My daughter and I ate here before going to the aronoff. This place is so fantastic. First of all the smell when you walk in is phenomenal. They are making the pasta and you can watch or sit at the table by it. Our waitress was sweet and explained a lot to us. I got the eggplant Parmesan. It was thin not too much cheese. So good. One of the best I have had. My daughter got the pasta fagoli which was rosemary pasta with cannelloni beans She was in heaven. Can't wait to go back. read more

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I was staying downtown, got in late, and was on the verge of hangry. A close friend of mine that lives in Cincinnati said that Via Vita was a gem of Italian food so I went with it... especially after seeing the great reviews. I walked over to discover a rather swanky spot. I noticed the logo lit up on the carpet as I headed through their covered entryway. Once opening the door it was bustling, seriously a packed house, on a cold and snowy Tuesday evening. There were giant chandeliers hanging from the ceiling and a fancy bar. I let the host know that I was there for a pick up order and they directed me to the bar to get it. That was a bit of a challenge but luckily another staff member noticed my confusion and grabbed my order. I wish the host would have just gotten it for me instead of having me stand awkwardly next to diners as I tried to catch the bartender's attention. Anyhoo, I ordered the classic Caesar salad and the handmade crispy gnocchi. Now, I got this to-go, so I expected the presentation to be messy and it was. But that didn't change how tasty it was. The salad was ok. I would have preferred the lettuce be cut up into smaller portions but that's pretty specific. The gnocchi was down right delicious and I would order it again in a heartbeat. It came in a creamy cheese sauce with chives and truffle and the portion was perfect. It was very decadent and filling. I would totally return for a special occasion or date night, but definitely make sure to make reservations. read more

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Everything was beautifully presented and perfectly flavored. From the tender octopus to the sea bass, and my main course of vodka pasta, every dish was a delight. I also enjoyed a lovely goat cheese salad. However, the service was somewhat inconsistent, which was the only drawback to an otherwise great dining experience. read more

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Via Vite located downtown Cincinnati by Fountain Square continues to impress our friends and family with great caliber of service, food, and ambiance. We make reservations promptly for the same week via Open Table. Highly recommend making reservations in advance. Upon arrival they sat us downstairs by the windows overlooking fountain square. Loved the ambiance. The sounds of noise levels in a Friday evening were moderate and tolerable. The service was exceptional as always. Super friendly and attentive staff. We ordered many items from the menu. All were executed and prepared to perfection. First we ordered some appetizers which consisted of the OCTOPUS - crispy potatoes / citrus gremolata / tonnato / frisee / saba / smoked seasalt. Excellent execution and full of flavor. Great item to share. Next appetizer was the FRITTO MISTO crispy calamari / shrimp / fresno chili / lemon caper aioli. Cooked right on par. The fried items were not over cooked and still tender. Loved the Fresno chilli. Last appetizer was the GRILLED ARTICHOKES Italian marinated artichokes / garlic / parsley / olive oil / prosciutto. This app was my favorite based on flavor and very modern way to prepare artichoke with prosciutto. Loved all the flavors combined. For our entrees, we originally ordered the Lasagna but I guess they were all sold out based on our timing. So we ordered the CHICKEN "MILANESE" * Amish country chicken cutlet / breadcrumb / arugula / heirloom tomato / lemon-butter vinaigrette. Great flavors and fair pricing. The presentation was great. Next entree was the TAGLIATELLE BOLOGNESE Traditional beef meat sauce Bologna style. Great flavors and cooked to perfection. The pasta tasted homemade. Next dish was the MAMA'S EGGPLANT PARMIGIANA pomodoro / basil / Parmigiano Reggiano. This is definitely mama's eggplant parmigiana. This dish was excellent only wished it was not so saucy. Could have reduce the amount of sauce on it. But other than that the dish was delicious. For dessert we got the Via Misu. Not the typical tiramisu. It was like an airy cake with a side of caramel. Super delicious. All the entrees were well executed visually and prepared with a lot of flavors and true modern twist on Italian cuisines. Highly recommend Via Vite for any and all family occasions and professional gatherings. Greta place to have dinner and cocktails. Five star all around for the chef, service, food, and ambiance. Great Italian restaurant with a delightful modern twist. read more

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Excellent place. We had a big party - 14 people. Place is large, 2 floors. I think the large parties go upstairs. Service was very attentive. Food was excellent. The only thing that keeps it from being 5 stars is the limited menu. Italian restaurant without lasagna? Would definitely return. read more

Via Vite - Menu - Italian Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

Via Vite is such a treat! The atmosphere is so nice. It's not too dark or too bright or too loud. The service is always great. And the food??? Wowza! It is so delicious! I highly recommend the arancini antipasti. We absolutely love the gnocchi and the pastas. And even though we over indulge every single time, we can't help but order dessert. Chocolate crème brûlée, bread pudding.... . And be sure to mention if you are celebrating anything special. They do a wonderful job of acknowledging birthdays, anniversaries, etc. I highly recommend! read more

Was asked "sparkling or still" for water. Asked for still. Was unexpectedly charged $20 for water in glass bottles but when we looked around the room people were served tap. Why weren't we made aware of that as an option?? I was very happy with my Vodka pasta and Bruschetta. Boyfriends gnocchi came out cold and had a very unappetizing sauce flavor, do not recommend. Table was very small and could barely fit two menus on it. Otherwise I enjoyed the ambiance. Overall had a hit/miss dining experience, being charged so much extra for water without letting us know was probably the worst part. read more

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I had a decent meal. I chose to pay cash. The bill was 34.50. I gave my waitress two 20's to pay the bill. The waitress, a very good and kind person who did give good service left me a 5.00 bill as change in the fold. I asked where my extra .50 cents was. She told me it was the restaurants policy to round to the nearest dollar. Of course she didn't round in my favor as I am sure she was instructed specifically to do. A restaurant bill is a contract like all others. The owners decided they didn't have to honor that contract and I didn't deserve to be paid my correct change. I beg to differ. I left a 4.00 tip after considering not to leave any. She deserved better. But they caused this decision. Bottom line is there is a right and wrong way to do things. Try another restaurant. You will likely not be treated this way. read more

This place is amazing. Brooke was the best waitress and had so many suggestions on amazing food. It was my birthday and our 10 year anniversary and she made it so special! Can't wait to go back and try more delicious food. We had the prosciutto service and focaccia bread. We also tried the octopus appetizer and they all were 10/10. read more

Via Vite - Prosciutto - Italian Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

Via vite has some stiff competition, even within its own restaurant group, but it holds its own in a great setting. I had the opportunity to dine at the Chef's table and it was fascinating to watch one chef painstakingly roll out lobster ravioli. Such care went into every one! We started with the artichokes and the arancini. The sauce for the arancini was delicious but otherwise, the appetizers were unremarkable. Since it was Friday, I took advantage of the lasagna on offer. The rich bechamel and bolognese combination was decadent, but could have used a little acid to break up the richness. More successful I think was my friend's eggplant parmigiana which had a stronger tomato element. I'd order that on my next visit. We finished off with the chocolate creme brûlée that came with an adorable chocolate spoon. If you're a chocolate lover, as I am, you will be pleased! Service was slow, but that may be because no one is assigned to the chef's table. All in all, an enjoyable meal but not a stellar one. More than worth a visit before or after ice skating! read more

Via Vite - Chocolate creme brûlée - Italian Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

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"Holy Crap!!!!" What a great meal. We came here for our anniversary again and again, the restaurant outdid themselves. Everything from Grace, our server, to the cooks....we were at the chefs table and had a good show....was off the hook! Many kudos to everyone at Via Vite!!! You made our night. read more

Hint hint....you can do half portions of there pasta...if you select two! Great way to try out multiple dishes. Make sure you make a reservation on open table! The wait here gets insane for the dinner rush! You can also request to sit at the kitchen bar which we will be doing here soon! The Bolognese was my favorite hands down! The grilled artichokes were pretty delicious especially since you cannot get them most places. Chocolate martini off the menu, yes please these are my favorite and two will make you feel really good! Housemade limencello - this is super strong I wanted to try it Vanilla Risotto desert was fantastic! Great for a date night, I will come here more often for my Italian craving in Cinci! read more

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The food was extremely good but the portion was so small! I went with friends and we all left feeling hungry! The service was fine nothing outstanding but not bad at all! The ambiance was more date night than I expected just give its location! Overall would like to go again just to give it another taste! read more

After a few disappointing visits to "best holiday brunch" spots we decided to check out someplace under the radar - our radar at least. I am a sucker for Italian food and Via Vite was having an Easter Sunday Brunch Buffet. Seems like a no brainer to me. We placed our reservations on Open Table and were charged a 50% hold fee for the reservation. With so many people no-showing on reservations these days, this makes sense to me. We arrived just before our time and were quickly shown to our table. The server was prompt and before you know it, we were heading for food. The buffet was not large, but if the items were good, there's no need for volume. Quality over quantity every day. The food was exceptional for holiday meal. The pasta and gnocchi dishes were fresh and tasty. The breakfast dishes were excellent. Fresh scrambled eggs, not powdered eggs. The French toast was made with Italian bread with added an unexpected and pleasant twist to the classic breakfast item. The bacon was butcher cut and perfectly chewy - at least perfect for me. I know some people like it crunchy. There was also roasted strip steak, carved on demand, and perfect little desert cups. The menu said salmon, but I did see it, maybe I missed it. It doesn't matter, I was highly satisfied. We will return. My only real complaint has ZERO to do with the restaurant, the parking at Fountain Square was $9, flat rate. NINE DOLLARS for 90 minutes. I thought the purpose of 3CDC was to support businesses within the CBD and OTR. Over priced parking will deter people from coming downtown for something less formal. If you want to grab lunch say at CityBird, the parking will cost you more than a sandwich. Nonsense. read more

My husband and I came to Via Vite for our 12 year wedding anniversary and it was incredible!! Ask for Grace! Thank you for a wonderful dinner!! read more

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Had a lovely pre-theatre dinner here two weeks ago. We were seated promptly albeit the two extra place settings weren't taken away (just two of us.) We started with an order of arancini which were cooked perfectly and had a nice creamy parmigiana sauce (not your typical marinara.) For the entrees, I had the filet with a side of broccolini. The filet was not properly cooked medium rare (middle should be slightly bloody) but I find that to be quite common here vs. restaurants in NYC. My better half had the Faroe Is. salmon with carrot puree and absolutely scrumptious Brussels sprouts. We also shared an order of the carbonara agnolotti. That agnolotti was literally the best pasta dish I've had to date in spite of it being a tad over salted. I dream of it often and must get back to try the others. We were pressed for time so didn't get to try dessert. Via Vite doesn't get much love in the various Cincy foodie groups but I was pleasantly surprised by how tasty everything was and how beautifully it was presented. I'll sure to come again to try the other pasta dishes. read more

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Took a family member here for her birthday. The view was great. The food not so much. We ordered a bottle of wine and they were out of it, the next bottle we could get was $20 more than the one we wanted. We ordered the ravioli... WARNING, it only comes with one ravioli for $25. There are other amazing Italian places in Cincy/NKY that you can enjoy. read more

I'm so sad to say but was completely disappointed on my 1st time there!! My service(Pricilla) was good however the quality of the food was terrible. My husband got the short ribs and the noodles were mush, size was very small and although the meat was tender there was not much of it AT ALL. I got the chicken Milanese which was" ok". Best part was the wine---- we will not be back read more

Great dinner at Via Vite! We were both impressed by the variety on the menu, there were lots of items we'd like to try. They also offer a 4 course chef tasting menu with and without half glass wine pairings ($65/$85). Two of us split arancini, burrata bruschetta, sides of broccolini and mushrooms, and each had an entree, one lobster tortolloni and one pasta alla vodka. All was very tasty, service was timely, and price was right! We had a view of fountain square and our corner booth was comfortable for 2. It was a little tight in the restaurant but very modern and tasteful! It wasn't too loud despite the restaurant being full. Great place to come for a nice meal. Pro tip - you enter the restaurant on the fountain square plaza, far end from the street. read more

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We went to Via Vite before a play at the Aronoff tonight. We were lucky enough to sit at the Chef's table, and it was such an enjoyable evening!! We almost didn't want to leave and go to the show, because it was so great. Watching all of the talented people preparing the food was so much fun, especially the gentleman making the pasta. Our waiter, Devin was fantastic!! He was personable, he actually listened to us, he was knowledgeable and so friendly. The food was fantastic. The Bolognese was the best I ever had. We loved everything we ordered. Can't wait to go back. read more

Via Vite has been on my bucket list for years-- specifically for the truffle gnocchi. So when my husband and I celebrated our 5th wedding anniversary here, naturally that is what I ordered. It was decadent. I savored every bite. The dish was the perfect size and each bite was packed with rich flavor. My husband got the lamb shank-- it was tender, juicy, and so delcious. we ordered creme brulee for dessert and it was top notch. Icing on the cake was that it was served with a chocolate spoon. The service was great. Everyone was friendly and attentive. The environment is classy and fancy, yet welcoming. Highly recommend! read more

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Had an absolutely amazing business dinner here this week. We had a group of 8, and we were treated fabulously. We had a reservation for a table in the smaller room upstairs, and it was perfect. We will had a great view, with a quieter atmosphere. The service was impeccable, I really wish I remembered her name, but I would imagine all of the service is as amazing as what we received. We tried numerous appetizers, including the arancini, which was to die for. For dinner if you choose the pasta option they'll let you pick two and do a smaller portion, which was perfect because I just couldn't decide. The Bolognese was perfection, as was the carbonara. We tried many desserts, and passed them around the table, and then also tried the handcrafted eggnog and peppermint mocha martinis. Thank you for an amazing evening! read more

I went here for a business meeting. We sat upstairs and was excited when passing a glass enclosure where you can watch them make the fresh pasta. We ate family style and had the eggplant, the gnocchi, the bolognase, Brussels sprouts and the carbonara. Everything was cooked well and the wine was delicious. Nom nom! read more

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It was pretty mid in every way Good thing was the free bread. Was awesome and the food quality itself seemed pretty good. Not great or anything and prices are high read more

Food is just ok service is always slow here not sure why and the prices don't match quantity or quality hard to find decent parking or paying another $20 just to park . For this we won't return . read more

Another delicious dinner at Via Vite. This visit I brought a few friends along who are gluten intolerant. They were highly impressed with the range of gluten free options available. Both ordered gluten free pasta and were blown away by how similar it tasted to regular pasta. As we waited for dessert, they smiled and said "Gluten free pasta is either uncooked or mush - theirs was the perfect al dente. And the sauce was delicious - we've really missed Italian food. " The dessert risotto was very creamy, not dense as you'd expect with a savory risotto. The fruit and brûlée top pair nicely with the creamy sauce; however, may skew on the sweeter side depending on your tastes. The grapefruit sorbet is an easy choice for a light, refreshing finish if you'd like something sweeter yet balanced. read more

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Solid Italian spot with a nice-but-still-casual vibe. Good service. The food was just ok - the salad that came with my chicken was ridiculously salty. The meatball (which had a hint of lemon in a nice twist) and lumache came out in similar sauces, just FYI. I liked the arancini. read more

I don't get to do much Italian in Austin, so I was excited to escape to Via Vite in downtown Cincinnati, during an early June downpour. Despite my disheveled appearance, the staff welcomed me into their elegant dining room. I loved the contrast of the butter-soft beige dining chairs and the deep red accent wall. The brass task lamps on white linen tablecloths muted the rainstorm on display outside the vast wall of windows. Caught with no umbrella, I felt obligated to settle in for a three-course meal. I started with the sourdough baguette paired with olive oil and Irish butter. The baguette came warm and crusty with a soft, steamy interior. Just the way I like it. So we ordered another. Delicious. We also ordered the burrata Panzanella, but the bread was still the star. I love halibut and was interested in the "in Cartoccio" as my meal. Still, I wondered if eggplant and salty Ligurian olives would overshadow the delicate flavor of the dish. However, the roasted eggplant, olives, and tomatoes were a counterpoint to the tender parchment-baked halibut steak, and the fried basil leaves on top added panache. The halibut in cartoccio is a stand-out dish for Via Vite, and I recommend it for a celebratory meal. For dessert, I sampled the lemon tart. It was small enough for one but perfect for two to share. The lemon curd tart was dotted with toasted meringue and served with amarena cherries and their sauce--a cheerful end to a beautiful meal. read more

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Love coming here for their Bolo Tuesday special, especially when I can catch happy hour at the same time! Food is always delicious and they have a huge wine list in addition to their delicious cocktails. Happy hour is Monday through Friday from 4-6 at the bar and outside, and their outdoor terrace that overlooks fountain square is so lovely! Their outdoor piazza bar is nice too, and you don't need a reservation to sit there. read more

Via Vite - Bolognese Tuesday Special and Chianti Classico, Montebernardi "Retromarcia" 2020 - Italian Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

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This was my second time dining in Via Vite. Since I had a poor experience with the seafood risotto last time, the managers were very kind and sent me a gift card. It was only right to come back again and try more dishes. This time my boyfriend and I ordered drinks, charred octopus, grilled artichokes, bucatini pomodoro, carbonara agnolotti, and concluded with a dark chocolate creme brulee and a scoop of banana gelato. Every single dish was beyond amazing but the octopus was our favorite - it was so tender and perfectly seasoned! Artichokes were excellent and the prosciutto on top was a perfect complement to them. The pasta was delicious, very tender and perfect al dente. Carbonara was very rich and flavorful with the thick cuts of pancetta. Bucatini pomodoro was a simpler dish, but very tasty nonetheless. The creme brulee was out of this world, as it was last time, except the caramelized sugar on top was very thin. My reason for giving it 4 stars is due to slow service, even towards the end of our dining when it wasn't as busy. We waited for over 10min for my drink, then over 15min for my boyfriend's drink that was actually sitting on the bar for a while. We got it only after the appetizers arrived and after we asked about it. The food didn't take long to arrive but everything in between dragged out - ordering, getting our check, getting our card back, etc. read more

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To the point, Never will recommend. Positivity of the night was made by Dominick our server. And if you choose to dine ask for Dominick! Courteous, attentive, and a delightful person. The only person that prevented this from being a one star. The food, execution compared to the price is way off. Like way off! Chicken Milanese, extremely over-salted dish. Lasagne "a special", pile of mush pasta that had the consistency of mash potatoes with a meat sauce. A side, potato souffle, just sitting in a bed of oil, was really confused on that. Salads, however, well done (salad was the best dish we had there). Roasted Beet Kale and the Caesar I would've just ordered two of each to go. Atmosphere, very tight booths in the middle. Our request to move to a table was denied. Should've been the cue. If you choose to dine just ask for a table. Management was odd, the only time we saw the floor manager or greeted was when we were honest with disappointment of the food. No manager ever stopped by to welcome the table or see how anything tasted prior to frustration finally boiling. Save money or just go elsewhere. read more

We've been intending to try this restaurant and last night we finally made it. Our server, Beth, was attentive and helpful. She truly was lovely. We started with a Beefeater martini for my husband and an Italian mule for me. The addition of limoncello to my drink gave it wonderful depth of flavor. Next we shared a delicious beef tartare. Forgot to take a photo, but it was attractively presented on a bed of arugula and was a generous portion. One problem was the two crackers provided were very fragile, insufficient for the amount of tartare and crumbled in our hands. They looked pretty but were totally inadequate. Thin slices of a toasted baguette would have been far better. My husband had another appetizer as his entree--a basket of fritto misto--shrimp and calamari. The breading was crispy and nicely flavored. I had an excellent eggplant parmigiana. Thin slices of tender eggplant that almost melted in my mouth. Delicious. Husband had a scrumptious brioche bread pudding for dessert while I had a scoop of ruby red grapefruit sorbet that was the perfect end for my dinner. The atmosphere was attractive, table settings were lovely with crisp linens. Overlooking the musicians and couples dancing on Fountain Square on a beautiful summer evening was pleasant. We will be back! The menu had many dishes we want to try. read more

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Delightful spot to grab a happy hour drink. We didn't have a reservation, so we kept our visit short, but it was so nice to sit outside on the covered patio. My husband and enjoyed our drinks: Aperol Spritz and Primavera Old Fashioned. A friend of mine had a non-alcoholic mojito (light on the sugar) and it was fabulous and refreshing. It was so good I learned how to make them to enjoy myself at home! We snacked on Bruschetta and it was very good as well as the Arancini 'Cacio e Pepe'. It was served with an unusual sauce, but still, quite good. The only reason I gave 4 stars instead of 5 is because my friend had the Silky Potato Leek Soup and said it was awful. It was really lacking in flavor. Perhaps it was an unlucky batch as every time I've been here, the food, drink, and service have been excellent. I almost forgot to mention the service. Our server was so friendly and patient with us as we didn't arrive together. He was attentive and efficient. I hope to come back for happy hour again. read more

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Great service and atmosphere on fountain square. The redesign has a new 'pasta prep' station right in view and it was interesting to watch. Awesome server kept us in the loop on all good wine and chef specials and favorites and he didn't disappoint. Totally out of his control, but lost a star here over one of our group of 10 having to wait almost 10 more minutes for his meal, while 9 others came together. Then the steak was not done to order, but my friend powered through it. (See pic, looked done, I get it!) Lamb was awesome as were the apps including Brioche and seafood. Fun place, cool setting and thankfully for Cincy, crowded! read more

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I was never so disappointed. We ordered entrees and shareable. We maybe took two bites and left the rest. our waitress did not even question full plates going back. I have never been toa restaurant where I could not eat my food. I did not complain because my son asked me not too. But it was awful and our waitress did not even care. read more

We had an wonderful dinner there last night to celebrate our daughters Birthday! Our waitress Kelly was professional and extremely helpful with our orders. The presentation of the food was beautiful. We tired try home made pastas as well as the salmon - well done ! Great atmosphere as well! read more

A friend and I dropped in for a celebratory dinner. We were immediately taken care of, and given waters. Our server was very attentive throughout. Among us, we got the: 1. Burrata appetizer Very good. The fried croutons were damn oily, but everything else was top notch. 2. Vodka sauce pasta This was actually average. Not too bad, not fantastically delicious. 3. Lamb shank My friend loved it! He said it was juicy and the flavors were good. 4. Salmon This was good too. The butternut squash puree was a delight. I wish they gave a lil more quantity. For dessert, we had the Dark chocolate creme brulee. This was amazing! It came with a chocolate spoon, which was delicious. Our server gave us a housemade orangecello, and it just ended our evening on a high. Will recommend for the entrees and the dessert! read more

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I started with the grilled artichoke appetizer. Somehow the artichoke itself had no flavor. It needed seasoning. The sauce it was in was good but I think it needed an additional herb but I can't quite put a finger on. My pasta was fantastic. We did order a sourdough bread, and I hate that they charge you eight dollars for bread. It's a pasta restaurant--increase the prices and give me a slice of bread with my meal. the service was very good. It's very clean. I enjoyed watching the people out the window. I would say it's definitely worth a visit. read more

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We stopped here for dinner as we were staying in a hotel close by. For the amount of money we paid and the level of satisfaction, I'm not sure we would return. Here's the run down. We started with an expensive wine that was just wonderful. A basket of delicious bread came next, served with olive oil. Loved that! Next came the bruschetta - maybe the best bruschetta I've ever had! And we also had Brussel sprouts - they were over-cooked and the sauce lacking in any complementary flavors. We didn't eat much of this. (To their credit, was taken off our bill and not by our request.) The main courses were 1. Lumache alla vodka. Loose sausage and cream with Burrata- it was very good. 2. Seafood risotto- mussels and clams were out of the shell. (I've been to Italy, this would be very unusual.) The sauce was strong and too salty - it was difficult to ascertain the seafood flavors. Not a fan of this. For dessert we had Hennessy cognac which was nice. Service was fast except at the end waiting for our bill. When the bill finally came it was clear that it wasn't our bill. So we waited to return it and get the correct bill and pay it. read more

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We stopped in Cinci for a 3-night mini vacation on way from Cleveland to home in NC. So many great sounding restaurants to choose from, but am definitely pleased to have tried Via Vite. Eloquent interior with tables not crowded together was nice. Our table by window overlooking the fountain was great. Grace was our very delightful and knowledgeable server, and enhanced the experience. She led us through lots of options that turned out well. From the focaccia to the artichoke to our mains, pasta vongole and maccheroni duck sugo (small portion) to the ricotta doughnuts, everything was spot on. Absolutely nothing to suggest otherwise. For the experience, the cost was in line. We would definitely come again if back in town. read more