Toscana

I went to Cucina Toscana several years ago and had a wonderful dining experience, wow, has that changed. We went with a dear friend from out of town and raved about the food only to be greeted with a 20 minute wait even though we had reservations, service that was fairly unattentive, cold food and the worst of all, we dessert. We requested a dessert menu - the server said that they don't have a dessert menu but recited our available dessert options from memory. Thinking that perhaps we might get the quality we expected, we ordered cannoli, pistachio gelato and the evening special which was a chocolate mousse cake. The mousse cake was nothing more than a lava cake with some vanilla ice cream, the pistachio gelato was something that tasted more like peanut butter than pistachio and the one cannoli was average at best. Then came the ticket - they charged $11.50 for one cannoli, $10.50 for one scoop of gelato and $15.50 for a microwaved lava cake! We could not believe it. No wonder they don't offer you a dessert menu - no one would order if they knew the price! I have lived in LA and Chicago and I have been to some of the top restaurants both of those cities have to offer including Charlie Trotters and I have never been charged $15.50 for a dessert of any kind, let alone one that I could have made in my kitchen. Needless to say, I won't ever go back to Cucina Toscana - SLC, look for a better place to find authentic Italian food. more

What started as a bad experience turned out to be one of the most amazing dining experiences of my life. My boyfriend and I made a reservation for my birthday and arrived promptly only to be kept waiting for over a half an hour. We alerted the hostess that we would like to cancel our reservation and turned to leave. Upon getting to our car in the parking lot, the manager of the restaurant ran out after us adamant about us staying and enjoying our night - going as far as to say that he wanted to pay for our meal, he didn't want anyone to leave unhappy. We of course agreed to the kind gesture and went back inside. The events that pursued were nothing short of remarkable. He treated us to a 4 course meal of the most amazing dishes either of us has had in Utah. Cucina Toscana took what could have been a very bad experience and went above and beyond what anyone could have asked. We will definitely be going back! Pros: Food, service, treat you like family Cons: Nothing! more

I luckily found this place 2 years ago and I can't get enough! It is by far the best italian restaurant in town! There's always tons of cool people there and it's got amazing atmosphere! The owners are so charismatic and passionate about what they do ...it makes you feel like you are eating at their house (just you get a big bill at the end!!...but it's worth it!) If you haven't been you should call and make a reservation! Pros: Amazing food, atmosphere! Cons: If you don't like crowds stay away cause it's ALWAYS busy! more

We've been there dozens of times and love it. Our favorites are the tableside Caesar salad, carbonara and tiramisu. and, of course, the personal visit from Valter. Make reservations even on a weeknight, just to be safe! Pros: Delicious food, great specials Cons: Incredibly LOUD and tables are very close together more

I've chose Cucina Toscana as our favorite Italian restaurant in Salt Lake City. They are the BEST in UTAH, actually they are better than any Italian restaurant I've tried in San Francisco or New York. When we try a new Italian restaurant we always try a salad, apps, lasagna and a special. This is by far the best Lasagna I've tried - in America. The Salmon Mostarda is awesome ( but the last time I ordered it, the Salmon was drowning in the creamy sauce -but usually it's just right.)\r \r The service is always very good. I usually with go with a group of six or more and we always sit in the new back area or in one of the private rooms. It's not crowded like the front area near the kitchen. You may have trouble with parking on Jazz game nights since it's so close to the Arena.\r \r My only complaint about this restaurant is the prices. Recently, some of our favorite dishes have gone up in price quiet a bit. Which means we'll probably visit less often. The Lasagna dish is around $22 now....Salads went up a few dollars too. We used to spend about $60 for two but this last time it was over $80.\r \r But if you are looking for good authentic Italian food - this is the place in Utah. Nothing else can compare. Pros: Great food, good downtown location Cons: Pricey more

I had to host a business meeting for 26 people coming from out of town. The restaurant has a wonderful private area for such an event. We got our private chef cooking from us through a dedicated kitchen in that area and it also had a bar area. The service was excellent as our wine glasses were continuosly filled. We had the 4 course meal and the food was outstanding. Everyone was raving about how tastey the various courses were. The owner came at first to great us and made sure that we are taken care of. \r \r I highly recommed the restautrant. more

The food is fresh, clean, and delicious. The service is friendly and the atmosphere is comfortable. Highly recommended. Pros: Food, Ambience, Service more

Undoubtedly the best Italian food that Salt Lake has to offer, eating at Cucina Toscana was nothing short of fantastic. The atmosphere is warm and inviting, and the staff greet you with a professional but warm welcome. Our waiter was phenomenal, choosing all of our food for us, and hardly knowing us. For appetizers he chose a proscuitto with melon (amazing), a cooked spinach dish and two other great dishes. The next course was the homemade ravioli, which was to die for. The main courses we had were a salmon dish with spinach and tomato, a tilapia dish, and two other meat dishes. Already entirely impressed and stuffed, our waiter brought our two desserts, a peach tiramisu and chocolate lava cake (a chocolate lovers delight). During the meal the waiter was attentive to our requests and very prompt in serving us. The owner even came and asked how our meal was, which is a rare occurrence in most restaurants. Needless to say, we were pleasantly stuffed and smiling when we left. The only downside to the meal was the cost, it is a bit pricey, but well worth it. Pros: Atmosphere, Great food, Service Cons: Price more

Utah has so few really charming authentic spots - this one is first rate. The service, food, and atmosphere are wonderful. The acoustics are a problem for quiet ones. One of the best in Utah - up there with Chez Betty and Metropolitan more

From the moment you enter Cucina Toscana, you feel special. The owner personally greeted us at the door, thanking us for dining at his restaurant. From there, the host checked out coats, and led us to our table, covered in white linen. Our server was very knowledgeable, friendly, and had some great suggestions. The menu was divided into two sections, one offering the chef's selections for that particular week, and the other listing the more permanent choices. The food was amazing. We ordered the king crab, avocado, fennel starter, followed by entrees of duck, veal, and hand-made ravioli. It was delicious. To finish it off, we enjoyed a serving of coffee-flavored gelato. It was a perfect evening. Pros: Service, Food, Ambience Cons: Expensive more

A food connoisseurs delight, Cucina Toscana is what every fine dining experience should be but rarely is. Valter, the owner, is truly a maestro, both in his culinary expertise and his ability to create the warm and inviting atmosphere you experience as you enjoy the rich, bubbling flavor of this exceptional ristorante. The service was outstanding, the food exquisite, and the decor a delight. Thank you Valter, for a wonderful evening. Your attentiveness to marvelous service, delicious food, and an overall extraordinary dining experience will be well rewarded! Bravo! Bravo! Pros: The owner, Valter, The food, The service more

The service is excellent. The food is excellent. The wine is excellent. The host is the best in town. Just eat out here and you'll be happy. more

Just when I was about to give up on Italian food in Utah, A friend took me to Cucina Toscana. This is one of Utah's BEST restaurants. Everything was wonderful. I will come back again and again. Pros: great food, incredible service, friendly people more

My husband and I had reservations at Cucina Toscana for our Anniversary. When we arrived the restaurant was buzzing. When I gave the hostess our name, she didn't have it on her reservation list. She immediately spoke with her manager who seated us immediately. We were impressed! Our waiter was very attentive and accomodating. The food was out of this world. I would reccommend this restaurant very highly. I am Italian on both sides of my family and I have to say their food truly hits the mark in every way! We may make Cucina Toscana our traditional Anniversary dinner. Pros: Great Atmosphere, Wonderful Food, Excellent Staff Cons: Crowded, tables are too close, a little noisy more

I am from Portland, OR and didn't expect to get good Italian in SLC, but I loved the food at this restaurant. Everything we had was delicious, and compared to Portland it was very reasonably priced. I think this was the best Italian I've had (and I have had a lot!) They have excellent homemade pasta and gnocchi, the asparagus appetizer was delicious, and I had the house Chicken which as really flavorful. The only downside was we were a bit too close to our neighbors. more

The atmosphere and service at Toscana are fabulous. The food is marginal and overpriced. I do believe they have a private room for larger parties, but I have never eaten in there. Pros: Good Parking, Great Service, Atmosphere Cons: , Medicore Food more

Being a true foodie, I was so pleased iwth my experience at Cucina Toscana! The atmosphere is vibrant and invigorating, the service excellent and the food is wonderful. I highly recommend the pasta e fagioli, the gnocchi and any of their specials. Pros: Excellent Food, Aims to please more

Cucina Toscan is the best in SLC. the service is top notch, the food is fantatstic, and the atmosphere is beatuiful. The owner will greet you with a hug and will take care of anything you need. You will become his friend immedately. the waitstaff is very attentive and knowledgable about the food. They even mix salads and desserts at the table. We had the best Halibut here we have ever had. Cooked to absolute perfection and very tasty. I have had some great fish in Boston, NYC and elsewhere and this was top notch. The Oso Bucco was very good as well. The appetizers are great, including the expansive (not expensive) Anti-Pasta bar, and the Bruschetta. This place will be in the top 5 (if not #1) on city search in 2005. Pros: Food, Ambience, Service Cons: , of more

My wife and I have been here three times and we absolutely love it! The atmosphere is great, the service is awesome, and the prices are reasonable. This is a good place for a rommantic date, although I would recommend to almost anyone, except children. Children would ruin the atmosphere of a place like this. more

I don't know what happened to previous reviews, but they disappeared from this site. So here are my feelings on this restaurant. Outstanding service. Incredibly delicious food. Great ambiance for special occassions or romantic dining. Staff is excellent and very knowledgeable, courteous, and helpful. The best Italian and restaurant I've found in Utah. Prices reasonable. Pros: food, service, style more