Pizza, pasta and martinis. If this sounds like your kind of meal this Italian restaurant in Playa del Carmen is sure to please.
Here is our review of our experience at La Piola restaurant.
I hadn’t been to La Piola in over 3 years. It has been around for quite a while (by Playa standards) and generally has a good reputation. The restaurant is colorful and the ambiance is quite welcoming. I loved the REM that was playing although it seemed to be on a loop.
The waitress was quick and friendly. Within a minute of sitting down, we were provided menus and the drinks were quick to follow. The indoor / outdoor area blends into one and there are fans available even if you are sitting outside. You may want to bring bugspray for your ankles as there is quite a bit of vegetation around the terrace area so the natural byproduct are a few mosquitoes.
We ordered pasta and a pizza as well as the famous Basil Martini. I had heard about these martinis for a while and la Piola is now synonymous with their signature drink. HOLY WOW. If you go to Piola you absolutely have to try one of these.
The food was quickly delivered as well a complimentary plate of bruschetta. I think I was making them nervous with all my picture taking so they insured an extra good service with the comp plate – not too sure.
My dad felt that his lasagna was not warm enough and they were quick to remedy the situation and brought the plate back steaming hot. The bread they serve seemed homemade and was delicious. Although they have at least 20 different kind of pizzas, we stuck with the Margharita and we were not disappointed. The traditional wood stove cooked the the thin soft crust, homemade tomato sauce and fresh mozzarella to perfection.
Although we were stuffed after the meal, we did manage to make room to share the brownie and ice cream dessert. The brownie was warm, soft and gooey. Absolute bliss.
Finally, huge props to Fani, good waitresses are hard to come by and she was welcoming and efficient. Plus, if my son likes you enough to track you down to say goodbye – you get a HUGE thumbs up in my book.
We’ll be back!
Have you been to La Piola? What did you think? Share your feedback below….
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