So good!! The restaurant is tiny, so definitely get there early and/or expect a wait but the wait in so worth it. I got the ricotta gnocchi and it was amazing. The other two I was with got the bolognese and it was also delicious. It was such a great little Italian find. The tiramisu was great way to end the meal. read more

Dinamo - Tiramisu - Seafood Near Me - Richmond, Virginia

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The waitress was so rude. We were here for the first time and she never told us we would be on one check. Then when we asked she snapped at us and told us that was not possible. We asked why she snapped again and took our cards! Food was amazing but would never return!!! read more

Reservation is a must, space is rather small. Food is delicious. We will certainly be back.

Absolutely delicious meal, can't believe I didn't know this restaurant was here since I've eaten next-door numerous times. Same owners as Edo Squid I am told, another Richmond favorite. Cannot wait to return! read more

Was able to make last minute dinner reservations for a party of 4 on a Saturday night. LUCKY!!! It's tiny inside so be prepared to squeeze in to your seat -- so worth it! My girlfriends ordered cocktails and my Husband and I had a bottle of wine. We split a few well portioned apps, so fresh and yummy. And dinner was delicious as well! The bread was perfect too - crusty on the outside, soft on the inside. I was full at the end of the night - would love to go back to taste more! Calamari and Chard (App) was tender with a delicious lemon/garlic sauce. (App) crostini with smoked whitefish was well balanced and not overwhelming. I had the fennel and beet salad....great vinaigrette and the greens were fresh and spicy. Husband had the squid ink pasta - huge serving! read more

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We did not have a reservation but we're seated in 30 mins on a Sat night. The restaurant smelled so Good when we walked in. We ordered a bottle of Primitovo which is similar to a medium body Pinot Noir. The waitress was spot on when she gave us the description-very good. We had the house salad which had the best dressing and ingredients ever and the house made bread (perfect)). Also shared the red pizza which is enough for 2-8 slices. One of the best tasting pizza we have ever had. Great vibe and food overall! read more

Old school Italy vibes here. Small but mighty menu where everything looks good. Be sure to ask your server what their recommendations are though, they'll share their favorites & help you pair wines. We went for tagliatelle with sausage & a seared fish. Both were scrumptious and huge. If you're on this side of town, give them a call before you go (they're small and prefer reservations) - you won't be disappointed. read more

Dinamo - Dressed greens & seared fish - Seafood Near Me - Richmond, Virginia

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Oh Gosh. Our family of 4 so wanted to love this place, but each of our dishes was way too salty. Even though we all drank tons of water at dinner and after dinner, we all awoke the next morning super dehydrated due to our meals. We won't be back, but the service was nice. read more

The food is amazing. It's an experience with a chef that is obviously passionate about his art. Highly recommend.

Amazing tiramisu--the best I've had in a long time, actually. The calamari squid ink pasta was alright--fairly standard, but I was hungry and ate it all. read more

A lot of hit or miss but overall a very worthwhile experience. The dishes we got: Fried soft shell crab: 6.5/10 - it was a very delicate flavor that let the crab shine throughout but maybe a little too delicate (a little bland). For those that aren't a fan of strong bold flavors and something lighter, this dish is just for you. It also comes with a salad with a balsamic vinaigrette - very fresh but nothing to write home about. Not the best soft shell we've ever had and with a price tag of $46, you'd be better off getting something else from the menu. Gnocchi w/ pesto: 3/10 - my partner gave it a 6/10 - I thought the pesto was too salty and too rich of a flavor to be paired with something as soft as gnocchi. You couldn't eat too much without feeling too heavy. Hard pass for me. Calamari and shrimp w/ squid ink fettuccine: 11/10 - This is what is carrying this yelp rating 100%. I'm typically not a fan of red sauces but this dish has *chef's kiss* absolutely magnificent. If I could explain it, it was like when (SPOILER ALERT) Anton Ego in Ratatouille ate Remy's ratatouille dish and enjoyed food again for the first time. Granted, I wasn't spoon fed squid ink fettuccine as a child (let alone much pasta), but this dish was transcendent. I'm technically allergic to shellfish (mainly shrimp) but the I will say that the calamari, fettuccine, and the sauce especially..oh the sauce. A little spicy, very savory, not heavy at all. You need it. Tiramisu: 6/10 - Very strong coffee flavor. Not that big of a fan but would love to try their other desserts. Oh and their bread was really good. A little dry but tastes very fresh. When you dip it in olive oil and pepper with a little cheese or dip it in some sauce, it's the perfect vessel for flavor. read more

When Dinamo first opened, I couldn't wait to try it because I knew this was the next project from the owner of Mama Zu and Edo's Squid (two of my favorite Italian places). But the menu just didn't wow me. So I waited (too long), until now. What a mistake that was! My friend and I started with a wonderful dry Prosecco and a roasted beet salad with fennel and a side of feta. First, you should know that I hate beets. I only agreed to this because the server promised me that this would change my mind about them. She was right. As a matter of fact, this may be the best salad I have ever eaten. Roasted beets, shaved fennel and greens topped with a balsamic dressing and a side of feta. Pure heaven. I had the broccolini and provolone sausage, served with creamy white beans (in a tomato base) and grilled polenta cake. FAB-U-LOUS! My friend had the swordfish piccata, cooked to perfection with a side of fresh green salad and an incredibly balanced lemony/caper piccata sauce. Perfection. The beets were on the regular menu, but the other dishes were 'specials'. All of their pasta is house made. The fish is fresh, perfectly cooked, and maintains the high standards I have learned to expect from the incredible Ed from Edo's and Mama Zu. One additional note. Service was impeccable. It was a perfect dinner all the way around! read more

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Dinamo is in the family with Edo's Squid and Mamma Zu's so if you are a fan of their style of food you will like Dinamo. Like each of the other restaurants there is a different feel to this one. Kind of reminds me of an old diner with a lot of charm. Very cute bar that holds about 6 people and a view of the cooks. It is also smaller than the others but does take reservations which I recommend on the weekends. Not yet as busy as the other restaurants. Some may like or dislike that their menu is pretty small but it is seasonal. They have 2-3 each of anti pastas, salads, pizza, seafood dishes, pasta and protein. They do have a bigger list of desserts though. They also take credit card. Recommended, although may not go as often as the others due to smaller menu. read more

Dinamo - Squid ink seafood pasta - Seafood Near Me - Richmond, Virginia

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Dinamo is still killing it. We ordered their red pizza with sausage and onion, and it was just as delicious as always. Such a nice treat for a rainy day! I can't wait until it's finally safe to dine in at Dinamo again. read more

We went to Dinamo for our anniversary last night and were absolutely blown away! The food was some of the most flavorful, fresh, thoughtful food we've had in a long time - and we eat out fairly often. We started with the white pizza as an app, for mains I had the rockfish and my spouse had the half chicken with polenta - all three were exceptional. Can't wait to go back and try the rest of the menu! Super cute atmosphere inside too. read more

A small place with a small menu that carries a big punch! Do yourself a favor and get the asparagus salad (with crabmeat) - it was fresh, delicious, and flavorful! The rigatoni with the ramp pesto was unique and refreshing, and the red pizza has a ton of flavor. Perfect place to go before a show at the Altria, but make a reservation because it can get crowded quick! Parking can be tough in the area, but they have a small parking lot behind the restaurant off Green Alley. read more

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We are visiting and picked Dinamo because of yelp reviews and it met its ratings. Quite small it's best to have reservations which we didn't although our party of two was accommodated. We enjoyed two pasta dishes after the pepper and mozzarella appetizer. In truth, all the servings we large and we could have shared one pasta dish and the appetizer. I had tagliatelle with marinara which was good while my husband had the special lamb meatballs and fettuccini- in my opinion the meatball dish and red sauce accompanying it was better than the marinara. A lot of diners had white pizza which may have been a better choice. All in all it is a place I'd return. read more

Always exceptional dishes; we like to take out for home meals. Good for candle light dinners.

I was visiting RVA for the weekend & decided to try this place off of the reviews. We went on a Saturday around 7:15 and waited about 30-40 mins for a table, the restaurant is very small, yet cozy. Though it could use some more lighting, as by 8:30 it was very dim inside. The servers & staff were great, the food size was generous, but the food itself was bland! I ordered the bolognese and it was basically just noodles with a little sauce mixed in, honestly tasted like a can of chef boyardee with an $18.00 price tag. My mother had the ricotta gnocchi w/ pesto, she was not impressed, as it was very salty & too cheesy. Enjoyed my trip, but will go somewhere else when craving Italian food. read more

Dinamo - Tagliatelle w/ Bolognese - Seafood Near Me - Richmond, Virginia

Oh man. Yummmmmyyy. Luckily got reservations in advance for this cozy little restaurant. The squid ink pasta is absolutely delicious. Not from Richmond so can't compare to other pasta places around there but it was memorable. Service was good, drinks were great, and have zero complaints. read more

Consistently excellent! Intimate and relaxed while feeling elevated. It's not just one of my favorite spots for pasta, it's one of my favorite restaurants in all of Richmond. read more

Went to Dinamo with some friends before a play at the Altria Theater. The first thing that went wrong is the wine was all served in little "juice glasses" which was cool and eclectic but detracted from the ambiance of purchasing a nice bottle of wine. However, more importantly, the food was, well, just strange. For example, the tastes of the Fish soup were nauseating to half of the people at my table. The pasta was tough, undercooked. I had two tastes of the Sea Bass I had ordered, and the delicious taste of this fish was completely drowned out by the amazing amount of salt in it. And when I sent it back after taking only two bites, the waiter did not even ask if anything was wrong, almost like "oh well, your loss". To be fair, half of our party of 6 loved their food, however the other half sent most of our food back. Maybe we just order the wrong thing, looking at the other reviews, it sounds like there are some nice dishes there. However, for me, this food was less than just "overrated", it was queasy. There are very few places that I will never go to again, but this is one of them. read more

1. They do not separate any part of any check at the table. So 1 person in your party must pay for everyone. 2. The waiter found it oddly bizarre that I asked which desert was the freshest and made that day. He even rudely commented on how I "seem to only like fresh food", your not supposed to speak with customers in that way. 3. The ONLY options they have to put a tip, are 20-25-30%. For these small fixes they can make yet seemingly annoying ones, I don't see myself being back. read more

Booked this for a date night dinner before a concert at the Altria Theater. So happy we did! The place was tiny but the flavors and service were huge! I had the Mic Drop cocktail (highly recommend for the whiskey fans), and the sausage entree. Both were well crafted, flavorful, and you could just tell cooked with love! We also tried a caprese type salad and bf had the chicken entree. So glad we checked it out! If we lived there, we would go back! read more

I've been to Dinamo when it first opened. It haven't been back since. For some reason we always end up at Mamma Zu's or Edo's Squid. Though after visiting it this go round I question why we don't come here more often... well at least for what I always end up getting at Mamma Zu's I could totally come to a Dinamo and not have a wait. Granted we did come here on a Wednesday and made reservations for 4 there was only one other table at the restaurant.... with 5-6 other tables free. It is a much smaller restaurant so my rationale is we always think it may be packed some we end up not choosing to go here. Regardless, might need to add this to the restaurant rounds. Unbeknownst to me, this was going to be my last dinner outing before having my little boy the end of January. He ended up making his appearance 2.5 weeks early! We decided to forgo appetizers and get dessert instead. We did get our fill of the complimentary bread which is the same bread you get at Mamma Zu's and Edo's. Three of us got Squid ink Pasta. One with mussels in red sauce, one mussels in white and I got Clams in white. The last time I had Squid ink Pasta was at Mamma Zu's. It was a special that had a mix of seafood in it, all I remember was that it was absolutely delicious, so I was excited to have the Squid ink Pasta with clams as I love to order Clams in white with spaghetti at Mamma Zu's. Literally it tasted just like I remember it at Mamma Zu's so delicious. I do want to point out that if you ever want to order Clams in White at Edo's... word of advice... Don't for some reason it's not the same and I can't even say it is even good... I ordered it once years ago and was so disappointed I have never attempted to try ordering the same thing at Edo's again... that is probably the reason why I've always preferred Mamma Zu's over Edo's. Dinamo's version is the equivalent of Mamma Zu's though. It seemed like the other girls with he mussels also enjoyed their dishes. My other girlfriend decided on the Gnocchi Bolognese... I tried some... I felt like the Gnocchi was a bit dense... can't say it was the best I've ever had but not the worse either. The Bolognese was flavorful. While I haven't been to La Grotta since it was downtown and it's been probably over five years I remember that their Gnocchi Bolognese was awesome and super light. For dessert... we got the Tiramisu, Espresso Chocolate Torte and Salted Caramel Gelato. All three were really good but the Espresso Chocolate Torte was really yummy... I probably could've eaten that all by myself and top it a la mode :) I also took home a to go order for my husband... the fish stew and a white pizza with sausage. The fish stew was awesome... definitely had a massive kick of spice but so flavorful... wish it had more actual fish in it though. The pizza was also really delicious, just like the pizza you get at Mamma Zu's or 8 1/2! All in all if we miss the cut off standing in line when it opens at Mamma Zu's or no reservations at Edo's we would totally see if Dinamo is a possibility! NOTE: It is also fairly close to Altria Center so this would be a possibility if you are going to check out a show at Altria read more

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sometimes a bit loud, service is richmond normal, but the FOOD is amazing. if they have a special, get it

Love it! This place is simple and delicious. The menu is much smaller than their sister restaurants Mama Zu and Edo Squid, but there are still plenty of awesome things to get. We started with Bluefin Tuna Carpaccio and limonatas - yum. Don't getthe tuna as an entre though, it's VERY small. They have the same awesome bread as Edo Squid and Mama Zu too. My friend and I split the Monk Fish and Fried Artichoke and the Squid Ink Pasta with crab meat. We would have never thought to try squid ink pasta, but the waitress was super nice when we asked what it was. Heads up - it's black. The monk fish was lightley breaded and seasoned the same was as the artichokes and it was very good. The pasta was phenomenal. You must try it. We tried to order an additional entree at the end of our meal to take home to someone but they aren't doing takeout yet. They take credit cards, which is great, and the first thing I asked when I walked in. This quaint place has black and white checked floors, intricate mirrors on the wall, and a bunch of two top tables, a few four tops, and space at the bar. There was no wait when we went last night (a Saturday) but I can imagine this place is going to be crowded all the time once it gets going. read more

Dinamo - Squid Ink Pasta, Bluefin Tuna Carpaccio - Seafood Near Me - Richmond, Virginia

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I eat at a lot of places in a lot of cities all over the country, and Dinamo is as good as any Italian Restaurant I've eaten at. White Pizza with anchovies, mushrooms and mushrooms...if the mushrooms hadn't been pre-sautéed, would've been a 5 Seasonal Tomatoes and Burrata Cheese with Basil Chiffonade was spot on...the anchovies just added that extra umphhh! Squid Ink Pasta with Scallops in a Butter/Garlic Sauce was Awesome...the scallops were cooked perfectly and the combination was delicious! Thanks to Kim for the service and Dinamo for a meal worth raving about...Don't Walk, Run if you're in or around Richmond!!! read more

My friend and I were looking for a new lunch place in the VCU area, and I kept noticing Dinamo. After reviewing the lunch menu, we decided to give it a try. First impressions- a small place. Although there is a sign on the sidewalk and the restaurant does have a sign, I feel like I might have driven right by it if it wasn't programmed in my GPS. I would say groups up to 4 would have a comfortable meal, but past that might be a logistical problem. The decor is welcoming. The waitress was attentive and friendly. She made several suggestions from each category for us. We decided to go with the matzoh ball soup, the mussels in squid ink with red sauce, and a white pizza with mushrooms. This was way too much food for the two of us. It would've easily fed three. The soup was piping hot. It had a homey feeling that warmed you up from the inside. A real comfort food. I have never tried matzoh ball soup, but this was delish! The waitress also brought us some bread for the table that we dipped in olive oil. The thing that made the bread so good was that it was the perfect amount of chewy. Seriously, the bread was so good. Was it homemade or from sub rosa? Both the mussels and pizza were huge. The pasta was cooked to perfect al dente. Not one single mussel was closed or gritty tasting. Impressive culinary technique that made simple, fresh food shine. The white pizza was cheesy and tasted like toasted parmesan. Yummy! Like I said, our entrees were huge and from the looks of the sandwiches and salads being served around us, so were the other meals. Still, I would order a couple of things again because I am already looking forward to my leftovers! ;-) read more

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4th time here and I've been remiss in writing a review. Small, quaint, eclectic place. The staff was exceptionally knowledgeable about the menu and wine list and appropriately attentive throughout our visit. I like the simplicity of the menu. If you're looking for an Americanized Italian menu with pages of options and the basics, this isn't the place for you. Nor would it a long menu make sense for a 40-ish seat restaurant. Wine list is also simple yet but with a nice selection of Italian wines with a range of price points. Started this most recent trip with the Caponata w/ flatbread. Amazing flavor. Large portion for 2 - would recommend for a table of 3-4 to share especially given the table bread is tasty. Could possibly serve as an entree itself. Rockfish entree was amazing. Perfectly cooked and seasoned. Melt in your mouth. Highly recommend. Rigatoni w/ bolognese was also fantastic. An incredibly well done bolognese and fresh pasta. Tiramisu and the affogato were nice ways to finish a great meal. Both fantastic and well executed. read more

Would definitely recommend this place, although some things were better than others. My girlfriend and I got the mussels (red), a pizza, and the squid ink pasta with calamari and shrimp. First of all, the portions were LARGE and we definitely could have gotten by with just two items. The pizza dough was very crunchy and the cheese wasn't very good, so I would cut that. The mussels were awesome. They gave us a ton and both the broth and the mussels were very good. The pasta was also pretty good, but I wish they had warned us that the pasta would be in the same sauce/broth as the mussels - it is very good, but got old after a while. I think I would have enjoyed the meal much more if the items had more varied flavor. I had an americano after the meal and it was quite good. Our server was nice and I enjoyed the interior of the restaurant. read more

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Pretty good!! My husband and I dined here late on a Saturday evening (8:30pm) and were sat right away. Fyi, the restaurant is very small with just a few tables. Had we arrived earlier in the evening I feel like we would have needed reservations. We both ordered the $5 Montepulciano and if visiting Italy taught me anything it's that you can't always judge a wine by it's price. (Read: Order the $5 glass! It's good and you can have two glasses for the price of 1 average BTG price at other restaurants!) We ordered the chopped liver & cured salmon crostinis for an appetizer. Both were delicious but I preferred the liver. My husband preferred the salmon :) Order both! But, fyi, they are crispy AF... I was concerned I may lose a tooth. For our entrees my husband ordered the Tagliatelle with panchetta. It was super earthy.. he liked it but didnt love it. I ordered the Mussels in white sauce with squid ink fettuccine. Black noodles! So odd but so delicious. I loved it!! The portion size was huge and I had lunch for the next day. So, 3 glasses of wine, appetizer and two entrees for just under $80. Not too shabby, eh? We'll be back. read more

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Dinamo is a great hidden gem. If you want a more chill version of Mama Zu's or Edo's this is the spot. If you haven't been to either of those places, those are my 5 star spots. The food is amazing at all three locations however Dinamo's menu is more streamlined, offering a variety of pizzas, signature handmade pasta dishes with amazing garlic white sauce or red sauce and seafood. Our group went the seafood pasta route since we've previously had similar dishes at the other locations. We ordered the squid ink fettuccine in a variety 1.) red sauce 2.) white sauce 3.) clams instead of the mussels which was the special for the day. All three renditions were amazing. I will say that the white sauce was the better between the two. We did have one friend that changed it up and went with the Ricatto Gnocchi and I'm glad she did. They were little bites of heaven - light and fluffy clouds soaking up lots of flavor. Mmmm They offer a nice variety of desserts listed on the board above the prep area. We ended up ordering the salted caramel gelato (okay, not amazing), tiramasu (I'm not crazy about espresso but overall good) and the espresso torte (the coffee lovers in our group loved it). The setting is intimate due to a smaller location. It's still nice for small groups of 4-6 however I would recommend a reservation depending the night. Our group went on a Wednesday at 6pm and it wasn't crowded which was nice. It's street parking with a meter so be prepared to look for parking pending on the time you arrive. read more

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Dinamo [Dee-nah-moh]....one of the best restaurants in RVA. Food portion is large AND quality is exquisite. Our server was very kind and efficient, and the food/drinks came out with perfect timing. You will definitely need to call and make a rsvp on weekends. It is a great place to come with your friends and family! Will be back again! Thank you :) read more

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Bread was very good and they brought out butter after I requested it. As a picky vegetarian, I couldn't find anything I wanted to order, so I asked my waitress if they could make a creamy pasta. They made a delicious gnocchi dish. Warning! My friend got the red pizza and it was spicy--not what was expected but still really good. After we finished eating, they didn't rush is out and We sat for another 45 or so minutes just talking. Love this restaurant!!!!!! read more

Dinamo - Risotto gnocchi - Seafood Near Me - Richmond, Virginia

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When you walk in the door and see the marble bar with the large Italian Espresso machine on it it is easy to forget that you are on Cary St. in Richmond and not a cafe in Florence! Dinamo is in the same family as Mama Zu's and Edo's Squid. For the longest time they weren't open for lunch, but when I saw that had changed, I popped in for a bite. I was not disappointed. We ordered the Matzo Ball Soup, the Reuben, and the Calamari with chard. The first thing that struck me was the huge portions! The second thing was the authentic style in which they were cooked with an open kitchen where you could see what was going on. In true fashion like its sister restaurants, It was a style of food that you simply can't find anywhere else in Richmond. All of the food was fantastically cooked with just the right amount of garlic and lemon. The service was great, and we were in and out in less than 45 minutes. Pricewise, it was a little much for lunch, but all of us had leftovers. The place only has about eight or nine tables, and I'm sure at dinner time it must be packed, but it was an excellent place for lunch stop. Highly recommended! read more

Beautiful, cozy, eclectic space. Friendly, helpful, attentive (but not at all intrusive) staff. The menu is short and sweet, a combo of Jewish comfort food, Italian specialities with special nuances - and it's ALL ridiculously delicious. We started with a small plate of white pizza - crispy, garlicky, crunchy and delicious - then moved on to the caprese. The mozzarella is so creamy, almost like burrata, and there's just enough basil to balance the dish to perfection. Main course: I had the ricotta gnocchi with pesto... WHOA. Like eating light, fluffy clouds in the best pesto sauce I've ever had (and we usually make our own at home, so we're picky!) For desert we had one rugelach and one Nutella & salted caramel cookie. Needless to say, both were delicious. I love the fact that the kitchen is open and everything is fresh, beautiful plated, and completely unpretentious. This restaurant is a gem, and I can't wait to be back in the area and try the rest of the menu. Bottom line: if you're in the Richmond area, Dinamo should be at the very top of your list of places to eat. Reasonably priced, awesome food, an overall wonderful experience. (Tip: make a reservation, they fill up FAST on the weekends - but if you don't, it's worth the wait!!!) read more

first i want to go over the seating and service first the seating was okay it was very narrow inside then when we first sat down it tool about 15 minutes for the waitress to get to us so we can order. We got bread and roasted red peppers mozzarella and anchovies. The bread was very good soft and the crust had a good amount of crunch. now to the main dishes we had were a half cheese half pepperoni red sauce pizza with tagliatelle with mushrooms and ricotta gnocchi with pesto. First the pizza was on point cheese and toppings were not to heavy on the pizza which was nice. now the roasted red peppers mozzarella and anchovies were fine anchovies fishy but not too fishy mozzarella on point had a good amount of olive oil on it red peppers were good. now the ricotta gnocchi with pesto was very salty not that great. now last the tagliatelle with mushroom was also very salty not great. now the ambiance was okay not much overall a 3 star read more

While on a trip to Richmond, we came upon this little gem. We were looking for something downtown. When you walk in you can't help but enjoy all the wonderful aromas in the place. Our dishes were incredible including the wines we selected. We sat at the bar as we did not have reservations. Very friendly service. I highly recommend it. Street parking is almost impossible but the is a parking lot across the street. read more

Fantastic restaurant! We had a sausage pizza, Pasta, and some deserts and loved them all! They only offer takeout now, but are incredibly safe and the food travels well. Highly recommended if you are in search of Italian in RVA read more