The food is wildly overpriced and mediocre at best. Husband ordered shrimp dish. It was the size is an appetizer for close to $40.00. Mine was also tiny but had a little more pasta in it. The service is slow and not attentive read more

I have to say my expectations for an amazing dinner were high before coming here. I heard great reviews about the homemade pasta. As we started off the evening with the Mussel appetizer, while it was delicious, we both would have preferred more bread. While waiting for our entrees, bread would have been nice to have. The server was at first great, he got me a new glass of Prosecco before even finishing my first glass. We ordered dinner and we both ordered the Crab. After that, service went down hill. Didn't see him again till we were ready for desert. But let's get back to the entree, way too many jalapeños in my pasta, that's all I could frickin taste is jalapeños in my mouth and it was on mother f'in fire and I had nothing to drink!!! No bread to eat, nothing to drink....this sucked it was way too spicy to not have something to pair with. The pasta was al dente, which was okay but I was expecting it to be better for some reason. Portions are small as welll. Don't plan on taking anything home for leftovers and I didn't even really like my dinner to be honest. Finally after finishing our dinner our waiter showed up and we asked for the desert menu. After telling him our choice, we decided to get the bread pudding. The only thing that was present was the amazing vanilla icecream. The chocolate and Nutella were non existent and the muffin tasted like you were eating cardboard. Never again. Minus the delicious icecream, the desert sucked. Not sure I would come back. They don't have many options on the menu and it was freezing inside so the ambiance wasn't as nice as it could be. This place could do so much better with a broader menu and better servers and bread.....please add bread. Makes a huge difference. Definitely feeling bummed out after hearing such rave reviews about this place. Honestly, It's overpriced and it sucks. read more

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This was one of the top places my boyfriend and I wanted to visit in Buffalo, but there were no reservations available online. We walked there and asked if they had any cancellations or tables available. The hostess was very accomodating and squeezed us in at the bar. Our server/bartender was Esmay, and they were great! They brought us complimentary glasses of prosecco as soon as we were seated. I had a glass of Chianti and my boyfriend loved the limoncello mojito. Don't skip the fresh cheese app! It's homemade and tasted like a cross between burrata and ricotta in good olive oil. It was amazing! I got the mushroom pasta with casarecce noodles. My boyfriend loved the bolognese. We also shared the romaine Caesar salad. It was big enough to share, and they split it for us! We finished with panna cotta. Chef's kiss. The restaurant was in a beautiful house and was decorated very nicely. We had a fun, spontaneous and romantic dinner here. Great food and service! read more

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Went for dinner with my husband tonight. I ordered the romaine salad and Cacio e Pepe. He ordered the pickles and mussels. He loved the food and raved about the mixed drink he ordered. I enjoyed the romaine salad. But the Cacio e Pepe was lacking. Yes it was tasty but too one dimensional. Why not add some chopped vegetables or olives, or anything to help lift it up a notch. But I guess it wouldn't be Cacio e Pepe then. Oh, well! Also the mini-almond cake was aptly named. It was very small; not enough for us to share. read more

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for all the type this place gets i feel like i have to be extra harsh with this rating. i 100% enjoyed the ambiance, friendly and attentive service, but the food itself...was very average. the pasta is supposedly handmade in house but why is it soggier than my premade pasta at home? the pork pasta dish i got was slightly flavorless, mostly just oily. the pork itself was SO salty like why are you torturing me. to be fair i am pretty sensitive to salt so maybe it's good to someone who love some salt pain. i tried a bite from my friends' dishes and they were also just fine...i was expecting a mind blowing delicious experience but it was just okay! read more

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You should go here. I went here for my girlfriend's birthday and we had a great time. To start I had the fresh cheese with toast, which I highly recommend. I had the mushroom pasta and it was delicious, my girlfriend had the vodka pasta, it was basic but still very good. The front room was a bit noisy for my liking but not as bad as other places I've been to. The portions were on the smaller side but still filling enough. We had Hillary as our server and she was great, she was very nice and very attentive. read more

Went with friends while we were in town. Love the space, loved the food, loved the wine selection. I had beef carpaccio and cacio e pepi with a French red that was their featured wine, finishing with a financier with fig and ice cream. It was all fantastic. Some of my friends who were with me are vegan and were dismayed that none of the pasta is vegan, but they really liked the broccolini and cauliflower entrees. Our experience was that the restaurant can accommodate vegans (and well), but not with lots of options. Vegetarians who eat eggs and dairy would find it easy to dine here. read more

I really want to give it a 3.5 star rating. I have heard so many people say how amazing this palace is and I finally made it for my cousins birthday dinner. I wanted to love it as much as everyone else. But it was ok. We spent $140 dollars and the cacio e Pepe was ok. It wasn't hot and it had a lot of truffle flavor which none of us had ever had in a cacio e Pepe before. The vodka sauce was nothing to write home about kind of bland. The mushroom risotto which was my main was good but had a huge chunk of much too chard mushrooms in the middle that took up a lot of the plate. I was also delivered the wrong main when everyone else got theirs and the waitress needed to tell me it wasn't her fault. I'm not sure but it was off putting. I will say the bread was so good and the broccolini appetizer was very satisfying. It was crispy, had a nice cream sauce and good flavor. Anyways it's up to you but I'd rather spend my very few free nights at a different Italian restaurant read more

Cafe Italian. Casual intimate atmosphere, great clever well prepared Italian cooking. Small intimate bar for one or two person dining if you can reserve a space there, otherwise table service is just as intimate and well served. Highly recommend it. read more

The food was amazing and service was even better. Wait staff is over the top great, very attentive to needs. I will definitely go back.

Inizio is back open! Walking distance from where I live and I couldn't be more excited to start going here more often. Went on a Saturday night and it was fairly busy as expected so make sure you make your reservations ahead of time. Got there a little early so we could go and sit at the bar for a drink but turns out even the bar seats get reserved so I would suggest just showing up when your reservation is. Food wise, can't beat it. The bruschetta was unbelievable. Definitely a highly suggested appetizer. We even ordered it because a friend suggested it to us! I ordered Ragu Bolognese and was incredibly impressed. Everything is handmade, fresh pasta so obviously it's worth the price. Staff were incredibly friendly and knowledgeable on the menu. Will definitely be going back soon! read more

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This place deserves the five-stars. The hospitality, space and experience are all top notch. If you're looking for the most delicious Italian in Buffalo, Inizio has come on board at full strength! I came here with some coworkers lately and we left overjoyed. The highlights: 1) Roasted house pistachios that accentuate many of their meals. 2) All the pastas are housemade, yet not drenched in sauce and provide a nice balance of spice. The pesto with the pistachios on top was a winner! 3) Many great appetizers to share. We also got a few desserts and each one was delightful. The server was kind, yet not overbearing. No substitutions - so come and find something you like on their small homey menu! read more

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Had an absolutely amazing experience at Inizio last night! I was there for dinner with coworkers, and the whole experience from top to bottom was wonderful. Special shoutouts to the serve, bar, and hostess staff who really went above and beyond to ensure we had everything we needed and we're well taken care of. A few awesome small touches that make Inizio special: 1) The bathroom interior is amazing. I know that's not necessarily the most important thing, but I just love when special thought is put into every element of a restaurant. It totally shows here and I LOVED it! 2) Complimentary sips of prosecco and the option of still or sparkling water! Such a sweet touch and an awesome way to kick of the meal. 3) The decor and design of the whole space is stunning, and really transports you from space to space. Our food at every turn was delicious. They pride themselves on their homemade pasta and sauces, and it is easy to see why. I enjoyed the potato gnocchi entree, which is perfectly balanced with cheese, white bean puree, and greens. ALL of the appetizers were interesting and tasty - I especially liked the goat cheese with strawberries and zucchini. Everything at Inizio is crazy fresh, served with style, and beyond tasty. I am SO excited for my Buffalonians to have this amazing addition on Elmwood, and can't wait to eat here...every time I am in Buff! read more

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I really wanted to love this restaurant The food was pricey and mediocre, at best. I had the cacio e pepe, two friends had the bolognese, and one the chicken pasta. Mediocre was the verdict. The bread was fantastic, and the mushroom appetizer was good. Service was almost too attentive- our waitress was all over us throughout our meal. Ambience is nice, like eating in someone's house. I won't return. read more

I have been here several times and the food is always so good I never remember to take a picture of my meal! Their cocktails are all carefully crafted and the food is all homemade. Whether you are starting with an appetizer or enjoying their entrees, you simply cannot go wrong. The dining area is warm and intimate and the staff are all professional and accommodating. Make sure you call we'll in advance for a table because this place books up fast! read more

Inizio - Espresso Martini - Italian Near Me - Buffalo, New York

From the service, to the atmosphere to the cocktails and FOOD... incredible! I've been here a few times and will hopefully be able to make it back again before I leave the area. You absolutely MUST order the bread -- yeah, yeah... it's $8, but it is to die for. Plan ahead to be sure to grab a reservation as they are only open 5p-9p Tuesday - Saturday... when it's this good, I guess 20 hours a week is all you need! You won't be disappointed! read more

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I like to wait a few months after a restaurant opens before I have a meal at a new place but I was very excited to have a meal at this new restaurant. The building which formerly housed a sandwich shop is perfect for Inizio. All the pasta dishes were very good. We tried a few different items, but we wanted to try everything. We had mafalde, radiatore and gnudi. Three types of HOMEMADE! pasta and they were all cooked perfectly. The sauces were very good as well. I love caesar salad but was left a little disappointed with Inizio's because it lacked anchovy and garlic flavor - also the dressing was a bit thin. The caesar is served with the whole romaine leaf - which is the only way to serve it in my opinion so that kept it from being an utter disaster in my book. One of my party had a nut allergy so there were a few things we could not try, which included most of the desserts. We did not mind as we were all very happy with our meals. It is early days for Inizio but I think they're on the right path and will definitely be putting this restaurant on my short list. read more

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My husband made us a reservation for here one night and I was pleasantly delighted! The staff is super friendly and helpful with recommendations. Every part of the meal was absolutely delicious!! Fresh made pasta.... how can you go wrong!? It's a bit pricier but worth every penny, legit! Reservations are required! 100% recommend!!! read more

Alright buckle up, this will be a long one. You walk into an older house on elmwood turned into a fine dinning experience. The vibe and the lighting will leave you curious to find out what sort of dishes are you getting yourself into. The food: I have tried a few entrees out of their dinner menu, out of which, 100% of the items were so good, that I wish the plate had more food. The portion sizes are mid large, just like how an experience that wouldn't want you to fill up but perfected to the point of debating ordering a second serving. Start your night off with an order of broccolini and hanger steak. That broccolini will arrive to you with tons of marcona almonds which goes well with the taste of the broccolini, while the garlic and shredded parmigiano just sits in the background, providing the best base possible. The hanger steak with the smoked potatoes will help you diversify your palette after that adventurous broccolini. The Crab comes with hand/home made rigatoni (like every single piece of pasta at this establishment), with crab meat in the bottom of the beautifully plated goodness of pasta, perfectly drenched in garlic cream. The garlic isn't overpowering, you probably wouldn't even notice it till your last bite. The freshness of the food left me almost in tears, of how good this place is. You honestly cannot go wrong with the Crab, Shrimp, Vodka, pesto, mushroom or the ragu bolognese. You cannot go wrong with any item from this menu. Let's talk about the drinks. You have a fantastic cocktail menu, but here's the fun part. Talk to Esmay at the bar and she will make you the best cocktails by just knowing what form of liquor you like to drink. You won't go wrong with this one. You simply cannot. read more

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Highly Recommend - Attention to detail in every dish - Exceptional Service and Very handsomely decorated space - look forward to visiting again soon. Must try: bread & butter // cacio e Pepe // pesto pasta with pea & pistachio read more

Inizio - Burrata / Anchovies / Prosciutto / Ricotta / Bread - Italian Near Me - Buffalo, New York

Simply The Most Sophisticated Cuisine In Buffalo (Don't take my word for it. Go find out for yourself.) Try the: Cacio E Pepe made with homemade pasta. The chef's veggie of the day. Dessert of any kind. Etc. read more

Overpriced and no flavor, don't waste your time and money. Cocktails and bread were okay but $8 for bread when the entrees are $35+ is crazy. Seafood pasta was flavorful and the mussels were cooked well, but nothing crazy. Genovese pasta was suspiciously grey and no seasoning, not even a spec of pepper seen in the dish. The fact they managed to make the short rib taste so bland was quite impressive. Cannot believe this place has high reviews when better Italian spots like Frankie Primos and Daniela exist in Buffalo. The wait staff was also weirdly impatient and just sort of rude, almost seemed like we were being rushed out of there. You'd think you'd get treated alright when spending almost $200 on a meal for 2. You'll find better flavor down the street at Mr Pizza lol. read more

Good was very good, I got the pesto and peas dish (not sure of the exact name sorry) which was great and my girlfriend got the cacio e Pepe which was also wonderful. We also started off with the fresh cheese, was surprised how good this was, would go again just for that!! Service came over quick for a fancy restaurant and served as complimentary Prosecco, which was a surprise! Lovely place :) read more

Inizio - Pesto and Peas Dish - Italian Near Me - Buffalo, New York

Such an amazing experience from the complimentary prosecco to the warm chocolate chip cookies. The atmosphere was great, the service was great, and the food was amazing! 1. Bruschetta - Honestly not my favorite, but probably my fault for assuming there would be tomatoes so I set myself up for disappointment. The fig jam was sweet and paired well with the prosciutto. 2. Romaine - Don't make the mistake of thinking this is just a salad. These were crispy romaine leafs with lots of delicious dressing, bread crumbs, and cheese. You will not regret ordering this, it is amazing! 3. Cacio e Pepe - My favorite pasta of the three! So creamy, salty, and perfect - not overpowering on the pepper. The pasta was such a fun shape that I hadn't had before. 4. Crab pasta - Super flavorful with big chunks of crab and creamy garlic sauce. 5. Ragu bolognese - Good pasta, but I wasn't a fan on the fennel like flavor. Just a personal preference though. We had a few cocktails too and they were great - especially the Spritz with the elderflower liqueur. read more

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Ever since Inizio opened and made Yelp's Top 100 list, I've been dying to try it, and I'm so excited I was finally able to see what the hype is all about. I'm actually speechless and how great of an experience we had! The restaurant is beautiful and the ambience is so nice. The service is excellent; all of the servers are kind and helpful. We were a little bummed they didn't have bread service during our visit, but the pasta we ordered made up for it. I ordered the vodka and I was stunned! The pasta is so fresh and the sauce was delicious. I had never tried vodka sauce before, but I was surprised by how much I enjoyed it. My boyfriend got the crab pasta, which I stole a few bites of. Again, the pasta was really fresh and the sauce was phenomenal. The crab, of course, paired perfectly with the sauce. We ordered the chocolate chip cookies for dessert. They were fresh from the oven and huge! I haven't had a cookie like this in so long and I loved it. I will DEFINITELY be back. They are so highly rated for a reason, and I'd recommend this spot to Buffalo natives and visitors alike. read more

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My girlfriend made dinner reservations for my birthday yesterday with another couple. I've been wanting to go here for awhile, and the food was well-seasoned and worth the wait. However, I was disappointed at the fact that prior to being seated we noticed an empty table right by the front windows. However, the hostess denied our request, saying that when booking your reservation you need to request specific tables by the window. Which is unfortunate given the fact that this information isn't on the website, or provided to my girlfriend upon booking a birthday dinner and asked if we could bring a cake. They charge a $5.00 cutting fee, which is understandable considering the fact that they're losing out on dessert sales. But, I can't comprehend why it wouldn't be implied or at least recommended by their staff, that a first time customer who's booking a reservation for a special occasion, wouldn't want to be seated in the best section of the restaurant. Instead we were sat towards the back of the restaurant in a dreary dining room with walled-up windows that took away from the overall dining experience. However, the kitchen staff made up for the front of the house by serving some of the best dishes i've had in awhile. read more

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Amazing italian restaurant-- what a local gem! Food and service were excellent. the country bread & butter and broccolini appetizers were terrific. I got the vodka pasta and it was tasty. I also tried the pesto pasta & risotto-- both were delicious. You can tell everything is made fresh and time was put into each dish. For the deserts we had the cookies & gelato! All amazing!! read more

Inizio - Vodka & pesto pasta, country pan bread & butter, broccolini - Italian Near Me - Buffalo, New York

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our overall experience here was not terrible, it just wasn't great. multiple friends highly recommended and I was pretty underwhelmed. ambience was fine, pasta was good. I'm pretty sure our server was waiting on the whole restaurant and it seemed like it may have been her first week on the job. she was very nice and obviously trying her best. I heard how great the bread is, but we didn't get any. maybe you have to order it. I just think for this price point it should have been better. read more

Such a yummy dinner at Inizio the other night! Only reason I'm giving 4 stars is because I felt a little rushed. Everything came out so fast - which for some might be perfect! Food was perfect, so good, and service was really nice too. We were checked on often by multiple people offering to refill cocktails, clear etc. I would definitely go back! read more

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I've never seen the handmaid's tale, but that's all I could think of with those uniforms! Weird. Besides that, service was great, food was fantastic! The servings look small, but it was more than enough food. We enjoyed our brunch and I'm curious to go for dinner! read more

Inizio - Fancy drinks - Italian Near Me - Buffalo, New York

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Always a great meal! We started off with the romaine salad. I had the crab arrabbiata special and my husband had the pesto pasta for dinner. We ended the night with the campfire panna cotta. Great service as usual and I love the free sip of Prosecco that they start the meal off with! read more

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I've heard great things about Inizio and I'm glad I finally gave it a try. The dress code says casual but it's actually pretty fancy. Great atmosphere for a nice date or if you're celebrating something special. There's complimentary sparkling water and shot of Prosecco. I got a hibiscus mistress which was the perfect balance of sweet and refreshing. I don't remember the name of my pasta dish but it was butter, beans, mushroom broth dish that was just added to the menu. It was delicious and very satisfying. Really wanted to try a dessert but was too full. Definitely recommend read more

Inizio - Hibiscus mistress - Italian Near Me - Buffalo, New York

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The food was amazing and the wait staff is professional and friendly. All of the pasta is made in house and the chefs bring out the meals to you. Went with my boyfriend, and opted out of getting a dessert to order another pasta because we were not disappointed with our first pastas. Order the Roman salad, Cacio e pepe, Ragu Bolognese, and Vodka Pasta. Be sure to make a reservation as there is limited seating due to COVID 19 restrictions. read more

Inizio - Bolognese - Italian Near Me - Buffalo, New York

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Too high priced for the quality and quantity of food. Didn't seem like fine dining at all. Was very excited for the cacio e pepe but it was incredibly salty. The best part of the entire meal was the side of broccoli. That was delicious. Everything else was meh. Wouldn't go back. read more

Amazingly good Italian restaurant, believe it or not, in Buffalo, New York. Totally unexpected to find such great food. Love the attentive and very poofy waitstaff. Pricey. read more

Delicious food and great cocktails! We had the caprese for a starter, then the cacio e Pepe and mushroom pasta for entrees. Everything was super fresh tasting. Also happy that they were able to accommodate us at a high top with no reservations. Cozy atmosphere. read more

Inizio - Italian Near Me - Buffalo, New York

I've been here multiple times and have always had a great experience. Great restaurant for special occasions or a date night. The bread and pasta is always fresh and delicious and the servers are always spot on. The cucumber salad is a yummy pick as well. I always have the tall blonde server who's name is Kade, I think (?) and they always do an amazing job. read more

So, the original plan was to sit down for dinner, which we did. However, after this we had to go get actual dinner because the portions were incredibly small. Delicious, but small. The restaurant is so endearing. Very intimate, dimly lit, cozy. Perfect place for a first date* So onto the small plates, and i do mean small. We went with the Espresso marinated hanger steak as well as the rigatoni vodka. They hand make their pasta, and you could tell, each bite was filled with love. I really wish the dishes were bigger, we were wanting more. Inizio has 100p mastered the small plates. I now know what to expect, when i go back, i will make sure I'm not completely starving. Honestly this is probably a good spot if you're trying to lose weight, now that i think about it, you can't completely gorge. So first dates and people on diets, this is the place. read more

Inizio - Espresso Marinated Hanger Steak - Italian Near Me - Buffalo, New York

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Incredible. Everything that touched my palate was divine. I got linguine with clams. My man got gnocchi with crab. We got a few appetizers and ordered the chefs special bread. We also got a few cocktails. I loved the decor (it's the old off the wall/joes deli). My only complaint is that it took an awful long time to get our entrees, but I understand that they make everything from scratch... so I was patient. And I was with great company and the service was top notch. I really loved my dining experience . Great job! read more

Inizio - Menu 22FEB2020 - Italian Near Me - Buffalo, New York

We've been twice. Once with a Sunday menu and then recently during the week. Their appetizers are a miss for us every-time. We had the mussels the last time and it comes with bread to "soak up the sauce" the sauce was just straight olive oil and the bread was already soaked in the bread. The mussels were super weird in texture. The pasta is always delicious! I had the new crab dip my fiancé had the cacio pepe (I know I butchered that) This is a great place to eat pasta! read more