My second visit to Mystico Cucina Italiana, and somehow it was just as impressive -- if not better -- than the first. Consistency like this is rare, and it says everything about the standards they keep. I started with the Pomegranate Granita Oysters, and wow. Bright, refreshing, unbelievably fresh, and balanced perfectly. They were the kind of oysters you slow down for because you don't want the bite to end. I ordered the duck ragu again because I couldn't stop thinking about it from my last visit -- and once again, absolute perfection. Rich, comforting, layered with flavor, and yes... I cleaned the plate spotless. Not a drop left behind. From the hospitality to the execution of every dish, everything about this restaurant screams class, quality, and a superb dining experience. The team makes you feel welcome, the food exceeds expectations, and you leave already planning your next reservation. Manchester is lucky to have a place like this. read more

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We heard really good things about Mystic Restaurant in Manchester Center, VT. We were in town and wanted to give it a try. I had the Rigatoni Alla Carbonara. My friend had the Bucatini Cacio E Pepe. He said his dish was fine. Mine, on the other hand, was pasta coated in this thick orange paste (no sauce), which was absolutely tasteless (no exaggeration). It's as if they didn't even taste it for seasonings. I asked for salt. They offered to remake it, but I opted to try to make it edible adding my own seasoning. With quite a bit of salt, it was "ok", but the consistency left a lot to be desired. I probably should have sent it back and ordered a salad. A restaurant is only as good as it's food. Two stars is the best I could give them. The atmosphere was nice, and the service was good. But the food... read more

We went for cocktails and appetizers. We were not disappointed. The drinks were fantastic. Charcuterie was amazing. The fresh bread always delicious. read more

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Definitely the best restaurant in Manchester hands down. Very family friendly with delicious Italian apps and entrees. The drinks are stiff and the staff is pleasant and quick. We brought our baby in and had 0 issues. Can't wait for my next lunch or dinner here! read more

Let me start by saying Mystico 802 should be awarded a Michelin Star. It was my wife and I first experience at this restaurant. I saw the reviews were excellent but I'm a food snob so I would have e to decide after the experience. I don't want to debrief you about each course but everything from the service, the cocktails (Get their house special) apps, main and yes, we even had two deserts, something we seldom do. Since Chantecleer has closed this will be our number one choice in the greater Manchester area. Bravo to the Mystico Chef Tim and staff read more

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Had an incredible midweek dinner here and the staff was delightful. There are not many places open past 8 PM in the area but this place was an incredible bright spot. The panzanella salad was bursting with flavor and I had the artichoke Ravioli which had the perfect flavors of richness but balance from the roasted artichokes and heirloom tomatoes. Dessert did not disappoint either. The hazelnut tiramisu was melt in your mouth good and my partner enjoyed the fun Zeppole dish. They even make their own Limoncello! We will definitely be back when we return for our next trip. read more

Wonderful newish addition to the Southern VT foody scene. Not your typical Italian bistro. Emphasis on locally grown vegetables and cheeses, inventive dishes, unstuffy friendly service. We shared the parpadella salad with burrata, the homemade focaccia with ricotta, and homemade artichoke and cheese ravioli with crispy artichoke hearts on top. Though we've had same/similarly named dishes previously, the intense flavors and unique combination of ingredients made these dishes shine. A not-to-be-missed experience! read more

Great bartender and drinks! Higher end drinks are fantastic and so was the bartender Louis! The homemade pasta was also outstanding! read more

Mystico 802 - Carbonara - Italian Near Me - Manchester, Vermont

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Mystico used to be quite good. The portions were always small but the quality and service made it worth going to. The menu has become quite bland and the service nonexistent. After waiting over an hour we were served 4 pasta dishes that were cold and congealed. Tonight's dinner was a disaster. I could go on but take my word for it stay away! I never write reviews but it was that bad and expensive to add insult to injury. read more

Cozy Italian farmhouse vibe with elevated cocktails and cuisine. Atmosphere was relaxed but classy with great windows for natural light and great lighting once it's needed. Tips** If you like to research the menu on yelp by looking at pictures, you need to do so before hand because even though I had two bars, I could not access any websites whatsoever. Also maybe bring a cushion because you'll need one if you're seated in one of the hardwood chairs since it might take awhile on a packed night. Ray and Caroline tag teamed on service and were delightful but busy so an hour into our reservation we were still working on appetizers. But let me back up and tell you about the fun cocktails. We got Ghost Story and Autumnal Glow. Both tasty and different. Ghost Story is their signature drink and the smoked rosemary really makes it unique from most bourbon drinks. Autumnal glow was fruit forward but not too sweet so weirdly refreshing and fall like at the same time. Highly recommend their butternut squash soup special and the focaccia bread with whipped ricotta. Best focaccia I've ever had. The tasting of all crudos what also delicious and unique EXCEPT for the bay scallops. They had a fishy aftertaste so maybe just stick with the yellowfin tuna and the fluke. They are known for their pastas so we ordered the spaghetti alla chitara and were not disappointed. The olive oil poached Halibut was incredibly delicate and tasty and great for a healthy protein. Between the two though I would say the spaghetti was authentic and pleasantly chewy making it a dish that's hard to get anywhere else. Finally, we were full but wanted to taste the hazelnut tiramisu. The topping of chocolate and nuts on the cream were delicious but as a whole the actual tiramisu was not my favorite. The syrup on the ladyfingers was not quite right so I'd go for the gelato or the panna cotta next time. read more

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this was a lunch with friends. the restaurant was fairly busy but seemed only 1 waiter for everybody in the room, which is not small. so we waited a bit for service and, finally, lunch. the menu at mid day is sparse, salads sandwiches etc and overall they seem to think a lot of their handmade pastas. so that's what encouraged me to go for the latter. unfortunately i went for the rigatoni carbonara. now i know there's a wave of thought among foodies on this pairing, supported by the fact that the trend began in rome. instead of traditionally long pasta, spaghetti or linguini usually, there's the thought that short lengths of rigatoni, having a hole in the center, hold sauce better. unfortunately not a good tradeoff, at least not with this day's version of mystico homemade rigatoni. the pasta texture was thick and glutinous so the sauce was gone long before the heavy noodles were ready to go down. ok ok ok i prefer long pastas but i tried this anyway. pasta shape aside, the sauce was overly prominent in "eggy", likely because there was a noticeable lack of what normally balances the eggs in the sauce: sharp pecorino and smoky guanciale which were both almost a no-show in the dish. and again the rigatoni, it was heavy in the same way that gnocchi is when it's made with flour and too much water. not a chef here but i really like carbonara and this just wasn't right. but more than any of this, i felt the restaurant itself was too much manhattan in the heart of vermont. much of the appeal of new england is in fact due to its eccentricity, a collection of traditional cafe/diner restaurants, locally made stuff, and weird kinds of things people decorate their yards with, especially in the fall. call it for want of any other, rural americana. if you come here for the leaves, not that this year is one you'll remember in that regard, do you really want to dine at a place similar to what you'll find along madison ave, for similar prices? having left manhattan a few days prior i gave this a try, next time i'll stop at bob's diner down the street. read more

I've always liked this place, but after tonight I'm not sure I'll be rushing back. I walked in solo at 5:30 PM, just wanting one dish and a glass of wine. The bar was packed, but the dining room had maybe 2-3 tables occupied with plenty of room to spare. The hostess told me they weren't seating walk-ins because they're closing for a few weeks and didn't want to "use up all the food". I had to explain myself just to get a table -- and even then, I was offered the most uncomfortable, awkward seat in the room. When I asked to sit someplace else in the nearly empty dining room, I was told every other table was reserved. At 5:30 PM. With the place mostly empty. I understand slowing things down before a seasonal break, but this is still a restaurant and hospitality is the whole point. I left feeling more like an inconvenience than a customer. Really disappointing from a place I used to genuinely enjoy. read more

Lovely space - a little on the loud side (due to chatter) but I tend to be a bit sensitive to that. The restaurant was busy, and despite a slow start to our service, things quickly improved and our food arrived soon after we ordered. Excellent quality drinks, and food with ample portions. The focaccia share plate was a great first course I could have just eaten that eggplant caponata and given my visit 5 stars!! My Branzino fish main course was cooked perfectly as were the vegetables, and a nice combination of flavors on the plate. My husband had the spinach pasta with duck ragu which was a delicious treat. So flavorful. Sadly, we were too full for dessert but we saw a tiramisu at the next table and it looked incredible! Maybe next time I'll save room for dessert. read more

Wow. Wow. Wow. The food in this place is so unique and yummy. Bring an extra stomach because your eyes will order more than you can eat. The fried artichoke, the foie gras or caponata for appetizers was a difficult choice. So I ordered all 3 and nothing was left. That is how good all 3 were. This meant I couldn't finish my delicious 16oz NY strip but I sure did eat plenty of the fried gnocchi that it came with. This is the place to eat if you come to Manchester. Thank me later read more

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When you've just had the most epic dinner ever, why on earth wouldn't you want to come back for lunch the next day? We chowed down on an insane Porchetta with salsa verde on homemade focaccia bread and a ridiculously good salad. And, oh man, their homemade gelato? We demolished it in record time - I couldn't even snap a pic! read more

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Excellent food, great service, interesting ambiance... why not a 5*... well, I had to eat 3 hours later and so did my wife who is 5'5" tall and 120 lbs. and I needed a loan for the bill. She had 1 drink, I had water. No appetizer. IMHO, overpriced. I felt like I was in NYC price wise. Glad I went and by all means Food and service were very good to excellent but the price was gouging and portions were minuscule. Also my wife had a "drink special" which was served in a juice glass. It had edible flowers and all, but in a juice glass it became pedestrian. read more

Had dinner at Mystico and everything was incredible + the staff were kind and had great recs. Since it's tomato season, we started off with the panzanella salad which was so fresh! Then we had the sea scallops, artichoke ravioli, and lamb ragu - all delicious. The pastas especially were some of the best we've ever had. Be sure to order a dirty martini with local blue cheese stuffed olives!! read more

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Really beautiful, packed location. Our server was super friendly and checked on us frequently. -got the practical magic and ghost story for drinks: both beautiful presentations. The practical magic was almost grape flavored (vs pear) but I loved it and would totally get again. The ghost story was very strong yet tasty, just a warning for those driving. -We ordered the foie gras and the homemade focaccia with whipped ricotta for appetizers. We were disappointed with the foie gras- we had it in Boston and loved it but it was served cold and tasted rubbery here; I would have preferred it warm. The focaccia was crispy, warm, and perfect with the whipped ricotta. -The entrees stole the show: the Bucatini Alla Amatriciana was packed with flavorful pork and tomato sauce.. I was so full yet felt the need to finish it. My boyfriend loved his rigatoni alla carbonara. A bit too peppery of an aftertaste for me but he loved it. We could come back to have these pastas again they were incredible. read more

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Ever eat something and your instant reaction is to close your eyes, throw your head back, and wiggle a little? That good ol' happy dance? Well, that's gonna happen here. If you are in the area and don't stop in at Mystico, you are honestly missing out. The space is beautiful and every part of our experience was exquisite - the host and servers were attentive and absolutely fantastic (Ray and Caroline's teamwork is like a well-oiled machine). From the Vermont Cheese board to the risotto...to the carbonara...to the hazelnut tiramisu (that I didn't have room for but still finished without sharing with my husband)...it was all amazing. Fresh. Quality. Great portions. Perfection. Just go already! read more

WOW - this is a total gem in Manchester, VT, for sure! Great menu, high-quality ingredients for the dishes, and the handmade bread and pasta highlight the care and attention paid by the chef to their dishes. Server was extremely knowledgeable about the menu, and made great recommendations. Has a wine- or cigar-bar atmosphere, and very relaxed feel. read more

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Ordered a cheese plate with 2 entrees for lunch plus 2 glasses of wine. Delicious food. Excellent service. read more

Mystico 802 - Cheese plate with a nice Barbera. - Italian Near Me - Manchester, Vermont

It is a beautiful restaurant, modern with country flair. Service staff are very friendly. We made a reservation at the door as it was fully booked the night before. The front desk staff told us that they'd need credit card to secure the reservation and we could cancel if we could not make the reservation. The drinks and food are incredibly delicious! Each dish tastes uniquely sophisticated, Italian tradition with a twist of cosmopolitan modernity! We really enjoyed all and will definitely return next time! read more

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Loved the focaccia with caponata, bay scallop crudo (a bit too spicy for me but otherwise very good). Nice alchemist presentation on the smoked drink although smoke flavor was not very discernible, maybe including the sprig of rosemary would help. Good corzetti. Bar Looks like a great spot for solo dining. read more

Mystico 802 - Smoked drink - Italian Near Me - Manchester, Vermont

Perfection, top shelf service, food and ambience. They were so nice to us even though I screwed up the reservation

Pasta was excellent as were the drinks and service. The charcuterie board was above par.

The BEST meal in Manchester. Hard to get reservation was worth it! Warm environment, great service and the food is inventive and delicious! Hand made pasta is the feature but don't forget the fresh oysters, sea bass entree and ended with tasty dessert. Great cocktails and wine selections. A must try if you can get in!!!!! read more

It's been our favorite restaurant for a while, but last night they hit it out of the park! We went during a snowstorm and sat surrounded by windows, watching the snow fall as we ate--absolutely magical. And my meal? Perfectly cooked, full of flavor, truly one of the best dishes I've ever had there. It doesn't get any better than this when my favorite spot keeps getting better. And, in case you're wondering what my dish was it was tagliatelle, a pasta with sausage, kale, mushrooms, and squash. The service never waivers. It is always friendly and professional. read more

Mystico has a nice variety of delicious options on its menu and our meals have always me try our expectations!

Everything & everyone was excellent. Food, service & ambience. The chef, top notch.

This is a high-end Italian place right on Main Street. It was packed every time we walked by, so we made a reservation and finally got in to try it. They really do a nice job here, though you'll pay a steep price for it. I could see this being the place to impress a date or to host a special occasion. They make all their tasty pastas in-house daily, and there is a pretty good variety on the menu. I was a little surprised to see this type of place here, but it wasn't stiff or formal at all. You can eat at the bar as well. I'll be curious to see how they do in the future, and hopefully they can have a good long run on their little corner. read more

Absolutely make sure you get reservations for this place. As far as decor goes, it's by far my favorite vibe. Beautiful yellow sunny decor. Dressy but comfortable feeling. There's not a dress code as far as I know but I do recommend dressing up to fit in. The special app bluefin belly w shredded zucchini and preserved lemon was so unique and delicious, we soaked our bread in the leftover sauce. The lamb ragu was delicious but a bit heavy for me, glad I just got to try it. The crab and lemon spaghetti was a light and chewy triumph. Flavor perfection. The housemade pastas and lemoncello are just superb. My cucumber cocktail was exactly what I wanted, refreshing and not sweet. The service is unmatched. Really good prices for what you get. read more

Unbelievable food, fresh homemade pastas, delicious wine selection (by the bottle or glass). Impeccable service, Ray & Caroline are always attentive & knowledgeable. The intimacy & size of the restaurant makes the ambiance a 10!! Always counting the minutes till we get to come back! read more

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Seating is too close to others. Very loud. Difficult to converse with person sitting across table from me. Little atmosphere and very expensive entrees. I would rate it a 0 if possible. read more

This is a fantastic new addition to Manchester. The service was incredibly personal, friendly, warm, and attentive. The ambiance is very "farm to table," tasteful, and cozy. The specials change a lot and the beer selection and cocktail menu is very well-curated. Everyone loved their meals. Homemade pasta is their specialty. The pork ragout was the only dish that didn't go over well with the table I had the bay scallop appetizer special, the monkfish, one local IPA and a local stout, and a port to finish it off. The desserts are all super sweet and loaded with sugar. There isn't much for someone looking to go healthier on the dessert end. I love this place and, although it is pricey, I would definitely go back. There is a good parking lot across the street from the entrance. Remember to tip well. read more

Mystico 802 - a bowl of food on a wooden table - Italian Near Me - Manchester, Vermont

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Everything about this place was great. We enjoyed everything we ordered from the focaccia bread to both pasta dishes we had. And the pans and yellow salad we had which was a special one night when we ate that was out of this world. I'm hoping they have it again when I go back. read more

The food was so beautiful and delicious that I could not say no to the waitress every time she asked me if I wanted something else! One of the best places I've ever dined at and the chef has such an incredible attention to detail that is unmatched in middle state Vermont in my opinion. Thank you for the exquisite service and hospitality. read more

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Everything was just ok but also each dish was a bit off. Cocktail was made with way too much lime juice! Yikes. Fried artichoke hearts was sautéed not fried. It's a different product! Thin sliced beef for carpaccio was not thin at all. It was a chunk of steak! The meal was just off. read more

Simply excellent from the salad to the dessert. Luis also make a wicked good cocktail.

What a tremendous addition to Manchester's very competitive food scene. The service was very attentive, the waiter gave two great wine and drink recommendations. I had the scallops crudo and the halibut which were both outstanding. Very nice restaurant overall an excellent experience read more

I just LOVE this place. The service is outstaning and the food is incredible. They do not try to over sell or over complicate dishes...very tasty without a lot of drama. Very intimate -- reserve early!!! read more