Vino e Cucina Italian Restaurant Sydney — Restaurant in Sydney

This place has the most delicious Italian food, probably the best I have had in Sydney. We have come a few times and each time we spend so much money because the food and experience is usually well worth it.

However, last Friday 7\5 When I came to the restaurant I realized I was still holding an empty can of drink. I thought it would be rude to walk in with a can from elsewhere, so I asked a staff member who was outside if she had a bin or somewhere I can put the can (as I couldn't locate a bin near us). At first she seemed happy to help and took the can. But just as I was about to walk in she made a comment along the lines of 'Nice Try' or ''I see what you were trying to do there''.. I couldn't understand what had happened and started to walk to our table when she came back, looked me straight in the eyes and said something like 'I don't know how they do it in your country..' (and something else that I couldn't quite hear..)

I was totally flabbergasted! I had given her my can and that's it. To warrant comments like this in a restaurant that we pay top dollar in was totally unacceptable. I was so shocked and embarrassed. When i went to sit down, I mentioned to the lady (staff) at our table what had happened and apologized if I had offended anyone. She looked as confused as me and said not to worry about it. Anyway, it took me a while to relax. This lady had ruined the night for me. I was very uncomfortable and I would have left, had it been for family who had traveled from far to be there. After a while, I forgot about it and started to enjoy my night. We spent over $300 there that night. The food was delicious and every other staff member (but this lady at the front) was wonderful - as they usually are.

Also just want to mention that she continued her insults when we left the restaurant too. I don't know what she said exactly and my husband actually asked her to explain herself, though I called him away as it was causing a scene. Very unusual in a place like that.

Just wanted to mention this sad turn of events. Unfortunately it has ruined my experience of the restaurant and I am now...

We came for a Saturday dinner, a busy time for any restaurant, and our experience on such a busy night can only be described as outstanding in every way. The food was exquisite, and the service friendly and professional.

The zucchini flowers with four Italian cheeses were a delicious, a crunchy and a cheesy melt in the mouth moment. The twice cooked WA octopus with roasted kipfler, smoked mascarpone and salmon roe was delectably tender, and served in an impressive style with a big chunk of tasty tentacles presented on a black slate. The beef carpaccio with roasted capsicum, truffle aioli, rocket and parmesan chips was also divine.

The homemade potato gnocchi with white wild boar ragu was an excellent combination of little fluffy clouds of gnocchi, complemented by a flavoursome boar ragu. The spaghetti carbonara with guanciale, eggs and pecorino was also a tenderly balanced combination of traditional flavours.

The matching wines recommended by our waitress were beautifully selected and contributed to the flow of conversation and the enjoyment of the food and the bustling atmosphere.

The Tagliere di Formaggi, a lovely selection of Italian cheeses was not just huge by Sydney standards, but was also filled by wonderful delicacies, served with a little ball of honey, was a little piece of heaven! Loved it.

The desserts, the chocolate and mascarpone mousse with strawberry and white chocolate pearl and the orange and poppy seed pudding with salted orange caramel and candied orange were also absolutely delicious and a lovely end to a meal much enjoyed.

The surprise limoncello finish was a lovely touch, poured semi-frozen like a fabulous alcoholic lemon slushy. As we watched it melt into a refreshing treat, we were flooded with fond memories of our last...

As this is my first ever online restaurant review, I write with a tinge of disappointment about my recent experience at Vino e Cucina. My friend and I visited for drinks and dinner after a long work week, hoping for a relaxing evening.

The spritzes were excellent, but the rest of the experience fell short. We ordered the rigatoni alla vodka and a quattro stagioni pizza. The pasta was decent, but a bit overpriced for the taste. However, the main issue was the pizza.

The pizza arrived with each slice featuring a single topping, segmented into four distinct flavors. We informed the waitress that this wasn't what we expected, assuming the menu description implied mixed toppings on each slice. She politely relayed our concern to the manager.

Unfortunately, the manager's response was argumentative and dismissive. He insisted this was the "authentic" way and that the menu description was sufficient. While I appreciate tradition, the menu lacked any mention of the segmented toppings.

We requested a remake with mixed toppings, but the manager refused to waive the charge for the original pizza, claiming they'd already used the ingredients. This felt unreasonable, especially considering the cold pizza returned to our table.

Given the price point and the manager's inflexibility, we decided to cut our losses and forego the remake. Disappointed and frustrated, we likely won't be returning or recommending Vino e Cucina.

Vino e Cucina had the potential to be a great local spot, but the lack of menu clarity and the manager's handling of the situation fell short.

Postives: friendly and...