What a special place. In the heart of Bradenton’s Art District there is a little house with a special chef. Gaetano started this restaurant 13 years ago as the Chef, Owner and writer. He wanted to bring a little Sicilian flare with a New Jersey...touch to Florida’s West Coast. This quaint out of the way farm to table restaurant will surprise you with its homemade Sicilian cooking. Today with all the restaurant chains, it is nice to have gem like this in Bradenton. My wife and I have not been out to dinner in over 4 months. We wanted to find a restaurant that could offer a unique dinning experience with fresh to table entrees. Well, we found it. My only regret is that I found Ortygia thirteen years later. I have often said to many of my friends Bradenton lacks true fresh Chef dinning restaurants. Maybe I was just not looking hard enough. If you want a quiet, nice dining experience, this will be perfect for you and a special someone. Ask for Penne, she was warm hearted and took care of our every need. We called to make reservations and that seemed to be the best way to ensure you got a table. Enjoy!More

Absolutely one of the most enjoyable dinners we have had. We were meeting some “framily” we had not seen in 24 years. I was looking for a special place where we could have a delicious dinner in an enjoyable atmosphere. I hit the jackpot with...Ortygia!!! The chef and servers are wonderful, they are warm, friendly and fun. We were there on a Saturday and there was entertainment which added to the jovial atmosphere. The food is authentic Italian and delicious. Four of us ordered pasta, 2 chicken dishes, and 1 appetizer sampler. There was not a morsel left. The wine list is impressive with choices by the glass for all tastes. I highly recommend Ortygia and can’t wait to dine there again.More

We visited Ortygia for dinner, after which we visited the local art galleries on the first Friday of the month when the many local galleries are open 6-9 PM. We arrived at Ortygia without a reservation (at 545) and they told us we could have...a table in 5-10 minutes when people left - and that is what happened. After looking at the menu I chose two appetizers - the stuffed pepper, and the portobello mushroom stuffed with sausage. My wife had fish. The food was very good. The stuffed mushroom was excellent. The service was friendly and good. We left after a good meal to visit the local art galleries.More

Cozy little Italian restaurant in a converted house. Wines are good and varied with reasonable prices. Apitisers were delicious. The eggplant caponata and the stuffed mushroom was delicious. The monk fish special was outstanding. So was the pasta Siciliano and chicken with artichoke. Dessert of...bread pudding and chocolate mousse were excellent. Service was friendly and attentive. Owner is the chef and comes out to speak with guests. Fine choice and worthy of another visit.More

Can't say enough wonderful things about the food, ambiance and staff. We went to Ortygia for a birthday celebration with a large group. The chef made accomodations to fit our group. Everyone loved their meals. We'll definitely be back.

I was there the night you brought your elderly aunt. I didn't realize what a bad night you were having, but I saw your aunt asking to be wheeled around so she could enjoy the fun and music that was happening in the next room....I'm glad she enjoyed her evening.More

We enjoyed the sicilian food... the chef is great he eventually go to the tables and have some chat with the guests... will come back soon.