This is a great Italian restaurant, just a block from the Carnesecca Arena gate of St. John's University. It's a simple place, the service is very friendly and the food is superb. The owner is visibly present and Mamma Acquista makes some of the dishes,...in particular the Tiramisu that is named for her. We ordered the eggplant Parmigiana and the sea bass. Both were excellent. And, yes, Mamma's Tiramisu does not disappoint--one of my best ever. Service is attentive, casual and exceedingly friendly. If you're somewhere in the St. John's neighborhood, this is the place to dine! (By the way, they offer 10% discount for St. John's students.)More

Tired this place before a basketball game and had a great meal at a very affordable price. Service was also great.....thank you.

We knew this was a special Italian Restaurant when we entered smelling the mouth watering aroma of garlic, warm bread and olive oil. A warm welcome was offered by our server Samantha; she was efficient and professional in spite of a full buzy restaurant. Ice...water and warm Italian bread with EV00 and olives for dipping bread were immediately placed on our table. My husband had the Chicken Marsala. The chicken was moist and flavorful with a hint of lemon and garlic to enhance the flavor and of course delicious fresh mushrooms. The Marsala sauce was so scrumptious we had it over linguine and left not a drop having used our bread to slop it all up… So yummy my mouth is watering just writing about it. The Egg plant Parmesan covered in creamy fresh tasting mozzarella and a pleasant tomato sauce. I especially enjoyed their sauce due to the slight sweetness and background of basil and garlic. Neither flavors overwhelming the dish. Wine beer and cocktails were available. Street parking was a bit difficult, so please leave extra time during peak dining hours. Desserts were available however we were too full to enjoy. Prices were moderate.More

They pleasantly and professionally served 19 people without a hitch. The food was wonderful, as was the service. We had a ball!!

Been eating too much Chinese and Parkside is packed at this hour. Started with a great pasta fagioli then baked clams which were legit LI clams and then had the gnocchi with red sauce and dice mozzarella. All in all it was a great dinner...and I am stuffed! Warm atmosphere for a corner place and attentive service. Don’t know why I can’t add pics. :(More

This is a gem of a place in Fresh Meadows. Near St. John's University and Queens College, it's the perfect place for a quick meal with colleagues or friends. The food is absolutely delicious, although I think it's a little on the pricey side. Nonetheless,...I keep going back for the great food!More

Years ago, this was a terrific neighborhood pizza place; now its a great upscale Italian restaurant. Prices are in-line with fine dining in a casual Queens setting, but this place never disappoints. The food is consistently generously-portioned, high quality, and always tasty. The waitstaff are...attentive, but not overly responsive (viva New York!) We keep going back--its really the best food on Union Turnpike, whether you're a St.John's college student or a longstanding neighborhood resident (as are we).More

Have visited Acquista several times over the past few years and have been pleased every time. Yesterday's lunch was no exception, our waitress (an SJU senior) was anticipating our every need. The food as usual was fresh and well prepared. Farfalle ala Nona was a...great, not drenched in oil as sometimes happens elsewhere. My Cavatelli ala Pugliese was filled with crumbled sausage fresh veggies and perfectly prepared pasta. The wine and beer list fits this sized operation. The dessets are what you would expect the Tiramisu was a very nice sized portion we shared. All in all if in the area a fine place to stop.More

Tonight was my second visit, lunch the first time, dinner tonight. Both very nice meals. Consistent. Service was very good both times. Nothing fancy tonight, but the Mozzarella en carozza was fresh and a nice sized appetizer. A caesar salad for me with fresh (nice...and warm) grilled chicken and also prosciutto, a nicely presented dish and very tasty, good portions. My friend had a nice panini. Our waitress was very pleasant and although she got busy, we had everything we needed in a short amount of time. She was apologetic and friendly, it did not detract from the experience at all.More

I have been to Aquista a few times. The food is very good but a little pricey. They have lunch specials that are great and very reasonable, but cash only. Worth carrying the cash!!!!

I have been at this place twice before and found it unpretentious but the good was good. Since then the place was enlarged but we did not enjoy the food. I had veal Marsala, my wife had Branzino, neither was good.The wine selection was decent.

When my daughter lived close by, we used to go there at least twice a week. We never had a bad meal.