Il Vagabondo - Ottawa, Ontario

Delicious authentic food at a very reasonable price. Quiet enough so you can actually have a conversation with your friends. Recommend. Definitely will be back.

I had always wondered about this place and decided to have lunch there today. The proprietor is a lovely friendly lady. The interior is quaint, comfortable, modest. The food is deliciously authentic, not the awful rich fare one encounters in so many North American eateries pretending to serve Italian cuisine. I ... like especially that the customer gets to match their preferred pasta and sauce. Read more

I always like to support local entrepreneurs and appreciate small, family-style cooking. At the same time, there are still minimum standards to meet. Understanding that small enterprises can’t afford to hire extra staff to make ends meet, nonetheless, the service was exceptionally slow. In addition, we ordered four desserts and only ... three came. By the time we got Adriana’s attention, she had already prepared the bill before asking. The food was okay but nothing remarkable. So, overall, a disappointing experience even though we’ve gone previously a number of years ago. Sadly, I don’t foresee returning. Read more

One star for tasty food and one for friendly service. Deductions because of 1. poor value for food (I ordered the cannelloni and there were only two very small pieces; I'm not a big eater but this was not enough now was there any indication of the small portion sizes ... on the menu) and 2. because I tried to contact the restaurant after we left (because it was too awkward to do at the time), twice, and they didn't get back to me. A good visit turned into disappointment and frustration. Read more

Tables are well spaced; the host Adriana was lovely, efficient, and food was served promptly. Feels like you are being welcomed into someone's home for a safe, authentic dining experience. Very reasonably priced for what you get. The chef has wonderful taste; I had the tortellini with blue cheese sauce ... which was accented with green onion, and the cheese wasn't overpowering, just had a lovely rounded flavour that was beautifully complimented by a glass of the house red. They've been in business for a long time and you can see (and taste!) why. Very thankful I was able to visit this gem. Read more