I don't know why any one should whine about this delightful restaurant. The four of us had a large pear pizza, lasagne, a big salad, and an interesting apple pie dessert. When the pizza was served a bit on the cool side, the waiter heated it up and improved it a good thirty percent. True, the narrow aisles present a challenge to the busy waiters, but overall, the place is charming! read more

Had dinner here today with friends who wanted to check out my son's newish town (first year at UCSC).... Pros- flavors of each dish were quite tasty. We had six people in total and all together ordered the short rib ravioli, seafood stew, spaghetti and meatballs, roasted beets, French onion soup, potatoes with dip, a salad and a pizza. My favorite bite was the lasagna. The top had nicely melted and crispy cheese... very good! I also enjoyed the crispy potatoes with dip. The French onion soup didn't have a lot of color, but it still had a very distinct and tasty flavor. Outside of the food, the restaurant has a great outdoor area that's dog friendly! There is also a nice sized private parking lot. Oh, and if you pay in cash, there's a discount! Cons- I was craving spaghetti and meatballs, it just sounded so good to me! This was I think it's the first time I've ever ordered it at a restaurant (usually make it at home!) while I thought the dish had good flavor, I felt the pasta was slightly overcooked. It was not al dente... the meatballs also didn't have a lot of color, so that was disappointing. The seafood stew a friend ordered was small. She said it was good, but we overheard someone at a different table say that the stew used to be huge and it currently is not... Coloring... typically color equals flavor, so it was odd that several dishes had little coloring, but they did still taste good! Some things I didn't care as much for, but we all enjoyed the flavors of each dish... read more

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A family owned and operated restaurant! Our table of 4 was lucky enough to snag a same-day reservation. Highly recommend booking ahead! This spot was packed with locals, even late into the night at 9 PM. We'd read some reviews about slower service, but our experience was smooth. The team is attentive, kindly flag them down and have some patience, they're managing customers both indoor and patio diners. We had our orders ready before being seated, which helped moved things quickly. Water refills came without asking, & we received our orders in a timely manner. However we did notice if you ordered an oven baked dish--pizza, calzones. Those took much longer. They seemed to be an establishment that liked serving all the orders at once so be prepared to wait. Onto the food! Seriously the most delicious pastas and sauces I have had (and I am an absolute pasta snob)!!! Ranked from best: Gnocchi Tricolore ($28) Trofie Al Pesto ($28) Spaghetti & Meatballs ($29) Prawns Diavola ($21) Gnocchi Tricolore was absolutely perfect! Texture on point, not mushy, tender al dente. The sauce amazing compliment to the pasta, I've never had both pasta and sauce be stars of the whole dish. The Trofie Al Pestowas unique and a fun twist! It swept up the pesto well with its coils. Spaghetti & Meatballs was a comforting classic with tender meatballs. Prawns Diavola were good, but more standard. Bacon-wrapped shrimp with a smaller portion for the price ($21 for 5 pieces, though we did appreciate the extra piece thank you!!) Overall one of the BEST spots in town I would come back to Santa Cruz solely for this restaurant. read more

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Best Italian restaurant I've ever had. * pesto (5/5) - perfect Al dente, creamy sauce, comes w green beans and potato! * spaghetti meatball (4/5) * gnocchi (4/5) Service is very sweet and prompt. Loved the wooden centerpiece table, booth seating, and more. Awesome ambiance. Would love to come back. read more

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Beautiful Italian eatery in Santa Cruz with delicious food!! We went for our anniversary dinner with kids and thoroughly enjoyed eating here!! Best was the penne pescatora pasta with seafood and the salmon/calamari/clams were very well cooked with the delicious sauce mixed with white wine. Also enjoyed the mama Rosa pizza with eggplant and zucchini. Surely try the tramonti local red wine very smooth and refreshing! The restaurant is very pretty from inside and open till 9pm and the service was top notch! Highly recommended!! read more

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Great dinner in all respects - servers were great , food was amazing and the restaurant decor has been freshened up since our last visit. I hope to return soon - really super good mid-town Italian food that has upped its already high standards. read more

What a cute little restaurant! Three of us came at noon on a Saturday and it was really quiet. There was only one other customer in the restaurant. The place is nicely decorated, colorful and joyful. We ordered family style and shared a Seafood Stew, a Spaghetti with Meatballs, and a Boscaiola pizza (sausage and mushrooms). Food was rather delicious. The Seafood Stew was very tasty, it came with shrimps, clams, calamari, and fish. The Spaghetti with Meatballs came with three large meatballs. The sauce was very yummy. Pizza was very well made also. Service was kinda lacking. Our server was nice and he did come and checked on us a couple of times. But other than that, he was working around the restaurant: in the bar area or on the side wrapping utensils with napkins. It was very hard to get his attention. Other than that, it was a pretty nice and relaxing meal. Prices are also very reasonable. read more

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I want to share this experience because it matters, especially for those who keep kosher. We ordered the eggplant dish, trusting it was vegetarian. After taking a bite, I immediately realized it contained meat. I calmly approached the staff to clarify, and the man confidently insisted it was "just eggplant," pointing to basil on top as proof. I explained again that it wasn't correct, yet he continued to tell me I was mistaken. Eventually, after the waitress brought the plate to the kitchen, it turned out I was right -- it wasn't eggplant at all. It was a regular meat lasagna. No eggplant in sight, and more importantly, it was not kosher. This wasn't only about preference; it was about consuming meat and dairy together, which is a serious issue for anyone who keeps kosher, eats kosher out of respect, or is dining with someone who does. I didn't expect anything taken off the bill, but I did expect basic acknowledgement. Instead, I was told I was wrong when I was clearly correct. Mistakes happen -- but doubling down on them, especially with something so integral to dietary laws, is unacceptable. And beyond that incident, the food overall was average at best, which made the whole experience even more disappointing. read more

We stumbled upon this Italian restaurant in Santa Cruz by chance and ended up having a great time. I could sum it up in five words - laid-back ambiance, delicious food. I had their Honey Kolsch, the rotating brew of the day, and it was refreshing. For food, we ordered the Diavola and Meo Pizza (I asked for half and half, and they accommodated, which was nice), the Diavola Shrimp, and the Minestrone Soup. Everything was delicious! The Diavola Pizza was my favorite - the crust was fresh, tasty on its own, and had the perfect balance of crunch and chewiness. The spicy Soppressata, Peperoncino Calabrese, and that hot chili on top? A-1! The whole vibe of the place is laid-back - no one's in a rush to take your order or your money, but once you do order, the service is quick, which is great. Overall, definitely recommend! read more

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My fiance and I stopped in here on a Saturday night for a nice meal before leaving Santa Cruz. My fiance ordered the spaghetti pomodoro and I ordered the Margherita pizza. Not the most adventurous of plates, I know, but we wanted something simple before getting on a plane. Besides the pilsner I ordered, I just wasn't impressed by anything. For starters, the table bread was brought out to us in a cheap little paper baggie by the guy who clears tables. He couldn't even be bothered to put it on a plate or in a basket, so my fiancé and I are digging into a paper baggie for bread like a couple of hobos. Zero stars for presentation. Our meals were brought out by yet another employee who was not our waitress, which really annoys me when restaurants do this. Who am I tipping? The server who took our order, the guy who brought us bread, or the guy who brought us our food? Anyway, according to my fiancé, the spaghetti was good but the margherita pizza, while not necessarily bad, wasn't really that great either. Forgettable may be the word I'm looking for. I get this pizza almost anywhere that offers it. It's my favorite kind of pizza. I've had much better margherita pizza. The cheese they used was seemingly just regular shredded mozzarella, not fresh, real mozzarella like a good margherita is supposed to have. So I effectively got a regular cheese pizza. No seasonings that I could taste, the basil was cooked and wilted underneath the cheese instead of added on top after it came out like it's supposed to be. And for $23?! Yikes.. It was an unmemorable dish all around. At least it was hot, I guess. Our server was nice but as I mentioned before, she did little to actually earn her tip. She took our orders and charged my card. Is that worth 20%? It wasn't awful but I certainly wouldn't go back if we were in Santa Cruz again. read more

The ambience of this place was stunning. There was dim lighting and lots of heating for the outdoor seating so it was very comfortable. My biggest issue however would be that it took about 25 minutes for our order to be taken and about 45 minutes for our order to be served. The table sat next to us received their bread and water much quicker than ours as well. Besides this, the food was great and the portions were large. I enjoyed the gnocchi dish and the Margherita pizza a lot. All things aside, it was an enjoyable Valentine's Day dinner. read more

Tramonti - Italian Near Me - Santa Cruz, California

Everything about our experience here for dinner was amazing. The staff was so friendly, checked on us often and just made for a lovely visit. The interior is SO cute and such a great place to catch up and relax with friends and family. Food was absolutely delicious (super fresh and hot!) and the bread to start was a bonus. Had some great wine, great food, and just an overall lovely visit. Would absolutely return. read more

Came here on my birthday with my little family. Great service overall! Our waitress, Blaise, was very attentive, and kind. The male Italian host was respectful and attentive to our needs as well. The food was delicious, fresh and flavorful. read more

I love going to Tramonti! It's like going to Italy without hopping on a plane. From the minute you walk in you feel like you're in Italy. The ambiance is wonderful! The servers and busboys are very attentive and have been trained well. Most importantly the food tastes great and comes hot to your table. Not an overblown fancy restaurant, just down home food like you'd get In Italy. read more

This place is becoming our go to favorite for Italian. The food is amazing, service impressive and overall atmosphere is welcoming and inviting. We started with the Bruschetta made with homemade toasted bread. This is by far one of our favorites! We also had the Burrata & Caponata Siciliana. The flavors just pop. Our table raved over the fresh ingredients and the cheese. Great starters! We had the Lobster and Crab Ravioli and the Margherita Pizza for our mains. The Ravioli was a special menu item and was a decadently, delicious dinner. We love how the tables are all around the main table in the middle of the restaurant. It makes for a great community dining experience. Table interacted with other diners and sent drinks back and forth to new acquaintances. It makes for such an enjoyable dining experience. I can't wait to go back to try a list of menu items that caught my eye. The Gnocchi and the Seafood Stew are definitely in our future! read more

Tramonti - Homemade Bruschetta and Burrata & Caponata - Italian Near Me - Santa Cruz, California

The ambience is delightful as is the food. We celebrated our wedding anniversary. They comped us two bubbly drinks. Salute! read more

Tramonti - The ambience is delightful as is the food. We celebrated our wedding anniversary. They comped us two bubbly drinks. Salute! - Italian Near Me - Santa Cruz, California

Let's get this out there first: the portions are HUGE. No seriously. All four of the entrees could easily have fed two people each. No other review seems to have mentioned that so we were shocked. Generous leftovers for lunch the next day. Summary: cozy throwback eatery with super friendly staff and solid food up and down the menu Details: first impression is the room is smallish but it's surprisingly spacious with seating on covered side and back patios. We had a dedicated server but everyone seemed to help out throughout the meal. One staff was still taking our order while another showed up with the bottle of wine we just asked for. Super nice and super efficient. One drawback: the acoustics aren't great so can be hard to hear each other. Cauliflower gratin: rich, bordering on decadent. Finished under broiler. Perfect to share with four but two of us would probably finish it. Burrata & beets: Burrata was silky (as it should be). Worked better with bread than pita (although pita was excellent) Olives: generous portion. Contains pita. Meatballs & polenta: solid but not crave worthy. marked as gf but ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ Lingcod Portuguese: did I say this was huge? Must have been the whole fish with a full potato as wedges. Even a large appetite couldn't finish it. Tartufo pizza: two mushrooms (porcini, cremini) amped up with fontina and white truffle. veggie and expertly cooked. Lasagna: what lasagna should be. Layers and layers of cheesy goodness but somehow delicate. I had my leftovers for breakfast :) Tramonti is an inviting, cozy family-run restaurant with good wholesome food. read more

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Amazing food, top shelf Santa Cruz spirit. From the raviolis to the pizzas and the catch of the day, Tramonti's always makes our dining experience the best. Thank you folks! read more

My family always comes here when we visit Santa Cruz. Never disappoints. Sometimes the wait can be long, but it's worth it. read more

Extremely overpriced mediocre food. The side of potatoes was the best thing we had! $30 for lasagna? And $16 for bruschetta made from the same bread they give you for free and tasteless tomatoes? Why do people come here to eat? You're wayyy better off heading over to Lillian's where the pasta is $18-25 and really good!! read more

Service was great, but food was easily the worst Italian I've ever had. Came with 6 dudes (not picky at all when it comes to restaurants) and nobody finished their food. Pizza was obviously microwaved/pre frozen, ravioli had no flavor, pasta was okay, wouldn't come here again. read more

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I had heard so much about this restaurant, but honestly was pretty disappointed. The food is okay, it's not horrible, but it is also not the best pasta around. I would say it's pretty overpriced based on the food and service you get, but honestly the ambiance of the restaurant is absolutely stunning!! The interior was beautiful and the drinks were very pretty as well. If you do end up coming here, I wouldn't recommend getting the pesto pasta. It's only, but definitely not the best pasta. It has potatoes and asparagus in it, and personally I really was not a fan of that. read more

Tramonti - Trofie Al Pesto - Italian Near Me - Santa Cruz, California

We had such an amazing time for my husbands birthday ! The food is spectacular!! The staff so attentive!! The owner Luka was so kind !! All of this and an amazing ambiance !!! Can't wait to go back !!! read more

Staff didn't let my tired 5 year old sit in a puff just because. This business is tagged as family friendly under yelps preferences but it is obviously not What a disgrace read more

I had the best experience with my 1 year old daughter. This was her first fine dining experience and the staff treating me and my daughter so well. The food was amazing too! read more

The food is great and the service is good. These folks definitely know how to celebrate your birthday! Strongly recommend. Thanks for a great birthday dinner Tramonti! read more

The food here is AMAZING. I've gone twice here in the last 2 months. The first time I got the spring and summer pizza special, Pizza mortadella stracciatella and pistachio. Came back a second time to get it again! Huge portion it's amazing. Also go the Penne alla pescatora pasta the first time but decided on the sea food stew the second and enjoyed it more. Both are amazing choices. Contadina salad was good but nothing insane. Tiramisu was delicious but small. Atmosphere was so amazing. Loved the ambience, music, decor, and vibes. Service wasn't great. Had to ask to get water multiple times and plates were never cleared even after we ordered dessert. Took a lot to get our servers attention. read more

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Not a great experience. They moved our reservation, substituted meatballs for short ribs on a prefix menu, overdone filet mignon skewer plus ran out of one dessert option. The plus side was they removed our corkage fee. It is a vibrant atmosphere as well. The waitress was very nice. Not a good night for Tramonti. read more

Very bad service. Server was very slow and we had to go to the bar to get water more than once. He just did the absolute minimum and expected a tip. Food is pretty good. My son hated the lasagna. Big burned slab of bechamel. There is only one, one person bathroom, so it's shocking that they are allowed to operate with so many people. The line was very long every time I looked over there. read more

Everybody in our 15 person party was delighted with our food! Our server, Beata had great recommendations and did a great job serving a large party! I had the seafood stew and it was delicious, three people in our party had the short rib raviolis, and they all loved it! The salads and chicken Parm I heard were very good too, will definitely be going back! read more

I cook a lot and I'm good! I can't get close to some of Tramonti's dishes .... With the wonderful dining room and outdoor seating ... I'm never eating in a bad location..The wait staff is excellent and professional. ... My Favorite!! read more

We have always loved going to Tramontis because of their great food and fun welcoming atmosphere. We recently used their catering menu for a party of 10 with a lasagna tray, a salad tray a Tiramasu tray! Absolutely delicious with lots of left overs! read more

Oooops we showed up on a Tuesday without a reservation! In all honesty we wanted to have some vacation fun, eat some tiramisu while waiting for to-go pizza. The guy I can assume was the manager or owner who greeted us definitely was annoyed we didn't have a reservation, but he found us a table to sit at. We were given waters and delicious bread to nom on while we waited for our tiramisu and wine, and we let our waitress know that we wanted to take our pizzas to go, and she was super sweet and didn't seem to mind. The same manager/owner who sat us promptly took our bread away lol, but I guess that's because we had dessert coming out as a main course. It was pretty funny to be honest (we're easy going, do whatever you want). We didn't open our pizza boxes until we got home, and we did get the wrong pizza, but that's ok it was delicious regardless. Would love to come back WITH a reservation and sit and dine for a whole meal, because the place is super cute and the outdoor seating is a total vibe. read more

I rarely write reviews, but this experience deserves one. From the moment we arrived (we had a reservation) the service was disappointing. Once seated it took over 15 minutes for anyone to even acknowledge us. It took another 15-20 minutes for our server to take our order. The food was decent but nothing so grand to overlook the poor service. I had to ask for our check twice and finally had to go to the bar to pay. The staff seemed uninterested and inattentive the entire time, as if we were an inconvenience rather than paying customers. The real kicker? When I politely mentioned on the way out that this was our first time dining here--and likely our last--the staff laughed and mocked the comment as we walked out the door. That level of unprofessionalism is beyond unacceptable. If this is how they treat new customers, I can only imagine how they treat regular ones. Definitely won't be back. read more

We had an absolutely wonderful experience here. The food was delicious--fresh, flavorful, and clearly made with care--but what really stood out was the service. The staff went above and beyond to make us feel welcome and taken care of.My daughter wanted ketchup with her potatoes, and when they didn't have any on hand, they literally went next door to get some just for her. That level of thoughtfulness and hospitality is rare and so appreciated.Amazing food, outstanding service, and people who genuinely care. My husband who is full blooded Italian gave it two thumbs up....We'll definitely be back! read more

Tramonti can be counted on for a great experience and meal. We have gone several times and have not been disappointed. Great food and excellent service. read more

So freaking good. Pizza and pasta was amazing. We had a party of 10 and they were able to make it work for us. Staff was extremely friendly. Great job guys. read more

Tramonti - Italian Near Me - Santa Cruz, California

Had a birthday lunch w dear friends and as always such excellent food, ambience, staff! Love this! Been coming since it opened!

Service, food and dessert were great. Very friendly staff. My wife and I stayed very satisfied with dinner and would definitely come back again. read more

The service at this place is absolutely phenomenal but I'm struggling to rate it higher than 3 stars. The pros: - Our server was genuinely the nicest person ever. I wish I could remember her name because she was super friendly and caring. - The gluten free pizza was amazing. One of the best I've ever had (note: it's thin crust) The neutral: - The video game systems in the side shed didn't work and seemed broken/powered off. - Soft drink choices seemed a little sparse. - The chicken on the salad seemed dry - The cost-to-value ratio seemed a little off (maybe costs have gone up in the market) read more