La Vita in West Lothian

Quick service and excellent food

Best pollo milanese outside of Italy.

Had a lovely meal here yesterday teatime. Food was lovely and the staff were very friendly and attentive.

A great wee restaurant in local village. Fantastic service and food was beautiful x Lost a star I feel the menu could do with a revamp. Always the same dishes. Maybe a savoury special might be a good idea.

Small restaurant, wouldn't say it's authentic Italian. Pizzas, lasagna and calamari were edible nothing great.

The entrance to this bistro/restaurant is not immediately obvious as it is tucked in next to the car park off the Main Street running through West Calder. The interior is quite informal with the open kitchen overlooking part of the dining area but I didn’t think it had a particularly Italian feel to the place. When our family of 4 adults and 2 children called in to celebrate our granddaughter’s birthday at lunchtime on a Monday it was very quiet and lacked ambiance. (The floor was still damp from just having been mopped clean and their was a smell of disinfectant in the air). The menu has a selection of starters, pizzas, pastas, burgers, kebabs and steaks which are all typically priced between £5 - £8 for starters, £12 - £30 for mains (the highest for steaks) and around £5 - £6 for desserts. There were no fish dishes but I did see some chicken and beef options. We ordered up three starters to share and these were quickly provided and tasty. The mains selection included a ham & cheese pizza (provided despite it not being on the menu), a couple of other pizzas, a kids dish and a couple of pasta dishes. I had Penne con Fungi (£13.50) which was served with a tomato based sauce and was reasonable enough without being special. Everyone seemed to enjoy their food which was not unexpected since it was all standard fayre. By the time we’d added a cider, a large glass of white wine, some soft drinks and a few coffees the bill amounted to £131. Service was efficient and the waitress on duty was kind enough to allow for a birthday cake brought by the family to be served at the table. The unisex toilet was well maintained. There are picnic tables outside however I personally can’t see the attraction of sitting in a car park eating. The restaurant does provide takeaways for those who prefer to eat on the move or at home.

THE BEST CARBONARA I'VE EVER HAD!!! CALZONE VERY NICE AND TASTY, ALL FRESHLY PREPARED VERY NICE AND, GOOD SERVICE TOO

We ordered a huge pizza order to nearby hilly cow wigwams and they came right to the door of the accommodation. The pizzas were delivered piping hot and were all delicious! Very very reasonable as wells The team even kindly threw in a bottle of wine which was such a lovely touch! Would 100% recommend, amazing service and great food

La Vita really is a gem of a place, our new favourite restaurant. Excellent food and amazing service. The staff are fantastic , friendly and so helpful. 😀

Service charge is a bit over the top I'll NOT be back wheelchair friendly NOT

Lovely meal great cocktails and great service we'll definitely be back

If I place an order for 9.15pm - 9.30pm, why would you think appropriate to deliver at 8.30pm? This has happened on more than one occasion and has sadly put me off ordering again. I will add that the pizza is very fresh tasting and never had an issue with the food.

First time, amazing food and friendly service despite having every table full and lots of takeaway orders. Will defo be back

Very reasonably priced for amazing quality and portion size. Only thing which ninjas disappointed in, perhaps not the best word was that they don't offer custard for the hot sponge puddings. I do love custard on a hot desert, not ice cream or cream. Didn't deter me however.

Great food been going here since it opened never had a bad meal !

We have been eating here for a few years now , and as always the pizzas are amazing and the beer is cold . Service is good aswell.

We have as a family been going to la Vitas since the early 90's booking a 60th birthday party.always a fantastic service.

Excellent food, well pleased. Will return.

A lovely restaurant, attentive staff and lovely food

Good service and great food and not overpriced.

Small italian restaurant, excellent service, very homely feel, kids & adults will love it.

Food, service and whole experience just fabulous 👌

Food and service was great as always 😋 . Definitely a favourite of ours

Intimate place with proper Italian food. Great staff who will chat away and make you feel at ease.

Good to be back again. Excellent food and service 👌

I love the food here, and the service is great. It has a nice, friendly atmosphere and I keep going back.

Awesome food. Amazing desserts. You have to park on the road but food is great.

Have been a huge fan of this restaurant, their food and staff since they opened. However, I feel I must give extra thanks to the staff for the wonderful welcome and meal they hosted for my parents’ 50th Wedding Anniversary recently. The restaurant was very busy for a Friday night, but the staff were very attentive and the food was served promptly and hot, plus was super-tasty. They even decorated the table for our party of nine and helped serenade my Mum & Dad when their cake came out. Thank you La Vita Viva, you made a special meal, extra special

Ordered pepe steak /pepper corn sauce, tasted only of balsamic vinegar . Salad was just lettuce in big chunks. Partner had steak Diana, tasted fine smaller steak but actually tasted of peppercorn Not worth the money .

Went to park outside restaurant blocked by rude owner of restaurant tipping rubbish told me I'd have to reverse car onto busy road! Then to be told I'm not welcome in his restaurant. Easily resolved if he moved into car park turn around. Instead got aggressive and approached car I'm assuming this was the owner!! I'll never be back this local business dose not respect its customers. Plus somebody need to learn the highway code CANT Reverse into a Main Road. Been once and it would be my last time going Back Simply been put off by this..However Fork and Field down the Road outstanding on this occasion. If I could rate Zero Star I would. Please learn customer service and manners! Word of mouth travels If the owner attudie is like this, he'll soon have no customers it all starts at the top. Friends eat here alot and was shocked to here it. You'd be better of at Tony Macs in Livingston. It's a real sign of a poor business if you can't address the negative feedback. Positive feedback only gets a look in. Bring shame to the Italian community

Normally we have takeaways from the restaurant

Lovely restaurant, food is always amazing. Chicken kebab is one of my favourites, always recommend this when people ask Staff are very friendly, welcoming and always attentive. Have always recommended la vita to friends and family and they’ve always said how good it is and been back numerous times for different occasions :)

We have visited this restaurant many times over the years and it's always been a great experience. The steak with sauce is perfect and the pizzas and pasta dishes are a favourite. Some of our party had dietary requirements and there were a range of gluten free/vegetarian options available. We find the staff friendly and helpful and would recommend this restaurant to anyone.

Great food friendly staff very accommodating need to visit more often

Food is amazing really enjoyed everything that was ordered. We had pizza, pasta and chicken dishes so a great variety too.

We done takeaway because in the situation we had no alternative. I was hoping for something different, but left totally unimpressed, the flavour for the gnocchi was good, but there was so much sauce it was hard to find the gnocchi, risotto made with basmati rice is really nothing like a good risotto, it was what it was, rice and sauce. This is why I dont do takeaway you end up with slopping food that lacks any kind of structure. Last time we done takeaway was 10 years ago, guess what nothing changes

One of our party had been before and raved about the kebabs so three out of our party of six ordered the chicken kebabs and said it was ok. You’d honestly think there would have been an option of a flat bread and various sauces to make it more authentic, not just chips or rice. The smallest ramekin of ‘sauce’ was for all of the three dinners….. The tomato, ham and mushroom risotto had very little ham and was made with basmati rice. Risotto is made with risotto rice and is associated with Italian cuisine. Basmati is associated with many cuisines but mainly Indian or Pakistani…. The carbonara was bland and should have pancetta or at the very least, bacon. The meat in this one was more like cold meat cut into bits. Credit where it’s due, the salmon La vita was delicious. Three of the party had desserts and they all loved them! We had a birthday cake with us and one had a slice of that which the server brought to the table. Overall, we were disappointed in the food. Nothing special, overpriced and we won’t be back.

Outstanding food and cocktails and friendly staff

We come here all the time- amazing food and always a wonderful service 😃

Great little restaurant. Staff friendly and welcoming. Visited many times and tried most of the menu - hits the spot. House red very good too. If you have room, try the artisan cheesecakes.

One of the best meals out we have had.

Really nice little Italian had a lovely meal. We done the half pizza - half pasta, everything came piping hot and delicious. Finished off the meal with the chocolate brownie and meringue and cream. Second time going and will be back!

Went to La Vita with 2 friends, their first visit and enjoyed excellent food & service

Amazing food and fabulous gluten free options basically everything GF pizza is the best we have had

Table for 17, 4 under 7 celebrations for 2 birthday boy's Staff very helpful and friendly food was a good mix of the menu and everything was excellent will definitely be back 👏👏

Always love dining here. Food really good. Staff just lovely. Worth a visit.

First time here although my friends had all been before. Have to say was very happy with price, food and service. We all had something g different sow as good to compare. We all loved our food absolutely no complaints. The serving staff were all lovely and very attentive. Knowledge of food very good. Only gave 4 star as I feel the ambiance need a bit of tweaking. Perhaps lowering the lights and light candles on tables. Room was very bright and not very cozy

This place is fantastic, staff very friendly, great food. Then down to the adjoining bar for football or relaxing after your meal. One of our favourite places to go when we are back visiting.

Excellent service and food. Pricing very sensible. Will be back...

Love their food and service is amazing

We booked here for dinner as a treat for our daughter as we were advised to try the home made pizza. We were the first family to arrive , although there were other people in right behind us and they were served first. We were not asked if we wanted any sauce etc and when I had to ask 5 mins after my pizza was on the table the lady returned with 1 sachet of tomato sauce (although there were 3 of us at the table) The lady dropped the sachet on the table and walked away without even asking what kind of sauce we were wanting. My chips arrived when the pizza was finished . We got the idea it was because we were not regulars as the staff seemed to ignore us and they even asked the people beside us if they were enjoying there meals. We were like strangers in the corner . What a shame because the food was nice

Great place too go Great staff Great food

I had such a lovely evening went to celebrate my friends birthday xx

This is a lovely restaurant where they have a varied menu that meet everyone's needs. Whether you are wanting to enjoy a romantic meal for two, family meal or any special occasion, all are welcome. The quality of food is fantastic. They also provide for those who are Vegetarian and Gluten intolerant. Friendly and welcoming staff help create a nice warm atmosphere.

Lasagne is very nice and a decent size too

Lovely steak. Would have preferred a choice of veg rather than just salad.

Very nice good food great staff decent prices in these trying times

Good quality, minestrone very tasty, garlic bread like a pizza, top, pizza margarita and spagetti carbonara also very good. Not to forget the chocolate fudge with ice cream (or cream)

Lovely lady,all very friendly! Hidden jem of a place - food amazing...... We will definately be back

Just went for my mates birthday and the food and service was awesome. Calzone was huge and delicious. Great friendly vibe about this place and they made my mates face turn red when they provided and a birthday surprise ice-cream with a huge sparkler. Best moment ever! Thanks again!

Excellent service and food I will be back

Lovely wee restaurant just off the main street in Mid Calder. Delicious food and a menu to suit most people. I wouldn't consider it too expensive. The staff are very friendly and vert attentive.

Popped in with no reservation on a Saturday night and they couldn't have been any more friendly and welcoming. The food was delicious and very reasonably priced. Portion sizes are generous so both left happy and full. The staff were lovely. The only tiny downside is there was nowhere to park and I have mobility issues but that's not their fault just something others might need to keep in mind

I have been here twice and wasn't particularly wowed by anything on either occasion. On the first occasion, I phoned ahead to check they had a particular type of food on the menu (I forget which type of food) and I was told it would be available. However, when we turned up, it was not on the menu. I'm unsure if I was told it was on the menu just to get a customer through the door. The place itself isn't very atmospheric or Italian feeling. You would be forgiven for thinking you were in a garden centre tea room. The food is adequate, bordering on average. I always begrudge paying to eat at an Italian restaurant because the food is generally cheap to make, so I expect something special on the odd occasion that I visit somewhere serving this sort of cuisine. Unfortunately I didn't get anything special at La Vita. I could have produced something just as good at home, for a smaller price. Not for me, I'm afraid.

Excellent staff and good quality food

Lovely helpful staff. Four of us enjoyed lunch at a reasonable price.

Had a really great meal here. Three of us, each with different choices and we all loved it. Great quality of food and service look forward to next time 😊

Another fabulous meal in a warm, welcoming restaurant.

I have been here many times, twice in the last 2 weeks, I decided tonight to have the calamari for my starter, this was the best I have had, cooked to perfection, I would recommend this restaurant 100% , it is local to me , just a 15 minute walk and so worth a visit, staff are so helpful and polite ,

Lovely little place. Staff are fantastic

Love this place. Good food done well . Service always efficient and friendly. What more could you want

Just moved to the area so thought we would give it a try. The pizza was delicious the chips were hot and the mozzarella stickes delish. We also got strawberry meragne. Not eaten it yet but looks delish. We will definitely order again. Thanks for our delivery

Fantastic service and the food was lovely

Had heard good things about this place so thought we'd give it a try. On entering there was a strong smell of cheap bleach which put me off right away. However we were welcomed promptly and taken to a nice table. The menu was very limited. I had the garlic mushrooms to start with which weren't particularly pleasant. The prawn cocktails looked OK but nothing outstanding. We had a bottle of chianti which was nice and a bottle of Italian sauvignon blanc which was pretty bad and not very cold but we drank it anyway. The pizzas were absolutely delicious but the carbonara was a bit tasteless. Service was good and the waiting staff were friendly. The lighting is far too bright. Defeats the purpose of the nice little candles on the tables. No need for these bright ceiling downlighters. Just doesn't create the right ambience. Overall an average experience and I'd be reluctant to recommend.

Visit regularly and always same great food and service.., even when it's busy like this evening. Staff are always friendly and helpful

It is very rare for us to say when visiting a new place that we want to go back a second time on our second night. We went for the chicken kebab with rice, a chicken kebab with chips, a pepperoni pizza with chips and chicken cooked in a mushroom and cream sauce. It is an Italian restaurant and the chicken kebab was cooked perfectly, the meat was tender and was very tasty. The pepperoni pizza was not at all greasy and was of a good size. The mushroom and cream sauce with the chicken was lovely. All very tasty, absolute compliments to the chefs working there, they should be very proud of themselves. The service was great and for a three course meal was very good value for money. If we were ever near Edinburgh again, we would definitely book this restaurant again.

Amazing service , staff very polite and attentive, food was delicious catered for 15 of us amazingly for my mums 60th birthday meal ! Thank you all and other people in eating whom joined in to sing happy birthday with us 😊 30/12/21

We had a lovely lunch at La Vita. The service is always warm friendly and good value for money.

Basic food, uncomfortable, noisy..wouldn't go back

Average food.wouldn't rushback..not very nice inside..very noisy

Great place to eat! Takeaway is just as good! Thank you for all your hard work. Would highly recommend to anybody in the local area

Very disappointing meal. We tried this restaurant expecting typical Italian cuisine. This is not Italian cooking and is way below parr.

having some free time on our hands for the last month, we invariably find ourselvers dropping in for a lunch pasta, pizza and spaghetti all great, pricing acceptable but how about a loyalty card ? :)

This is the first time I have ordered from La Vita Viva, well having said that I did have food from the Tap shop maybe 27 years ago was lovely also. Anyway... Honestly the food was superb, I'm always sceptical about eating anything other than home made however I can highly recommend la vita viva.i had the steak Diana which come with chips and salad , the salad was lovely also and had a really tasty dressing. I had also ordered the chocolate fudgecake which I am yet to try but I'm sure it will be equally as good.Portion size was also great. No complaints from myself or my little missy who wanted a taste.Speedy delivery and the woman who dropped it off was friendly.Many Thanks I will definitely be a returning customer.

Delicious food. Lovely service and very reasonably priced. Highly recommend

Super kind service, great simple food, and clean restaurant, and gluten free choices. Will definitely go back.

Delicious food. Nice friendly staff. My only complaint was the courses were served very quickly. The starter was taken away and the main course put straight down. The whole meal was over in 45 minutes. It felt rushed. But I would go back for food and atmosphere.b

Excellent food and nice friendly staff

Have visited this restaurant twice with different friends this month. Cannot fault the service, staff are really friendly and the food is great.

Fast and friendly service. The food is good and well presented. The interior is basic and lacks ambience. Nothing special, but worth a visit.

Average for Italian restaurant, served with a wee bit of chat.Food nice but chose wrong I think... Average... price average also.

Absolutely brilliant, great food, good service and reasonable prices. Definitely recommend it.

We visited for a family birthday, booking just half an hour before arriving. We had a great time! Very fast service, good quality Italian food+ burgers etc and vegetarian options. Very friendly and welcoming service. Great, lively background music and great local atmosphere. Not posh and uncomfortable in any way - good happy atmosphere and happy staff. Popular with locals including all age groups from young to old. We had a relaxing meal, enjoyed the food and the atmosphere very much and will visit again. Nice to see young children and babies being positively welcomed. Very clean and all covid precautions were in place, very reassuring. Thank you.

Food was great following several visits, the staff were great too.

Fantastic lovely food ☺️. Was my birthday when I was there they even played happy birthday to me would highly recommend this place ☺️.

Good food. Staff friendly. Service quick and lovely atmosphere. Prices were very competitive too.

Amazing food and great service really friendly staff

Loving the pizza kits.. 6 we've had in a week 😘

Lovely food staff and surroundings

I went with family and friends the meal was outstanding, the table service was excellent