Another fabulous night at Vista Vino. We had such a good time during our last celebration, that we wanted to celebrate another birthday here. Michael was our waiter again, providing excellent service and great suggestions for dinner. The restaurant was bright with the evening sun. We started off with Calamari and Crispy Ravioli with a fabulous basil chimichurri. Dan had added a few new dishes that Michael recommended - Pan Seared Barramundi parsley risotto, grilled asparagus, brown butter sage sauce. The dish was prepared with care and delicious. Chianti Braised Short Rib was our other dish which satisfied our palates many times over. For dessert, Chocolate Crème Brûlée with Frangelico. And of course, we could not leave without a satisfying taste of their famous Limoncello. read more

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Went as a group of 4 and we fit perfectly. Might not be a great place for larger groups but 6ish should be okay. Upscale food and a little dressy for sure. Our food was good across the board but not great and that's not bad. The pricing is reasonable (outside of some drinks/cocktails) and the staff is friendly and responsive. The parking situation sucks but that's the nature of there they are (you will need to remember your license plate to give to the hostess when you walk in) There are a few good Italian choices in Castle rock and this is one of them for sure but I'm not sure it's our first choice. That being said, we will likely be back at some point. read more

Vista Vino - Dining table - Italian Near Me - Castle Rock, Colorado

Looks so cute. Parking in shared lot for the strip of businesses. Can be crowded. Street parking also available. Was greeted and seated right away. Made a reservation as that's what is recommended on their social media. The bread with olive oil was not bad. Lightweight and not heavy. I decided on the Prince Edward Island Mussels because I've seen them posted on their social media. When they were served, a fishy smell wafted up to me. I don't like that smell. Not a good smell. The mussels themselves were ok. Lack of any taste, even in the sauce. I usually like dunking bread in the sauce but this one didn't taste that good. The server was friendly and very nice. As was the bus person who brought me water. However, I'm not sure I'd eat here again. The dishes are quite pricey. And this meal was meh. Cute place though. read more

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Had our Valentines dinner at Vista Vino. I was very excited since it has been about 5-6 years since I last visited. I know the place has changed owners since I was last there. My favorite dish in the past was the Bolognese. They had Bison Bolognese on the menu. Unfortunately it was nothing like the original dish. It really seemed like ground bison with very little sauce and flavor. The service was pretty good for being a busy evening. The ambiance hasn't changed and feels quaint and inviting. read more

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We showed up a few minutes early for a Thursday night reservation we clearly didn't need, as they were mostly empty around 6:15 when we walked in. We were interested in hearing about the recent menu revamp...that is until my wife saw that the pesto tortellini, her favorite dish in all of Castle Rock, was no longer on the menu. Told that it didn't pass the test of enough frequent ordering to remain, it was replaced with other options. While not thrilled, my wife ordered the pesto gnocchi, which she thought was good, but not as good as the former tortellini dish. She declared later perhaps the most damning comment: the next time she's in the mood for a pasta dish she loves, she's more likely to visit another Italian institution a little further south off of Wilcox. They did have a lasagna dish, short rib, and a few other things that sounded good, so we'll see on our next time there. I, on the other hand, was happy to see the sea bass, my favorite dish, still on the menu. While it wasn't great on the last visit, it was as good as it's ever been tonight. If you like sea bass, get it. It's unlikely you'll regret it. Our daughter got the fettuccine Alfredo, which she got and loved on the previous visit. She noted that tonight's portion was smaller than last time. On the last visit, she had extra for the next day. Not so much tonight. It's ok, however, because tonight's dish was bland and not so creamy. I tasted and agreed with her assessment. She'll get something else next time around. Service from Michael A. was prompt, friendly, and courteous the entire meal. The bread (we think they changed that as well) was refilled once, and time waiting for drinks, food, etc., was minimal. Now, there weren't a lot of other people there, so the kitchen likely wasn't backed up, but it was nice to have a meal there that didn't last multiple hours. read more

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This was always a great place and I've enjoyed it many times over many years. I think we went through 3 owners, with the food-ambiance-vibe the best with the first. The first owners also had the best menu. With the next two owners it was never the same, but still good food and service. Sorry to see it go. read more

I rarely ever ever give five stars to a restaurant but Vista Vino set the bar the moment I set my foot through their door. My wife, my two sisters and I was searching for a restaurant that would satisfy all our cravings that day, from seafood to steak, something light and something hefty...Vista Vino nailed it. The door was opened and we were asked to come in by a sweet gentle voice. The warm welcome followed with some sincere small talk as Chef Ignazio Mulei himself seated us at the chef's table. Already I knew this was going to be a great experience. And just this small interaction alone was better than any restaurant I've ever had. This built up our excitement. We ordered calamari and baked clams for apps; Chianti Braised Short Ribs, Hyplains Heritage 90 Days Aged Ribeye, Chilean Sea Bass (special), and Tortellini Pesto for our entrées; and their cheese cake, tiramisu, chocolate cake and raspberry moose for dessert. Every single bite was loaded with flavor! Our excitement didn't prep us for what we were tasting. Each dish were equally impressive we couldn't pick a favorite but loved them all. The biggest thing to note, my wife do not like fish and seafood, but I told her if she took a bite of that sea bass she's gonna change her mind. Amazingly, she agreed to give it a try. I watched her take a bite and her face lit up the way it did for the pasta and steak. She loved it! The quality, freshness, marriage of ingredients satisfied our search for light food, yet the portions and cuts were so generous we had a couple to-go boxes. Oh but we had room for dessert, always. And just like their entrées, each bite was so wonderful, nothing was heavy or too rich, it was Goldilock's just right. From our table, we were able to see how much care and pride each staff had. We observed and felt the loyal relationships between Chef and the long time goers. The space is small, the decor is a little funky, but none of that matters when you can feel that kind of love around food from everyone. read more

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We stopped in Castlerock and found this amazing warm, romantic .welcoming,sheek Decore,, it was a great wine selection and the waitress Vivian us personalized and caring service with exceptional service read more

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1st would LOVE to say our our waitress (wish I would have gotten her name)- she was amazing! We have now lived in CR for 5 months & have gone to MANY restaurants downtown- this place was the 1st place we have been disappointed with. We went for happy hour, wanted to try it for the 1st time. We ordered 3 apps $10 each- none were on par with the flavor that was expected to accompany such a "high end restaurant" - then we also wanted to give an entree a try- nope, not good at all, the chicken looked boiled w a par grilled for 30seconds, the Alfredo sauce was barely existent, the flavor extremely bland (noodles with Alfredo, we added chicken). However; THE BREAD (kiss the chef!)- delicious! They should sell this by the loaf! The happy hour $5 glasses of wine, good as well (red & white). Can I go for just wine & bread??? If so, I'll be back, otherwise- I'll go elsewhere. So many delicious places to choose from in CR, but unfortunately, this place did not hit the mark 2 stars: 1- for the waitress & 1 for the bread! read more

I'm only mad I did try this place sooner. Everything we ate was phenomenal and the service was excellent. The bread was included and came with olive oil and balsamic. I'd recommend this place based on just the bread, it was a fresh, well-seasoned, flavorful focaccia. We also had the burrata, lobster ravioli, pesto gnocchi, and tiramisu crème brûlée. I get the impression that it was all made from scratch- I'd give every single thing we ate a 10/10. We've had a really hard time finding an Italian restaurant that has both good quality AND quantity. We've found it's either high quality, creative, from-scratch and tiny portions or low quality, boring food in large portions. Vista vino is the sweet spot. Their dishes are creative and flavorful, made with quality ingredients, and you really get the value in what you pay for. We are excited to go back and try out more of their menu. read more

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We went here for my birthday and everything we had did not disappoint. The cocktails, appetizers, main courses, and dessert were all so so good. We will definitely be going once a month! read more

Folks, I had to downgrade my review slightly based on the overwhelming garlic for every main dish when we went in February 2023 under the new ownership. The atmosphere was still lovely, and the appetizers and salads were nice. Arancini are always lovely, and the roasted pear and mascarpone pasta purses remain pure heaven. But, literally all main dishes were almost inedible to my family's palate due to extreme garlic, even in things you wouldn't expect to be hugely garlicky like pasta carbonara with chicken. We left the majority of the main dishes on the plate and declined a take home box. At these upscale prices, that may be a first for me. I hope they've found their stride under new ownership in the past month or two! The owner also owns the hugely respected Odyssey Restaurant in Denver. My caution is that when you go to Vista Vino, ask about every main dish whether it has any garlic (even if you wouldn't think it would) and ask them to eliminate or reduce it as much as possible. (Once never knows what they might be preparing in advance with that ingredient that can't be backed out, like a sauce.) read more

Closed restaurant - I used to like it. Now a good breakfast spot called Castle View. Same ambiance.

This restaurant is no longer open. We had reservations tonight at 5:30pm and doors were locked and the place looked vacant. Why are they still accepting reservations? read more

I've been wanting to try Vista Vino since we moved to Castle Rock late summer. Decided to have my birthday dinner there tonight. Husband had the chicken Marsala, and I had the tortellini with pesto cream sauce. Both were deemed delicious, and half of each came home with us. Before dinner, delicious bread was served with our beer and wine, and replenished after it quickly disappeared. Husband had the small garden salad, and I had the small Caesar salad. Very good, and nicely dressed. Service was excellent from start to finish, and I was delighted that my dessert was "comped" since it was my birthday. This is not a "trendy" restaurant, but the ambiance was good. Holiday music and decor very nice. We will definitely return, and recommend you give it a try if you have not yet done so. read more

We went there with friends. The charcuterie board was excellent with fresh sourdough bread. All our entrees were very good! I would highly recommend this restaurant. read more

We think this is the best restaurant in Castle Rock. Unique but traditional too. Service is great as well.

This is a simply Amazing dining experience! We ordered the Lamb chops which were cooked to perfection, and the Braised Shortribs, fall apart deliciousness, in a sauce that was to die for! It is also very worth it, the atmosphere, our server and the Chef all ensured that everything exceeded our expectations, we will be back! read more

Vista Vino - Italian Near Me - Castle Rock, Colorado

Probably one of the worst dining experiences we've had in 20 years. Service was nonexistent. Took an hour to actually place our dinner order, then 30 min later we were told monk fish wasn't available, letting us know at the table that our order hadn't even been fired yet. If staffing was the problem, don't care. Businesses deal with staffing issues all the time. Close the restaurant for the night if can't manage it. Also, I suggest if food is going to take that long, offer up some bread for the table. That was odd. Two hour dining experience, food just meh. read more

Service was great. People super friendly. Happy hour wine is a great deal and was good. Bread and oil was very good. All the food we ordered was pretty underwhelming. They need help here. But they have lots of fans. So maybe it's just us. The papardele Alfredo sauce almost seemed like powdered sauce that hadn't been fully dissolved. Apps of peppers, dried ravioli, and chicken sliders just were under seasoned. Pretty disappointed in the food but service was stellar and on point with a good atmosphere. Kudos to that. read more

Seriously the best place I have eaten in Castle Rock! The chef moved from a bigger venue and knows what he is doing. He also came out and spoke with us to check on the food. Delicious, cozy, romantic, worthy!!! read more

This is a great little italian spot in downtown Castle Rock. The service was excellent and we all enjoyed our starters (crab cakes, burrata and arancini) along with mains (penne bolognese and veal marsala). That limoncello cake we ordered just "to have a bite" was pretty much gone by the time we left. Overall it's a great place for some nice Italian food read more

Celebrating a birthday with friends. We made a reservation and were very excited to experience Vista Vino. Our dining experience started out great - good food, atmosphere etc... but suffice it to say- it didn't end that way! We finished our meal, and spent some time visiting (keeping in mind - we spent what I would consider a lot for our meals, beverages and the ambiance $$$. After paying our bill, and a short time of visitation the staff member politely told us people were waiting on our table. While I get this is a small atmosphere, with limited seating, I've never been asked to leave a restaurant. Especially after watching a group of six leaving right after we vacated. The wait was not that significant. It's not like there was a line out the door. Nice place, decent food, but there are other great places more accommodating. Ruined our experience and time with friends/bday celebration. read more

Small, quaint and quiet place. Excellent food and service. Peaceful environment too! Really liked this place.

Beyond 5 star eatery! First time to dine at Vista Vino since the new owner, Ignacio from Sicily purchased the establishment. A sincere warm greeting upon arrival. Ambiance, music, efficient warm server, Michelle, added to a perfect date night experience! Michelle suggested special entrees that are most definitely chef created and plated served w a smile and I must write, absolutely the tastiest CO buffalo bolognese I've ever eaten. Husbands special dish w sausage and the best meatball EVER (and there are a few establishments in Castle Rock serving good meat balls) but Ignacio's was spot on delicious! Vista vino is a must visit ...short drive off I-25 through historic downtown Castle Rock; a town halfway between Co Spgs and Denver. A MUST stop and dine for a very enjoyable, happy we visited, we will return again, best date night in Cadtle Rock! read more

Had a 7:15 reservation last Saturday night, walked in and the place was packed. Waited for a minute or so as nobody was up front and got seated at a small table pushed up to the wall in the back. Not an ideal location, from the last time we were there it seems like they added more tables so you'd better be comfy having close by neighbors. Our waiter didn't seem to be too into it. He didn't go over any of the specials that I heard for other tables just asked what we wanted to drink and said he'd bring some bread back, which he did a bit later. Bread and dipping sauce were good though. Food was good, we had the Bison bolognese and Veal Osobuco. Originally ordered the pork but they came out at some point to say it was sold out. Happened to the table next to us as well but I heard the lady complain she ordered 30 minutes ago and why did it take so long to figure out. Never saw our waiter during our meal either, I had drank my wine by that point and probably would have had a second but I wasn't going to chase him down. While the food was good the lack of service at this price point will probably have us thinking twice about going again any time soon read more

Great restaurant & service! The food is delicious.. If you get Michelle for a server that's a bonus!

The staff was so friendly! We went for an impromptu dinner after wanting to go there for a while. We were so impressed and wish we wouldn't have waited so long to try it out! The food was delicious and the ambiance was so nice. Romantic/quaint/laid back, but also so friendly with the staff and other patrons. read more

Amazing food and service even though they were short staffed was wonderful. Drinks were great and the pasta was awesome

Bison bolognese: so so so good Special of Salmon with Miso reduction: one of the best things I've ever eaten in my life. Tiramisu: fabulous Service was great and informative Ambiance: sitting next to the windows can be a bottle but they have a personal table heater read more

We've lived here in Castle Rock for 3 years. I can't believe we've never been here. I was looking to support local and find somewhere nice for the wife and myself. We walked in and met Paul. He's a very engaging person. Found out he's from Michigan like I am. GO BLUE! Got seated and looked the menu over. We wanted to order it ALL! So many amazing options! Our waitress didn't make it any easier by telling us the specials. :-) Started with lobster ravioli which could've been a meal itself. We could've stopped there and been happy. Time to order the entree. We settled on ribeye for myself and pasta for the wife. I don't have words to describe how good my steak was. A buttery 90 day aged piece of meat. Yum! The accompanying potatoes were seasoned with green chiles. That was a first for me. My wife couldn't stop raving about her pasta and crab cake. We finished up with tiramisu. We found a new favorite. We will go back again and again. read more

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This place used to be fantastic with incredibly high quality, high finesse food. We used to go there at least once every 10 days. It just changed owners and we gave it three tries. I'm sad to report that it just isn't very good any more. The food is ordinary at best (examples: mushy, overcooked pasta, salads drowning in dressing, severely overcooked shrimp, etc. etc. ) and the prices are way too high for such mediocre/bad food. We won't be going back. We sure do miss the last three or so years of Vista Vino. read more

I love this place. It is perfect for a calm and delicious date night! The staff is incredible the owner is friendly too! I would definitely recommend this place! The food is delicious. I got the seafood Diavolo. It was amazing! The best I have had. Penne rustica was great too! They always have amazing specials too. Please try this place you won't regret it! read more

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My tasters loved the bolognese and the carbonara. I had the beet salad ( small, but as describe on the menu). They also enjoyed the burrata. They described it all as a ten plus. I am on dairy free and gluten free right now, so there wasn't too much for me. Yes they do have gluten free pasta, I just wasn't in the mood. I would have splurged on the pear starter if they could have made it GF. Also,the wine list is surprisingly very good!!!!! I say this place is the BEST in the area!!!! read more

Vista Vino - A rare dinner out with my Grace. - Italian Near Me - Castle Rock, Colorado

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I was visiting my Mom in Castle Rock and tried Vista Vino for the first time. The ambiance is lovely. Great setting for a date. Loved the dim lighting and overall classy but homey vibe. Tables were a bit close together so if you're seeking a romantic venue, come a bit early or late. Service was stellar. Our waitress, Michellle was kind and attentive. The owner also stopped by to chat. The food was good/ok. I wish I could say great but the arancini was under seasoned and could have been more golden (fried longer). I've had arancini in southern Italy and Sicily and they are usually bigger and more aggressively seasoned. The sauce on the side was more like a salsa than an authentic tomato sauce. The flavor profile just seemed off. My bison bolognese was better but the ratio of pasta to sauce was less than balanced. Reheating the night after, it was very good. My mom enjoyed her rigatoni with sausage and meatballs but complained the sausage was too spicy and the meatballs were flat. I tried the meatball and was underwhelmed. This dish had the opposite issue: too little sauce the pasta was dry. I would definitely try this place again and would order something different. I wanted to LOVE if but the food was just meh on this occasion. read more

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What magic surprise to encounter a real Italian restaurant in the town of Castle Rock My husband and I were drive tru heading for Denver from Houston stopped of I 25 and had best meal ever.Shrimp Scallops Artichokes was evenly my husband had Fillet Oscar with lobster meat to die for On. the way bck to texas we are stopping by again read more

Vista Vino - a plate of clams and shrimp - Italian Near Me - Castle Rock, Colorado

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Unique place in downtown Castle Rock for exceptional food. The menu is easy and uncomplicated. Their wine list has a collection of local and popular wines. I had a chance to meet the Executive Chef who is also the owner. The food is fabulous! Never had a disappointing dish. Try the ice cream! It's to die for! read more

I felt obligated to write this review after the experience I had here the other night. I had made reservations a few days prior and was excited to dine here. Unfortunately when we arrived the young girl working the host stand said they were fully booked and could not accommodate us. We were confused because we had made a reservation and booked a table. They said that even with the reservation there was nothing they can do and offered us to sit at the bar. Reluctantly we sat there and after 20 minutes did not get any service so we left. I hope this is a rare occurrence but the fact that nothing was offered to compensate for their mistake and then we were forgotten about was incredibly frustrating. read more

We just moved here and our new friends suggested we go here with them. My husband and I were floored! We were greeted by Kristin and she gave us a wonderful table. It's not a large place and it's very cute inside. I am happy we made reservations. Wine list was wonderful, many many choices as I find in CR, there aren't that many places with a wide variety of choices. Michelle was our server and she did not disappoint! Very friendly and helpful. I ordered the Chianti & Braised Short Ribs and they were the best that I have ever had! My husband ordered the Salmon & Gnocchi and was happy with it. I highly recommend this place. We will be back! read more

A birthday dinner ruined by a waitress whose attention we could not get--and when we finally did with a low wave--she got visibly angry with us. We sure had a memorable time having the waitress punish us for the rest of the dinner by glowering and tersely or, not speaking to us at all, at each service point. Here's a quote that they can use out of context: Truly an unforgettable experience! To us, the punishment seems way, way out of proportion for our venial sin of being forced to do a low wave to get her attention. I ask what else can you do when the waitress is inattentive and seemingly avoiding eye contact? I would add that restaurant was something like 20% full at the time, so that was not a factor. Because we used to frequent this restaurant every few weeks we would leave substantial tips as makes sense at one of your regular places that you like. So that's not it either. read more