Molto Bene Italian Eatery

With the first day of fall upon us, I had a sense of urgency to tackle another restaurant off of my 2019 To Dine Challenge list.

Molto Bene Italian Eatery in Lakewood was one that I was really looking forward to. It's a really small restaurant with limited indoor and outdoor seating, and they don't take reservations. So be prepared to have a brief wait, but on a Saturday evening we never saw more than a 15-minute wait.

I had heard that the Arancini ($9) of rice balls filled with asiago cheese was a dish to not miss, and I agree! Way more cheese inside that most arancini, the perfect bite-size, and the blended sauces for dipping left us scooping out the remains. I'd have a hard time not ordering these every time. 

I was really torn between the Cavatelli della Casa ($18) topped with pomodoro sauce, light pesto sauce and calamari and the Fettuccine in Salsa di Aragosta ($25) topped with lobster meat, garlic, red pepper, and pomodoro sauce with white wine. So I asked our server, and she immediately guided me to the Fettuccine because they make those noodles in-house.

The sauce had nice, bold flavor and the portion wasn't overwhelming as many pasta dishes tend to be. I did ask for Parmesan cheese, because duh.

Mr. H ordered the Tortellini pancetta e broccoli ($17) with ricotta stuffed tortellini with bacon and broccoli, topped with pomodoro sauce. This dish didn't really meet our expectations. The sauce was a little bland, and there were only about three small pieces of broccoli.

Other pasta dishes on the menu sounded fabulous as well, so I'd suggest trying another one over the tortellini. But, as you can see, I was happy with mine!

We couldn't leave without a scoop of Gelato ($5), made daily. Pistachio for us!

I would give this restaurant another try for sure, but it didn't "wow" me for classic Italian food. I think there are some better options around town. If you've been, what dishes do you recommend? 

But the place is adorable, the family running the business was so kind and gracious, and it was lively without being loud. Family-friendly, and street parking was very easy to find. 

Molto Bene Italian Eatery

18401 Detroit Avenue
Lakewood, OH 44107
(216) 273-7333