Cucci — Restaurant in Puerto de la Cruz

My husband and I came to Puerto de la Cruz for 2 weeks. Cucci came to this cozy restaurant with Italian home cooking on the second day. Before this we visited three different restaurants, but we liked it even before entering. Cucci is a family restaurant that is worth a visit and recommended for lovers of Italian cuisine. It is in a great location, close to the center of central Puerto de la Cruz. We were greeted at the entrance by the owner of the restaurant, Andrea. He smiled and offered us the menu. But when he found out that we spoke English, he smiled even more, closed the menu and called Lara, his wife. With Lara's help, we discussed the menu and began to wait for our order. During this time, they brought us snacks - bruschettas and lard, which we were very happy about. Andrea is Italian, he came with Lara from northern Italy, he is pleasant, friendly, cheerful and a great master of his craft, a professional. He has been in business for many years, prepares the dishes himself and keeps order in the hall and kitchen. The food is very tasty, we liked it and for the rest of the time we only went to Cucci. We tried different salads, bruschettas, squid appetizers, seafood fish soup, steaks, ravioli, risotto, lasagna. We especially liked that chicken soup and borscht were prepared at our request. For dessert, various coffees and teas were offered. In addition, there is a good wine list and soft drinks. All dishes are high quality and very tasty. And their tiramisu is simply amazing! And at the same time good prices. As it turned out, Andrea speaks several languages. Therefore, he always finds a common language with restaurant visitors. We saw that he constantly approaches the tables to ask if everything is in order, if the dish is well prepared and if the visitors are happy. At the same time, he always takes the time to tell visitors a small, funny story from his life. Lara is Andrea's wife and assistant, a friendly, cheerful, sociable and very impressive woman. Her hand can be felt both in the kitchen and in the restaurant hall. It is immediately clear that the Cucci interior is her work. We especially liked the floral decor. Lara told us about her and Andrea’s family restaurant, its history, and the name of the restaurant “Cucci”. It was interesting to see old photos of the restaurant owners in their youth. The restaurant plays pleasant Italian music. She reminded us of our youth. Finish the meal with some very tasty limoncello. Andrea and Lara are two of the best restaurant owners we have ever visited. Friendly, sociable, cheerful and hardworking, passionate about their work. It was not for nothing that many visitors, leaving the restaurant, hugged Andrea and wished them success. We couldn't resist either. We recommend! Be sure to visit Cucci! Eat well, have lots of fun and enjoy a little piece of Italy in the heart of Puerto de la Cruz.❤ Well deserved...

Everyone who has wandered through Puerto de la Cruz's tourist-packed streets, knows that it’s difficult to dodge restaurant staff trying to pull you into their laminated-menu traps. But then there’s Ristorante Cucci; a small, easy-to-miss spot that turns the search for good food into a jackpot moment.

From the moment we sat down, it was clear we’d struck gold. The stuffed pasta was rich and perfectly balanced, the homemade four cheese gnocchi pillowy and full of flavour. Paired with a quaffable bottle of Chianti at only 16 Euros, it felt like we’d been transported straight to the heart of Italy.

The service was everything you could hope for: friendly, efficient, and never overbearing. They made us feel like regulars on night one. And yes, there was a night two. And three. In fact, we dined here every night of our remaining four-day stay, and each time was as fantastic as the last.

Ristorante Cucci doesn’t try to impress with flashiness; it wins you over with serious cooking and down-to-earth charm. Best of all, the prices are refreshingly reasonable for food of this quality.

So, skip the tourist traps and head straight here. Just don’t blame me if you find yourself rearranging your travel plans to fit in one...

Why the top rating? Come here and try this restaurant and you will understand. The welcome, the food, the friendliness, the atmosphere and the price/value ratio is exemplary. We asked for selection of 4 starters (€8) and the owner, Andrea, came to our table and asked is what we like to eat. They put together the 4 different tapas based on your preferences. He was also delighted to know that we speak Portuguese and he switched language to communicate with us. Very kind and funny. The food started arriving, beef carpaccio, taster of porcini risotto, braised squid and octopus salad as the 4 starters already surprised us. Then our mains, the parmigiana and the ravioli (caramelised onion & gorgonzola) also blew us away. Delicious and generous portions. Rounding off with an apple pie as dessert and some very nice limoncello on the house. Honestly Andrea, the owner, is one of the best host we have ever encountered. Friendly, funny, but not awkward or intrusive. Interested in his customers, but not too much into your face. It says it all that all the customers while we were at the restaurant hugged him when leaving. We did too. He is a sweet man. We will be back for sure, tips are not forgotten!...