The Little Sparo

Name: The Little Sparo
Address: 2 Hill o' Chips, St. John's Newfoundland and Labrador, NL, Canada, A1C 6B1
Telephone: (709) 758-4252
Price range: CAN$51 and over
Rating: 4.5

4.5

678 Reviews

CAN$51 and over

Italian

Top tags:

There is nothing complicated about food, and nobody understood this better than the Italians. They knew that a delicious meal did not require elaborate preparation - just proper ingredients, and the passion and patience to let them work their magic. At The Little Sparo, we apply these principles in all we do. From our fresh baked naturally-leavened bread and pizza to our homemade extruded pasta, every item is prepared with gentle, attentive care. Come enjoy the comfort of Italian cuisine, in our newly renovated, open-concept restaurant with breathtaking views of the St.john's harbor that carries right through to the narrows. Book a table in our elegant dining room or come relax by the fireplace in our cozy, inviting lounge. Our kind and knowledgable staff are here to welcome you with the warm and friendly hospitality that Newfoundlanders are known for. Come join us for dinner!

Make a reservation

Party Size

2 people

DateTime

Dec 2, 2023

7:00 p.m.

Booked 11 times today

Additional information

Dining style
Casual Dining
Price
CAN$51 and over
Cuisines
Italian
Hours of Operation
Breakfast Mon–Fri 7:00 am–10:00 am Brunch Sat, Sun 8:00 am–2:00 pm Dinner Daily 5:00 pm–9:30 pm
Phone number
(709) 758-4252
Website
http://www.thelittlesparo.com/
Payment Options
AMEX, Mastercard, Visa
Dress Code
Casual Dress
Executive Chef
Colin O'Neill

Location
2 Hill o' Chips, St. John's Newfoundland and Labrador, NL A1C 6B1
Neighbourhood
St. John's
Parking Details
Paid underground parking
Additional
Bar/Lounge, Beer, Cocktails, Full Bar, Gender Neutral Restroom, Gluten-free Options, Indoor Fireplace, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Private Room, View, Weekend Brunch, Wheelchair Access, Wine

Popular dishes

What 678 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

Reviews can only be made by diners who have eaten at this restaurant

4.5

4.5 based on recent ratings

4.5Food
4.7Service
4.6Ambience
4.2Value

Noise • Moderate

Loved For

Atlantic Canada
Great for scenic views
Atlantic Canada
Italian
Newfoundland and Labrador
Best Overall
Newfoundland and Labrador
Best Food
Newfoundland and Labrador
Best Service
Newfoundland and Labrador
Best Ambience
Newfoundland and Labrador
Good for business meals
Newfoundland and Labrador
Good for business meals
Newfoundland and Labrador
Gluten-free-friendly
Newfoundland and Labrador
Great for creative cocktails
Newfoundland and Labrador
Healthy
Newfoundland and Labrador
Neighbourhood gem
Newfoundland and Labrador
Good for special occasions
Newfoundland and Labrador
Vegetarian-friendly
Newfoundland and Labrador
Most Booked

678 Reviews

H
Hello
Vancouver
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined 1 day ago
overall5food5service5ambience5
Not to be missed! Delicious!
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BE
BEF738
Toronto
12 reviews
5.0
12 reviews
Dined 3 days ago
overall5food5service5ambience5
The staff and service were excellent. We all had pizza and it was like being back in Italy. I can’t wait to go back again.
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CB
CurtisB
Atlantic Canada
3 reviews
3.0
3 reviews
Dined 6 days ago
overall3food4service4ambience2
The first thing I noticed was that it was cold in the restaurant. It was zero degrees outside yet cool air was circulating inside. My Mother had to leave her winter coat on and I was uncomfortable. The menu is very limited, especially with respect to pasta dishes. What I had was excellent though a bit overpriced for bowl of pasta and bacon bits. For the same price elsewhere I can have fresh pasta with seafood. The wine was very expensive at a cost of $19 to $21 for a 9 oz glass. Also, no bread was offered which is most unusual for an Italian restaurant. Our server was initially very attentive however after receiving our main course we never saw him again until he took our plates away. Overall I was disappointed and probably will not return.
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S
Sandys
Atlantic Canada
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on November 23, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
I would highly recommend The Little Sparo. The Food & service was five star.
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L
Lil2021
Atlantic Canada
2 reviews
4.0
2 reviews
Dined on November 22, 2023
overall4food4service5ambience3
Food was good. Friends said best hamburger EVER! Beer was not cold but the Irish coffees were spot on. Asked for window seat when reservinsg but could not be accommodated as we were 3 (?) EXCELLENT table service! Overall good experience. PS love the pictures on the walls :)
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YW
YvonneW
Atlantic Canada
1 review
4.0
1 review
Dined on November 21, 2023
overall4food4service4ambience4
Food was excellent! Good service, nice restaurant with a great view.
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CL
CraigL
Greater Boston
6 reviews
5.0
6 reviews
Dined on November 18, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
We love this restaurant and food was amazing. We had great service from everyone and it was truly a lovely night. We were actually the last ones in the restaurant and no one rushed us out. Great experience
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SD
SarahD
Atlantic Canada
2 reviews
5.0
2 reviews
Dined on November 18, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
So good!! Our food was amazing and everyone was so nice! Especially our server Izabela , who was so attentive and friendly!! She made our evening so special and fun!! :)
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L
bethL
Atlantic Canada
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on November 18, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Great staff, great food, great location! Loved every minute
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TH
TonyH
Atlantic Canada
1 review
4.0
1 review
Dined on November 17, 2023
overall4food5service5ambience5
Excellent food and service, gave 4 stars as could be a few more options on the menu. Will definitely go there again.
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S
Snowbirds
Tampa
37 reviews
vip
5.0
37 reviews
Dined on November 16, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Another lovely dining experience! Great place to celebrate a special occasion! Food and service were great!
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N
Nicci
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on November 14, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Have been here a few times now. Absolutely delicious pasta, big portions. Surprisingly also maybe the best burger I’ve ever had? Amazing service every time too, never feels rushed and just the right amount of attentiveness. Will be back again for sure.
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RM
RyanM
1 review
2.0
1 review
Dined on November 11, 2023
overall2food2service5ambience5
Great atmosphere … super cozy restaurant. Great friendly service. Horrible pizza - tasteless slop with a thick doughy crust at the end. Delicious pasta but such a skimpy portion for the price. Will not go again. Have a feeling it is surviving because it’s in a hotel.
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MB
MichelleB
Atlantic Canada
5 reviews
5.0
5 reviews
Dined on November 11, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
We arrived early and were seated immediately. The service was excellent and the food was delicious. The ricotta is always a delight!
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KD
KDOGG
Atlantic Canada
3 reviews
4.0
3 reviews
Dined on November 10, 2023
overall4food3service4ambience4
Food has potential to be very good; my ravioli was cold in the middle. Pricy for not much food.
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M
Marie
1 review
4.0
1 review
Dined on November 6, 2023
overall4food5service5ambience4
Warm welcome from Fabio, delicious food, prompt service… everything you want from a restaurant. The decor and ambiance is casual but okay however the lighting at night is problematically dim- it would be nice to see your food properly in the evening and to be able to read the menu without the flashlight from your smartphone. It may require small battery operated lamps on each table after dark, because the artful presentation of plates cannot really be appreciated.
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J
Jeremy
1 review
3.0
1 review
Dined on October 26, 2023
overall3food2service4ambience4
Dined here with my wife. Nice ambience, very good service. Appetizer prawns were very good (though $4 each). Pizza was almost inedible. Very bitter tomato sauce with soggy inner crust. My wife's Nicoise salad was only ok. Overall a disappointment with the food.
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BP
BryanP
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on October 24, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Best restaurant in town. I would recommend this restaurant to anyone
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OT
OpenTable Diner
Montreal
9 reviews
5.0
9 reviews
Dined on October 22, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
What a delight! Great location, relaxed decor… yes the lighting is low, but wasn’t an issue. Jerusalem artichoke ravioli was exceptional, and the shared polpettes were savory. This restaurant should be on Canada’s top list. We will be back.
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C
Caroline
1 review
4.0
1 review
Dined on October 20, 2023
overall4food4service5ambience3
Lovely restaurant but the lighting was too dim to read the meal selections. The ricotta app was excellent, the pizzas looked great but we were in the mood for pasta. I found the selections in that regard limiting for an Italian restaurant, option to add protein seemed fairly expensive ($12 to add chicken to $30 dish) . However the pasta we had was excellent and we did enjoy the meal.
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G
Gord
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on October 19, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Little Sparo is a gem of a restaurant in downtown St. John's! The food, the service, and the atmosphere are all phenomenal!
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MC
MontgomeryC
Atlantic Canada
2 reviews
4.0
2 reviews
Dined on October 19, 2023
overall4food5service4ambience3
Outstanding food. Lighting is too low. We were having trouble seeing our meal. No clean wine glasses were available, which delayed the wine that we had ordered and meant that we had no proper wine glasses, which is something that I’ve never experienced in a restaurant.
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OT
OpenTable Diner
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on October 17, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Had an amazing experience - had a great corner seat with the best views of downtown and harbour. The service was outstanding along with the food. I can not wait to go back.
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A
Annie
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on October 17, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
It was a wonderful meal, with excellent service, and the ambience was peaceful, allowing us to chat with no fear of being overheard. The server was attentive, but discrete. All in all, a wonderful evening.
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SP
StephPK
New York Area
39 reviews
vip
4.0
39 reviews
Dined on October 14, 2023
overall4food3service4ambience4
Server was very friendly and food was tasty - will be back
Is this helpful?
K
Kelly
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on October 8, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Great vibe with good food! Nice view! The server was very friendly!
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MD
MikeD
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on October 7, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Beautiful atmosphere, great Italian dishes and excellent service. Highly recommend!
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OT
OpenTable Diner
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on October 6, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
The fresh pasta makes such a difference, it was delicious. Our waiter Fabio was beyond outstanding and made our night so enjoyable.
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KB
KianaB
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on October 6, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
We had the most amazing time here for our anniversary. Our server was amazing (I think his name was Rashid) and we couldn’t have asked for a better experience.
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OT
OpenTable Diner
Atlantic Canada
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on October 6, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Absolutely fantastic service! Food was incredible!
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OT
OpenTable Diner
Atlantic Canada
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on October 6, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
From accommodating our request to relocate to a window table, to offering suggestions and describing the appetizers, main course and desserts with such enthusiasm made for such and enjoyable experience. The server, food presentation and taste was excellent.
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JH
JaclynH
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on October 5, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Ambiance was great, beautiful restaurant, server was amazing. The food was great, we started with the sour dough bread, the meatballs and the Mozzarella balls (these were sooooo good). My husband had the beef with gnocchi and I had the njuda pizza. Perfect medium rare and could cut with a butter knife. The pizza itself looked pretty plain, but the flavor was great! They even gave us a free apple pie to take home with us where it was our anniversary. Great experience 👍
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SR
SebastianR
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on October 1, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Very good, my wife got a free dessert for her birthday and was delicious
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JA
JoanA
New York Area
11 reviews
2.0
11 reviews
Dined on September 30, 2023
overall2food3service3ambience3
Our table was t ready when we arrived. The special was sold out at 8pm. Had to look for wine glasses for the table. No dessert sold out. It is hit or miss with this restaurant. Food was ok nothing to rave about. Our server was sweet but overall experience not great!
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OT
OpenTable Diner
Hawaii
2 reviews
5.0
2 reviews
Dined on September 30, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Waiter was so professional amd didn’t rush us along at all! the food was almost amazing. Meatball appetizer was cold but didn’t bother to say anything. Amazing experience overall!
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SU
ShirleyU
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on September 27, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Tomato Tartin bursted with flavour! Salmon was delicious!
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I
Islandguy
New York Area
4 reviews
4.0
4 reviews
Dined on September 26, 2023
overall4food4service4ambience4
Great food and good service in a quiet tranquil environment. And a great view of the harbour too. Well worth the experience.
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OT
OpenTable Diner
Atlantic Canada
2 reviews
5.0
2 reviews
Dined on September 16, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Great food, & great service! Little on the pricey side but worth it for the quality of food.
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OT
OpenTable Diner
Atlanta Metro
5 reviews
4.0
5 reviews
Dined on September 12, 2023
overall4food4service4ambience4
One of my favorite resto in town. Menu changes but excellent each visit
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SS
SuzanneS
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on September 11, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
We had a fantastic evening at the Sparo! The food was excellent snd the service was wonderful! Highly recommended!
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Safety precautions

Cleaning & sanitising
- Surfaces sanitised between seatings
- Digital, disposable or sanitised menu provided
- Common areas deep-cleaned daily
- Sanitiser or wipes provided for customers

Screening
- Sick staff prohibited in the workplace
- Staff is vaccinated

FAQs

The Little Sparo is rated 4.5 stars by 678 OpenTable diners.

Yes, you can generally book this restaurant by choosing the date, time and party size on OpenTable.

Make a reservation

Party Size

2 people

DateTime

Dec 2, 2023

7:00 p.m.

Booked 11 times today

2 Hill o' Chips, St. John's Newfoundland and Labrador, NL A1C 6B1

Additional information

Neighbourhood
St. John's
Hours of Operation
Breakfast Mon–Fri 7:00 am–10:00 am Brunch Sat, Sun 8:00 am–2:00 pm Dinner Daily 5:00 pm–9:30 pm
Price
CAN$51 and over
Cuisines
Italian
Dining style
Casual Dining
Dress Code
Casual Dress
Parking Details
Paid underground parking
Payment Options
AMEX, Mastercard, Visa
Executive Chef
Colin O'Neill
Additional
Bar/Lounge, Beer, Cocktails, Full Bar, Gender Neutral Restroom, Gluten-free Options, Indoor Fireplace, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Private Room, View, Weekend Brunch, Wheelchair Access, Wine

Website
http://www.thelittlesparo.com/
Phone number
(709) 758-4252

The Little Sparo

Make a reservation

Additional information

Popular dishes

The Sparo Ricotta

Scallops & Pork Belly

Smoked Chicken

Menu

What 678 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

Loved For

Safety precautions

Cleaning & sanitising

Screening

FAQs

How is The Little Sparo restaurant rated?

Is The Little Sparo currently accepting reservations?

Make a reservation

Additional information