent table was a group of Spanish-speaking people, and we overheard our waiter talking to them extensively throughout dinner (in Spanish). Maybe it was because they were a bigger party, or perhaps English wasn't his first language? Either way, we felt a little neglected, especially paying over $100 for dinner and seeing the table next to us have a better time. We never did get the water(s) refilled, and the couple of extra plates weren't exactly brought out in a timely manner either. Oh yeah, the other table somehow got a bread basket as well, maybe you have to ask, I don't know?? In summary, pretty good food, meh service. Not quite sure Buona Vita is up there in the ranks of Chicago's Italian cuisine, but it's also not the worst I've had. Will probably try Vinto next time I'm in Park City seeking out Italian.
(3)Michelle K.
I've been here twice and I want to really like this place but it's really not great. The food is good but beware, overpriced for what you get. The plates are typically $15-$25 and salad is about $10-$12. So, dinner for two is about $60+. The worst part about this place is the hostess!!! Both times I've been there, it's the same hostess and she's not nice (I was hoping she had PMS the first night but nope, that's how she is). When I get there with my husband, she lets us stand at the front for a minute or two before she comes over. Then she tells us she needs to check on tables (ok, the room is half empty....). After 5 minutes she says she needs to get our table ready...5 mins passes, oh, that table is ready (which spoons, glasses and setting has been sitting there all evening). And she treats the other guests the same - making them wait! Otherwise, I would rate the restaurant higher...but won't be anytime soon!
(2)Jennifer B.
Good enough food for the price. There is quite a range in Park City restaurants. You can get a decent Italian meal here. The wait time can be really, really long so have them call you and get a drink nearby. I got the gnocchi carbonara and it wasn't bad. One strange thing is with our big group the server added an automatic 20% gratuity. Who does that? I've always seen just 18% for big parties.
(3)Lindsay J.
The good: lively atmosphere, decent wine list, nice salads, tasty bread basket. The bad: main course. No one in our party of 7 really enjoyed their dish. Sauces were heavy but lacking depth of flavor. Mine was too salty and the chicken over cooked. Good in a pinch but would plan to dine elsewhere next time.
(3)Kris D.
This place seemed very promising but in the end I was disappointed. I shared a pasta with my sister and it was very basic and simple, it was ok. What astounded me was the price. I thought it was very overpriced. Another person in our party ordered a margherita pizza. Maybe they served us the wrong pizza I do no know but that was not a margherita it was a cheese pizza. The best part of the meal was the bread and the butter spread. The bread was fresh out of the oven when we received ours and it was incredibly good.
(3)Tonia L.
Bouna Vita was the first restaurant we walked by on Main Street. We decided to look around main street to see what other restaurants were available for dinner. There are a lot of choices but after checking all the restaurants on main street we decided to go back to Bouns Vista. We are so glad we did. It was on a Thursday when they had their Tapas menu. We ordered the pear and gorgonzola salad, Caesar salad, calamari, two pizzas, chicken ravioli and the chocolate lava cake. Everything was delicious and the prices were very good for the area. To top it off the service was exceptional. I give it 5 star for the great service, excellent food, and reasonable prices.
(5)Karl B.
Good food at reasonable prices. We all enjoyed our meals. I tried the wild mushroom ravioli which was excellent. Service was good. The atmosphere is comfortable. Their menu offers a wide variety to choose from. Will definitely return.
(4)Corie J.
Our group of 6 the first time coming here and group of 10 the second time a few days later have unanimously claimed this is some of the best food we've ever had! The waiter was amazing, even made a bed of pillows for my sleeping 3 year old. The red wine he recommended both nights were amazing (can't remember the name). My chicken Parmesan was wonderful. Our group got Caesar salad, clams (my friend was drinking the broth!), funghi pasta, the ravioli, lasagna, chicken alfredo and everyone was so happy. Great menu options and the restaurant itself is really comfortable feeling. FYI don't tell them if you are going to share your salad with someone, otherwise they charge $2 to split the plate.
(5)Lloyd C.
I don't write reviews very often but I have to say this place was a perfect date night dinner spot. We had Fred as out waiter who was absolutely fantastic. He was very knowledgeable (gave us his favorite pasta, chicken, and fish dish) and gave us excellent wine recommendations. We went with the carbonara and the chicken parm and the San Paulo Malbec. Wonderful food! We were celebrating a special night and Fred was very attentive but also gave us our privacy. At the end of dinner, we asked the staff how to get home and one of the other servers literally walked me out on the balcony and showed me where to walk to pick up the shuttle. They even surprised us with a dessert for being on a special occasion. From the beginning to the end, this was a fantastic experience that felt like a cozy family experience . We will be here again.
(5)David F.
Small Italian rIstorante with excellent food and service. The ravioli al Nona is to die for and the salmon piccata is most yummy! Highly recommended!!.
(5)Michael K.
Five stars for Ignacio our waiter who enthusiastically served us after we had a horrible experience at nearby Vinto. We were a group of nine that arrived 15 minutes before the restaurant closed . Ignacio was wonderful and made spot on recommendations . We thoroughly enjoyed our meal and Ignacio's caring service.
(5)Stephanie B.
We had an excellent dinner here on Tuesday night! We were a party of 10 and our waiter was a delightful man from Uruguay. He knew the menu, answered all of our many questions and made recommendations with conviction. He even offered to take our family photo without our asking. He was great and the food was delicious. Everyone was happy with their meals. There were a lot of gluten free options and our waiter was very knowledgeable about how everything was made. The mushroom ravioli was excellent as was the chicken marsala. My kids loved their spaghetti and meatballs and penne alfredo off the children's menu. Our waiter heard that we were celebrating my sister and brother-in-law's wedding anniversary and brought them a complimentary dessert with a candle in it!
(5)Katherine A.
I went to this restaurant with high expectations, it had excellent reviews on yelp and decided I'd take my family, visiting from Spain, to dine. However, sadly, I was shocked at how bad the service was. I encountered an unpleasant experience by first overhearing the lady clearing the table and our waiter making fun and speaking rudely about a nearby customer in Spanish -they had no idea we spoke Spanish. Then it started to rain and we decided we'd move our table a foot over so we wouldn't get rained on. Our waiter Alvaro, came out angry and started saying "I'm the boss, you can't move the table". We then asked if he would move it for us and he said "no". We were disgusted at how badly we were treated and how unwilling out server was to demonstrate first of all a professional demeanor and second a willingness to deliver and serve us with at the minimum okay service.
(1)keith m.
Very pleased with the food and atmosphere, but the service is what impressed me the most. We had a group of 8. "Max" was very courteous, put split salads and meals on separate plates without even asking. Very good experience.
(5)Lauren S.
We stumbled upon this place unexpectedly and had an absolutely delightful meal. Everything we ordered was excellent, especially the Ravioli Nonna as well as the chicken paillard and chicken Parmesan. The food was very well-priced and high quality. Recommend it highly!
(4)Erika V.
Great food, great staff, great prices. This place was SO YUMMY! We will definitely be back. Make sure to get the beef lasagna!!
(5)Jamie W.
I've had some bad service in Park City, but Buona Vita has the rudest service in town. I will never go there again.
(1)Michelle R.
We had a great dinner here. The gnocci with bolognese sauce was fantastic. Service was great. Great ambience. No complaints!
(5)Matthew H.
Had a last minute special event dinner at Buona Vita. The misses just felt like Italian. We both were beyond impressed. Started with the Caprese salad. Mozzarella was a little plain, but otherwise good. Things just kept getting better. She had the gnocchi funghi with no funghi. It was wonderful. Rich sauce, but not overwhelming. I had the carbonara and added meatballs (which were great). Carbonara was flavorful and far better than I could have hoped. The real highlight was dessert though. Opted for creme brûlée. Best I've ever had. End of story. Just try it. Staff and atmosphere were top notch also.
(5)Brittany Y.
Overall good, but service is lacking. It was extremely tough to get a table for 4 on December 29th, even though it was a weekday. The hostess was super stressed and frantic. The manager had an attitude, which was not appreciated. Prices were fairly reasonable for Main Street in Park City, most pastas about $18-20. All of the food we ordered tasted excellent...big props for the pesto gnocchi and the pasta carbonara. The flavored butter they bring with the bread is delicious! Service was a bit slow when we had asked for more water, etc. I would recommend this restaurant...make sure you have reservations if it is during a holiday!
(3)Kate K.
Very good food and great value for Main Street dining. Nice wine list with several good and inexpensive wines. We loved the misto salad and it was big enough for two people to share. Short rib dinner was delicious and all the pasta dishes were large enough that our group of six all had leftovers.
(4)Gary T.
Good food. They need to handle reservations much better during holiday period. They overbook and this puts a real stress on the staff.
(3)S. C.
Great food. Priced fair. Neat location. Been there 2 x. Once over late summer. Sat outside. Once over holiday. Busy, but well managed experience. Going again tonight with larger group.
(4)Ericah W.
Amazing food, service, and pricing for Main St! Try the Alla Nona, yum. And the setting is incredible for summer evening dining. Will definitely visit again soon.
(5)Christine M.
Food was decent, decent prices for Park City. I got the Margherita pizza, which was very bland. Barely any sauce, way too much cheese and not enough basil. Boyfriend got the buffalo raviolis, he said they were good. I would go back, but not the best pizza or italian in town.
(3)Peter L.
Really more than 3 stars but held back by lack of depth in the menu. If you expect Buona Vita to be a full Italian restaurant you will be a bit disappointed. On the other hand, if it is pasta or pizza you want then this is an excellent choice. Excellent choices of pasta, ravioli, gnocchi, etc with well flavored sauces to complement. Did not try the pizza on this trip but they looked good with a thin crust. An example of a less successful dish was the Chicken Marsala which was prepared with two fairly large pieces of chicken breast which were grilled and served with a bit of Marsala sauce. An excellent angel hair pasta accompanied the chicken but the overall dish was weak hence the reason I suggest to stick to the pasta's. Prices ranged from $13 to about $22 and a good nicely priced wine list is available. Overall very happy and will be returning.
(3)Kerri T.
This is always a tasty and predictable place with a relaxed atmosphere. Yummy food.
(4)Karen C.
Ate here during sundance and had a great meal. Much cheaper than other places in town and the food is good. I'd recommend it.
(3)Yan M.
Attended the Blackhouse Production happy hour party here and tasted the housemade bruschetta and skewered chicken which were both very tasty appetizers.
(4)Raymond M.
Perfect for a group or family looking for a good dinner, but doesn't want to pay Chimayo or Grappa prices. The interior is open and very inviting and the staff is very friendly. If you happen to be around in the summer, be sure to ask to sit outside and enjoy a summers night.
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