Love this place! Try to go as often as possible, sopressata pizza is the go to but everything is top notch read more

Mentone - Italian Near Me - Aptos, California

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The food was exorbitantly priced, and the pizza crust was disappointingly soggy, lacking in taste. The Caesar salad is overrated and salty, while the pasta portion is disappointingly small for the price. Doubtful if I'll return. read more

I had dinner with my daughter at Mentone's last night - my first time & her second. Our dinner was incredible!!! We shared the duck & pistachio terrine, the citrus and fennel salad, the mushroom tagliatelle and the lemon curd dessert. My only complaint is they need to add a true buttery chardonnay to their by the glass menu - their white wine choices are too acidic and dry read more

I've been coming to Mentone for three years now and so stoked it's here! Its the best restaurant in town. The pizza is my absolute favorite. I'm in love with the citrus and fennel salad too! It's so beautiful you hesitate to eat it! The owner Chris is always on the move making our experience exceptional! Thank you, thank you, thank you! read more

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The food was cold, the portions were small. No bread to complement the meal. The food does taste good but the price is super high and the portions are small and it comes cold. Could be a great place if they get their act together. read more

This was a terrible experience. Pizza was wet and inedible. Server did what she could but the cooks set her up cause this was bad.

The food was delicious, the service was impeccable and we had a terrific time. We had read the other reviews and were a little unsure, but we really enjoyed our time at Mentone and will go again. read more

The of the best spots I've been to in a while! Pizzas, pastas, starters, all of it was great!! The good: must try their frozen aperol spritz. So much fun and super yummy. We tried a variety of their starters, pastas, and pizza and loved every one. The staff was friendly and attentive even with a full house. The not so good: they're so good it's hard to get a reservation! Haha. Definitely check this one out read more

I've been to Manresa, so I was excited to try another creation by David Kinch. My husband wouldn't be into going to Manresa as he's vegetarian and not motivated by haute cuisine or Michelin stars, but he does love a good pizza. So this seemed like a win. It was easy to book a table online but we had to do so about 5 days in advance? Planning is crucial. Atmosphere: More loud coffee shop or pizzeria than we would have liked. Tables are spartan. We were seated by an exit door. My husband faced a wall. Ugg. We considered rotating the table and sitting him alongside me so that at least he had a view of SOMETHING. Menu: Sorta limiting for someone vegetarian, like my husband, but we knew that going in. He ordered the Endive Salad (san prosciutto) and the Pizza Margherita. Me, the Porcini Brioche starter and the Agnolotti. Service: Friendly and very attentive with the water pitcher and clearing plates efficiently, but my main showed up about 5 minutes before my husband's pizza. What to do? Eat the whole 7 pieces of Agnolotti before his pizza arrived? Or let it sit and chill away. I ate half and waited. My dish was subtle and tasty but it was a tiny portion. It wasn't even suitably-sized for sharing as a starter with one other person. I regretted nor ordering the Pizza Funghi, until I saw my husband's pizza.... (note: they use a team approach at Mentone so the person who delivered my main wasn't our server -- she should have checked the order and realized that another main was forthcoming). Food: I'd forgotten about Kinch's egg and foam fascination so I was a bit disappointed in the porcini brioche starter. My best description of of it was that It was a foamy soup with a perfectly poached egg. Not sure how this is Cota d'Azur anything (and I've spent time there). It was tasty but I wasn't sure what it was supposed to be? I liked the hazelnuts in it for a contrast in texture. It's not something I'd order again. My husband started off with the Endive salad, again, without prosciutto. He said the apples and cheese were the best part. But it was very small and not really sharable. I think the ceasar would have been more satisfying, but the anchovies were a "no go" for my husband. My husband's Margherita Pizza was soggy. All the toppings slid off. He said I make better pizza at home. Ugg. :( When using fresh mozzarella, you really need to remove juice from the tomatoes or a soggy pizza is the end result. Pizza 101. Dessert: I spied the table next to us with their chocolate gelato ($8 and the only dessert on the menu). It was crammed into a small round diner-style soup cup and shaved off a the top. I just scanned through all the pics of half-eaten gelatos here on Yelp which make it look much more appetizing than the original preso. Alas. We skipped dessert as we'd dallied on the coast all afternoon in anticipation of our dinner and by the end of our mains we were just ready to be done and head home. Maybe we ordered wrong? Maybe it was an off night? We were both sorta bummed. We probably won't return as it just didn't knock our socks off. read more

Pretty good We will miss our Aptos home away from home quick bites. Nice area & good people read more

Heard about this place from the fiancé of the sous chef while we eating at the crows nest. Wow the taste is fantastic, as a retired chef I want really tasty when I spend my $$$. This place delivers all the way. Wait staff is well versed, a treasure to the kitchen. Caesar salad fresh dressing , house made rustic crouton with anchovies delish. Gnocchi with Dungeness crab sublime. Pizza perfect. Lots of wine and beer to choose from. Can't wait to go back. In Aptos village great local. read more

We ordered two pizzas, the pesto pasta, and a Caesar salad. Everything was fresh, flavorful, and the napoletana style pizzas were nicely done. I also have to shout out our server, whose name I unfortunately don't remember now, for indulging my six year old with endless conversation even when she was busy with a full patio. Would easily dine here again if we're in the area. read more

Overpriced for what they offer. Nice flavorful pizza which has an authentic Napoli taste but it's only one size & not much variety. Other items on the menu are really not worth the price. Be aware. Cocktails are original with interesting flavors. Service is acceptable considering Santa Cruz County. read more

FINALLY!!!!! A local place that's open until 10p on a Friday, is delicious, has great service and FaB (modern/clean/hip/city) ambience! It's the little things: hostess adorable, busser folds your napkin when you get up, greeted at the bar and got a delicious drink without waiting, perfect menu (not too many options or too little). We are thrilled this is open and we finally made it in. Excited to become regulars. Would definitely recommend. read more

Mentone - Margherita. Perfect. - Italian Near Me - Aptos, California

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Not greeted upon arrival! We decided to come here because the pizza looked great, and the pasta looked delish. Against local recommendations we decided to check it out anyway. But when we arrive nobody could be bothered to greet us let alone add us to any sort of waiting list. We really just wanted a pizza to go but they do NOT allow to go orders. You must be 'seated' to order anything. Then we(only TWO) asked 7-10 minutes after sitting and waiting to be on a list. Then we asked about pesto pasta and that is not available until 'Next week' not sure what is happening here? Then we waited another 12-15 minutes and still not seated. We asked about being seated and they said others were waiting longer. Not going to stay somewhere that clearly does not want our business. Not waiting somewhere that clearly can't be bothered. So disappointed. read more

We went here for a date night with big expectations, but we were a bit confused about the concept overall. The pizza was delicious though and we appreciated the peach inspired appetizers. Worth to try, but I am not sure it would become our new go-to place. read more

Always good. Tonight the Striped bass was excellent and bolognese good, but a little too salty. As usual, the focaccia and Caesar's salad were great. read more

Wow! Food was outstanding. Open, informal room, unique menu along trattoria lines, but with all kinds of interesting twists. We had a blast.

This restaurant is soo adorable, however getting a table is damn near impossible! The three times I have come I got turned away because there wasn't anything open. But when I look around there are plenty of table, maybe they don't have the staff to cover the tables but be prepared to wait if you don't have a reservation. The food is okay, it's nothing special. I wasn't blown away. Seeing how packed the restaurant was, I expected better. It is a bit on the pricey side, and the portions are small. read more

Really fantastic food, they switch up their menu often and I'm always impressed with what they come up with. Employees seem eager to help and make sure we have a happy dining experience. I really like the general vibe and the seats are comfortable. Drinks are always great and well balanced. The dishes are always timely and very beautiful. Great spot for dates or for a family/friends. It's also a beautiful area to have a restaurant. I would HIGHLY recommend this spot. read more

This definitely will never be my go to for Italian. My pizza has always been burnt and that's never pleasant. When I see an owner, it'd be nice if he took more care in his appearance and didn't look like he could blend in with the people that beg on the street. But what do I know, I don't own any. The sauce for the bolognese tasted close to jarred, which was yet another disappointment. My favorite part was the balsamic and Parmigiano reggiano with a side of bread. Sadly, that was my appetizer. This was our second and last try. It's far too overpriced for the continued disappointment. The adult slurpy as I call it, is the second best item. read more

Easily one of the best restaurants in Santa Cruz County! Service has improved significantly and so has the consistency. Personally, not a huge fan of the pastas, but everything else is amazing. Favorite food items are: - Olives - Focaccia (from Manresa) - Ceasar Salad - Soppressata Drinks: - Frozen Bubble Spritz - Southern Cruz read more

I was really looking forward to checking this place out. We were able to find a seat on the outside dining area right away. It probably helped that is was 4pm. We split a pizza and each had a cocktail. And it was $70. Uh...come again? $70?!!!! I mean, the pizza was good, but not, like, $5 milkshake good. I understand that once COVID restrictions are lifted they will be expanding their menu. I will wait until then to check out, since $70 pizzas aren't our jam. read more

Went to Mentone for dinner last night absolutely fantastic food! we showed up a little early for a reservation and got to sit down a little before our reserve table time!we tried a couple different cocktails, a few appetizers salad pizza and pasta! The staff was fantastic. Loved the interior , pictures, flowers and attention to detail. Can't wait to return read more

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Last night was my first time at Mentone, and definitely won't be my last. I read multiple reviews about service being eh, but my server, Jo, was awesome! She was well educated on the menu, extremely personable, and totally meshed with the vibes of the restaurant. She came and checked in on us multiple times to see if we needed anything, but everything was delicious as it was. We got the stracciotella with focaccia which was insane, the Caesar salad, and the soppresada pizza. All were incredible. Thanks!! read more

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We came for lunch on a Sunday afternoon and were seated outside right away. The staff is friendly and very attentive. For starters we had the crab avocado toast which was light and extra fresh. The salmon with toast and citrus spread was also amazing. The Caesar salad was light and didn't have too much dressing which we all loved. Both pizzas were probably the best pizza I've ever tasted. The Soppressatta had amazing sauce. The prosciutto and arugula pizza had a light white sauce which was delightful. The dough was fluffy and delicious and almost bread like. We can't wait to visit again and try other dishes. read more

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Food is soo good! Had two pizzas two pastas salad and cocktails. All great! The service is also very good. Not formal, attentive.

10/10. We both got the aperol spritz slush and drank the entire thing! The margarita pizza was amazing -- we eat a lot of pizza and this is one of the best we've had to date. The bartender was also amazing. Super friendly, helpful. Definitely recommend! read more

Mentone - Aperol spritz slush - Italian Near Me - Aptos, California

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My review was removed from Mentone's website soon after I posted it, so I am posting here. We had high hopes but were very disappointed. Small portions, high prices and severely limited menu options were a surprise. Since there was no bread to start, we had to buy the $16 bread with goopy stracciatella cheese while we looked at main courses. All they had were small pizzas and three pasta dish choices. No meat dishes were available as depicted on the website, no simple pesto or alfredo and when I asked the waitress why so limited, she said that "this isn't that kind of restaurant" . So, we had the Crab Gnocchi and Tocco ( meat sauce on pasta) - both dishes were severely underportioned and greatly overpriced. My gnocchi was flavored well, but too salty and my dining partner felt unwell after her meat sauce pasta. We actually left hungry after spending $150! Aptos does not need overly chic high priced restaurants like this. I am a total foodie and will not be back, sorry. Thanks for reading my review. read more

What a wonderful place to eat pizza and enjoy amazing drinks. I highly recommend you to stop by here and enjoy great food. I wish the outdoor patio seating is still open during week nights and weekends. read more

first of all, service was great. our server was lovely, patient, and attentive. all of the staff were so friendly and helpful. it was the food that was incredibly disappointing. they state in their menu that their portions are "family style" yet these are some of the smallest portions ive ever been served considering the price points. we started with the $18 caeser salad which was okay! nothing exciting, very anchovy forward dressing (which i dont mind) but this was the biggest portion we received. then we ordered the $24 pesto ravioli. there were only 10 pieces of ravioli about the size of a quarter. also nothing special :/ finally we got the $28 chicken entree which ended up being one bone in chicken thigh... it was so bland :( and just not worth the price. im confused where the "family style" menu is ? i think it's a bit misleading. my boyfriend and i paid $140 with tip and somehow still left hungry and sad. read more

Had my first meal there last nite. Oh my God this was super bad. This was my first & last time there...imagine your worse pizza ... well, this is far worse & to top it all more expensive. The chef/cooks need to go back to cooking school to learn the basics. Drinks & food portions are small & 25%-30% more then similar places And let's not talk about the prices of those wines... ridiculous !!!! $150 to $500 a bottle... seriously maybe in a classy restaurant but not a 2 bit pizzeria Did David Kinch have a brain fart when he conceived & opened Mentone. Clearly is has NO business flair what so ever and needs to close this place & start over If you are thinking about eating there.... Turn around and go anywhere... it's going to be fat better read more

Mentone is fantastic and a great addition to the Santa Cruz/Aptos food scene. I've never eaten a bad thing here, and the in person experience is great -- good service and great atmosphere. I would call it a more refined casual dining experience, comparable to Bantam or La Posta. I wish the menu was a little larger: the expanded menu for in person dining is a bit bigger than the takeout menu I was ordering from previously, but still fairly small. Still, everything I ate when recently there was so great, and it was a truly special spot for an intimate dinner. So happy Mentone is around and to have added it to my rotation! Now we just need a Manresa Bread in town ;) read more

Mentone - sea urchin bucatini - Italian Near Me - Aptos, California

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Really great Sopressato pizza, pasta, Caesar salad, cocktails! Good service Nice addition to aptos read more

Soooo good! Not going to lie to hen I first saw the menu I was a bit skeptical... but dang the food is to die for! We tried some classics: burrata, black truffle tanglioni, and sopresatta pizza- we were floored. When the waitress gave us a spiel about the menu items there were no exaggerations- the burrata was incredible. But the best food of all was the pizza- the dough is to die for! read more

Always a favorite but now the Cesar has changed up, not nearly as good, wilted lettuce. The crudo was thick, some will be pleased with the amount but not elegant. The gnocchi is to die for. Maybe the owner is on vacation. read more

I don't know him well enough to ask, but it appears to have been Chef David Kinch's founding vision for Mentone to take the best of French Provence, Northwestern Italy, and the Monterey Bay region and blend them all together to produce something accessible and affordable but also of lasting culinary value. It's not about making a Michelin-starred statement or celebrating New Orleans food and music this time, as was the case with Manresa and The Bywater, respectively. I think it's about making his coastal community a more attractive and comfortable place, food wise, to call home. A gift to his friends and neighbors after years of working in kitchens around the world at the highest level. And a coveted chance for younger generations of chefs, wine directors, mixologists, and wait staff to advance service industry journeys of their own. No, it's not charity. It's a business that must make a profit to stay afloat. But it also felt like a gift of sorts, from a master chef to his hard working crew and their dutifully paying customers. Maybe not a gift, exactly. But most definitely a message. My gut feeling is that Mentone is intended to be a statement about the gastronomic present, one where contemporary eaters and drinkers rely on Yelp and Instagram for guidance, not the newspaper food critics or paid reviewers for Zagat. While the menu leans heavily towards traditional regional styles of cooking inspired by Italy and southeastern France, the overall vibe is contemporary and comfortable with lots of interesting wine, beer, cider, and cocktail choices and several seasonal specials that reflect the local farming and fishing seasons along the Central Coast. It's a family-friendly, neighborhood hangout with a real deal kid's menu, a highly desirable food tourist destination for singles and couples with weekday happy hour specials and rotating craft beer on tap, and a special occasion eating out spot with an excellent bottled wine list all rolled into one. The city of Napoli is unquestionably the inspiration for Mentone's über-popular pizzas, of which some 4-5 varieties are available daily. The flour, which is custom blended and milled at Manresa Bread in Los Gatos, is slowly and naturally fermented over the course of several days, giving it a distinctive sourdough tang and soft pliability. It is hand stretched thinly into rounds and filled with tomato sauce, cheese, or other toppings and baked rapidly in an Italian made wood-fired oven. The oven's intense heat causes the edges to balloon up rapidly like life rafts, bubbling and charring in the process. By the time the pizza emerges from the oven, the cheese has melted into a semi-liquid sheen and the sauce has saturated the soft inner crust. The pizzaiolo slices each pie into six wedges, adds any remaining ingredients, and sends it out for service. It's ample enough as a meal for one, or it could be shared as part of a multi course dining experience, depending on your preference. Eating a pizza like this is an immersive experience that demands a bit of focus on your part. You will need both hands and possibly the assistance of a knife and fork to do so. It's very different from New York style thin crust pizza or the Wolfgang Puck inspired, California-style gourmet pizzas that use fancy food items like white asparagus, Baja shrimp, fermented Serrano chiles, or jerk chicken. This is about honoring a regional style of Italian pizza making that has spread globally because of its gustatory appeal. Mentone isn't the only place in Northern California where you can find Neapolitan pizza (such as Centro, Doppio Zero, Diavola, Ciccio, & Il Casaro), but it probably can lay claim to being the most zealously committed to preserving the authenticity of the Old World methods. Other parts of the compact food menu also highlight regional recipes, like the white bean and farro soup, chickpea and herb panisse, stracciatella soup, and tocco, a Ligurian meat sauce pasta similar to Bolognese. Seasonal specials, like a niçoise style salad with local eggs, tuna, and haricots verts (Riviera), porcini trennette pasta, or pumpkin ravioli with dandelion pesto, make use of the abundance of the Salinas Valley, Monterey Bay, and Santa Cruz coastal organic farms. Menus are generated daily & lines form about 10 minutes before opening. Food and drink specials are sometimes posted to their Instagram feed as well. If you haven't dined here before, doing a bit of research ahead of time will make the first visit more memorable. When it doubt about a menu item, ask the staff. They are eager & happy to help. In the years to come, Mentone will surely adapt to the changing times. Little Beach can't stay the way that it is forever. Still, I hope that the commitments to regional cuisines, local ingredients, and inspired beverage choices will remain. It is writing its own history, one week and wine by the glass at a time. Stop by if you're interested and play your part in the making. read more

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Mentone is a great restaurant with a fun and entertaining atmosphere. The service and food is fantastic. Lively bar with great drinks. I'm looking forward to more visits. read more

My family and I are "sort-off" regulars at Mentone. We love their pizza and have enjoyed many pleasant evenings at Mentone and have ordered for pickup also several times. Today it wasn't a pleasant experience. We waited for our food 50 minutes. Yes. 50. We saw how many tables around us were served and couldn't quite understand why it was taking so long and when we asked they said they would check on it. To make matters worst, we had ordered a pizza to go which, to our surprised, meant we had to wait even longer since they didn't seem to have it in their radar so, again, we had to ask about it. About the food: the pizza has always been great. Cocktails are awesome. Today we had the prochetta which was good but certainly not worth a 50-minute wait. The fried sardines were good. The food didn't offset the wait therefore, 2 stars seem appropriate at this time. read more

Very good Michelin bib gourmand restaurant. Been there a few times. Dinner at the bar is great because you get a personal cocktail consultant! Favorite dish is the Soppressata pizza. Love the spicy kick! Table service has always been really good and personal. One of the few nice dinner choices out in Aptos. read more