La Rustica

Consistently good Italian. The bread is divine, as are most appetizers and pretty much everything we’ve ever ordered from the menu. The manicotti has been a bit hit or miss at times, but always beckons to be tried again. Nice wine selection and a quaint, intimate «family style» atmosphere. The service has always been great the times we’ve come here. The attentive, friendly servers are reliably good with menu selections and describing items in detail. Never a disappointing experience here. Just good, full flavored authentic Italian served up in a nice setting.

Nice hidden gem in West Seattle. Small restaurant that has a great atmosphere. Love when owners are involved and the food is amazing. Great experience.

Nice little place in west Seattle. Daily specials are delicious. My favorite salad is the spinach salad served with a warm balsamic reduction and panceta along with some prawns. I don’t really like the standard salad that is included with each entry.
Small place so likely going to have to wait in a little room that is cozy with a bar.
Overall nice little local place with excellent Italian pasta choices and daily specials

crowded, worth the wait, consistent with the quality, lots of awesome flavors. Killer sunsets accross the street. Eat dinner, stare at the sound, and feel content

It was a chilly night. I went barreling into someone’s home, sat down and demanded they bring me and my friends food… The furrowed brow and look of disgust on the tenants face was unmistakable… except…wait.I was at a restaurant and that tenant was supposed to be my server? What? It must be a mistake… all three times I’ve been here this has happened and not just with this one server. Is this a place where they are supposed to charm you with their dismissals?
Okay all joking aside the service all three times was not good. One time, I went and got the gluten free pasta, a friend ordered the same dish with the gluten full pasta… but between my upset belly and his complaint about the terrible pasta makes me think they were switched up… I did enjoy the Boar Polenta was tasty… and the space is cute. But honestly not worth feeling like the jerk when I try to get service. Oh and good luck getting a wine refill… Nope. Not into it…

Ciao Bella! What a wonderful Italian experience, off the beaten path in West Seattle. Went in at 5:30 on a Sunday evening, just before the dinner rush started. Server told us that the best time to come in is either before 6:00 or after 8:30. Good to know, because we will be back!
Started with some fresh, homemade garlic bread which was delicious. We opted for a half carafe of one of their house wines, which was full of flavor and very reasonable. Server suggested some entrees that would pair well with the wine, and her recommendations were on point. We needed some guidance because the menu is somewhat intimidating… EVERYTHING looks incredible!
It is worth mentioning that their house salad, which ordinarily might be a forgettable precursor, nearly stole the show. The dressing is a lemony, garlickly, drizzle straight from heaven. Does anyone know how we can get our hands on that recipe?! Please DM me if you have any connections.
I noticed the owner stopping by tables throughout the night, which is always a nice touch. You can tell he takes pride in his establishment. Cheers to La Rustica and an authentic neighborhood spot!

We just moved around the corner from this restaurant. The locksmith and our contractor all suggested this restaurant. They both advised, «It’s the BEST Italian in Seattle!» They were right. Great service and AMAZING food. I had a tiramisu martini and the lasagna. The lasagna had a new twist (boiled eggs). It was delicious! Def going to be regulars here.

If you are looking for excellent, fresh, Italian food and LOVE garlic then La Rustica is your place!
We were visiting from Phoenix and staying downtown and wanted to go elsewhere for our anniversary dinner and a change of scenery and stumbled upon La Rustica in West Seattle thanks to others reviews. We were so glad we did!
Nestled in a neighborhood by the water, a quaint building and authentic vibe, this is the place to go. I ordered the Risotto scampi with asparagus which was excellent. It came with a dinner salad and their house dressing is to die for (very garlicy). I could have drunk it! My husband ordered the ribs and was raving about those.
For dessert we ordered the tiramisu and the flourless chocolate cake. The cake was okay but the Tiramisu was close to the best I have ever had.
The service started out «okay» but there must have been a change of shift because our original waiter left and we started being served by a sweet young girl. She made our night there complete. If we ever go back to Seattle, we would definitely go back to La Rustica.

Small place, got there at 5:15 on a Saturday and it was filling up. By the time we left, there was a line out the door. House wines were great! Had the Sangiovese and the Cab. Waiter brought out a warm garlic bread that was outstanding. I had the Gnocchi with Italian sausage. It was a pretty big portion with a lot of flavor. GF had the short ribs, according to the menu a house specialty. They were very tender and flavorful and came on top of polenta. Had a cannoli for dessert and we were on our way. Service was great. We ate indoors, it seemed a little chilly on the patio. Great spot in West Seattle!

We were so pleased with our experience here and we can’t wait to go back and try more of what they have on their menu.
First tip: get there early! We got there at 6 pm for 4 people and waited for about 40 minutes.
Second tip: they have outdoor seating but no heaters so if you want to sit outside dress warm
Third tip: get the lamb shank and the risotto! My guess is everything is great, but these 2 knocked it out of the park! My mom had the linguini al mare and my step-​dad had the bucatini and they were great as well!
Portions are great, service is great, and the food is phenomenal!

We live close to La Rustica and have been dining there for years. It is consistently awesome. When the weather is nice one MUST dine outside and enjoy the sunset. Julio is the owner and he is very well connected with his patrons. This is one of West Seattle’s top restaurants.

My family is die hard full blood Italians. This is the ONLY place that remotely come close to being as good as my momma’s. Everything is delicious. The owner is so cute and the ambiance is great for a romantic dinner for two. If you love Italian GO HERE!

My amazingly sweet boyfriend surprised me with a Sunday night dinner date. Just the drive alone down the beach to get here was fun for me. So beautiful.
They don’t take reservations for parties smaller than 6, but that wasn’t an issue for us. We didn’t have to wait at all and were seated in a cute table by the window.
The homemade bread is to die for, and the house red wine was a perfect complement. I ordered the carbonara which was delicious and my dinner date ordered a filet with a side of spaghetti. The sauce on the spaghetti was probably the best I have ever tasted. Both meals were fabulous.
Perfect spot for a date night or small intimate group dinner. The place is small but so cute and rustic inside. Check it out — you won’t regret it.

La Rustica has it all. Except for plentiful seating, that is. Ha Ha.
The best Italian restaurant in all of Seattle! Maybe even one of the best restaurants in Seattle? Period.
And a killer view!
It’s no secret, seating is scarce.
But this place is oh-​so-​worth-​the-​wait!
I cannot pick just one favorite entrée. The Cannelloni, Lasagna, Lamb Shank; all of it is divine! Most recently, I had the Gnocchi. The Gnocchi wasn’t the «small round ball”-type I usually see. No. My plate had three large, dinner-​roll-​size, pillow-​y servings of Gnocchi, topped with lamb. Delicioso!
Their bread-​baskets are serious. Filled to the brim with mouth-​watering garlic breadsticks.
And don’t even get me started on their tiramisu! It is one of my favorite desserts. Ever. It is so light. It practically melts in your mouth.
It is the perfect way to finish a perfect meal.

Quality and tasty Italian food by the beach. I was visiting my friend in Seattle and she said she was going to take me to the most romantic restaurant in Seattle; La Rustica was everything I expected. The place is tiny, so we opted to sit outside so we could watch the sun set… view is magical.
The baked oysters were out of this world, nothing like eating seafood by the water. I also got the chicken saltimbocca and it was delish. The bread is awesome too.
Staff and owner are very friendly and you can tell legit Italian.

This was our third visit to La Rustica, a wonderful neighborhood gem in West Seattle. I have had their signature special shank lamb in past visits. Today I tried the shank boar and it was amazing!!! This place is small and the wait took about an hour on a Saturday evening for two. Nice selection of wine and friendly staff. Prices are reasonable. Very authentic Italian food!
Perfect for a romantic date night.
Caution — careful entering and exiting the small restroom in the back corner. Those stairs, including the one at the toilet, can be dangerous…

Happy Valentine’s Day Dinner
Monkey had this place bookmarked forever, made reservations a month in advance of V-​Day, arrived late and so lucky to still score last open table. Scarce residential street parking, small full intimate restaurant, not bumping elbows, but careful when getting up from your table, you my knock over drinks with your butt.
Monkey do:
CALAMARI IN UMIDO– Squid sauteed in olive oil, anchovies, tomatoes and chili
This is a great appetizer to enjoy without filling up, unless you devour with all the complimentary pillow of warm, fluffy, delicious bread…
RAVIOLI w/​crab & prawns — far better than i ever expected ravioli to be
LAMB SHANK Al Balsamico — tender, succulent meat! the house specialty and it shows. served with pasta & veggies cooked just right
CREME BRÛLÉE — nice finish, bummed they ran out of tiramisu by 7pm!
Delicious Valentine’s Day splurge on my wife. Service is friendly, helpful and attentive. We shall definitely return to share an entrée on their daily menu and the tiramisu!

A packed restaurant that I found a bit disappointing, and potentially close to falling into the trap of skating by on its reputation rather than continually trying to wow customers. There’s no reservations for parties under 6, and guests are instead invited into what amounts to a broom closet where wine and some cocktails are served… and where you will get elbowed unmercifully by other patrons until your table is ready. Wait times vary, but its advisable to check in regularly from the broom closet to the host stand. Tables are «Europe close» to one another – good for turn-​over, but not great for privacy.
Lamb was not among the best I had had. It was far over-​cooked, to the point where it seemed more like fall-​off-​the-​bone BBQ than medium-​rare lamb. Serving spaghetti on lettuce wasn’t too appealing (soggy mess), and the accompanying 2 – 3 veggies were under-​cooked and drenched in oil. Seems like some timing issues in the kitchen, understandable on a busy night, but not what I expected to see. Starter salads were nothing special.
Waitstaff may have been the highlight – quick with tasty bread and water refills and knowledgeable about the 3 – 4 house specials.
Cannot recommend.

My favorite Italian restaurant.
Amazing bread to start.
Awesome seafood specials.
If they have the lamb shank, get it. Best around.

This is a fairly smaller restaurant in the residential area of Alki. It’s really cute inside though. Good date spot which I only realized more recently. I feel the same way about their ambiance as I do about Crêpe Café and Wine Bar which I also like!
Food: First time I came here was maybe 6 years ago. I was soooo in love with the salmon bruschetta! I came here again recently and it’s good still but not as good as I remembered. I would still get it again though. This past time, we also got the calamari, risotto, and lamb shank. Didn’t love the lamb. The portions are kinda big but as with a lot of other Italian restaurants. For 3 people, 2 appetizers and 2 entrees = too much and had a good amount of leftovers. I don’t remember prices but nothing really worth noting so probably pretty normal/​reasonable.
Service: Nice people. I’m guessing it’s a family restaurant or at least that’s the vibe I get. Love that!
Overall, cute for a date, get the salmon bruschetta. Yah.