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    Renee's Tucson

    4.4 (964 reviews)
    Open 3:00 pm - 8:00 PM
    Updated 3 months ago

    Renee's Tucson Reservations

    Order Renee's Tucson Takeout or Delivery

    Renee's Tucson Photos

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    RENEE'S TUCSON ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Quiet
    Casual
    Outdoor seating
    Good for groups

    Recommended Reviews - Renee's Tucson

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    Reviews With Photos

    Rey F.

    Checked out Renee's a few weeks ago and it's honestly my new favorite Italian spot in Tucson. The food 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.

    Homemade LASAGNA
    Tom M.

    We went to this long time family establishment after seeing 009' at the Gaslight Theater....what a great find! It's a very small place and reservations are recommended. The atmosphere is quaint and quiet with nice private booths for a very relaxing dining experience! We also 'LOVE' the fact that kids under 12 years of age are not allowed in the dining room but can be seated outside on the patio. Our waitress for the event was no other than 'Renee' the long time owner and she was AMAZING! So thoughtful and funny to chat with about her amazing food selection. Guy Fieri with 'DDD', also know as 'Diners, Drive-ins and Dives visited her restaurant in 2018 with great reviews......he kinda knows Great Italian! We loved all the dishes as the 'Renee Sauce' is so tasty and delicious. The pizza was awesome as was the lasagna.....but the 'Flowerless Cake' was OMG total 'FLAVORTOWN' as Guy would say! We look forward to seeing Renee again soon on our next trip up to Tucson! Cheers!

    Chilies and Cream PIzza
    David R.

    This was our second time going to Renee's and again had a great experience. This is a small restaurant, and so for larger parties, like our party of 9 this time, they don't have tables inside that can accommodate that but they have a nice, shaded area right in front that can fit up to 15 outside I believe. They have two large fans above the shaded outdoor area which kept things at a comfortable temp even though it was in the high 90s at the time. As usual, their food was delicious. We ordered 4 pizzas and all were good. We particularly liked the Chiles and Cream Pizza, Everything Pizza, and the Pesto Pizza. Some in our group had the Penne Pesto Pasta with chicken and my wife and I shared the Penne Arrabbiate with meatballs, and both were fantastic, and the server automatically split the dishes for us. The dessert, Lemon Posset, I still remember from last time and have longed to try it again, and it was a hit. We were sad though that they only had 3 left since our group of 9 would have had more if they had it. Delicious!

    Pesto pasta
    Maryanne C.

    Rene is amazing. She ends over her backwards to make you feel like you've stopped by her home and joining her for a personal dinner. It's small intimate and the food is amazing. I can't say enough good things there's no way to express the kind of service too, as there are only a very few tables you get one and one attention that is unimaginable under normal circumstances. From homemade calzones to pasta, this is a treasure.

    Ice mint tea
    Trevor C.

    Ending our special day at one of my favorite restaurants in Tucson was the perfect choice! Every bite somehow got better and better -- from the fresh and flavorful apple walnut poppyseed salad to the rich and satisfying papas con queso pizza, and finishing with a delicious tiramisu that was the perfect sweet ending. Thank you, Renee, for making our evening so enjoyable with your wonderful service and warm hospitality. You helped make a perfect night even more special!

    Ashley C.

    I went here for lunch with a friend on Friday and was nervous since the website suggests making reservations. Fortunately it was pretty empty when we came around 2:30pm. My friend ordered the Caprese board and I ordered the meatballs in jalepeno sauce appetizer. Both were disappointing to me.. I mean the caprese board there wasn't much to be done but I've definitely had better. But the meatballs were a 0/5.. just bland and the sauce was not much better, with no detection of jalepeno. We both got Detroit style pizzas which were the saving grace. Good presentation, portion, and tasted good. Nothing here blew my mind but happy to have finally made it here to try.

    Hours (5/2026) -  now open M/T too!
    Mike S.

    It's been a minute but another wonderful experience. We got the meat lasagna ($23) and calzone ($12 + $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 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 when with kiddos. This literal mom/pop venue (they have kids too) 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 ;)

    Chris K.

    I ordered from their takeout restaurant. Not sure if they let you order these things at the main restaurant but thats where you pick the food up and where Grubhub gets it. Is any case I heard they had authentic coney island dogs and Detroit style pizza. The coney islands was what had ne order, I reluctantly ordered a pizza. My experience in Tucson with Detroit style pizza is overpriced poor quality pizza. First the coney islands, they're nit as good as Apollos or other top places in Michigan but thise places aren't in Tucson. So these hit the spot and scratched that itch. The pizza I loved all high quality ingredients, still smallish but we'll worth it. My wife did not like it but shes not a fan of browned cheese. Id order again. Oh remember to place your orders early because they run out. This was my second attempt at getting food from here.

    Coney dog
    Jessica P.

    Renee's is a small restaurant on tanque verde and sabino canyon. The indoor seating is limited, but they also have patio seating available. Their pizza is awesome, but what I really loved was their coney dog. You can tell the chili is freshly made. Our server was also very attentive and accommodating to my special request to have pesto on only half my pizza. I'll be back to enjoy other pizzas and coneys in the future!

    Cocktail - Chopin Vodka with Prickly Pear Lemonade
    James M.

    Always a great experience. Fantastic food - Meatballs & Marinara Sauce, Garlic Knots, Cheese Ravioli, and a BYO Calzone - on this visit and great service.

    Renee's Restaurant Sign
    Melissa S.

    Renee's requires an advance reservation to get an indoor booth and you have to put a card down to hold the reservation. They also have a $10 per person cancellation fee for any reservation cancelled under 24 hours. This is not the place to go with children under 12 as they do not allow them for indoor dine-in seating, nor for large group events as they do not have the seating space. However, they do allow children in the outdoor patio seating area. While the customer service and Italian food is good, and the portions are decent sized. The menu is also pretty limited and they do not have a full bar. If you are going for the intimate/date night atmosphere it falls a bit short without a full bar or music to support that sort of ambiance.

    Coney dog with hot chips
    Joy S.

    This is a tiny restaurant that seems to be a well-loved place to go. We had made a reservation for lunch using Open Table. Our booth felt very private. There are only a few tables indoors and a few more on the patio out front. Our server was attentive. I appreciated that they offer zoodles as a low carb option to pasta noodles. I ordered the seared chicken breast low carb meal. While it was good, the portion wasn't very large. For as much as it cost, I would've thought it'd come with a salad or something. Also, they don't offer soup, which sounded good on a chilly day. They now offer Coney dogs for a pretty reasonable price. My friend ordered that with the hot potato chips, which were the only available chips. She enjoyed it. It looks like they have one menu, with no less expensive lunch options.

    Small patio in the strip center

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    Photo of Nina U.
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    16 years ago

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    8 years ago

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    5 years ago

    We had dinner. Lasagna, ravioli & alfredo were excellent. The delicious bread just kept on coming.

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    8 years ago

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    3 years ago

    Absolutely stellar service every time I've been here can't say much more than that. Definitely check it out.

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    11 years ago

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    5 years ago

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    4 years ago

    Renee's has some very wonderful dishes including their pizza. One of my favorites is their falafel balls! Super yummy

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    6 years ago

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    10 years ago

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    4 years ago

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    3 years ago

    Really good food. A Tucson gem. You'll need to book in advance. Small, cozy atmosphere.

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    4 years ago

    Always a delight to eat in but great for pickup as well. I love their salads and GF veggie pizza! So yummy!

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    5 years ago

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    11 years ago

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    9 years ago

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    4 years ago

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    6 years ago

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    4 years ago

    Consistent neighborhood restaurant with a lot of heart. Love the recent interior revamp. And Renee is prob one of my fave people, no cap

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    3 years ago

    Great food! Loved the service! Loved how quickly they tended to us and the food was amazing

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    4 years ago

    $$$$$$$$$ for tiny portions. No thanks. But at least I DID get ALL the free attitude I could stand...

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    8 years ago

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    6 years ago

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    8 years ago

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    Page 9 of 25

    Renee's Tucson Reviews in Other Languages

    Ask the Community - Renee's Tucson

    What time is Happy Hour?

    Hi! We have a takeout happy hour. $10 meals to go check out our menu online and click away. This is available any day that we are open from the time we open that day until the time we close.… 

    What's the birthday deal? Ty

    Hi! Our lunch birthday special is $50 for two ice teas or glasses of Prosecco. 2 lunch salads… 

    Are dogs allowed on the patio?

    We do not allow pets on the patio. We hope that you can make your way to us when your fur babies can be at home snug and waiting for you. We do offer take out and there is a park just across the street. There is also a dog friendly restaurant in… 

    Are you still not open for dine in?

    We are now seating! Reservations are required for the dining room as seating is very limited, please do not call the restaurant for bookings. Policy and availability are provided when booking online on our website or through opentable. 1-4 guests… 

    My husband is allergic to soy, does Renee's Organics menu offer soy free meals?

    It absolutely does! :)

    Don’t See Your Question? Ask Away!

    Locale Neighborhood Italian - Spaghetti with White Clam Sauce

    Locale Neighborhood Italian

    4.1(743 reviews)
    4.4 miPeter Howell
    $$

    Came here on a date! Service was cool but the ambiance was ruined bc we were seated with a VERY…read moreLOUD GROUP. Idk what the hostess was thinking seeing a couple that has come in for a nice dinner and seats them next to a large party. It really killed the atmosphere. I opted for a glass of Chardonnay which was fantastic! I really enjoyed it. Really everything you want in an American Chardonnay. It was fruity, complex, oaky just perfect. For the app the bruschetta was messy to eat, and was underwhelming. Way too much tomatoes and it was just not a sexy thing to eat. I got the chicken and that was delicious. The broccolini and the polenta made for a perfect place of food. My date got the lasagna which was just ok. It was very very tomato forward and acidic. I prefer my sauce to be milder and not so sour. Dessert was mind altering. That pistachio ice cream was sooo good. Amazing. No notes. The tiramisu was classic. It was light, fluffy, airy, good coffee and liquor flavor. I was impressed.

    We went on a Sunday night on a holiday weekend. The wait was about 45 minutes, though the place is…read morehuge and there were a lot of open tables, they must have been under staffed that day. The outside is beautiful with lights and palm trees and a big courtyard. However, we were seated in some back room that was really big but only had 3 tables. It felt like we were in a warehouse with gray floors and walls, and I didn't quite enjoy the ambience.. it felt cold and unwelcoming. The service was ok - our server did not show up for a while when we were ready to order. The food was good, but not amazing. The pasta tasted homemade but the flavors were not very exciting, except I did think the the lasagna was flavorful. It was disappointing that the dishes do not come with protein and there is an upcharge of at least $6 to add protein. I've heard good things, maybe it just didn't work out the day we went. Maybe I'll give it one more try and if I go again I'll ask not to be seated in the back room. Will maybe try the pizza next time.

    Photos
    Locale Neighborhood Italian - Interior Seating

    Interior Seating

    Locale Neighborhood Italian - Carpaccio

    Carpaccio

    Locale Neighborhood Italian - Check the website, but this is the entrance to the bakery side of Locale. It's not open every day.

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    Check the website, but this is the entrance to the bakery side of Locale. It's not open every day.

    Penelope - Figgy Piggy

    Penelope

    4.5(302 reviews)
    1.5 miBroadway-Northeast
    $$

    Tried the know better now cocktail and it was good. It came with a sidecar of champagne, so it was…read morea decent sized cocktail by the time you get both. It was smoky, sweet and refreshing. Very well balanced, a lot of effort went into it. We had 30 min wait in small upstairs area for our table on a Thursday night. They don't have much waiting area, most nights you have to wait outside. It was over a 100 after the sun went down, so I'm glad there was room available. Ordered the vodka chicken Parmesan and the burrata. They were both amazing. The pasta that came with the chicken Parmesan was super tender light, tasted fresh. Their pasta is all handmade daily. All the ingredients were simple and fresh for the burrata. The pesto was chunky and gave a good texture contrast. The tomatoes were very flavorful, olive oil and balsamic were all high quality. Very flavorful dish. I liked that you could order a half order. We wanted to try it, with two entrees a full order would have been too much. I would definitely return for both. Tried the pepperoni, sausage and jalapeño pizza and it was good as well. It's very toasty and dark on the crust, made in a a very high temperature pizza oven. We had some leftover pizza to take home. I was definitely more impressed with their pasta, good handmade pasta at an affordable price is hard to find. Would definitely go back if we are ever in the area and try other items. My sister ordered a salad and she had to modify some things due to her auto immune condition. It got screwed up, but the server was so apologetic and they fixed it. It wasn't the end of the world to us. She kinda deals with this all the time since her diet is super restrictive. Everyone was very friendly and helpful, checking in with us. This place is a true gem. It's not cheap, or expensive. Mid range, but feels like you get a good value for the quality and quantity.

    Place : Loud , somewhat sterile eating area. **The pizzas are clever with good combinations**, that…read morebeing said they're inconsistent in crust, especially for takeout. It is a great crust, not quite as good as Luna's was (RIP), IYKYK, their pies edged this place out in consistency and crust flavor with that special yeast. The pies are somewhat expensive, which is fine, but really the toppings are scant considering. And the aforementioned inconsistency, - slightly higher prices are fine , but they should be consistent. Make it feel worthwhile. The service is a joke, sometimes someone will greet you, sometimes maybe not. It used to be you could walk into a place, even 15 minutes before they closed, and order food. Not so much with this place( and it's a pizza place ?!!?)-which is odd because you'd think they want money. I digress. I've gone in, in the past, half hour before closed, and been told they were out of dough! Pizza place out of the main ingredient. Obviously bad meal prep, planning, mgmt, -however you want to plate it. -Now-, there's an ordering system online to , idk, 'help things be orderly ' , maybe. You can't even go on 50 minutes before they close and place an order. What a joke. ...Likely to put out that image of high demand, the rarest , most prized, kneaded dough by Swedish monks,, that you must plan a day ahead if you want to partake in. More likely, they'll start tagging on service charges and having slightly inflated prices through online ordering. BET.

    Photos
    Penelope - Bar

    Bar

    Penelope - House-made Meatballs Appetizer

    House-made Meatballs Appetizer

    Penelope - Olive oil cake $12

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    Olive oil cake $12

    Falora - This was definitely my favorite- the Figaro- so good!

    Falora

    4.2(413 reviews)
    5.5 miBroadmoor-Broadway Village
    $$

    Absolutely Worth the Drive!…read more We were visiting from West Phoenix and decided to try Falora Pizza, and I'm so glad we did! This place is definitely worth the drive. It's a smaller restaurant, but it's beautiful inside and has such a cozy, inviting atmosphere. The music was lovely, and the whole place had a really nice vibe. We ordered the Margherita pizza, Bianca pizza, Gnocchi, Piastra zucchini noodles, two sodas, and a Prosecco. Everything we tried was so good! The pizza crust was one of my favorite parts. It was cooked perfectly and had that nice little crunch without being too hard. The Margherita was delicious, and the Bianca was just as good. The Piastra zucchini noodles with house-made pesto, heirloom cherry tomatoes and spinach were AMAZING! I'm honestly still thinking about them. The Gnocchi with shiitake mushrooms, vegetable broth and ginger glaze was also delicious and something a little different. We had four dishes, drinks and Prosecco, and our total was under $99, which I thought was a great price for everything we enjoyed. I also thought it was really cool that when you check out, there's an option to claim a neighborhood reward through Cash App that can be used with participating local businesses or toward coming back to Falora. I love seeing ways to support local businesses and the neighborhood. Overall, we had such a great experience. Great food, beautiful atmosphere, delicious pizza and a crust that was cooked just right.

    Oh my goodness, I forgot how much I miss woodfired pizza. I used to live in New Haven and this used…read moreto be my favoriteeee style of pizza. After grabbing a drink next door at Sidecar, I was pleased to see that Falora was open just a few steps away. It's a tiny place, but we were able to be sat immediately at the communal table. We ordered a couple of drinks and started with the butter pecan salad. This was so yummy. I loved the goat cheese and the apricot dressing. It was definitely a refreshing choice for this hot summer day. We also split a couple of pizzas: the marinara and the Margherita. Both of these were topped with fresh basil and the crust was perfect perfectly crispy. Like all woodfired pizza, it does have a little bit of a char to it, but I love that. Overall, the service here was great and I would definitely come back. It also looks like you can order pizza to go and take it to the cocktail lounge next door. There's plenty of parking here, but it does get packed on a Friday night. There's some outdoor seating but on a rainy night it can get pretty cramped inside.

    Photos
    Falora
    Falora - Giardino

    Giardino

    Falora - Outside

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    Outside

    Tavolino Ristorante Italiano - Eggplant Parmesan ($22) 6/2026

    Tavolino Ristorante Italiano

    3.7(554 reviews)
    7.1 mi
    $$

    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.

    Great experience here today. I stopped in for a quick meal before I hit near by art galleries…read more Tavolino is located in a beautiful plaza with a lot of parking. The restaurant is clean and beautifully decorated. Today I ordered their caprese burrata. It was unbelievable, creamy and fresh. Service was a little slow but super friendly.

    Photos
    Tavolino Ristorante Italiano
    Tavolino Ristorante Italiano - Veal Saltimbocca with semolina cakes ($36) 6/2026

    Veal Saltimbocca with semolina cakes ($36) 6/2026

    Tavolino Ristorante Italiano - Pita bread starter (warmed/free)

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    Pita bread starter (warmed/free)

    Vero Amore - Swan - Calamari

    Vero Amore - Swan

    3.8(664 reviews)
    3.0 miOld Fort Lowell
    $$

    Food was fresh and made to order. First time, so we tried a lot and packed up most of it to go…read morehome. Here's the misses and hits: Misses: Wasabi ranch dipping sauce for toasted ravioli? Uh, no. It tastes like tartar sauce and is extremely unappetizing mixed with warm cheese rav's . 0/10 do not recommend, would not ever taste it again. Caesar salad dressing. Listen, I love me some anchovy paste in my homemade Caesar salad dressing but this was way too much. And where is the lemon to brighten it up? 5/10 would order again if they brought out a small cup of their Caesar dressing to taste beforehand. Calamari. Husband got the calamari and said it was just ok, but definitely not worth the price. Too much $$$. Salsiccia pizza. Fresh, delicious, just severely lacking in cheese. A little more generous portion of that divine homemade mozz would be nice. 7/10, would definitely ask for extra cheese when ordering. Hits: Toasted rav's appetizer. 10/10 would get again, however when I look at the price ($18) and you only get 6 ravs plus dipping sauce (marinara and that horrendous wasabi ranch), it really doesn't feel like a good deal. Yes delicious, but $3 per 1"x1" square rav?? Too much money in my book. Tomato bisque. While not quite fresh, it was divine. The toast piece that came with it was rubbed with garlic and oil and grilled to the perfect texture and then partially dipped in the soup for playing, amazing 100/10 would get again, but this time request just a little more fresh basil. Highly recommend. Caesar salad. Though the dressing leaning too far into fishy tasting (too much anchovy paste), the overall salad was fresh, albeit extremely small for the price you are paying. Checca pizza. Warm, garlic olive oil as the base, homemade mozz and basil and tomatoes, all wonderful EXCEPT what monster in the kitchen is using chopped salad tomatoes as a pizza topping? Hideous. Looked like a circle k pizza, at best. Tasted great, except for those tomatoes - were they San marzano?? Overall, we would go back, but try different dishes. Ambiance was warm and friendly, service was not great. Hoping it was just a one off, but by the looks of the other reviews, it's hit or miss with the wait staff, which is unfortunate. Edited to add: We also ordered the tiramisu and the siciliani cannoli - very generous portion of tiramisu, cannoli are only three small 3" pieces. Tiramisu good, would order again, cannoli is quite delicious - hubs said for sure would order again. 10/10 recommend and would re-order.

    Visited this place for the first time. I'm pretty new to the area and read that this place had…read moredelicious Italian food. We came in at 8pm without reservation, but online it shows reservations are till 8:30p. The hostess was really sweet and friendly. We asked to be seated outside since it was a cooler night. The server was really nice too and brought us water upon greeting us. We ordered 2 glasses of wine Pinot Noir - old soul and super Tuscany - insogilo that came chilled. The Pinot was very full bodied and juicy. The Insogilo was a lot lighter refreshing and more enjoyable. These glasses didn't arrive until our entree came. The half Caesar salad came with a little piece of French bread instead of croutons. I enjoyed the flavor and amount of dressing was perfect. The entrees came out hot and fresh. We ordered one of their top dishes - the baked linguini marinara, this was really good and the marina sauce was nice juicy and a lil spicy. The linguini was cooked not to Al dente which was perfect. I came for the cheese wheel, but unfortunately our server told us they ran out and they needed to order a new one that will come in a few days. So I opted for the fettuccine Alfredo, so yummy and saucy my favorite type of pasta. However, after a few bites the pepper was a little too overpowering for me and kinda ruined the dish. While we were enjoying our meal the door slamming on the brick was little annoying, luckily our server was pretty considerate and brought up how loud it was too. Although the service was great it felt a little rushed like they wanted us out before they closed. I definitely would like to enjoy what they're known for; the cheese wheel so I'll keep this in my restaurant rotation.

    Photos
    Vero Amore - Swan
    Vero Amore - Swan - Wood fired sausage and mozzarella cheese with red sauce

    Wood fired sausage and mozzarella cheese with red sauce

    Vero Amore - Swan - Outside picture.

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    Outside picture.

    Vivace - Coffee latte

    Vivace

    4.2(883 reviews)
    7.0 mi
    $$$

    28 years ago my craving for my pregnancy was Vivace was crab filled chicken. My husband joined me…read moreevery day as we got it. We'd walk in and the staff would start making it I still love it, what a magnificent dish! Why is it so good? The crunchy chicken? The tender crab filling? The amazing vegetable rice and sauce? There are many amazing dishes here, but at least once, try this dish. One of my favorites of all time.

    My son chose Vivace for his birthday dinner, and once again, this restaurant reminded us why it's…read moreone of our absolute favorites in Tucson. We like to switch up our appetizers every visit, so this time I tried something new, the escargot with artichokes. If you've never had escargot before, this is the perfect beginner dish. The escargot was buttery, tender, and packed with flavor. Paired with the artichokes and toasted bread, it was absolutely incredible. I almost ate the entire order by myself because I simply couldn't stop! We also ordered the shrimp and crab cakes, and wow, these were phenomenal. The outside had the perfect crispy crust while the inside was tender, flavorful, and full of seafood. The accompanying sauce tied everything together beautifully. For our entrées, we had the seared tenderloin over creamy polenta, cooked medium rare. It was perfection. The tenderloin was incredibly tender and flavorful, the wine sauce was rich without being overpowering, and the polenta was creamy and comforting. The portion was also very generous. We also shared the rigatoni with braised short rib, and I honestly can't stop thinking about it. The short rib was melt in your mouth tender, juicy, and so flavorful that I'd happily order a plate of just that! Combined with the perfectly cooked rigatoni, rich sauce, and a generous sprinkle of Parmesan, it was one of those dishes where every bite was better than the last. Our server was fantastic, attentive, friendly, and full of great recommendations without ever making us feel rushed. The restaurant itself is always beautiful and has such an elegant atmosphere. Since we were celebrating my son's birthday, I was hoping we'd get one of the tables with the city view, but honestly, the outstanding food and exceptional service more than made up for it. Vivace continues to be one of Tucson's best dining experiences. Every meal here reminds us why we keep coming back. Highly recommend!

    Photos
    Vivace - Beautiful restaurant

    Beautiful restaurant

    Vivace - Ramen

    Ramen

    Vivace - Drinks. Sangria and margarita

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    Drinks. Sangria and margarita

    Giuseppe's - Pesto Penne Pasta

    Giuseppe's

    3.7(498 reviews)
    9.0 mi
    $$

    Came here for happy hour and dinner with a friend, and we were seated right away. It's a total…read morehidden gem right behind Putney's, and honestly might be my new go-to happy hour spot! The restaurant has a beautiful interior and offers outdoor seating, but since it's the middle of summer in Tucson, sitting inside was a must! We arrived just in time for happy hour. Most of the appetizers on the regular menu were marked down to $9.75, and the happy hour drinks were the same price. We ordered the stuffed mushrooms, steamed mussels, a dirty martini, and a grapefruit cosmo. Everything was delicious, but the mussels were our absolute favorite. The broth they came with was delightful, and we used the complimentary bread to soak up every last drop! Even though the appetizers filled us up, we still ordered dinner. I got the Pesto Penne Pasta and my friend got the Chicken Marsala. My pasta was incredibly flavorful with just the right amount of chicken in every bite. My friend really enjoyed the Marsala too. The portions were great, and we both had enough leftovers for another meal. I definitely plan on coming back when it's cooler to enjoy the patio, which sits nicely between the restaurant and the boutique across the way. The view looks great, and I heard they sometimes have live music. Highly recommend!

    I was really looking forward to dining at Giuseppe's on Oracle Rd. Great reviews, loved the photos…read moreI saw online, good happy hour, and gluten-free options. I even called ahead of time and spoke with someone about the gluten-free options (David, who turned out to be our server) and he was very helpful and pleasant on the phone. But the dining experience was sorely disappointing and I'm not sure whether we would return or not based on that experience. David's service was attentive and pleasant, the wine was really good, and my pork carbonara dish was pretty good - the pork chop itself was delicious and perfectly seasoned and perfectly cooked; the pasta was creamy and pretty good, but just lacking a bit in flavor (cheese?). I'm not a fan of cherry tomatoes in carbonara but no big deal, still overall, it was a very good dish. But here is where it went wrong. My wife ordered the grilled pork, which according to the menu is slices of pork topped with spinach and mozzarella served over linguine with red sauce. She asked if they could switch the red sauce out for another (non-red) sauce. David suggested either Alfredo or a white wine sauce, and my wife asked for the white wine sauce. And gluten-free pasta.Since I had called earlier to ask about gluten-free or gluten-sensitive options, and they said they have GF pasta and GF pizza crust, David let the kitchen know to start the pasta water (which is a nice accommodation) as soon as we arrived - although my wife wasn't sure yet, having not looked at the menu, whether she really did intend to have a dish accompanied by pasta. But that's fine if they want to start it early. We sat there for a good 25-30 minutes after ordering, wondering what was going on with the food, since we were one of only two tables at the time. We tracked David down and he apologetically told us there had been some kind of issue with the chef "getting the dishes switched around" (??) and that they had to start the order over again, and that he appreciated our patience. After a while, the entrees arrived. My pork carbonara looked good. My wife's pork dish, even after waiting that long and having them re-do the entrees, had a few issues - 1) it was served with pasta with red sauce, not the white wine sauce she'd asked for; 2) uncertainty over whether the pasta is indeed gluten-free because it's possible that they have GF spaghetti, but in our experience, it's very unusual for a restaurant to offer GF spaghetti. Usually it's penne or a similar shape. But David did double check and said it really is GF spaghetti. I was suspect myself when I tasted the dish, because GF pasta has a tendency to fall apart or dry out and I couldn't really tell that this was GF pasta. So maybe it was just really good GF pasta; and 3) the pork wasn't sliced, it was whole. And possibly breaded. When we noted the dish was supposed to be white wine sauce over GF pasta, David again apologized and said the chef was "flustered" (his word, not mine). Not sure how a whole 2 tables flusters a chef, but okay. At this point, after all this time, and my dish being served correctly and hot, we were not about to send the dish back AGAIN while I sit there eating mine while it's still hot. We had originally thought, when first seated, that we might order dessert or at least the good looking after dinner drinks. But we just wanted to get the heck out of there as fast as we could. And to their / David's credit, they did comp the pork dish, which is nice. Not sure we'd return.

    Photos
    Giuseppe's - Seating area

    Seating area

    Giuseppe's - Pesto Salad.

    Pesto Salad.

    Giuseppe's - Outdoor seating

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    Outdoor seating

    Bacio Italiano - Eggplant Parmesan

    Bacio Italiano

    3.9(301 reviews)
    6.9 miWest University
    $$

    Can't believe I'm just now trying this place out. Location…read morelocation location . This spot nails it , very walkable area and full of great boutiques, restaurants, cafes , etc. Everything was great and service was solid . We stayed chatting it up until nearly closing . I shared the vegan Margherita & would absolutely come back to try more ! Yum.

    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.

    Photos
    Bacio Italiano - Love the flowers on our table

    Love the flowers on our table

    Bacio Italiano - Garlic Toast

    Garlic Toast

    Bacio Italiano - Craving for some pizza!

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    Craving for some pizza!

    Renee's Tucson - pizza - Updated September 2026

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