La Stella’s Restaurant & Catering (Boca Raton)
La Stella’s Restaurant & Catering, 159 East Palmetto Park Road, Boca Raton, Florida 33432 (561) 544-2081.
Just got back from eating dinner at La Stella’s…a 30 seat “mom & pop” Italian joint in Boca Raton. Wanna talk about mom-pop?… the lady owner is both waitress/bus-girl…same goes for a family guy-friend who is both waiter/bus-boy. You can check La Stella’s menu/prices/photos at www.lastellasrestaurantandcatering.com.
This evening my “selected” entree was chicken scarpiello (on the bone)—the dish was so loaded with cherry and fried peppers that it was borderline inedible. A guy at the next table, told me-he also thought that the chicken scarpiello was way-way too spicy and that he would need some Rolaids when he got home.
Lucky for me, “my table” also ordered—house salad, gnocchi, eggplant parmigiana, grilled chicken, meat-balls and fresh mozzarella flatbread—which I got to taste… all very good. So, in total—we had 7 dishes, 6 were just fine and 1-was a disaster, which is an .857 batting average.
Just so you know, I found the service to be super-friendly but amateurish…it sort of reminded me of children-stars Shirley Temple and Mickey Rooney “doing a show.” The portions were ok…but too pricey for what showed up. The entrees came with NOTHING…no salad, no pasta side…and get-this, no bread. That’s right, no BREAD. Humor me, take an hour or two…give me the name of the last Italian restaurant that you ate at that didn’t serve you garlic knots or garlic bread or any type of bread. Go for it, I’m looking forward to hearing from you guys.
Let’s sum La Stella’s up this way…a “no-liquor” $142 bill for 4 people was not a good deal. If the owner gets real-waiters, has garlic bread when you sit down, throws in soup or salad–and a pasta side with entrees, gets rid of those “peppers”—Jeff Eats will be back for a second go-round.
La Stella’s is open Tuesday-Saturday 5pm-10pm and Sunday 5pm-9pm.
I know this place I was looking for the web site and this blog popped up. Never have herd of Jeff Eats before. I have been to Lastellas a few times with my family and the food was very very good and the service was great. I have worked in fine dineing for many years so I have seen my share of fine food and service. I didnt know the lady that worked the front was the owner I think thats great she really has her heart in what she’s doing and it showed when I was there. Keep up the good work Lastella’s I will be back in very soon….
Every thing in life is relative.
This evening my wife and I and two other couples had dinner at Matteo’s which is five minutes away from LaStella’s.
We had 1 glass of wine, 5 sodas, 2 minestrone soups, 6 salads, 12 baked clams, main dishes of penne alla vodka, veal valdastano, chicken cacciatore and a tartuffo for dessert which fed six. Our entire bill was $185. The food was superb as was the service. By the way there was a 40 minute wait to get in and this restauarnt seats close to 300 at one time. This is what anyone with any sense would call a successful restauarnt.
My wife and I have eaten at La Stella’s it is good, but for the less money we get a far superior meal at a restaurant like Matteo’s.
I have been reading all of these comments. La Stella’s owner must have a load of friends because it is impossible for so many people to just happen to stumble onto this site. She must have had all of these people send in comments.
The amazing thing is that Jeff allows all of these negative comments about him and opposite to his position on the restaurant. he could simply chose not to allow them to appear. The guy is class all the way and let both sides of the argument be debated.
For the above alone, Jeff is probably right on with his opinion on La Stella’s.
Sure are a ton of posts about a little nothing restaurant. I’ll bet you that Nino’s served more people yesterday than La Stella’s served during the whole month of February. You folks are wasting your time trying to explain to the owner and her minions what a successful restaurant is all about. La Stella’s is a YUPPIE’s version of what am Italian restaurant is all about. Sorry! Doesn’t work.
Crazy as it may seem but I think that Jeff Eats put La Stella’s on the map. I never heard of La Stella’s until I read about it here.
Don’t know why so many people posted but I suspect that La Stella’s owner aksed her friends and relatives to pump up the restaurant here.
I thought that the review was pretty even handed in that Jeff enjoyed most of the food and only had a problem with one entree and the service.
I have eaten in many Italian restaurnts in Boca and my favorite is Renzo’s on federal Highway near Jeffrey Street. I find the food delicious and very consistent. Another favorite is the more casual Anna’s in Boca Greens on 441.
What in the world are La Stella’s fans carrying on about? The reviews on Copper Canyon and Bova Cucina are killers, not the one that La Stella’s got. Jeff could have really creamed them. Don’t order chicken scarpiello, get bread and it looks like La Stella’s could be a pretty good place to eat.
jeff, you must be cracking up reading all of these silly comments from people who think that las stella’s is something extradorinary. i know that one of your favorites is matteo’s which is in boca, hallandale and jupiter. you do need an index here because i couldn’t find your acquolina’s which i recall you also loved. i have eaten in acquolina’s in weston and it is great. i justed wanted to tell you that they now opened in ft laud right across from gulfstream racetrack where frankie’s use to be and it is also great.
i think that if people tried acquolina’s they would know what really first class italian food is all about.
I said I would try it and me and my wife did.
Cute looking place. About 25 seats inside, 1/2 dozen tables outside. Big problem inside is that there are several hi-tops that look very uncomfortable. These type of tables should be in bar or a club not a sit down restaurant. Not going into detail about each and every dish but the food was good. Not the biggest portions. The gnocchi was very small portion. On service very nice and pleasant but not professional. Imagine your sister or brother being a waitress or waiter. Way too chummy with customers. The prices are not cheap but not bad. Most mid priced places give you soup or salad and a pasta side with entree not this one. Not sure but I’d bet that not one person working here was even close to being Italian. The final comment OK but we have had better for cheaper. There is nothing even remotely special about this restaurant.
Let me start by saying that I have never been to La Stella’s and probably won’t ever be going there. I do read Jeff pretty regularly. I like many of his picks and his sense of humor. I think that if Jeff says service is amatuerish then it probably is. Jeff eats in all types of restaurants from the supreme joints to the finest steakhouses.
Just a suggestion to La Stella’s owners. Eat dinner one night in Matteo’s which is just a few blocks away from you. They seat close to 300 people and probably on a Saturday night serve close to 900 meals. They are one of the most successful Italian restaurants in Boca. Just watch how Peter the GM runs the place. Watch how he greets people. He is a real pro and when he sees you, you feel right at home aand special. Watch how the waiters and bus people are right on top of everything. Watch how if something isn’t right, one of the managers immediately tells the customer the item is on the house or buys them a drink, dessert or something.
From what I can tell, La Stella’s is trying to make evreyone who comes in feel like family. That’s good, but there is a way to do it and a way that makes you look like a nothing place. Personally, I don’t know how to do it, but I have seen the successful and unsuccessful. Matteo’s actually makes it happen each and every evening. Also, look at the quantity of food that Matteo’s gives you for your money. Top quality and loads of it.
From your posts you folks apparently think that you really know how to run a restaurant. If you can’t handle 30 seats, jeff’s four, you have to be doing something very wrong.
Take it from a this guy who eats out 5 nights a week, there is a skill required to being a successful restaurant. Good food isn’t the only factor that comes into play.
I’ve eaten there.
Food was good.
Service good.
Nothing extra ordinary.
I wouldn’t set foot in a restaurant like La Stella’s.
Why? I’ll tell you why.
Jeff Eats is a food blog. I have always found that the guy calls it as he sees it. Nothing more and nothing less. Sometimes I agree with his calls and sometimes I don’t. But he guy is entitled to his opinion.
In the past when Jeff has been somewhat negative on various places, owners have written to him and have invited hhim back for another shot. I have never seen an owner turn NASTY and personally attack Jeff or call him a liar etc.
Well this guy ALTERMAN did just that. Now we know that Jeff never got bread, a minor issue, but for this guy ALTERMAN to call Jeff a liar and to tell Jeff that he saw him eating bread is absolutely absurd.
ALTERMAN you are going to destroy any chance that this joint has of making it.
See Ya!
La Stella’s is located on the same street at Casa D’Angelo. One night about a month ago my wife and I and another couple tried to get into Casa without a reservation and couldn’t pull it off. So we decided to try La Stella’s which had a couple of empty tables. That’s how we ended up there, nothing planned.
The young lady who greeted us, I assume is Ms. Barlow the owner was very pleasant and was our waitress. I didn’t really notice who was or weren’t the other waiters/waitresses.
Rather than belabor the point, the food was good. Is it in the league of let’s say Casa D’Angelo, not even close, but it was good.
La Stella’s is a very small restaurant. One thing I will mention is that it is a bit on the noisy side and there really is no need for such a small space to have music playing out of the ceiling when filled with people.
Forget this dump. Try Matteo’s a short walk from La Stella’s if you really want some great Italian food.
I have eaten at LaStella’s. Not bad at all. Not the most professionally operated. Would be much better if the owner and servers were Italian as it would have the right feel to it. As someone else commented sort of has a Yuppie feel. Think what an Italian restaurant operated by Starbuck’s would feel like and you got the picture. Food wasn’t bad though.
jeff, i see that several people have mentioned Matteo’s as being great. just wanted them and you to know, that i have eaten in both Matteo’s in Boca and the one in Jupiter and both times got sick from the food. has to be something that they put in their red sauce.
haven’t been to la stella’s but it couldn’t be worse than my Matteo’s outings which had me in the bathroom all night.
il gabbiano in miami runs circles around all of these wannabees,
66 comments and now mine about a crappy little italian restaurant that can’t find its way out of a paper bag. unless the landlord doesn’t collect the rent this place doesn’t have a chance of surviving. i walked in and walked right out after seeing what a small hole it was. don’t waste time even thinking about going there.
furio, you are right about il gabbiano it’s great. great, but on the expensive side. http://www.ilgabbianomiami.com. jeff, you should check this one out.
jeff, while i’m here, also check out Pete’s Cafe Bella Sera in Parkland. i know that you wrote about it and didn’t like it but give it another try. food is great and the prices are now much more reasonable. service is also very good.
I just cheked and Jeff eats has loads and loads of Italian Restaurants listed. Some he likes and some he doesn’t like. It makes no sense to me to go to one of the restaurants that he didn’t like. So Lastella’s don’t count on seeing me because I won’t be coming in. I’ll stick to Jeff’s top picks and not some restaurant that bad mouthed him.
This looks like the hot spot to talk about Italian food.
Never been to La Stella’s so can’t say anything for or against.
I have lived in Coral Springs since 1986. My favorite red sauce restaurant is Pizza Time on Sample Road. It use to be better when Bobby who is now in Pizza Time in Boca was the owner but it is still very good.
I also like DiSalvo which is a drop east of Pizza Time on Sample. Same kind of food with delicious garlic rolls.
My favorite next level up is Gianni’s on Atlantic in Pompano. The best garlic rolls you ever ate. They are the size of softballs.
The next level up I really like Matteo’s in Boca and Renzo’s which is also in Boca. You also got to try Arturo’s in Boca which is a fancy restaurant but really good.
People have mentioned that Cas D’Angelo is a few doors down from La Stella’s, I really didn’t think it was all that good for the money.
A real sleeper is Cafe Vico on Fed Highway in Sunrise. Moderately priced.
Nice comments back and forth on La Stella’s.
Jeff, Keep up the great reviews and don’t let anyone try and intimidate you. Some of the comments here are absurd.
Thanks,
I find with Italian places it realy depend on what you like. I have tried a few places the Jeff likes and did not care for them and i have been to ones he does not like and enjoyed them so its a matter of taste but i must say they do get the comments going and make for a interesting read.
I have eaten here. Nothing special. Just that simple. For same type of cash you can go to Renzo’s in Boca, Matteo’s in Boca. For less money that this restaurant, you can hit Nino’s in Boca, Dominick’s in Boca, Augy’s in Boca, Pizza Time in Boca, Anna’s in Boca and they are all better.
jeffeats
so you never published my comment about the very questionable practice of your informing your restaurants prior to the meal that you are a blogger. in fact i seem to notice that that disclosure has now disappeared from MS’s e-mail.
can’t take criticism, can you?
let’s see if you’re the straight-shooter you claim to be. come clean on the practice and the cover-up.
jl
jl: Just had a chance to read your post.
Just so you know, the owners of restaurants are NOT told that I am Jeff Eats prior to food being ordered and served. In addition, Jeff Eats accepts no discounts or other favors.
Just so you also know, in the case of La Stella’s, when I arrived, La Stella’s “was unable” to give my party a 4-top and I told Mr. Alterman that we were leaving. As we were leaving, I gave Miss Barlow my business card and told her, that I had come to the restaurant at the recommendation of Gary from Pastrami Queen and “maybe another time I could get back and eat”…it was at that very moment that Miss Barlow decided to give us a 4-top that had a reserved sign on it.
If you check with Miss Barlow, I asked for no favors, discounts, nor passed any comment whatsoever about the food or service while I was there.
So my friend, get a life.
I call it like I see it…and that’s the name of that tune.
Thanks for reading…
Again I have been in the biz a long time and most bloggers let it be known who they are prior to sitting down i think they always look for something to be taken off the bill or comped otherwise why would someone in there rite mind spend all this time writeing about restaurants….What is in it for you Jeff????Your so lucky to have so much free time
LKF,
as someone else here also wrote, jeff seems to publish all comments received. based on a number of personal attack ones on him, it looks to me like Jeff writes it like he sees it.
LKF, if as you you say, that you have been in the biz a long time, then you would know that most blog sites wouldn’t even publish your comment or for that matter the negative ones that i just referenced. on top of that, they wouldn’t even have to respond to you.
by the way, i own a restaurant that was reviewed by Jeff two years ago. i didn’t even know he was Jeff Eats until after he had eaten and had paid the check.
like you said, “most bloggers let it be known who they are prior to sitting down…” well i guess JEFF EATS isn’t one of them.
A couple of other items, do you seriously think that the major food critics like Guy Fieri on Diners, Drive Ins and Dives just happen to drop in at the places you see on his tv show. These restaurants are tipped off months in advance that he is coming. So, wouldn’t you say that they are well prepared for his visit? I would. In a recent cable tv show, there was a story about a how NY Times food critic was coming back to review the FOUR SEASONS in NYC. The show showed how the owners got ready for the dinner and review.
D Roland is right on the old money.
If Jeff wasn’t a straight shooter he wouldn’t even bother to print negative comments.
I got a sneaking idea that LKF and jl are in cahoots.
Keep up the great picks,
Try Lastella’s for yourself. My wife and I did. Jeff, good call here, nothing out of the ordinary. Very small confining restaurant.
I own a restaurant in Miami. It was very favorably reviewed by Jeff Eats. Until a friend told me about the review I didn’t even know that Jeff Eats had been there.
food b
service c
prices c
I am a past President / Senior Exec of national full serve restaurant companies, (one an Italian full serve concept with locations in Las Vegas, California, Georgia and New York) and now I am an independent restaurant consultant.
I’ve known Jamie Barlow and Lenny Prescott (owners of LaStellas) for many years now. I have also had occasion to work with them both, and I can tell you they are truly consummate professionals with the highest standards of food and service. I’ve tasted the food at LaStellas and have been very impressed with their overall operation.
While I know that one visit does not a statement make, I do think Jeff was for the most part impressed with the food except for one dish. I also think that the general consensus is that LaStellas is a quality, cozy and personable alternative to the other “big guys” in downtown Boca and that they are building their fan base daily with their execution.
I would hope that Jeff gives them another opportunity to impress.
now they got some restaurant consultant talking the restaurant up.
if jeff is going to try it again, he better hurry because i give it 6 months before the doors close.
crap location, too much competition, mediocre food.
I know this restaurant. This is not a real Italian restaurant. Real Italian restaurants are usually owned and run by Italians. Let’s just run some names here, Nino’s, Augy’s, Matteo’s, Dominick’s, Casa Dea Angelo, Cafe Vico, Il Gabbiano’s, Umberto’s, Anna’s, Tramanti’s, Pelligrino’s, Primanti’s, Pizza Time, DiSalvo’s the list is endless. ALL ITALIANS. Not one of them comes from White Bread Rhode Island Cooking School.
End of story here.
The only Stella’s that I’m going to is the pizza place in Boca Greens Shopping Center on 441 in Boca. Great pizza!!!!
My wife and I eat out every night and have tried quite a few restaurants that JeffEats recommended. He is always spot on. I have no reason to doubt anything he wrote about La Stellas and have been watching the list of comments grow but can’t think of a legitimate reason for it.
We live way out west in Boca and rarely travel east of I-95. I don’t doubt that Renzo’s and Matteo’s are great Italian restaurants but I can’t think of a reason to drive that far when I can eat a great meal every time at La Luna in the Polo Shoppes. We usually eat there twice a week and always have great Italian food.
tony fig, you got it right, any person who can read knows that jeff liked 6 out of 7 dishes and gave the restaurant an .800 batting average. he thought that service was lacking, but like you pointed out jeff wasn’t too negative. what obviously happened is that the owner’s pals didn’t liek jeff’s call and decided to bombard the site with personal nonsensical attacks on jeff.
jeff calls it like he sees it. i have been a reader for years and he knows good food and crap food. he has a huge following and is followed by many other critics and bloggers.
i wouldn’t even think of going to lastella’s based on the comments of this jackass alterman who apparently works there.
if the owner was smart she would kick is ass out of her business because he accused jeff of being a liar which is bad business.
i’ll stick with jeff.
HerbK, try Matteo’s. i have eaten in La Luna’s and i am telling you that Matteo’s runs circles around La Luna’s. it is absolutely no contest whatsoever, believe me. it is like day and night.
HerbK:
Like you and your wife, my wife and I also eat out every night. We have tried many of Jeff’s picks and most of the time he is right on the money.
A few months ago we used a discount deal and ate at La Luna’s. The food is okay, but it really isn’t all that great.
Now, La Luna’s isn’t all that far from Matteo’s. Don’t be a scaredy cat and drive over to Fed Hwy and go eat there. You won’t be disappointed.
La Stella’s is a REAL ITALIAN RESTAURANT like I’m a REAL CHINAMAN.
Thanks,
Morton Horowitz
I have never seen so many comments on one restaurant. Keep it going! I liked La Stella’s. I will agree the service is a little “rusty” but it was friendly and the food was great. I would recommend trying it to anyone and I would recommend that you go back again (think they would remember what you look like? if so, you can no longer be anonymous) BTW Pastrami Queen is great and the owner is a nice guy. As far as all the other comments on Italian restaurants: Pizza Time is still very good. DiSalvo’s was mediocre and I heard it is now closed. Matteo’s in Boca is excellent. Their clams are the best around. I also like Cucina Mio in Delray Beach. That is my hidden gem. Crowd there is a little older but the food is great. I do a lot of take out from there. Highly recommended. As for Casa d’Angelo it was okay. Been to the one in Ft Lauderdale and didnt care for it at all. Never tried Cafe Vico.. but I will have to now. Thanks for the info
I guess this review is as good as any to make a few comments.
Jeff Eats is one of the best sources on the internet for restaurant info and picks.
The writing style is clever and is very easy to follow.
Jeff Eats isn’t trying to be some hibrow review but rather a source of every day info.
I have been reading Jeff Eats for the past 3 years and have found many of the recommendations to be terrific. To be fair there have been some clinkers in the group. But that’s to be expected.
Read Jeff Eats and you have a 95% chance of finding a great restaurant as well as being told to stay away from bad ones.
My family and I have resided in Florida for over 25 years. My wife and I have two grown children. We live in Boca and our children live in Miami.
I think that the four of us have eaten in more Italian restaurants than we can possibly remember. As a matter of fact, last Sunday the four of us ate at Matteo’s in Hallandale Beach (midpoint between us and them). My wife and I ate at Nino’s in Boca last night and my wife and I ate in Pizza Time in Coral Springs two Sundays ago.
Until a few days ago I had never heard of Lastella’s. Where did I hear about it? JEFFEATS.
I know nothing about Lastella’s. What I do know is in a small town which Boca is, there is usually a buzz about new and upcoming restaurants. Like I said, I hadn’t heard one single word about this restaurant.
I think some of the commentators here are friends of the owners and think that this restaurant is very special. Maybe it is and maybe it isn’t. What I do know, is that this long time Boca person never heard of your friend’s place.
ds & Don Miller I don’t see how the red sauce at Matteo’s could be much better than La Luna’s but I’ll try to make the trek over there in the next week or so and tell you what I think. To me places like Dominics, Mama Mia’s, La Luna, and Nino’s are as good they need to be for me. I used to own restaurants in Dade and Broward counties and drive 200 miles a day but since I sold them I’m try to stay as local as possible. We’ll go to Ruth’s Chris or Truluck’s a couple of times a month but there are no places like that West of I-95.
HerbK: Just had a chance to read your posts.
If you check, back on April 13, 2009 I gave La Luna a “nice” review. Since that review, I have been back to La Luna’s one other time and the food was very good. That said, I think that…Matteo’s is FAR SUPERIOR.
Just my two cents, but Matteo’s is in a totally different league than the red sauce joints that you mentioned. I will tell you, that I love Nino’s in Boca Raton and Dominick’s II in Boca Raton… that said, those are really– shall we say ” pizza-mom & pop” joints, while Matteo’s is more of an upscale restaurant. When you go, DON’T over order, the portions are huge. Just a suggestion, some of my Matteo’s favorites are– chopped salad, baked clams, minestrone soup, veal valdastano, chicken cacciatore, penna ala vodka.
Enjoy!! Let me and others here know what you “think.”
Thanks for reading…
dont eat here.
the food is fair at best and not cheap.
the restaurant is very small and when busy the noise level is terrible.
the service is not good and it takes an unusually long time for food to come out of the kitchen.
We tried Matteo’s last night. The baked clams and minestrone soup were excellent. My shrimp parmigiana and my wife’s veal chop were as good as it gets. Matteo’s is everything Cafe Bella Sera wants to be. I’m lucky that I don’t have to worry about how much things cost but I don’t like having to pay so much extra to get the two kinds of pasta we like on the side, because everything is a la carte. I’m not sure that the food was so much better than best of the mom & pops to justify the extra travel time and expense. To me the difference between very good Italian food and the superior food at Matteo’s is much less than the difference between prime meat and the ordinary steaks served at a place like the Capital Grille.
As a former restaurant owner I found it VERY strange that at the end of the meal I was handed a hand written guest check!!! Unless their POS system was down that is very strange and troubling to me. I can only think of one reason why they do that but I wouldn’t publish it here. We had one margarita, one cappuccino, and one coffee, but the bill just had a beverage charge of $23.95, combining everything. I don’t have a problem with the amount but that is just plain weird. That shouldn’t happen at individually owned local pizza place. Coming from a multimillion dollar grossing chain restaurant it is unheard of.
HerbK,
I have been feeding my face at Matteo’s for over 20 years, here and in Long Island.
I have never had a bad meal, actually every meal I’ve had is as you described “SUPERIOR.”
There is a big difference between Matteo’s food and the just good Italian food.
Boca has many Matteo’s fans.
From what I have heard, on a Saturday night Matteo’s serves close to 900 meals. As a restaurant man you know what kind of $numbers we are talking here. A restaurant like Lastella’s probably doesn’t serve 900 meals in a month.
What has always amazed me about Matteo’s is the amount of great food that is prepared. This is really a great operation.
tried la stella’s.
nothing special one way or the other.
there are loads of italian restaurants in the area.
Just moved into the Boca-Delray Beach area. For the past 3 months have been checking out loads of new restaurants and found Jeff Eats to be a great source of info.