This is probably one of the only places I'd give a 10/10 Italian experience for. Every food item we had was delightful. The flavors were deep and portions good. The service was awesome. I can't speak highly enough of all of the dishes. The vibe is cozy and comfortable. Service was attentive, kinda, and helpful with answering questions. If you are looking for a spot to try, you will not be disappointed by coming here. read more

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Chose to make a reservation here for our wedding anniversary dinner and it did not disappoint!! The restaurant is small so if you want to go on a weekend, definitely make a reservation, all of the tables/bar seats were full the entire time we dined. Our waitress, Rachel, was so sweet and attentive. Now for the best part- the food! We started with the focaccia & steak tartare- both were very good. The focaccia came with homemade butter that they change out the flavors of and it was so so yummy. Super crunchy on the outside and soft inside. Dinner we had to go with pastas, cacio e Pepe was fire, the sauce was to die for. Scraped the last of it up with the bread, very good idea. My husband chose the special pasta dish of the night and that was awesome too. House made desserts - tiramisu & a chocolate hazelnut tart. So so so good. We loved it! Would recommend & will be back! read more

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Outstanding food! Service is really efficient, seems like the time slots are very dialed in so food came out quick. People on here have said they don't care for the busy vibe but I like it, it's bustling but it's intimate too and 90 minutes is more than enough time for a party of 2 - I'm not trying to sign a lease and move in. I got the bolognese, my wife had the weekend's pasta special which was a cream based sauce with whipped egg yolk and artichoke. Both incredibly good. Homemade bread and donuts for dessert were delicious. Nice cocktails. Not cheap but reasonable for a nicer meal. We're coming back for sure! read more

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This place was very good food wise. From the savory plates to the sweet desserts. Quality ingredients, as it should be, for the price. Our sever was really nice & attentive. for my plus size friends, this place is TIGHT inside, if you can, ask to sit outside. Parking lot is also super small, but there is parking near by. read more

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Had an amazing authentic Italian dinner here! We ordered the focaccia bread which came with a garlic spread as well as seasonal butter which was very tasty. We also got the calamari which was extremely fresh! The highlight was the cacio e pepe with burrata which was outstanding! My friend had the bucatini amatriciana which she said was also really good. Best meal I've had in a while!! read more

Vanda Cucina - Cacio e pepe - Italian Near Me - Warwick, Rhode Island

The food was crazy good. My BF is a vegetarian and there were plenty of choices for him. We will definitely be back. No wonder it's such a popular place. The butterscotch pudding dessert was the best. read more

Okay, to start, the meatballs were so tasty. The polenta and mushrooms had so much flavor. Then the cacio Pepe has such a great cheesy, creamy flavor. The salmon was cooked just right. Service was great. Need to go back and try other items read more

Cannot say enough good things about Vanda! The food is consistently delicious, the are top-notch, and the service is always friendly and attentive! Highly recommend--one of my go-to spots! read more

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One of my favorite dinner spots! The cascio e pepe with housemade sausage, focaccia, meatballs are my favorite eats! The Vanda negroni is exquisite! Staff are super friendly! A real gem in Apponaug!! read more

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Very good Italian food. Nice selection of classic dishes and fun takes. Would definitely recommend the focaccia, which is baked in house, to share. They've got a great variety of pastas to choose from and all of the ones we tried were fresh and flavorful. Would recommend going if in the area. read more

This is going to be short. Living in San Diego now, when I come home to the east coast I like to get my fill of Italian. This is the place. Everything was delicious. Instead of a second stomach for desserts, I'll create a second stomach for bread. The focaccia bread, was amazing. The meatballs were perfection. The pasta dishes made my taste buds short circuit because they couldn't handle anymore goodness. So yes, I will make sure to come here every time I visit my family. The service was great and the space was small and cozy. Reservations, I would imagine, are highly recommended. I might have dreamt about my dinner, this might be a problem. read more

Vanda Cucina - Heaven - Italian Near Me - Warwick, Rhode Island

Wow! What a gem in Warwick. The parking lot is tiny and packed, but I was able to find a spot. The hostess is right outside the front door helping people to their seats. You can choose either outdoor or indoor for your res. The outdoor does have an overhang, but I imagine it's not incredibly pleasant to eat there if it is down pouring. So when you make your reservation just keep that in mind. I was surprised that we were seated at the bar with our reservation, but didn't mind. Sean, the bartender was friendly and made great suggestions. We started off with the Gavi wine which was a perfect summer sipping wine. Of course we had to try the focaccia and the butter of the day was a bloody mary butter. Next up was the nectarine and burrata salad. This was my favorite of the night, it was the perfect combo of salty and sweet-- seasoned beautifully. We then went with the cacio e pepe, which is always a favorite. Finally based on Sean's recommendation we had the butterscotch budino for dessert and it did not disappoint. If you've never had one before it's like an amazingly rich and thick pudding with tasty toppings. Already looking forward to my next visit. They said they switch up the menu seasonally, so there is always something new to try! read more

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With a little rhyme... Let me be clear, if in RI we will live here. There was no wait and the ambience was great. Service A1, food second to none. There's nothing more they could do, but move closer to you! We were in on a Tuesday early (5:15) fortunately as both the patio tables and inside seats were full when we left! All our menu questions were answered and they even brought out the clams so we could judge size (we like smaller) and then, as requested, picked out the smallest for our appetizer. The broth, clams and bread were spectacular. We ordered a nicely aged bottle of red from a well executed wine list, which was perfect with our meal. Our entrees (duck fusilli and a rich eggplant & ratatouille over fresh made stuffed cannelloni) were excellent. The red sauce on the cannelloni was scrumptious!! Service was perfect throughout. I could go on gushing but if you fly into Providence airport you have to go - lunch served as well! read more

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Food was disgusting and waitress was rude. Don't waste your time, so many other good places in RI

Made reservations, 3 weeks in advance, at Vanda for date night with the wife. We had heard good things about this small Italian restaurant in Warwick. So, we were looking forward to seeing if the reviews were true. Vanda did not disappoint. Cocktails were very well made and all of our dishes were excellent. We used to live in the Federal Hill area, so we are no strangers to good Italian food. I would put Vanda up with any restaurant in that area. Staff is friendly and professional. Everything is made in house from the pastas to the sauces and desserts. The restaurant is very small, but didn't feel overwhelmed by noise. I'm glad I made reservations weeks ahead of time. We will definitely be going back. read more

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Got a walk-in seat at the bar. Great service, great food ... the clams were outstanding. The wine list is limited but excellent with reasonable prices. If you love genuine Italian food, this has to be on your list and this review is from someone who has been to Italy many times. read more

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We always pass by on the way to another restaurant so we decided to give it a try. When we got there it was very busy and we didn't have reservation so we did expect some wait. After talking to the staff we were told that they should be able to get us seating after 5-15 minutes so we sat down and waited for a while. After 30 minutes we asked the same staff whats going on and was told I don't know let me check. This is when we decided to leave and go to nearby restaurant instead. I understand that the restaurant is busy but it seemed like the place was very disorganized and multiple groups that came after us were already seated. I would not try this place without a reservation or consider take out. Maybe would come back to actually try the place with reservation and will update review if customer service is better. read more

We lucked out with a last-minute bar reservation and were so glad we did. Toni (sp?) was knowledgeable, efficient, and made the whole experience feel seamless. The food? Outstanding. Every dish was thoughtfully prepared and full of flavor. The place was hoppin'--and for good reason. It's vibrant, well-run, and clearly loved by locals and visitors alike. A unique gem we'd absolutely return to. read more

We went on a Sunday evening at 5 PM and we were able to get a seat at the bar. The bartender was very nice, attentive, and made some really great drinks! We tried the Bolognese Ragu and the grilled pork chop. The Bolognese was delicious, but the pork chop was out of this world! The pickled peppers just went perfect with the thick cut brined bone-in chop. The asparagus couldn't have been cooked any better! What a perfect little place to have a great dinner! All of the staff were very friendly and professional. I have to also thank Yelp for the pictures that helped me pick my perfect dinner. read more

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I had to come back to Vanda after my first time there last year and it was as good as it was the first time, perhaps even better! We were promptly seated at the time of our reservation and within no time our server informed us of the specials for the night and grabbed our drink order. We had the housemade focaccia last time and definitely needed some more, so thats what we started with. The garlic puree and butter that came was a great accompaniment with the loaf, it was gone in a matter of minutes. We also had the eggplant appetizer and that was beautifully fried and the dish wasn't very heavy even with a healthy layer of ricotta. For my entree, I had the pork chop that was served on a bed of polenta. The pork chop was juicy and charred well. It was gone in a matter of minutes. The restaurant wasn't as crowded as it was previously and it made for a comfortable environment. read more

Vanda Cucina - Eggplant appetizer - Italian Near Me - Warwick, Rhode Island

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Great place ! I stopped by for lunch on Friday, and Vanda was packed! It's a cozy place with excellent service and bustling with energy. I started with delicious focaccia bread with a special garlic spread and also seasoned butter. Then I had an eggplant Napoleon that was delicious. Finally, I had special potato gnocchi, nestled on a delicious marinara sauce and smothered with melted cheese and topped with strips of basil leaf. Delicious! read more

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- I visited Vanda for dinner with my mom. This was my first time here, but it certainly will not be my last! o Food We ordered their focaccia to start, which comes with olive oil, a roasted garlic spread, and seasonal butter. The loaf was soft and fluffy on the inside, but still had a nice crunch to the crust - the perfect balance for focaccia. I am a garlic lover, so the spread was delicious! The olive oil was also very flavorful. The seasonal butter was ... honeydew ... which was just OK. It definitely tasted like honeydew melon, but it was a bit of an odd flavor. Though, points for creativity! For our mains, I ordered the Pork Chop and my mom got the Bucatini Cacio e Pepe with added sausage crumbles. These meals were outstanding! The pork was cooked perfectly, the sweetness of the chutney was balanced out by the balsamic and garlic sauce, and that polenta cake was substantial and a wonderful complement to the other components of the dish. My only complaint is that there were only 2-3 pieces of zucchini. I would have like a bigger serving of vegetables. As for the Bucatini, the portion was big, the pasta was cooked al dente, and there was an abundance of sauce and sausage! Nice and peppery, and creamy without being heavy. The burrata on top added a layer of flavor, texture, and freshness (even though it's cheese!) We licked our plates clean! We also ordered dessert to share - the lemon olive oil cake with vanilla gelato a la mode. I thought this dish was amazing! The olive oil cake was moist and bursting with summer flavors. The fruitiness really came through in the cake itself, the compote on top, and the curd on the plate. I also though the gelato was a nice accompaniment, and those crumbles underneath lent such a delightful texture to each bite. o Ambiance From the outside, this restaurant does leave some to be desired. It is located at the corner of a busy intersection and their outside seating is basically in the parking lot. And speaking of parking, it is a shared lot with limited spots. However, once you step inside, the setting is quite quaint. While the space is small, it feels open and airy, yet cozy and intimate. The fixtures and finishes are lovely, and the atmosphere makes for a very enjoyable experience. o Service The staff here was very professional and friendly. I can be indecisive when ordering, and I did not ever feel rushed. Our water glasses were kept full, and our waitress was cheerful. I love when servers are excited about what you order, and she shared in the delight over the dessert we picked. o Value The prices at Vanda are a bit above average, so, in my option, not somewhere that I will frequent. But it's well worth it for a special occasion or a nice treat once in a while. o Overall, Vanda is a great restaurant with absolutely delicious dishes that are crafted with care and professionally presented. And although the prices are on the higher end, the vegetables were lacking in quantity, and the location is not particularly scenic, the menu will satisfy most palates and will leave you full and happy. I certainly have a lasting positive impression of my experience at Vanda. read more

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so good. Every single time I've been here it's been nothing short of amazing. From the appetizers to dessert, it's an absolute gem. Service is wonderful; just wish the seating was a little bit better. read more

Oh! My! Vanda! This place is seriously a hidden gem nestled right in the heart of Apponaug. First and foremost our server Brittany was an absolute delight! She knew her stuff and helped us all the way from picking appetizers, drinks, entrees and dessert! She had a way about her. She is passionate about what she does. Super friendly, personable and nothing short or amazing! She made the experience a memorable one. Vanda is lucky to have such an individual representing their delicious homemade foods. For starters we got the stuffed eggplant, homemade meatballs and the freshly baked focaccia bread. Wow! Wow! And more wow! I can't believe how delicious and wonderfully made everything was. For entrees, I got the homemade gnocchi with crumbled homemade sausage. Oh my gosh, I have not been able to stop thinking about all the bubbly gooey ness this delicious dish had to offer. My husband got the stuffed pasta with Gorgonzola cheese with braised short rib. Holy! Moly! This place knows exactly what they are doing. Even my daughters homemade fusilli with butter and Parm was mouth watering. Then for dessert we indulged on their cannolis and olive oil cake with a lemon curd. Geesh, just when you thought it couldn't get any better. The olive oil cake blew it right outta the water. Moist and full of flavor an absolute delight!! We seriously have not been able to stop talking about this place and telling everyone we come into contact with about it. Looking forward to coming back here for sure! Thank you for all your deliciousness and hospitality! Excellent work to a read more

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This lovely restaurant is the real deal. Great Italian cuisine. Staff is friendly & attentive. Great Ambience. Started with the eggplant appetizer, which was very good, then the escarole Caesar sals which I totally recommend & for the main course, the cannelloni stuffed with spinach & ricotta, pomodoro sauce with grilled eggplant & ratatouille. Also very good. Their pomodoro sauce is one of the best I've ever tasted. My friend had the pork chop which was tender & the polenta cake was excellent. So creamy & cheesy on the inside & crispy on the outside. Though I was eager for the olive Cake for dessert which also is one of the best I have ever tasted , We had their special for dessert which was a mascopone filling with figs which was good but I did get the Olive cake to go. This is my second time dining here & one of my favorites. read more

Vanda Cucina - Italian Near Me - Warwick, Rhode Island

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My table and I just left the establishment and felt like the other two tables that were sitting there along with us were not welcomed. While closing was 50 minutes ago, we had spent almost $300 on our tab and the owner made it very apparent to another server to go clear our glasses to make us feel like we needed to get up and then made a comment to our server who was not very warm and welcoming from the start, and seemed very cold that she couldn't believe we were still there and not even drinking. It was probably her time because she was sitting at the bar to start drinking with whomever was at the bar, but I found her behavior to be very inconsiderate as an owner and I would not go back while the food might be tasty how you treat people is very important. read more

Excellent dining experience..Food was amazing as was Angelo our waiter. Attentive without being intrusive and very mature for a 19 year old young man. read more

Vanda Cucina - Butterscotch pudding - Italian Near Me - Warwick, Rhode Island

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This amazing Italian restaurant sits in the heart of Apponaug, right outside the rotary. Although it is in a storefront location adjacent to a fish market, you'd never know once you're inside. Knicknacks adorn the shelves of the restaurant giving it a homey feel, and it's rumored most if not all of the recipes were his late mother's. The focaccia bread is out of this world, and I love the different butters they pair with it. The olive oil cake is my favorite dessert by far. The staff are absolutely wonderful people, attentive, personable, and professional. Toni is our favorite bartender. She keeps a tight ship and showcases her own creations like limoncello and her homemade gingerbread cookies. read more

Vanda Cucina - Limoncello Spritz - Italian Near Me - Warwick, Rhode Island

I have never felt so uncomfortable, disrespected, and unwelcome at a restaurant in my life and will NEVER come here again. I was so excited to try this place too. Our reservation was at 6pm and we were not seated until 6:15 (which we were fine with but is important due to what happened next). The delay was because they were helping the person in front of us who did not have a reservation but insisted she called and was told she could come right in for a table- so they did not get to seating us until 6:15. This would make our 90 minutes up at 7:45. We were rushed the entire time and constantly being pressured into being upsold on more items. When it was time to leave, we realized it was 7:50 (5 min over 90 min), were about to get up, and the waitress asked us to leave due to reservations. On the way out, a male patron ~50-60 years old sitting at a table by the door with his wife screamed at my friend and I "it's about time you left, people were waiting to eat." I was honestly in shock, and can understand if we were sitting for an excessive amount of time but we had just signed our check 5 minutes ago. I am still flabbergasted by the experience and the fact that the restaurant allows patrons to scream at other patrons and seemed to all be in on it. I am a very considerate person and would never sit for an excessive amount of time while people are waiting. Just wow! Truly disgusting experience. read more

My friends brought me here with the high praise that it's one of their FAVORITES of the area, so I came with high expectations. There is a beautiful interior with some outdoor seating. We ordered some focaccia, wine, pasta, and pork chop. Our server was super friendly in helping us select some wine and dishes as well! To start, that focaccia was so good!! Super fluffy and light with some fantastic compound fruit butter. I could eat an ungodly amount of that butter. The bucatini had my favorite sauce of the night. Fantastic with the focaccia too! Bucatini also had great texture. The meatballs add on to my gnocchi were good - but not my favorite. I found the gnocchi a tad over for my tastes too, but it comes out bubbling fresh. Super huge portions, and still not sacrificing quality. The pork chop and chicken are also popular orders. Ended the night with some tiramisu, which was solid. Nothing to write home about. 4.5/5 - would definitely come back the next time in the area! read more

Vanda Cucina - Bucatini - Italian Near Me - Warwick, Rhode Island

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I've been hearing about this restaurant for months now and I finally got to go there! My friend and I splurged on 2 apps that were delicious as were our main dishes and dessert. We were both equally impressed with our cocktails and I had 2 which is not typical for me, but that's how good the drink was. Parking in the main lot is tight but I learned that you can park across the street at the bank after I parked down the street at the big city of Warwick building because it was closed, which was also okay. Our service was good as it is a team effort by all the staff to ensure guests are attended to. I was a little bummed because I was not aware of the special strawberry creme relay option or I would have put it on hold for the conclusion of my meal. I only learned about it as I bumped into a friend and her husband who was enjoying the last one! I sure do hope that they offer that again. The menu changes based on what good yummy things are available and they only take reservations for 6 or more. I now fully understand why this restaurant is a fave! read more

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Only my second time dining at Vanda and I'm already obsessed! This place has some of the best pasta I've ever tasted, and I've been to Italy. The duck fusilli is a must have, as well as the cacio e pepe. The meatballs were the best I've ever tasted! The banoffee tart was also amazing. The only downside of this place is that it can be pretty chilly inside because the building is small and has lots of windows, so dress warm in the winter read more

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Excellent food, excellent service. The polenta was soooo creamy. The focaccia bread so warm and fresh. Highly recommend!

Apps were good. Main courses were spicy and very mediocre . The costumer service was good. The fusilli was so smokey tasting. Tasted like cigarettes read more

Vanda Cucina - Fusilli, Game Hen, Sweet Onion, Butter, Pecorino - Italian Near Me - Warwick, Rhode Island

Amazing food! Can't wait to go back... and sit inside. We did go back and sit inside. Because the place is so small it's hard to hear others at your table. Food was delicious! read more

Food was excellent. My husband had the fusilli and I had the special, which was pasta stuffed with a beet based filling. We had an order of focaccia. We took home 2 meatballs because we're conducting an experiment on who has the best meatballs in the state. We had them today and they are the best we've had so far. Small but not overly full of binders. It is a cute little-emphasis on little- place. It was our first time there so we didn't realize how limited the space was. We had a choice between two seats on the corner of the bar or a two seater table near the kitchen. The ambiance is pleasant. It was interesting to watch what goes on in the kitchen. The cook seemed to be very organized and efficient, our entrees came out quickly. However, one of the male servers, picked up what looked like a half sized McCormick spice jar and note that it expired in 2021. I didn't have the impression that it is something they used often and it appeared to be a finishing type of ingredient as it was in the server finishing area. They also grated fresh cheese over my husband's dish...and they grated as one should. We were uncomfortable at this table and had to keep shifting our water bottle, drinks, bread and meal plates around to be able to eat comfortably. I ended up using the windowsill to offload some things. Staff go in and out of the kitchen and in and out of a door that seems to go to a basement near this table. It would be difficult to sustain a conversation there. We noted a lot of staff for such a small place but our server was reasonably and not overly friendly. We weren't dressed up and occasionally I got the impression that it was not appreciated (we had jeans and flannel shirts on). We took our desserts home: my husband had a passion fruit tart, which he loved and I had the butterscotch budino, which is large enough to share. It was not overly sweet but it was delicious. Highly recommend. We would definitely go again but only if in a group so we could have more space or order takeout. When we left, we went to the fish store that's in the same building to pick up some stuffies. That was a nice find, also. We left a generous tip because the server did her job (with the exception of offering to clear the table to give us more room) and the food was definitely some of the best we've had in the state. We dine out often and have lived here for 5 years. read more

This place is a little gem in our state. The food is really delicious. Being in this sweet little place pretty much feels like you've been magically transported to Italy for an evening of authentic food, wine and ambiance! read more

So so good. Drinks, food... can't go wrong. Haven't had a bad experience yet. Only issue is I wish they had more tables.

The ambiance at Vanda restaurant is very nice and having been there before, I was hoping for the perfect night. It didn't meet that expectation this time. The menu has changed since the last visit. The home made bread was delicious, but not included in the dining experience. My salad, arugula and radicchio was tasty; however, it seemed that it had pepper in its dressing which is not to my liking. Most of the menu items even sides had ingredients that were somewhat spicy for example, rabe with chili. Service was good, however, style of cooking and the seasoning was not my idea of Italian food, especially being an Italian. read more

Neapolitan style Italian food was authentic and good. Don't know if I'd go as far as saying "Best Italian food in RI" Service was excellent +++ by our waitress. Small and cramped but good ambience. Limited liquor brands. It might be a better choice for a leisurely lunch. read more