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    Tenuta's Italian Restaurant

    4.2 (461 reviews)
    ModerateItalian, Pizza
    Closed 4:00 pm - 10:00 PM
    Updated 1 month ago

    Tenuta's Italian Restaurant Photos

    TENUTA'S ITALIAN RESTAURANT ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Intimate
    Good for kids
    Outdoor seating

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    Recommended Reviews - Tenuta's Italian Restaurant

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    Bread
    Mikayla T.

    My first time a Tenuta's felt like a teleport to my favorite Long Island Italian restaurant. It resembles an old Italian restaurant from way back when, in all the best possible ways. The stain glasses windows line the walls and they're gorgeous. Upon walking in, you immediately feel the warmth and community. We entered knowing no one and left having friends. My husband and I were quickly sat at the bar and served right away. Our bartender/waitress was kind and prompt. The food was everything and more. We started with the house made acacia bread and House salad. The salad was a big portion and topped with all the best Italian ingredients. Our waitress suggested the house pizza and I'm so happy she did. My husband and I were iffy about the olive oil sauce but omg thank god we ordered it! It was so good, so were the leftovers! We also got the Calabrese pasta. It said it was spicy and I'm not normally a spice girl but could handle the spice. It was so flavorful and filled with fresh ingredients you could taste! To end the meal we got the butterscotch pudding (another waitress recommended)! It was rich, creamy, and smooth-highly suggest to end your meal with it! The rose and Blanc I had were both crisp and fresh. I cannot wait to go back and try more items on the menu. They also feature specials each night and offer carry-out.

    Soup, wine, and bread
    Keegan M.

    Tenuta's truly doesn't miss EVER! Whether it's sitting at the bar or a table, the service is always friendly and attentive. The atmosphere makes you feel right at home with elegance and warmth ever present. The food... amazing! I normally go for the special of the night. Tonight was a delicious stuffed pasta with short rib and a rich sauce. Paired with a warm soup and a glass of red wine. Perfect meal to warm up on a cold day! Let's not forget the tiramisu to cap the night! Thank you so much!

    Angelina L.

    This is the place!! The best Italian food in Milwaukee. Tenuta's is the perfect neighborhood Italian restaurant with the classic homemade cooking. It makes you feel good! Service always is attentive and friendly. The dishes come with focaccia and salad and large dinner portions. It's a great value compared to many other Italian restaurants in Milwaukee! The food is comfort food, tastes great, and consistent every time you're there. Just a couple of notes: I think the focaccia would be even better if it came out warm and the butter came out just a titch softer. The Aperol Spritz portions have leaned a bit heavy on the champagne side the past couple of times I've been there but that could just be preference. Overall, this is a great go-to spot and highly recommend!

    Tagliatelle w. Ragu

    Incredible atmosphere. Highly popular. Food was good. Service was incredibly slow. Waited nearly an hour for two entrees at 9:00 PM on a Thursday night.

    Calabrese
    Ricardo A.

    Our friend who used to live in MKE and was visiting from out of town recommended we meet here for a Friday night dinner. She set up the reservation and I'm glad she did since we were a larger group and they were pretty busy this evening, as most restaurants on a Friday night could be. The staff were prompt and helpful understanding it was the majority of the groups first time there. The food was great - we ordered a variety of pasta and salad. The one that stuck out to me was their risotto which had a great taste and texture to it. The food took a while to come out but it was understandable given that it was a busy Friday night dinner group. All in all, it was a good time with friends with great food, would recommend and I look forward to coming back once more.

    Chicken Marsala, shrimp scampi
    Katie O.

    I've been here a number of times and have 2 favorite dishes - 1) the agnello - lamb meatballs with the spicy pasta and goat cheese, 2) the shrimp scampi. I will continue to come back for these 2 items and the table bread. I have probably tried 10 other dishes and they are underwhelming or just not good. The carbonara is the wrong texture with way too much pancetta, the marinara is too sweet, the ravioli tastes like it's from the grocery store, the calamari way too oily and almost burnt. Service is fine. White table clothes are nice. I always walk out of this place reeking of garlic and oil (my guess is the air filtration from the kitchen isn't great) so don't wear anything you can't throw straight into the wash when you get home!

    Carbonara
    Kyle G.

    One of my favorite restaurants in Milwaukee, we always try to have a nice dinner while visiting. It's located in neighborhood with tons of street parking. The restaurant is on the smaller side, so either get a reservation or get there early. Prices are in the $20-30 range for entrees and are worth every penny. My favorite so far has been the carbonara, which is one of the best I've ever had. My wife loves the Funghi mushroom ravioli with a sweet Marsala sauce (I think I could just drink that sauce, it's that good). Service is pretty quick and attentive as well. I think my only complaints are that sometimes the bread comes out really cold (even when it's presented in a basket under a towel as if it was hot) and entrees that come out together are at wildly different temperatures. Those are only mild inconveniences though and I will happily return when in the area!

    Calabrese
    Dianna P.

    I had always heard great things about Tenuta so I was happy when my friend from out of town wanted to go. We were a party of 7 and I felt very taken care of by our waiter. She was nice and attentive. I had the Calabrese which was delicious. I like spicy food and I think it had the perfect amount. I also had the Caesar salad which was also delicious. I loved how the dressing was super light. Our food did take a while to come out but besides that everything was delicious and I will be going back.

    Butternut squash ravioli
    Nabila M.

    Came here for a romantic valentines day dinner and it was fantastic! First reservations are s must as this restaurant is small and extremely busy. We started out with an appetizer, the calamari. Perfect portion and calamari was delicious. Perfect light breading and loved the sauces. Entrees: I ordered the crispy butternut squash ravioli which was cooked in a brown butter sage sauce and topped with crispy kale. This was the most delicious pasta dish i have ever had! The raviolis were plump with filling. I enjoyed this dish so very much. My bf ordered the spicy vodka penne pasta dish. It was delicious and incredibly spicy! just beware. However a delicious dish. For dessert tiramisu which was decadent. Cocktails: i had the blackberry basil lemonata. I hope this cocktail stays on the menu because it was incredibly refreshing. I would order this again every time. Highly recommend Tenutas and we will definitely be back soon!!

    Tiramisu
    Nicole L.

    Make sure you make reservations! Even with reservations, we were waiting in front for awhile for our table. Also be prepared to smell like garlic and oil for the rest of the night. We started with the calamari, which was fine, but not super meaty. We then opted to upgrade our starter salads to Caesar, but it was pretty wimpy so I would maybe just stick to the house salad next time. One of our favorite pasta dishes was the Scampi - it was a perfect blend of garlic, butter, white wine, and spinach. The one we could have probably skipped was the Parmigiana, perfectly acceptable, but nothing to write home about. Another delight was the Funghi, which I'm happy was to share, because the sun dried tomato overpowered the sweet marsala and cream and was super decadent. The best pasta of the night hands down has to be the Agnello - the goat cheese paired with a tomato cream sauce, Calabrian chiles and lamb meatballs? I'm drooling right now thinking about it again. It's a MUST get. We ended with the Tiramisu, which was pretty lacking in our opinion - you could skip that.

    Funghi
    Isabel B.

    Cozy little neighborhood spot. Food was great across the board. We had the free bread (amazing!), arancini, funghi pasta (favorite dish of the night I think!), piccata (indulgent, but the broccoli was just ok), and tiramisu. Service was attentive. We're definitely interested in coming back to try more pastas and their pizza!

    Bernie sighting-he was in town fro a rally
    Barry M.

    We finally made it to Tenuta's! We have always wanted to eat here but it's usually super busy or we just forget about it. The wait is over and the experience was amazing. We went on a Sunday night to celebrate our anniversary since we thought the place would be empty, it wasn't. There was still a very healthy amount of folks there and we had a celebrity sighting that night. Bernie Sanders was in town and I guess he likes Italian food. We started with the Bruschetta and the ingredients could not have been fresher. It was drenched in balsamic which gave it a really nice extra kick of flavor. Plus I'm not sure I've ever had the dish with shallots but vey nice. I had the Angello for my main course and it was soooo good. The lamb meatballs were great and not heavy at all. And the tomato cream sauce with the Calabrian chilies was a fabulous compliment to the dish. We had to try the Tiramisu since that's our deal, no mater how stuffed we are we also try the Tiramisu when we're in an Italian restaurant. Super good and did not dissapoint. The service was great and they have a very nice wine selection. Can't wait to go back.

    Yum!

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    11 days ago

    Wonderful neighborhood restaurant. Service was friendly and food came out quickly. Very family friendly and meals were all hot and delicious

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    2 months ago

    Great food and service. Adorable restaurant located in a beautiful neighborhood. We tried multiple dishes and all were a hit!

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    Page 1 of 12

    Ask the Community - Tenuta's Italian Restaurant

    Can you make reservations?

    What are the parking options?

    Street parking in the local neighborhood

    Gluten free options?

    Yes

    Do they do gf calamari?

    You can order it sautéed in garlic butter vs breaded. Add the Calabrian chiles - yum. Say your ordering it "Kendra style" if you're eating at the bar - they'll know what you mean.

    Don’t See Your Question? Ask Away!

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    Zaffiro's Pizza - Cheese @ Sausage Pizza

    Zaffiro's Pizza

    3.8(446 reviews)
    4.4 miLower East Side
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    Met friends at Zaffiro's for dinner, a place they consider one of their favorites. They have always…read moreraved about how incredible the pizza is, and I have to agree. This old school, family owned restaurant is very much a neighborhood classic that has stood the test of time. The thin crust is the perfect base for the amazingly tangy Italian sauce. The toppings are generously portioned, and the pizza (available in 12" & 14") is cut into squares, which make it all too easy to eat more! We started with the fried mushrooms and eggplant, which were very generously sized. Our table of four barely made a dent. The breading on both was great, trapping in the heat, flavors and firmness of the veggies. The eggplant especially, which in my experience can be mushy, was excellent. I loved how it was served with lemon wedges. The tartness of the lemon mixed with the zest of the marinara sauce made the eggplant something I could have eaten just by itself. The restaurant has a bar area first, then a dining room adjacent. The tables here are packed in pretty tight. We ended up at a corner table, and could bump elbows with the people sitting next to us. Still, everyone was respectful of each other's space and no issues were had. Our servers maneuvered through effortlessly and quickly.

    I love Zaffiro's: so many of my friends think only of pizza but the menu is so much more!…read more There are options for dining (room or by and at the bar) and a full bar. Every time I go, I always think, "They come to take orders or simply check on us the perfect amount"--I know they want to ensure I've got everything I need but they don't feel overbearing (this is regarding servers or the bartender). Finally, I order the same thing each time: garden salad with house Italian dressing and the special pizza (sausage, mushroom, onion). Salad is crisp and the pizza is consistent--the best.

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    Zaffiro's Pizza - Restaurant seating

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    Zaffiro's Pizza - This is the bar near the entry - very comfortable

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    This is the bar near the entry - very comfortable

    Tauro Cocina - Guajillo Risoto

    Tauro Cocina

    4.6(199 reviews)
    4.4 miLower East Side
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    Great ambiance inside and outside. We loved the pizzas and pasta for sharing. Service was fast but…read morewe didn't feel rushed.

    What a fabulous meal and experience atTaurp Cocina! 3 of us…read morewent last Sunday, Aug 23rd, to celebrate a birthday. Actually 2 of the 3 of us had a birthday in the last 4 weeks. 1 of us had been to Tauro Cocina before. The food was excellent! We shared a house salad which was very good. The 3 entries ordered were: Linguine al Poblano, (house-made linguine tossed in our specialty poblano pesto with grilled chicken) Cilantro Risotto (cilantro cream risotto, served with spicy grilled shrimp, topped with shaved parmesan) And Grilled Salmon (served with your choice of risotto & sauteed seasonal. Each one was unique, so flavorful & freshly prepared. Excellent! The service was top notch. I had called earlier to see if they did anything for birthdays. The reply was yes. When arriving the host asked if we were celebrating any special event, confirming my call. Through the entire meal service was attentive without being obtrusive. When our plates were cleaned (with leftovers for each of us) the server brought out plates for both birthday friends. The plates had 3 churros, a small dish of warm chocolate sauce, were decorated with Happy Birthday & a candle. All with finesse. An overall great meal and great experience. Definitely worth visiting & I will be returning.

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    Tauro Cocina - Back room and bar

    Back room and bar

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    Ilegal en Milwaukee

    Zayna's Pizza - Party Wings

    Zayna's Pizza

    2.9(93 reviews)
    4.4 miLower East Side
    $

    I enjoy their food and size. I don't wait along time for delivery. I love their fresh crispy…read morechicken and gravy and mash potatoes

    i wish i could leave 0 stars. i ordered a pizza in the store today. i looked at their…read morecoupon book and it had a 14 inch 1 topping for 15.99 i ordered it with mushrooms. the counter girl says its 16.99 and t he booklet is out dated. i say well its your coupon ,why do you have out dated ones on the counter, and she says well that it needs to be updated. i mean if its old get it off the counter, or give me the adverized price ......!!! what place does that ? so the pizza. the crust is white, no color,no flavor, the cheese is white and looks like it was just steamed , no color, no flavor , if it WAS real cheese, its the worst. then the mushrooms, they are canned, no pizzeria uses canned mushrooms unlesss you ask for them in the few places that still have them. the pizza sauce???? all that can be said is that it was red,other than that it wasnt pizza sauce, at least not like any pizzeria makes it.under cooked , canned mushrooms, sauce that should not be called pizza sauce,cheese??? that ,well i dont know what , but it didnt taste like any cheese i ever had at a real pizzeria. just shy of 19 dollars and it went in the garbage can. its been decades since i ate thiers and i; never will again . if you want pizza go to lisas, balistreris, calderone, zaffiros ,fillippo's and enjoy it. they are almost the same price ( WOW) and great pie, dont make a mistake like this

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    Zayna's Pizza - Seafood Sampler

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    San Giorgio Pizzeria Napoletana

    San Giorgio Pizzeria Napoletana

    4.5(373 reviews)
    3.7 miDowntown, Westown
    $$

    This is a must try if you're in Milwaukee!…read more Watching the pizzas being made right in front of you is an experience in itself. The open kitchen lets you see the craftsmanship that goes into every order, and the team is friendly, welcoming, and happy to interact with guests. Their passion for what they do really stands out. I definitely ordered more than I could finish, but it was worth it! I recommend enjoying the pizza at the restaurant since it's best fresh from the oven. Since this is an authentic Italian restaurant, they don't serve ranch with their pizza, which I completely understand. I personally love a good ranch with my pizza, but that's just my preference. The Caprese salad was fresh and flavorful, and the pasta ball appetizer was delicious. Between the quality of the food, the welcoming atmosphere, and getting to watch everything come together, this was one of my favorite dining experiences in Milwaukee. I will definitely be back.

    12/10 Absolutely a must go!…read more One of the only places willing to accommodate a larger reservation for my graduation dinner which was a huge plus. I was also excited to try this place because we have had Calderone club (same ownership) and we love it. This place exceeded expectations with a specialty of neopolitan pizza from a brick oven it truly is great! I would also recommend their cocktails which are just as good as the food. We also enjoyed their special pasta and the eggplant fries. Everyone was silent during dinner as they were busy enjoying. We also enjoyed our server who engaged with us entered great conversations and made tremendous recommendations. We loved the Friday night atmosphere as well make sure to grab a reservation.

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    San Giorgio Pizzeria Napoletana - Cannoli

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    Tenuta's Italian Restaurant - italian - Updated September 2026

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