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    Vero Amore - Swan

    3.8 (664 reviews)
    ModeratePizza, Italian
    Closed • 11:00 am - 7:30 pm

    Order Vero Amore - Swan Takeout or Delivery

    Vero Amore - Swan Photos

    Business Info

    VERO AMORE - SWAN ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Casual
    Outdoor seating
    Happy hour specials

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    Famous flaming cheese wheel
    Yelena R.

    Ordered black mussels in white wine and garlic. Amazing! Pizza came out lukewarm but when we brought it to their attention they made a new one. Granted it took some time but it tasted really good. I ordered their famous flaming cheese wheel without any protein. OMG super flavorful, nutty, creamy. I think it will go very well with shrimp. We set outside as the evening was beautiful and they have a very large patio. The service was amazing.

    Mediterranean bowtie pesto pasta
    Jaime M.

    We came here for our Anniversary dinner. Everything was fine, until it took them about 35 mins to get our main entrees out! I ordered the toasted cheese ravioli & my husband had lasagna. Mine was toasted a little too much & I thght the seasoning was a little much! My husband's lasagna was quite tasty! I also had the ceasar salad which was good too! After dinner, we enjoyed a drink inside their hidden Speakeasy! That was cool! Bartendar was very friendly! We even sat outside with our drinks because it was such a nice evening. Will definitely be back

    Cheese wheel pasta with chicken.
    Mark M.

    The food was amazing and service on point. Cute little place serving great food from pizza to pasta. We had the cheese wheel pasta one with added chicken and one with shrimp. It was cold outside so a nice hot meal got the spot. Plenty of food. We also had a small salad and appetizer bread. Yum.

    Flaming Cheese Wheel
    Shannon M.

    This place was a hidden gem. Didn't think we would be able to order the pasta from the cheese wheel not having reservations, but they went ahead and accommodated. Would definitely go back the next time we visit Tucson. Everyone was super friendly and the servers were helpful with making decisions on appetizers. The bread and butter was to die for!!! Perfection!

    A half Caesar salad for $13 dollars looks like this. A few pieces of lettuce with 1 crouton. Never again will I order from here.

    Rebecca I.

    Finally got to try the flaming cheese wheel which was so fun and def makes any regular Alfredo pasta A LOT better. The experience was so fun and food delicious. I will say our dinner did take 2.5 hours though and over 90 minutes to even get to the part of the cheese wheel, I'm not sure that is is normal for a Saturday but what a great food experience.

    Karissa V.

    Let me tell you everything about this place was great. Our server Diego handled our party of 15 incredibly well. Everything we ordered had beautiful presentation and tasted like heaven. It was a great place to celebrate a birthday and have a large party. Also reserving the place came with ease and kindness as well. We definitely be back.

    Chicken pasta wheel
    Stephanie B.

    The food was amazing and our server was amazing. They bring the wheel to the table, the guy was so knowledgeable.

    Mediterranean Pasta
    Traci G.

    The ambiance here is warm. Our server tried to be attentive but was too busy and did not have knowledge of wine list. We wanted to order the flaming cheese wheel to celebrate birthday but they didn't do it that night. We had a Mediterranean pasta, roasted garlic and tomato pasta and prosciutto burrata salad. It was good but everything just took awhile.

    Heaven R.

    Food was delish! The service took a while. Unsure why, wasn't a busy night. Maybe short staffed? Loved that I could order pizza without cheese. I ordered the marinara and added peppers. The bread/dough is baked to perfection. We were there celebrating a friends birthday. She was craving Italian. She ate more bread than anything. So she had leftovers for the following day! Super yummy next time I would want to try a pasta!

    Shrimp Alfredo
    Veronica B.

    It's almost not fair, I wish I was still hungry! The smells are amazing in this place, nice relaxing music, our nice server was Annette, she was attentive and kind! The shrimp MUST BE JUMBO or EXTRA JUMBO!!!! Omg!!!! Yesssss!!!!! They were done if the largest tastiest shrimp Ive ever had! Very savory! The pasta, Al dente - perfection!!! Alfredo sauce super creamy and cheesy! Here's my tip - they allow you to split a salad! The pizza is cooked right in front of you in an open kitchen and the crust was crispy and flavorful! Tiramisu??? Faagettt 'bout it!!! Coffee, ladyfingers with that chocolate drizzle was a wonderful way to finish our meal! They have plenty of seating outside too! I'll definitely be back!! This place is a DEFINITE WINNNNNN!!!!

    Mediterranean Pasta
    Betsy L.

    We tried Vero Amore for the first time the other night, and were very happy with our meal there! It's a surprisingly cozy space, combining elements of vintage decor with more modern touches. The open kitchen also means it smells delicious immediately upon entry. We started with cocktails: both the Boulevardier and the Pomegranate Spritz were delicious! I'd definitely get either one again. The Pomegranate Spritz was very tart and refreshing; I'd love sipping one outside when the weather is moderate. We also got the Wood-Fired Bread, which is a must, in my opinion. The round loaf came out steaming hot, and the airy bread was perfect dipped in olive oil or slathered with herb butter. For our entrees, we got the Pasta Pomodoro (bowtie pasta with tomato, basil, garlic, and white wine) with added chicken, and the Mediterranean Pasta (bowtie pasta with sundried tomatoes, pine nuts, Kalamata olives, and grilled chicken in a creamy pesto, topped with Gorgonzola). The Pomodoro was a nice, lighter summery dish with a strong garlic presence (not a bad thing!). The Mediterranean was a little heavier due to the cream sauce, but the olives and tomatoes provided bright hits of salt and acid. Service was good overall, though perhaps on the slow side. I look forward to returning and trying more of their delicious-looking pastas!

    Exterior Sign
    Melissa S.

    I have been wanting to try this restaurant for quite some time. Made a reservation for the fettuccini alfredo cheese wheel experience, which they only take by phone for Thursday-Sundays. It was pretty neat, but I will say it does cost $32 per person, which they do not ever tell you until you get the final bill. Tried the smoky mule cocktail that was good, but the drinks were around $12-$15 each. The wood-fired bread appetizer had a fresh herb butter that I would highly recommended. Overall, the food and customer service were both amazing, so it was worth the cost to me! The only downside to the ambiance was just how loud the restaurant was. Every table was trying to talk over each other. It would have been nice if they had the outside patio open. Additionally, there is supposed to be a hidden speakeasy bar inside the restaurant somewhere that is reservations only and there was a live band just outside in the plaza.

    Chicken Parmesan

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    Mark B.

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    The food was just okay, but service was not. There are too many other places in Tucson that offers far better food and service.

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    Page 1 of 17

    Vero Amore - Swan Reviews in Other Languages

    Ask the Community - Vero Amore - Swan

    Can you accommodate a dairy allergy (including butter)?

    we sure can!! Thank you!… 

    How much is the cheese wheel pasta?

    A lot of

    I typed sourdough crust pizza online and your restaurant came up. So, do you make sourdough crust pizza, because I can’t find it on your website?

    Hello Travis, no our crust is not sourdough. It is an authentic Neapolitan pizza crust, certified as Authentic Neapolitan Pizzeria #250 by Italy’s world-renowned Associazione Verace Pizza Napoletana Academy (VPN), which requires strict traditional… 

    Are there any gluten-free options?

    Hello Michael, Yes, as Teri said we do have a great Gluten Free pizza dough and we do also have a gluten free penne pasta which can be requested for any of our pasta dishes. We look forward to serving you and thank you Teri for the nice comment.… 

    What vegan entrees are available?

    Does this place accepts dogs on their patio?

    We do! We even have doggie water bowls for your furry friend

    View All 8 Questions

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    Locale Neighborhood Italian - Spaghetti with White Clam Sauce

    Locale Neighborhood Italian

    4.1(747 reviews)
    2.8 mi•Peter Howell
    •$$

    Came here on a date! Service was cool but the ambiance was ruined bc we were seated with a VERY…read moreLOUD GROUP. Idk what the hostess was thinking seeing a couple that has come in for a nice dinner and seats them next to a large party. It really killed the atmosphere. I opted for a glass of Chardonnay which was fantastic! I really enjoyed it. Really everything you want in an American Chardonnay. It was fruity, complex, oaky just perfect. For the app the bruschetta was messy to eat, and was underwhelming. Way too much tomatoes and it was just not a sexy thing to eat. I got the chicken and that was delicious. The broccolini and the polenta made for a perfect place of food. My date got the lasagna which was just ok. It was very very tomato forward and acidic. I prefer my sauce to be milder and not so sour. Dessert was mind altering. That pistachio ice cream was sooo good. Amazing. No notes. The tiramisu was classic. It was light, fluffy, airy, good coffee and liquor flavor. I was impressed.

    We had a wonderful meal here from start to finish. The atmosphere was incredibly warm and…read morewelcoming, creating a really nice environment for a night out. Every dish we ordered was absolutely delicious--authentic, freshly prepared, and full of flavor. The waiting staff were exceptional as well: very attentive, friendly, and mindful without ever feeling intrusive. The prices felt completely fair and aligned with the quality of the food and service. The only reason I'm giving four stars instead of five is that they don't offer a complimentary basket of bread for the table--you have to order it separately. Aside from that, everything was fantastic, and we will definitely be back!

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    Renee's Tucson - Chilies and Cream Pizza

    Renee's Tucson

    4.4(969 reviews)
    3.0 mi
    •$$
    Takes reservations
    Romantic vibe

    I keep reading about this place, so my wife and I say to try here. We started with the homemade…read morefocaccia bread and decided to order the Motown Classic Pizza. Wow wow wow, the focaccia bread was fantastic. The pizza was super crispy on the bottom, just the way I like it. You can tell the fresh ingredients that they used. Because of the level of the food quality, this is not the cheapest place to eat however, it is absolutely fantastic and so tasty. We will be going back very soon.

    I really wish this review could be about the pizza. Instead, we left before ever ordering because…read moreof how incredibly unwelcoming the experience was. We arrived at Renee's with our boys on a 90+ degree Arizona day, hot, hungry, and excited to celebrate them after their first flag football game. Instead of sitting down to enjoy a meal, we were told that families with children are only allowed to dine on the patio. Meanwhile, the air-conditioned dining room was completely empty. Not "almost full." Empty. I understand that businesses are allowed to have their own policies, but expecting families with young children to sit outside in 90+ degree heat while an empty, air-conditioned dining room sits right there is certainly a choice. And not a particularly welcoming one. Apparently, celebrating your kids after their first flag football game meant sweating through dinner on the patio while an entire empty dining room sat comfortably indoors. With the temperature over 90 degrees, that was not a reasonable option for our family. Needless to say, we left. Tucson has plenty of wonderful restaurants where families can celebrate, cool off, and enjoy a meal indoors without being limited to the patio simply because they brought their children. So no, I can't tell you whether the pizza is good. We never got that far. I can tell you the hospitality left a bad enough taste that we won't be back to find out

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    Penelope - Figgy Piggy

    Penelope

    4.5(306 reviews)
    3.6 mi•Broadway-Northeast
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    Talk about GENEROUS toppings and rich, balanced flavors!!!! It's really challenging to keep…read morefamiliar flavors while inserting a new, fun element, and both pizzas I tried at Penelope's did just that! Hot honey pizza has the most perfect hint of sweetness without becoming desert, and the lemon-arugula-ricotta one was so addictive. Cute spot for date night with minimalist decor and fast service! Pro tip: get a side of the marinated olives to soak up with your crusts :)

    Place : Loud , somewhat sterile eating area. **The pizzas are clever with good combinations**, that…read morebeing said they're inconsistent in crust, especially for takeout. It is a great crust, not quite as good as Luna's was (RIP), IYKYK, their pies edged this place out in consistency and crust flavor with that special yeast. The pies are somewhat expensive, which is fine, but really the toppings are scant considering. And the aforementioned inconsistency, - slightly higher prices are fine , but they should be consistent. Make it feel worthwhile. The service is a joke, sometimes someone will greet you, sometimes maybe not. It used to be you could walk into a place, even 15 minutes before they closed, and order food. Not so much with this place( and it's a pizza place ?!!?)-which is odd because you'd think they want money. I digress. I've gone in, in the past, half hour before closed, and been told they were out of dough! Pizza place out of the main ingredient. Obviously bad meal prep, planning, mgmt, -however you want to plate it. -Now-, there's an ordering system online to , idk, 'help things be orderly ' , maybe. You can't even go on 50 minutes before they close and place an order. What a joke. ...Likely to put out that image of high demand, the rarest , most prized, kneaded dough by Swedish monks,, that you must plan a day ahead if you want to partake in. More likely, they'll start tagging on service charges and having slightly inflated prices through online ordering. BET.

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    Bar

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    Falora - This was definitely my favorite- the Figaro- so good!

    Falora

    4.2(413 reviews)
    3.4 mi•Broadmoor-Broadway Village
    •$$

    Absolutely Worth the Drive!…read more We were visiting from West Phoenix and decided to try Falora Pizza, and I'm so glad we did! This place is definitely worth the drive. It's a smaller restaurant, but it's beautiful inside and has such a cozy, inviting atmosphere. The music was lovely, and the whole place had a really nice vibe. We ordered the Margherita pizza, Bianca pizza, Gnocchi, Piastra zucchini noodles, two sodas, and a Prosecco. Everything we tried was so good! The pizza crust was one of my favorite parts. It was cooked perfectly and had that nice little crunch without being too hard. The Margherita was delicious, and the Bianca was just as good. The Piastra zucchini noodles with house-made pesto, heirloom cherry tomatoes and spinach were AMAZING! I'm honestly still thinking about them. The Gnocchi with shiitake mushrooms, vegetable broth and ginger glaze was also delicious and something a little different. We had four dishes, drinks and Prosecco, and our total was under $99, which I thought was a great price for everything we enjoyed. I also thought it was really cool that when you check out, there's an option to claim a neighborhood reward through Cash App that can be used with participating local businesses or toward coming back to Falora. I love seeing ways to support local businesses and the neighborhood. Overall, we had such a great experience. Great food, beautiful atmosphere, delicious pizza and a crust that was cooked just right.

    Oh my goodness, I forgot how much I miss woodfired pizza. I used to live in New Haven and this used…read moreto be my favoriteeee style of pizza. After grabbing a drink next door at Sidecar, I was pleased to see that Falora was open just a few steps away. It's a tiny place, but we were able to be sat immediately at the communal table. We ordered a couple of drinks and started with the butter pecan salad. This was so yummy. I loved the goat cheese and the apricot dressing. It was definitely a refreshing choice for this hot summer day. We also split a couple of pizzas: the marinara and the Margherita. Both of these were topped with fresh basil and the crust was perfect perfectly crispy. Like all woodfired pizza, it does have a little bit of a char to it, but I love that. Overall, the service here was great and I would definitely come back. It also looks like you can order pizza to go and take it to the cocktail lounge next door. There's plenty of parking here, but it does get packed on a Friday night. There's some outdoor seating but on a rainy night it can get pretty cramped inside.

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    Tavolino Ristorante Italiano - Eggplant Parmesan ($22) 6/2026

    Tavolino Ristorante Italiano

    3.7(556 reviews)
    4.8 mi
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    I would say the food is really good, and probably the biggest tortellini I have ever seen!…read more My only issue is that when we went to the restaurant, it may have just been the particular day, but there was some sort of issue with a bad smell that was going on that night. Hopefully that was resolved because the food quality was good! They also have a good amount of vegetarian options.

    For whatever reason, I haven't been here in nearly ten years, and my dining companion had never…read morebeen. So we journeyed out on Memorial Day for a grill-free dinner. The space is lovely of course, with tons of courtyard view windows. We did run into a broken chair when we sat down, but that was easily remedied (hopefully it was permanently removed from the floor). Our server was also tending bar, so he was stretched a bit thin, but overall the service was solid. He happily went back to the kitchen in a couple of questions he couldn't answer, but was overall very knowledgeable. He recommended a white wine made by a relative of the restaurant owner and it was lovely. We started with the octopus. I didn't expect this starter to be cold, but the tender octopus, fingerling potatoes and olives were a great combo in the acidic sauce. Would most certainly order it again. My main was the short rib. Short rib is always a heavy dish, but the vegetable risotto and asparagus helped lighten it a bit and it was tender and delicious. I probably ate 1/3, but I'm not sad to have generous leftovers. My dining companion had the veal, which was also excellent. I finished my meal with the crème caramel, which was very traditional and exactly as expected (which is what I want in a dessert like that). I'm very happy to dine here more often than every ten years.

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    Bottega Michelangelo - Bucatini Carbonara

    Bottega Michelangelo

    4.1(795 reviews)
    8.0 mi
    •$$

    Bottega Michelangelo Bottega Michelangelo is a casual…read moreSouthern Italian neighborhood kitchen and pasticceria located in Oro Valley, Arizona. Everyone is understaffed, so I always appreciate the service staff who are working. Remember they're busy because they're good. This restaurant still has that old time feel it's a definite classic type vibe. This is with a modern look of high ceilings and wide open space. It has indoor dining, a cozy lounge, a front patio, and a bar patio with both table service and walk-in café options I was here in the winter many times over the last four years. I really enjoyed the food and staff. I went last winter and forgot how much I love the food. Happy hour really embraces the needs of people of a certain age (older) in the sense that it starts at 4pm and goes until 7pm. So if you come at 4pm you can drive home before it's dark. (No daylight savings in Arizona.) My favorite dish during happy hour is the lamb lollipops. Just love them and the second favorite dish is the Pistachio encrusted baked goat cheese with there great bread. Those things with a nice brown lager (kilt lifter) are a wonderful dinner for me. There's plenty of space for groups to have fellowship together. And some wonderful dinner options as well. It's almost always crowded. It also operates partially as an Italian pastry shop (pasticceria) with in-house desserts like tiramisu cake, cannolis, and the Lemon Blueberry Duomo This Italian family has own this restaurant for over thirty five years.... It's been in a couple locations but moved to where it is over 30 years ago It has good food that is high quality. It has that atmosphere of any old school restaurant in any major city. Instead it's tucked in near a shopping mall in Oro Valley. It has a wonderful outdoor seating area. It has great parking. I can't recommend this restaurant enough.

    Honestly, I really don't see what the hype is about this place. Maybe it's because I'm snobby and…read morehave been to Italy, but the food here is not really authentic Italian food. The highlight was the meatball appetizer. These were huge and the sauce was delicious. Unfortunately, that's where the good vibes ended. I got the agnolotti and it was covered in parsley and a little flavorless. Just not great. I'm not saying it's bad, but these days when I want to spend my money on a nice meal, I'd rather go somewhere where I feel like it's worth the expense. Bottega Michelangelo was just perfectly mid. Not bad, not great, just average.

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    Vivace - Coffee latte

    Vivace

    4.2(884 reviews)
    4.8 mi
    •$$$

    28 years ago my craving for my pregnancy was Vivace was crab filled chicken. My husband joined me…read moreevery day as we got it. We'd walk in and the staff would start making it I still love it, what a magnificent dish! Why is it so good? The crunchy chicken? The tender crab filling? The amazing vegetable rice and sauce? There are many amazing dishes here, but at least once, try this dish. One of my favorites of all time.

    My son chose Vivace for his birthday dinner, and once again, this restaurant reminded us why it's…read moreone of our absolute favorites in Tucson. We like to switch up our appetizers every visit, so this time I tried something new, the escargot with artichokes. If you've never had escargot before, this is the perfect beginner dish. The escargot was buttery, tender, and packed with flavor. Paired with the artichokes and toasted bread, it was absolutely incredible. I almost ate the entire order by myself because I simply couldn't stop! We also ordered the shrimp and crab cakes, and wow, these were phenomenal. The outside had the perfect crispy crust while the inside was tender, flavorful, and full of seafood. The accompanying sauce tied everything together beautifully. For our entrées, we had the seared tenderloin over creamy polenta, cooked medium rare. It was perfection. The tenderloin was incredibly tender and flavorful, the wine sauce was rich without being overpowering, and the polenta was creamy and comforting. The portion was also very generous. We also shared the rigatoni with braised short rib, and I honestly can't stop thinking about it. The short rib was melt in your mouth tender, juicy, and so flavorful that I'd happily order a plate of just that! Combined with the perfectly cooked rigatoni, rich sauce, and a generous sprinkle of Parmesan, it was one of those dishes where every bite was better than the last. Our server was fantastic, attentive, friendly, and full of great recommendations without ever making us feel rushed. The restaurant itself is always beautiful and has such an elegant atmosphere. Since we were celebrating my son's birthday, I was hoping we'd get one of the tables with the city view, but honestly, the outstanding food and exceptional service more than made up for it. Vivace continues to be one of Tucson's best dining experiences. Every meal here reminds us why we keep coming back. Highly recommend!

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    Vivace - Beautiful restaurant

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    Giuseppe's - Pesto Penne Pasta

    Giuseppe's

    3.7(498 reviews)
    6.2 mi
    •$$

    Came here for happy hour and dinner with a friend, and we were seated right away. It's a total…read morehidden gem right behind Putney's, and honestly might be my new go-to happy hour spot! The restaurant has a beautiful interior and offers outdoor seating, but since it's the middle of summer in Tucson, sitting inside was a must! We arrived just in time for happy hour. Most of the appetizers on the regular menu were marked down to $9.75, and the happy hour drinks were the same price. We ordered the stuffed mushrooms, steamed mussels, a dirty martini, and a grapefruit cosmo. Everything was delicious, but the mussels were our absolute favorite. The broth they came with was delightful, and we used the complimentary bread to soak up every last drop! Even though the appetizers filled us up, we still ordered dinner. I got the Pesto Penne Pasta and my friend got the Chicken Marsala. My pasta was incredibly flavorful with just the right amount of chicken in every bite. My friend really enjoyed the Marsala too. The portions were great, and we both had enough leftovers for another meal. I definitely plan on coming back when it's cooler to enjoy the patio, which sits nicely between the restaurant and the boutique across the way. The view looks great, and I heard they sometimes have live music. Highly recommend!

    I was really looking forward to dining at Giuseppe's on Oracle Rd. Great reviews, loved the photos…read moreI saw online, good happy hour, and gluten-free options. I even called ahead of time and spoke with someone about the gluten-free options (David, who turned out to be our server) and he was very helpful and pleasant on the phone. But the dining experience was sorely disappointing and I'm not sure whether we would return or not based on that experience. David's service was attentive and pleasant, the wine was really good, and my pork carbonara dish was pretty good - the pork chop itself was delicious and perfectly seasoned and perfectly cooked; the pasta was creamy and pretty good, but just lacking a bit in flavor (cheese?). I'm not a fan of cherry tomatoes in carbonara but no big deal, still overall, it was a very good dish. But here is where it went wrong. My wife ordered the grilled pork, which according to the menu is slices of pork topped with spinach and mozzarella served over linguine with red sauce. She asked if they could switch the red sauce out for another (non-red) sauce. David suggested either Alfredo or a white wine sauce, and my wife asked for the white wine sauce. And gluten-free pasta.Since I had called earlier to ask about gluten-free or gluten-sensitive options, and they said they have GF pasta and GF pizza crust, David let the kitchen know to start the pasta water (which is a nice accommodation) as soon as we arrived - although my wife wasn't sure yet, having not looked at the menu, whether she really did intend to have a dish accompanied by pasta. But that's fine if they want to start it early. We sat there for a good 25-30 minutes after ordering, wondering what was going on with the food, since we were one of only two tables at the time. We tracked David down and he apologetically told us there had been some kind of issue with the chef "getting the dishes switched around" (??) and that they had to start the order over again, and that he appreciated our patience. After a while, the entrees arrived. My pork carbonara looked good. My wife's pork dish, even after waiting that long and having them re-do the entrees, had a few issues - 1) it was served with pasta with red sauce, not the white wine sauce she'd asked for; 2) uncertainty over whether the pasta is indeed gluten-free because it's possible that they have GF spaghetti, but in our experience, it's very unusual for a restaurant to offer GF spaghetti. Usually it's penne or a similar shape. But David did double check and said it really is GF spaghetti. I was suspect myself when I tasted the dish, because GF pasta has a tendency to fall apart or dry out and I couldn't really tell that this was GF pasta. So maybe it was just really good GF pasta; and 3) the pork wasn't sliced, it was whole. And possibly breaded. When we noted the dish was supposed to be white wine sauce over GF pasta, David again apologized and said the chef was "flustered" (his word, not mine). Not sure how a whole 2 tables flusters a chef, but okay. At this point, after all this time, and my dish being served correctly and hot, we were not about to send the dish back AGAIN while I sit there eating mine while it's still hot. We had originally thought, when first seated, that we might order dessert or at least the good looking after dinner drinks. But we just wanted to get the heck out of there as fast as we could. And to their / David's credit, they did comp the pork dish, which is nice. Not sure we'd return.

    Photos
    Giuseppe's - Seating area

    Seating area

    Giuseppe's - Pesto Salad.

    Pesto Salad.

    Giuseppe's - Outdoor seating

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    Outdoor seating

    Bacio Italiano - Eggplant Parmesan

    Bacio Italiano

    3.9(302 reviews)
    4.3 mi•West University
    •$$

    Can't believe I'm just now trying this place out. Location…read morelocation location . This spot nails it , very walkable area and full of great boutiques, restaurants, cafes , etc. Everything was great and service was solid . We stayed chatting it up until nearly closing . I shared the vegan Margherita & would absolutely come back to try more ! Yum.

    Stopped in here before going to an event at Centennial Hall. We made reservations for a patio…read moretable; we were seated right on time and the hostess was friendly and pleasant. The server stopped by the table relatively quickly and took our drink order. Drinks were delivered in a timely fashion, we ordered appetizers and the entrees. The server was also friendly and pleasant. The appetizers (meatballs and stuffed mushrooms) were brought to the table by a runner. We had no silverware, napkins, or plates, so we asked the runner for these things when they asked, "do you need anything?". The runner said they'd be right back, but it was about five minutes and no joy. The server stopped by when they noticed we were staring at the appetizers with no way to eat them and brought over the plates, silverware, and napkins. As we were finishing up the appetizers, the same runner brought our entrees. I had the eggplant parm and added a side of spinach, which was very good. My date ordered a pasta dish which was served luke warm at best. The flavors were good, but the pasta dish wasn't nearly as hot as the spaghetti that was served with my eggplant parm. The server never stopped by to check on us, so we ate it and was happy for our water as we didn't get an opportunity to order another round of drinks. To be fair, it started getting a little busier by this time, so maybe the server had other responsibilities. The space is enjoyable. The patio can be hit or miss if there happens to be rain, as there was when we were there, but we were perfectly dry out there. We did see the hostess try to seat another party at a table that was getting wet in the rain and they kindly asked for another table that wasn't so moist. The food was good. The portion sizes were decent and aside from the temperature of the pasta dish, presented well. It would have been nice to have been able to order another round of drinks, but the server stopped by to ask if we had a dessert after we had completed our entrees. We just asked for the bill, paid, and called it an evening. Overall it was a good experience not one I would seek out specifically to go to this particular restaurant again.

    Photos
    Bacio Italiano - Love the flowers on our table

    Love the flowers on our table

    Bacio Italiano - Garlic toast

    Garlic toast

    Bacio Italiano - Craving for some pizza!

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    Craving for some pizza!

    Vero Amore - Swan - pizza - Updated October 2026

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