Arrival and setting
Tavolo is on Magasinsgatan in Gothenburg, and the entrance alone is an experience. You step through a gigantic door into an impressive old hall, and it genuinely feels like stepping into another world. The restaurant is large, dramatic and beautifully put together, and the style has something grand and almost cinematic about it, a little like the lavish elegance of the 1950s and 1960s.
And then, of course, there is the horse's head. In the middle of the restaurant stands an enormous horse's head that completely dominates the room. It may sound over the top, but somehow it simply works with everything else, and you automatically reach for your phone ;) The place was well filled this Wednesday evening, and there was plenty of life in the room.
Service – an unfortunate start
Unfortunately, the restaurant experience itself did not begin quite as well as the arrival. Tavolo works with a concept where several of the dishes are designed for sharing, which is really a lovely way to eat when there are several of you around the table. But when you visit for the first time, it is nice to get a proper introduction to how the menu works and how much you ought to order. We did not get one.
It is no secret that we found our waiter sullen, arrogant and very little interested in helping us. It mostly felt as though we were expected to order as quickly as possible, and at one point he turned his back and walked off while we were still mid-sentence. That is simply not a pleasant way to be received as a guest. It was particularly a shame because the other waiters in the restaurant seemed both smiling and welcoming, so we had probably just been unlucky with our particular waiter. Our criticism is therefore about the service at our table, not the staff as a whole.
What we ate
Thankfully, the food was another matter entirely. We began with arancini (185 SEK), the classic Italian risotto balls we often order at Italian restaurants, and bruschetta (215 SEK). The bruschetta was actually a very pleasant surprise – a delicious version with pear, gorgonzola cream, nuts and Parmesan.
Then came the pizzas. The children shared a classic Margherita (205 SEK) and we had a Diavola (245 SEK), and they were really good. We like it when an Italian kitchen also makes room for the very simple dishes, and a Margherita is a good way to experience a restaurant's approach to pizza.
We also had the Pollo Parmigiana (295 SEK), an Italian chicken dish and the most substantial plate of the evening, with a side of spinach for 75 SEK. All in all, we were very enthusiastic about the kitchen.
The girls also had 2 portions of pasta bathed in butter, and they loved it.
The desserts
We finished dinner with a Chocolate Lava Cake (140 SEK) and a Mirtillo e Pistacchio (140 SEK), while Olivia had a children's ice cream. It was a lovely way to round things off, and we paid the bill at 21.44, so we had been there just under two hours from ordering.
Champagne, wine and cocktails
We started the evening with two glasses of Moët & Chandon Brut Imperial (135 SEK per glass). With the food we chose a bottle of Bramito della Sala from Antinori (875 SEK), an Italian white from Umbria, and later on there were two Espresso Martinis as well (168 SEK each). It is the kind of evening where you want to linger and enjoy the food, the wine and the beautiful surroundings, and the setting at Tavolo certainly invites you to do just that.
Tavolo with children
We had Alberte and Olivia with us, and it is lovely when a restaurant with a more ambitious kitchen also has room for the very simple requests from the children. The restaurant is large and lively, and neither the décor nor the atmosphere made it awkward to bring children along. The only thing we missed was the friendliness and attentiveness that make both children and adults feel welcome.
Price and value
The bill came to 3,371 SEK for two adults and two children, which is roughly 2,200 Danish kroner. That covered all the dishes, two desserts and a children's ice cream, two glasses of champagne, a bottle of white wine, two Espresso Martinis, soft drinks and water. Tavolo is not a cheap little Italian, but it also offers an entirely different kind of setting and experience, and with that many drinks on the receipt you need to take the whole picture into account when judging the price. (Not sponsored)
Tavolo is a restaurant we will remember, first and foremost for the fantastic interior, the spectacular arrival and the enormous horse's head, but also for the food, which was really good and deserves high praise. We could easily see ourselves returning for the food and the surroundings, and next time we hope for an entirely different experience with the service. Huge recommendations for the kitchen and the setting from us.
Photos from the visit
Our own photos and videos, taken along the way.
Highlights
- Location
- Magasinsgatan 19, Göteborg
- What we had
- Arancini, Bruschetta, Pizza Margherita, Pizza Diavola, Pollo Parmigiana, Pasta with butter (children), Chocolate Lava Cake, Mirtillo e Pistacchio, Moët & Chandon Brut Imperial, Bramito della Sala, Antinori, Espresso Martini
- Highlights
- The pizzas were really good, and the bruschetta was a pleasant surprise, One of the most spectacular interiors we have ever eaten in, with an enormous horse's head in the middle of the room, Pasta with butter for 95 SEK and children's ice cream made it easy to bring the girls along, A large Italian wine list with house wines, champagne and cocktails
- Price and value
- 3,371 SEK (approx. 2,200 DKK) for two adults and two children incl. champagne, wine, cocktails, soft drinks and water · value for money 4.5 out of 5
- Atmosphere and service
- Atmosphere 5.0 · service 1.0 out of 5