Casa Rugantino was great--I was really please with our dining experience. We had a large group of 11, and they were a) able to accommodate us (we called a week before) and b) accommodated us well in their small space. Nice work, guys. We had a range of vegetarians to meat-eaters, so we ordered: bruschetta, an apperitivio, cappellini, carabonara, spaghetti and meatballs, steak tenderloin, and some things in between. Their wine selection was also great. They sold us on dessert; I definitely recommend the tartuffa, raspberry is best. The lemon sorbet looked amazing, but alas. I guess next time. The good: solid experience. The bad: the bread was ok, kind of meh. Protip: the oil/vinegar bottle on the table is, in fact, for use. It's pretty, for sure, but use it, fool! Gotta douse that bread in tastiness. read more

Great atmosphere. And I loved the aroma wafting about. As for my dinner: the seafood linguini was served luke warm. Had to ask for it to be warmed up. Mediocre at best. Meh. read more

Very nice cozy place, my seafood linguine was tasty, wine was good, lovely waitress.. Will return for sure read more

Casa Rugantino - Seafood Linguine - Italian Near Me - Kitchener, Ontario

We reside in Vancouver but our daughter attends WLU and this is our go-to place for an excellent meal. The staff and servers are always friendly and they remember you! The food is always first-rate and delicious. We always eat too much! Love it! And TY to Rachel for the jeans recommendation :) read more

Great small dining experience. Friendly staff and good food. Stopped by for our first time an anniversary outing. Decor was nice for the Christmas season. Server was polite and properly checked for covid documentation and matching IDs upon entry. Seating I think can get drafts in the cold season, there wasn't a double entry way but the weather was mild. Ordered some starters of which I enjoyed the salmon salad the most. Crispy salmon without it being dry and the salad was well seasoned with a nice balsamic. Mains were the sandwich special and a shrimp linguine. Will be coming again. read more

Casa Rugantino - House Sandwich special - Italian Near Me - Kitchener, Ontario

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For dinner, my friend expressed a desire for pasta, so I decided to try out Casa Rugantino after doing some research online. The family-owned restaurant was small and charming. Now onto the food. First of all, the complimentary bread wasn't very good. It tasted like the ones that I can buy at the grocery store and then warm up in my toaster oven. Lasagna: layered with ricotta, romano and mozzarella cheese, ham and a meat sauce baked in the oven. My friend commented that there weren't enough layers of pasta, and I would agree with her. The ham was also nowhere to be found. Nevertheless, the flavours were authentic and delicious, even though it wasn't the best lasagna that I've had. Sacchetini alla gorgonzola cheese: tiny shell like pasta stuffed with ricotta cheese tossed in melted gorgonzola cheese. The pasta were really cute and reminded me of wontons stuffed with ricotta cheese (which I love). The sauce was absolutely scrumptious and perfectly cheesy, but unfortunately it was also overly salty. Nevertheless, we finished both of our pasta and enjoyed it wholeheartedly. By the end of the meal, we were pretty stuffed and couldn't get any desserts. The pizza that I spotted from other tables looked awesome and I would definitely try one next time. read more

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Do not eat here on weekends. Was there twice during the week and had the best carbonara I've ever had. Went on a Friday night and the weekend chef curdled our carbonara orders. The waitress agreed that they were curdled and took them back. The reorder came out more curdled then the first order! Obviously the weekend chef doesn't have the skill set. Being busy....it wasn't full, is no excuse. Our curdled carbonara should never have left the kitchen. The weekend chef lacks pride and professionalism in my opinion. read more

Casa Rugantino's reliably excellent kitchen, fast and personable service, and pleasant atmosphere, are surpassed only by their, above and beyond, customer care. Thank you CR! read more

I've enjoyed dinner at Casa Rugantino twice in the past two weeks. Both times I ordered mussels as a starter, making a special request to exclude cream from the sauce. Each time my request was pleasantly accommodated and the dish as wonderful, delicate tomato sauce with herbs and sautéed vegetables. I've sampled 3 pasta dishes and their specialty chicken as mains, all were excellent. Considering the quality and consistency - Casa Rugantino offers exceptional value. It's family owned and operated, Ronda served us both times and she is just fabulous. I will be back again and again! On a special note, one of my friends and my girlfriend both had special dietary considerations, Ronda and the chef were both so helpful in accommodating our special requests. Many thanks. read more

Casa Rugantino - Sacchetini Alla Gorgonzolla Cheese (sorry I ate half before u snapped the photo) - Italian Near Me - Kitchener, Ontario

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Everything about this place was elegant... except the food, which was mostly edible but unremarkable. Both my wife and I ordered the 3 course dinners in order to try both pasta and different preparations of veal. Caesar was edible with a parmesan shake instead of fresh grated. Pasta with meat sauce (served as penne despite the menu advertising spaghetti) was no better than grocery store canned sauce and dry pasta I make for my kids at home - very disappointing. My veal was quite tough and in a swimming pool of sauce. My wife's Osso Bucco was better, tender on the outside, and inedibly tough in the middle - it was left unfinished. For those who want serviceable food in a quite elegant ambiance amongst well-dressed guests, by all means, enjoy (and reserve early on a weekend to get a table). When it comes to the food, even the chains like East Side Mario's will serve a lot better. Perhaps it was our mistake to perceive this as a high end restaurant with fresh pasta and impressive food - it just looks the part. read more

We have been to Casa Rugantino many times but our most recent visit will be the last. The veal entree arrived tepid at best with meat that was tough. The sauce had separated into its components. The spaghetti side was also cold. The rolls were served without butter. The bill at the end was not correct and had to be redone. It is very obvious that Casa Rugantino is well past its best before date. With many other options in KW, the owners will need to do a lot to stay in business. read more

Excellent food! Excellent service! Love the location! Love the rustic homey feel! Family owned and everything about Casa Rugantino reflects that! Highly Recommended!!!! read more

I placed an order for take out based off the menu that was on their website, and when I got to the restaurant the total was more than I thought it would be. I was told prices had just increased. They should have honoured the website pricing but they didn't and they didn't even apologize for it. On top of that, the cheese on my pizza was dry despite having to wait for my order to be ready and the arancini balls were stale and the little marinara sauce that was provided was dry and stuck to the bottom of the container. Not impressed for what I paid for. read more

I had a really bad experience as I left home to go there in a Wednesday, arrived at 8:20pm (they close at 9pm and the website says reservation is recommended but walk-ins are very welcome, then I had no reservation). So, the restaurant was with the sign OPEN very bright in front of their windown and as soon as we got in, a lady came to us and said they were closed. They had empty tables (which means I wouldn't even have to wait) and I could see there was a couple with the menu in their hands, still browsing. I asked her about the open sign and about the times shown at their door and website and she replied saying that their last time for reservation in 8pm and then they expect to stay with the costumers until 9pm. OMG, is it even real? I got really upset. They should change their closing time to 8pm if things work this way. Nothing professional to me. Hated. read more

This place has incredible food and service. I went a few weeks ago with my girlfriend for our 1yr. We were more than impressed and would recommend it to anyone looking for a casual experience with top notch food. read more

As soon as I saw the Peroni sign I knew I had to visit this place. What a great find! Really tasty Italian food with an authentic atmosphere. I agree with the previous reviewers that the bread did not taste as great (as the ones I tried in Italy), but one cannot ask for too much in a town like Waterloo... This place is a bit pricy, but the experience of enjoying a delicious plate of aubergine parmigiana on the patio on a warm spring day totally makes up for it. I would surely visit this place again. read more

This is such a cute and delicious Italian restaurant. Their Gorgonzola Gnocchi is amazing. Little clouds melting in your mouth. It's very busy on the weekend so make a reservation if you don't want to be disappointed. read more

I didn't particularly enjoy any of the food that we had ordered, other than the Bruschetta appetizer. The ladies were warm and friendly, but the food wasn't wonderful. read more

I have always held Casa Rugantino in high regard which is why we chose it as our first ''Covid stage 3'' dining venue for lunch. I ordered the chicken parmesan sandwich. When it arrived almost an hour later, it looked very large. The first bite told me it wasn't chicken breast as I expected. Anytime you think of chicken parmesan, it is always made with chicken breast. When I had to spit out the first bite, I knew I was in trouble. I asked the server what kind of chicken it was and she said ''thighs''. Really? She knew I was not happy and asked if she could have something else made for me. Due to time restraints, I said ''no''. I could not eat the sandwich which was horrible and so fatty. She asked me if she could pack it up to go...nooooo...thanks. She was very kind and took the price of the sandwich off the bill. Sadly, this has really soured me on Casa Rugantino. I do hope they get their act together as they have been around a very long time. read more

Booked this place about a week in advance to host a friend while he was in town. Needed a reso for 10 and the capacity of this place is only 40 so I thought I would encounter some resistance but we were all good. On the day of, only 5 of us ended up going because the weather was bad, but they didn't flinch and simply rearranged the tables to suit us. Glad we had made a reso for 11:30 because this place filled up fast! The medium pizza was huge, the tuscan soup looked to be a good portion, the Rugantino sandwich was to die for, and the baked pasta looked piping hot. Great time had by all, service was fast, friendly and experienced. Great ambiance and a memorable experience had by all. Will definitely be back. read more

Such a great, intimate space. The food is beyond amazing, such authentic Italian. The Carbonara was to die for! read more

Nestled in Belmont Village, this restaurant has just been expanded, a wine bar was added. The food is excellent. The decor is rustic, and fitting for an Italian eatery. The service is fast and friendly, the prices on the high side. Although this is an upscale eatery. The menu is varied, and expansive. A great place for an evening meal. read more

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This is definitely a KW gem!! Love the family vibe here I can't have dairy or gluten so i am limited when it comes to the menu BUT the cod and other meat dishes are amazing. Would love to see a gluten free rice pasta option Check this place out! read more

Casa Rugantino - Italian Near Me - Kitchener, Ontario

very good food good wines nice inside nice open air in the summer great service I have been here many times over the years never a bad meal. read more

came here for my birthday with my boyfriend. I ordered the carbonara and he ordered the daily special pasta. tasty. I enjoyed the family-style atmosphere and the waitress was very friendly. They gave me a free dessert (icecream)! yummy! read more

My wife and I ate here recently. We both really enjoyed our experience at this restaurant. While it is extremely small, everything is freshly prepared. Our server was incredibly friendly and very attentive. My pizza was pretty good and my wife's cannelloni was fantastic. Our desserts were amazing (tartufo for me, cherry cheesecake for my wife). Next time we are in the area I'm sure we'll be returning. I Highly advise making a reservation as getting a table without one is near impossible. read more

Intimate little place in Belmont Village, this restaurant is chronically busy. If you want a seat at lunch show up by noon; reservations usually necessary for dinner. Fresh and very delicious pasta for lunch, definitely the best quality italian I've had in the tri-cities area (and I have tried quite a few places). However, more a $$$ price point, than a $$. I am looking forward to trying some of the other dishes and the desserts when I return for an evening meal sometime in the next month. read more

I work in Belmont Village and regularly feast on the lunch lasagne....one serving does me for two lunches, or lunch and dinner. The sauce is delicious and the pasta is cooked perfectly. I am always satisfied. read more

Rugantino special is a favourite for my family. Picked one up this past Thursday, the renos are complete and the restaurant has doubled in size , they did a great job! read more

Been here a few times and it is becoming one of my favourite restaurants in the city. I'm a bit of a gnocchi snob, and Casa Rugantino does it right. I'm willing to pay their prices because the food measures up. read more

I had dinner at Casa Rugantino outside on a comfortable summer evening with a pleasant breeze which complimented the restaurant very well. The ambience was classy, tasteful, and polite. The waitresses were very friendly and welcoming. Although I am no expert in Italian food, it was the best Italian meal I've ever had. I ordered the special Lobster tail Fettucini which had a great Alfredo sauce flavor on it. Great food, decent price, will visit again. read more

Terrible service, very loud and noisy. The food was extremely bland and a very sad presentation. Not worth the price!!!!!!!!

It had been years since I had been to this restaurant and was really excited about going there. Firstly, I am not a fan of eating outside and despite the fact that we sat in the restaurant it was totally open to the outside and all the flies and bugs that go with it. The buns that they brought were not great albeit they were warm. I ordered the Fettucine Alfredo with chicken (16.00 for the Fettucine and another $6 for the chicken). The dinner was served relatively quickly even though there was a full house. The fettucine was dry with very little sauce and almost tasteless. The 3 tiny pieces of chicken were overcooked and dry and almost tough to chew. I am sorry to report that it will be many, many more years before I go there again. Maybe i just ordered the wrong thing. Overpriced and overrated. read more

Have been going to this place for lunch for many years since it is close to where I work. My hands down favourite thing for lunch is their Pizza Puff. Tons of cheese stuffed inside with a wonderful tomato meat sauce on top. It is SO delicious and I'll sometimes get it take-out if I don't have time to eat in. Loved their new space expansion which makes the restaurant a lot bigger but with the same 'down-home' feel. You can't go wrong with the food here! read more

I've had a number of good dinners here. It's not terribly creative, but if you want reliably tasty pasta dishes, then Casa Rugantino is a good place to go. read more

We went to Casa Rugantino 2 weeks ago, and it was a great experience. We went there without reservation at around 7pm on a Thursday evening, and were greeted friendly. The restaurant is fairly small, but feels cozy, so we were happy that we managed to get the last table. Everyone working there seemed to have a great time and enjoy themselves. The food was great, we had garlic bread and two different pizzas that were both great! We have since bought gift cards for friends, would definitely recommend. Next time, we would probably make a reservation to make sure we get in read more

The food at Casa Rugantino is great but the service is terrible (if you're served by the two young waitresses). The waitresses would seat me and my boyfriend last even when we have reservations and when we arrive before the other guests. They always seat us at the worst table too (the one closest to the kitchen). I think the two girls are racist because my boyfriend and I aren't white while 99% of guests are. It wasn't always like this though. Long ago when it was the owner/mum that waits tables, she would be really nice to us. read more

This use to be one of my favourite restaurants but I had not been there since the expansion. Sadly I was quite disappointed. The Caesar salad was comparable to any standard family restaurant. No bacon. One crouton. The Alfredo sauce was no where near the delicious creamy flavourful sauce of prior visits. The tomato sauce was bland. The flat water was room temperature. Four of six plates were chipped. And, the fact that the pasta spoon was cheap, light and didn't match the other flatware bothered me - I know it's snooty, but it once was so great!! The quaint intimate authentic character of this once 4 star restaurant is sadly no more. Or maybe management is on a loooong vacation. read more

food was room temperature -penne pasta with pepper and sausage -asked waitress to reheat , came back the same temperature and no follow up from waitress wether it was better, appetizer soup with stewed tomatoe and greens was the same as well pasta appeared to be made with tomatoe juice instead of tomatoe sauce, wifes bowtie pasta was cold and tolld sausage was NOT spicey and it was, will not return read more

I highly recommend this restaurant - 5 stars! If you are looking for an authentic Italian experience with personality and delicious food you need to try this place. Everything is made from freshest ingredients daily. You do not want to miss out on this quaint little restaurant in Kitchener. The owners, Johnny and his wife Shelly have owned this restaurant just under a year and what an amazing experience we had the other night. First we started with an assortment of meats, cheeses and olives dish for the table, and it was fantastic. The Caesar salad and dressing was from a homemade recipe that was truly one of the best I have had. For one of our guests by request they added anchovies to the top. We had a party of 10 with different entrees from Pizza, a lobster, seafood and pasta dish, Mussels which were so good that one in our group doubled the order and had it for the main course. I had the Beef tenderloin with a cream sauce that was just amazing. Others in our group had the pizza and said it was outstanding. Desserts were just as scrumptious with an authentic Tiramisu and since we were there over Thanksgiving they had a really great pumpkin cheesecake. Truly a hidden gem - reservations are a huge plus - thank goodness they could accommodate us! read more