Sophia's Fine Italian Cuisine

Felt like I was back in Italy. Brady was very attentive as a server and chef Luigi prepared all of dishes expertly! Highly recommend this little-known gem of a restaurant!

We are a little persnickety about where we dine. Every time I hear great things about a new place on AMI, I make a reservation and we check it out. There always seems to be something not up to par; whether it be service, ambiance or food. Tonight, however we were pleasantly not just surprised, but blown away by Soohia’s. We don’t get this caliber of food in NY. The chef is the real deal.. My husband’s veal was the best he has ever had and my ravioli was so delicious. They better get a larger dining room!

I don't even know how to begin because everything about our dining experience was perfect. I seriously can't remember when I had a better dining experience. We had family in from Germany and wanted to take them out for a nice dinner. We live in Tampa and didn't know anything about the restaurants in the Anna Maria Island area. I Googled best restaurants on Anna Maria Island and came across Sophia's. We made reservations and showed up on time. The place is small but I could already tell by the table settings we were going to have a great dinner. There was a tropical storm coming in, and I guess everybody else canceled their dinner plans because we had the place to ourself. We were greeted by our server, who made us all feel comfortable. He told us about the specials and took our drink order. Everything on the menu had some familiarity, but it seemed it was all just taken another step to raise the bar. For instance, our Ceasars salad was a whole head of grilled romaine with the dressing and shaved parmesan on the side. The dressing and flavor of the grilled lettuce was amazing. One of our appetizers was Burrata Sophia with mozzarella (real mozzarella, a soft ball, not sliced) and crispy prosciutto. We also had deep-fried calamari and vegetables. They were fried with just a light breading and were perfect. For dinner, three of us ordered the ribeye, which was covered in arugula and tomatoes. They were cooked to order and tender with a great flavor. Three of us had the pesto gnocchi with two huge tiger shrimp. Again, it was cooked to perfection. I love pesto, and this pesto was perfect. One of us ordered a special pasta dish that was finished tableside where the server shaved an actual truffle into the pasta while mixing it in a hollowed out parmesan wheel. Amazing! Then we had to try the desserts. The cannoli was crisp and the cream light. The bread pudding was delicious, and the take on tiramisu was original and delicious. Honestly, I can't say enough about this place. You will love it!

Our party of 4 enjoyed a fabulous dinner last night at Sophia’s! Talented Chef Luigi hit it outta the park w/ his culinary creations. Brady, our server, was incredibly attentive, welcoming, & did a great job in preparing black truffle risotto in a giant Parm/Reg cheese wheel. The decor vibe is elegant, calming coastal blues w/ sweet noir portraits of Sophia & Victoria on the walls. Great air circulation. Tasteful lighting. Very clean. Sophia’s is a fantastic addition to Anna Maria Island!

I took my husband by surprise in an early happy Father’s Day and he said that it was his best culinary experience ever. Let me tell you that my husband is half Italian, he was amazed by the fresh home made pasta

My husband and I had dinner here while staying on Anna Maria Island. Amazing food and experience! Amazing wine list, creative food. Great service from Brady. Owned by Chef Luigi (from Naples) who kept popping out to check on us. Beautiful amuse of shrimp bisque brought out, and we enjoyed three seafood dishes. Varied, dialed in menu. Oh and the chocolate almost dessert was the BEST!!! Can’t recommend this place enough!

My partner and I had dinner there last night. We’re both p/t island residents and were recommended by neighbors to experience Sophia’s. What a fabulous surprise. The menu was creative, our server Brady was on point, the food was delicious and Chef Luigi popped over to the table to check in on us! PS the braised short ribs entree was excellent!

I felt like I was eating in Italy. The atmosphere was amazing. Chef Luigi is the real deal. After he made our meal he took the time to come out and make sure everything was perfect. IT WAS. His menu has something for everyone. It is one of the last of the best kept secrets on AMI.