Il Pastaio

Just like mom-n-pop authentic, fresh Italian food in Italy!!. After many trips to Italy I have been unable to find great Italian food until Il Pastaio!! Not fancy, just a hole in the wall, but excellent, down-home food like you find in mom-n-pop restaurants in Italy! Fresh, fresh, fresh, all made from scratch. Don't go expecting fabulous surroundings, just down-to-Earth great food. Weekends mean a long wait so try week nights instead.…

Horribly disappointed. I tried to eat at this restaurant several times at lunch-time and have always walked out after seeing the nasty cafeteria-type food sitting under hot heat-lamps. Several dishes containing what I think was supposed to be lasagne but had so much cheese covering the pan I couldn't really tell what the dish was supposed to be. And that was literally the only pasta dish under the hot lights - everything else was vegetables or sausages etc.

So after several visits of walking out after seeing the nasty food on display I finally ordered some soup - the minestrone to go. On my way back to my work, half of the soup broth leaked out in my carseat due to the shoddy container. When I opened the container up later to eat it I saw several floating vegetables in a clear, watery, very weak tasting broth. No meat, no pasta, no tomatoes. Just carrots, celery and onions basically with a couple basil leaves floating in it.

Simply the worst attempt at minestrone soup I have ever had, & I wasted $6+ to boot! I will never, ever go there again. Deeply disappointed.…

Skip it.... Terrible ambiance. A few tightly clustered tables next to a to go counter. Surly service by an old guy I'm guessing is an owner. The food... small portions, but considering how unimpressive it was was probably a good thing. Been once, won't go back.

Is there a decent Italian place in Boulder?

Not Laudisios...with a capital YUCK

Not Pasta J's (although it is fun eating there when the walls are rolled up)

Not Raddas (weird service, expensive, unimpressive food... but the best coffee ever!

Where oh where!!!…