Since opening in 2009, La Forchetta has become a top destination for lovers of Italian food in the Stuart area. The cozy restaurant is so popular that the owners, the Di Fede family, opened a second location on U.S. Highway 1 in Stuart. For various reasons, the family recently sold the new business, but the Lost River Road location continues to thrive (reservations are recommended during the season).
The menu at La Forchetta features many traditional Italian dishes—chicken and veal marsala, Francese and Piccata, for example—but there are also some nice surprises, such as the herb-roasted salmon, Veal Porto (with port wine sauce and pine nuts) and Chicken Luca (sautéed with shiitake mushrooms and asparagus and topped with a plum tomato wine sauce). There’s also an enticing variety of pasta, as well as a separate pizza menu.
When I dined here with a friend recently, we were served by Rita, one of the owners, and she was warm, welcoming and full of suggestions on what to order. For an appetizer, we decided to split the bruschetta burrata and crostini; chopped seasoned tomatoes served on crostini and topped with a generous portion of creamy burrata and a peppery arugula salad. 
I chose the Veal Saltimbocca Florentine for my entrée; a plate of three large scaloppini topped with prosciutto and mozzarella, served with a white wine butter sauce on a bed of spinach. The veal was fork-tender and the dish was full of earthy flavor. My dining companion ordered the Penne di Papa, a generous portion of penne combined with sautéed shiitake mushrooms, Bolognese sauce and topped with shaved Parmesan—a rich and satisfying dish.
For dessert, we enjoyed a house-made caramelized apple cheesecake, a delicious ending to a memorable meal.
La Forchetta, 7820 SW Lost River Road, Stuart; 772.872.7333; laforchetta.net
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