Along Winthrop Street in Taunton, Massachusetts, sits a warm, welcoming dining room that’s been quietly turning first-time visitors into regulars since it opened in November 2014.
La Familia Restaurant built its reputation on a menu that blends classic Italian cooking with a distinct Portuguese flair, using fresh ingredients in every dish that comes out of the kitchen. 🍽️
It’s the kind of family-owned restaurant where the pasta feels homemade, and the portions feel generous, which is exactly why Taunton keeps coming back for more.
How La Familia Restaurant won Taunton’s hearts
The restaurant’s story starts with Chef Ever Amaya, who has been cooking in fine dining kitchens since 1989 and opened the original Taunton location in November 2014 alongside his two cousins, Chef Alex Amaya and Neto Amaya.
Alex brings his own culinary background dating back to 1999 and specializes in the restaurant’s Italian dishes, while Neto oversees hospitality, service, and private events.
What sets this Taunton restaurant apart is the way it blends two food cultures without either one feeling like an afterthought.
The Italian dishes taste properly Italian, and the Portuguese specialties taste properly Portuguese, giving diners a menu that feels genuinely bicultural rather than a gimmick.
This family Italian restaurant has grown into a small local group with additional locations in South Easton, Cumberland, and Wrentham, but the original Taunton spot on Winthrop Street remains the heart of the operation. 🇮🇹🇵🇹
Food Highlights
-
Portuguese Steak: A thin-pounded sirloin steak seared in a cast iron pan, then sautéed in olive oil, garlic, lemon, butter, white wine, and beer for a bold, tangy finish 🥩
- Linguine Carbonara: Made with pancetta, onions, green peas, and egg yolk in a touch of cream, finished with romano cheese and black pepper
-
Chicken Sorrentino: Sautéed in mushroom white wine and light basil marinara, topped with eggplant, prosciutto, and mozzarella over angel hair pasta 🍆
- Salmon ala Vodka: Fresh salmon cubes sautéed with peas and mushrooms in a creamy vodka sauce.
-
Fettuccine Bolognese: A homemade sauce simmered with beef, veal, and sweet Italian sausage, finished with Parmesan over fettuccine 🍝
-
Chicken Mozambique: A Portuguese-style chicken dish served over rice, reflecting the restaurant’s signature fusion of flavors
- Chicken Milanese: A thinly pounded, lightly breaded chicken cutlet pan-fried with lemon and finished with fresh Parmesan, served with a baby arugula salad. 🍋
-
Beef Tips: Tender beef sautéed with mushrooms, onions, and peppers, a hearty option for anyone craving comfort food 🍄
Atmosphere
The dining room has a casual, family-friendly feel, the kind of neighborhood restaurant where regulars greet the staff by name.
It’s an easy setting for a weeknight dinner or a bigger family gathering, with the same menu, service, and homemade desserts consistent across all four locations.
Nothing about the space feels rushed or overly formal, which keeps it comfortable for both quick lunches and slower dinners.
It’s unmistakably a family Italian restaurant built for repeat visits.
Bottom Line
Visit for the rare Italian-Portuguese menu blend, the hearty homemade pasta dishes, the tender Portuguese Steak, the consistent quality across every location, and the genuinely family-run atmosphere that keeps Taunton diners coming back.
Address:
431 Winthrop Street, Taunton, MA 02780
📞 (508) 823-8664
🕔 Mon-Thu & Sun, 11:30 AM–8 PM; Fri-Sat, 11:30 AM–9 PM