Talk to anyone who's lived in Oviedo for at least a few years, and you'll consistently hear one of two places as THE place to go for good Italian food: Circosta's or Stefano's.
I already talked about Circosta's in my prior entry, so I'll give my thoughts on Steffano's here. For starters, it's not techinically in Oviedo, but it's in neighboring Winter Springs in the shopping plaza on the corner of Tuskawilla and Red Bug Lake (the one with the Chick Fil A and the UFC gym). Despite the large size of the interior, this place has a good 15 minute wait for a table on any given night for dinner service.
The food is great, the ambiance is warm, and the service is good. There's a beautiful bar just past the entry way where you can enjoy a drink while you wait for a table to open up. But since I haven't actually had the opportunity to saddle up and grab a drink, I can't comment on the skills of the bartender. But it looks very inviting.
Now, if you know me, you know I love my bread service, and this place does NOT disappoint. They bake their bread and it tastes phenomenal. It's brought to your table with a side of dipping oil which has already been seasoned to garlic perfection. But try not to eat a lot of bread because the meals are fantastic and plentiful. I've yet to finish a full entree due to the sheer size of the portions. It's down home Sicilian style cooking, with a flair for presentation. And the desserts are great too. So far, I've enjoyed the tiramisu and the cannoli, and both were worth the calories.
But where this place really shines for me is the lunch service. They have a great lunch menu where you can get several lunch sized portions of many of their entrees (still pretty big), and they have a special $8 menu where you can get half of a sandwhich and half portion of their salads (or a cup of soup). When you see how much salad they give you and how big the half portion of the sandwhich is, you'll wonder if they are losing money on this deal. It's a fantastic option for the lunch crowd.
So which do I prefer? Well, it depends on the occassion. For lunch, I have to give the edge to Stefano's. For romantic dates, I'd also give it to Stefano's (dimmer lighting, small booths for intimate seating, nice bar for chit chat before seating, soft music in the background, etc.). If I'm going for pizza or a more casual dinner meal, I'd give it to Circosta's. My in laws seem to prefer Circosta's when they come for a visit, and my dad absolutely loves Circosta's pasta fagioli.
Honestly, I don't think you can go wrong with either choice, and I'm glad they are both in Oviedo/Winter Springs. Mangia and enjoy!
Showing posts with label casual dining. Show all posts
Showing posts with label casual dining. Show all posts
Friday, July 31, 2015
Friday, July 24, 2015
Excellent Options for Italian Dining in Oviedo
If you are like me and love all things pasta and carbs, then you are in luck in Oviedo. We are fortunate to have some really great places to satisfy that craving for Italian food.
First up is Circosta's (website here), a small family owned joint located in a small strip mall on State Road 426 by a Shell gas station. The parking lot is enough for the patrons of the tony strip mall, and you won't regret venturing into this place. The restaurant is small, maybe 12 to 15 tables. But there are plenty of people who come in to pick up call in orders, especially for their pizza (which is REALLY good). If you walk in on a Friday or Saturday night, there may be a wait for a table, but it's usually not a terribly long wait, as the service is pretty good. The kitchen pumps out the meals quickly and the servers get them to the table efficiently (and with a smile). They've got it down to an art here, so don't be discouraged if there's a line. If your server is a female, odds are it's either the wife or one of the daughters of the owner (and head chef). You really get the family feel here, which is one of the reasons I like going.
As for the food, I've already mentioned how good the pizzas are. But the baked pasta dishes are also very good (anything with their house made sausage is highly recommended). The meatballs are also excellent, and I suspect they add cheese to them. And if you like garlic, I would also recomment the pasta fagioli. Yes, you will taste garlic for a while after eating this soup, but isn't that a good thing? ;) And save room for dessert, which they get from a local bakery (same one as Cavalaris). Now, the portions are pretty big, and most entrees come with a salad and their amazing warm bread, so I recommend reserving half of your entree for a to-go box so you have room for dessert. My only complaint might be that there aren't a lot of light dishes. But, quite frankly, I don't come here to count calories. I come for the warm atmosphere, reasonable price, and to indulge in pasta covered in delicious red sauce, bubbling cheese, and stuffed with wonderfully spiced meat, and then I have creme brûlée cheesecake (with berries on top, so it's healthy, right?)
There's no changing table in the clean bathroom, but the place is child friendly. If you come around more than a couple times, they are likely to remember you and your family, even asking how the kids are doing.
Is it the best Italian food you've ever had? Probably not, but it's good, and you won't regret going.
In my next entry, I'll talk about Steffano's Trattoria, which is techinically Winter Springs, but it's so close to the border being at the intersection of Tuskawilla Road and Red Bug Lake Road, then it really deserves to be mentioned.
First up is Circosta's (website here), a small family owned joint located in a small strip mall on State Road 426 by a Shell gas station. The parking lot is enough for the patrons of the tony strip mall, and you won't regret venturing into this place. The restaurant is small, maybe 12 to 15 tables. But there are plenty of people who come in to pick up call in orders, especially for their pizza (which is REALLY good). If you walk in on a Friday or Saturday night, there may be a wait for a table, but it's usually not a terribly long wait, as the service is pretty good. The kitchen pumps out the meals quickly and the servers get them to the table efficiently (and with a smile). They've got it down to an art here, so don't be discouraged if there's a line. If your server is a female, odds are it's either the wife or one of the daughters of the owner (and head chef). You really get the family feel here, which is one of the reasons I like going.
As for the food, I've already mentioned how good the pizzas are. But the baked pasta dishes are also very good (anything with their house made sausage is highly recommended). The meatballs are also excellent, and I suspect they add cheese to them. And if you like garlic, I would also recomment the pasta fagioli. Yes, you will taste garlic for a while after eating this soup, but isn't that a good thing? ;) And save room for dessert, which they get from a local bakery (same one as Cavalaris). Now, the portions are pretty big, and most entrees come with a salad and their amazing warm bread, so I recommend reserving half of your entree for a to-go box so you have room for dessert. My only complaint might be that there aren't a lot of light dishes. But, quite frankly, I don't come here to count calories. I come for the warm atmosphere, reasonable price, and to indulge in pasta covered in delicious red sauce, bubbling cheese, and stuffed with wonderfully spiced meat, and then I have creme brûlée cheesecake (with berries on top, so it's healthy, right?)
There's no changing table in the clean bathroom, but the place is child friendly. If you come around more than a couple times, they are likely to remember you and your family, even asking how the kids are doing.
Is it the best Italian food you've ever had? Probably not, but it's good, and you won't regret going.
In my next entry, I'll talk about Steffano's Trattoria, which is techinically Winter Springs, but it's so close to the border being at the intersection of Tuskawilla Road and Red Bug Lake Road, then it really deserves to be mentioned.
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