Il Buco
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We came here a few weeks ago because they are Michelin rated. The exterior looked nice, all stone and castle like. We were seated outdoors which was perfect and we were able to witness a sudden thunderstorm. I'm glad we were seated outdoors as it seemed a cooler experience versus indoors. The service was excellent! They first gave amuse-bouche which was great. My friend had the 5 course tasting menu and I ordered a lobster pasta. The tasting comprised of an appetizer assortment, which was okay, a taco like dish, pasta, beef cheek and dessert. Let me say that the dessert was the best part. Nothing really blew our tastebuds to say wow. My lobster pasta dish sauce was too salty, I had to squeeze lemon to balance it out to become palatable. The pasta that came with the tasting menu was underwhelming and salty too! What a waste. The beef cheek was good-tender and savory. Nothing special. But the desserts-limoncello mouse and the complimentary single dessert were both amazing! I would rate this a 3.5 but could not. Could not understand how they were Michelin rated when the tasting menu they provided did not blow your mind.
This wasn't quite the experience I was expecting. Slightly disappointed in the food overall and the restaurant. Food was solid (5 course tasting, chefs choice) but not amazing. Sauces did not seem to add much. The seafood dishes were overall better than the meat dishes. Disappointed in both the beef cheek and the beef taco. Dessert was amazing and what one would expect from a Michelin star. Having tried another starred restaurant in the same area region, would say this one is a skip.
Amazing food, incredible atmosphere, and out of this wild phenomenon service. They deserve more than 5 stars from the bottom of my heart. 1) octopus appetizer was incredibly delicious 2) lobster appetizer was incredibly delicious 3) lobster pasta was cooked to perfection 3) wine & lemon gin was phenomenal My wife and I have made this our go-to spot moving forwards. Their customer service is on another level not seen in the USA.
Our dining experience was off to a rocky start as soon as we arrived. We were shown to a table buried in a dark stairwell filled with an endless parade of pedestrians exiting the local marina. The space was dark, noisy, echoed loudly of the road traffic below, and really unpleasant. Thankfully, they were kind enough to move us to another table that was also outside along a pedestrian walkway. The setting was much nicer though. The only problem was that we were in the middle of a heatwave. Within a couple minutes, we were sweating like crazy. It was pretty unpleasant to eat in a sauna. By the middle of the meal, our bodies were coated in a thin sheen of sweat. The bar around the corner was also pumping loud techno music with heavy bass. The music was great for a club, but not befitting a white tablecloth dinner. The service was very mixed. A few of the servers were very diffident and had zero politeness. Many of the waiters didn't even look at us as they were speaking to us when explaining the dishes. It felt borderline rude. Our head waiter was nice though. We paired our meal with a bottle of the Pietradolce Archineri 2018. The complete menu was: 1) Brioche with eggplant mousse 2) Zucchini muffin 3) Bread with tomato sauce and sausage meat 4) 7 different types of homemade bread and breadsticks 5) Steamed lobster on crispy waffle with fennel and paprika cream served with puntarelle salad and confit tomato. The dish was topped with freshly shaved black truffle, a lovely touch. However, This dish should have been much better. It was strange to serve cold sauce over warm lobster. Also, parts of the fennel was tough and the waffle was underwhelming 6) Seared octopus on Luciana sauc, served with black olive soft bread, broccoli, and mandarin mayonnaise. This dish was ok. Good but not really a standout 7) Risotto with sea plankton, mussels and almonds. Another ok dish 8) Linguine with lemon scented scorpion fish roe fish and sundried tomato. The pasta was cooked *way too* al dente (too undercooked for my liking) and the sauce was just a tad too briney. Not delicious at all. Barely edible. 9) Because we couldn't really eat the previous dish, they were kind enough to serve us an alternative pasta: Homemade tagliolini pasta flavoured with red pepper, clams, river chillies and ginger mayonnaise. This dish was quite good 10) Seabass fillet flavored with lemon potato nocerino onion and crunchy vegetables. The fish was super fresh. This just was solid and my favorite of the whole lineup. 11) Apricot cake with caramel topping and vanilla cream 12) Creamy lemon dessert with a froth of limoncello 13) 3 different petit fours
My husband and I ate here yesterday night (on a Monday). I literally made the reservation the day before and was lucky enough to get it. In the comment I said we were on our honeymoon and would love to eat there. I also asked if they can call me through WhatsApp since I was from the US. They actually did texted me through WhatsApp to confirm The overall experience was positive. The food was all delicious. We spent about $250. We ordered two appetizers, two pasta dishes, one second course, which is the lamb, wine, and two bottles of water, and dessert. The chef also gave us a complementary pre-dinner snack, pre-dessert, post dessert, and lemon cello. The servers were extremely nice and polite. And everyone there seem to be celebrating either their anniversary or honeymoon as well. They have outdoor and indoor seating. I really enjoy the pastas here. I would come again for a special occasion.
Heard a lot about this restaurant, stateside and amongst friends in Rome, had to give it a try, glad I did, from the very start we were made to feel at home, several different bites of food, all presented with perfection before even the menu came, we chose the seafood tasting menu, and it was perfect, all six courses were perfect in both presentation and on the pallet, we chose not to do the wine pairing, but instead asked for their advice on local wines, we chose two different white wines locally produced, one of which is included in my photographs, get this wine, it's hard to come by locally, and probably impossible in the US, of last note, stop by the bathrooms for a Quick Look, probably one of the most beautiful bathrooms of restaurants in Italy
This was by far the best restaurant on our family trip to Italy. We sat outside in an attractive setting that somewhat followed inside setting. The service was perfect in being both attentive while not being over involved with our meal. The chef/restaurant sent us delicious appetizers for free to sample. The bread basket was by far the best we had in Italy. I had the special which was Sicilian prawns with a pasta and cherry tomatoes was amazing. My youngest had the lobster appetizer as a main meal and treated to a wonderful presentation. We had the soufflé and a few other deserts, but the pastry chef wouldn't let the evening end without a few more treats on the house. It isn't the least expensive meal in Italy, but worth every euro.
While visiting Sorrento, we decided to look into Michelin Star restaurants and found this Michelin Guide recommendation! It was absolutely fantastic. We got a last minute reservation, the hosts were super friendly and the vibe was so cute! After looking at the menus, we decided to try the various tasting menus. My boyfriend got an 11 course chef's choice tasting menu and I got 6 course land tasting menu - let me tell you.. both are HUGE!! And absolutely delicious. I can't remember every single dish, but our favorites were their take on the fish and chips (taco) and the lamb. They were also extremely generous with the truffle shavings. Everything was so good, we spent over 3 hours there and essentially rolled out of the restaurant and were still so full on the morning. It was a pricey meal, but we expected that with it being Michelin Guide. But since it was vacation, we were happy to splurge and were pleasantly surprised and not even remotely disappointed. Sorrento is a very cute and walkable town, it was near a bunch of shops, other restaurants and bars, and it was tucked away at the end of a small alley. Very safe area and lively. Definitely give this a try if you're there and willing to celebrate!
Il Buco has earned its Michelin star in not only my palate but my heart for its excellent service in rolling with the punches and making the best out of a situation. My 5 year anniversary dinner here was a journey with hiccups but the staff couldn't have been more accommodating. Firstly, the notoriously confusing bus schedule meant that we missed the first bus down the hill from our Airbnb, and the next one took another hour to show. That meant me standing in the freezing November rain at 20:00 waiting to flag down the next bus barreling its way down the hill while my bf called the restaurant to inform them that we'll be late for our reservation. And we were late, by almost an hour. But after we walked in, the staff of Il Buco graciously welcomed us, took my soggy raincoat, and seated us without any issues. I've already heard about the "I Trust You" menu and ordered that. The menu is tailored to your preferences between sea and land. I liked both so I ended up with basically a surf and turf type variation which was perfect for me. Five courses was also a perfect amount of food and I chose a wine pairing to go with that, which didn't appear on the menu but the server said was doable. We then got an interesting stacked box of various breads to start things off, with subtle texture, shape, and flavor differences, and a nice pouring of olive oil for dipping. Here's where the next big hiccup happened: I have 3 highly specific allergies, learned the hard way through experiences with bad reactions. I did tell the waiter about the eggplant one, and one of the amuse bouches was substituted out because of it. However I failed to mention the others because in my mind there was just so little chance they would happen. Imagine my surprise and horror when my first course was a beautiful plate of raw prawns... which last time I tried (in the form of amaebi) and it caused me to break out in hives and an itchy throat all night. I was too mortified to send the dish back, so I ate it anyway and could immediately feel the telltale tingle in my mouth and throat suggesting a reaction was already starting to happen. I quietly freaked out for five minutes before my bf flagged the server down and explained the situation. They leapt into action immediately, convening with all the floor staff before presenting me with an antihistamine pill on a spoon doused in a tablespoon of bottled water. I was instructed to wait two minutes as the pill began to dissolve, then take the spoonful. And honestly I was also very surprised at how miraculously quick and effective the pill was. The server showed me the box and concentration and while I didn't understand it, it worked for me! All the servers who came to our table after that checked in to make sure I was still okay, which felt amazing. Finally the last little hiccup of the night was the second course. While the server repeated several times that our upcoming dish would be calamari and octopus, there must have been a mixup because I ended up with charred octopus and my bf got bluefin tuna. But that was the least disappointing mixup ever because we preferred these! Thus began the real start of the night's amazing menu. After two courses came the meat dishes, and these really stood out. The chef made sure that my bf and I got completely different things each course so that we ended up tasting each other's. Our pasta dish came with a generous shaving of black truffle on top and for meat I got an elegant presentation of the tenderest lamb, and he got the juiciest hunk of short rib I've ever tried. And finally our desserts came plated with a Happy Anniversary message scrawled in chocolate. I much preferred my dessert, which was a deconstructed tiramisu with Bailey's flavored ice cream. As for the wine pairings, they were all delicious but the last one was so fragrant I imagine that's what ambrosia would have been. It was like amber honey going down and I'm so glad it was the last thing I tasted before going to bed. Fortunately after we were done, a local we had arranged a ride with picked us up at 22:45 and took us back home. As a side note, cell reception inside was virtually nonexistent but wifi it turns out was free and easily accessible, which helped immensely in timing our ride home just right. It was a night of some epic anniversary stories and I have Il Buco to thank deeply for taking care of us and making this an unforgettable night.
Il Buco was an great experience and a lovely way to spend my last way day in Sorrento! The first thing you notice when you enter is the unique dome shape with the nice pops of color (or tv mounted wall art) on the wall or end of the restaurant depending on the table. My husband and I got the "I trust you" seafood tasting menu. The Chef selects 5 items for our meal depending on the ingredients of the day. It consisted of two appetizers, then your first course, second course, and dessert. Bread and amuse bouchée was also included! Everything we had was plated so nicely and was the perfect quantity! My favorite was the shrimp appetizer and the dessert. But honestly, the every dish was cohesive and delicious from start to finish! I highly recommend Il Buco if you're in Sorrento! The staff is really attentive and the food is fresh and made perfectly!
Il Buco Ristorante is a gourmet Italian restaurant that opened in Sorrento, Italy in 1997. It was founded by Chef Giuseppe 'Peppe' Aversa. The restaurant is located in the former wine cellar of a 15th century monastery. At Il Buco (Italian for "The Hole"), Chef Peppe brings the cuisine of Campania and Naples to life with meticulous attention to detail, innovative cuisine, fresh ingredients, and a love for the grand culinary traditions of southern Italy. The restaurant was awarded a Michelin star in 2004. My wife and I visited Il Buco in July 2018, at the tail-end of our 3 week honeymoon in Italy. As soon as we were seated, we were given a complimentary cheese plate. We looked over the menu and decided to order "I Trust You": five courses with wine pairings that Chef Peppe personally bases on your dining preferences. Our server just asked us if we had any dietary or food allergy restrictions. It was as if Chef Peppe read our minds, because for the rest of the evening he served us courses that seemed to be custom made for us. For the first course, we were given a selection of raw fish. For the second course, I was served an octopus dish while my wife was served a lobster and burrata dish. Out of this world!! How did he know that we liked those things?!! For the pasta course, I was served Gragnano spaghetti with anchovies and my wife was served linguine with lemon scented scorpion fish. For the meat course, I was given black pork stew with polenta and my wife was given fillet of beef with pizzaiola sauce. Our server then brought us delicious desserts. Everything was spectacular, and the wine pairings were phenomenal as well. We capped off the evening with glasses of limoncello. This was the single greatest dining experience we've ever had in our lives!
It was quite an experience to be able to dine at a Michelin star restaurant while visiting Sorrento as a family. We each did a different tasting menu and several of our party did a wine pairing with their menu. All the food was beautifully presented and each dish was thoroughly described by the wait staff. The weight staff were very well trained, very professional, attentive and friendly. The food was all very fresh and excellently prepared. We sat in one of the outdoor tables(for Covid safety) But I understand the indoor dining room is amazing.
Such a yummy meal oh my. I ordered the Pasta di Gragnano and it was a lobster pasta that was slightly creamy and oh so flavorful, probably the most flavorful lobster dish I've ever had. The chef's starter was not my favorite, very mushy textures for the burrata esque one and the octopus one, but the potato one was fine. The bread basket with an assortment of breads is delicious. The Giglio pasta with salmon comes moving which is cool, but it was also very unique and good. The catch of the day was solid. The gnocco was great, but also my vegetarian family got the dish modified so who knows what it was supposed to taste like actually lol. The tiramisu was very different but good and the tiramisu espresso martini was out of this world tbh read more
Lobster- 8.5/10. Well cooked but sauces and sides were pretty flavorless Beef tacos- 5/10. Not really sure why this is on the menu at all. Dish was under seasoned and both the beef filling and tortillas didn't taste that great Broccoli and eel risotto- 6/10. Couldn't taste much flavor from broccoli, eel pieces were tiny, and risotto was undercooked at the top. At the bottom it was better and I'm guessing it's because as the dish cooled, the bottom kept cooking longer. It wasn't served to me hot either. I didn't even end up finishing it. Tagliolini- 8/10. Good flavor, but nothing special. We had better pasta elsewhere that was also much cheaper. Seabass- 8.5/10. At least the cook on the seabass was good. but again nothing special Beef cheeks- 8.5/10. Same- solid but nothing I'd write home about. Overall, this has been the least impressive Michelin starred meal I've experienced in a while. The lack of flavor and unevenly and undercooked risotto was really disappointing. And the prices are way higher than what the meal is worth. Would recommend skipping this spot. read more
I can see why they earned a Michelin star-- the food was made with creativity and expertise. We especially loved their raw fish appetizer- presented in clever little portions all beautifully designed. I enjoyed the beef cheek with reduction sauce pored over the dish at your table. The ravioli was also excellent. Even the bread is presented like a 3d chess board. We enjoyed some superb white and red wines as well. The service was excellent and we felt well taken care of. read more
We came here a few weeks ago because they are Michelin rated. The exterior looked nice, all stone and castle like. We were seated outdoors which was perfect and we were able to witness a sudden thunderstorm. I'm glad we were seated outdoors as it seemed a cooler experience versus indoors. The service was excellent! They first gave amuse-bouche which was great. My friend had the 5 course tasting menu and I ordered a lobster pasta. The tasting comprised of an appetizer assortment, which was okay, a taco like dish, pasta, beef cheek and dessert. Let me say that the dessert was the best part. Nothing really blew our tastebuds to say wow. My lobster pasta dish sauce was too salty, I had to squeeze lemon to balance it out to become palatable. The pasta that came with the tasting menu was underwhelming and salty too! What a waste. The beef cheek was good-tender and savory. Nothing special. But the desserts-limoncello mouse and the complimentary single dessert were both amazing! I would rate this a 3.5 but could not. Could not understand how they were Michelin rated when the tasting menu they provided did not blow your mind. read more
7 months ago
This wasn't quite the experience I was expecting. Slightly disappointed in the food overall and the restaurant. Food was solid (5 course tasting, chefs choice) but not amazing. Sauces did not seem to add much. The seafood dishes were overall better than the meat dishes. Disappointed in both the beef cheek and the beef taco. Dessert was amazing and what one would expect from a Michelin star. Having tried another starred restaurant in the same area region, would say this one is a skip. read more
1 year ago
Amazing food, incredible atmosphere, and out of this wild phenomenon service. They deserve more than 5 stars from the bottom of my heart. 1) octopus appetizer was incredibly delicious 2) lobster appetizer was incredibly delicious 3) lobster pasta was cooked to perfection 3) wine & lemon gin was phenomenal My wife and I have made this our go-to spot moving forwards. Their customer service is on another level not seen in the USA. read more
Our dining experience was off to a rocky start as soon as we arrived. We were shown to a table buried in a dark stairwell filled with an endless parade of pedestrians exiting the local marina. The space was dark, noisy, echoed loudly of the road traffic below, and really unpleasant. Thankfully, they were kind enough to move us to another table that was also outside along a pedestrian walkway. The setting was much nicer though. The only problem was that we were in the middle of a heatwave. Within a couple minutes, we were sweating like crazy. It was pretty unpleasant to eat in a sauna. By the middle of the meal, our bodies were coated in a thin sheen of sweat. The bar around the corner was also pumping loud techno music with heavy bass. The music was great for a club, but not befitting a white tablecloth dinner. The service was very mixed. A few of the servers were very diffident and had zero politeness. Many of the waiters didn't even look at us as they were speaking to us when explaining the dishes. It felt borderline rude. Our head waiter was nice though. We paired our meal with a bottle of the Pietradolce Archineri 2018. The complete menu was: 1) Brioche with eggplant mousse 2) Zucchini muffin 3) Bread with tomato sauce and sausage meat 4) 7 different types of homemade bread and breadsticks 5) Steamed lobster on crispy waffle with fennel and paprika cream served with puntarelle salad and confit tomato. The dish was topped with freshly shaved black truffle, a lovely touch. However, This dish should have been much better. It was strange to serve cold sauce over warm lobster. Also, parts of the fennel was tough and the waffle was underwhelming 6) Seared octopus on Luciana sauc, served with black olive soft bread, broccoli, and mandarin mayonnaise. This dish was ok. Good but not really a standout 7) Risotto with sea plankton, mussels and almonds. Another ok dish 8) Linguine with lemon scented scorpion fish roe fish and sundried tomato. The pasta was cooked *way too* al dente (too undercooked for my liking) and the sauce was just a tad too briney. Not delicious at all. Barely edible. 9) Because we couldn't really eat the previous dish, they were kind enough to serve us an alternative pasta: Homemade tagliolini pasta flavoured with red pepper, clams, river chillies and ginger mayonnaise. This dish was quite good 10) Seabass fillet flavored with lemon potato nocerino onion and crunchy vegetables. The fish was super fresh. This just was solid and my favorite of the whole lineup. 11) Apricot cake with caramel topping and vanilla cream 12) Creamy lemon dessert with a froth of limoncello 13) 3 different petit fours read more
6 months ago
My husband and I ate here yesterday night (on a Monday). I literally made the reservation the day before and was lucky enough to get it. In the comment I said we were on our honeymoon and would love to eat there. I also asked if they can call me through WhatsApp since I was from the US. They actually did texted me through WhatsApp to confirm The overall experience was positive. The food was all delicious. We spent about $250. We ordered two appetizers, two pasta dishes, one second course, which is the lamb, wine, and two bottles of water, and dessert. The chef also gave us a complementary pre-dinner snack, pre-dessert, post dessert, and lemon cello. The servers were extremely nice and polite. And everyone there seem to be celebrating either their anniversary or honeymoon as well. They have outdoor and indoor seating. I really enjoy the pastas here. I would come again for a special occasion. read more
11 months ago
Heard a lot about this restaurant, stateside and amongst friends in Rome, had to give it a try, glad I did, from the very start we were made to feel at home, several different bites of food, all presented with perfection before even the menu came, we chose the seafood tasting menu, and it was perfect, all six courses were perfect in both presentation and on the pallet, we chose not to do the wine pairing, but instead asked for their advice on local wines, we chose two different white wines locally produced, one of which is included in my photographs, get this wine, it's hard to come by locally, and probably impossible in the US, of last note, stop by the bathrooms for a Quick Look, probably one of the most beautiful bathrooms of restaurants in Italy read more
2 years ago
This place is located in a lovely stone cavernous space that despite its cold look turns out to be warm and inviting. The preparation of each dish and the presentation and service were spot on. read more
3 years ago
9 months ago
2 years ago
This was by far the best restaurant on our family trip to Italy. We sat outside in an attractive setting that somewhat followed inside setting. The service was perfect in being both attentive while not being over involved with our meal. The chef/restaurant sent us delicious appetizers for free to sample. The bread basket was by far the best we had in Italy. I had the special which was Sicilian prawns with a pasta and cherry tomatoes was amazing. My youngest had the lobster appetizer as a main meal and treated to a wonderful presentation. We had the soufflé and a few other deserts, but the pastry chef wouldn't let the evening end without a few more treats on the house. It isn't the least expensive meal in Italy, but worth every euro. read more
4 years ago
While visiting Sorrento, we decided to look into Michelin Star restaurants and found this Michelin Guide recommendation! It was absolutely fantastic. We got a last minute reservation, the hosts were super friendly and the vibe was so cute! After looking at the menus, we decided to try the various tasting menus. My boyfriend got an 11 course chef's choice tasting menu and I got 6 course land tasting menu - let me tell you.. both are HUGE!! And absolutely delicious. I can't remember every single dish, but our favorites were their take on the fish and chips (taco) and the lamb. They were also extremely generous with the truffle shavings. Everything was so good, we spent over 3 hours there and essentially rolled out of the restaurant and were still so full on the morning. It was a pricey meal, but we expected that with it being Michelin Guide. But since it was vacation, we were happy to splurge and were pleasantly surprised and not even remotely disappointed. Sorrento is a very cute and walkable town, it was near a bunch of shops, other restaurants and bars, and it was tucked away at the end of a small alley. Very safe area and lively. Definitely give this a try if you're there and willing to celebrate! read more
Il Buco has earned its Michelin star in not only my palate but my heart for its excellent service in rolling with the punches and making the best out of a situation. My 5 year anniversary dinner here was a journey with hiccups but the staff couldn't have been more accommodating. Firstly, the notoriously confusing bus schedule meant that we missed the first bus down the hill from our Airbnb, and the next one took another hour to show. That meant me standing in the freezing November rain at 20:00 waiting to flag down the next bus barreling its way down the hill while my bf called the restaurant to inform them that we'll be late for our reservation. And we were late, by almost an hour. But after we walked in, the staff of Il Buco graciously welcomed us, took my soggy raincoat, and seated us without any issues. I've already heard about the "I Trust You" menu and ordered that. The menu is tailored to your preferences between sea and land. I liked both so I ended up with basically a surf and turf type variation which was perfect for me. Five courses was also a perfect amount of food and I chose a wine pairing to go with that, which didn't appear on the menu but the server said was doable. We then got an interesting stacked box of various breads to start things off, with subtle texture, shape, and flavor differences, and a nice pouring of olive oil for dipping. Here's where the next big hiccup happened: I have 3 highly specific allergies, learned the hard way through experiences with bad reactions. I did tell the waiter about the eggplant one, and one of the amuse bouches was substituted out because of it. However I failed to mention the others because in my mind there was just so little chance they would happen. Imagine my surprise and horror when my first course was a beautiful plate of raw prawns... which last time I tried (in the form of amaebi) and it caused me to break out in hives and an itchy throat all night. I was too mortified to send the dish back, so I ate it anyway and could immediately feel the telltale tingle in my mouth and throat suggesting a reaction was already starting to happen. I quietly freaked out for five minutes before my bf flagged the server down and explained the situation. They leapt into action immediately, convening with all the floor staff before presenting me with an antihistamine pill on a spoon doused in a tablespoon of bottled water. I was instructed to wait two minutes as the pill began to dissolve, then take the spoonful. And honestly I was also very surprised at how miraculously quick and effective the pill was. The server showed me the box and concentration and while I didn't understand it, it worked for me! All the servers who came to our table after that checked in to make sure I was still okay, which felt amazing. Finally the last little hiccup of the night was the second course. While the server repeated several times that our upcoming dish would be calamari and octopus, there must have been a mixup because I ended up with charred octopus and my bf got bluefin tuna. But that was the least disappointing mixup ever because we preferred these! Thus began the real start of the night's amazing menu. After two courses came the meat dishes, and these really stood out. The chef made sure that my bf and I got completely different things each course so that we ended up tasting each other's. Our pasta dish came with a generous shaving of black truffle on top and for meat I got an elegant presentation of the tenderest lamb, and he got the juiciest hunk of short rib I've ever tried. And finally our desserts came plated with a Happy Anniversary message scrawled in chocolate. I much preferred my dessert, which was a deconstructed tiramisu with Bailey's flavored ice cream. As for the wine pairings, they were all delicious but the last one was so fragrant I imagine that's what ambrosia would have been. It was like amber honey going down and I'm so glad it was the last thing I tasted before going to bed. Fortunately after we were done, a local we had arranged a ride with picked us up at 22:45 and took us back home. As a side note, cell reception inside was virtually nonexistent but wifi it turns out was free and easily accessible, which helped immensely in timing our ride home just right. It was a night of some epic anniversary stories and I have Il Buco to thank deeply for taking care of us and making this an unforgettable night. read more
Il Buco was an great experience and a lovely way to spend my last way day in Sorrento! The first thing you notice when you enter is the unique dome shape with the nice pops of color (or tv mounted wall art) on the wall or end of the restaurant depending on the table. My husband and I got the "I trust you" seafood tasting menu. The Chef selects 5 items for our meal depending on the ingredients of the day. It consisted of two appetizers, then your first course, second course, and dessert. Bread and amuse bouchée was also included! Everything we had was plated so nicely and was the perfect quantity! My favorite was the shrimp appetizer and the dessert. But honestly, the every dish was cohesive and delicious from start to finish! I highly recommend Il Buco if you're in Sorrento! The staff is really attentive and the food is fresh and made perfectly! read more
4 years ago
Il Buco Ristorante is a gourmet Italian restaurant that opened in Sorrento, Italy in 1997. It was founded by Chef Giuseppe 'Peppe' Aversa. The restaurant is located in the former wine cellar of a 15th century monastery. At Il Buco (Italian for "The Hole"), Chef Peppe brings the cuisine of Campania and Naples to life with meticulous attention to detail, innovative cuisine, fresh ingredients, and a love for the grand culinary traditions of southern Italy. The restaurant was awarded a Michelin star in 2004. My wife and I visited Il Buco in July 2018, at the tail-end of our 3 week honeymoon in Italy. As soon as we were seated, we were given a complimentary cheese plate. We looked over the menu and decided to order "I Trust You": five courses with wine pairings that Chef Peppe personally bases on your dining preferences. Our server just asked us if we had any dietary or food allergy restrictions. It was as if Chef Peppe read our minds, because for the rest of the evening he served us courses that seemed to be custom made for us. For the first course, we were given a selection of raw fish. For the second course, I was served an octopus dish while my wife was served a lobster and burrata dish. Out of this world!! How did he know that we liked those things?!! For the pasta course, I was served Gragnano spaghetti with anchovies and my wife was served linguine with lemon scented scorpion fish. For the meat course, I was given black pork stew with polenta and my wife was given fillet of beef with pizzaiola sauce. Our server then brought us delicious desserts. Everything was spectacular, and the wine pairings were phenomenal as well. We capped off the evening with glasses of limoncello. This was the single greatest dining experience we've ever had in our lives! read more
4 years ago
It was quite an experience to be able to dine at a Michelin star restaurant while visiting Sorrento as a family. We each did a different tasting menu and several of our party did a wine pairing with their menu. All the food was beautifully presented and each dish was thoroughly described by the wait staff. The weight staff were very well trained, very professional, attentive and friendly. The food was all very fresh and excellently prepared. We sat in one of the outdoor tables(for Covid safety) But I understand the indoor dining room is amazing. read more
Amazing! This is the place that Stanley Tucci visited on his visit to Sorrento for his food special on Italy. We sat in the same area as Tucci did. We have the "I Trust You" dinner where the chef chooses what you will eat. It was an adventure and we had some amazing dishes we would never order; for example, pasta with Scorpion fish. The restaurant has a Michelin Star and it is very deserving. It is a little pricey but when you are done you wonder why it doesn't cost more. Don't hesitate to go here. I should also add that the service was exceptional, way beyond good. My only suggestion is to go on-line and study the menu before you arrive so you aren't overwhelmed. It isn't a huge menu but many of the items were not familiar. Or, you can just let the Chef decide. read more
2 years ago
我是中国客人太好吃best restaurant in Sorrento amazing service and can't explain the ambience.The Chef Giuseppe Aversa created a paradise inside the city of Sorrento I'm very happy to have tried this amazing experience. read more
2 years ago
3 years ago
Best meal I've ever had. The chef came to the table and ASKED what foods we preferred and then constructed the menu!!! My son had a wine pairing and the portions were generous. read more
3 years ago
Everything was exceptional- food & service top notch!!! We ordered the Chef Choice! It was 5 courses of pure bliss! The ambiance was romantic- we walked right in and was seated right away.... It was perfection from start to finish! read more
5 star service. 5 star food. 5 star experience. Decided to dine at this restaurant our first night in town, located in the heart of Sorrento. The restaurant is underground in a cellar- sit downstairs to sit under the brick arches with candlelit tables. My spouse and I both ordered the "white truffle tasting menu"- both truffle lovers, so perfect for us. All 4 dishes were packed with intense flavor and had unique, incredible presentations- each individual plate was brought to the table when ready, and then the waiter proceeded to meticulously pick a truffle out of his "glass jar of truffles", and shave it over the dish. The limoncello martini was very crisp and fresh, and packed with that lemon flavor, definitely recommend it!! Along with our tasting menu, we were surprised with bread, a pre appetizer, AND both a pre and post dessert (come with an empty stomach)!! This was one of the best, if not THE best, places we ate at in Italy (from Rome to Venice). The Michelin star is well-deserved and I highly recommend getting a reservation here (we will again whenever we return). It is worth the money!!! read more
3 years ago
Unreal experience and food. The service, ambiance, flavors, etc were so high class and reasonably priced for such an elegant restaurant. read more
4 years ago
4 years ago
Interesting experience to say the least. Not your traditional Italian restaurant. Feels like an expensive and bougie restaurant. They bring out a few dishes compliments of the chef, which was nice and yummy. The portions were fairly small, although they were delicious. I wouldn't really recommend coming here if you want more traditional Italian food, but it was different in a good way. read more
This will be my most memorable dining experience ever! 6 courses and wine pairings, along with starters, a bread box, desserts & limoncello! We came here for our 25th wedding anniversary- they spoiled us with great attention & service. The martini cart is legit! Chef Pepe, thank you for showing us your love of great cuisine! read more
3 years ago
3 years ago
2 years ago
COVID times dining experience done well! We booked this for our anniversary while in Sorrento. We had the best seat in the house I think- we overlooked the sunset through this alcove- truly beautiful! Overall, it was a pretty good one star experience! We did the chef choice menu and he came up with some nice dishes for us, but I was expecting more for the price. Pros: the service was fantastic! You don't always get really attentive and friendly service in foreign countries but this was great. They also had individually wrapped towels for COVID, social distancing and temperature checks to enter. The wine pairings were also really nice! Improvements: the dishes weren't all the best bites we've had. Some were really tasty, but I was missing some creativity and flavor for others. It's on the more expensive side for a one star, so I was expecting a bit more from the dishes. I also typically would expect some sort of recognition for a special occasion (e.g. Boka and Blackbird both did special treats for our anniversary in the US). This was our first Michelin after lockdown so we had a great experience and were happy to meet with the chef! I'm not sure we'd go back but I'm glad we got a chance to visit. read more
Wow just wow. We were tired of eating at the same hotel place, so my Dad reserved this place. It was amazing. I ordered a talinoli with tomato sauce, and this was not even on the menu. My mom ordered sea bass and grilled mozzarella cheese. My dad ordered the "I Trust You " thing. But we didn't order this before we got a special entre from the chef. The I trust you was so good, we didn't let my dad eat it !!! my pasta was so good, and so was my moms sea bass. We went outside because inside was a bit warm. Outside was so much better. There was a little kitty hiding near her our table. the food was amazing and so was the setting and service. Thank you. read more
3 years ago
4 years ago
It's a worthwhile splurge! Just pick from the tasting menu and let "Pepe" impress your tastebuds! Each plate was fresh, creative, and perfectly prepared. Everything was perfectly paired with a wine - I can't believe this place only has one Michelin star! Our server "Rosario" and the rest of the staff are true professionals and artisans of their craft. We'll be back tomorrow night! read more
4 years ago
Amazing, out of this world service. The chef personally greeted us and brought out the food with servers who have working with him for 16+ years. Food was outstanding. Highly recommend the beef taco and lobster linguini. Well deserved Michelin star restaurant 2022. read more
2 years ago
5 stars 5 stars 5 STARS. My fiance and I found Il Buco on Trip Advisor while we were galavanting through Italy in March. We were looking for a finale meal before coming back to the US and were instantly impressed by the photos and good things said by others who had been there but thought if it didn't live up to the hype and lived up to the price tag, we'd be very disappointed. Thank GOD we went for it. We were able to make a reservation the night before for 8 PM and we were pumped to visit. One thing you always notice about michelin starred restaurants is the service. This was no exception. The menu options were explained to us in mouth-watering detail, drinks made for us TABLE SIDE, and all our needs were taken care of the entire night. For the menu, there were a couple of options for us. They had their regular tasting menu, could order a la carte for yourself or to share, OR you could participate in their special menu. The special that night was a tasting menu crafted by an Italian chef that had studied in China for years. After hearing what was included in that selection, we both went with the special tasting menu. It ended up being a wild crossover of Chinese and Italian fusion. I have never had anything like it and we were both blown away. Special shoutout to the Foie on Foie dish served by the chef. Everything about the night was perfect! Perfect food, perfect wine pairings, perfect service. Our main server even saw we were enjoying ourselves so much that he took us down to the kitchen to look around after our meal and gave us a discount on the bottle of wine we bought from them! I cannot recommend this place enough if you've got the cash to spend. Without a doubt, Il Buco provided me and my fiance a top 5 restaurant meal experience of our lives. 1 Michelin star doesn't begin to do this place justice. Il Buco delivers on everything it seems to be and more. Not like people need a reason to go to Sorrento anyway, but this would definitely be one! read more
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11 years ago
11 years ago
