Food: great and fresh. I love the olive oil they use. Wine: good higher quality selection. It was our server's first night and she did a good job. Everything was going great. Then the owner/chef came out, which normally I love. However, in this case it just was not a good experience. He asked what name our reservation was under, for which we said we did not have one. Then, for an excessive amount of time, he was so concentrated on wondering how we got in without a reservation (not sure, we walked in and there was a table available??). He seemed offended we were able to be seated. He then called our server over (he said he couldn't remember her name in front of us...yes it was her first night, but do better) to push his gift boxes. On the way out, we noticed all the photos of himself on the wall and entry tables. So, he just seems a little too full of himself for my liking. Enough so that I probably won't be back even though the food and wine were good.

We dined at Villa di Como Ristorante last night, it met and exceeded our expectations. Our group wanted to try as many items as possible so we shared everything. Margherita pie for app was nicely cooked. Quality cheese and the sauce was fresh and delicious. Arancini were 5 to an order, small but flavorful. Would def order again. We tried the meatballs at the waitress’s suggestion, they were great. Caesar salad was perfectly dressed, a nice balance and crisp greens. The star of the meal was the pasta vodka. Don’t miss this if you done here, it was pretty incredible. Overall, the prices skew slightly higher than I think they could be, especially for the area. My advice to diners, don’t get hooked on this. You’re paying for thoughtful, fresh food, done right. Service was great and we will 100% be back whenever in the area. The restaurant is 5 minutes from The Egg, so if you’re catching a show, as we were, this location can’t be beat. Grazie mille Chef Ali, and VdCR , we had a lovely evening and great memories.

Beautiful slice of Italy right in Albany! Gorgeous interior, excellent food and the friendliest staff. Wonderful experience! Also, have a glass of wine on the patio of 288 first. A delicious memory!!

We traveled from West Hartford CT for Mother's Day to dine at Villa di Como and I have not had food this good since I was in Italy in 2018. Literally everything that was placed the table was delicious, and made me think of my grandmother. Ali and the team at Villa di Como are top notch and you can taste the love that goes into their food. I ordered the Gamberetti Parmigiana and it was absolutely perfect. Perfectly seasoned, perfectly cooked shrimp, al dente pasta and the portion was just right. I would drive back in a heartbeat and if I lived in Albany, this is the place I would make a standing weekly reservation at. Don't miss out on this gem.

Very delicious Italian food served at very atmosphere. Service was attentive and professional. Restaurant is decorated beautifully. We had the Frutti De Mare, Pasta Con Salsicce, a bottle of Borollo. I can’t wait to come back! I like this place a lot!

A work colleague and I literally stumbled on this restaurant, without knowing what to expect, after heading to the neighborhood for a different restaurant that didn't look to be our taste upon arrival. Even though the sign on the door clearly states Reservations Only, we asked the gentleman who greeted us if it was possible for two of us to come eat. It was only 5:30 on a Tuesday, but sure enough the place was BOOKED and could not give us a table. We were offered accommodation at the bar (fine with us) and were delighted by the experience. I grew up a NYC foodie and admittedly - right or wrong - I have lower expectations for quality when I'm smaller / second tier cities like Albany. I could tell, however, just from how things started - intimate, reservations only... small restaurant with personal interaction with the owner the whole time... and from the not so cheap prices for a menu that has so many standard Italian food staples like the Chicken Parm or Linguine with Clam Sauce... that this place was special. Every step of the meal for us and what I saw with each and every table in the restaurant was tended to by Ali the owner. It was a perfect mix of a desire for things to be just right and a true professionalism. This restaurant is clearly a love for him. We ordered the octopus carpaccio on his recommendation. It was the one thing we MUST get, he said. He was right. It was fantastic, as were everything else we ordered - a salad to share, garlic bread like none I've ever had before, and such quality renditions of the previously mentioned Chicken Parm and Linguine with White Clam Sauce. Dessert was an Affogato (vanilla gelato with cold espresso). My wife was so jealous. If I'm ever heading to Albany again, I will certainly try to get a reservation at Villa di Como.

My boyfriend and I came here for Valentine’s Day, and the experience here was absolutely amazing! Our waitress, Molly, was very nice and a delight to have! The food, oh lord the food is heavenly. The entire night we could not stop raving about the food we ate here. From the beginning with the garlic bread and hot Italian oil our expectations were greatly exceeded! We both also got pasta dishes (spaghetti carbonara and spaghetti alle vongole) and they were amazing! I would 100% recommend anyone to come here and I can’t wait until we get to visit again!

First timers definitely will return. Chef Ali personally came out and went through the menu with me to help with allergies was extremely welcoming and attentive throughout our entire dining experience. Everything we had was delicious, including the suggested wine. Started with garlic bread, calamari, and a meatball appetizer that we shared, and everything was served nicely and extremely tasty. Lovely bright fresh citrus dressed greens and 4 different meals had splendid flavoring served piping hot and yummy yummy sauces, which are also available to purchase. We shared dessert of tiramisu and cheesecake, which was so light, I’m sure there were no calories in it. It all was a wonderful meal and it definitely felt like we were in Chef‘s home. He was so welcoming. The staff was super attentive and kind. We can’t wait to go back!

A great experience! A modern dining space and take on Italian. The espresso martini was made exactly as they’re suppose to be. The pasta was also phenomenal. Vodka sauce was rich and creamy and the olive oil sauce has just the right amount of spice. The pizza was great too, although slightly soggy on the bottom from the thick cut mozzarella. I can’t really complain about that though because who doesn’t love cheese. Highly recommend

My boyfriend and I had a wonderful dining experience at Villa di Como. We started with the calamari which is the best we have had in the area, it came with marinara sauce which was also wonderful. We also had the garlic bread and hot crispy oil for dipping. Both were flavorful and delicious. We were able to take the jar of oil, which was made in house, home and will definitely use it with bread at home. I enjoyed the melanzane parmigiana and my boyfriend had the pollo parmigiana both of which were generous portions and delicious as well! We bought a bottle of limoncello and orangecello to take home and enjoy as they were both made at Villa di Como. On top of serving delicious food, the staff was welcoming, efficient, and knowledgeable about the food and drinks they were serving. It was a lovely experience and we will be back soon. I would highly recommend Villa di Como to anyone looking for an authentic delicious Italian meal in the Albany area.

Food was excellent! I ALWAYS have to ask for salt, but not here; they know how to season their food. Amazing house made pasta, cooked perfectly and the sauce was so full of depth and flavor. Many great wines to choose from and cannoli was unlike any I've had before. The filling was so creamy and delicious! I highly recommend trying this place!

My husband and I were recently in Albany for he weekend for a wedding and made a reservation at villa di como. This is one of the best Italian restaurants I’ve been in (comparing to Italy). The homemade pasta and limoncello were amazing. We also loved the atmosphere and the service was great! We will def stop here again when visiting our friends who live in Troy.

My family and I attended a Seminar in Albany for one night and we wanted to enjoy a special meal. We found Villa de Como had excellent reviews so we made a reservation, a small cozy homelike restaurant well matched to our delicious dinners the exceptional ingredients were evident in every bite! We purchased a bottle of their Marinara sauce which was truly special our only regret is not having bought a case of it. Thank You for our special meal and the one we made at our home with your Marinara sauce.

I really was excited to try this place after reading the reviews. We were a party of four. We ordered the garlic bread and caprese salad to start. The apps were good. I think the reviews I read about the “must try” garlic bread hyped it up a bit. I ordered the pasta limone with shrimp and all I can say is SALT! The chef used way too much salt in the pasta water. It killed the dish that otherwise would have been good. I tried the pasta vodka sauce and that too was way too salty. It’s unfortunate. The ambiance is nice, service good but food was just “okay.” I do recommend the cheesecake and lemoncello for dessert.

Everything was incredible, from appetizers to desserts. They go out of their way to source good ingredients, and it shows. Not only that, but the staff is not just "service" friendly but genuinely seem to enjoy their job which also shows in how they interacted with us. All in all, coming here felt like the event of the evening!