Mamma Luisa Ristorante Italiano

This restaurant is a gem. If you are looking for a small restaurant that feels intimate and special with amazing food and staff, this is it. They clearly take pride in their restaurant and their relationship with their patrons.

Excellent service. Delicious, authentic food. Intimate atmosphere that feels like a little piece of Italy. Perfect place for a date night!

We always come to Mama Luisa when we visit RI. We always enjoy the wait staff and the excellent food. Best Italian restaurant in Newport!!!

A quaint restaurant, welcoming atmosphere. The food was excellent, very fresh. The service was timely, efficient and accommodating. A lovely evening.

This place took us back to Florence. I have nothing but good things to say! From entering to leaving, happy, happy, happy! Food: 10/10 Ambiance: 10/10 Service: 10/10 Drinks: 10/10

Wonderful dining experience! The restaurant was quiet with light background music, it felt like we were in the comfort of someone's home. The food was very fresh and delicious. Can't wait to go back already!

Very cozy atmosphere. The food was delicious. Desserts were tasty. Amazing overall. Definitely recommend making reservations in advance.

It's an experience for sure. Like you're eating an incredible Italian meal at Nona's house!

Food was meh. Ordered the special pasta and it wasn't. Tiramisu was flavorless. Waiter was great.

Kid-friendliness: Not good for kids.

Atmosphere: 3

Food: 3

Service: 5

Recommended dishes: Ravioli Di Zucca

I had high hopes for this restaurant based on all the great things I had heard, but unfortunately, it didn’t live up to my expectations. The atmosphere felt more like a pretentious French restaurant rather than the warm and inviting Italian ambiance I was hoping for. The bruschetta was delicious, but the main course fell short. I ordered the Spaghetti alle Vongole, and for $27, I expected more—the clams were extremely small, and the sauce tasted like it came from a jar. Perhaps it was just an off night, but overall, it was a disappointing experience.

Atmosphere: 2

Food: 2

Service: 2

I have been coming to Newport at least once a year, for over 30 years. This was the worst meal we have ever had here.

I ordered the tagliatelle with shrimp and scallops. I received a plate of overcooked, almost completely unseasoned noodles with the most overcooked shrimp and (puny bay) scallops I have ever been served. I sent it back and said the seafood was overcooked. The server did not give me a chance to choose anything else, she simply took the plate and ran off. She brought me another order of it about four minutes later. I am a retired chef. It is not even possible to cook a plate of pasta to order, with fairly large shrimp, in that short an amount of time. When my plate showed up so quickly the second time, I knew without a doubt that they were parcooking at least the shrimp, and possibly the pasta as well, and reheating it. And sure enough, I took one bite and sent that plate back too, the shrimp was dry as dust. I then ordered the squash ravioli instead, which was decent enough, although I suspected that was also reheated. Meanwhile, my husband, who doesn’t like to make waves, stoically ate his way through stuffed pork tenderloin that was as dry and leathery and overcooked as my first dish, and was probably parcooked as well and reheated. I would have sent back that mess too.

I had no confidence in their ability to make dessert after that, but my husband got the housemade tiramisu. There was no discernible mascarpone cheese in it whatsoever, it was whipped cream, sponge cake, and cocoa, and I think drip coffee instead of espresso. I ignored it after one bite, and it’s a dessert I love.

The server was sweet and apologetic about the food, the service there is fine. They just can’t cook. Avoid this place. Why it was so crowded is a mystery to me.

Atmosphere: 3

Service: 4

My first visit to Mamma Luisa’s was memorable. It was one of the best dining experiences that I have ever had in Newport. 5 star everything, including our server Haichong. This will definitely be a go to restaurant on my annual trip to Newport.

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

A hidden gem.

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Food was amazing

Very fancy place. Excellent service. Food was excellent. I recommend it. I like it.

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5