My mom's birthday was yesterday and she wanted the family to go to Zia's for a special treat today. We braved the crazy narrow streets and holiday traffic of the Hill, and had a fantastic experience. (Btw, I talked to a few staff members and they confirmed the Holidays are nuts, but things really free up in Jan. So that might be a good time to take in this amazing restaurant.) First, we had a 30 or so min wait because we were a table of 6. We sat in the bar area and ordered toasted raviolis and cheese garlic bread apps from the bar tender. Super easy, came out fast, and were really good. He got us all waters too, which was nice. Place was packed and we realized the walking areas are pretty narrow. Would be hard for someone to navigate if in a wheelchair. So keep that in mind. But anyway, we were seated at a big round booth that probably could have seated 8 or even 10. Although the room was packed, the booth had high backs and so it didn't feel like we were being crowded. We had a great conversation without feeling like it was too loud or distracting, which was a pleasant surprise. We all ordered dinners that came with salads and a side of pasta. The salads came quickly and were amazing. I don't know what they put in the salad dressing, but it's soooo good. So is the bread and olive oil. Forget butter! The oil was incredible. I ordered the Chicken Zia - grilled chicken with veggies, mushrooms, and a white wine sauce. The side is pasta shells (which is just ok), but you can get marinara, cream sauce or oil and garlic. And again, the oil and garlic was amazing. I also learned from the server that you can request specific pastas, so another thing to keep in mind. My wife is gluten free and wasn't sure how that would work, but they had a whole gluten free menu that was fantastic. She got veal with shrimp and asparagus, which was amazing. And they bring a huge side of steamed broccoli instead of pasta for the GF crowd. Rock on! B/c it was my mom's birthday, they brought her a complimentary cannoli for dessert. I wanted to get the tiramisu (which I bet would be amazing), but I was too stuffed! We'll be back for that. Our server was super friendly and efficient. I liked her. All up. It was a phenomenal experience. We'll be back for sure.

Food was easily 10/10!!! Mostaccioli di forno was the best dish of the night, amazing sauce and great flavor. Everything tasted amazing and I would easily order it all again. Dishes are a bit large so I would recommend ordering family style, about 2 people per dish. Service was slow and the wait was around an hour, but it was busy and I can understand the delay, waitstaff were still attentive with water and bread. Great crowd and a fun spot to be for a group dinner, 100% will be back soon!

If you are craving old-school Italian cooking that feels like a warm embrace, look no further than Zia's "On The Hill." This beloved St. Louis staple is a true homage to Italian-American tradition: hearty portions, mouthwatering dishes, and hospitality like you are part of the family. The food in Zia's is nothing short of spectacular. Their house-made pastas, rich sauces, and perfectly seasoned meats speak to generations of passion for good food. Among the appetizers, a local favorite is the Toasted Ravioli, which is crispy, golden, and full of flavor. The Pasta con Broccoli is a creamy, comforting classic, while Chicken Spiedini is tender, smoky, and full of flavor. And let's not start with the Cannoli--crispy shells with sweet, velvety ricotta that will have you dreaming of Sicily. Portions are very generous, so you can be sure to leave with a full belly and perhaps a box of leftovers later. It is not all about quantity, though-the quality of each dish is spotless, made with much care and authentic ingredients. The service is only matched by the food. The staff at Zia's treat you like a long-lost friend, ready to make your experience unforgettable. Whether it is to recommend a wine pairing, accommodate dietary preferences, or simply check in with a smile, their attention to detail elevates the meal to something truly special. On this trip we had the Calamari Fritti which was perfectly prepared and the parmigiana and lemon butter sauce added to the delicate taste! Their fettuccini Alfredo and Tutto Mare are exquisitely prepared and provide a true taste of Italy. In the heart of The Hill, St. Louis's historic Italian neighborhood, Zia's is so much more than a restaurant-it's an experience. If you're in town, you simply can't pass it up. Zia's is one of those places where you can come in as a stranger and leave as part of the family, with full bellies from some of the best Italian food around. Buon appetito!

I have been here multiple times with family and friends. The house salad and bread is always a must. Most entrees come with a small house salad. However, check the menu for confirmation. The Penne Salsiccia is my favorite pasta here! Yet on this occasion, I opted for a special of the day. It was the Short Rib Ravioli and was quite tasty as well. My family enjoyed all of their meals too. Business here can get quite busy on the weekends. So, I would encourage making a reservation Monday-Friday for parties of 6 or more and Saturday till 3pm.

4.5/5 rounded up to 5. FINALLY. Visited a restaurant on the Hill that is actually up to the hype. Sadly, I had many subpar experiences in the area. Ordered takeout. The baked pasta with meatballs was done amazingly. Pasta cooked just right, meatballs complemented it well. Only minor complaint would be more meat! The Pasta con pesce had a different sauce for a ncie changeup, decent amount of seafood, and excellent overall portion size. Toasted ravioli doneness was appropriate and a great appetizer to strt with. Will be back!

It was my family and I's first time at Zia's and we were beyond impressed. We were seated immediately and had a waiter introduce himself within seconds. We ordered the Toasted Ravioli, Calamari and Eggplant for appetizers. These were some of the best toasted raviolis and calamari I've had in St. Louis. The dinner salad that came with our meal was fantastic. The portions are great and we all had to take a to-go box home. Overall, a great restaurant added to our list on the Hill.

Everything was great but they're red sauce is a little spicy for me. I prefer more of a tangy sauce. Wine was great, bread and salad as well, and the service.

I took the whole family out to dinner for a birthday celebration. We had a party of 8 and were given the Royal treatment. With a reservation, we were taken to our table and the friendly and attentive staff were ready to give us an amazing dining experience. Everyone enjoyed the appetizers, drinks, salads, and entrees. Zia's has amazing house salads. The pastas were talked about long after the last bites. Everyone in the dinner party truly raved and enjoyed their experience at Zia's.

We went on a Tuesday at about 6:30 and there was a 20-25 minute wait for two of us without a reservation. We got lucky with a 2 top bar table open and we snagged that. Busser or waiter helper came right away and got us water. Our waiter, Steve not far behind with a wine/cocktail menu and told us the specials. He was hustling the whole night with To Go orders and other bar patrons. I was tempted by the chicken special but decided to go with my original choice of Chicken Picatta. Hubby ordered his usual chicken parm. Both entrees come with a salad and side of pasta. Bread arrived warm and toasty, it was really good. You have to ask for butter and when it arrived, it was a soft little scoop. Bread and butter is always good. There was a bottle of flavored oil on the table but I didn't care for that. Salad came out in a large, icy bowl. I asked for no parmesan and Steve got it right! Salad is iceberg, pimento, provel, and parmesan if you don't ask them to hold it. Their dressing is a sweet Italian. It was a good salad. Entrees arrived, chicken was well cooked with a good amount of sauce and lots of capers and mushrooms. it was a fairly small chicken portion but I still only ate half to save the other half for lunch. Had a good flavor, not too bitter with the lemon. Side of white sauce cavatelli was good on flavor, I love garlic and it was heavy on that. The white sauce was pretty thin but its perfect for your take home portion, you won't have to add milk when reheating. Overall, this was a good meal, we hadn't been to Zia's in a while, and it was pretty much the same. I would recommend reservations since there was a wait on a random Tuesday.

Stopped in last night for dinner and had a wonderful experience. Not a ton of regular seating but they have outdoor and bar seating options- we came in around 7 on a Saturday and waited about an hour for 2 people which was no big deal since we didn't make a reso in advance. Once we were seated we had wonderful service. We started with the arancini for an app. It was good! I think there could have been a few more - there were 4, which was just enough for 2 people. The menu says there is Italian sausage in them but it seemed to mainly just be polenta- I did not taste any Italian sausage. More sausage would make these a 10/10! They also bring out complimentary bread and there is oil on the table. You can also ask for butter like we did. For entrees, we had the chicken parm with pink pasta (entrees come with a dinner salad and side of pasta) and the chicken soto. Both were wonderful. Great portions and fresh. The pink pasta honestly was the star of the show- at other places on the hill, the pink sauce is just okay- Zia's knocks their's out of the park. Tons of flavor- highly recommend it. Lastly, the dinner salads with their house dressing are so so good. Tons of cheese and tons of sauce so if that's not your thing, make sure you mention it. It certainly is my thing and dang was it good. We will be back!!