Benzina

Was headed to Sauce and Shells on a Monday, they were closed and Angelo's had an hour wait…read more Miraculously after overhearing the hostess tell one party they would have to check back in 2 hours myself and my partner snagged a spot at the bar and learned about half-priced pasta! I feel fortunate because read other reviews here that said it took 2 months to secure a Monday reservation. I recently decided that I am not going to live a gluten free lifestyle even if my 4th cousin from 23andme suggested that everyone on earth is gluten intolerant and there is a global conspiracy to poison us all with gluten ataxia. Starting with the bread, we were already impressed. The texture was perfect, crunchy on the outside and soft in the inside. There was another review that said it's not that great. Not sure what that persons problem is. I didn't know what to order so got the pasta rustica, a little marinara some ricotta. I understand from the other reviews that this is American Italian food but worked for me. My partner enjoyed the steak/Gorgonzola pasta. That was tasty too, I had the leftovers the next day! The limoncello cake, omg so good

We made reservations for 5:15pm on a Saturday and were greeted and seated immediately upstairs. Our…read moreserver came over shortly with water and went over what was not available on the menu and what specials were available that evening. After that bread was brought over so we could dip into the already placed olive oil and vinegar that was on the table prior to sitting. We started with the calamari with was tasty but noticed the breading kept falling off the rings. I kept having to scoop the fallen breading out of the dipping sauce. For entrees, I got the mussels and linguine and my husband got the chicken piccata. Every mussel in my dish had meat in it which was nice but I felt like the overall dish was missing something as it was quite acidic tasting.. maybe some cream? The chicken piccata was pretty good, with mushrooms, artichokes, carrots, broccolini, and capers. My husband doesn't really like mushrooms or artichokes so I had a few bites of those and they were tasty. He said the dish reminded him of "old world piccata" and not the modern dish he was expecting of just chicken, capers, and pasta. But he said he did enjoy it. Service was slow and we did hear the next table have some complaints and their bill was comped. We did wait a bit between each course and for the server to appear for the bill. Overall, Odyssey restaurant was ok. The vibe is very cool as it is a converted home.

Ambiance

Gnocchi with Italian sausage, parpadelle with lamb shank, lobster ravioli and PEI Mussels...

See all

Tiramisu

Tavernetta

4.5(940 reviews)

3.8 mi•Lodo, Northwest

Had dinner reservations for two, and was delighted that the table was ready when we got there…read more Everyone was super friendly and service was good. We started with the burrata based on Yelp reviews and they weren't wrong. Super fresh tasting, and the focaccia paired with it perfectly. It's an upcharge but worth it, and you aren't at a place like this to pinch pennies anyways. We both chose the rigatoni, we had a heavy lunch, and it was perfect. The sauce was deep and hearty and the pasta was exactly al dente. We split a strawberry guacamole sorbet and glad we did, it was larger than expected and absolutely delicious. Place has the feel of a modern restaurant, very sleek. My only complaint was that we were seated next to a room with a large group and it was hard to hear each other talk, but nothing to be done about that. Really great place with a highly focused menu that knocks it out of the park. J.Ja

Utria left us hanging ( literally forgotten by our waiter, no apology, nothing). So my wife and I…read morewalked out and landed at Tavernetta... and damn, that place delivered every single thing we were looking for. We started with the burrata, and I'm not exaggerating when I say it was the BEST burrata I've ever had. Not the best in Denver. The best, period. Backed that up with a solid salad, then moved into a homemade pasta with ragù that had no business being that good. Finished with dessert and walked out wondering why we'd even bothered with Utria in the first place. Here is the thing though... sometimes you need a bad experience to land in the right place. Tavernetta didn't need our five stars: but it earned them anyway.

2.7 mi•Alamo Placita, Southwest

Interior

Insalata Di Stagione

See all

Old Fashioned

Angelo’s Taverna

4.4(2k reviews)

Always love this place. Excellent happy hour, good service…read more I am a big oyster fan and was skeptical in Colorado, but they're always on point, fresh and delicious. The chargrilled ones are also terrific.

Great spot for a tasty dinner on the patio! We had a group of 5 on a Friday night and easily got a…read moretable outside around 5:30, then it seemed like the place really started filling up after 6. They have great happy hour deals on food and drinks (I ordered the happy hour Caesar salad and it was a good sized portion!). The dinner menu has lots of great options. I loved the ragu di capra with pappardelle. We also shared calamari, gluten-free pizza, and oysters. The calamari has a nice light breading with a sweet red pepper glaze - definitely try this if you like calamari! Would definitely go back for another girls night or date night.

4.9 mi•Highland, Northwest

The Church of Pasta?

Happy hour oysters

See all

Spuntino

4.3(540 reviews)

Have wanted to try Spuntino for a while. Went for a birthday dinner celebration. We were a party of…read morefour with various food allergies, and despite the family-style nature of the offerings, Spuntino was able to accommodate our needs, and we had a great meal. We were seated at the front by the window, which was nice. It did get a little hot in the restaurant as more people arrived, since it has been unusually warm in Denver this season. We split six plates and were stuffed by the time the celebratory dessert arrived. We started with the burrata, which paired well with apple butter and pickled apples. The arancini was a fusion of Indian spiced cauliflower with mint-cilantro yogurt raita. My favorite of the Spuntini dishes was the Granchio--jumbo lump crab served over a crispy potato cake with butternut squash and a perfect 63 ° egg. We split two Primi dishes: their special of the day pasta, and the Cappellini Aglio e Olio. The Cappellini was amazing--a perfect blend of Indian spices, breadcrumbs, and another 63 ° egg. Yum. If you love scallops, the Capesante dish is not to be missed. These were some of the sweetest, perfectly prepared scallops I have had.

Indian-Italian fusion was not on my bingo card this month, but it was amazing! Loved the unique…read moreblend of flavors. Great bartender, fun crowd on a weeknight, and cozy bar atmosphere. The meatball was 10/10!!!! Get the meatball.

Inside

Special of the day, truffle pasta

See all

Bella Italia

4.5(306 reviews)

2.2 mi•Southeast

Delicious food in a fun casual atmosphere. Large portions and authentic flavor! Will definitely…read morecome back.

Atmosphere 10/10 Food 10/10…read moreService was a 20/10 -- Sicilian and Italian Americans, DO NOT let you go hungry, EVER, and this is AUTHENTIC pizza & Italian/Sicilian desserts. The wine selection is hand-picked as well so it's got some great options to go to there! The owner and operator is a great chef, as are all the additional chefs, and they're super chill guys! Very nice, friendly, and they make you feel like family. Desserts are also a 20/10, in their OWN category. Yum! I will be back for the Tiramisu, both versions (regular and Raspberry!) as well as the Lobster Tails. I have never had my mouth water before the food got brought out, but it was here... and my taste buds were super happy and not at ALL disappointed! You want some good Italian/Sicilian food? Go here. Period.

Dining Room

Rice Balls

See all

Garlic Cheese Bread

Panzano

4.3(1.3k reviews)

3.3 mi•CBD, Northwest

I have been wanting to try Panzano out for years now, so I am glad the opportunity presented…read moreitself. Panzano is located inside the Hotel Monaco along 17th in downtown Denver. When you make reservations, and it is highly recommended that you do, there is an option to select a preset theatre menu option- Theatre Prix Fixe for $60 per person or the traditional menu option. The Theatre menu is the way to go for sure. For my first course, I selected the Insalata di Caesar. This is a very large portion of salad so be forewarned but it is also very good, so win-win. For the main course, I opted for the Pollo alla Milanese. Also, a huge plate of food. I was able to make two additional meals from the chicken. The tagliatelle was perfectly cooked and the sauce paired perfectly well with the breaded chicken. Perfetto! For dessert, I had to try the Budino di Caramello. The butterscotch was truly delectable. Our server and the staff at Panzano were amazing and checked in on us frequently. I highly recommend Panzano if you're in the area.

Got the bourbon flight. It was strong, hit the nose nicely, but the rye-like flavor just isn't for…read moreme. 6.5/10. The orange cream soda was really good. 8/10. Calamari was mid. Too much batter. 6/10. The Brussels sprouts were a standout. Super crispy with a sweet glaze, and the apple salad on top tied it all together. 9/10. Service was great overall, just wish they checked in a bit more. 8/10. Vibes were solid but nothing crazy. 7/10.

Dining Room

Cavolini di Bruxelles (fried brussels sprout, apple cider reduction, pistachio, rosemary salt, sliced green apple)--delish!

See all

Banana Bread French Toast

Cranelli's Italian Restaurant

4.4(2.4k reviews)

13.4 mi

The food was amazing and the service was great. The experience was very comfortable and relaxing.read more

Cranelli's is the Gold Winner for the Best Italian food, awarded by Best of Mile High 2026…read more I have trying out quite a few Italian restaurants across the United States. My personal favorite is Cranelli's Italian restaurant in Lone Tree, Colorado. We were very warmly greeted as we arrived at the restaurant. On this particular day, we were there during happy hour because I had a nearby appointment. Right away, the ambiance was warm, cozy, had the feeling of a "real" Italian restaurant. We were taken to a table and within minutes the server approached with warm freshly baked garlic knots and asked if we would like to order any drinks or appetizers. Cranelli's has amazing happy hour deals on fabulous appetizers. We enjoyed every single bite of everything we tried and the drink deals were great, too. But the magic really happened with the entrees. I always order the chicken cacciatore. The level of the flavor and the intensity of flavor honestly feels like a party in my mouth. There is so much food if you get the full size, which I do, just so I will deliberately have leftovers. I got four meals out of my full size cacciatore! Mama Mia! My dining companion had the lasagna and we both Ooo'd and ahhh'd over it. Every bite so delicious. Our bill was so reasonable and we can't wait to go back!!!

2.0 mi•Cherry Creek, Southeast

Bar area

Eggplant Parmigiana

See all

Chicken Piccata

Quality Italian

4.0(731 reviews)

Full bar

Gluten-free friendly

There is a very positive, warm vibe when you walk into this restaurant. Beautiful decor, nice staff…read moreand comfortable seating. We placed our drink orders and proceeded to do a family style dinner. We ordered Salmon and Yellow Fin Crudo, Caesar salad, Cao De Pepe, Filet Steak, Hanger Steak and fried Brussel sprouts. The presentation and quality of the food was amazing. We followed this with several of their incredible desserts. This might have been the best dessert menu I have ever experienced. Service was in the top 10 of all restaurants I have reviewed worldwide. I recommend you book a reservation, this place is a Denver favorite and gets the big crowd they deserve. Great foodservice act all around. Excellent price/value

Went here for a friend's bday. The atmosphere was nice and our waiter was friendly…read more I ordered a Caesar salad and asked to add a protein - the options were shrimp or crab. I chose shrimp. The waiter asked if I wanted them cold or grilled, I said grilled. And asked for dressing on the side. The salad came with the dressing mixed in and 3 (very large) cold shrimp. I didn't complain because I didn't feel the mistakes were big enough to warrant it. But upon seeing the bill, I wish I would have complained. The add-on price of the 3 shrimp that went on my mediocre $19 salad was $23 !!! So I paid over $50 after tax and tip for a meal that came out with two mistakes. They didn't even offer fresh pepper. Very disappointing.

See all

Osteria Marco

4.1(2k reviews)

3.6 mi•Lodo, Northwest

Truly a stellar experience celebrating a friend's birthday... We came with a big group of about 10…read morepeople, and the staff handled it flawlessly--from the seating arrangements to the service, everything was smooth and well-organized. It's not always easy to find a place that can accommodate a large party while still delivering top-notch food and service, but they absolutely nailed it. The meal itself was outstanding. We started with a variety of fresh salads, which were crisp, flavorful, and beautifully presented. The pasta dishes were a real highlight--each one cooked al dente and full of rich, authentic Italian flavor. The pizzas were just as impressive, with delicious crusts and fresh toppings that had everyone reaching for seconds -- the burrata is so good. The atmosphere was warm and inviting, and the staff remained attentive throughout the evening--even with a full table. They made sure drinks were topped up, courses came out in good time, and everyone felt well taken care of. If you're looking for genuine Italian cuisine and a place that can handle a crowd without sacrificing quality, this is it. Highly recommend and would definitely come back again! Note: There is a 22% mandatory service fee and the expectation of an additional tip.

Overall, I was pretty pleased with this place. Had a table outside, which was kinda nice because…read morethe street was blocked off. The Arancini was good, but I would not say it was amazing. The carbonara was really good and the Bolognese with spectacular. The waiter was really great for the first half of the meal and then he was awkwardly absent for the second half which was a little annoying. Two side notes. Number one the pizzas looked really good, but we didn't try it. Number two, they do add this weird gratuity charge to your bill so pay attention and don't overtip. It's some sort of Denver city tax.

Wine racks as walls

Calamari

See all

-spaghetti promodoro with meatballs - brussel sprout - fried calamari - glass of barbera wine

Gaetano's

3.8(1k reviews)

4.7 mi•Northwest

Absolutely loved this place. Honestly, not sure why the reviews aren't even higher than they are,…read morebut to each their own I suppose. The restaurant has a classic old school Italian rat pack throwback vibe. It's fun and lively and a great place to join friends for dinner. Food here is genuinely delicious. I grew up in a big Italian family and have eaten a lot of Italian food over the years. This is exactly the kind of Italian comfort food I was hoping for. Super flavorful and delicious dishes that won't disappoint. We tried the Gnnochi Salsicia, Lobster Ravioli, Tasty Treats and lasagna (always kind of hesitant to try a lasagna or spaghetti) and all of them were amazing. The Lobster Ravioli and Gnnochi were probably the table favorites and were genuinely two of the best dishes I've had at an Italian food spot in a long time. Absolutely plan to make this a regular stop moving forward!

My family and I stopped in for a quick lunch. We ordered caesar salad (the only great dish), clam…read moreaglio & olio, and the mushroom pizza. The aglio was bland and flavorless with cheap, frozen clams that tasted so fishy (and maybe old?). How are you going to charge $25 for overcooked pasta and frozen fishy clams? Ridiculous and a scam. Pizza dough was not even pizza-esque and felt so thin, it was crumbly. Service: 3.5/5