This place is great. Friendly service, good wine list, great food. Went last night for appetizers and salads. We sat in the bar and the bartender is friendly and helpful. The decor has been updated since last time we were there and it has a fresh, cool vibe. We had the burrata with heirloom tomatoes, stuffed mushrooms, beet salad, and ahi avocado appetizer. Everything was wonderful. We will be working this one into our rotation. read more

I've eaten at Cucina many times. It's an upscale Italian place in downtown San Anselmo. The owner, Jack, really has the formula down. And that's actually why I can't give this restaurant a higher rating. The food is always good and fresh, but a little too predictable. I'm not sure their "soup of the day" has changed in the past two years...and it wasn't really that great to start with. The place does good business, and that's because the food is reliable. I'd love for Cucina to focus more on organic, seasonal ingredients, but what else is new?! The crusty bruschetta that comes to the table after ordering is a real treat. The wine list is great, the servers friendly, and the food yummy, and Jack, with his New York Italian style makes everyone feel welcome. A little more pizzazz and innovation in the menu would go a long way...but as I said, he seems to have a formula that works, so good for him!! read more

We walked in the place was full except for one table. We waited inside near the door, as there is no waiting area, and continued to wait and wait and wait as waitstaff walked right by us and made eye contact and they continued to walk by. WOW, couldn't believe how rude they were. Needless to say, we walked right out that door and went somewhere else. read more

We were a large group of 12 people and both the food and service at Cucina were good. Among our starters were an excellent tuna tartare and some Brussels sprout chips that were unusual and tasted great, even to people who insist they hate Brussels sprouts. Be sure to try them! My salmon special was very good as well as creative. I usually like salmon left alone; however, this was prepared wth arugula, diced tomatoes, possibly some Parmesan cheese and olive oil; different but delicious. The food here is imaginative and well prepared. read more

Ok food, very crowded so you are on top of other guests, slow service. We had the chicken tortellini which was interesting. The sauce was nice. Then we had the shrimps. Very small portion of shrimps. You don't get bread, when you sit down, but crostini with cut tomatoes. I did not feel like eating it. The prices are ok. read more

I don't get out of the City very often because there are very few reasons why I should (right, Fremont?). One of the reasons is to discover quaint little cities like San Anselmo, which has two main streets lined with businesses. Although the streets are pretty much dead at night, there is a decently vibrant restaurant scene here. The leader of the pack here is, of course, Cucina. Food: 4 stars. The complimentary bruschetta, so flavorful and fresh, was a nice way to start the evening. UnfortunatelyFor appetizers, we tried the carciofi ripieni (globe artichoke stuffed with prosciuto and parmesan), which was disappointingly bland. The carpaccio di Zucchini (thinly sliced zucchini with almonds and pecorini) was much better. I don't like zucchini that much, but the preparation was creative and paired perfectly with the almonds. The funghi ripieni (Crimini mushrooms stuffed with sausage and fontina cheese) were good if not memorable. As for the entrees, the highlight of the evening was the gnocchi con pollo (homemade potato dumplings with roasted chicken, fontina cheese, and a touch of tomato), which was lovingly infused with truffle oil. Orgasmic. The tortellini al forno (meat filled tortellini in a prosciutto, mushroom and cream sauce topped with mozzarella and parmesan cheese), was good, but paled in comparison to the gnocchi. I also liked the salmone agrigento (salamon baked in the oven with toasted breadcrumbs) and the orecchiette d'Elefante (chicken cutlets breaded and lightly fried, served over mixed greens with marinated mushrooms and gorgonzola). For desserts, we tried the zabaglione classico (warm), zabaglione freddo (cold), and chocolate torte. The cold zabaglione outshone the warm zabaglione, which basically tasted like alcohol (Michael Bauer must have been drunk when he raved about this dessert in his review). The chocolate torte was decent. I was not too impressed with some of the wine that we ordered, however. Service: 3 stars. Initially our server and the host/owner seemed annoyed with us because half of our party was late for our reservation (understandably so, given the small size of the restaurant). But the server turned it around and practically became our best friend at the end of the night - she gave us spot on recommendations (and was delighted that we enjoyed them). I dropped the rating down a notch because there is no formal host stand due to the layout of the restaurant. I basically walked in and found the table myself in the back room without any offer for assistance. Atmosphere: 3 stars. Although the decor is pleasant, I'm not a fan of the layout of the restaurant, where the waiting area is basically the small space between the main dining area and the wine bar/smaller dining area in back. You have to squeeze by people in order to get to the restroom, where the floors are a bit greasy (wear shoes with traction or you'll start doing the splits while going #1 like me). Don't expect too much diversity from the crowd either, which are primarily families. Additionally, we were the drop of yellow in a sea of white. Hits: Complimentary bruschetta, carpaccio di zucchini, gnocchi con pollo, zabaglione freddo. Misses: Carciofi ripieni, zabaglione classico, the waiting area. If You Like This Place, You'd Probably Like: Jackson Fillmore, Antica Trattoria, Bistro Don Giovanni, Ristorante Bacco. read more

Three things about this restaurant amaze me. One, that it ever made the Chronicle's top 100 (the last time in 2008 which is a while ago). Two, the number of positive reviews on Yelp. Three, that so many think that bruschetta consisting of tomatoes (admittedly ripe and tasty) overdressed with olive oil is truly good. Our experience was rather like the Yelp map, we were on the wrong side of the street. We had the bruschetta, of course, which was good but not so good as others seem to think. We had the artichoke appetiser which was so buried in bread crumbs that it it was hard to tell what it tasted like. I had the chicken saltimbocca which was essentially flavourless with chicken which was over cooked, dry and tough. My wife had a gnocchi dish with some kind of tomato sauce which she only ate about 2/3rds of. If you knew my wife you would understand this was a great condemnation of the dish. The wine list seems intended to make you pay extra, and since neither of us are "connoisseurs" I found this mildly offensive. The service was fine, attentive but not obsequious. Maybe we hit it on an off night but our experience was such that we will never go back. I will note that a lot of patrons seemed to be repeat customers, maybe one needs to know what to order. With a relatively short menu however there is no excuse for any duds. I suspect that many of the positive reviews are based on feeling that the restaurant must be good because so many others think so. Read the three star reviews many read like a two star not a three. I will again point out that the Chronicle rating is from 2008, four years ago, things can change a lot for a restaurant in four years. I admit that the one star may be a bit harsh but someone should help quell the excess enthusiasm for this restaurant. read more

Frankly, I'm not sure what all the fuss is about. The food is good, not great (admittedly we usually go on weekends when they don't make pizza). The brushetta is a nice touch and we're big fans of the chopped vegetable salad, but the rest of the dishes are always very uninspiring (as does the bill - $12-16 for simple store-bought quality pasta). read more

Love the new bar area......fabulous food......friendly staff. Mauritzio's creative cocktails are delicious, the food is very flavorful, fresh, inventive and seasonal. The complimentary bruschetta is a nice addition. Highly recommend - neighborhood gem! read more

Yum! Went here on Valentine's Day--early reservation, thank God because this joint filled up fast!--for the first time and it was a treat! Our service was amazing, especially considering that every table in the house was full. The food ranged from good to very good. Insalata verdura= Very good! Greens with lots of blanched veggies like cauliflower and green beans, tossed in a tasty creamy dressing. Pizza with salami, goat cheese and arugula= Very good! Piles of arugula atop a wood-fired pizza. Oh, my. It was just delicious. Risotto with truffles and mushrooms= Good. I mean, even the worst risotto is right on the mark. But this was too creamy for my taste, sort of how I'd expect Rice a Roni to make risotto. Pollo alla Siciliana= Somewhere between good and very good. Very enjoyable, but didn't measure up to the pizza! Gelato with sour cherries= Good. Would have been even better if it weren't so freaking frozen when it got to our table. When the server gave it to us, icy smoke swirled around the plate; I hesitated to taste the mound of gelato lest my tongue stick to it. A jackhammer would have been a welcome utensil. Nonetheless, it was very tasty once it thawed a bit. Our server recommended a great white wine that went perfectly with most of what I ate. (No clue what it was.) Overall, the meal was a real treat and I can't wait to go back! read more

This place is awesome. Food is amazing and the service is great. Stopped here to eat with my brother before we drove up to Lakeport. Originally he was just going to get a salad (who goes to Italian and only gets a salad?!) but he was brought to the dark side and and an antipasto. My gnocchi was amazing and perfectly cooked with an awesome sauce. They didn't have the wine I wanted - but recommended a different one based on my original choice which was LESS expensive than my original one. It was nice that even though I gave her free reign my server picked something around the same price range and didn't try to take advantage of the situation. I will be coming here again! read more

Can't say I'd ever eat there again. The food was thin and weak (v. light and tasty which would've been a nice Italian feature). One entree, the "pasta tubes with a chicken bolognese sauce," consisted of plain pasta tubes with a minimal coating of what appeared to be canned tomatoe sauce -- no hint of chicken or any other ingredients (such as vegetables) -- more appropriate for finicky 5 year olds than adults. The service was slow and a bit pretentious. read more

I'd actually give Cucina 2.5 stars, something between I've experienced better and A-OK. Not that everything wasn't A OK, it was OK and therein lies my gripe a Chron Top 100 restaurant just A-OK? Shouldn't it be a little mor fab than that? A medium crowd on a Wednesday night meant that we could choose one of 4 deuce tables. WE were met by professional service. The chopped tomatoes bruschetta was indicative that they use real tomatoes with flavor! yay (but shouldn't all restaurants?) We started with a romaine salad ($10.5) with Pt. Reyes blue cheese and again flavorful cherry tomatoes which was a good portion size. A B-, nothing to get excited about but fresh inquality ingredients. Then we had the Margarita pizza ($12.75)- again a B-, nothing to write home about. it wasn't my favorite pizza too spicy a sauce for margarita. We then had the red snapper ($18.50) ok it is billed Fra Diavolo sauce which you know is going to be spicy but it was too spicy to even taste the delicate flavor of the fish, and the fish was slightly underdone. $18.50 for a small piece of fish in too spicy a sauce with nothing else on the plate, if I gave this unsuccesful dish a C I'd be generous. I had a glass of wine, all the reds started at around $9- mine was a Turlo which was recommended, I wouldn't buy a bottle, which probably costs retail around $15- that to me says rip off all over it. i did object to seeing other diners around me have real stemware, I got a cheap glass, instead of the "Reidel" looking glasses that the others' had. I wondered why? I noticed that diners around me that had a bottle had nice stemware and that diners who were purchasing glasses of wine had nice stemware- so why treat me like this? for this I give them an F. We finished with a Fantasia di Ciccolata ($7- best priced items on menu were desert), a chocolate ganache torte with an "oreo" crust, which was supposed to have had a fresh fruit sauce- whatever was there was lacking-it needed some fresh raspberries and the whole thing sat in a pool of cold zabliogne- too rich for my taste. Someone else wrote as a comment, "Restaurants in Marin are notorious for under-delivering." To this I add that Cucina is no exception to that rule. For this to be a Chron 100 rest. is absurd and you could say well that's the Chron's problem not the restaurants, except that the only reason I know this is because of the laminated excerpts from the Chron in Cucina. There was nothing exceptional or noteworthy about Cucina. It is a neighborhood restaurant that uses fresh ingredients for a reasonable price but it absolutely lacks soul. I will give you the caveat that I/we are pescatarians so what I will eat off a menu are the veg items and fish, to which there weren't that many. read more

This restaurant is open again under Donna's great leadership and its better than ever! The food is terrific,as is the wine list. Don't be timid in asking Donna for a wine, she will guide you to exactly what you had in mind, or better! There are some new faces and some familiar ones, but the service is back to great. All in all we are so happy to have this great gem of a restaurant back again.! read more

We came in here for our 10 year wedding anniversay (which we told them we there for ahead of time) and were really disappointed. Our waitress took forever to come even greet us and when she did she seemed extremely bored. The place was pretty packed so maybe she was just over her day. Anyways, she asked what we would like to drink and said she would be back with some bread and bruschetta. We finally get our drinks (brought by someone else) but no sign of our waitress. 10-15 minutes later she comes to take our order. No bread, no bruschetta. We start to give her our order and she cuts us off that one of the items is no longer available. She could of told us that in the very beginning. Anyways, we place our order and got another round of drinks. When the food came it looked delicious. I ordered the chicken ravioli and on the first bite was blown away with salt. Lots of salt. I stir it around hoping it would help, nope. So I wait for the waitress to come back to get some chili pepper flakes, but by the time she came to check up on us my pasta was cold. Cold and salty. She didn't even ask why I didn't eat much, let alone wish us a happy anniversary. She seemed like she was ready for us to leave. She offered us dessert but we didn't have another 45 minutes to wait so we left. I was really hoping this place would be magic and it fell flat! read more

We had a great night at the new restaurant. Have been a long time fan of the old regime, but the freshened space and new menu items were great. Service was excellent and with no reservation and a full restaurant, they were very accommodating. Can't wait to go back! read more

First time in and everything was delicious! It's a gorgeous space - just incredibly well done. The food was great! We were a party of 6 (my husband and I, my in-laws and my kids) and everyone left happy a full. A tall order! We all ordered different things and we devoured it all. So happy to have this option in Marin. It reminded me of the little places I loved in Brooklyn, NY. read more

Our favorite restaurant in Marin. Always fresh and healthy options. I am never disappointed. Best California inspired Italian in Marin!

Excellent atmosphere, service and food. Always consistent. Our favorite for casual, last minute get togethers as well as for celebrations.

Cucina is truly a local jewel in San Anselmo, and we are so lucky to have it back "under old management". As the saying goes, you don't know what you've got until it's gone. From the warm ambience of the fireplace, deep wine menu the super-friendly staff and delicious meals, an evening at Cucina is always something to look forward to. Zucchini carpaccio with almonds to start. Personal favorites on the secondi: bombolotti al sugo, or the cotoletta di maiale. And if they have it (off-menu?): the squid ink spaghetti will be the most sensational sublimation of calamari you've ever had. Donna and team: Amazing! Mangia!! read more

Great Italian restaurant. The vitello and the orchiette are unbelievable. They serve the best bruschetta (on the house). Where do they get such ripe tomatoes? Oh my god, I almost forgot to mention the warm zabayon dessert, it is to die for. read more

Delicioso! Enjoyed some great vino and a great meal with friends here last night. Cute spot (definitely do the back room) and great service too. We had the complimentary bruschetta (great touch), burrata crostini (a special, highly recommended), 3 pastas and a pizza, and the gelato cherry ball dessert. I tried the salciccia pizza and it was delicious. My pasta, with sausage, veal and marscapone cheese was exactly what I wanted. The dessert is insane - doesn't sound as fabulous as it is when you read the description but you have to get it. Really liked my moscato dessert wine too. If we lived in the hood this would be our regular spot. Definitely recommended! read more

Another reviewer wrote about the bread crumb laden Artichoke and I have to agree. We had a hard time finding the Artichoke part of the dish. Almost needed a pick and shovel. I was really looking forward to the Veal chop but not so much any more. It came with pieces of rosemary and garlic charred on the surface. Tough to get through that armor plate to get to the meat of the thing. Three stars for the ambiance, service and salad. Probably not going back there again. read more

Great service (thanks Erasmo,) complimentary Bruschetta, delicious Carpaccio di Zucchini, fabulous Pizza Margherita on wood-fired oven, quiet ambience, cool décor: Will make this an habitual destination. Grazie mille! read more

Whatever you do while you're there, please order the Pizza Bianca. They have truffle oil on this and I can't remember a tastier pizza. I've been twice and go when they have music on Tuesdays/Thursdays. It's a nice relaxing atmosphere with good food and wine. read more

We sat down to an almost empty restaurant at 6:00 pm, and within 15 minutes all the seats were filled. And not just with customers, but friends. We almost started singing lyrics from the Cheers theme song--where everyone knows your name. Had the Insalata Azzuro: Romaine lettuce, Pt. Reyes blue cheese, and cherry tomatoes. Excellent. And their bruschetta is the best we've ever had. Outstanding service. It really meets the highest expectations. read more

See all

Best pizza in Marin County. Service is always excellent and the owner, Donna, is really friendly, welcoming and very accommodating for large groups. I can't imagine going anywhere else on San Anselmo Avenue for excellent family and date-night dinners. read more

Had a great meal here on Father's Day. Great location for a larger family dinner (there were 10 of us), and the menu is varied enough to make the 10 years and the 50 year olds all happy. Food was delicious and the service was great. My husband happened to leave his Father's Day gift at the restaurant by mistake, and we were very delayed in getting back to the restaurant to get it. When we finally made it back, about 3 weeks later, Donna the owner, was unable to find it. Took my name and number and told me she would look thoroughly the next day. By 10am the next morning, I got a call, and she was online ordering it for me and having it sent to my house because she could not find it! Talk about going above and beyond the call of duty! I will definitely be back not only for the fabulous food but the amazing client care. Thank you again Donna! read more

Such a great place to have lunch or dinner!!! As soon as you walk in you will be greeted by warm and friendly staff! Service is amazing!!The food is awesome! Oh, did I mention the homemade almond cake? Yummm read more

I went to Cucina with some friends expecting a nice meal. I had been once or twice before and it was fairly decent. I had a disappointing meal. The food was just lacking. I had a ravioli dish that was the size of an appetizer, a salad the size of my palm (which was $9!) and left there hungry ...and with a much lighter wallet. No one in our group would go back there...so, I know it wasn't just me. I have no problem dropping some cash on a good meal. I have to say that the food is not worth what they charge. I would not go back. I would rather cook at home...Not sure what all the hype is about with this place. read more

3rd visit and the food gets 5 stars for each visit. The service gets 4 stars and the atmosphere is just so-so. If you don't make a res then go the back and wait at the wine bar. Portions are not big, but good. This place is popular. read more

One of my all time faves - wonderful food, great service, friendly servers..the whole ball o' wax - or maybe bufalo mozzarella in this case. I remember drinking great wine and eating dish after dish of tasty tidbits from the kitchen, followed by one of the best chocolate desserts I had ever eaten. read more

The complimentary bruschetta is a nice touch and the service is friendly, but the food is nothing spectacular. It's decent, but I'd opt for Trattoria Fresco in Ross instead. We shared an arugula salad that was fine, but lacked sex appeal. My pasta with shrimp and spicy tomato sauce was spicy enough, but lacked depth. My husband's calzone was basic and lacked exciting flavors or spices. And his glass of chianti was terrible. I will say, however, that the chocolate torte dessert was divine. Overall, a mediocre place, but one can do better (even in Marin). read more

I heart Cucina!!! Can't begin to describe how divine their bruschetta is and the breaded tomato soup is the best tomato soup I've ever had!!! It's a great place to dine if you're looking for an awesome night out with friends, while enjoying a delicious dinner/wine. read more

A warmly modern spot with good lighting and pistachio colored walls. I skipped the entrees and went straight for a wood fired thin crust pesto pizza and an arugula salad, washed down with ice cold chardonnay. The zabaione is a creamy, dreamy cloud of Marsala-tinged heaven. read more

This is a wonderful restaurant with great food, excellent service, waitress was very pleasant and appeared before we even noticed we needed the next item whatever it was. I had the salmon and was very good and a nice size piece. The bruschetta was delicious and is complimentary. The salad with Pt. Reyes Blue cheese was also delightful. They are very nice about sharing and don't charge extra. My friends enjoyed the wine. Herbal tea selection was very limited. Biscotti and tiramisu were very good. All and all a delicious meal and I would recommend it highly to everyone in or passing through San Anselmo. Also, there was no pressure to leave quickly as with some restaurants. The menu had a nice selection, something for everyone. I read the yelp review about slow service and we had the opposite experience so give this restaurant a try and you will enjoy. read more

We are so happy that Cucina is back and making delicious food for us once again! The pizzas are crisp and delicious, the starters are all so good, it's hard to choose, and every main plate leaves you planning what you will be ordering next time! A jewel. read more

Great local restaurant. Food and service are excellent. All around good vibe. We love going there.

A great family restaurant any night. Broad & delicious menu, wonderful wine & beer selection and an excellent wait staff. We love the owners too!! read more

Bad news in Cucina ... Luigi (the chef) for more than 15 years has gone.... i went to cucina last weekend and i saw that he wasnt there ...... the food tastes different (bad) so now no more Donna no more Luigi ........ bye Cucina i will never be there back ..... the new owner and manager are really bad read more