Osteria la Civetta

“My wife, who was born in Italy, has very high standards for Italian food - so I quickly learned it is better to avoid most Italian restaurants in the Boston area. Recently she learned that this restaurant was run by a woman who comes from the same area of the Emililia-Romogna province as her, and had been recommended by other Italians. So we decided to make a day trip to Falmouth before it fills up for the summer. First we made the decision to sit inside, despite the beautiful May evening. It ended up being great because the main dining room is fashioned and decorated in a manner very authentic for an Italian osteria. My wife and I were very happy to see a photo of the portici in the main square of Cento, which we know very well. And the food, of course, was excellent all around. We ordered squash tortellini, two orders of the cotolette, and a mascarpone mousse for dessert. Also, there was a nice glass of lambrusco. The owner, Sara, was also nice enough to come to our table and chat with my wife despite it being a busy evening. I would highly recommend Osteria La Civetta for Italian food, and my family and I hope to return again.”

“Dined here on 5/16/26. While we had a wait for our table which is expected. It was our server who was the high disappointment to our night. The restaurant was crowded as I pointed out. Things started out okay we waited an average amount for drinks and our appetizers. The problem came when three parties after us received their food and we were still waiting. We called the waitress over and she blamed the kitchen for the issue! Not cool in my book and it’s not appropriate nor did I believe her for a second! The manager approached us five minutes later with our food and apologized stating our drinks would be on the house. Which was the right thing to do. However it’s not cool when one of your staff blames your kitchen! Sadly it dampened our enjoyment of the food and the atmosphere. If this is how she talks about your kitchen staff I’d be concerned.”

“I have been trying to get here for the $29 weekend special lasagna for over a year. Came in on Saturday in between lunch and dinner- we were the only people in the place. My kid loved their pasta dish! I unfortunately was served Luke warm/cold lasagna. When I told the waitress she did offer to reheat it but I didn’t see the point. The damage was done. The year long wait was ended and ruined….again we were the only people in the place!! I did eat 1/2 of it, did not want to take it home, they did take it off the bill for me. I don’t see a need to return.”

“Our winter visit to Osteria La Civetta, in Falmouth MA was such a nice experience. I imagine it is completely different from its summer personality! The atmosphere is where this place immediately shines—it is incredibly quaint, cozy, and cool. Our dimly lit table was surrounded by dark wood shelving stocked with endless wine bottles, antique copper pots, and a massive, classic red meat slicer, all illuminated by dozens of flickering candles. It's the perfect rustic retreat for a cold evening. We kicked things off with Lemon Drops and the Tagliere ($26), which was a massive and generous platter. Beautifully presented on a rustic board, it featured a rich assortment of meats, multiple large wedges of cheese, pickled vegetables like cauliflower and carrots, walnuts, and a central dish of honey with a wooden dipper. It was a feast, and we thought it would be the perfect, satisfying board to share with just a few great glasses of wine and no other main course. Overall, the main pasta dishes were a little mixed for us, though still fine. The Carbonara ($28) was the absolute standout, perfectly smoky, rich, and creamy with substantial chunks of pancetta. On the other hand, we were slightly disappointed by the Tagliatelle Bolognese ($28). While the house-made pasta itself was wonderful, the meat sauce clung very tightly to it and felt quite dry, and we both really wished there were just more 'sauce' on the plate. We finished the night sharing the Tiramisu ($16). The texture was beautifully creamy, but sadly, it just lacked the bold flavor profile—that real, distinctive espresso and cocoa punch—we look for in this dessert. Despite a few minor critiques, it was a very memorable and nice experience. We're planning to return and try it one more time in the summer to see how the menu and the whole vibe shifts!”

“I understand restaurants have off nights. I have gone to this restaurant for years, but after my most recent visit, I felt compelled to write something after 3 consecutive visits had problems. The service is not welcoming. At most recent visit, we were told the restaurant was OUT OF BREAD. How does an Italian restaurant not have bread? And when I expressed this, politely, the waitress became very defensive with absolutely no smile. Another visit, my wine order was just forgotten and when I asked again if I could have the wine I ordered, there was no apology; only a shrug and slow service to bring what I ordered. Another time, my salad had no dressing. When I tried to flag down the waitress, it was if I was bothering her to get the dressing and a weirdly long wait to get the dressing so that I didn't really have a salad course before the meal came. There was a fourth time where the service was very poor, but this was a couple of years ago and at the time, I assumed it was a one off. I like the food here. But after 3 consecutive visits with problems, I have to ask if it's worth it.”