Vino E Cucina | Italian Restaurant Long Beach

Two pasta dishes were too salty, pizza tasted like it came out of a box. Prices are way too high for the quality and quantity of food. Waiter was sweating and you can see drips of his sweat on his face. Need to wipe face before coming to the table. He and staff were very nice and the place is charming.

Made a large order to go from the limited menu available to share a meal with my daughter and her university roommates and everything was superb! We ordered a pepperoni pizza, caesar salad, bolognese (red meat sauce) pasta, contadina (sausage & mushroom) pasta, scoglio (seafood) pasta, and tiramisu. It was all so good! Looking forward to coming back for a dine-in experience and feeling nostaligic, like I am eating in my grandmother's kitchen. The staff were lovely and accommodated a large to-go order with ease and excellent service. Grazie!

I recently had an amazing meal at Vino E Cucina that truly hit the right spot. I had the Bolognese which was rich, savory, and cooked to perfection, paired it with a crisp Italian beer. Highly recommended for anyone craving a true taste of Italy! The ambience was incredibly inviting, offering a genuine taste of Italy right at the table. Between the authentic flavors, great service from Marco and the warm atmosphere, it was a stellar dining experience that I'd highly recommend!

Highly recommend dining here! Our server Marco was fantastic! He was very attentive and knowledgeable. He even helped me to practice ordering in Italian. The entire staff was very friendly. They started by serving us fresh and fluffy bread with olive oil and balsamic. We ordered the calamari appetizer, bolognese and the special of the night, spaghetti ala chitarra. We also ordered an Italian Menabrea amber beer and a chocolate puff pastry dessert. Everything was so fresh and delicious! We will be returning!

A fantastic Northern Italian restaurant with a great selection of wines and excellent cuisine. Their rotating specials and tasting (essentially, a 3-course dinner) menus keep their offerings varied with every visit. While certainly a bit on the pricey side for the servings offered, the quality of ingredients and preparation make it well worth it - especially if one is craving Northern Italian cuisine. Sadly, no Horse or Rabbit on the menu, so I'll have to get my fill of that next time I visit Milan haha.

We dined at Vino e Cucina for dinner, arriving at 5:30 PM hoping to beat the Saturday crowd—but clearly, many had the same idea. The place was warm, cozy, and quite full, creating a lively yet welcoming atmosphere for our meal. The burrata e prosciutto was absolutely wonderful. The creamy mozzarella paired perfectly with the fresh arugula and Parma prosciutto, making it a standout starter. The scoglio, a seafood pasta with linguine, mussels, clams, calamari, shrimp, and scallops in a lightly spicy tomato sauce, was satisfying and flavorful. However, the bolognese was underwhelming. While the fettuccine noodles were cooked well, the tomato beef ragout lacked depth and complexity. A touch of Worcestershire sauce, soy, or more Italian herbs could have elevated its flavor. For dessert, we had the tiramisu. While it was good, it could have been exceptional with a stronger espresso or coffee flavor and perhaps more rum, as the richness was slightly lacking. The service was attentive, and the overall experience was pleasant. While a couple of dishes could be improved, the restaurant has a lot of potential, and we’re curious to try more items from their menu in the future.

Great service, food is delicious and staff is incredible. Hosted several dinners here and always had a wonderful experience. Would recommend this restaurant 💯. Lorenzo and the team make you feel so welcome and go above and beyond to provide the best service.

Do Not judge the food on the bread. Don't bother trying the bread. I'm not certain how they call it bread... I honestly no joke almost told our group to leave if the bread was any indicator of the food to come.. and it was a special occasion so I didn't want to risk it but we had already opened a bottle of wine so I was willing to chance it.. --But the foooood?... The stuffed pasta pouches are AMAZING. Get them. Also the spaghetti, the pesto and Bolognese are great. All pasta al dente perfection with perfect chew and perfect give. Fried artichokes for starters? Yes, the portion could afford two more pieces, please.... but seriously, them there stuffed pouches... I need seconds!

Delicious pasta! Great service. Will go back again. Already told friends that have to try it.

Unassuming gem along this drip of businesses and restaurants. From the moment you walk in, you're greeted and welcomed in like family. You can choose from 3 atmospheres. There's the bar section for more intimate small group dining and beverages. The main room with a vibe between intimate and the room best for groups. We enjoyed the 3rd great for groups. Tucked away in the corner for a lovely intimate date night dinner. It was sweet seeing the family of 8+ enjoying the meals and engaging in laughter. You could bet, it wasn't there first time here. It appeared to be a family tradition to come year after year as they knew the whole staff. When I see this, you know this is not just a restaurant but a place that builds community. As for the food... YUM! You can never go wrong with fresh burrata. I'd like some more tomatoes but I'm a tomato lover. The herbs provided a nice flavor profile to compliment the acidity from tomatoes. The squash blossoms were heavenly pillowed perfectly paired with a tasty creamy pesto sauce. We practically licked the plate clean. The pastas, chef's kiss! The Contadina was our favorite with the umami forward punch. Bolognese is a classic that I always enjoy revisiting and enjoying time after time. Had to skip dessert this time. Can't wait to indulge in their sweet treats next time.

Tonight we went to our favorite Italian spot in Long Beach, just a short drive from home. As always, we had such a pleasant experience, the staff is delightful and the dishes never miss. I tried the Positano pasta with shrimp, and it was delicious .. rich and creamy, perfectly balanced, and totally suited my pregnancy taste buds. We had an appetizer, The bruschetta was also light, fresh, and tasty. Their menu gets updated periodically (not sure how often), but we've been here multiple times and it truly never disappoints. The ambiance is so quaint and inviting, which always adds to the experience, a great date night!

Great pasta dishes, extensive wine selection. An exceedingly romantic option for date night. Fantastic service.

I had the pleasure of introducing some new friends to this fantastic restaurant and everyone was very impressed with the service, atmosphere, wine, and food!! I forgot to take pictures of the appetizers we had mainly because we devoured them so quickly!! We had the zucchini blossoms and the cornbread appetizer. Fantastic!! The wine perfect for our food choices and then we had shared their amazing Tiramisu for desert. Great place to enjoy good times with friends or family!

We were greeted by the friendly staff, and seated immediately. The restaurant was clean and had a nice relaxing vibe. I ordered the Penne Arrabbiata. The pasta was cooked nicely, the sauce was a little bland. We also ordered the fried squash blossom which was very good! Hands down the favorite from our meals. We also ordered one of the specials, stuffed chicken, mashed potatoes and a side of vegetables. The dish was good but needed more flavor, For desert we had the homemade cheesecake. It was very dense. Overall a decent meal

Food was fresh and flavorful! And the service was great. We ordered the Arrabbiata Ghiotta pasta and Foresta pizza both were amazing, definitely recommend! Can't wait to come back to try more things.

The food was really good....except for the bread, a little dry, same with the croutons. For app we got the polenta squares with cheese (forgot name) but very tasty... light sweetness, edge crunch, cut well and topped off by excellent cheesiness. Wife got Dinner Salad with Salmon, I got the Papardelle pasta with sausage and mushroom based sauce...outstanding! After finishing that off I did get the cannolis---4 small but tasty representatives which did the job for 2 nice desserts! Will definitely be back---- the pizza looked good and they have Italian beers!

The food, wine and ambiance is always top shelf. Their service is excellent and they're very accommodating!

We had such a wonderful meal here. The atmosphere and decor made us feel like we were back in Italy. Rosario was amazing and told us about the wine tasting dinner they do. The service was welcoming and sincere. Pasta dishes were incredible, wine was wonderful and the cannoli dessert was a perfect end to a lovely experience.

The food here is amazing, and the service top-notch (a significant improvement over when they first opened many years ago). Very authentic Italian and a homey kitchen vibe. I've never had anything here I wouldn't order again.

Ordered what I thought was a step above other local Italian fare. Needed a pick me up! Big disappointment. The carbonara was dry and no seasoning. Tasted the egg yolk (way too much). I think you forgot the pasta water. Maybe some garlic with the bacon. I doubt if I'll be back.

I've driven by this place many times and finally decided to go for dinner. I WILL be back. Amazing food. Great service.

I came here and ordered calamari for appetizers and vongole (clam) pasta for my main entree. Bread was complimentary and it had a really good crust. Asides from that the bread was typical. The calamari came hot. It was lightly breaded and was more soft than chewy. There is a combination of both tentacles and body. The order came with plenty of sauce. The sauce had a nice spicy kick to it. My pasta had a ton of clams. Parmesan was grated on top of it table-side. A small bowl for shells was also provided. The pasta was very simple and minimalist. It was soothing and not too heavy. Overall this was a nice restaurant

Tonight will be our last time eating at this restaurant. The bread in the basket was hard, seemed stale. 1 person in our party ordered the Eggplant Parmesan. The waitress said to be careful of the ramekin, that it was very hot. When he dug in, the dish was cold, like it was just taken out of the refrigerator! Another person ordered the Carbonara. It was very dry and had little flavor. We were very disappointed.

This is truly a culinary heaven that never fails to impress! The table bread is a masterpiece--buttery and soft, a humble yet exquisite start. This visit must've been our lucky day because the beer battered cheese sticks were the house special. All I'll say is that it's such a disappointment these sticks are not in their regular menu m, they're like no other cheese sticks I've ever had. While the Nonna pasta was good, my heart belongs to the Tortellini. The dance of flavors between pasta and sauce was a culinary masterpiece!! 100% recommend! The service was impeccable, and meeting the genius behind this culinary gem was a highlight. Very delightful experience!

7/24/23 Chef's kiss Deliziosa! Spettacolare! This place deserves a 5 star just based off their marinara! Sara, our fabulous server was amazing & personable. She made our dinner experience great! Usually I don't ever order the special but the way she described it, I just had to have it. Hubby, of course, opted for the Cioppino. Both of our dishes were just simply phenomenal! Hubby's sauce had the right consistency, tang & seasonings-so zesty & savory delicious. The seafood (clams, shrimp, calamari, mussels) were soft & tender. My pasta was egg-based & imported from Italy, it was al dente-so toothsome& thick. Hubby didn't particularly care for it but I loved every bite. Unfortunately, the shrimp on my dish were overcooked, so these were a tad hard on the chew (delicious nonetheless but I do prefer these on the soft chew). The table bread was a bit mediocre. I expected a nice crusty sourdough but it was still soft & tasted freshly made. It paired nicely with the oil & vinegar dipping sauce. Overall, a solid 4 & We will return to try other dishes

The best restaurant in all of Long Beach! If you want authentic Italian food with great company come here!!! The best part is the owner comes to your table and speaks a lil Italian with you and just makes you feel at home. The food is phenomenal, the carbonara is amazing, and it's done the Italian way with butter and cheese only. Soo good! Come and have a great evening we absolutely love this place.

Went in to have a few glasses of wine after a birthday celebration and Rosario was so nice! She has impeccable service and I will definitely be back to have a meal. This establishment was very well kept and the ambiance was the perfect way to end a great night out with friends!

Stopped by without any planning because my husband and I could not decide what to have for dinner. We were so surprised that we had drove by here many times and we never expected it to be so good! My husband ordered the seafood pasta, and I ordered the salmon. Both were delicious! Table bread was also delicious. Our server Marco was very knowledgeable and polite. Throughout our meal we had several people check up on us including the owner. I also got a glass of wine that our server recommended and it was exactly what I described to him that I wanted. Overall we loved this place and will definitely be coming back.

This place gets less good every time we go (I think we've gone four times?). Got the "truffle" pasta with a truffle cream sauce. Couldn't taste a hint of truffle, mushroom, or flavor at all, the sauce was essentially butter and cream without salt. Probably our last time visiting.

I ordered takeout from here. I used the restaurant's website to look at the To Go Menu. I based my decisions off of that. Apparently the menu posted on their website is very out of date. The current prices are about 50% more than what was listed on their website. I get inflation and wage increases, but update your own damn website. I ended up spending $60 for a pizza, pasta and salad, where I expected to spend around $45. The food: the margarita pizza was sad. It wasn't even as good as a Little Caesar's cheese pizza. There was one sliver of basil on each slice. Very little tomato. Also the service was not very warm when I called.

Holy mole this place is so amazing!! I was left speechless!! I came here for a f Galentines dinner. It's most definitely a hole in the wall but Lord is it amazing. We ordered all the specials they had for valentines and we just devoured it. The service was extremely good. Courteous, amicable, and beyond super sweet. Everything that was recommended was 10/10 I can't wait to go back and try more of their dishes with an amazing wine!! Try this spot is amazing

We're new in the area so we just wanted to try something different. Have this place a shot and could not have been more disappointed. The food quality was extremely lacking and it was quite expensive as well. We ordered the lasagna and breaded chicken. The lasagna was made with yellow cheese and tasted more like an enchilada than a lasagna. It was quite weird. The breaded chicken had no flavor and was extremely oily. Needless to say, we will not be visiting this establishment again.

Everything was excellent. Service was friendly and attentive. Food was perfect. Pasta was cooked perfectly al dente. So much more on the menu I want to try

Came here to celebrate my birthday and I got the Positano & my husband got the Vongole. His pasta was extremely salty and he couldnt even eat half of it. Mine was good, but I also feel it could have used a little less salt. We got a pizza to share and it was lacking on flavor too. Overall, we will probably not come back again even though it's so close to our house. Prices were also quite high, considering their pasta portions are small....

Food was very subpar. Ordered the seafood pasta and my wife ordered the nonna. Was really surprised of how little amount of pasta they served her. Literally child portion. I was able to see the plate underneath THROUGH THE PASTA. Then came my seafood pasta. Most clams were still completely shut so I was struggling to pry them open. The calamari was so tough and rubbery I couldn't chew it to save my life so I spit it out. I spent more time prying open muscles and clams than actually eating my skimpy plate. Taste of the food was very subpar. Will NOT be coming back and I live in the neighborhood. Save your money and go elsewhere.

Can't recommend this place, portions are too small for the price. The carne and pesci section come with no side dish. For example If you want to eat pasta with the chicken Milanese you need to pay for an additional dish. The bread that we got in the basket was yesterday's bread and only two very small slices per person. Not coming back

Delicious food. Enjoyed the zucchini appetizer, Nonna pasta, carbonara pasta, and homemade oreo cheesecake. Long wait to expected on a holiday, but it was worth the wait. Employees were kinda despite the busyness. The mixture of flavors for every dish was delicious and fresh.

Everything service food dessert people ambiance wine Lorenzo! Easy parking in front. Great choices for food

The nice couple sitting next to us had been coming for years and years and ordered a plate piled with what looked like a combination of seafood piled high on marinara covered spaghetti. He is a chef and told me he always orders it. I had a nice pour on a lovely Sangiovese but found my adventure with zucchini flowers regrettable-mostly oily flour (sorry guys) . Still, the place was VERY packed as the night went on - might want reservations if after 7 weekends. Oh, thank you for the yummy cannolis! Cheers .

Disappointing and Embarrassing; invited my family and friends to eat here, a mistake all around.

Food is good. Ambiance is nice. But service was very slow. Although servers were friendly, it took more than 10 minutes for the first interaction and it seemed like we were the table that kept getting forgotten.

Very cozy neighborhood-style Italian. Food is always good, prices reasonable. Wait staff is welcoming and treats you like family. Plenty of parking behind the restaurant. Pizza is okay but pasta is better!

A group of us were there to celebrate a birthday. The servers were nice and the food was ok. I think the kitchen needed some additional help. I didn't eat too much of my food so it all went from plate to container that was given to me. What was disturbing to me is that a big piece of plastic was intertwined in my food! Yuck! Did I eat melted plastic for the few bites I did have ? Who knows? I did feel ill after. For paying almost $600 as a group I expected better. Do better please!

One of our favorite places in Long Beach! Always good wine, good food, and good people at VeC

5-stars for the service alone! As soon as we walked in, we were greeted by staff who acknowledged us right away even though they were busy attending to other customers. "We'll be right with you in a moment" is way better than being ignored. As soon as they sat us, another staff person filled a dish with olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Then another staff person brought a basket of tasty bread to our table. Almost like a well-choreographed dance. Our waitress was very friendly and helpful. I think she can read minds because she knew I was about to order a glass of Montepulciano before I even spoke a word. She said "I know women!" and she truly did. I rarely drink red wine but I really liked this one. The pours are very generous too! https://bit.ly/35NMbjQ Another gentleman checked in on us as well after we had a chance to taste our food. Also friendly! I really like the personal vibe here. Makes me feel like they are interested in taking good care of their customers. The menu clearly marks vegan options with a "vg" which is so nice to see. I ordered the Bosco which is made with pacherri pasta, mushrooms, cherry tomatoes, onions, and truffle oil. It smelled really good upon arrival, truffle oil being the dominant smell. It tasted super good too and I was glad that the truffle oil did not take over the entire dish which has the potential to. Perfect portion size and perfectly al dente too. https://bit.ly/3vHNN9U The atmosphere and decor were very wine-centric which I love! I've never been to an Italian winery nor have I been to Italy so I can't exactly say if that was the vibe they were going for but all I know was that I forgot I was in Long Beach for the moments we were there. Located on Norse Way, parking can be competitive but not impossible. We went on a Friday night at 7pm which was easy to get a table right away. Then things got pretty busy closer to 8pm. Such a legit date night! I would definitely come back here! I'm interested in tasting their Arrabbiata.

They serve tasty meals and have an efficient service. The ambiance is ok but if they would offer a nice Italian coffee it would improve the ambience for certain. The owner let us know in no uncertain terms that they are not a coffee shop, which was kind of rude!

Went back again with a friend and we split some of the meal. It was just as fantastic as before.

I was very happy to discover this place as it is close to my home. (Everyone needs a local Italian spot.) The host is always very welcoming and service has been consistently efficient. All the pastas I've had so far have been tasty. If they have fresh gnocchi, I highly recommend that as well. On Fridays they have specials which is nice if you like to change it up sometimes - which I do. Note that it's not a big restaurant and the tables are fairly close together so not ideal if you want a quiet space for a date. Also, it gets very warm if you sit close to the window in the afternoon.

I was extremely disappointed with my carbonara tonight! They did not use tasty guanciale, pancetta or even bacon, but some bland ham! The sauce tasted like watered down egg. Easily the worst carbonara ever! The bread (that I had to pay extra for) was bland and not the freshest. I have eaten in this restaurant a few times, but after this takeout experience, I won't be going back. My son's pappardelle with sausage and mushrooms was only slightly better. Disappointing experience, especially since it's the closest Italian restaurant in the area!

I've been hearing about Vino e Cucina for quite a while. The local foodie group on Facebook raved about this spot and we decided to try this place out. We arrived for our reservation at 7 (on a Friday night, plenty of open tables but it got packed as we were leaving so maybe 7 and earlier you can get a seat but after 8 maybe not?) and were promptly seated. Our waitress came by and let us know about the specials for the night, one of which sounded great and it was the sea bass. I ordered that and a glass of wine while the wife ordered her meal and a glass of wine as well. We were also quickly served some bread w/olive oil and balsamic vinegar. The wine was definitely a heavy pour...I was debating between a bottle or just a glass but now I know, just a glass. Maybe I just don't pour enough for myself at home? It was definitely more than I was used to, but it was a good wine. The special itself...I'm actually still debating about it. It was cooked and not too dried out, but it was drier than I hoped. It was pan-fried skin down and maybe looks like charbroiled to finish? I was hoping it would be basted. The veggies were good, the fried polenta was alright. The flavor was fine but didn't have a WOW factor to me (that said, it was far better than the sea bass I had @ Heritage steak house in Las Vegas). The service was great and the food arrived fast, which I was pleased with. I love the atmosphere and classic family vintage Italian atmosphere. Service was excellent, food was ok, wine pours were amazing. I did see other dishes that other tables had that looked incredible so maybe next time I'm here I'll give their pasta dishes a try.

My wife and I recently ate dinner at Vino e Cucina to celebrate an anniversary. It was our first time, attracted by positive reviews. The space is fairly unassuming and reasonably quiet. If you especially value quiet, we suggest you eat in the room with smaller tables. Larger tables usually mean louder conversations. Our food was excellent. My wife had Chicken Milanese. The meat portion was large, the crust was fun, and the chicken wonderfully moist. It came with no veggies or starch, but a healthy helping of arugula, which meant she didn't need the Caesar salad we split beforehand. I had ravioli filled with branzino. I don't think I've ever had ravioli with fish filling before. It was tasty and subtle, and just the right size portion. Both being seated and being served were timely. Marco, our waiter, was old school and very good. He even treated us to cannoli gratis in honor of the anniversary. We definitely recommend.

Don't order take-out through Yelp. I tried it today. Order went in just fine. Status was updated to 'order received'. I allowed push notifications on Yelp. Status said it would be ready between 5:57 and 6:08. I got a call from the restaurant at 6:02 to remind me my order was waiting for pickup. 3 minutes later I was picking up my order and comparing status screens with the restaurant. Their screen said it would be ready 5:45 to 6:0x. I was told to use the restaurant website not Yelp. 3 minutes later food was home. Both orders were tepid and the pasta was dry and all stuck together. I like this place. Great food, some of the best Italian in Long Beach. But why work with Yelp if you're not going to updat the status through them. Could have sent me a text that it was ready if not updating status. Ruined my $40 dinner.

This place was always a great value for very good Italian dishes. I've been coming here for years and although the food is still very good, they have priced themselves out. I know inflation has a hold on everyone, but there are several other restaurants that are just as good or better, and more reasonably priced.

Just tried this place out yesterday located right across from the LB airport ! From the food to the service to the ambiance was excellent. The burrata cheese blended in well with the pizza and was super tasty. The bread they serve on the side was was soft and delicious as well. The arugula and tomatoes were fresh, complimenting the pizza nicely. Will definitely be back here again !

Why I haven't tried this place before!? This is the most authentic Italian restaurant I have tried so far(I am born and raised in Italy). Their pasta are top notch and they had my fav dish as a dish of the day this past Saturday: WILD BOAR!! I was so excited to eat it that I didn't even take a picture but trust me it was gooood! This is going to be my go to restaurant from now on...

Came for a birthday party, it was small and intimate. Good portions for the food. Not a big selection for soft drinks but overall a nice little space. Parking was a bit difficult so just give urself time to park if you have reservations or a party.

My friend and I came back here for dinner after having such a great experience the time before. Everything was wonderful yet again! Our waitress was very attentive and helpful; she recited the daily specials from memory and it was a lengthy list of items! I chose the Scoglio again.. I've tried a few similar dishes at other restaurants and nothing comes close to this! The restaurant is also located in a quaint area where you can walk around and window shop after dinner, or head to Thirsty Isle for a brewskie and some pool.