If I could, I would give Cotto 6 stars. Located in the historic square in Gainesville, GA, Cotto Modern Italian restaurant was one of the best dinners we've had in a long time. Compared to south Florida's cost of living, the pricing is surprisingly inexpensive for the quality and service. We brought our standard poodle with us, since we were on vacation. We enjoyed their outdoor seating, which was spacious and relaxing. We were welcomed and really made to feel at home. For my south Florida friends, if you are passing through north Georgia, Cotto's should definitely be on your itinerary. read more

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I'm genuinely sad to be writing this because Cotto used to be one of my favorite places. I went almost weekly, recommended it constantly to friends, and have even left great reviews in the past. Unfortunately, since the menu changed, it just hasn't been the same. The food used to have so much depth and flavor. There was a salad I absolutely loved, and the pizzas used to have a great crust with really thoughtful, robust flavor combinations. Now, the salads taste like something I could easily make at home, and the last few pizzas I've ordered have been floppy, with the toppings practically falling off and none of the flavors really coming together. Last night was especially disappointing. I actually suggested Cotto for my friend's birthday because I remembered it as a place with a great atmosphere, hospitality, drinks, and even better food. We made a reservation for eight people, and her husband let the staff know we were celebrating her birthday. Her pasta came out and she thought it was fine, although nothing particularly memorable. She offered me a bite, and somehow the bite she gave me contained a bread twist tie. I literally had metal, paper, and ink in my mouth. Finding something like that mixed into a pasta dish was incredibly concerning. They did comp her meal and offered desserts, which we appreciated. Since we were out celebrating and drinking rather than looking for dessert, we asked whether they could do birthday shots or something similar instead. They declined, which is their prerogative, but then nothing else was offered and the birthday itself was never acknowledged. Between the reservation being for a birthday, the foreign object in her food, and the overall experience, it felt like multiple opportunities to make things right were missed. I really wanted to continue loving this place, especially because I remember how good it used to be. But after several disappointing experiences recently, I don't think I can keep recommending it the way I once did. If I'm going to pay these prices for a night out, I expect the quality and attention to detail that Cotto used to have. I truly hope they find their way back to what made this place so special, because I miss the Cotto I used to look forward to visiting every week. read more

We enjoyed dining at the bar, since they didn't want to sit us in the main dining area. Although, it was empty for the entirety of our meal... We ordered the mussels, caesar, cacio e Pepe and bistecca fiorentina. The steak was a thin cut T-Bone, far from any bistecca fiorentina I have ever had. It was also cooked to medium, borderline medium well. So it was tough to the chew. Salad mussels and pasta were tasty though! Hostess can try harder next time with seating guest in the dining area. Even with a few reservations, you have plenty of seating. read more

Cotto Modern Italian - Bistecca alla Fiorentina - Italian Near Me - Gainesville, Georgia

The food was incredible! I highly recommend the filet as it was melt in your mouth tender. The pasta tasted so fresh! Service was great but highly recommend making reservations as we went on a Tuesday and it was incredibly busy! The restaurant itself was absolutely beautiful, inside and outside. The only downside was them bringing out a ribeye steak instead of a filet but they got the issue fixed with no long wait for it at all! What a great Italian restaurant here on the square! read more

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My family loves coming here either for weekend meetups or celebratory events. The owners do a great job at bringing a piece of the heart of Italy to our doorstep here in the US. read more

Went here on Saturday. Pretty busy at 5pm but had reservations. There was 6 of us and we got the table right on the front corner. Ordered drinks, apps and mains. Everything took a bit and I think they lost our main ticket and had to get them fired. We've been here maybe 3 times and have been in a while. The food was just as good. We had the bruschetta cotto, meatballs and calamari. Everything was just as good as I remembered. The calamari was exceptional. I ordered the paparradelle with bolognese. Others ordered lasagna, the medallions of filet, rigatoni. Everything was delicious but a bit too salty. The sauce is salty but tasty. Pasta was cooked well. Al dente. Everyone enjoyed their food. The filet was good, potatoes above average. We ordered dessert and it took almost 30 minutes before it can out. Dinner took 2.5 hours. Food 5 Service 3 read more

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We have been wanting to try this place for a long while now and luckily we were able to get seated without a reservation on this past Sunday evening. Immediately the staff were extremely friendly and willing to answer any questions. We started with a glass of wine for myself and a margarita which was a special for my wife. My three years old of course drank water. Anyway, we tried the calamari and the bruschetta for an appetizer because I'm a sucker for bruschetta. It was a nice twist on a traditional recipe with stacciatella and a fantastic balsamic glaze. Even my wife liked it who's picky on balsamic, tomatoes, and bread. I had the "Pesto Tortallini" which was really good. It was a large portion for the price and definitely filling! My wife had the "Risotto Alla Milanese" which was also a generous place with leftovers to take home. My son had a vegetable spaghetti and devoured it! It's definitely worth a visit if you're in town or local. While the price is more upscale it's worth it and we will be back for sure. read more

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Excellent food and service! Staff are amazing. Restaurant interior is very nice with an excellent vibe. Pasta and bread is authentic. read more

Easily one of our favorite places in Gainesville GA. We arrived early for our 630 reservation and were seated early. We ordered drinks to wait for our guests. Our waitress Miriam did a great job throughout our visit even took a great picture of our group of 4. We started with calamari, that was crispy on the outside and perfect on the inside a very tasty appetizer. Nest she had the cacio e pepe (fat spaghetti cheese amd pepper) she loved the entree. I had the special that had grouper over risotto and so much more. This was an absolute homerun entree. We finished off with the flourless chocolate cake with a scoop of ice cream on top. For a monday, the place was very busy. This place was on our regular rotation when we lived here. A neighborhood gem for sure. When in town, we will visit again read more

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First time here and really impressed! The atmosphere was nice, lighting and decor very classy! The server was nice but she did disappear at times- maybe she was busy it wasn't a huge deal. The food was amazing and the prices were reasonable. Didn't get to try dessert but we will next time. Make reservations as it's pretty busy. The bar area seemed really nice so that could be an option also. read more

Wow! Just everything was amazing! The service, the atmosphere and ALL the food. Went for my son's birthday and my entire family had the best time! Of course we all tried each others and seriously, everything was amazing! This is maybe the first time we all ate every bite! And tell me why, the side potato's were delicious! 10 out of 10. Go here!! I can't say enough good things. read more

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Atmosphere is beautiful! My husband and I have been there several times celebrating special events and taking guests and friends as well... only disappointment is the hit or miss service. Starts out great and then declines:( read more

Hands down, the best restaurant in Gainesville. Every time I've been here, the staff is very friendly and welcoming, the restaurant is very clean, well appointed, and has a great atmosphere. However, their food is where they really shine. The bruschetta is amazing, the lasagna rivals my all time favorite in Chicago, and this time the lobster ravioli was totally worth the higher price point. Through and through, this is a fabulous restaurant and they deserve the high rating they have. read more

Cotto Modern Italian - Lobster ravioli - Italian Near Me - Gainesville, Georgia

Really good dining experience! Tasty food and professional, friendly, accommodating service -- Thanks Kathryn (see photo)! Must say that Kathryn was as good a server as I have encountered in my travels and at home (and so eat out 200+ times a year). Really. The food? - Tasty martini. My pasta dish, with bolognese sauce, was memorable. The steak was good, not special. Olive appetizer and fresh spinach was tasty. Wonderful cannoli. Ambiance nice, although I sat at the bar, which was a great experience because of Kathryn. Seating hosts need better training. Regrettably, I found them to be quite unwelcoming -- a sharp contrast to Kathryn and the other bartender/server (a reheated woman (sorry I didn't catch her name) who was very conscientious and attentive, and friendly). No doubt this is or should be one of the best restaurants in Gainesville. read more

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Wow. Just wow. Food and drinks were amazing. Service was great! Love the atmosphere too.

So after having Cotto recommended we finally gave it a try. So why did we wait? Awesome service - Jack, our waiter, was top notch and extremely knowledgeable. From ap read more

Outstanding food and service. We eat at the bar and it was absolutely fantastic. Great service. read more

Cotto Modern Italian - Italian Near Me - Gainesville, Georgia

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First time here and it was just amazing! So glad we have a local place now that is of this quality! Outstanding friendly service as well - we will be back! read more

Authentic Italian Gem! From the moment we walked in, the warm ambiance and inviting aroma of garlic and herbs set the tone. Save room for dessert -- the tiramisu was heavenly! A must-visit for anyone craving genuine Italian cuisine read more

We wandered in here on a cold evening, and this was a welcome spot as it was warm and cozy. We started with salads, my wife had the Caesar and I had the house. She liked her Caesar and my House would've been good, but it was super drenched in salad dressing. For entrées, my wife had the Seafood Fra Diavlo, she liked the seafood but the main thing you taste with this dishes just flat out spice/heat, way too much for me. I had the Pappardelle Ragu. Portion was a nice size, pasta was cooked to perfection, but unfortunately the Ragu fell way flat on flavor. Service was adequate. I really wanted to like this place because it has a great atmosphere and I will give them another try, yet on this first visit the food just didn't quite hit the mark. read more

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Drinks were amazing. My cocktail was a cross between a mule and margarita. The goat cheese prosciutto app was sweet and savory with the honey. My veal with lemon and capers over pasta was light and my go to since I don't make veal at home. I will find a reason to get to the Gainesville square! read more

Cotto Modern Italian - Italian Near Me - Gainesville, Georgia

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Pasta was stuck together in a big lump for 2 people. They offered to redo but who wants to wait another 30 minutes when everyone else is eating. No offer of dessert or taking off of bill at all from manager, was totally inedible. Very unacceptable for a supposed higher end restaurant. read more

In town for a wedding. This is a charming modern Italian place on the Gainesville square. Ambience is delightful. Recommend requesting a booth along the walls as the acoustics can carry and you can easily hold a conversation at these. Started with a nice Malbec. Apps - burrata and INSALATA DI RUCOLA. Both yummy and good portions. Burrata came with adequate bread which can be an issue other places. Dinners - veal piccata, lamb chops and lasagna bolognese. Portions very generous- wouldn't have needed apps. Lamb chops - 6 perfectly cooked lamb chops, very tender and side of zucchini au gratin which was yummy also. Veal - very tender and properly prepared, nice sauce. Lasagna - huge. Charming outside seating - not weather for it right now. Also plenty of bar seating you can sneak in for dinner. read more

Great food! Server was very attentive and informative for specials. Drinks at the bar were really good. Would recommend!

Wonderful atmosphere and the wait staff gave great recommendations. Food came out flawlessly and quickly. I forgot to take a photo of the spinach salad but it was delicious. Fresh spinach and the pine nuts added a little crunch. The champagne vinaigrette was the perfect dressing. Had a great time with my daughter as we did a college visit weekend and she is if she came to school here this would remind her of home. read more

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Sunday "Brunch."' Lots of choices on menu. Cesar salad was fresh and tasty. Good portion size. Pappardelle Ragu pasta was excellent. Well prepared and the portion size was good. We sat outside on the patio. The service was great and we had an enjoyable experience. We will definitely be back. read more

Had bruchetta, lamb chops, sea bass. Tiramisu. Service was awesome and food was excellent. Definitely make time for this restaurant. read more

Cotto Modern Italian - Bruschetta - Italian Near Me - Gainesville, Georgia

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I made reservations for my daughter's 21st birthday more than a week ago for 7 pm. We were sat at 7:40 pm. I did ask at the 20 minute past mark and they stated there was no place to sit us. The restaurant is beautiful and has a great ambiance. The waitress was knowledgeable, but I felt like she rushed us. She forgot my boyfriend's second drink, though we decided not to reminder her after time had past. The food was good, had a great flavors. I felt like for everything that had happened they should have done something. It is a nice restaurant, just the planning did not go well and I have never experienced that before. read more

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We asked for a table outside and told we would have a 20-45 minute wait, but unfortunately we waited over an hour and a half for seating. We arrive and we were told we weren't allowed to have outside drinks (we had one full margarita that we had just ordered after receiving a call from Cotto saying that people were not leaving the outdoor seating area where we wanted to be seated) and we had to step over 5 feet away to drink said drink. The manager said she'd would make a acceptation due to us not knowing outside drinks aren't allowed, and the square is a open container area. 30 minutes later she came back to check our ID's to see if we were of age to have drinks because they would be held responsible, we were all of age. As our checks are waiting and we already paid the patio area is empty the same lady came back and said "you really can't have outside drinks here" and again point is to step 5 feet over into the grass to drink them. We said we would leave but she insisted us to stay but also not welcomed?? It was just a very weird situation, and we were confused. read more

We got in to the bar on a Saturday night when the wait was 2 hours. It was an amazing show to watch the 'tenders in action. Our drinks were fun to watch being made and to consume. Food was excellent and way too much. My friend complained there was too much meat in her lasagna. Poor thing! We will be back. Oh the eggplant sweet and balanced between eggplant sauce and breading. And olive oil read more

Great Italian in Gainesville Ga. I recommend for sure. Solid service. The sausage and peppers is great.

Definitely a solid experience last evening. It won't be the best you've ever had by any stretch, but the food is certainly good. This was our second time in and while we couldn't remember anything about our first visit, which typically isn't a good thing, this time we both enjoyed our entrees of eggplant parm and a shrimp risotto. We also had the meatballs as an app along with the bruschetta cotto, and both were very good. Their sauce is very well done and gets my coveted guido seal of approval as I couldn't stop dipping my bread in it. The service was very pleasant and we never felt rushed. The only ding on the night that disappointed me a bit was their reservation app asks what the occasion is. I said it was my girlfriend's birthday but after dinner, it was not recognized in any way. It's not necessarily the servers fault but whomever reviews the reservations can't miss little chances like that to create an impression. Overall however, it's better than average and we will be back. read more

We just walked out... My husband ordered the special which is a filet dish. He asked for it to be prepared medium well. He was told they would not do it. The manager came over and could not have been less interested. He was dismissive, aloof and condescending. We will never go back. As my 16 year old said - you don't have a Michelin star... read more

Amazing dinner in a stellar location. I just ordered the pasta and it was absolutely delicious. Worth another try if you are in the area. read more

Cotto Modern Italian - Gnocchi - Italian Near Me - Gainesville, Georgia

Our go to restaurant in downtown Gainesville Ga .... Really good food, meatballs, pasta, salads and great cocktails.... Atmosphere is lovely either at the friendly bar or at a table.... You can actually talk among 8 of us without yelling ! read more

The food was absolutely amazing! The servers were very attentive and knowledgeable. The restaurant itself is beautiful and clean.

Our first time here. The food was excellent! We will definitely be back. A modern clean ambiance. The pasta and wine were fresh and beautifully plated. read more

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We had an enjoyable early dinner for 6 here on Saturday. Our waiter was friendly and fun, and the food hit for not only my wife (off our recent trip to Italy) and her father (only pasta and meatballs every time). Our waiter sold us on the agnolotti Della nonna to the tune of 3 orders, and me on the veal piccata. We also had an eggplant to go with the spaghetti. Everyone raved about the agnolotti, including my discriminating wife. My veal was good, but I'm not a big veal guy, so I ended up wishing I'd ordered differently (that's on me). We had a bottle of roscato rose dolce and it was excellent. Will definitely go again on our next trip to Gainesville. read more

Cotto Modern Italian - Our bill for 4 of the 6 at dinner - Italian Near Me - Gainesville, Georgia

My new favorite Italian Restaurant!! The food was excellent, service Outstanding and, the ambiance was wonderful. We thought the prices were fair and, nice portions. Everyone had to go box. And the best part of all was they have Harken Chardonnay! We will be back! Well done Cotto!! read more

Fantastic food. Great atmosphere. And the service was outstanding. make sure you put a reservation in because the weight can be very long if you don't. read more