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    Va Bene

    4.4 (669 reviews)
    PriceyItalian, Desserts
    Open 11:00 am - 9:00 pm
    Updated 3 months ago

    Va Bene Photos

    VA BENE ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Romantic
    Classy
    Good for kids

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    Recommended Reviews - Va Bene

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    Reviews With Photos

    Carissa E.

    What we ordered - Prosciutto crostini Shrimp Alfredo Gorgonzola peperoncino* Pomodoro E Polpette Di Carne Arrabiata Al Padre Ricardo* NA sage gimlet Mm everything was delicious, freshly made pasta and everything jam packed with flavor** both of our dishes had a good portion of spice and Tony's Gorgonzola pasta was creamy slightly sweet from the peppers with a little spice in the sauce and from the sausage and the perfect amount of crunch from the almonds on top. I loved the prosciutto topped with Gorgonzola and fig - it's the best combination. Ian was our server he was awesome, thankfully we were able to get a table today, the last time we went on a whim they were slammed so I highly recommend you make reservations. Our reservation was at 4:30 around 5 they dimmed the lights - setting the vibes, I love that. Great experience!

    Gorgonzola Al Peperoncino
    Jessica H.

    I stopped by Va Bene for lunch today. My husband and I had visited once before and left so obsessed that we vowed to return every time we're in Duluth--for the rest of eternity, basically. Our first experience was incredible, so this time we brought family along to share the love. We started with complimentary focaccia and olive oil with balsamic. The bread was incredibly fresh and paired perfectly with the dipping oil. On our first visit, I ordered the Spicy Mango Margarita, the Gorgonzola al Peperoncino with shrimp, and an espresso for dessert. My husband almost ordered the same pasta, but was unsure about the gorgonzola and went with the Spicy Erbe with salmon instead. After stealing bites from each other's plates, we both agreed the Gorgonzola al Peperoncino easily won. He admitted regret, continued eating off my plate, and said he'd be getting it next time. It might genuinely be the best pasta I've ever had--I even returned the next day to order it to-go before heading home. So when we came back a month later, returning to Va Bene was non-negotiable. We both ordered the Gorgonzola al Peperoncino again, this time without the add-on protein (delicious, but not really necessary). My in-laws joined us and both ordered sandwiches. My father-in-law said his cheesesteak was a bit soggy and immediately regretted not ordering the pasta after he tried it. He declared it his new favorite dish and said he'll order it next time. The Spicy Mango Margarita wasn't in season, so I got a regular margarita instead--still excellent. My husband enjoyed his Old Fashioned. We've had great service each time. The dining area is lovely, especially the patio overlooking the water. Our first visit was on the open patio, and this time we were seated in the screened-in patio with a similar view. We plan to keep coming back to Va Bene as long as it's around.

    Purple Rain
    Mary V.

    I loooved Va Bene Caffe, it was the cherry on top to end our trip in Duluth! They have modern Italian dishes that are all made with fresh ingredients and everything is made in house from scratch! To top it off they have the most stunning views of Lake Superior in their solarium. Everything I had was just delicious! They offer complimentary Rosemary Focaccia which is their House made bread, served with extra virgin olive oil and balsamic vinegar --so yummy! I ordered the caprese and carbonara which were both amazing. Caprese was fresh and tart and the carbonara was light, creamy and just so rich in flavor. Also for drinks I highly recommend their purple rain mocktail, it's their house lavender syrup with lemon and soda and it was just spectacular -- sweet, tangy, and vibrant I literally had two of these and drank them all up! Tip: There is a QR code on their menu to view pictures for most of all their dishes! *Most importantly, make sure you have a reservation because they book up fast and you don't want to miss it!

    Noce E Pera
    Chloe A.

    Va Bene has a beautiful lakeside setting and a menu with both hits and misses. The burrata with tomatoes, pesto, and focaccia was excellent, the pesto especially stood out. The Noce e Pera pasta with candied pear, walnuts, and gorgonzola sauce was also delicious and well-balanced. The meatballs, however, were disappointing...small, dry, and lacking flavor. The Preferito della Casa pasta was also underwhelming, with chewy chicken, overcooked noodles, and a balsamic sauce that overpowered the dish. Service was a little slow but staff were pleasant, but overall the food felt inconsistent. Parking can be tricky, small parking lot so try to find street parking.

    Espresso Martini
    Beth G.

    This has been one of my favorite spots to visit in Duluth but our dinner last night didn't match what I've experienced years prior. My boyfriend and I were celebrating his birthday last night and the night started off great but it started to become disappointing quickly. For drinks we ordered a Bellini and a Cold Fashioned. My drink was wonderful and tasted great but my boyfriends had zero taste of kahlua and espresso. Our server asked if makers mark was okay and he said yes assuming it was what it was made with but then there was a charge for makers mark. The complimentary rosemary focaccia is always amazing but I was surprised it was cold when we got it. We ordered meatballs for an appetizer which we loved! The sauce was a little spicy but it was well balanced and a good portion. For our mains we had Perferito Della Casa and Bistecca. They're my two favorite pasta dishes from here that I always get! I was beyond excited to have it again after not having it for a bit now. It took quite some time for our mains to come out after we finished our appetizer. Our server didn't seem to care about cleaning off our table and I had to ask her to grab us another drink. When our dishes came out our server asked my boyfriend if he wanted Parmesan on his since people tend to ask for it. He said yes and then she never came back. The pasta wasn't what I've experienced in the past at all. The pasta was undercooked which ruined the whole experience. I understand a little al dente but this was hard and chewy in some spots. The Perferito Della Casa was pretty dry and didn't taste like there was mascarpone in it. Before we were even close to being finished with our dinner our server brought the dessert menu. It felt like it was her way of pushing us out of here quicker. When we made the reservation we said we were celebrating his birthday. It was surprising that nothing was mentioned of it but yet another couple near us ended up getting a dessert with candles for their birthday. Our server didn't come back for quite some time otherwise I would've said something about the food not being great but we were tired and just wanted to leave at that point. My boyfriend had to go ask her for the check since she hadn't come back and we were waiting around. She wasn't even helping anyone, just talking with the other staff inside. When we were leaving the restaurant none of the staff said to have a good night or anything. Everyone was too busy talking and closing up for the night. We had an 8pm reservation so I'm assuming the staff just wanted to be done as soon as they can but it felt uncomfortable feeling rushed. This was such a disappointing experience especially when I've been talking up how good this restaurant is. It was an unfortunate way for us to celebrate a birthday.

    Alexandra H.

    This place was so yummy that atmosphere was just everything. The food was Incredible! Yummy. We got the gelato de arrogate. The service was fantastic

    Caesar salad

    What a wonderful dinner this evening! Maddie was our waitress on the Grotto and was so helpful with questions and menu choices. We enjoyed the best old fashioned before dinner and were not rushed at all to order our food. We did order a beet salad and a Caesar salad and both were great choices. The beet salad was the better one for me. It had just enough balsamic dressing without drowning the ingredients. For entrees, we ordered the rigatoni with the spicy red sauce and sausage added as recommended by Maddie, our waitress, and the butternut squash, candied pancetta herb pasta with pecans. Both pastas were very good. The butternut squash pasta had a few too many whole pecans, but had excellent flavor. For dessert we shared a lemon gelato with sugar cookie. That was the BEST! We sat in the Grotto area with a gorgeous view of Superior. Beautiful night to be seated there. This is a restaurant not to miss if you are in the Duluth area. But make your reservation or you may miss out.

    Soup special
    Trisha J.

    Va Bene is a cute and quaint Italian restaurant with beautiful views of Lake Superior. Reservations are needed and should be made well in advance. I booked our Tuesday evening reservations two weeks in advance to sit on the outdoor Grotto seating. The menu is extensive, our waitress wasn't very knowledgeable but her suggestion to use the QR code on the menu to see pictures of the items was helpful. Drinks were okay, I enjoyed the spicy margarita. My husband's old fashioned was okay, but very cherry heavy. Our food was good but I wasn't blown away. My expectations were maybe too high from previous reviews but it just wasn't my favorite place.

    Ray N.

    As part of our road trip last week, I took Wifey to a nice Italian dinner at a spot over looking Lake Superior in Duluth, MN - Va Bene Caffe. We enjoyed a wonderful array of pasta and bread and had a limoncello mojito!! First, the service was nothing short of fantastic. From making reservations online, to being seated and the gentleman who took care of us was knowledgeable of the menu and made sure we were well taken care of through dinner service. We started with the honey goat cheese and pear which was grilled bread and topped with what the name says!! LOL it was so wonderfully paired and activated our pallets. I enjoyed the Gorganzola Al Pepperoncino. This pasta dish brought the flavor and really put my tastebuds to work! The punchiness and bild flavors of the blue cheese combined with sweet and aoicy notes from the peopers made for a memorable experience, especially with the perfectly cooked pasta. Wifey and Dawn shared the carbonara. Also a delightfully crafted plate of pasta. It was smooth and delicious. The flavors were more mild in this which is good as it speaks to the flavors the girls like. To close, this really lended to a great road trip and a night we will remember for a long time. Highly recommend!!!

    Micah L.

    My first actual trip to Duluth and the person I was with suggested Va Bene. She said it's usually very busy so might not get a table. Walked in and asked for a table on the patio and the host said not anytime soon, but someone came over and told him there was a spot. So luckily, we got a table exactly where we wanted. Staff was very friendly, patio was beautiful, and food was tasty. Ordered a couple dishes and a few drinks. Came out hot and fresh. I enjoyed everything I had and would definitely recommend it for anyone in the area.

    Conchigle con funghi
    Annissa L.

    Our server Tom was great and very attentive. The food is delicious as always with easy ways to make it gluten free. The views of Lake Superior are truly fantastic!

    Bella P.

    Amazing food, great views! Would recommend making a reservation in advance as it can get busy. Food came out decently fast also. Friendly staff.

    Blue Mule
    Kongmeng Y.

    I went in with no research and no expectations--just ordered whatever looked interesting on the menu. I got the risotto, TORNEDOS DE LA FORET and full disclosure: I might've hesitated had I known the price of this dish beforehand ($55). But my goodness, it turned out to be one of the most delightful meals I've ever had the pleasure of enjoying. I was blown away by the presentation, the quality of the meat, and how perfectly it was cooked. The rice was soft, and the stock was creamy and bursting with flavor. The blue mule drink had just the right balance of ginger and sweetness, and I loved that it was served in a tin cup--it kept my drink cold the entire meal. The view was amazing, the vibe was chill, and the service was truly top-notch. I honestly can't wait to go back

    Pasta Alla Zucca Violina

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    2 months ago

    The food was great! Amazing service! And the Ambiance was amazing. So cool! Sitting outside was amazing!

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    2 months ago

    The food was amazing and atmosphere in the atrium was perfect for our group of 11. The waiter was attentive and friendly

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    Page 1 of 17

    Va Bene Reviews in Other Languages

    Ask the Community - Va Bene

    What kind of vegan food do you have in the menu?

    Our Bruschetta, Focaccia bread, Mista salad, Beet or Va Bene salads when ordered without cheese, Pasta Primavera ordered without cheese, and Pasta di Estate ordered without butter and cheese, are all vegan. Our tomato sauce is vegan. Our rigatoni,… 

    Is outdoor seating currently available/open?

    Dine-in is currently prohibited in Minnesota by under of the governor. We had been offering outdoor dining by request when we were open for table service. Depending on weather we will offer this again when the current restrictions are lifted… 

    Is it handicap accessible?

    On the first level yes.

    Don’t See Your Question? Ask Away!

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    Pizza Lucé

    Pizza Lucé

    4.1(404 reviews)
    0.7 mi
    $$
    Happy hour specials
    Gluten-free friendly

    At the end of our trip around Lake Superior we had to spend an additional night in Duluth after our…read moreplane had maintenance issues. We were put up downtown and the front desk person recommended Pizza Lucé, a 2 block walk from our hotel. I ordered the Mostaccioli - baked pasta with their signature red sauce with plenty of Romano and Parmesan Cheese and added their meatballs (Beef and Pork), served with 2 pieces of their cheese bread. We also ordered a large Caesar Salad (complete with Anchovies - which my wife loved). The food was delicious - such a rich and flavorful sauce, with a bit of a spicy bite. Wish we were in town longer so we could try one of their very unique pizzas. It was late at night (after 8PM due to our flight challenges) and there were several other patrons who came in after us. We also loved the original paintings that were mounted on the walls throughout the dining room. Would definitely recommend Pizza Luce to anyone looking for tasty Italian food (or pizza).

    I am super grateful that Pizza Lucé serves late night food! I was finishing up a job at a nearby…read morehospital after hours and was dreading having to get McDonald's for dinner. The bar area is such a vibe! Red lighting fills the area, and it seems like there is a stage for shows when it gets busy. On Monday they have a deal on their taps, but their website is good at detailing what deals are happening in what days! Hugo (I think his name was Hugo) was attentive and great! My meatball parmigiana hoagie was pretty decent! I will say it was the end of the night so the bread was a little bit hard. But as I ate the sandwich, sauce soaked in the bread more which softened it up. The potato chips were good too. The meatballs themselves were really good. I also loved the amount of cheese on the sandwich! Their menu is soooo extensive though. I want to try so many things on here. My glass of Pinot Grigio was $12.50. I also Ordered a seltzer that was on draft that ended up being $5 because of their Monday deal. I would absolutely be a regular here if I lived in the area.

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    Ursa Minor Brewing - Pretzel

    Ursa Minor Brewing

    4.5(154 reviews)
    2.8 mi
    $$

    This place is awesome. We grabbed two seats at the bar and had every single one of their beers. The…read morebartender even gave us a taste of the root beer! Of course after all those beers I had to have pizza. I wanted cheese but I also wanted the whipped ricotta on there. She made it happen!!!! The place is enormous. Lots of inside searing. Outside seating. And covered outside seating. You can walk by the kitchen if you wanna see them work. They have a huge shop with merchandise. They have some enclosed area for kids to play too. Bathrooms are clean. They have their own parking lot. They have a cooler full of beers that you can mix and match and take to go! This place was poppin. People coming through for take away beers all day long. Wow. I love that. We had so many favorites. I grabbed few from the case and took half my pizza to go. This is the best brewery in Duluth.

    Ursa Minor was another great stop on our pub crawl through Duluth. Even with the rainy weather, we…read morewere able to enjoy their covered patio while listening to live music, which made for a really relaxing atmosphere. The staff took the time to recommend beers based on what I was looking for, and every suggestion was spot on. Between the great service, live entertainment, and welcoming environment, it quickly became one of the highlights of the day. I'd definitely recommend making this a stop if you're exploring the local brewery scene.

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    Ursa Minor Brewing - Gift shop

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    Grandma’s Saloon & Grill - Canal Park

    Grandma’s Saloon & Grill - Canal Park

    3.1(631 reviews)
    1.0 mi
    $$

    Went there on the recommendation of a friend who formerly lived in Superior. We were lucky to get…read morea seat at the bar. We ordered two drafts and some cheesy bites. Very good and the beer was cold. Bartender was friendly and attentive. The place was very busy and we struck up conversations with people on either side of us. The vibe was good. People were enjoying themselves, but it wasn't loud or rowdy. Can't speak for the food, all we had were the cheesy bites and they were delicious. I highly recommend.

    Had heard so many things about trying grandmas when in Duluth so we made a point to visit this…read moreplace. There was a wait when we got there on a Friday afternoon so we spent that time walking around, building up the anticipation of how great this place might be. Got seated. Our server was super friendly and attentive. We sat in the downstairs seating area which had big booths which easily accommodated our party of 6. Place was clean but that is where the praise ends and hence the 3 stars. We ordered multiple appetizers and a whole bunch of entrees. Out of the appetizers, only the giant onion rings were a hit and unfortunately none of the entrees hit the spot. Like for pasta, we barely touched it cause it was really soggy. The burgers somehow tasted bland. Steak & mushrooms were ok. All the hype & anticipation, grandmas came up short for us :(

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    Va Bene - italian - Updated September 2026

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