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    Stella's Cucina

    4.2 (123 reviews)
    Closed 5:00 pm - 10:00 PM

    Stella's Cucina Photos

    STELLA'S CUCINA ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Classy
    Dogs allowed

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    Recommended Reviews - Stella's Cucina

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    Reviews With Photos

    Alisa J.

    The food was good but the service could have been better. The ambiance was beautiful though. The Caesar salad was pretty good. The saffron pasta and risotto were yummy but not mind blowing. The tiramisu was cool and I liked the textures. The espresso martini was yummy but could have been stronger. Overall this was a good restaurant but maybe a bit overhyped.

    Serving of lasagna
    Wendy D.

    The ambiance is nice, the servers and staff were very friendly. We were not prepared for the portion size of the food. We all left hungry, the food is a work of art and beautiful but many dishes lacked taste and if they were good every plate was literally 4 bites or less. Great place for drinks and atmosphere but don't expect much more than snack size plates at very high prices.

    Amuse Bouche
    Nicole S.

    I had such an incredible meal at Stella! I stopped by on a Sunday evening without a reservation and dined at the bar. The bartender was friendly and service was wonderful. I ordered the Caesar salad and mushroom risotto and the server informed me of the amuse bouche this evening, which was a truffle polenta. All three courses were extremely tasty! The Caesar salad was unique and sooo wonderful! I'm a huge fan of mushroom risotto and this was my favorite one ever. It was a great portion and was cooked to perfection. The bar was a great place to dine alone and the restaurant was busy on this Sunday evening! There was live jazz music which was perfect.

    Chic and beautiful space
    Veronique C.

    I visited Stella's recently with my husband for my birthday, and we had a wonderful experience. One of my friends had warned me about the speakeasy-style entrance, so I was looking for the "S" by the door on Walnut Street, easy to miss if you don't expect it. Behind the door, at the end of a hallway, a friendly hostess greeted us and led us to a stunning room dominated by an imposing circular bar. Booths frame the space, while tables with very comfortable leather chairs give it an almost a café feel. The mirrored back wall adds depth to the glamorous gold and beige palette. The overall atmosphere is sexy and chic, unexpected in a city such as Boulder, more something you'd see in New York City. A video installation is s cool way to showcase art; I only wish the designs, which constantly morphs into new shapes, were more visually appealing. I love abstract compositions, but wondering if it's stylized chicken feet on the wall (my husband's interpretation) is not very attractive. Service was impeccable and the food perfect. The menu is Italian with an original twist, including molecular gastronomy in some of the dishes. The Caesar salad was especially impressive, each leaf surrounding the foam-like dressing. Amazing! My husband loved his pappardelle dish, while I was very happy with my striped seabass. For dessert, I was offered a panna cotta since we were celebrating my birthday, which concluded a perfect evening. We'd definitely go back, and I'd love to try their late night menu!

    two cocktails on a bar
    Tony S.

    I was NOT expecting to find a place like this in Boulder. I love Boulder, but I've never shifted from the granola, relaxed-vibe perception I first formed 20 years ago, even after subsequent visits. So it was a welcomed surprise to find this place, highly recommended by a local friend. The best way to describe this is "granola meets Vegas." The decor is upscale sharp, sexy, and with all the right colors. The crowd is still faithfully granola, with hints of hip. I absolutely love everything about this establishment in Boulder. I have no idea what the bartender made for me (I told him to make something he'd want to gift me if I went to prison for 6 months for a crime he committed, but I took the heat for). Whatever it was, it was so delish I had 3 that evening (picture attached). Steak tartare deserves a shoutout, as does the risotto with cheese foam. If you're one with an elevated palate, these two dishes are must-tries. I'm in Boulder once a month, so I'll be back here pretty frequently going forward.

    Caprino with assorted cheese bon bons
    Janet D.

    Wow! Now they're offering Brunch every Saturday and Sunday I'm so excited! Brunch will never be the same again! Stella's offers a classy brunch. The dishes are incredible! They source locally as well as spoil you with an $800 bottle of balsamic that's 25 years old! The entire meal was incredible! The bone marrow was perfectly cooked and seasoned. When it hits the bread and both reached your mouth-its almost as if time stopped. I swear! It's that good! Although if you ask me if id have everything again id trust Florin who's on point with his recs! Featured dishes: The Chef works with local farmers as well as spoil his customers with the likes of a 25 year old $800 bottle of balsamic vinegar directly from Italy. ( the roasted endive is lightly drizzled with it) When you brunch here you're going to be spoiled! Featured dishes: CAPRINO Roasted endives, assorted goat cheese bon bons, D.OP. 25yr balsamico - GF. V MIDOLLO ARROSTO Herb-infused roasted bone marrow, arugula, cherry tomato, lemon citronette, garlic-scented toast UOVO AL CAVIALE* add another quenelle of caviar +12 Two poached eggs, Camisus black caviar, hollandaise, mascarpone, spinach, house made bread - GO. DF CROSTONE SPECK E CIPOLLA 2 pieces of rustic Pugliese-style bread buffalo mozzarella, speck, red onion BACON CARBONARA* Artisanal spaghettone alla chitarra, Parmigiano Reggiano, Pecorino Romano, egg yolks, crispy bacon CROSTATINO (desert) was superb! Saturday and Sunday 10:00-2:30pm! Reserve now!

    Eggplant tortellini
    Melissa M.

    This is not my first review for this restaurant, I've been here many many times and they never disappoint. My son took me here for Mother's day brunch; I must say I'm not much of a breakfast person so I order from their regular menu instead of the brunch menu they had for the special day. I tried the warm octopus salad with potatoes and it was spectacular. For the main dish I ordered the eggplant tortellini and not only was it beautifully presented, but it was delicious as well. For dessert, we had the pistachio crème brûlée, and the tiramisu, they were both amazing. The service and the ambience were on point as well. this is one of the few restaurants in Boulder, where price and quality are aligned. I can't wait to go back!

    Amelia S.

    If you're in the Boulder era, make Stella's Cucina your next stop for a special occasion! Located in the heart of Boulder with a nondescript entrance, Stella's understated exterior is contrasted with a beautifully designed interior. The food is Italian, but it is anything but your run of the mill shells and sauce. To start, we enjoyed an espresso martini that was well shaken and not too sweet. For appetizers, the Stella Salad was refreshing with grapefruit segments and a light dressing. The octopus is a must order. The octopus was perfectly tender and complimented with the crunch of nuts and citrusy orange segments. For entrees, I ordered the shrimp pasta. It will be hard not to order this the next time I go because it was the best rendition of a creamy pasta I have ever had! The other star was the scallop risotto. With fresh shaved truffle on top, it was extremely decadent and worth the order. When I return, I will also try the veal milanese. To end, we had the profiteroles which tasted just like my grandmas! Tender dough with slightly sweet filling topped with ganache was the perfect end to an awesome meal.

    Interior ambiance

    The food was incredible. I loved the experimentation and healthiness of many of the options. The interior is beautiful, unique, and swanky. Very cool bar. With some gluten sensitivity, we were able to order a very gluten friendly menu without menu modifications - which is rare for Italian! Not to mention all items were delicious. Would highly recommend the risottos and beet carpaccio.

    Afettati Misti (charcuterie)
    Sarah S.

    I, admittedly, found this hidden gem on Instagram and wanted to try it. Making reservations is extremely easy, finding it was a little bit more of a challenge, but that's what makes the restaurant, so amazing. Once we open the magical door, we were greeted by Rose on the fantastic team of hostess and hosts. The decor and ambience is breathtaking, every detail has been curated with precision. Our server, Carl, was on point, and extremely attentive without being overbearing. I do prefer to take the entire meal and course it however we ordered our starter chefs, charcuterie and cocktails first. The amount of smiles on everyone's faces, including guests and servers, truly let's you know what a great place this is. Now let's get to the food, I absolutely recommend ordering with intent to share. The portions are quite large, my friend, and I both ordered risotto and both took half of it home. We shared a steak, and that was a perfect size. I love that they bring out this bone marrow candle, which has a much prettier name in Italian, but it's scented with rosemary and thyme to add ambience and flavor to the steak. We did not have room for dessert, but I can tell you those are also large portions and there is one that looks like a plant which was so intriguing. I wanted to try everything on the menu, so fortunately, I'm going to have to go back! Mangiare

    Espresso martini
    Holly C.

    Itty bitty little tables and huge plates! That's my take away from dinner last night at Stella's. We wanted to share some dishes but telling the server that was a bad idea because the share plates made the table very crowded. Best to just keep that plan to yourself or ask them to forego the share plates. The Caesar salad and prosciutto special were both excellent. The ragu pasta special was also delicious. The sea bass dish was just meh. Not a lot of flavor to it. They had a rum soaked cake as a special which was just ok. Drinks were good. The golden Negroni was a little sweet for my tastes but not a bad drink. I didn't notice until the end of the night that the back of the specials menu has some special drinks so make sure to look at both sides. Ambiance was amazing and very surprising. I didn't think this place would be so formal. The band set up behind us around 6pm. Drum, bass cello, and keyboard I believe. The music was good not too loud. But the set up in the middle of dinner was kind of annoying. According to their voicemail, a DJ comes at 10pm. They also announced they were open for brunch on Saturdays and Sundays and gave us a couple coupons for brunch. The door was kind of hidden. Look at pictures before you go.

    Amalfi mule
    Rin L.

    The interior organic streamlines decors and the carefulness in the crafting of each dishes alone are enough to give this place an applause. Service was very attentive and gave great descriptions to each dish. As you can imagine the naming conventions isn't exactly english. The foods on the other hand is probably what you came for. The pastry I had was far more hard and dry than it looks. Actually, more hard than crumbly. Drinks had a different taste that preconceived notion of what a mule should taste like. But it was not mind blowing. My egg Benedict, was a normal egg benedict that has more expensive ingredients on it such as caviar and salmon roes. I think its a nice aesthetic touch but it did not help the dish. Imagine eating fishy chicken egg. The steamed spinach that came with it virtually has no taste. I think the seasoning were oil and onion or garlic, it's not exactly seasoning for the taste I would say. Its a nice place to come once. Or impressed a date, but not practical.

    Sean T.

    Really great spot. The interior is so unique and immersive, and the food is easily the best Italian in town.

    risotto al funghi porcini

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    2 months ago

    Everything is wonderful here. The risottos is special! Service is attentive & the room itself is spectacular!

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    5 months ago

    Food was fine but very slow. Server had 4 tables plus acting bartender! Not a fun night.

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    11 months ago

    This is one of coolest restaurants in Boulder. Great ambiance, menu and friendly service. Check it out!

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    Page 1 of 4

    Ask the Community - Stella's Cucina

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    I'd give more stars if I could. Genuinely French crepes. It was his grandmothers recipe. Fresh and…read moredelicious. I was $1 short and he gave me the money! This place was on diners drive ins and dives. Well deserved.

    I'd heard that this local French crepe place was good and because of transportation issues had not…read moremanaged to get here until now. But I am glad we had time today and went shortly after they opened for brunch and really enjoyed ourselves. We decided to share one savory crepe and one sweet. They are very large yet delicate and we barely finished them. Our savory was the Parisian and the sweet was the classic lemon. They were perfect in every way. Order at the counter when you arrive and choose a seat in the dining area. It's classic white walls with art and wood tabletops and metal classic cafe chairs. The food was excellent, the French chef owner made the crepes and delivered them to the table. We had picked up our drinks as we paid before choosing a table. It's usually been full when I've seen pictures in the past but it was a very cold day and students at CU as well as other families just getting back from the holiday season. They also offer Build Your Own Crepe and we probably will next time. For a sweet crepe next time I would do one with Nutella but without any banana as many of the standard choices had. For savory next time I would take the Normandy. We chose quickly today as a line started forming behind us. I had looked online at the menu though my husband had not had time. A plan would be good. It appeared that the counter staff may also be family. It is such a welcoming place with really good food, not found elsewhere in Boulder. And very good pricing for quality and portion size. They opened in an unusual little spot, almost downtown but not quite, in the stretch along Broadway between CU and the Pearl St Mall. They have a small parking access to 4 shared spaces with the shop next door to it and the access is on Arapahoe. If you are staying at the large new hotels on the Hill it's an easy walk, the equivalent of one long block. If you know Boulder well and need to easily park, there is paid parking in the library lot across Broadway and an easy flat walk both ways.

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    Came here for a late lunch on a Monday and it was pretty disappointing. We had the fried pickles,…read morethe Cuban sandwich and the orchard chicken wrap. Our server didn't seem too happy that we showed up today, the food took about 30 minutes to get to us and the fried pickles and the Cuban weren't very yummy, we didn't finish either. Disappointing. However the French fries WERE very yummy! And the wrap was unique and pretty good. It's a large space and it was easy to find a seat. The artwork is beautiful. Luckily we found street parking so that was easy too. It's a cash only restaurant (or local personal checks) and while it wasn't a problem, we had cash, we probably wouldn't have come here had we known that beforehand. Credit card sales shouldn't be the consumers issue.

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    I finally made it here and oh em gee! It is so frikkin good. It's like being transported to Italy…read more Even though I made a reservation and had hoped for a table, party of one, the place was packed on arrival and I got seated at the two person bar. All good. I loved having a view of the bustle of the restaurant and especially all the parties celebrating birthdays. A few employees would gather at the table while delivering dessert and sing happy birthday. A few patrons like me joined them in the serenade. Such a warm, family vibe. A lovely gentleman sat in the open bar stool next to me. Turns out he's a regular and longtime Boulder resident. He gave me some menu tips. Plus it was fun to learn about him and his business. I had the red wine on tap. Delicious and $9. Two favorite qualities in wine. I got the bolognese with linguini. It was beyond fabulous. Insert chef's kiss! I took a small container home because I knew it would make a perfect lunch the next day, and it was. The rolls are divine. Hard, crunchy exterior with softness on the interior. I had one there and brought a second home to enjoy with lunch the next day. I know how to live. I enjoyed a short chat with Mariano, the owner's son who basically grew up there. It reminded me of all my favorite places in Philadelphia where I'm originally from. I had been missing my casual Italian restaurant places but now I've found my new home. Cin Cin! See you soon again.

    One of the best Italian restaurants we've been to. The pastas are house-made, the sauces are…read moreconsistently excellent, and there are solid vegetarian options--which we really appreciate. We discovered this place by chance while wandering around Boulder and were lucky enough to walk in that first time. Since then, it's become our go-to spot for celebrating special occasions. The food has never disappointed, and the hospitality is always warm and welcoming. Recommended dishes: Chicken Parm Mushroom Ravioli Vegetarian Lasagna Gnocchi Spicy Aurora Sauce Pesto Cream Sauce Note: The restaurant is closed on weekends, so plan accordingly and make a reservation in advance.

    Stella's Cucina - italian - Updated May 2026

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