Unexpected enjoyment... I decided to give myself a day off from cooking for myself and try a restaurant that I was told was pretty authentic. I arrived with an open mind and was greeted with politeness and escorted to my table. My waiter was very knowledgeable and personable. I did the 3 course meal. Salad, pasta and entree. Salad was very fresh and you could taste it. The pasta course was gnocchi...fresh pasta with fresh tomato sauce. The entree was fettuccini with duck, super rich and filling. I finished my meal with a tiramisu and coffee. I think it was a perfect ending of a great meal. I would definitely recommend read more

La Grotta Ristorante - Fettuccini with duck - Italian Near Me - Richmond, Virginia

See all

Had a great experience at La Grotta. I ordered the quail and they let me know up front it would take a little longer, which I appreciated. While I was waiting, the owner actually brought out a complimentary plate of pasta with three ravioli and some fettuccine--both were unreal. The ricotta ravioli (not pictured) is honestly some of the best I've ever had. The quail was definitely worth the wait too--really well cooked and super flavorful. I'm in town from Texas for work and this is 100% a spot I'll be coming back to every time I'm in Richmond. read more

La Grotta Ristorante - Italian Near Me - Richmond, Virginia

See all

Lots of friends recommended this place for us unfortunately didn't quite meet the expectations especially for the price point. Despite making reservations and showing up on time we were not seated promptly. In fact we went ignored at the front for about 10-15min. We finally got seated and got put in a table squished against the wine bottles. Wasn't exactly the most comfortable spot as my elbow and side kept brushing against all these expensive bottles of wine. Our waiter wasn't the most attentive. Had to flag him down for water and menus. Ordered one beer and he forgot about it - had to ask again. Bread tasted stale and underwhelming. Octopus appetizer was a special for the night and was decent. Ordered a fettuccine which was the saving grace for the meal - you can tell it was in house made pasta and it was overall pretty delicious. My partner ordered a filet with peppercorn sauce which was honestly the worst part of the meal. The filet was over cooked and looked really rough...Wasn't nice a round filet but was broken apart... it looked like it went through a washing machine. The peppercorn sauce was way too salty with no other flavor. The filet was so bad my partner couldn't even finish it. The dessert trio I'll say was the last redeeming part of this meal. We got the tiramisu, coconut, and mouse cake. All fairly delicious Mind you - all this time water was never refilled. Plates were never cleared by our waiter, we had to track someone else down. Asked for the check - we waited about 30-40min until we flagged down another waiter to get it for us. All while we could visibly see our waiter just standing there. Sad to say we likely will not be returning here. Only reason this place is getting 3 stars and not 2 is because of the pasta and desserts read more

See all

The tiramisu was the best I've had in a long time! The bartender was friendly. My entree came before the appetizer due to an issue with the computer, but it's ok. The shallots were a little overpowering in the duck arugula salad. The saffron pasta special was good! I wouldn't mind coming again. read more

See all

I honestly have to rate this restaurant a 5/5. From the service, to the food and the ambience, I loved this place. I went to Venice back in 2025 and had Linguine alla Scogliora for the first time. I was super excited to see on the menu at La Grotta and had to try it. It is definitely a close 2nd to the real thing in Venice. The pasta was so fresh and the dish was so filling I will definitely be back whenever I'm in Richmond read more

La Grotta Ristorante - Linguine alla Scogliora - Italian Near Me - Richmond, Virginia

My friend and I dined at La Grotta last night before seeing Herb Alpert and the Tijuana Brass around the corner. We both had Insalata alla Cesare, I had anchovies on mine. I ordered the Vitello Buon Gustaio and my friend the Fettuccine alla Papalina, both recommended by our wonderful server Oliver. The Sommelier guided us towards a nice bottle of 2019 Girlan Trattman Pinot Nero Riserva. The red paired well with the delicious meal. Fine restaurant that we highly recommend! read more

Wow! This is a fabulous restaurant! It's not a big place do get a reservation but TRUST me when I say it's worth it! First off the inside is beautiful and classy! Second service is spot on and the staff is extremely knowledgeable and will make a great recommendation! Third, the food is AMAZING and great portions and the flavors pop! The chef is very talented! Will definitely be back when I come to town! read more

See all

Located in Hilton, La Grotta offers fine dining with cozy atmosphere. Walked in on a late Friday evening and could see it was a busy one. Got seated immediately. Our server was attentive. Quaglie ripiene was tasty but too gamey for me. The restaurant is known for being a bit pricey, but the meal on that day didn't justify the cost. read more

La Grotta Ristorante - Quaglie Ripiene - Italian Near Me - Richmond, Virginia

It's in the Hilton Richmond. I like the ambience, it's very cozy place. Looks like real Italian restaurant in Italy. We order today's specials like; Octopus carpaccio and Veal mandolin. And ceaser salad. I really like ceaser salad. Octopus carpaccio was good. Veal presentation was pretty good. Idea was good but for me it was a bit smell... Tiramisu was tasty and different presentation! I like it. Service was good too. read more

See all

We visited on New Year's Eve and had a wonderful experience. Parking was easy thanks to a nearby public lot. The wine dinner was an excellent choice--three thoughtfully paired glasses of wine alongside an appetizer, entrée, and dessert made for a perfectly curated meal. The staff was friendly, attentive, and very knowledgeable, which added to the overall experience. Definitely a great spot for authentic Italian food. read more

See all

If you're looking for a great Italian experience in Richmond this is for you. Starting off this place is perfect for a date night, it's upscale and the servers are dressed well and very knowledgeable of the extensive menu. Had their Gnocchi al Filetto di Pomodoro and it was so good. Their calamari to start was good but nothing too crazy to me, still good as a starter. I definitely recommend this place for pasta lovers it's worth multiple trips just from looking at their menu while I was there, plan on coming back for sure. read more

See all

if you live in richmond you probably drive past this movie-looking place all the time ... take this as your sign to ACTUALLY go inside. romantic, rustic, italian restaurant that officially has changed my outlook on the cuisine. i've never been one to crave italian nor really enjoy it because it's so dairy and oil based (which my tummy HATES), but everything here was so crisp, fresh, and delicious. genuinely the first time i've ever eaten out in richmond and felt good afterwards still. what an absolute treat. the service was fantastic, the food was carefully crafted and delicious, drinks were on point, and ambience was gorgeous and cozy. also i promise THIS is a place you HAVE to save room for dessert for. oh my god. this mousse cake rewired my brain chemistry in the best way. i'll be back for more to keep exploring the vastness of Italian dishes read more

See all

Was told this place was the "Via Carota, NYC" of Richmond. But was very disappointed. I felt like it was hyped way up than the quality that was actually given. Over priced for the lack of flavor in the food, so you are paying a pretty penny for the experience. Food was subpar. They told us the pasta was made in house. Yes, it was but boxed not homemade noodles. Which we did try to clarify but is unsure if the waiter heard. It was too loud from everyone talking over each other. If they had music on, I couldn't tell. read more

I chose La Grotta in Richmond to celebrate my daughter's 21st birthday, expecting a memorable and special experience. While the food and ambiance were good, the service fell short in a way that really mattered. I informed our waiter that we were celebrating her 21st birthday, and it was completely ignored--no acknowledgment whatsoever. Not even a simple "happy birthday." For a $300 dinner at a fine dining restaurant, that lack of attention to detail is disappointing and frankly unacceptable. A milestone birthday only happens once, and it would have taken very little effort to make it feel special. Unfortunately, that moment was missed. Because of that, the experience did not live up to expectations. I called to give the restaurant manager feedback, and she said we did not order dessert, and that they do not comp desserts. She apologized, but missed the content of my message and the disappointment in my call. I spent $300+ in this restaurant and they couldn't even acknowledge my daughter's birthday. I would have paid for her desert, but we were too full. Just wanted an acknowledgement. It was embarrassing for me. I have had much better dining experience elsewhere where the wait staff acknowledge special events in people's lives. And honestly, the 2 steaks we ordered at $58 dollars each was not that great. It wasn't that flavorful, and the vegetable sides were super small. Not worth $300. Very disappointing read more

My friends and I went this past Saturday and had a wonderful experience! We originally had plans to have dinner at another restaurant close by and unfortunately, the service was so bad that we left. Thankfully, La Grotta had space at the bar for my friends, and I and they served all of us an amazing meal. The octopus carpaccio, shrimp & sea scallop polenta, and the halibut were all absolutely incredible. On top of that, the service was wonderful. I've always had a great meal here and Saturday was no different. Highly recommend! read more

See all

5-star Italian spot with white tablecloths and spectacular service. Food and wine are excellent. Perfect for date night and for groups.

You MUST eat here for amazing Italian dining--worth the price! Old world charm with heavy velvet maroon curtains separating linen draped tables and servers in crisp white shirts. This place is busy so you know it's good! Every dish we ordered was superbly seasoned and flavorful. Even though we were full, we just had to experience dessert and they did not disappoint. We sampled each other's order so as to not miss out! read more

Had a great meal recently at La Grotta. Though we only stopped by for pasta, I'm looking forward to exploring their wine list and dessert menu. Both looked amazing! There was a great selection of bread, focaccia, and mini breadsticks to dip in what seemed like a red pepper dip. The restaurant was quaint, and well decorated, giving it an upscale feeling. Service was nice, and felt authentic. The one downside is parking, it's complementary through the hotel valet, but the easiest way to park was to pay at the lot next-door. All in all, it was a great experience! read more

La Grotta Ristorante - Ravioli - Italian Near Me - Richmond, Virginia

We went here on a whim. Needless to say, we were surprised. I opted for the grilled chicken Alfredo and it was amazing... my boyfriend got the chicken Parmesan, their take on it is with gravy and mash potatoes. He got a side of fettuccine. It wasn't my favorite; however, the pairings that was with it we understood why it had gravy. We ended chopping it up with our waiter who was not only knowledgeable about menu items but he knew the chef and knew whatever we wanted he could make it happen. Loved it!!! We will definitely be back! The ambiance was just what we needed after a day of just wanting to relax. They started getting busy but it was loud or crowded. read more

Great time! Took the family and we left full and could barely walk. The course offers are fairly priced and well worth it. The staff is also amazing. read more

Spent a delightful evening last Saturday at La Grotta. Inital seating was slow, but picked up from there. It was a busy night but our waiter, Roger kept up with the flow and was a wonderful server. We had octupus and carpiccio appitizers which were tasty and entrees were a lobster, scallop special, the Gambleroni,a zippy red pepper sauce shrimp/scallop linquine and another seafood-type linquine, all good, although my shrimp was a bit overcooked. Wine was a little late coming, but were were compped by Roger w/ after dinner drinks for the delay. Tirimusu, a chocolate-rasberry molded dessert and a wonderful wine topped off the meal. Atmosphere was warm, cozy and sophisticated (felt like a NY restaurant). A bit noisy, and certainly pricey (great for an special dinner out), but well worth it. Would definitely visit again. Thanks, Roger for making the evening special! read more

One of the best restaurants I've ever been to (and I've been to some fancy restaurants in big cities). Food is uniformly delicious -- subtle flavors without trying so hard you just ask "why?" -- and beautifully presented. The service is unparalleled -- attentive and more formal, as befits the restaurant -- but always down-to-earth and genuinely friendly, never snooty or pretentious. The atmosphere, in the old Miller and Rhoads building (or part of it) is just charming -- white-tablecloth and dark wood, very warm and inviting, perfect lighting level and sound level Even when the restaurant was crowded, I never felt like I had to shout to be heard or felt cramped by other diners, even though the tables are fairly close together. read more

If you want Italian cuisine in a fine dining setting in Richmond, replete with impeccable service, unforgettable food, and a great wine list, La Grotta is your clear cut choice. It is elegant but not stuffy, and the chef pays attention to small details to make each dish perfect. Great for special occasions, closed Sundays. read more

See all

Made last minute reservations for La Grotta and I do not regret it! La Grotta is absolutely stunning. Definitely prefect for date night or anniversaries. The space is very intimate. The rich, dark woods. The extensive wine collection on display throughout. The chandeliers. The white table cloths with oversized windows overlooking plenty of historical buildings. The location was perfect. Within walking distance of my hotel. But I drove and there is a public lot right across the street. The parking is fairly pricey starting at $9 for an hour. And yes you do have to pay because there is someone coming around monitoring the lot. So if its within walking distance, I would recommend. I ordered a Caesar salad. Amazing. The crisp romaine was tossed in house-made dressing. Which the perfect mix of garlic and olive oil. The shrimp and scallop Fra Diavolo was superb. My absolute favorite and my go to. The linguine was tender. The tomato cognac sauce was divine. Just the right amount of spice (though I did add extra chili flakes to my pasta). The pasta was overflowing with succulent shrimp and plump scallops. I mean this dish was too die for. I legit tried to eat every noodle. My server was fantastic. Super personable. Nice. Welcoming. Extremely knowledge of the restaurant and their menu. Quick on his feet. I could barely bat my eyes before I had refills, food and my drink. read more

See all

Great!!! This is a place I would definitely recommend! Come here for an experience. 10 out 10 stars read more

La Grotta Ristorante - The linguini and strawberry cake are DELICIOUS!!! And for your drinks, ask for Marco. You will not be disappointed. - Italian Near Me - Richmond, Virginia

It was a crisp Tuesday evening on October 18th in the year of our lord two thousand twenty-two. My wife and I were downtown to attend the timeless Yacht Rock maestro Christopher Cross. We needed to find a restaurant that could match the soothing soft rock sounds of Mr. Cross. To our amazement we found La Grotta. Some might argue it was only due to vicinity, but I would say it's the name; La Grotta. Which translates to 'The Cave' in Italian. A cave being a large natural hollow in rock or in earth. This cave however offers an incredible wine selection along with rich Italian cuisine. We were a party of four and were taken care of by Jeremy. Jeremy was first class all the way and had a great sense of humor. In this post COVID-19 era of crippling depression it's refreshing to finally feel a friendly vibe from our cameriere. Jeremy was cool and accommodating. He handled everything from gluten free options, to suggesting a salad with my main course. He also suggested great wine parings for our table, and it all came together perfectly. Our night started with bread and wine naturally, followed by some polenta with shrimp and scallops. Next was our salads, which were crisp and delicious along with more wine. For the main courses I had the pasta special which was lobster and scallops in a sauce so rich and delicious I'm pretty sure it owned a yacht. My friend had the fish special which he enjoyed. Our wives both had the three-course wine dinner. My wife chose the torretta (tower of homemade mozzarella, roasted bell peppers, marinated eggplant with oregano, fresh basil, and touch of extra virgin olive oil) which was to die for. Her main course was the Gamberoni e Cape Sante Con Polenta Fra Diavolo (Sautéed jumbo shrimp and sea scallops with crushed red pepper, saffron in a tomato cognac sauce) and to finish the course classic Tiramisù. We dusted off a bottle of Montepulciano d'Abruzzo, a bottle of Chianti classico from San Felice and several pours of Pinot Noir. Overall, every course was delicious. All the food that night was perfect. The wine paired well and it all just came together. read more

See all

Came in as a walk in and was sat quickly despite the restaurant being very crowded. It took awhile for our table to be greeted but thankfully we had our drink and food order ready to go. Our server was phenomenal though, Enzo, I believe. He really made the experience-confident and good at creating rapport. I loved how he easily answered questions without hesitation. We started with a salad of baby greens and Gorgonzola- this was not impressive at a 15.95 price point. The tomatoes were so pale, two random endive leaves were included, and the walnuts appeared to be just raw walnuts. This salad would be much improved with fresh pair slices in lieu of tomatoes, lose the random endive leaves and toast the walnuts. I ordered the rockfish special, the rockfish and the sauce were phenomenal. I did not like the flavor of the baby shrimp at all-they had an almost chemical-like flavor frozen shrimp sometimes have. I thought the red peppers and fava beans didn't pair well with it either, but I did like the textural aspect of the fava beans along with the fish, which may have been the reason for the inclusion of them. The Swiss chard or bok choy was enjoyable and the mashed potatoes were good. The mashed potatoes were topped with a singular chip which could have used some salt. Overall, it was very enjoyable despite the above mentioned. My husband ordered the buffalo ribeye and highly enjoyed his meal noting it was cooked perfectly but he would have preferred a little more salt, which he requested. We noted the table next to us who ordered the NY strip also requested salt. Our server recommended the sour cherry panna cotta dessert special which we both very much enjoyed. Overall, I think the food is very good although some of the dish compositions could be improved upon particularly given the price point to dine here. read more

I had high high hopes for this place but left feeling robbed, like $$$ for THAT! Let me start by saying don't go here without a reservation. They barely greet you when you arrive because the servers and hosts are busy! I think we would have waited a long time had we walked in but I am purely speculating. The server was attentive. The vibe is a bit stuffy for my taste. I couldn't tell if I was talking too loud because even though it was packed, the place was pretty quiet. I can get through all of the above if the food was banging but it was meh. I ordered the special a house made crab/scallop ravioli that tasted more like a Chinese wonton with uncooked crab meat. The sauce was watery. My man got the sole which was tastier for sure. I won't be coming back but the place stays crowded, maybe I just came on a bad day so check it out for yourself. Perfect for date night! read more

See all

Excellent food and good service. We had a very pleasant evening there recently. Busy place, but we were able to reserve a table for 3 the same day. read more

Been here twice. Once on a Monday. If a restaurant is busy on a Monday, you know the food is good. This place was POPPIN' on my first trip. And the food was amazing. On my second trip, a Tuesday, the place was sufficiently busy. The first thing you will notice is the service. They are all about the customer experience. The second thing you will notice is the home-like feel of the place. Lastly, the food is incredible. This time I had the Caesar salad with anchovies on the side. This after table shared carpaccio and calamari. All good!! Next I had a filet mignon with a peppercorn sauce. Delicious. The wine is also good. Cannot wait to go back!!! read more

La Grotta Ristorante - Peppercorn filet. - Italian Near Me - Richmond, Virginia

See all

Passing through on Route 95, my wife found La Grotta on yelp, and since it was not far off our route, we decided to try it. It's located inside the Hilton Hotel, which makes for easy valet parking. What a delightful surprise! It is a lovely little restaurant, very warm and very professional service. Best of all is the cuisine. I am a fan of Shrimp Fra Diavlo and they had their own version of seafood and linguine. It was simply excellent. I do not remember ever having a more exquisite sauce. Every once in a while, you get lucky and this was definitely one of those times. Even better, the prices were reasonable. read more

La Grotta is a favorite of ours in Richmond! A great date nice spot with consistently impressive service and specials! We ended up getting the 3 course wine dinner which was a fantastic idea. The calamari and oysters were a great start and had a delicious wine pairing. We both loved our pastas but I highly recommend their Lobster seafood pasta, which had a lot of seafood in it! We always finish dinner off with their tiramisu as I have yet to have another in Richmond that is better. Highly recommend La Grotta for any occasion read more

See all

We chose the four course dinner. My dish was an up charge of $10 because I ordered the dish with black truffles. The soft shell crabs were delicious. Spouse's Salmon was very rare. He prefers medium. But we both got full quickly. So took home left over entrees to leave room for dessert. Dessert was good. The tiramisu was excellent the strawberry cake was bland. I had an OpenTable coupon but the restaurant couldn't get it to work for them so it was not used. This happened before at another restaurant but that restaurant gave the discount anyway. Overall not as good as in the past. Won't be back. Oh also, the bill showed charges for the desserts. They apparently forgot that dessert was part of the four courses. So we had to wait while they took the desserts off the charge. Had to pay for parking since there was no street parking. read more

See all

La Grotta gives off a great ambiance on a higher end level. Their wine list is elaborate but they have a bar that is willing and eager to make you anything you wish. They serve delicious breads and everything on the menu is made in house. We got the ravioli and duck fettuccine and both were delicious! They also have homemade desserts that are the perfect way to end the delicious meal. I highly recommend for a nice date night or celebration! read more

See all

The atmosphere is really nice a little loud but not to bad. The service was good. We both had the Six course meal for $85 mine was $95 because I added the specials on. OMG it is a lot of food!!! I can say this was one of the best Italian restaurants I have been to so far. The server was very friendly and joking even those that brought the food out was so nice! There where people in jeans so attire is causal. The food was so good and I highly recommend the Moscato wine. I can say we did not have anything bad and the season was on point. My favorite was the stuffed veal. My husbands filet was cooked to perfection! Which is super hard since we like Pittsburgh rare. Overall if your in the area well worth the stop. read more

See all

10/10 !! Food was very good . Old fashion & espresso martini tasted amazing , La Grotta has a great wine collection , ambiance was very pretty & warm lighting was a fine dining touch . Roger was phenomenal , provided excellent service & hospitality . Successful 26th birthday dinner ! read more

Highly recommend. From food quality, atmosphere, to the service.. 5 star experience for me. We did a 4 course meal (salad, pasta, entree, and dessert) with a bottle of wine. Excellent experience read more

See all

Friendly, capable service. Elegant atmosphere. Nice menu selections. Location was very convenient to the Richmond Convention Center.

Our food was the best sooooooo good and our service was the best I really enjoyed it 5 starts definitely want to come back

They brought the wrong wine but tried to convince me it was right. Food was fine. It was very loud and our table was not in a good location. read more