We have always loved their dinners but they also have the best breakfast in Benicia on the weekends!!

This cozy small Italian restaurant is something anyone visiting or living here should try. This place had a very warm atmosphere in the inside with only a few table but luckily it wasn't too busy when me and my girlfriend came by. From the looks of it, there are many locals who show love to this place because everyone seemed to know everyone which was a nice thing to know. Our waiter was very nice, I forget her name but she was such a nice lady. The food was amazing. You start off with a sliced bread thats warm straight from the oven and is presented to you with a secret homemade sauce that was super delicious. If you love garlic like myself, you will be scraping that sauce till its gone. We got the calamari to start with and share and I think that was the best calamafi I've ever consumed. I usually dont like the firm texture and fishy flavor of some calamari but this was super tender and super flavorful without the fishiness. A really great starter to share. We each got out own dishes and I got the Frutti di Mare. This dish was super flavorful and exactly what I wanted from a seafood pasta. Their mussels were HUGE though so I got kinda turned off from that (just a personal thing). Everything else was amazing and you also get a choice of soup or salad before your main entree which is a great format for eating. My girlfriend got the Pasta Gabriella and it was a VERY large portion. She said it was good but we both agreed there was a very strong bell pepper flavor. If you love bell peppers definitely get this pasta. Overall we had a great experience here and would love to come again!! read more

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Came here to celebrate Mother's Day with my mom, grandparents, and brother and booked a reservation the day before. Thank goodness they had space for the 5 of us! First of all, our waiter was so sweet and attentive. My grandparents have some dietary restrictions, but they were very accommodating and helpful when picking something they could eat off the lunch menu. We were first served bread which was warm and delicious with the marinara. We ordered Prosciutto for our appetizer which was very tasty. Can't ever go wrong with this plate. I ordered the chicken pesto with a tomato bisque soup. The soup was delicious! My mom who ordered a salad split it with me because she's never tried that soup and found it super tasty. The chicken pesto was more on the tomato-ey side but yummy nonetheless. The portions were huge so I had to take it to go! Such a cute place to bring your family or a date to! read more

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Heard about this place from a friend who absolutely loved it, so I was excited to try it. Unfortunately, it was just okay for me. The food was good, but nothing really stood out or made me say "wow, I need to come back." I'd be open to giving it another try, but not anytime soon. read more

Venticello’s Ristorante - Italian Near Me - Benicia, California

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Venticello's was cozy and elegant. The service was excellent we each enjoyed our food. I definitely recommend this restaurant for brunch on the weekend. read more

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Nice place we sat outside and the ambience was good. It was a beautiful day. Jose was our server and he provided excellent service. He was very informative and I appreciated him. We had a glass of Prosecco and I enjoyed it because they had the mini bottles as far as the food we didn't eat because. They offered crab sandwiches but they were cold. We prefer to have a crab melt, and that wasn't on the menu, but I definitely would go back because the service was great. They were very accommodating. read more

Stopped in for brunch one day and really glad we did! Ordered the frutti de mare verdara but received the frutti de mare. It was still very good! I'll have to go back to try the verdara. We love all the fresh seafood in Benicia. There is a patio and dogs are allowed. One thing that was weird was bloody mary with wine, I didn't try it this time but I might one day. Service was fast and staff were polite. read more

Venticello’s Ristorante - Frutti di mare - Italian Near Me - Benicia, California

We had an amazing dinner here! Most specifically the pasta Alaina was divine, with its shrimp, vegetables, and light sauce! How did they make that?! They kindly split the order in half so we could share it. I'll be back! read more

Venticello’s Ristorante - Pasta Alaina - Italian Near Me - Benicia, California

A small, well appointed place, I was delighted with the lovely flavors in the simple items I chose. Started with cream of spinach soup and had salmon on a bed of pomodoro pasta. The ingredients were so fresh and inviting. The service was also great! Certain to return here next time I'm in the area. read more

Venticello’s Ristorante - Salmon added to Capellini Pomodoro - Italian Near Me - Benicia, California

My brother and I were wondering around Benicia in hopes of a quick bite to eat, and came across this lovely Italian spot! We had the most exquisite dining experience, our server Ruby was such a delight! Now, the food.. absolutely divine. Each dish we tried was beautifully presented and bursting with authentic Italian flavor. The pasta was perfectly cooked, the sauce rich and flavorful, and the ingredients tasted fresh and high-quality. (We tried the ravioli and cream of spinach soup.) If you're looking for a place with heart, flavor, and a little slice of Italy, you found it! We'll definitely be coming back, Venticellos is Bellissimo! read more

Venticello’s Ristorante - Ravioli - Italian Near Me - Benicia, California

Excellent service and I like their food as well. A nice setting in Benicia. What's not to like? We usually come for breakfast but the dinners are good too. Recommend. read more

Venticello’s Ristorante - Cookies come with breakfast - Italian Near Me - Benicia, California

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My family and friends went for dinner the night of the tree lighting. The restaurant is so inviting and small enough to be intimate but large enough that you don't feel cramped. My parents had the crab ravioli specials and they said it was amazing. I had the chicken piccata and I can't remember what everyone else said but I remember everyone saying it was amazing food. The salads that come first we're also very delicious and fresh. We had a wonderful time that night! Our waiter was very attentive and the company was delightful. read more

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I had lunch with friends and ordered Angel Hair pasta with Meatballs. The sauce is excellent. The meatballs were wonderful. I took half home as the portion is very generous. My husband ate the other half. When I was gone the following week he ordered the same to go. Came with a wonderful greens salad and dressing. He also ordered the minestrone soup. Loved it. Ordering dinner for tonight. Enjoy Benicia and this little restaurant. #BeniciaBest read more

Venticello’s Ristorante - Angel Hair pasta with fabulous sauce and excellent meatballs - Italian Near Me - Benicia, California

The service is wonderful. Attentive staff. Food is very good and flavorful. Pricing is reasonable.

Great place,, soups are the best‍‍‍‍‍. The ravioli is my favorite. But it rains the place gets packed. Exceptional staff. I go there often read more

Great Italian food! The 4 of us had different dishes and all 4 of us thought it was magnificent. The bread and the homemade tomato spread, phenomenal. The bisque soup was delicious, thick and full of flavor. I had the Caprese Salad, light but filling and a wonderful mix of veggies n cheese. I tried the Frutti di Mare Verdura, a pleasantly surprising thin creamy sauce that tasted as if it was a thick Alfredo, we loved it. We'd come back! Ambiance is nice, but if you had to choose solely on ambiance, you'd be better off down the street near the water. Service was fantastic, friendly and attentive. Priced just right. The only bad: we weren't sure if we were there for brunch or lunch and thank goodness we ate the lunch. Meaning, we did have the French toast and the brunch menu was... blah. Not great French toast, not bad. But if this place can have a lunch menu as good as they have it, I bet they can do a better job on brunch if they wanted to make this tour legit brunch spot. read more

I'm sorry but no, never again. The decor is the best part. It feels old timey, white table cloth Italian. The food is depressing. It arrived to the table looking delicious but everything we ordered was lacking flavor. The service was friendly. I brought my leftovers home and my husband dug in right away. I watched him and he legit said it reminded him of when he had Covid and couldn't taste anything. I was like Exactly! All these beautiful ingredients but something is amiss. Sorry but this is the 2nd chance, I won't be back. If you do find yourself there get the eggplant app. It's was the best thing at our table. read more

The food is wonderful, the ambience just right and the Server Annette is a positive GEM. They are lucky to have her!

Wow! Firstly this five star review is dedicated to the wonderful service provided by our waitress: Ruby. She was kind and considerate, even though my sister and I only shared a ravioli entree with minestrone, she made sure to split the plates and even gave us extra of cream of spinach...which I highly recommend! We will definitely be coming back, the food was spectacular, the ambiance was comfortable, we sat outside to enjoy the nice sunny day. Benicia in itself is beautiful, this restaurant complemented its beauty. read more

Excellent service, and food. Fresh food! A bit crowded, tables close together, but it works. Repeat customer over and over again!

Just had a fabulous event at this wonderful restaurant. Was able to reserve the private back room for a group of seniors for lunch. Everyone was very happy with the food AND the service. It was so very very nice. Highly recommend especially for a group. read more

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Super impressed. Last week me and my g/f continued to explore the limited Breakfast options in Benicia. We had remembered that Venticellos also does breakfast. I went with something familiar and ordered the Eggs Benedict and was very content with the results. The Hollandaise sauce was really good and both eggs drizzled golden yolk when you sliced into them. Potatoes were tasty too. Even the biscuits that came out before the main dishes were delicious. This place is slowly restoring my faith in the Benician scene. Can't wait to come back and try more food here! read more

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I came across this restaurant while searching for Italian food near Benicia/Vallejo. The menu for dinner looked pretty good and the price per plate for pasta was reasonable. Then I noticed they have a brunch menu. A little unusual for an Italian placed called Venticello's but okay. I had the lemon soufflé pancakes in mind. The price for bottomless mimosas is only $20! The following weekend we went there for brunch! I ordered the lemon soufflé pancake while my partner ordered a Benedict. I did not expect such a nice restaurant in Benicia. It's a place with actual table clothes and multiple forks/a more formal place setting. Not the fanciest, but you get the idea it's not Olive Garden. We were lucky and they had no wait. The food was delicious and came out quickly. They included a bit of shortbread with jam appetizer. Service was great! The soufflé pancake wasn't as soufflé as I expected but still tasted good. I had in mind a really tall fluffy Japanese style soufflé pancake. The Benedict was also good. Everything tasted great and the price for brunch was only about $50 for two. That's including an orange Italian soda and a cappuccino. We came by another night with a friend for dinner. No wait. Seated immediately. Complimentary bread with an olive spread. Ordered gamberi risotto, the gnocchi, and the lamb shank. For three people but came out to about $100. Service was wonderful. The host came by and gave us a little candle for ambience. The meals came with soup or salad. We were too stuffed to clear the plates and too full for dessert. Very generous and tasty food for a reasonable price. I really like Venticello's! I'm happy to say we found a new Italian/brunch spot! read more

Venticello’s Ristorante - Gamberi Risotto - Italian Near Me - Benicia, California

We stumbled onto this little gem on our way back from 6 flags. Found it on here on yelp. I'm a Keto jerk right now, so always difficult for me to eat out. But I was so happy! I ordered the eggplant appetizer and the house salad with ranch. It was fabulous!!! Super tasty! Exactly what I was hoping for! And I left full! My two friends loved their pasta dishes. Server was fabulous! Everyone on the staff was friendly and helpful! This place is wonderful! I'll be back next time I'm passing through Benicia. read more

Venticello’s Ristorante - Eggplant appetizer. Super yummy!!! Good keto option paired with a salad. - Italian Near Me - Benicia, California

We went with friends for a much needed night out. We were promptly seated and ordered drinks. Server even provided samples of two wines to help our friend make his final selection. Two in our party selected the evening special, my hubby ordered his go-to carbonara while I stayed with my favorite linguini with white clam sauce. Our soup and salads were delivered promptly. The restaurant was busy but not loud so conversations flowed. read more

We experienced excellent food and service. Their cream of mushroom soup was the best I've ever had. I would go back just for that! The Scampi Classico and Chicken Saltimbocca were wonderful. The dessert menu is far more than the usual crème brûlée and cheesecake, thankfully. What a nice evening! read more

Today was our 4th time visiting. Can't say enough about the food and staff. My favorite so far is the ravioli. And the soup of the day won't disappoint! Also tried the brunch on a Saturday and was great. Our lift driver TJ recommended this place. And we love it! Always have left overs for at least one more meal. This is our new favorite place! read more

Venticello’s Ristorante - The fish sandwich was also excellent! - Italian Near Me - Benicia, California

This place just keeps getting better another girls bday dinner successfully, deliciously, amazing service and lovely ambiance in the books! (Food, Always a variety of YUM) read more

Great service, nice atmosphere, and decent food. This review is for dinner. Located in the cute downtown area of Benicia. I came with a group of 5 and we sat in their outdoor patio area which we loved was also pup friendly! Service was friendly and he made great recommendations. Food: I got the frutti di mare seafood pasta and my husband got the white clam pasta. Both had nice flavor and were generous with the seafood but the noodles were not al dente as we are usually used to. Noodle texture is a big one for us so it made the pasta just ok. The pasta entrees also come with a choice of soup or salad. I got the salad and my husband got the soup. Both were delicious. Overall, a solid place in Benicia. Not my favorite Italian restaurant in Benicia if I'm being honest, but they do have a nice array of options and a nice ambiance which would make for a great date spot or nice meal with family and friends. read more

Venticello’s Ristorante - a plate of pasta with clams - Italian Near Me - Benicia, California

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The old saying "Three strikes and you're out" applies here. We have dined at Venticello's a few times, and the food has always been good. The problem? The service. The first few times, it was fine, but there was something off-kilter in terms of timing and communication with the table. Then, a couple of years ago, we wanted a small birthday dinner there. We were walking by and took notice of the days and hours of operation. We called when they were open and whoever answered the phone argued with us. They were emphatic that they were not open on the day we wanted, despite their sign in the front saying they were. When we walked by a few days later,, that particular sign for hours was gone. They could have said, "I'm sorry, that sign is outdated and incorrect." Instead, they argued, saying we were wrong. Fast forward to last night. We had family in town. I called a bit after three and got the answering machine. I left my name, phone number and the time we'd like for a reservation. (I see on their page that they close from 3 to 4:30). We showed up around 5:45. I had requested a 6 pm reservation for 5. The young woman asked for our reservation, and she said, "I don't see anything here." I told I had called and apparently no one checks messages or calls back. Her reply "Guess not." She vanished for a bit and then suggested our party, drive to the other side of town to their other location. Again, a simple, "I'm so sorry we didn't check the message or get back to you." Nope. This is snippy rudeness. Bad behavior will not be rewarded. Off our list permanently. (side note: we had a VERY bad service experience at Palermo's, their other location on the other side of town) (Extinction level BAD) read more

My boyfriend and I went for dinner on friday 5/31. I made a reservation for 7pm. When we walked in I only saw 2 tables available as its pretty small dining area. I was happy to know there was a back dining area with more seats. We sat back there and it felt way more intimate. It was really just us back there. The lamps lighting was really cool looking as well. Our waitress was awesome I dont remember her name but very attentive and didn't rush us. She was an older lady I wish I knew her name because she was awesome. So I ordered the ravioli because I was interested in the sauce. Onion Herb marinara. I thought it sounded different even though im not a big onion person. I was very surprised how good it was. The raviolis were huge. At first glance you might think you didn't get much but they're big. Not just big but stuffed with tons of cheese. I feel the cheese at most places is lacking but these were filled. I was extremely happy with my meal. I was so happy I told my Boyfriend I gave it 5 stars. Also you get soup or salad with it. for 22 dollars around for the meal and soup or salad is a good deal. Most places I found were pretty expensive downtown but I felt this was one of our cheaper bills. My boyfriend got meatballs with angel hair pasta and the sauce had mushrooms. He wasn't as big into it as I was my meal but he is very picky. He doesnt like chunks in his sauce or mushrooms or any veggies. He said the meatballs were great! The issue besides the mushrooms was the noodles being angel hair was very thin and with the heavy sauce and meatballs he thought a regular thicker noodle would have been better. I agree as well since I tried his. It was good though and I like mushrooms so my opinion was different. Even though he is picky he still ate most of it and he said he liked it. My only issue I think they should think about is the bread. I think it could be better. Both times it was not warm. It was small slices hard to rip off. I wasn't impressed with the bread. I think they should change it. Or atleast make it warmer. I recommend the place though and I would 100% go back for the raviolis. read more

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Most Yelp reviews are created by locals. For example, that sushi restaurant in Little Rock you looked up on Yelp had reviews created mostly by people of Little Rock. That Mexican restaurant in Laramie you looked up on Yelp had reviews created mostly by people of Laramie. You decide how much you want to trust the opinions of the people of Little Rock on sushi. On a two-hour roadtrip from the Bay Area (where we have the most excellent Cucina Italiana) to Sacramento, we stopped by on a Thursday for lunch. It was our first time there. The food was very good. The tapenade sauce was excellent. The bread was a tiny bit subpar. The pasta plates were excellent. The house salad was very fresh. The services was excellent! read more

We love Venticello's. It is small, cozy, excellent service, delicious food! All kinds of chicken dishes, pasta, etc.. I think they have a nice wine selection and I enjoy their desserts. read more

Recently stopped by Venticello's Ristorante with a large party of ten people on a Saturday afternoon. At the time of our visit, the restaurant was sitting people both outside and inside. Since we were a large party visiting for a celebration, the hosts of our lunch had made a reservation ahead of time to guarantee a place for us to sit. Upon our arrival, we were warmly and promptly escorted to the back room of the restaurant where our table for ten was neatly set and ready for us. Since we came on a weekend, we were given both a regular menu and brunch menu. To get the true Venticello's experience, most if not all of our party went with the regular menu. Entrees came with warm bread as well as a complimentary soup or salad (Caesar salad was available for an upgrade cost). The menu also had alternate choices for various dietary needs (e.g. whole wheat or gluten free pasta). My husband and I each decided to get our Italian food favorites: Chicken Alfredo for me and the Frutti di Mare for him. We also decided on the Caesar Salad and House Salad, respectively, to accompany our meals. Service overall was prompt and attentive. The various courses of our meal were paced out perfectly and food came out in a timely manner. Our dishes were prepared well, had a good quantity of food, and tasted great. Solid Italian food in Downtown Benicia for sure. Their inside space is intimate, so if they do not have outside seating, it could be a wait to dine in, especially with tables spread out for social distancing purposes. Parking in Downtown Benicia can also be challenging. Be prepared to possibly park and walk. Overall, we had a positive experience at Venticello's Ristorante. I would definitely return and already have a few more dishes on my list to try out, especially from the brunch menu! read more

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Had no idea they served brunch, so days after finding out, we went. I had the monte cristo and my husband had the shrimp omelette. They start you out with the cutest little vanilla (I think) scones with jam, nice touch. Everything was delicious and the service was very good. We will go back, and when we do, I will have the custard filled French toast and he will try the lemon soufflé pancakes. read more

Venticello’s Ristorante - Monte Cristo and shrimp omelette - Italian Near Me - Benicia, California

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- won't return - My dish the Fetuchini Alfredo was not seasoned. Needed lots of cheese to make it taste like something. Cute spot try it out and make your own opinion. Note the pizza place next store (Pacific Pizza) smells so good while you dine outside. read more

Best Brunch in Solano County with bottomless mimosas and amazing corned beef hash and a variety of pancakes. I absolutely adore this place. Opens at 9am on Saturday and Sunday. Soooooo good for Sunday Funday. The chef even came to our table to ensure that the meal was how we wanted. There is no place better in Benicia for breakfast or brunch. read more

Venticello’s Ristorante - Corned Beef Hash from Scratch. - Italian Near Me - Benicia, California

Nice looking neighborhood Italian spot. Went there with family and definitely the time. People working there were nice and good service. The creamy bell pepper soup was so good. The bread they gave a pretty good. Now the caprese salad was not that great. Lacking flavor. The carbonara was so bland. If O had my eyes closed, I would have had no idea what pasta dish I was eating. Absolutely no flavor. Added some salt which didn't help enough. Couldn't finish it. Wanted to love everything there. read more

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Venticello's is always good. Love the sandwiches and omelettes, plus they make a killer latte. Nice to sit outside and watch wagging dogs walk by. read more

This place, I can't stay enough good things about it. We go here all the time for lunch and/or dinner and the food is always so good. We used them for our engagement party catering and they exceeded our expectations - the portions were more than enough and our guests were very pleased. read more