Tucson definitely delivered today. This was the perfect place to enjoy a quiet, relaxed morning,…read morewhether sitting out on the patio or inside the bakery surrounded by its clean, simple, elegant atmosphere with just the right upscale touch. The coffee and baked goods were phenomenal, but the real standout for me was the breakfast sandwich. Who knew such simple ingredients on a brioche bun could come together like a work of art? Every bite was balanced and incredibly satisfying. And the staff? Absolutely wonderful. Their warmth and hospitality honestly gave Southern hospitality a run for its money. One of those places that makes your morning feel special.

My daughter treated me to dinner the last weekend in April for my birthday at Locale. This wouldn't…read morehave been our first time dining there and I made the decision out of lots of favorite restaurants. We ordered mocktails, as she's 17 and I rarely drink, and they were truly refreshing and delicious. Our server, I've forgotten his name, was tall, friendly and patient when I requested to stagger service, as it was a Sunday evening at 1630. The bread and oil was ok, calamari app was good, mostly tentacles and felt as if a third of the plate was just breading afterwards because we got the bottom of the bag from the freezer. For entrees, my daughter had the ragu bolognese and it was 4 minutes away from being al dente, the pasta was uncooked and tough. I wanted to send it back but my daughter said she would "just eat it". I usually get pasta or branzino, but this time I opted for the roasted chicken and it was the most insipid dish I have ever tasted. The chicken was boiled or sous vide and then given char marks on a grill, not roasted, not herbed, just charred. The au jus an overly salted corn starch thickened glaze. The broccolini and polenta on side were good and that's what I ate. The chef needs to fix this item or take it off the menu expeditiously. During dining service we felt bad for the several servers who were dealing with 2 screaming kids running through the dining room and out onto the patio. Several times bumping into servers with trays, the parents, cocktail in hand, barely did anything to attempt to stop them. As a restaurant, if something happened to those children, tray with piping hot pasta, it would be your responsibility, so next time kindly ask them to leave. It was loud and wrong and not the fault of your servers. All in all, I will have to take Locale off my list of restaurants to recommend for Italian food in Tucson, it was always the first place I recommend.

It's been a minute but another wonderful experience. We got the meat lasagna ($23) and calzone ($12…read more+ $8.50 for meatball topping). And she tried their Old Fashioned cocktail ($16). Food arrived just 15 min later and was piping hot and delicious. The lasagna is a good sized portion (roughly 5x7) and is generously filled with meat. Taste is amazing with medium-firm pasta and a nice crust across the top and sides. The ricotta calzone came with a side of marinara (yay) for dipping as there is no sauce inside. Roughly 2 dozen toppings are available, ranging from $3-$8+. I opted for the (priciest) meatballs ($8.50) and was slightly disappointed. The meatballs are crumbled within the calzone (understandable) but not pronounced in quantity. I would prefer larger pieces (halves work at this size - after all I ordered meat-ball not meet-ground ;) However, for $8 (a 75% upcharge) my chief gripe is that I was simply expecting more. Next time pepperoni/mushrooms! Ambiance is lovely and waitstaff were awesome - gracious, knowledgeable about menu specifics, and attentive. Parking is free/easy at this corner of a small strip mall. Can't wait to try their new Detroit menu too! Note: due to Rene's smaller size (less than 10 tables total) and high demand, all reservations (any day) require a credit card to hold. This is entirely understandable as even one no-show is a measurable hit to keeping a full house. I also have kids yet 100% embrace their patio-only policy. This literal mom/pop (they have kids too) venue tries to do the impossible balance between clientele and intimate, high-end dining (we simply accommodate by getting take out when feeding the Whole family ;)

Checked out Renee's a few weeks ago and it's honestly my new favorite Italian spot in Tucson. The…read morefood was amazing, the vibes were great and it's such a great place for date night. The murals on the walls are super cool too. I loved how they had hand sanitizer at the table. Seating is pretty limited, so I'd definitely make a reservation. Service was great and everything tasted super fresh. We ordered the Meatballs & Jalapeño Cream, Spinach & Artichoke Dip, Garlic Knots, Papas con Queso Pizza, Penne Arrabbiata, and Tiramisu. Everything was amazing but my favorites had to be the meatballs and the pizza. Only downside was that they were out of lemonade, which I really wanted to try. But the food was so good that I'lol for sure be back, so I'll just grab it next time.

Leopard spotted, blisterednby wood fire, just enough sauce n cheese, freshest quality produce =…read morePenelope Perfection. Busy on a Weds 330PM shortly after doors open, after 2 days off, but understand it fills up even own the patio and after tasting you'll know why :) Fine dusted parm topped a zesty house dressed $13 Caesar that was pre-split for sharing. House croutons need more of a blast in that wooded oven to crisp up as they were limp and doughy but still polished off the greens. 4/5* Love me some Mortadella and hard to find on menus even in an Italian Grinder here, so my focus lasered in on Tony Balona $18 with Burrata, smoked mozz (didn't taste any smoke) and pistachio dust (very minimal at center, wah), thick swirls of pistachio pesto and switched red sauce for garlic oil, a thin simple sauce. Pistachio not really noticeable in pesto or dust, I really enjoyed my pie, though its not as complex tasting as you might believe. Dough with it's black blisters definitely shines. 5/5* Hub's Classic Pepperoni $17 was flooded in lil' crispy cups; devoured! Happy Hour Bonus 3-6P weekdays, $2 off Appys incl our Salad. $10 cocktails ($6 off!) and $6 Drafts & house wines. Beechwood Brewing centraholic West Coast IPA 7% ABV, a Golden hoppy entry with med bitter to end, Light body and lasting Creamy head was a great pizza accompaniment, as was a regular vs White Negroni on menu. Had an herbal syrup less bitter front than a typical in your face Campari sip. Service was efficient. Water carafe to table on seating. Sure hope they save the water left over given the constant desert shortage, as we only drank 1/3 due to our ABV glasses. On Penelope return, I'll fight to try the fresh pasta unless the Dough menu punches me into submission again! Haha

We arrived at around 5:30 and was told there was a 25 minutes wait time. We were seated one hour…read morelater. We found out that they have "team service" which explains why you can see servers are all over the place. Regardless, They were all nice and very welcoming. Place has plenty of seating. We ordered a Caesar salad, spaghetti meatball, cheese pizza, OTC pizza and the Jackie luna. Everything was flavorful, our experience would have been better if we were able to get in and out a little quicker.

Great spot for date night or if you're looking for an upscale pizza place! The pizzas are made…read moreNapoli-style with a thin, chewy crust with a nice char. The menu also features salads and pastas and a nice wine list. We've ordered the Margherita pizza several times, and it consistently is delicious. Though the pizza is definitely the main event, the salads and pasta are solid as well. We've had the Caesar salad which is pretty good, but recently tried the Piastra (chilled zucchini noodles in housemade pesto) which was a light and refreshing start to the meal. We also shared the hazelnut gnocchi which was unique, umami and creamy in flavor. For dessert, we shared the panna cotta which is served in a mason jar - great way to end the meal.

I have eaten at Falora a bunch of times. Nice athmoshphere, an outdoor patio and lots of creative…read morevegan options. My favorites here are the Kale salad and La Cauliflora pizza. I also like the Za Zucca pizza- very different. I have tried the Piastra- This one was a tad simple for me but refreshing. The San Gennaro pizza was good but didn't make my favorites list. The Cavatelli pasta dish was fun to try too. Cute place for anniversaries etc. My general rating system: 1 star: I would stay away 2 stars: Has some good things about it but I generally don't recommend. 3 stars: Pretty good. I wouldn't go out of my way to go back but a decent place 4 stars: Great place. I would go back. 5 stars: I highly recommend stopping whatever you are doing and making plans to try it out! An Evie favorite!

I went in for the first time with a group of 4 Tuesday night for a friend reunion. We had Hailey as…read morea server and she was an absolute delight. She was knowledgeable on the menu and made our experience one to remember. I would definitely return and recommend anyone to come and enjoy a pleasant dinner. Food was exquisite and drinks were amazing. Overall service and ambiance were excellent would definitely be back.

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.

The food never disappoints! The best Italian restaurant. From the appetizers to entrees and their…read morepastry chef desserts, the pope pillow yum !! It's better than 5 stars !

I went last week for my birthday based on a friend's recommendation, and it did not disappoint! We…read moreordered the cherry margarita and goat cheese appetizer off of the happy hour menu. I was skeptical about the margarita, but it was delish and just the right level of sweetness! I knew the goat cheese would be tasty based off of the reviews, and it was. I ordered the spaghetti with meatball off of the happy hour menu, while my mom ordered a tasty mushroom and ricotta dish off of the dinner menu. We were both incredibly happy with our choices. Mine was the perfect size with even a bit leftover to take for lunch the next day. My mom had a ton leftover after being completely sated. They even brought me a hefty piece of lovely tiramisu with a candle for my birthday. The real star, though, was the chocolate cake my mom ordered. Yum! The atmosphere is lovely and open but a bit loud due to how busy it was even early in the evening on a Wednesday. I strongly recommend a reservation. And our server was friendly and attentive. I highly recommend and will definitely be back!

Service for the Saturday afternoon was ok could of been better but seem to have just opened for the…read moreevening. Thankfully food was amazing as always definitely one of my favorite Italian food in Tucson

Well, not really sure where to start on this review? It was a very sad experience from previous…read morevisits.I will start with me calling all day (2) weeks prior trying to make a dinner reservation for a party of six for dinner on Sunday night. Even though the restaurant was open for business they did not answer the phone! Warning! I finally had my call answered in the evening and made our reservation and informed them that we were interested in the 'Cheese Wheel Linguine' as you are required. We were then informed while ordering that they would not be doing the 'wheel' due to 'callouts' that night. OK, so I tried to order (4) different bottles of Chardonnay and they were out of three of them. We started with an appetizer of 'calamari' and it came 'burnt' and like rubber. We also ordered their famous Caesar Salad and were never served. We then decided to order a pizza which was served to us cold, uncooked and doughy. The poor wait staff and cooks are not managed correctly and were well over whelmed with no help. I was informed that the restaurant has 'new ownership' as they were purchased by 'Flying Leap Vineyards' and have been recently having staffing issues, inventory issue's and the new owners have cut back on everything. They did credit us on our bill for the cold uncooked pizza and the burnt calamari that was not edible. Our waiter felt so bad but, as we told him it was not his fault we were leaving without eating dinner 90 minutes later. Flying Leap Vineyards needs to somehow overcome this type of quality and improve things in a hurry otherwise ' just shut the doors' and sell Wine!

Vivace lived up to its reputation. Absolutely delicious food in a beautiful atmosphere with either…read morevalley or Mountain Views. We shared the burrata appetizer and the Branzino. The fish was hot, perfectly prepared and a good portion. Another highlight was switching the fish side to a vegetable pasta. That pasta was sheer perfection. So darn good! Service is relaxed so if you're in a hurry best tell them. We'll be back soon!

This place is and always has been my favorite Italian spot. Everything on the menu is amazing I…read morehave yet to have a bad thing there. I love this place and the service is always great. Vibes are immaculate Thanks Vivace for years of consistent delicious food and service

They were very nice and I liked the food! There was quite the crowd with the 4th Ave street fair…read morebut they kept everything running smoothly and I had a great time. Good pizza and drinks!

Finally tried Caruso's! I've passed by it on 4th so many times and always been curious about this…read moreItalian spot. The interior has brown walls and murals that really give it that classic Italian restaurant vibe. I thought it was great that they have a wheelchair lift next to the stairs at the entrance. The restaurant is divided into separate rooms, which adds to the authentic feel. There was more seating than I thought there would be. I ordered the linguini Alfredo and it was pretty good. They also bring garlic bread to the table, which went great with the pasta. To drink, I had the watermelon lemonade and it was super refreshing, especially for a hot Arizona day. The staff was friendly and our waitress did a great job checking on us and offering recommendations to order when we asked. I'd definitely come back again, especially to try their pizza next time.

First, I love Bacio it is our GoTo on theater night. Unable to get reservations tonight, but we…read moremanaged to walkin within 15 minutes. Staff are amazing and helpful, and kind. Some new staff, but they were doing great. Food was great. Love that they do theme food, no prices for Broadway in Tucson Theater. Chicken Picotta was great, a little too much liquid, Italian Hawaiian Pizza was great, a little burned but can happen with fired pizza. Second, gnats were very annoying tonight. Our table and the next were swatting every minute. Our sweet drinks, Lavender Lemon Martini and Manhattan were attracting them also bc the Manhattan spilled when presented. Eventually, a gnat got by. Just when I noticed my fork was still dirty. Staff were gracious and remade my drink and provided coasters to cover the drinks. The restaurant does have an open outdoor area, and that contributed to the problem. I think they used to have a blue bug fixture, bc I cannot recall prior issues like this. Not a pleasant meal swatting gnats off body, food and drinks. Not every second, but every couple of minutes. Hopefully this was a one off. We love Bacio and will be back. Wish they would price the theater specials. Staff amazing and friendly. Anyway, leaving 4 star, but the visit was 2.5 tonight.

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.