A night out at Luce Secondo is an experience from the moment you walk through the door. There's an…read moreimmediate sense that everything is intentional. The front of house operates with quiet confidence, setting the tone, while the artisans in the back of house execute with precision. Together, they work in seamless concert to deliver a level of excellence that stands apart. From thoughtfully crafted cocktails to a well-curated wine list, the menu offers something for everyone. Each element feels considered rather than excessive, allowing the quality of the ingredients and execution to speak for themselves. The pacing of the meal is deliberate and unhurried--exactly what fine dining should be--giving you the opportunity to truly enjoy each course as it arrives. I would encourage you to explore the menu fully, because no matter how ambitious your appetite may be, you simply won't be able to experience everything in a single visit. That's not a limitation--it's an invitation to return. This is not just dinner. It's an evening worth repeating. E ora si mangia.

I was overall disappointed after visiting this much hyped spot. The great: the decor and ambiance…read morewas terrific. While feeling a bit try hard, there's no denying it's gorgeous inside and a great overall vibe and location. The not great: the waiter introduced himself as being the best, which was fine until the entire service seemed to be more about him than us. During a 2 hour service (which was much too long) he let us sit waiting for food without a visit and a chat about the hour wait after ordering. When runners brought our app and main course, they were basically disinterested in any level of service commensurate with the vibe and expectation. While not rude, there's was a lack of....pleasant caring. They couldn't be bothered. For a scratch kitchen, the food was underwhelming. The pasta was overcooked, the sauce for the buffalo based sauce on their signature dish lacked depth of flavor, and the meat topper was dry after it was clearly shoved into the broiler to brown. Both dishes sauces were too tight. I will say the pricing was very good! I did expect to pay more for the experience walking in. But after the mediocre food, that was at least a soft landing. Won't be back.

Came for the pizza, stayed for the drinks, and will absolutely be back for Causey. She made the…read morewhole night; great energy and even better drinks. I will be back

Came here for dinner with a friend and overall had a great time! Service was great, they weren't…read moretoo busy, and it had a nice chill vibe. Blueberry Lemon Drop Martini 5/5 - I asked for a little extra blueberry and it was delicious Americano Pizza 5/5 - Crispy cup pepperonis and just enough sauce & cheese Fettuccine Alfredo - 3.5/5 - The pasta was good but i like my pasta a little more al dente and the sauce tasted extra creamy rather than cheesy

Food was delicious and fresh!! Good size menu to choose from. Great customer service. I definitely…read morewill be back!!

This used to be one of our favorite Italian spots but in the last year or two we have felt like the…read morequality has gone down. Once while dining in we had the arancini ball and it was ice cold in the middle, other times our food tasted just luke warm. Today we gave it another shot and ordered delivery after a long travel day and we were so disappointed, paid $10 for a ceaser salad and it was very small with 5 croutons and looked like the lettuce was just poured out of a bag you'd buy at the grocery store. The pastas were okay but nothing impressive. Expensive for what we got. I don't love leaving bad reviews but now that this has happened a few times here I feel the review was warranted.

It's rare to have a meal where every bite is a total win and this was one of those meals. From the…read moreaward-winning She Crab Soup to the perfectly prepared stuffed chicken, we enjoyed everything. This has been on my bookmark list for years and finally got a chance to check it out. The She Crab Soup was at the top of my must-try list and I absolutely see why it gets rave reviews. Packed full of tender meat, nicely creamy without being thick and a very unique marsala flavor. I can't imagine ever visiting again without ordering this. For my entree, I got the Pollo Portofino, which was recommended by our server and fantastic. Stuffed breast with prosciutto, fresh mozz, spinach and topped with an amazing marsala sauce and lots of mushrooms. I will order it again for sure. We also learned that they hand-pull their mozzarella and it was fantastic on the chicken parm, which my dad got. Atmosphere is cozy and casual, service was great. My ONLY hint of disappointment was that they don't make any of their own pastas, but their sauces are perfection! Can't wait to come back!

This Italian restaurant is so freaking amazing ! The crab martini was phenomenal, bread and whipped…read morebutter was superb, calamari with the spicy aioli and the lemon drop was the best! The server Cole was such a good server. The ambience is old town Italy. It gives warm and welcoming vibes. The crab soup was extremely delicious!

Amazing food and cozy vibe- a must-visit downtown spot! We…read morewere at Luce on Friday and it absolutely lived up to the hype. The space is intimate and cozy with side-by-side counter seating right in front of the open kitchen -- perfect for watching the chefs at work and adds to the whole experience. We started with the ensalata di Luce and it was fresh and flavorful, a great balance to the rich mains. The pollo con strati was perfectly cooked and the lobster gnocchi was phenomenal -- rich, indulgent, and definitely worth ordering a side of sourdough bread for dipping in the sauce! To finish, the cheesecake with berries was a delightful end to the meal -- creamy and just sweet enough without being heavy. Service was attentive without being intrusive and the ambiance complemented the food beautifully. This place is small and fills up fast, so reservations are a very good idea, but snagging a seat at the counter made our night feel special and lively. Overall -- truly one of the best Italian meals in Norfolk if you're looking for great food, a cozy atmosphere, and a memorable dinner. Always my fave & we will definitely be back!

This was kind of a meh dining experience. I called the restaurant to make a reservation for 3…read morepeople on a Tuesday evening. I was told that there was no availability for the evening and I should try to walk in for bar seats. Upon arrival, the bar was not busy so we took three seats and noticed that the table behind us never got sat the entire time we were there. To me, this is a pretentious restaurant that falls below the bar in every way. Second time dining here and would not return because service from Branice C. was a C- in her caring that she was even at work, to the upcharges for extra marinara sauce to go with the greasy overbreaded calamari appetizer. The oil saturated flavor was almost nauseating. Please change the oil in your fryer! Prices were not excessive but the upcharge for using a credit card was. Who really walks around with $300 cash in pocket to pay for dinner without a credit card fee. JUST ADD IT IN YOUR MENU PRICES!!!! The Boar Ragu was truly not boar but probably run of the mill ground beef and the four tiny slices of steak on the Caesar salad was a joke. There are so many other lovely restaurants along this block that this is a skip right past for the future.

Simply amazing!! We've been wanting to visit since they opened and finally did yesterday. Why, oh…read morewhy, did we wait this long?? There is nothing not to like, starting with the friendly greeting, ending with delicious dessert, and the most amazing pizza in between - we had the Greek and the OG. OMG!! So fresh and tasty and man, that crust is to die for!! The owners, Rico and Shannon, make you feel like they've invited you into their personal home and can't wait to delight you with what they're making in the kitchen. They are rightly very proud of their beautiful restaurant and it shows in every respect. They love to explain their food, how it's made and how they got here. We cannot wait to go back and work our way through their menu. If you've been pondering giving them a try, DO IT!! You won't be disappointed!!

Why have you not tried this place yet? Seriously, go right now. It's fairly new to the area, but…read moreit's the wood fired pizza you've been wanting. I had the la bandiera which is a nod to the Italian flag. The pesto was super tasty, and the sauce you could tell was fresh made. The cheese is even higher quality than you find most places. My husband had the Giuseppina angry style which means it had the spicy arriabiata sauce. It's not overwhelming with spice but the flavor profile is perfectly "angry". This is a true family run restaurant. Everyone you see is family. They treat YOU like family. Welcoming, friendly. The menu is small right now focused on pizza. There are several different kinds of sauces to choose from as well. The pizzas come out super fast and are very large dinner plate size, 4 large slices for each pie. There are plans to add other family recipes that include pasta. The chef/owner is outgoing and checks to make sure you are enjoying what you ordered. He will share their restaurant story--ask him. It's worth knowing, because it was their dream to do this. So what are you waiting for? Go get your pie!

If you're looking for an authentic Italian dining experience, Mangia Qui Italian Bistro absolutely…read moredelivers. From the moment we walked in, the service was top notch--attentive, welcoming, and genuinely warm. The atmosphere truly transports you, with Italian music playing in the background and beautiful artwork that gives the space a cozy, Italian vibe. It feels like a little escape without leaving town. The bread and butter they bring out to start your meal is incredible--fresh, homemade, warm, and absolutely delicious. The perfect start. We shared the Caprese salad, which had basil, field greens, fresh mozzarella, tomato, roasted red peppers, EVOO, and a balsamic reduction. The small was the perfect size to split with a dinner companion and was so fresh and flavorful. For my entrée, I ordered the Chicken Marsala with broccoli instead of pasta. It was a huge portion--I ended up boxing more than half to take home. The dish included artichoke hearts, which gave it a slightly different twist and mellowed the traditional Marsala flavor a bit. Not what I expected, but still very good. We couldn't resist asking for the dessert menu, even though we were both completely full. The raspberry limoncello cake and tiramisu were very tempting! I can't wait to go back and try the shrimp scampi saltimbocca next time. Highly recommend for great food, a charming atmosphere, and exceptional service!

We had high hopes coming here since it was highly rated on Facebook VB locals saying it was the…read morebest Italian in VB. As a true Italian- it's definitely American Italian- NOT authentic as people have claimed. A lot of fried food... a few of our plates were pretty bland. Service- our waiter was extremely enthusiastic and probably one of the best parts of our experience. Although our appetizer plates and cocktails stuck around pretty much for our entire meal- so maybe they only pick up plates at the end of the night...? It wasn't fun trying to eat our dinner with a crowded table - pic below. We watched the kitchen (chef) working hard- and our server ran around like a chicken with his head cut off but maintained great demeanor- I wish he had more help.... We ordered two appetizers - one was mixed up so we ended up with fried zucchini when we ordered the shrimp and a special - the ravioli bruschetta - interesting concepts that were okay- but again super fried. The special of the shrimp parm (again fried - not pan fried) in what tasted like canned tomatoes on pasta- super sweet - tangy - no counter balance and what tasted like cheap mozzarella. The salmon mostarda had absolutely no flavor on the salmon or potatoes and was a bit overcooked even after asking for it to be MR- it came out over well done. The risotto was very watery. Pics below. Everything has a beautiful presentation. There is a disclosure "to be patient due to everything being home made"- but they should have added they are trying to I guess save money since our server was the bartender, bar back, server, and, bus boy. I'm good waiting for food as long as our water glasses and drinks are full and the table remains de- cluttered. The place itself has an attempt of a modern look- but if you look past the new paint - it's just an older diner. A manager of the location would do them wonders. As I stand- our 200$+ meal wasn't worth the price we paid. While it wasn't the worst place - we have no interest to return to this place... ever.

Baba's Pizzeria 10/10! - got the chicken parm, the cheese…read morepizza which tasted just likw nyc pizza, and calzones - great service!

When we crave pizza, BABA's comes to mind. Pizza is thin, crispy and baked to perfection with fresh…read moretop quality ingredients. NYC Pizza at its best! I've had the famous garlic knots every visit! Also have had a large pepperoni pizza, meat amore pizza, pepperoni Stromboli, white margherita pizza, Bianca supremo pizza, calamari within multiple visits. My kids have loved every kids entree from spaghetti with meatball, Alfredo, chicken tenders and fries etc. We keep coming back to try something new, and everytime it keeps on getting better and better. Service is top notch as well as my drink is never half empty. Ambiance feels like a NYC pizza spot. Very glad we decided to try this place a few weeks ago because this has been one of our favorites. Looking forward to our next visit to try something different.

Tucked along a quiet tributary of the Elizabeth River, the Amber Lantern remains one of the area's…read morebest-kept secrets. Time your visit well, and you'll be rewarded with a sunset that is nothing short of spectacular--an ideal backdrop for an already memorable dining experience. The restaurant strikes a rare balance: refined without being pretentious. The atmosphere leans toward fine dining, yet the dress code is refreshingly unforced. Jackets and ties coexist comfortably with shorts and flip-flops--a subtle nod to Chesapeake's "come as you are" sensibility. Whether you arrive by boat or by car, the experience begins the moment you step inside. We started with the ahi carpaccio and a classic Caesar salad--both fresh, well-composed, and thoughtfully prepared. For entrées, my wife chose the crab-stuffed shrimp, finished with a lemon-herb beurre blanc and accompanied by sautéed vegetables. It was an excellent dish--rich, balanced, and, notably, not shared. I opted for the 13-ounce New York strip with a garlic and herb demi-glace. Cooked to a precise medium-rare, the steak was properly seasoned and executed with confidence. In a moment of generosity, I offered a few bites across the table--well received, though her loyalty remained with her own selection. From the waterfront setting to the attentive service and well-crafted cuisine, Amber Lantern delivers a dining experience that feels both special and approachable. It's a place worth seeking out--and returning to.

Beautiful restaurant great service great view! It's kids…read morefriendly and we had a great waitress ! Unfortunately, the food was not that great. It was very bland and the drinks were very bad as well The bartender did not know what she was doing. I had to return the drink twice. It was just a lemon drop pretty easy to make. I ended up exchanging it for a wine. My husband had a old-fashioned. It was very watered down and sweet. It's a shame it's a beautiful restaurant, but it's literally been a run by kids right now. They need a better management team in there to overlook everything. Everything got late to our table. It wasn't our waitress fault she was so apologetic. I really want more for this place. It's so pretty and it has a great view. I would recommend new management or manager and to upgrade the menu and train the bartenders . I feel bad leaving this review, but I just wish this restaurant the best !

New happy hour menu drops next week! Solid family hang out spot or just a place to grab a quick…read moreappetizer and drink. The $8 happy hour shrimp... omg. Best thing on the menu probably. Good food as usual. Bar service was okay, they seemed to be getting pretty busy since it was a Friday night. This place also has wine dinners! I think they're every month. These are so fun.

I have been meaning to come by for lunch and finally made it! I ordered the steak marsala sandwich…read morewith penne pomodoro for pick up. The food was ready as soon as i arrived and the carside employee handed me my bag with a smile and told me have a great day. Little things like that matter sometimes. On to the food, it was fresh, tasty, and portion size was just right (well for normal person, for me it's two meals). I couldn't have asked for anything to make my meal better. Unfortunately, i ate it all before i could take a picture lol. Next time, i'm getting the chicken parm sandwich!