I stopped by for lunch with my partner & his family and it was a wonderful experience. It's right by the lake so we got a pretty good view and the staff were all so kind. I got the pomodoro and the meatballs were perfect and the sauce had a little tang to it. My partner got the chicken alfredo and loved it. The gnocchi was so creamy and well balanced. Did I mention the bread? The bread was so well flavored and so soft. My favorite part was the chocolate mint gelato, which I forgot to get a photo of. It had a strong mint flavor and it was so soft & the serving size was quite big. Overall, highly recommend if you stop by Duluth. read more

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We had reservations for 6:00 in the solarium. It is a very tight fit even though the view is lovely. Ordered spaghetti carbonara and hubby ordered a spicy pasta dish. 35 minutes later we finally got our dishes. The spicy dish was delicious, but my carbonara was definitely not the best. Limp pancetta is just the worst...and I didn't realize that they use an Alfredo sauce which is not a true carbonara. Not sure what the hype is, but I have had better. read more

Beautiful old building on the bank of Lake Superior. We had a window seat with a great view of the lake. The Burrata and heirloom tomato appetizer was amazing. We shared the Pesto Frutti Di Mare, the sun-dried tomato pesto was delicious. This is a Must visit if you're in Duluth read more

DELISH! Very fresh and a wide assortment of dishes. Risotto is to die for. Shrimp Alfredo, Prosciutto Crostini. All yummy

Va Bene is always a destination meal for me. The food is so good, the bread to die for. We sat in the enclosed patio for the view but it was after dark so there wasn't much to see other than the Duluth skyline, go during daylight if you can. Our server Steve was an absolute delight, as are all the folks working there. And if you can't get a direct reservation try for the cancellation list, we did and it worked beautifully. read more

I recommend that you get a reservation. There's not a lot of seating and they're pretty popular. Food is excellent. Vibes are great. read more

Va Bene - Scallop pasta - Italian Near Me - Duluth, Minnesota

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Another stunning meal at Va Bene. This time we got the carbonara.. A delight to have a restaurant that knows what carbonara is. Delicious pasta, burrito salad was superb. Great service. This is a top notch restaurant. Well run. read more

We showed up on a Friday evening without a reservation. They were very busy but managed to sit us at one of the tables with a Great Lake view. Our vegan entrees were expertly prepared and the wines we chose exceeded expectations. Service was perfect. read more

I will make this a brief summary, simply put, it has the location, it has top-notch food, it even has the layout of many a European cafe/restaurante. Service was friendly, laid back. My only groan was the music. As soon as I walked in it hit me, 70s'/80s' rock music, I know it's a Wednesday, 6pm, but not what I was expecting for one of Duluth's go to places, it was really off-putting tbh. Otherwise, great night out, amazing food, just turn down the volume and change the channel to something more ambient and fitting. read more

The carbonara was absolutely horrible and the beet salad was underdressed! We will never go back here again!

We took Va Bene Togo, but after walking in we wished we ate in! Cute restaurant with an intimate feel. The service was very accommodating for us over the phone as we were driving into town from BlackDuck. They told us we could put our order in now (11am) and they would make it so it was hot right before we picked it up (7pm). They even put a slice of cake off to the side since we wanted some and they were about to sell out! The pesto pasta was the best, and classic bolognese was a big hit too! read more

We had more of a waiter issue. Andrew took our order and I ordered a bottle of wine. After 15 minutes he returned to place it on table then said he would be back to open it and spilled wine on our table....never came back to wipe it up. Never got our bread to eat while waiting for our order. Ordered soup and salad first but waited 35 minutes before it arrived. While eating our soup and salad Andrew shows up with our pasta and drops it off on our table. No timing on giving us time to eat our appetizers first. The pasta was delivered cold. We would not recommend this restaurant. read more

Great views of the lake. Parking was a little bit of a challenge. Caprese was yummy as was the meatballs and bread! read more

Great spot to enjoy really good food in a casual environment with a wonderful view of Lake Superior. The meatball appetizer was excellent, as were the Arrabiata and Alfredo. They serve a proper cocktail and have Peroni on tap, which any Italian restaurant should IMO! Staff were friendly and provided good service. Will definitely return. read more

Va Bene - Alamo - Italian Near Me - Duluth, Minnesota

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Va Bene has been a long time magical place for me. Every year I go to Duluth is a must because of the food and exceptional service. Entering va Bene we were greated right away. There was a slight mix up with our table and was corrected right away. Every staff member smiles and greets you and that makes you feel welcomed. This year our server was Erica she was fantastic and had a big smile. She was there anytime we needed something. We started off with the goat cheese and pears and omg they are to die for. I have a huge issue where I start eating and forget to take the photos. I took a photo of half the dish. It is creamy and had a crunch. The honey and goat milk compliment themselves well. This started leaves you in a state where you just want to keep ordering more of it. Next we decided just to eat then mains since we were Still stuffed from our meal at Pickwick. I ordered the pescadore frutti de mare. Omg the pasta was cooked to perfection. The cheese and sauce blend left me craving for more. The shrimp were not overcooked and were full of flavor and the scalopes were tender and did not taste gritty or salty. This dish is one of my Go-Tos and they have never disappointed me. My other half ordered the salmon fresca. The salmon is diced up in bite size pieces and it's filled with pasta shells. Then they have a while wine creamy sauce with sun dried tomatoes and a little lemon. Damn can I say amazing. The portion size is fantastic so don't fill up on starters. The sauces are always rich and creamy so if you walked there in winter you better have am uber on stand by. On the way the staff members wished us a great night and well they sure make this a memorable experience every year. See you all next year. read more

Va Bene - Italian Near Me - Duluth, Minnesota

Outstanding service, food and views. I loved Va Bene and can't wait to come back. The complimentary bread on wine Wednesdays was the perfect post work treat read more

I was so looking forward to the experience on Valentines Day night. Having travelled from Thunder Bay and being a first valentines with the girlfriend I am not excited to report the experience was not good. Did we enjoy each others company? Yes. However after about an hour in my girlfriend asked the waiter if everything was okay with our order curious about the time. He essentially got defensive and said he could Cancel our order meaning we could leave. we were not happy with the response and tone and basically I stopped him from continuing to be defensive and rude by saying "thanks for the update". In the meantime the place was smokey from the cooking which made no sense but they propped the door a few times letting in the cold as we were right next to it. Do they not have proper ventilation? So unprofessional. In the end the food came and it was even more disappointing. A panini that had to be eaten with a fork and knife but over done and the level of salt in the other dish was a bit much. in hindsight we should have cancelled the order but regardless we know the chefs did their best. Rude waiter, Smokey ambiance and food subpar...man I wanted it to be so much better. Were they overwhelmed? Maybe. read more

We love visiting Duluth and this last time tried out Va Bene for a little date night. It was so delicious, our waitress was really nice, and the views were amazing. We got to sit in the enclosed porch, which was beautiful. I can't recall the name of what I got but it had butternut squash, pecans, and pancetta. It was delicious! And gelato for dessert was yummy with huge serving sizes. read more

Va Bene - Italian Near Me - Duluth, Minnesota

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Don't know where to start.... Service was amazing... so attentive and aimed to please... ambiance was incredible... sat in the grotto and boy oh boy it was awesome overseeing the beautiful lake... and lastly... the food was out of this world deliciousness... truly amazing flavours and the freshness of it all wants me to come back for more! Thank you Va Bene!! We will be back ! read more

Popped in for lunch Cute Exceptional choices and variety of options- had the beet salad and added salmon Fantastic view of the lake Friendly staff - however a star lost because the hostess said we needed to be out by 2 read more

Va Bene - Beet Salad with Salmon - Italian Near Me - Duluth, Minnesota

What a special treat! I'm a great cook so food better be great!!! And it is! I'm gluten free and have enjoyed every option. I need a spot that treats BIPOC people well and dishes that taste great everytime. That's Va Bene. Oh- the wine selection is unique and fabulous. Great staff- service- food- ambiance. Chef's kiss!! read more

Delightful! Lakeside balcony, beautiful weather, view of lift bridge and right by train track. Just an "all Duluth" adventure with great food. To start, try the luscious Peach Bellini or one of their other yummy drinks, bread and the the pear goat cheese honey on brioche. Yum! Move onto lunch with maple salmon rissoto and carbonara. Everything is fresh, delicious and filling. Best lunch in Duluth. read more

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I am a real tough critic when it comes to Italian restaurants. Being first generation Italian and visiting family in Italy each year .. I know Italian. Let me tell you .. Va Bene did not disappoint!!Food like my mamma makes! Service excellent. Great cocktails too! Definitely will go back! read more

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We had the most amazing, delicious food there! 10 out of 10. Had a girl's trip and it was the highlight of our trip! Thank you read more

Absolutely delicious! Stopped in late one evening, didn't have reservations but they quickly invited me! Friendly staff, beautiful view even in the dark! read more

Va Bene - Pistachio Cannoli - Italian Near Me - Duluth, Minnesota

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If you're looking for delicious pasta in Duluth with a great vibe, look no further. We came here on Friday before grandmas marathon. We didn't plan very far in advance and 3:30 was the latest reservation left for the day so we took it. Making a reservation online was easy and I requested a table with a view and in the shade, which we got. I got the spaghetti with bolognese and my friend got the gnocchi with bolognese sauce. Both dishes were so good! They serve bread with olive oil as a starter which was also delish. We had an amazing view of Lake Superior and our waiter was friendly and efficient. Highly recommend! read more

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Great service! Lovely view of the lake. Very tasty pasta and everything we had was flavorful. Great menu options. Highly recommend.

My husband and I had a lunch reservation for the enclosed terrace, the lake view was spectacular. We shared a Nicoise salad and pasta carbonara. We also ordered the Italian sausage soup. The salmon on the salad was dry and rather forgettable. The carbonara was fine, but not awesome. The soup was blah. The best part of the meal was the house focaccia bread, it's amazing. As for the service...Our server was "cold" and didn't seem interested in doing anything other than taking our order. In fact, it was the hostess -- who just happened to be passing by on two separate occasions - who refilled our drinks, asked if we needed anything else, and cleared some of our plates. If you want an awesome view and delicious bread, come here. But if you want good service and inspired dishes, keep looking. read more

I was here on an interview dinner. It was HOT and busy, so pretty loud. Apparently, there is a nice outside deck area, just small. A couple of vegan options - good but pretty plain. Staff was really nice and helpful !!! read more

Va Bene - Italian Near Me - Duluth, Minnesota

Amazing location. Right on the Lake with a great view! Food is always on point. Cost is a little higher, but expected.

**** Always a quality experience here... nice staff, fair prices (especially love the Wednesday 1/2 off price of bottles of all wine) Service was good, view was nice and the food was fresh, ... unique dishes prepared cleanly. read more

Va Bene - Nice dining views from outside on patio - Italian Near Me - Duluth, Minnesota

Great food and service. Quaint ambiance, we loved the grotto. Make reservations or arrive early, you won't be disappointed. read more

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Loved this place. Maybe the best pasta meal we have ever had. Had the Rosemary bread, Pesto Frutti Di Mare and the Preferito Della Casa. Both were outstanding. Plenty to eat. Also had the lemon sorbet. The view off the back deck was fabulous. The service was also very good. read more

Had a wonderful experience eating outdoors. Service was prompt, friendly, and attentive. Highly recommend getting the honey goat

Amazing location with lakeside-seating available. Excellent food. While on the pricier side it was still a good value and prepared and presented quite well. The desserts were delicious as well. Last, the staff were great at conversing and talked to us about the food, preparation, and answering any questions we had. read more

Wonderful place to have excellent Italian food with a beautiful view overlooking Lake Superior! It also offers vegan and vegetarian options, which is always wonderful. I simply have the spaghetti and meatballs, and oh my goodness. The best spaghetti meatballs I've ever had ever! read more

This is a wonderful little restaurant! The food was wonderful with very fair prices and good service. Only downside is it tends to be noisy and conversation was difficult. I highly recommend! read more

When you walk into this place, don't let first impressions throw you off. It is NOT a typical, fine-dining, low-lit Italian restaurant. When they say cafe, they mean it. BUT, it IS fine dining, believe me. The variety of authentic dishes is refreshing, the quality of the food excellent, and the ability to get your dessert à la their gelato parlor as unique as it is comforting. I'd recommend getting a seat on their patio in the back (it has a great view of the lake/harbor), or sit adjacent to their charming fireplace if you need some warming up. Try something on the menu that is outside of your comfort zone. I cannot attest to what is and isn't made in-house, but I'll say that this was more reminiscent of my experiences in Italy than most Italian restaurants I've visited in MN. And like a lot of the really great places I have found overseas, more consideration is given to the food than the enclosure in which it is served. Places like Olive Garden, Buca, and Biaggis worry more about trying to emulate an ambience than they do the reason why people come to visit in the first place. Not this place. They are committed to educating customers on the tastes of Italy. read more

Va Bene - Puttanesca - Italian Near Me - Duluth, Minnesota

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If you're looking for sweeping views and a romantic dinner, Va Bene is your place. Ask to sit in the back room. I'm gluten-free and at other Italian restaurants have a difficult time finding delicious options or find the gf pasta to be oddly gummy, but Va Bene has a very normal gluten-free pasta that can be substituted in many of the dishes. And everything I've tried has been delicious. Be sure to save room for gelato. read more

This food was phenomenal. The view on the lake is perfect. Service was good. Place is clean. One of the best pasta dishes I have ever had. I need to go back here again next time I make it to Duluth! read more