Ortygia is simply a delightful restaurant in the middle of a neighborhood in Bradenton, Florida. We had no idea how to find it but, thank you Google Maps, we got there. Once you are there, you still aren’t sure because it is in a little old cottage and you don’t realize you are there except for the little parking pad and the sign out front. It is on a quiet street that has a lot of loose dogs walking around.

You feel as though you are walking into someone’s home. It is rather small so it is important to make reservations. It is friendly and service oriented. The servers make you feel like family even if it is your first time at their restaurant. Clearly, the food is the star and the chef is very is accommodating if you want an appetizer for an entrée, for example. It is a good restaurant for foodies.

They do not have a full bar. It is mainly wines and mainly Italian whites and reds. Their list is reasonably priced. The menu is not large but well selected and they have special choices each day.

Chef Gaetano serves a “Monzu” cuisine which was a French inspired Sicilian cuisine once served to aristocrats’ in Sicily. The chef walks around and talks to everyone very informally. He is the reason the restaurant is as low key as it is. He is originally from New Jersey. That evening, there were a bunch of people who just happened to be from New Jersey having dinner there. What we can say, is that it was delicious and all of the dishes had a bit of a twist on the Italian food.

We had a special appetizer that night. It was an onion that was cored and filled with ricotta and parmesan cheese, then baked in the oven until carmelized. The onion is so sweet and the filling just mouthwatering. We still think about how delicious it was.

For dinner, Mike had the Timballo de Penne which was a wedge of penne pasta with meatballs, prosciutto, hard boiled eggs, provolone, and roasted peppers that was in a wonderful tomato sauce. It, too, was delicious and I don’t like hard boiled eggs.

I had an appetizer made into an entrée. It was 2 grilled lamb chops with harissa and served with eggplant caponata and black beluga lentil salad.

We had a bold Sicilian wine to go with the dinner. It was delicious and only $42.

We definitely will be back over and over again. Enjoy!

Ortygia Restaurant

1418 13th St W, Bradenton, FL 34205

(941) 741-8646