UPDATED REVIEW 5 STARS NOW We returned to Casa Rustica last evening for dinner. After a disastrous experience on our last visit I can say with conviction that our dinner last night, from the greeting at the door to our very capable, knowledgeable and very personable server Allie, was back to the high standards that Casa Rustica is known for. The restaurant was quite busy even on a Thursday evening but we never felt rushed or overlooked. Allie (along with her trainee Ayana in tow) timed and delivered our cocktails and meal at just the right tempo allowing us time to enjoy each course. The food was hot, plentiful and most delicious. I have been in the hospitality industry for more years than I'd care to share (server, manager and front of house server trainer) so I appreciated that the staff worked the dining room as a unit. No one walked past a table without filling water glasses or removing empty dishes from any table whether it was their "station" or not. Kudos to staff and management in this area. It makes for a most enjoyable experience for all their guests. Yes every business and employee can have an "off night" but the owner/manager at Casa Rustica made sure to assure us that our visit from that week ago one would be at their customary standards and it most certainly was. Thank you to Christy (manager) Allie and Ayana (you are being trained by a true gem) for making our evening so enjoyable. We will be back....often. read more

Casa Rustica - a man sitting at a table with a plate of food - Italian Near Me - Boone, North Carolina

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Great pasta place !! We were 6 people and all of us eat delicious. The bread service was wonderful too. 100% recommendable read more

Casa Rustica - Italian Near Me - Boone, North Carolina

So I'm going to get straight to the point. I ordered the seafood Alfredo with high hopes of it living up to its description. In all honesty it tasted as if they didn't even attempt to season anything. At all. Like nothing. The Scallops were so bland I didn't even attempt to try the shrimp. The "Parmesan sauce" they described tasted like absolutely nothing. It felt as if I was consuming strictly flavorless calories. Idk how else to describe it. The fact they charge $20 for that is laughable. The waiter however was very friendly and swift when I asked her to remove this pitiful attempt at food from my sights. As you can imagine it wasn't difficult to remove because it was a flavorless plate of nothing. I can only hope they can't mess up eggplant parmesan. read more

Casa Rustica - Inside the restaurant - Italian Near Me - Boone, North Carolina

My two teens and I had dinner here on a Saturday night. Service was slow. The arancini appetizer is very good. I had the filet mignon with spinach risotto. The filet was a perfect medium, but the risotto was salty. My kids liked their pasta dishes. We ordered dessert. My creme Brule came out first. It took another 10 minutes for my kids' desserts to be served. Overall, the food was good. The slow service and having desserts come out separately knocked off two stars. read more

Had an awesome experience at Casa Rustica last night with the wife! It's tough to get out these days with a newborn at home, but we decided to take advantage of having grandparents in town and a night without other plans. Reservations are a must to help with capacity caps and COVID restrictions, but that was fine with us and were able to nab a last minute reservation the night before. Overall I thought they did a good job with capacity and social distancing while also adding some barriers as necessary to help with the distancing. For dinner we straight up pigged out - and it was all delicious! Favorites of the night were the bruschetta and the delmonico ribeye I ordered. The ribeye was cooked perfectly and I added a blue cheese sauce to the top that was also excellent! Be sure to come hungry as the portions are huge and my wife had enough leftovers for another meal. Overall recommend and found pricing to be reasonable against the very large portions. Glad we picked them for our rare and special night out! read more

This restaurant is touted as the "best Italian in Boone". If that's true, that is unfortunate. The food is good but nothing more. It's not great, and it's certainly not "exceptional" which is what it said on Open Table which prompted me to make a reservation. The A/C worked very poorly, staff and customers were all uncomfortably sweating. Our waitress was nice and did a good job, however, the service was extremely slooooooow. We liked our food but have had so much better. read more

I've never been to an Italian restaurant that doesn't serve noodles with their entrees. The service was very slow and left my son verbally asking for his salad many times! When we finally got our food we were disappointed in the portion size and we were left "hangry". That being said the hostess was so kind and greeted us with the best smile! So unfortunate she has to work at an establishment like this... read more

My husband and I tried this place for dinner while staying in Blowing Rock. It was wonderful. We had the fried combo platter! It was delicious! Next I had the seafood alla vodka. The sauce was great but the scallops were the best I have ever had! They were cooked to perfection. Then we topped it off with "Sin on a plate". Heavenly!!! read more

Casa Rustica - Sin on a plate from the dessert menu! - Italian Near Me - Boone, North Carolina

Slow dinner Scallops have been sitting forever There's a skin on them where the butter sat too long Great salad dressing and spinach salad Husband enjoyed his seafood pasta Still waiting on a second glass of wine NOT HAPPY Waitress is lovely Feel bad for her read more

Casa Rustica - Italian Near Me - Boone, North Carolina

One and done!!Absolutely awful!!! Parking was a nightmare. Reservations were pointless. Too many tables crammed into a tiny dining room. The atmosphere was chaotic and loud. The restaurant felt like a Chili's crossed with Cracker Barrel. The staff was wearing jeans and T-shirt's so I avoided the $40 + dollar special. The place was a joke. Food was terrible. All entrees came out less than lukewarm. Many regrets going there. If you're looking for a special evening. Check out Gamekeeper Restaurant. Great atmosphere, great food!! read more

We made reservations based on the great reviews of the restaurant. Our experience wasn't that great. 1st our service wasn't good. All other tables had water and bread brought out to the table. We didn't get water and had to ask for the bread. Drinks took about 15 minutes for non alcoholic beverages. We had been there for an hour before one entree finally came to the table but had to wait another 10 minutes before my husband's soup came out. So much for eating together. I ordered the spinach lasagna and it wasn't great. The dish was cooked without being salted. I ate a few bites mehhh. I hate to say it but I have had better food and service at Olive Garden. read more

Sometimes I wish Yelp had 2 sets of stars. One for service, and one for food. Sadly, the service we had here paled in comparison to the amazing, delicious, and tasty food. Our server was uninterested in our table (I thought it was because of our kids, but the restaurant had plenty). As for the food... clearly homemade. Their signature sauce is pompodoro, and its truly perfectly balanced. I had the chicken parmigiana and it was cooked perfectly and full of flavor. My wife had the chicken piccata and it was delicious too! Sadly she asked for pasta with garlic and oil and it was SWIMMING in oil. This was the only disappointment. My final comment is that this place was definitely pricey. For a family of 4, two adult dinners and two "kids meals", our bill was $80! read more

We have frequented Rustica over many years as my three sons were/are students at the university. Many, many weeks ago I made a reservation for 8 to celebrate parents' weekend at ASU. My reservation was confirmed. Approximately a week before we were due in Boone, the restaurant calls and tells us they cannot honor the reservation; they are now expecting two large parties on that night. So, let's see. The large parties represent more revenue for you, so I get kicked out? Really considerate of you. When I called to address, I asked that the owners call me to at least apologize to a past loyal customer. No call. What a way to treat a customer. Don't risk it folks. There are plenty of other offerings inn Boone. read more

Delicious! Our server was very good. The basket of warm breads served with olive oil, balsamic and spices was a nice start. We had the Bruschetta appetizer which was toasted which is a nice change from traditional. Salads were refreshing and featured several various greens. The Blue Cheese dressing was great. The special this night was a full chicken breast topped with pesto, prosciutto, and mozzarella topped with a white wine reduction on a bed of angel hair pasta. It was so moist and flavorful. Very quaint atmosphere. My only complaint and no fault of the restaurant was a table of diners who were talking so loud my husband and I could not even have a conversation. I almost asked to be moved. Evidently an employee from ASU had brought a colleague from University of Alabama who was in town to make a presentation around the VA program. They were so incredibly obnoxious and loud, not to mention their entire conversation was inappropriate to be discussing in public. I'm sure ASU would not be pleased with the content of what they were discussing. I could tell our server was trying to move them along since they had finished and paid. However they lingered. I honestly think I may call ASU and speak with someone in regards to this matter. Not good representation for their school read more

If you enjoy eating a hot meal without air conditioning then this is the place for you. No A/C. Staff and patrons were sweating. It was a miserable experience for mediocre food. Waiter was the best thing about tonigh read more

This was my fiancé and I's first time eating at this little Italian joint. We made a reservation, and the customer service (from start to finish) was AMAZING! The server Gianna (G) was absolutely wonderful! Unfortunately, the food was nothing to write home about. My partner ordered one of the rotation of specials (scallops, crab & shrimp dish) and I ordering something from the regular menu. The food overall was bland and though I never finished my meal, my partner finished his and his stomach hurt for a while afterwards. The presentation was also a little odd...I don't know if it was the adjustments needed for the pandemic but I doubt we will go back. read more

Our server Aubrey was a delight, with excellent recommendations. The restaurant was quite busy and we didn't have reservations so we were seated in the back barroom by the door, actually quite pleasant. Quiet and private. We started with a side order of meatballs, nice and herby, delicious sauce. It's hard not to overindulge on the basket of bread with herbed olive oil and balsamic. The chicken rosemary soup was flavorful and I liked that they choose to use penne pasta. And the highlight was the Dijon Chicken, sun dried tomatoes and mushrooms served on pasta pillows. Yes! read more

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Our group of friends have had our annual Christmas dinner here for many years. They are always accommodating, friendly and make us feel special. The cuisine is always outstanding from salads, appetizers, fresh pastas, steaks and of course delicious desserts! Their cocktails and selections of wines are top notch. Coffee is good and strong. You really cannot go wrong with Casa Rustica. They've been doing Italian right since the early 1980's. A very cozy and romantic atmosphere if you're interested. Perfect for parties as well. read more

Casa Rustica - Italian Near Me - Boone, North Carolina

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#boone #nc #Italian This place is so lovely and nice. All the staff were outstandingly so nice and welcoming ! Food was not good as we expected it. We had carbonara and panne tomato past and desserts(dessert was good!) read more

Have visited Casa Rustica on mountain trips for over 20 years, and have never been disappointed. Intentionally ate early in our week, as the portions are so large we had leftovers for another day. Tried the Asiago pimento cheese this time and was totally yummy. Our party had Dijon chicken, fettuccine Alfredo and chicken parm and all were great. Our server was young, but did a great job, very attentive. read more

Hey-Yo! I was so well fed! I felt nurtured and cared for! (minus the lactation) My Italian grandmother unlike all others, is not a beast in the kitchen. So this meal healed years of trauma there. Our server Hirudegarn was great and even let me use him as an accordion. Our lovely night ended when i built my bear in the bathroom. Whoop dey it is! read more

We had a catered event (28 people) at Casa Rustica for my parents 50th wedding Anniversary. They created an amazing menu for us & the service was spectacular! Our guests raved about the Spinach Lasagna. They also have an extensive wine list and full bar. Thanks so much for a wonderful night. read more

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Well, I wanted to be very pleased about our reservation here, but I was left completely under impressed. We had a reservation for 6:30 and were not seated until 7. And once settled into our table, our server was very slow to address us. To top it off, our server had zero personality and wasn't very attentive throughout our dinner. The combo appetizer we ordered was super bland. When our salads finally arrived, we asked for SNP and we literally waited for 10 mins and finally gave up and just ate the under seasoned salads. At this point we just wanted our entrees to arrive and to finish up the meal. To our surprise the entrees were simply amazing and portions were huge!! Had the service been better and had our server acted like she cared, a higher star rating would have been warranted! read more

Best Italian in town, since 1981 ! Whether you're a fan of traditional dishes such as lasagna and ravioli, perfectly prepared steaks (try the Delmonico !), or homemade desserts like cannoli's, Casa Rustica has it ! On this visit, I tried the Saltimbocca Chicken, which is prosciutto layered chicken breast sautéed in a crisp white white sauce, and was totally satisfied ! Our waitress, Aubrey, was attentive and so friendly, with an infectious smile. We will be sure to ask to be seated in her section on our visit. You will not be disappointed at Casa Rustica ! read more

It's a shame the ambiance ruined this place because the food was worthy of 4 stars. Don't sit in the back room if it's summer because the AC doesn't reach back there and it was a solid 10 degrees hotter than the rest of the restaurant! The ceiling fans were on full blast but it didn't help and kept blowing my hair around. The mozzarella sticks were undercooked. The dishes are large enough to split but they charge $4.95. The up charge includes an extra side salad that is the same quality of McDonalds attempt at a side salad. Our server was great, though! This kept my review from being 1 or 2 stars! read more

Were in town for a show at the Shaefer Center at App State. I think because of the show the places we wanted to eat at were all booked up, so went to Casa Rustica as a Plan C. I would characterize it as home style Italian cuisine in a rustic cabin like setting. It was "A-OK." We began with a bottle of Riondo Prosecco, marked up 3x as expected. We shared the antipasto plate, which was huge - could not finish it. My wife had the manicotti and I had the chicken saltimboca, both of which were fine. We finished with the tiramisu, which was nice. Given the age of the waitstaff, I imagine there is an annual turnover there with "kids" coming on for the summer. So, the service was good and attentive, but not very polished, which sort of befits vacationing in Boone. read more

This is our 5th year coming to Boone, NC for a 4 night October getaway, but the first time we chose to eat at Casa Rustica. Great food, good service and at a reasonable price! We will definitely come back!!!! Steve & Betty read more

The atmosphere was nice and the staff were very friendly and accommodating. The pasta was excellent! I didn't try it myself, but my friends absolutely loved the pimiento cheese dip. read more

Got in, seemed up to par, clean, Covid compliant, the environment is leaning towards upscale, seems like it's family run. Was looking forward to the wine selection and food. I had a waiter who was not paying much attention to us. He took the order in it's entirety on his little pad making sure to get it right. I noticed he was being told to help other female servers with their orders and carry their foods while his tables were starting to fall behind. I went to ask where our dinner was because we got the wine and the apps which were very good but 2 tables turned over right next to us and we still haven't gotten our dinner and my bottle of wine almost gone. I went to ask where the rest of our food was? They came out and said it would be right out. I knew they had the tickets cuz our apps were done and I was looking forward to the meal. More time passed and another table got dinner. I was upset now. I asked the host, she got a manager who poured me another glass of my wine bottle and said our dinners would be right out. I noticed he was the only person of color and I felt like he was being set up to fail. If he's new why is he helping others and not the other way around. Those girls were flipping their tables and our ticket got put back in the kitchen, it was obvious. I talked to manager again. The owner came out and gave us our meal for free but since it was in a rush it was not good. I had the quickest meal Shrimp Scampi and added seared scallops. They were overcooked. I ended up not eating. I was disappointed. I am glad the manager came out and kindly did not make us pay for being forgotten. He did say the team was taking a hit for the new guy and he was sorry for his being new. I really don't think it was that at all. I think the kitchen should work on all the tickets when they come in and not make this kind kid help others if hes learning. I was upset because it was late and I had no where else to go eat after being at my table for 2 hrs and 45 min. Kudos for management doing the right thing for us but i felt the kid was getting the blame when he shouldn't have. Gave him a tip anyway. read more

7/27/21 My wife and I were staying at Chetola in Blowing Rock and wanted to take our Great Nephew who is a student at Appalachin to dinner in Boone. Not being familiar with Boone we researched various restaurants and decided on Casa Rustica. It turned out to be an excellent choice. The waiter was both personal and attentive from the start. Our Nephew ordered the Eggplant Parmesam; I had the Shrimp Scampi and my wife had a salmon special and substituted angel hair pasta for the side. All portions were generous.(more than we could eat) The salmon was cooked to perfection; our nephew ate all of his and took half of our dinners as a carryout. Would recommend this restaurant to anyone. read more

Food and service are the best! My meal was a 10! Server, Drake, also a 10! If you're in the Boone area, this establishment is an absolute must! read more

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Ordered caprices salad, was not the best. The main course was excellent. My nephew enjoyed his meal, said there were way too many onions in it. read more

Casa Rustica - Menu cover - Italian Near Me - Boone, North Carolina

When we first walked in, the host (also the assistant manager) made eye contact with us, then left the station to do something in the back. We waited patiently at the host station for 5 minutes before being seated (there was next to nobody staff-wise or customer-wise there). She may have had a bad night but that is no reason to scoff at your customers and make them wait . I ordered chicken Parmesan only to have received something that tasted more fake than a microwave dinner. Chicken had a good looking breading on the outside, but was tasteless and dry on the inside. Pretty sure it was freezer burned. The Spaghetti served with the chicken Parmesan (it was in a tiny bowl) was barely warm, like it had been sitting on the counter for 10 minutes. If it was plated with the chicken instead of in a tiny overflowing bowl then this wouldn't have happened. The sauce had zero flavor to it, and there was little to no cheese on top. Presentation of the food was a 10/10, taste was a 2/10. Our server was extremely helpful and nice, helping us pick out a choice of wine. Don't buy the 2.5x overpriced bottles here, it was good wine but not worth paying over double the sticker price for. And I guess don't expect a "hi welcome to casa Rustica" if you come during the evening while the assistant manager is there working as a host. My only assumption is that a host was not available for the night and the assistant manager had to pick up the shift, hence the attitude and visible frustration that she displayed. read more

This was the worst restaurant experience I ever had. I had a reservation for 6:00, and now at 8:00 we still have not received our dinner. The point of a reservation is idiotic here. I also feel that our server was being treated differently due to his ethnicity as well. read more

Best Italian in high country,bar none. Service excellent, as always, host desk very helpful. We both had chicken Marsala delicious, and since there was enough to take home, they fixed up a good size of sauce to go and was a couple of dollars, given the work and cost of ingredients, total 5 star all the way read more

My family and I went to this restaurant with a large group of people last night and almost everyone was disappointed. 1 of the couple waitresses we had was very rude. She had an attitude and when someone asked her a question it was like we were bothering her. The food was only so so but most importantly was the size of the portions. They were on the smaller side especially considering the prices that they are asking. The restaurant is definitely not up to par and we will not return next time we are in the area. It's not a delicious Italian restaurant liked we thought it would be.... read more

Such a pleasant surprise. We came here one night and sat in front of the fireplace. It was cozy and the food was great, making for a delightful meal. The service was on point & very personable. We started with the stuffed mushrooms, very tasty serving of 6. Then we split the large Ceasar salad, a nice portion for 2. My Boo got the Seafood & Pasta Purses, with shrimp, scallops, onions and spinach in a red pepper sauce. He ate it all! I got the layered eggplant which was really tasty. I saved half for the next day so we could leave room for the Tiramisu - some of the best I've ever had and I've had lots! This is a family restaurant and it shows. You can taste the love in the food. Everyone was very nice and attentive. read more

A MUST TRY!!!!!!!! This authentic Italian treasure, is my new favorite restaurant in Boone. The dining area is somewhat crowded but the food makes up for it. We had the fresh pasta purses topped with Alfredo....the purses literally melt in your mouth. Hands down my new favorite pasta dish and Italian restaurant!!! read more

Casa Rustica - Italian Near Me - Boone, North Carolina

Terrible Rubber no flavor calamari Fresh pasta???? Are u kidding??? What's fresh about it?? There is no way that pasta is made by hand in house everyday I don't believe they know the definition of fresh And the pasta was completely overcooked The Parmesan is generic supermarket Parmesan The salad that comes with the meal was ridiculous at best it's airline food I have no idea why this restaurant has 4 stars it's a complete mystery!!! At least it's not overpriced Service was fine nothing great and nothing terrible in that aspect Highly disappointed read more

My wife and I had dinner here on our wedding night 10 years ago - and just celebrated 10 years and went back. Great food, great service. Get the bruschetta appetizer! read more