Aeolia

I’m finally ready to update my review. I’ve now gone back to this restaurant multiple times since my first visit. The food was so good and the history and atmosphere were just amazing.
I realized I needed to give it a couple more shots. Our guest always love the atmosphere and the rooms where Galileo stayed. The frescoes are incredible.
Anyway, I have continued to have the same server at each return visit. She has been pleasant and more attentive each time. On this occasion she was sweet and enjoyable to be around. I’m more than happy that I continued returning to this establishment. I would highly recommend this restaurant.

Wow.
So much hope and potential shot down by a lone waitress. There are few words in the thesaurus short of resorting to profanity to convey the attitude of our server, so I shall politely refer to subject waitress as a hag.
It’s a beautiful restaurant with a rich history described on its website, starting as two villas with horse stables below. Galileo Galilei was a guest and contracted lumbago and rheumatism while here. Palladio was familiar with the villas here at the time, and the frescoes were painted by Mantegna. So this place has a historical allure to it, which is nice and almost offsets having to deal with the hag.
Large copper pots and pans adorn the main dining area from the ceiling and welcome you upon arrival. There is a gelateria to the right with a toilet for use. In the back is the banquet room (Aeolia Room) sitting atop the cellar; the cellar’s cool air provides some air conditioning and is vented into the Aeolia Room through the floor
Which brings me to our evening there. It was a Monday night without much going on, four other sets of patrons divided up between the patio and main dining area. The Aeolia Room was full for a party of Americans from the base, but it was really pretty quiet when we arrived around 8pm.
The hostess pleasantly seated the six of us, and after taking a quick tour of the restaurant decided upon our menu fare. Some fagottini with prosciutto and pear (excellent at € 8,50) and maiale (pig fillet with honey and peppers, divine at € 8) were highlights of our meal and highly recommended. Our bottle of house red (Zefiro) came at a € 9.50 price tag, and the waters at € 2. Coperto is € 2/​person.
We figured the hag was having a bad day, but she unpleasantly took our order and disappeared to the cucina. I really don’t know if the party in the Aeolia Room was overworking the staff, but they should have been aware well in advance and prepared accordingly. Again, the rest of the restaurant was sparsely patronized, especially considering the potential capacity.
Five of us got our meals in a reasonable amount of time, but the maiale was delayed for some reason, so my son sat patiently senza food while the we dined. Eventually, the hag was walking by (not to check on us, we were merely an obstacle she had to pass by), so I queried about the maiale. Without stopping, she snapped, «Five minutes». Never saw her again until over 15 minutes later when the maiale finally arrived and we had already finished our fagottini. Fortunately, my son was thrilled with his choice and didn’t complain.
Hag let us sit forever, never asking if we wanted more water or wine in our two hours spent there. She did come by to serve the baked ice cream (part of the Aeolia Light fixed menu at € 15) and asked if anyone else would like gelato. Three of us opted in and discovered after the fact that a serving is € 3,50 with € 0.50 extra for topping. All that plus the hag’s scowl, which came free (at least it wasn’t on the bill).
On another drive by, my wife asked for caffè. The hag’s curt reply? «Just a minute,» which we found means «Not in this lifetime». She never returned.
When we were tired of waiting and ready to leave, I went to pay the bill (in the gelateria) and waited for the hag. She came in, acknowledge my existence and continue to scoop out gelato and disappear to serve it. She returned to make some baked ice cream and disappeared again. There is no pleasantness to her working.
I finally get to pay il contino of € 99,50 and was thankful we were done. As we left, my wife and I discussed if we would ever return. I’d like to, but I really wish I had the hag’s name so I could call ahead and confirm if she had off that night!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Price: 4
Service: –10
Average: 1
Good luck if you go.